Signs of SPAC on Broadway

The Posters for SPAC have been posted on Broadway in Saratoga Springs for the new season. They look cool and delver a new green theme – along with everyone else in the world. I like how they look, but generally ferns don’t come to mind when thinking of SPAC.

SPAC Jazz Fest Banner

The Lake George Opera Banners are a big disappointment. The are hard to read, boring and look quite amateurish. Last year I thought they had the best banners of the season.

Saratoga Opera, I Can't Read These.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center usually has several banners throughout its season. Hopefully I’ll get some photos of them.

Bring Me To Brindisi’s

Brindisi's Restaurant Logo

I have always like the Brindisi’s Restaurant logo. Years ago, I thought “that must be a high end restaurant”. Ambrosino Design may be the designer who created it. I certainly wish they would hire him to update their website and print materials which have no relation to the original design. Over time the whole brand seems to have lost its way with no consistency. With so much competition in the restaurant business on Broadway, I would hate to see their brand become second rate.

Brindisi's Store Front

And while they are at it, they might want to give the front of the store a freshen up.

A Sign That Franklin Exists

Have you ever heard of Barney Bellinger? Apparently he makes signs. Hand painted signs, and you see his work all over Saratoga Springs. Not on the new signs but the ones that have been around for a while.

Signature of Barney

What is really interesting about his work is that is created in a very traditional way, by hand. No vinyl letters or color. He actually uses paint, hand carved letters, and pin striping. 

 

Franklin Square Signage Title

Now, I don’t think you should stand around looking like a crazy person in the middle of downtown, but you might want to walk up to this sign and take a close look at the craftsmanship. The multitude of skills it took just to make this one sign is impressive. The type is spaced perfectly, hand carved and glittering with gold leaf. Design, Typography, woodworking and finishing, all in a four foot tall sign. 

Hand Painted Pinstripe

So who is this Barney Bellinger? I did some searching online and the sign company is located in Johnstown NY. They don’t have a website so you can’t find much about them. As far as I can tell Barney doesn’t own the company anymore, because he seems to be making furniture at a company called Sampson Bog Studios. 

I would like to see some modern sign makers learn just a few of the skills that it took to create this sign. Here is a break down on why this is such a work of art compared to computer cut vinyl and machine printed signs of today. Sign companies have mistaken software and printer for good typography, gold leaf, and good overall design. You can still design great signs with a computer, but not only because you own a computer.

 

Franklin Square Sign on Broadway

So here is a fifteen or twenty year old sign, that besides some weathering is almost new. It fits perfectly with the Victorian setting of Broadway. This is something to look up to if you are a sign maker or an artisan. It is the kind of sign that gets through the cities design review process in only a few minutes.