Vassalboro United Methodist Church
Rt. 32
Vassalboro, Maine 04962
Photographed by Remi Thornton on 05/26/2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Vassalboro United Methodist Church
Click pic for larger image
Vassalboro United Methodist Church
Rt. 32
Vassalboro, Maine 04962
Photographed by Remi Thornton on 05/26/2008
Vassalboro United Methodist Church
Rt. 32
Vassalboro, Maine 04962
Photographed by Remi Thornton on 05/26/2008
Rubloff Residential Properties
Click pic for larger image
Rubloff Residential Properties
2663 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
Taken by Splotchy 04/01/2008
Rubloff Residential Properties
2663 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
Taken by Splotchy 04/01/2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
4 Elements Salon
Click pic for larger image
4 Elements Salon
544 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
If you look closely at the second picture, you'll notice some negative space signage of some colorful lines on the interior rocky wall of the salon.
4 Elements Salon
544 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
If you look closely at the second picture, you'll notice some negative space signage of some colorful lines on the interior rocky wall of the salon.
American Street Mortgage Company
Click pic for larger image
American Street Mortgage Company
837 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
American Street Mortgage Company
837 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
AG Adriano Goldschmied
Click pic for larger image
AG Adriano Goldschmied
48 E Walton St
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/05/2008
AG Adriano Goldschmied
48 E Walton St
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/05/2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Fleet Feet Sports
Click pic for larger image
Fleet Feet Sports
4555 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
That very bright streetlight pretty much kills the glow of "Fleet Feet", don't it?
Fleet Feet Sports
4555 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
That very bright streetlight pretty much kills the glow of "Fleet Feet", don't it?
Loyola University Museum Of Art
Click pic for larger image
Loyola University Museum Of Art
820 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/05/2008
Loyola University Museum Of Art
820 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/05/2008
Mizera Chevrolet Buick
Click pic for larger image
Mizera Chevrolet Buick
5301 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
Mizera Chevrolet Buick
5301 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Wallis Fashion Group Ltd
Click pic for larger image
Wallis Fashion Group Ltd
103 Whitgift Centre
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 1LP
Taken by PJ 05/02/2008
Wallis Fashion Group Ltd
103 Whitgift Centre
Croydon
Surrey
CR0 1LP
Taken by PJ 05/02/2008
Albany Steel and Brass Corporation
Click pic for larger image
Albany Steel and Brass Corporation
1900 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
Albany Steel and Brass Corporation
1900 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
Gutierrez Financial Services
Click pic for larger image
Gutierrez Financial Services
2158 W Grand Ave # 201
Chicago, IL 60612
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
Gutierrez Financial Services
2158 W Grand Ave # 201
Chicago, IL 60612
Taken by Splotchy 05/22/2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Limited
Click pic for larger image
The Limited
429 Oakbrook Ctr
Oak Brook, IL 605
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
The Limited
429 Oakbrook Ctr
Oak Brook, IL 605
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
New York And Company
Click pic for larger image
New York And Company
464 Oakbrook Ctr
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
New York And Company
464 Oakbrook Ctr
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Drury Lane Theater
Click pic for larger image
Drury Lane Theater
175 Chestnut Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
Drury Lane Theater
175 Chestnut Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
Chicago's Pizza
Click pic for larger image
Chicago's Pizza
3114 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
The letters are run-of-the-mill, but the hanger icon is solid negative space signage.
Chicago's Pizza
3114 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
The letters are run-of-the-mill, but the hanger icon is solid negative space signage.
Raven Theatre
Click pic for larger image
Raven Theatre
6157 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60660
Taken by Johnny Yen on 05/20/2008
Raven Theatre
6157 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60660
Taken by Johnny Yen on 05/20/2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Signage Interview
A little while ago I contacted Lawrin Rosen, author of the article A Halo Primer which I highlighted in the early days of this blog.
Mr. Rosen is CEO of the company ARTfx signs, and has over thirty years of experience in the signage business.
He was gracious enough to grant me an interview.
Splotchy: Please describe your first experience working with halo-lit signs. When was it? What was it for? Were there obstacles you encountered due to an unfamiliarity with the new format?
Lawrin Rosen: Originally, we used halo letters for interior mall signs for women's specialty and jewelry stores. The original halo sign I can remember was for Michael's Jewelers in Danbury CT. They were mounted on marble and the reflectivity of the surface exposed the interior of the letters and the neon. It was a semi-disaster. Compounding this, we hadn't used polycarbonate backers so there was no diffusing of the light at all.
Splotchy: What is the earliest usage of halo-lit signage you are aware of, or remember seeing?
Lawrin Rosen: I think I saw halo lighting in channel letters when I first got into the sign business. Some of the higher end retailers like Lord & Taylor were using it. Upscale stores had been using the technique for some time. The method spread with the 'malling' of America in the seventies and eighties.
Splotchy: How is the decision generally made to go with halo-lit signs for a client? Is it client-initiated, or initiated by your firm, a little of both? What is taken into consideration when determining whether halo-lighting is appropriate (existing ambient light, etc.)?
Lawrin Rosen: Clients ask for it frequently. We suggest it on occasion. It has to be used in circumstances where all the forces come together - no competition from ambient lighting or open lit windows, existence of porous background surfaces as opposed to reflective surfaces, light colored background surfaces, viewing distances appropriate to the size of the copy. We suggest it if all these elements come together. However, the client requesting the technique typically has no feel for the necessary prerequisites.
Splotchy: Do you believe a halo-lit sign imparts something to an establishment that a non halo-lit sign (a neon sign, for example) does not?
Lawrin Rosen: It speaks of understated elegance or sophistication. It is a more laid back light source and therefore less 'retail-like.'
Splotchy: In your experience, has there been a recent upswing in requests for halo-lit signs? Has there been a dramatic, increased demand for halo-lit signs at any particular period during your career?
Lawrin Rosen: The requests are directly correlated to the economy. The method runs 10 to 20% higher than normal channels which can sometimes scare clients off. There are more consistent flurries of orders in boom times. The requests for halo lighting rose in the eighties and have plateaued for the most part. There was a major exodus away from straight channel letters in the late eighties when mall managements, interior designers and architects began to stray from stock traditional illuminated signs. Casinos have been more and more likely to use halo letters more than most establishments because of the subtlety in an interior environment.
Splotchy: In the Chicago area, I have seen several instances of halo-lit signage for sushi bars and jewelers. Are there certain types of businesses that are more likely to employ halo-lit signs?
Lawrin Rosen: You hit it with the jewelry stores. I haven't noticed the higher use with Sushi bars, but that would make sense because the Pan-Asian restaurants are trying for a more chic look to show they're coming of age, and to distinguish themselves from the schlocky over-the-counter Chinese restaurants. As I mentioned, casinos use quite a bit. Also, corporate America likes the look - especially on main thoroughfares in and around big cities.
Splotchy: What is the largest halo-lit sign your company has created?
Lawrin Rosen: A set of 7' channels for Travelers Insurance in Hartford, CT. A set of 5' letters for Aetna in Hartford, CT. A set of 4' channels above a home design interior outlet mall in Windsor, CT. Aetna was the only successful use. The other two were challenged by ambient lighting. Also, larger halo letters sometimes don't work because the width of the halo lighting is diminutive in ratio to the broad stroke of the letter.
Splotchy: Your company has done business across the North American continent. What are some markets you have found to have a high quantity of halo-lit signs?
Lawrin Rosen: Boston, New York, Chicago, Miami, Texas, LA, San Francisco...in general, bigger, more cosmopolitan cities.
Splotchy: Has your firm done any halo-lit signs in the Chicago area? If so, what are some examples of your work?
Lawrin Rosen: In malls for stores that have come and gone....nothing of current note.
Splotchy: Please share some of your favorite halo-lit signs (and provide images of them, if possible), and explain why they appeal to you.
Lawrin Rosen: I like them all because the elements I mentioned previously all came together. There is a Sushi Bar!...but it was suggested by me.
Click a pic for larger image
Thanks very much to Mr. Rosen, for giving me some of his time, and pictures of his lovely negative space (okay, okay -- halo-lit) signage!
Mr. Rosen is CEO of the company ARTfx signs, and has over thirty years of experience in the signage business.
He was gracious enough to grant me an interview.
Splotchy: Please describe your first experience working with halo-lit signs. When was it? What was it for? Were there obstacles you encountered due to an unfamiliarity with the new format?
Lawrin Rosen: Originally, we used halo letters for interior mall signs for women's specialty and jewelry stores. The original halo sign I can remember was for Michael's Jewelers in Danbury CT. They were mounted on marble and the reflectivity of the surface exposed the interior of the letters and the neon. It was a semi-disaster. Compounding this, we hadn't used polycarbonate backers so there was no diffusing of the light at all.
Splotchy: What is the earliest usage of halo-lit signage you are aware of, or remember seeing?
Lawrin Rosen: I think I saw halo lighting in channel letters when I first got into the sign business. Some of the higher end retailers like Lord & Taylor were using it. Upscale stores had been using the technique for some time. The method spread with the 'malling' of America in the seventies and eighties.
Splotchy: How is the decision generally made to go with halo-lit signs for a client? Is it client-initiated, or initiated by your firm, a little of both? What is taken into consideration when determining whether halo-lighting is appropriate (existing ambient light, etc.)?
Lawrin Rosen: Clients ask for it frequently. We suggest it on occasion. It has to be used in circumstances where all the forces come together - no competition from ambient lighting or open lit windows, existence of porous background surfaces as opposed to reflective surfaces, light colored background surfaces, viewing distances appropriate to the size of the copy. We suggest it if all these elements come together. However, the client requesting the technique typically has no feel for the necessary prerequisites.
Splotchy: Do you believe a halo-lit sign imparts something to an establishment that a non halo-lit sign (a neon sign, for example) does not?
Lawrin Rosen: It speaks of understated elegance or sophistication. It is a more laid back light source and therefore less 'retail-like.'
Splotchy: In your experience, has there been a recent upswing in requests for halo-lit signs? Has there been a dramatic, increased demand for halo-lit signs at any particular period during your career?
Lawrin Rosen: The requests are directly correlated to the economy. The method runs 10 to 20% higher than normal channels which can sometimes scare clients off. There are more consistent flurries of orders in boom times. The requests for halo lighting rose in the eighties and have plateaued for the most part. There was a major exodus away from straight channel letters in the late eighties when mall managements, interior designers and architects began to stray from stock traditional illuminated signs. Casinos have been more and more likely to use halo letters more than most establishments because of the subtlety in an interior environment.
Splotchy: In the Chicago area, I have seen several instances of halo-lit signage for sushi bars and jewelers. Are there certain types of businesses that are more likely to employ halo-lit signs?
Lawrin Rosen: You hit it with the jewelry stores. I haven't noticed the higher use with Sushi bars, but that would make sense because the Pan-Asian restaurants are trying for a more chic look to show they're coming of age, and to distinguish themselves from the schlocky over-the-counter Chinese restaurants. As I mentioned, casinos use quite a bit. Also, corporate America likes the look - especially on main thoroughfares in and around big cities.
Splotchy: What is the largest halo-lit sign your company has created?
Lawrin Rosen: A set of 7' channels for Travelers Insurance in Hartford, CT. A set of 5' letters for Aetna in Hartford, CT. A set of 4' channels above a home design interior outlet mall in Windsor, CT. Aetna was the only successful use. The other two were challenged by ambient lighting. Also, larger halo letters sometimes don't work because the width of the halo lighting is diminutive in ratio to the broad stroke of the letter.
Splotchy: Your company has done business across the North American continent. What are some markets you have found to have a high quantity of halo-lit signs?
Lawrin Rosen: Boston, New York, Chicago, Miami, Texas, LA, San Francisco...in general, bigger, more cosmopolitan cities.
Splotchy: Has your firm done any halo-lit signs in the Chicago area? If so, what are some examples of your work?
Lawrin Rosen: In malls for stores that have come and gone....nothing of current note.
Splotchy: Please share some of your favorite halo-lit signs (and provide images of them, if possible), and explain why they appeal to you.
Lawrin Rosen: I like them all because the elements I mentioned previously all came together. There is a Sushi Bar!...but it was suggested by me.
Click a pic for larger image
Thanks very much to Mr. Rosen, for giving me some of his time, and pictures of his lovely negative space (okay, okay -- halo-lit) signage!
CD One Price Cleaners
Click pic for larger image
CD One Price Cleaners
516 Ogden Ave
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Taken by Splotchy 04/19/2008
The letters are run-of-the-mill, but the hanger icon is solid negative space signage.
CD One Price Cleaners
516 Ogden Ave
Downers Grove, IL 60515
Taken by Splotchy 04/19/2008
The letters are run-of-the-mill, but the hanger icon is solid negative space signage.
Tsunami
Click pic for larger image
Tsunami
1160 N Dearborn St
Chicago, IL 60610
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
Tsunami
1160 N Dearborn St
Chicago, IL 60610
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Chico's
Click pic for larger image
Chico's
100 Oak Brook Center Mall
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
Chico's
100 Oak Brook Center Mall
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Taken by Splotchy 04/05/2008
Lennox Lounge
Click pic for larger image
Lennox Lounge
3032 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
Lennox Lounge
3032 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
The Cheesecake Factory
Click pic for larger image
The Cheesecake Factory
875 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
This isn't the first time The Cheesecake Factory has appeared on this blog. And it won't be the last!
The Cheesecake Factory
875 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
This isn't the first time The Cheesecake Factory has appeared on this blog. And it won't be the last!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Grand Central
Click pic for larger image
The Grand Central
950 W Wrightwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
I'll take a wild guess that the same people that own Central also own this establishment.
The Grand Central
950 W Wrightwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
I'll take a wild guess that the same people that own Central also own this establishment.
Central
Click pic for larger image
Central
3466 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 03/24/2008
The faint red backlighting of the letters is a little overwhelmed by the tungsten bulbs surrounding the sign.
Central
3466 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 03/24/2008
The faint red backlighting of the letters is a little overwhelmed by the tungsten bulbs surrounding the sign.
Jim and Pete's Restaurant
Click pic for larger image
Jim and Pete's Restaurant
7806 W North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
Jim and Pete's Restaurant
7806 W North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
Siren Salon
Click pic for larger image
Siren Salon
3143 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
I'll admit, this signage is not doing so well. In fact, it's dying a slow, ignoble death.
Siren Salon
3143 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
Taken by Splotchy 05/01/2008
I'll admit, this signage is not doing so well. In fact, it's dying a slow, ignoble death.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Wells Street Athletic Club
Click pic for larger image
Wells Street Athletic Club
1513 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
Wells Street Athletic Club
1513 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
Taken by Splotchy 05/04/2008
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