The Better Letters Glowing Alphabet Peep Show

Better Letters' glow-in-the-dark painted alphabet inside a peep show cabinet for London Design Festival.

The Better Letters Glowing Alphabet Peep Show
Glow with the Fluo(rescent) paint by Mike Meyer.

The Better Letters Glowing Alphabet Peep Show started as an idea for a glow-in-the-dark exhibition room, and evolved into a modern curiosity cabinet installation that debuted at the 2017 London Design Festival.

After much experimentation, and testing of new materials and processes (see work-in-progress photos below), the peep show since been installed at Hilton Bankside in London, the Manchester Design Festival, G . F Smith, Craft London and London Letterheads.

The Better Letters Glowing Alphabet Peep Show at Craft London.

Here are 16 of the final 27 pieces inside the peep show. These have been selected to create a little word search which credits those that were pivotal in bringing the peep show together.

Words to find (move around the grid in any direction, including using the same letter twice).

  • Mike (Meyer, letters A, C, E, G, I, K, M, O, Q, S, U, W, Y, Z)
  • Utile (Studio, letters B, D, F, H, J, L, N, P, R, T, V, X, &)
  • David (Kynaston, exterior signwriting)
  • Tom (Graham Workshop, cabinet making)
  • Sam (Roberts, producer)
  • LDF (London Design Festival)
  • And, just for fun: View; Lit; Smut; Spy

Finally, here are some research & development/work-in-progress photos documenting the path to the final installation. We worked with a variety of materials to produce the works inside the cabinet, including Plike paper from G .F Smith, 1 Shot poster paint, Coo-var Glocote and Montana aerosols. The cabinet was made of Valchromat and lettered in 1 Shot enamel.

Early tests with glow-in-the dark screen printing ink, direct to paper.
Early tests with glow-in-the dark screen printing ink, direct to paper.
White paper cut-outs to test viewing distance ahead of developing specification for the cabinet.
White paper cut-outs to test viewing distance ahead of developing specification for the cabinet.
Mike Meyer, Sign Painter, with early sketches for his letters.
Mike Meyer, Sign Painter, with early sketches for his letters.
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Harry Fieber, Utile Studio, developing his skeletal X.
Harry Fieber, Utile Studio, developing his skeletal X.
The final X by Harry Fieber at Utile Studio. Photo: Alastair Levy.
Pink, orange and green Glocote paints.
Pink, orange and green Glocote paints.
Base costing of letters in white ahead of applying fluorescent colours.
Base costing of letters in white ahead of applying fluorescent colours.
Pieces drying ahead of colouring.
Pieces drying ahead of colouring.
Pieces drying after use of aerosols to achieve specific effects.
Pieces drying after use of aerosols to achieve specific effects.
Discarded test pieces under UV light.
Discarded test pieces under UV light.
Work in progress on a toxic T from Harry Fieber, Utile Studio.
Work in progress on a toxic T from Harry Fieber, Utile Studio.
Mike Meyer, Sign Painter, and Tom Graham mounting letters for back panels of the peep show.
Mike Meyer, Sign Painter, and Tom Graham mounting letters for back panels of the peep show.
Inside the peep show under UV light, before sealing up.
Inside the peep show under UV light, before sealing up.
Peeping at Letterheads 2018: London Calling. Photo: Colin Allen.
The full frontage hand-painted by David Kynaston.