I think it is partly a result of the extreme difficulties of typesetting in the nasta’liq style. Until quite recently, almost all the newspapers in the country were handlettered. So there is a large number of professional signpainters and letterers, working with both Urdu and English, and a public understanding that if you want a sign painted you go and hire one of these people. This contributes to a culture in which there is an expectation of quality in signpainting, even in protest banners, that is not undermined or homogenised by cheaper and faster mechanical lettering options. You see the same sort of quality, although much more restrained in style, in late 19th and early 20th century suffrage protest signs in Britain. This image is a good example because you can see both the quality of the protest signs and banners and, in the background, the standard of poster lettering on which the signs and banners are based.

Makes sense.

> Until quite recently, almost all the newspapers in the country were handlettered.

Yes, I remember reading (also on the BBC site I think) of how
a small team of scribes, under the guidance of a layout designer,
handwrites the various news stories in columns of the neccesary
size, and then it all gets collaged and photocopied or photographed.

So what other cultures with difficult-to-computerize
scripts enjoy highly accomplished public lettering?

hhp

I think we would definitely have to include Mexican ‘Rotulistas’. These are people dedicated to make hand-lettering signs all over Mexico, on front shops, walls, cloth, vehicles, etc.

There is an interesting (only from the visual side —in my opinion—) book on this subject… Sensacional Mexican Street Graphics. The book shows many examples of ‘Rotulista’ work, although is more image oriented rather than typographical.

I apologize in advance, because the only examples I have to show right now are of blackletter… nevertheless most lettering in Mexico is roman!

No kidding Hrant, I noticed also. All protesters must attend a showcard lettering workshop by John Downer before marching. This from the Herald Tribune:

Arabic typography is so dominated by calligraphy it is no surprise that their hand skills are good. For more on this see the articles on Nadine Chahine’s site.

Randy

The magazine that Building Letters produced in 2004 (India) has an article by Rathna Ramanathan about the Madrassi signpainters (Originally from Friends of St Bride Printing Library second annual conference). Many of them are not literate even in their own language but are interpreting the letter as an object, 90% of their work is in English and commercially driven, copying a visual.
There is also an interview with John Downer in the magazine.
Tim

I love the delicate border in the ’SHAME FOR EUROPEAN PRESS’ sign.

In more non-non-Latin news, frame 5 here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4713086.stm _
might be harder to explain... Considering that Lebanese enjoy
heavy exposure to and use of the Latin script (especially among
those who would have made that sign) I think this might simply
be a case of plain old sloppiness.

hhp

More quality lettering from London... I mean Pakistan! ;-)
Frame 6 here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4986032.stm

hhp

Not Pakistani, but pretty impressive:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41718000/jpg/_41718922_chiselnew20... _
Especially when you consider how young the hand looks.

Full story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5042032.stm

hhp