Tag: STORIA

Four years ago…. I remember it like it was yesterday, in mid-October 2016, I received a mysterious phone call asking me to take pictures of several spatial advertisements in the Tri-City. My first thought was - "I should take pictures of billboards and store advertisements… It makes no sense". But on the other hand, as a photographer, I always value gaining photographic experience in undiscovered areas. After the first meeting with the boss of the Pretende company, I knew that they would not be just some hanging advertisements, but creative, modern and elegant, unique and eye-catching spatial advertisements. Not only are there spatial letters decorating various entrances, but also LED illuminated letters, exclusive golden letters or futuristic inscriptions made of wooden and stainless steel letters. However, none of them delight me as much as neon ads!

This is how my four-year-long adventure with various neon signs all over Poland began. And all of them came from one studio located between Gdańsk and Sopot - Pretende.pl. And there is no neon sign among them to repeat.

Most of you might say that you would have gotten bored with taking another neon photo a long time ago (after all, 4 years is a long time). However, let me tell you that each new order is even more interesting than the previous one. It is related, among other things, to the development of neon ads over the past few years. During this time, the forms that neon advertisements took have changed completely. We used to be able to watch simple neon signs above the entrance to a shop or a fitting room. Now, neon signs have taken on completely new shapes of company logos, inscriptions several meters long on the walls of office buildings (inside and outside), people and objects. I would never have expected that neon lights would become such a universal creative and unique form of advertising. Over the years, they have found their way to the windows of branded salons. They decorated the walls of restaurants and cafes, and now they advertise the largest music festivals. The material from which they are made (I cannot reveal too many details) is so plastic that you can create almost any shape from it, and the availability of their colours is limited only by our imagination.

Interestingly, I see neon lights decorating the walls of… our apartments more and more often. Because there is no better way to create the atmosphere of a modern industrial interior than to order an original, glowing neon, which, illuminated in the evening, attracts the attention of all household members and guests. In addition, neon is a great gift idea! Each of us would like his apartment to be unique but in the style in which we feel best. Thus, the neon hanging on the wall will suit any interior - you just need to think what it is supposed to represent, choose its colour and the right place ...

During these few years of cooperation, I have visited over 150 places in our country where there are advertisements made by Pretende. Most of them have neon lights. There are still many places ahead of me that I have not managed to visit with my camera yet, including foreign ones, because recently the Pretende company has also sent neon signs abroad. One of them was, among others, at the opening of the first LPP store in London, which was hosted by the well-known top model Kate Moss.

And let me tell you that in my work as a Pretende photographer there is no time for boredom. Each new advertisement, especially the neon one, brings delight, a large dose of curiosity and the desire to have your own neon on the bedroom wall. But this is only after the next renovation ... although the idea for shape and colour is already here!

Neons play a significant role nowadays. They are visible in the streets of big cities, small towns and villages. These neon lights can take the form of artistically curved shapes and letters. They add a colourful, glowing effect to each item that is made of them. A glowing logo, banner, sign on a restaurant, cinema or clothing store attract the attention of passers-by and encourage them to use the services or make pur-chases. Neon lights are an eye-catching idea that has been perfect for the advertis-ing industry from the very beginning.

The beginnings of the neon career

The very word "neon" is derived from the word "neos" and means "new gas". Neon occurs naturally in the atmosphere, but in negligible amounts. Neon gas was dis-covered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers. However, it was George Claude who was the first to create the neon. He combined electric gases and then passed an electric current through them. The result of this experiment was dis-charge, visible in different colours. When the neon maker realized that glass tubes can be twisted in different ways, into different positions, he took part in an exhibition in Paris in 1910. It was the beginning of the glory of neon lights.

What is neon? How is it made?

Neon lights are glass tubes filled with inert gases. This fact means that the neon lights do not react with other chemicals. As soon as the gas fills the tube, several electrodes are connected to the end, at which point the energy transported by the volts contributes to the boiling of the atoms inside the gas.

What is the process of making neon lights?

The very process of creating neon lights consists of several significant steps and is a time-consuming and long-term process. As the first step, we always choose the project that we want to create. The next step is to print it on white, fireproof paper, on which we carefully mark the places where the material will need to bend. Then we can start shaping our tubes. This process takes place at a temperature of 800 ° C - 900 ° C, which is possible thanks to a tool called a ribbon burner. As soon as the glass becomes soft, and this happens after approximately 30 seconds, it is time to bend the glass to the desired shape. Then, after the melting and bending process, we start joining the electrodes at the end of each tube. Now we're hitting each of the tubes with a 20,000 volt electron bombarder. Towards the end, we must not forget to inject the gas used to make the element, and then we must stick the neon to another element made of wood or plastic. What else needs to be done? Turn on the light and enjoy the completed task. This is the last stage that allows us to verify the order we have made.

What colour is the neon?

Classic real neon is orange-red in colour. Red is visible in its pure form and in a transparent glass tube. Neon, whose colour is not classic red, informs us that it does not contain gas neon. It is generally known that noble gases glow in their own col-our when exposed to high voltage. So helium glows pink, krypton turns yellow-green, xenon turns lavender, and argon then turns light blue. Radon is also a noble gas, but it is the only one that does not react to electricity by shining with colour, and thus it is the only noble gas not used in neon.

More neon shades can be obtained by applying a variety of glass coatings that are used for the pipes. Therefore, when switched off, neon lights are white or colourful - in the latter case they are coloured. When delving further into the topic of neon col-ours, it is worth noting that classic red and classic blue neon are made of transpar-ent glass and, respectively, neon glass, as well as argon. However, all other colours can be obtained by manipulating the glass using fluorescent powders such as pink, purple or green neon as well as by tinting the glass.

Neon is an art in itself

Ever since the nineteenth century, neon lighting has spread around the world, many artists have become interested in its use in art. Neon lights began to be used in movies, TV programs and in modern art. Julia Bickerstaff, a famous neon design-er, has gained great popularity in the world. She made signs for Star Trek movies and for the famous hotel in Dubai. Bruce Nauman is another famous personality, a veteran among neon artists. He created dozens of designs and collections that he presented as his art in renowned, famous museums around the world.

Neons are certainly more than just "lights". It is real art, which nowadays also occu-pies an excellent position in the advertising industry.

Flashy, colourful neon lights, symbols and eye-catching bright graphic elements - these are the distinguishing features of the American style, which reigned in the United States in the 1950s. It was an expression of fascination with the future and the cosmos, as well as a reflection of the positive mood prevailing in the society at the time. And although this enthusiastic era has long passed, the American style still fascinates and finds itself well in the advertising market.

Undoubtedly, if we want to stand out from the competition, it is a style that is worth being inspired and used to promote the brand. Especially if you belong to people who focus on individualism, and courage and creativity are their middle name.

American-style light advertising - where does the idea come from?

The style in question is a combination of flashiness, colours and shapes that attract attention from the distance. That was the purpose of mid-twentieth-century American signs. They invited people to roadside bars, restaurants and motels. They indicated specific points with large arrows, symbols and lights. They surprised with their futuristic appearance, but on the other hand they blended in perfectly with the so-called Googie architecture. If you are looking for references in culture, the second part of the movie "Back to the Future" can be mentioned, in which the main character goes back in time to a town full of neon lights and enjoys a classic "milkshake" in a pastel bar. From fairy-tale references, "The Jetsons" fit perfectly into this style, delighting with a futuristic vision of a city in the clouds. It is a style that was ahead of its time, attracted attention and allowed to break the standards prevailing at the time. Today, it is being rediscovered in various industries. Among other things, due to its uniqueness, but also partly due to the fascination with what fits into the vintage trend.

American style in a modern edition

Although it seems that the American style is glamorous and exaggerated, it undoubtedly attracts attention. In our projects, we get the best out of it. We get inspired and we always try to adapt to the client's visual identification. This style is characterised by its individuality, which is influenced by the fact that the first designs are always made by hand. We have launched a new, special production line to produce these non-standard signs. Thanks to this, we are the only company in Europe that specializes in creating creative advertising in the American style.

What distinguishes the American style in light advertising?

There is no question of minimalism and simplicity in this light advertisement. Here, a multitude of elements are in the lead, well matched to each other, distinguishing and at the same time complementing each other. Therefore, we find here:

• colour - bright colours, clear, but also often combined with pastels,
• graphic symbols - arrows, geometric figures, stars, hands pointing in the direction,
• light bulbs - like in wardrobes from old movies,
• neon signs - swirls made of glass forming names, slogans or slogans,
• forms and shapes - flat surfaces, wavy surfaces, transparency or sheet metal colored bases of letters and symbols.

Without a doubt, there is a lot going on in these signs. Just like the brands they represent.

Down with minimalism - we will find a golden mean

The secret of a good American-style light advertisement is to match it perfectly to the surrounding space and find the golden mean in its design. Therefore, as in the case of any project, talking to our advisor is essential. Any abstraction and exaggeration can be framed, and our technology allows us to create the most diverse ideas of our clients and create their own American Dream.