Hand-Painted Sign in Los Angeles, 1996

I’m sharing a photo I took in 2016 while visiting the Fashion District in Los Angeles with my mom. She pointed out this sign and told me it was one of my dad’s hand-painted lettering projects from 1996. He was passionate about typography and hand lettering, and before developing arthritis, he would paint signs by hand for windows, buildings, and murals or use vinyl for food truck designs. My dad was incredibly resourceful and often found work by offering his skills directly to local businesses.

Now, my older brother runs his own sign business as a graphic designer. He uses digital machines for production, and it's interesting to see how much the process has evolved. As a design major myself, using Adobe apps and my iPad, it's been really special to witness how design has shifted across generations in my own family. This piece reminds me that design is both cultural and personal, and it lives through the tools, hands, and passions of each era. 

Allison Bernal ( "Original sign by my father, 1996")