Friday, February 29, 2008

Verlare Cleaners‎

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Verlare Cleaners‎
104 W Vallette St
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Taken by Splotchy 02/23/2008

Thursday, February 28, 2008

PAX Hair Salon

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PAX Hair Salon
54 Charing Cross Road
London WC2H 0BB
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Ace Hardware

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Ace Hardware
8345 Belmont Ave
River Grove, IL 60171
Taken by Splotchy 02/23/2008


Another mixture of signage, with some negative space used for "Hardware"

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Westbrook Corporate Center

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Tower 1

Tower 2

Tower 3

Tower 4

Tower 5

Westbrook Corporate Center
Westchester, IL 60154
Taken by Splotchy 02/23/2008

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The Casino At The Empire

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The Casino at The Empire
5-6 Leicester Street
London WC2H 7NA
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Monday, February 25, 2008

Everything But Water

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Everything But Water
10000 Research Boulevard, #124
Austin TX 78759
Taken by Freida Bee 02/13/08

Odeon Cinemas



Odeon Cinemas
135 Shaftsbury Avenue
London WC2H 8AH
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Friday, February 22, 2008

Med Kitchen

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Med Kitchen
24 Cambridge Circus
London WC2H 8AA
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Taco Burrito King

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Taco Burrito King
3216 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
Taken by Splotchy 02/16/2008

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Incognico

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Incognico
117 Shaftesbury Avenue
Cambridge Circus
London WC2H 8AD
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Amy's Ice Creams

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Amy's Ice Creams
10000 Research at the Arboretum
Suite 140 Austin, TX 78759
Taken by Freida Bee 02/13/08

American Chartered Bank

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American Chartered Bank
932 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Taken by Splotchy 02/09/2008

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Which Wich

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Which Wich
4700 W Guadalupe St
Triangle Shopping Center, Ste 5
Austin, TX 78751
Taken by Freida Bee 02/10/08

The Shakespeare Pub

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The Shakespeare Pub
Victoria
London, SW1W 0RP
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

As Time Goes By

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As Time Goes By Ltd II
7706 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
Taken by Splotchy 02/16/2008

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Linens 'N Things

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Linens 'N Things
3131 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 02/16/2008

Realign Chiropractic

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Realign Chiropractic
916 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 02/16/2008

Monday, February 18, 2008

Salsa!

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Salsa!
96 Charing Cross Road
London WC2H 0JG
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Flipnotics

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Flipnotics
4600 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78751
Taken by Freida Bee 02/10/08

Berlin

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Berlin
954 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 02/16/2008

Fudge

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Fudge
18 Bear Street,
Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7AS
Taken by PJ 02/16/2008

Friday, February 15, 2008

Northside Community Bank

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Northside Community Bank
205 W Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/09/2008

The Cheesecake Factory

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The Cheesecake Factory
10000 Research Blvd Suite 4602
Austin, TX 78759
Taken by Freida Bee 02/13/08

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Chicago Sun-Times

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Chicago Sun-Times
350 N Orleans St
Chicago, IL 60654
Taken by Splotchy 02/07/2008

The Romance of Negative Signage

Both Tim and PJ sent me an image of the Yahoo sign in Sunnyvale, California they found on the web.



This is the first time I'm including a negative signage image from the web, rather than one that was personally submitted. In all likelihood, it will be the last web image I post here.

Since this is Valentine's Day, I'll give you a little insight into what I find romantic. I don't think romantic comedies are all that romantic. I don't think flowers are inherently romantic, or chocolates, or holidays that say it's time to be romantic.

For me, romance comes down to moments in time. These kinds of romantic moments can be sexy, non-sexy, solitary, with another person, or in a group of people. You can try adding alcohol, moody lighting or good music to trigger them, but there is no certainty of their occurrence.

This concept of romance I am talking about is much broader than the stereotypical one people bandy about on Valentine's Day. It's a joy of being alive, of being connected -- it's something sensual, and something deeply personal.

I don't know when these romantic moments will happen. In fact, they can happen quite unexpectedly.

I think of this blog as kind of romantic, for lack of a better word. I have chosen a largely black template, where the pictures taken can glow, as if at night.

The purpose and the process of this blog is also romantic to me. I like the idea of roaming the streets at night, taking pictures. I like the idea that potentially other people are wandering their own streets as well, connected to me with a singular (though perhaps a little silly) purpose.

I don't know. It all just sounds romantic to me.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Changos

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Changos
3023 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78705
Taken by Freida Bee 02/10/08

Lawndale Christian Health Center

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Lawndale Christian Health Center
3860 W Ogden Ave
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/07/2008

Chicago Hope Academy

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Chicago Hope Academy
2189 W Bowler St
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/09/2008

Zig Zag Salon

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Zig Zag Salon
3200 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705
Taken by Freida Bee 02/09/08

Monday, February 11, 2008

300 S Wacker

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300 S Wacker
300 S Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/09/2008

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Austin Quality Car Wash

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Austin Quality Car Wash
3120 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705
Taken by Freida Bee 02/09/08

Lloyd's Chicago

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Lloyd's Chicago
1 S Wacker Dr
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/09/2008

Saturday, February 9, 2008

James & Williams Jewelers

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James & Williams Jewelers, Inc.
7020 Cermak Rd
Berwyn, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/07/2008


A mixture of signage, some of which uses negative space.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Rosedale Village

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Rosedale Village
4800 Burnet Road
Austin, TX
Taken by Freida Bee 02/03/08

Union Station

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Union Station
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/07/2008

Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church

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Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church
14 S Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL
Taken by Splotchy 02/07/2008

Thursday, February 7, 2008

A Halo Primer

Here is an article discussing the signage that this blog is dedicated to. It's written by a person with many years of experience in the sign business, and appeared in the trade publication Signs Of The Times.

A quick note: people in the industry typically refer to this type of signage as "halo lighting". I'm still sticking with my "Signage Of Negative Space" term, because it sounds more science-fictiony.

A Halo Primer

From the article:
Eventually, we lit the sign. But, even with the power of 60mA transformers, the letters barely lit. I learned two lessons: First, don't show a client halo-lit letters in sub-freezing temperatures. Second, don't use a black background for halo lighting.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

The Venue

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The Venue
2815 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78705
Taken by Freida Bee 02/03/08

Able Printing Service

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Able Printing Service
6837 Stanley Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
Taken by Splotchy 02/01/2008

Negative Space Signage Update!

Improbably enough, I actually have some news regarding the first sign I included on this blog, the signage of the Brookfield Public Library.

As I mentioned in the post, the lights were on for "Brookfield" and "Public", but were not working for "Library".

There was some news today regarding "Library" in our local weekly paper, The Riverside/Brookfield Landmark:


Library board nixes $4K expense for sign lighting

If you drive by the Brookfield Public Library at night you may see the words "Brookfield" and "Public" on the sign on the building, but you'll have to really strain to make out the word "Library." That's because the word Library is unlit.

After eight months of trouble with the sign, the library has decided not to replace the neon lights of the sign because it would cost approximately $4,000 to make the word "Library" shine again.

Since it costs approximately $500 to repair each letter of the sign, Library Director Kimberly Litland has recommended that the library look for other ways to illuminate the sign.

The library has been having intermittent problems with the sign for the last eight months.

Instead of repairing the sign the library is exploring other options such as "up lighting" the sign which would involve having an outdoor light illuminate the sign.

"We're looking for solutions," said Carol Mattar, the public relations coordinator for the library.


-Bob Skolnik

Monday, February 4, 2008

Mojo

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MOJO
2712 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78705
Taken by Freida Bee 02/03/08


The side of the building has a mural of Audrey Hepburn.

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The Tanning Company

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The Tanning Company
6936 Windsor Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
Taken by Splotchy 02/01/2008

Sunday, February 3, 2008

camp4paws

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camp4paws
4800-F Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78756
Taken by Freida Bee 02/03/08