Sinfully Good Signage

The designers behind Ascot didn't necessarily focus on flashy or highly decorative signage to snag viewers' attention. Instead, their signs focus on simple principles of design such as the contrast of blue on grey and white on blue and clear, consistent types and the crown logo. This sign among others for the horse racing event were purposefully understated to be well-suited for the semi-formal and classy affair that Ascot turned out to be. Interestingly enough, the signage allowed for the people attending Ascot to be as much of a statement for the event as the signs and advertisements themselves!

"The Ten Bells" sign utilizes more Oldstyle lettering to fit a pub that has been around since the late 1800s at least and which is situated near the sites of Jack the Ripper's killings. The black, white and gold motif pairs with the black facade of the building and garners enough attention with gold lettering that a flamboyant sign is not needed. "Jack the Clipper" on the other hand, uses a more decorative type face with a more ominous, dramatic flair to draw people in. The writing underneath the headline "for the shave of your life" further emphasizes the impact the name and signage is meant to have on passer by.

Ah, "The Sherlock Holmes," an example of decorative pub signage with the accompanying illustration and intricate swirls at the edges.  This one was well done and uses lower case in "the" as well as a slightly different font to keep the emphasis on "Sherlock Holmes,"a good call so that it doesn't overwhelm the focus point of the sign. The sign on the pub is also great because it reflects the theme of the interior, which, yes, contained a lot of interesting Sherlock Holmes memorabilia.