We all know the medium is the message – even if that message is just “Welcome to Pillowland”, as a fellow attendee inscribed at the Make Your Own Sign workshop at Urban Spree.
Run by ex-street artists and Urban Spree residents Otto Baum and Rylsee, the seven-hour intensive course gives typography newbies the materials and know-how to create colourful, hand-painted wooden signs for a business, for an event or just for the hell of it.
The monthly workshop accepts 10 people at most. The six of us assembled on this particular Saturday include tattoo artists, scientists and general doodlers, two of them here to make their wedding sign, the rest lacking a clear mission.
Baum and Rylsee greet us at the door with a smile and freshly made coffee, then start right in with a theoretical lecture about typography, switching over to English when one of the participants confesses his lack of German.
They guide us each step of the way as we sketch our ideas out on paper, replicate the sketch on a wooden board and choose from paint colours like “Rotten Ketchup” and “Techno Blue”.
It’s a long process that requires patience – but it’s fun. So if you’ve got something to say and €125 to spend on saying it, go ahead and sign yourself up.
Next workshop: July 12, register at: [email protected], check Facebook page for dates
