Making a Neon Sign By Hand | WIRED

Inside Shawna Peterson's neon tube bending studio where puffs of air, charred wood, and glass tubes meet to make brilliant custom signs and art.

Shawna Peterson bends glass tubes for a living. She makes neon art, and has put glowing faces on a giant wall of recyclables for artist Erik Otto, bent two-inch circles for a wall sized circuit board for Dolby Labs, and created a sign that simply says "Wash Me" for a San Francisco laundromat. The shining remnants of her past and future projects can be seen scattered throughout her workspace. It lies on the border of Oakland, California, and neighboring Emeryville, just blocks from Pixar Studios in an area dotted with warehouses, workshops, and art studios.


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Making a Neon Sign By Hand | WIRED

[UltraDoug]

That was cool. I love learning about off hand careers and the people that work at it. Very interesting

[Blue]

she would be able to make some kickass water cooling setups

[handymads]

I recently told myself to lay off the interest in becoming a tube bender/neon sign maker because it would take a lot of time and cost a lot. I was *done* with it mentally. But lo and behold, the very next week here's this video and yet another thing telling me I should really go for it.

[TheMovieMyLife]

Glad she loves it. I don't think I'd have the patience.

[adrianferrette]

Not gonna lie, I was kinda hoping/expecting to see a WIRED neon sign there at the end :(

Very awesome video all the same!

[jlev]

So cool. LED doesn’t have the same feel as neon lighting. Never will. Neon is awesome.

[erroldillon]

I worked with a person who made neon signs. He made me love neon. I love your video. Thanks for your inspirational story. I will make a neon shop very soon!!! Thanks for everything ❤

[SPcamert]

That is incredible. I tried a borosilicate glass making workshop with my wife a few years ago and it's a lot of fun but to be really accurate requires some incredible skill.

[af]

WIRED literally goes from interviewing celebrities with google questions to how to create a bloody neon sign.

[paulhewson]

I did it for 20 years, ,,best Gig, , loved it

[JoeyGnarly]

With her skills and mine combined we could make the coolest Bong $$$

[Deucehoru]

This was an intro to an epic documentary! Awesome and interesting

[hansolodolo]

cool...better than bending conduit that for sure

[m.printes]

My dream come true to learn this beautiful art.

[HydeMyJekyll]

I need to learn how to do this. I can weld, I can do some carpentry, I need to add neon

[MeliaMimi]

Soooo this is why neon lights are so expensive...

[TheEjaay]

Damn someone should hire her for some crazy water-cooled PC-Build

[andyuh]

bay area? how do i get in contact with her business?

[conjurehoodoo]

The US country needs to get with maker apprenticeships. It is the future, both science and art.