2nd Semester 8-Week Sign Painting Course Every WEDNESDAY, Oct 28. - Dec. 16, 2026 at 8am-2pm $800 for 8 Weeks
Updated: Oct 6
SMART ALEX SIGNS
ORANGE COUNTY SIGN PAINTING Classes and Workshops
Los Angeles Southern California Sign Graphics Trade Tech
2nd Semester
8-Week Sign Painting
CLASS WORKSHOP
EVERY WEDNESDAY
October 28, 2026 - December 16, 2026
8:00am - 2:00pm
@ $800.00 for 8 Weeks
2nd Semester 8-Week Sign Painting Course (Every Wednesday October 28, 2026 - December 16, 2026) from 8:00am - 2:00pm at $800 for 8 weeks
Enrollment Requirement: Prerequisite 1st Semester
This course covers the tools and materials used to produce outdoor signs with 1shot Lettering Enamel. Students will work on a variety of materials including plywood and aluminum substrates. Instruction will emphasize Sign Layout & Design, Blending, Convex/Beveled Letters and Faux Marble . Students will produce a 2' x 3' plywood sign for their final project.
Lunch 11:30am-12:15pm.
$800 total for 8-Weeks.
Location address in Huntington Beach, Orange County
Hands-On Outdoor Sign Painting with 1 Shot Enamel
The 2nd Semester Sign Painting Course takes students further into the hands-on process of creating traditional outdoor signs with 1 Shot Lettering Enamel. Students will work directly with different sign surfaces while developing a better understanding of how surface preparation, paint handling, brush techniques, and finishing methods work together.
Course materials and surfaces include:
Plywood sign panels
Aluminum sign panels
1 Shot Lettering Enamel
Traditional lettering brushes and sign painting supplies
Materials used for outdoor hand-painted signage
Working on both plywood and aluminum gives students practical experience with different substrates and helps them understand how preparation and paint application can influence the finished appearance of a hand-painted sign.
Plan the Sign Before You Paint It
A successful hand-painted sign begins with a strong plan. During the Sign Layout & Design portion of the course, students will continue practicing the fundamentals of arranging lettering and artwork within a defined sign area.
Students will work on concepts such as letter spacing, proportion, alignment, composition, placement, and visual balance. Developing these skills helps students understand how to create a sign layout that communicates clearly while maintaining an organized and professional appearance.
Develop Smooth Paint Transitions Through Blending
Students will spend time practicing blending techniques that can be used to create gradual transitions and added visual depth in hand-painted lettering and artwork. Blending requires attention to paint control, brush movement, pressure, and timing. Through practical exercises, students can become more comfortable manipulating paint to create smoother transitions and decorative effects that add another dimension to traditional sign painting.
Add Dimension with Convex and Beveled Lettering
The course introduces students to traditional Convex and Beveled Lettering Techniques, allowing them to explore ways of giving painted letters a dimensional appearance. Students will practice techniques that can make lettering appear shaped, raised, or beveled when viewed on the finished sign. These classic effects provide another opportunity to develop precision, brush control, and attention to detail while working with hand-painted lettering.
Learn Decorative Faux Marble Effects
Another creative technique covered during the 2nd Semester is Faux Marble Painting. Students will explore how paint can be manipulated to imitate the patterns, movement, and appearance associated with marble surfaces.
This decorative technique gives students an opportunity to move beyond standard lettering and experiment with artistic surface treatments. Faux marble can also help students develop greater control when creating detailed painted textures and decorative effects.
Apply Your Skills to a Complete 2' x 3' Sign
Students will have the opportunity to put their newly developed techniques into practice by completing a 2' x 3' plywood sign as their final project. The project allows students to work through multiple stages of traditional sign production, including:
Planning the sign layout
Lettering and design
Working with 1 Shot Lettering Enamel
Blending and paint transitions
Convex and beveled lettering effects
Faux marble techniques
Preparing a plywood sign surface
Applying the final painted design
Rather than practicing individual techniques in isolation, the final project allows students to combine multiple skills into one finished hand-painted sign.
Learn from Alex Kurakake
CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO
Alex Kurakake is a Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC) alumnus, the founder of Smart Alex Signs, and the creator of SoCal Sign Painting Workshops in Huntington Beach, Orange County, Southern California.
In this video, meet your instructor and discover Alex’s passion for traditional hand-painted sign work, his experience in the craft, and his dedication to sharing these skills with aspiring sign painters.
Continue Building Your Skills as a Sign Painter
The 2nd Semester Sign Painting Course is intended for students who have already completed the 1st Semester prerequisite and are interested in taking their traditional sign painting training further.
The course can provide additional hands-on practice for people interested in becoming:
Professional Sign Painters
Hand-Lettering Artists
Hand-Painted Sign Artists
Commercial Sign Artists
Mural and Decorative Artists
Traditional Sign Painting Students
Creative Artists Expanding Their Painting Skills
Students can use this next stage of training to continue developing their understanding of lettering, composition, decorative painting, dimensional effects, and traditional sign painting techniques.
Advance to the Next Stage of Traditional Sign Painting
Students who have completed the required 1st Semester Sign Painting Course can enroll in the upcoming 2nd Semester 8-Week Sign Painting Course with Alex Kurakake of ORANGE COUNTY SIGN PAINTING WORKSHOPS COMPANY – a Division of Smart Alex Hand-Painted Signs.
The 2nd Semester serves as a required prerequisite for the 3rd Semester, giving students the opportunity to build additional hands-on experience before moving forward in the workshop program.
Following completion of the 2nd Semester, students can continue to the 3rd Semester 8-Week Sign Painting Course, scheduled every Wednesday from January 6, 2027 through February 24, 2027, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with tuition of $800 for 8 weeks.
This continued workshop training allows students to further practice traditional hand-painted sign techniques with Alex Kurakake, building on the skills developed during the first and second semesters.
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