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Continue ShoppingThe golden age of Signwriting
Examples of signwriting date back to as early as the Roman era - trade signs have been found preserved in the ruins at Pompeii. However as so few people could read at this time, pictures rather than text were more commonly use to indicate what was on offer.
By the mid 18th century, many cities such as Glasgow and London banned swinging shop signs, as their size had escalated to the point where they were blocking the already narrow, chaotic streets. In fact a London store had it's entire front collapse because of the weight of all the signs and their ornate wrought iron brackets! After this time, the fascia above the shop doorway was used as placement for signeage, and gilded signwriting became popular in representing quality and luxury.
With the industrial revolution in the 19th century, there was a boom in consumerism and manufacturing, and the need for attractive signage increased. With the expansion of the canals and railways, more and more stations required signage, as well as canal barges, trains and their carriages. Fairground rides competing for attention used increasingly bright colours and ornate fonts to attract their customers. With this increase in demand, signwriting was considered an artform in its own right and apprenticeships became commonplace.
However the latter part of the 20th century saw a massive drop in demand for skilled signwriters with the advent of digital printing and vinyl text. It is cheaper and easier and does the job demanded of it, however it does not fare as well in extremes of weather as good quality signwriting paint so invariably does not last anywhere near as long. And importantly, in my opinion, it takes a lot of character and personality out of a sign.
In recent years so many high street businesses in the UK are struggling due to the boom in online ordering. It has never been so important as a business to create a quality and memorable brand image. A business sign is your customers' first impression of your product or service - a quality sign conveying the right message will stand out and be remembered. A sign is just a visual way of communicating information through pictures and lettering - what do you want to say to your potential customers?
By the mid 18th century, many cities such as Glasgow and London banned swinging shop signs, as their size had escalated to the point where they were blocking the already narrow, chaotic streets. In fact a London store had it's entire front collapse because of the weight of all the signs and their ornate wrought iron brackets! After this time, the fascia above the shop doorway was used as placement for signeage, and gilded signwriting became popular in representing quality and luxury.
With the industrial revolution in the 19th century, there was a boom in consumerism and manufacturing, and the need for attractive signage increased. With the expansion of the canals and railways, more and more stations required signage, as well as canal barges, trains and their carriages. Fairground rides competing for attention used increasingly bright colours and ornate fonts to attract their customers. With this increase in demand, signwriting was considered an artform in its own right and apprenticeships became commonplace.
However the latter part of the 20th century saw a massive drop in demand for skilled signwriters with the advent of digital printing and vinyl text. It is cheaper and easier and does the job demanded of it, however it does not fare as well in extremes of weather as good quality signwriting paint so invariably does not last anywhere near as long. And importantly, in my opinion, it takes a lot of character and personality out of a sign.
In recent years so many high street businesses in the UK are struggling due to the boom in online ordering. It has never been so important as a business to create a quality and memorable brand image. A business sign is your customers' first impression of your product or service - a quality sign conveying the right message will stand out and be remembered. A sign is just a visual way of communicating information through pictures and lettering - what do you want to say to your potential customers?