Robert 'Umberto' Walker is the owner of Signs by Umberto.
A sign-writer as well as an educator, Robert specialises in
reverse glass sign making based in Huddersfield,
West Yorkshire, UK.
The name derives from a name given to Robert at a young
age by his father. Robert has four brothers in total and their
dad has a name for each of his sons that has links to
films.
Robert began sign writing in 1991 at the age of 14, working
with a sign writer from Bradford in West Yorkshire, to
paint large wall pieces for the Eureka children's museum
in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Robert quickly fell in love with typography and painting at a
similar time and soon began to study art and design
before eventually he began to teach typography on design
courses across Yorkshire after completing a Master's
Degree in International Graphic Design Practice as well
as a Post Graduate Certificate in Lifelong Education.
Robert specialises in hand crafted sign making known as
Verre Églomisé, a process of applying both a design
and gold onto the rear face of glass as well as hand
painted sign writing and large scale typographic murals.
Workshops
September 2019
The Good Life Experience Festival
Hawarden Castle
June 2019
The National Festival of Making
Blackburn.
Feb 2019
Signs by Umberto + Copenhagen Signs
The University of Huddersfield
Lectures
Beginnings
The University of Huddersfield
January 2020
Glug Bradford
Jack of All Trades....Master of ALL!
Assembly Rooms
October 2019
DixonBaxi and Signs by Umberto
York Design Week
York St John University
Feb 2019
Wood, Glass and Record Sleeves
Northern Qtr, Huddersfield.
Trained in Verre Églomisé
from David A Smith
Visiting Academic Assessor
HE_BA [hons]
Graphic Design.
Associate Lecturer
HE_BA [hons]
Fashion Management and
Communication.
Associate Lecturer
HE_BA [hons]
Graphic Design and
Animation.
Former Senior Lecturer
HE_BA [hons]
Graphic Design.
Former Course Leader FE
Lifelong Education
specialising in Art and Design.
International Graphic Design
Practice.
Fine Art Trade Guild, London
Member of
The Heritage Craft Association
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