Bold Statements is the label of Pieter Snijders, a passionate lettering designer and sign painter based in Arnhem, The Netherlands. He uses hand lettering, sign painting, and gilding to make unique designs with a touch of vintage; this varies from retro logos and prints for clothing to murals, hand-painted shop fronts, food trucks, menu boards, and more.

He likes to share his love for typography and creative skills in his books and by giving workshops and demos at all kinds of events.

“When I graduated at The Design Academy in Eindhoven, hand-painted signs were not a thing. I learned how to design using mainly digital tools. The highbrow design teachers taught us to use Helvetica in black and white. At all times we should avoid sugarcoating our stuff like Willy Wonka. Nonetheless, I have developed a guilty pleasure for sugar-coated letters with drop shadows, bevels, and other ‘shady’ effects. So, now you know where the top hat in the Bold Statements logo comes from.

A few years ago, I found my passion for lettering, and ever since I like to combine my 3D design background with hand-drawn typographic design. Over the past years, I have researched a lot of original sign painting resources. That’s how I discovered that a lot of foundations in contemporary graphic design have their origin in the craft of sign painting.”