gizmodo.com: I simply can't help it; I am a sucker for neon signs. I just love their clear glowing lines, their curves and bends, their warm though discreet presence in the night. And I hate to see them go.
Since the invention of the long luminous gas-discharge tubes containing neon or other noble gases in the beginning of the 20th century, the faces of our cities have become lovelier and livelier than ever. But despite the retro-revival sentiment, neon signs are going extinct, thanks to all the new advertising technology, the super cheap led lights, illuminated 3D boxes, and the huge, billion coloured screens and displays.
17 comments:
I think Neon signs are not going away, in fact I think I've seen them coming back. I think businesses are starting to see the sentimental value behind vintage memorabilia and advertising. Just because something is not the norm or the efficient way any more doesn't mean its going away. I do agree that LEDs are the way to go but only in cost and energy efficiency. If a 60 year old biker bar was to switch all their signs to LEDs i think the people who visit the bar would notice. There is something about looking at a neon sign and knowing what it is that makes it so iconic. Take records for example. During the 90s and 2000s records were being thrown away across america. Everyone thought tapes were the next thing until CDs. Then after that came Ipods. Now I've found that my friends and I appreciate listening to a record from the 60s and 70s much more then listening to the same thing on our Iphone. These objects, these antiques, they all have stories. We as humans connect stronger with stories then with anything else. whether that be the story waiting to be written or remembering the stories that will continue to be told i think neon is a part of who we are. we would be fools not to embrace it.
I've always loved the look of neon signs. I think there is a particular aesthetic to them that just can't be captured by any kind of other substitute signage (other than EL wire, which is really just a cheaper neon sign knock off), which makes them very unique and interesting. I don't necessarily feel like these signs are fading away! A lot of modern art creators have started incorporating custom neon signage and neon tubing into their pieces, which has upped the demand for neon signs. In fact price has risen for them in a lot of custom signage shops because of their rising popularity now that people are using them as art to decorate their homes. Even just the fact that people ARE looking at neon work as art in the first place is a sign that it's not truly dying out. Even just a quick google search or craigslist search brings up hundreds of local neon stores as well as hundreds of ads for vintage neon signs that are going for (in some cases) upwards of $300 each. Like Tom, I'm not really sure where this article got the idea that neon is dying out.
Neon signs have always been a huge memory in my mind when my family would take trips to the South Carolina coast to visit the ever-so touresty Myrtle Beach strip. The streets were filled with neon lights and signs that would drag the atention of many site seers. I thought they were an effective tool in order to get people to pay attention to what the sign had to offer. I do not think that they are going away though. I do not go to Myrtle Beach that often due to me working and vacationing in different places across the state and the country, but I do believe that a great majority of those signs are still up and fully functioning. They are what give the streets its character and I highly doubt that someone would replace the classic signs with more "modern" signs. Its fun to look at and it reminds us of a time that was much simpler and a lot more fun!
Wow, I really wish I could have been around when these were at their height. They really are a testament to the thing that human beings have been able to achieve. Think about it, at one time the gasses inside the lights weren’t even known, much less able to be harnessed. But like all things, it’s been replaced with something “similar” that does essentially the same thing but in a more efficient, less temperamental way. It’s not to say that its passing is a bad thing, all older models are replaced at some time. Like old cars, newer shinier models have come forward for a reason. If we’re lucky they’ll collect them into a neon sign grave yard. That way we’ll be able to enjoy them even after the store fronts have taken them down. Soon enough though, they’ll be other novelties hold the attention of old and new audiences alike.
No... I don't want to see neon lights go. They have such a great a distinct look to them. And they are allowing us to continue this retro future vibe that our world seems to be heading towards. Also, does this mean light tubing won't be available anymore? One of my favorite things about these lights is that they made them customizable. And I've seen them all over museums and houses that want bright letters on their walls. These lights are so personal and fun. Not that LEDs won't, but LEDs are limited on what colors you're able to use. They seem to only stick with the primary and secondary colors. It's great that technology is advancing, however, it would be nice to enjoy the what we still have. Especially the customizing aspect. These LED light fixtures better have the same benefits or they will be a waste of an advancement.
Neon signs are very cool, and they definitely have become a staple of consumer era culture, however they aren’t as universally loved as this article would have it sound. In fact, the zoning board for the town that I went to high school in has a very strict policy on where you can put up even the little ‘open’ neon signs that so many shops have around. The argument was that they didn’t want their small New England town to begin to look like a city. Though I personally do enjoy the glow of neon, these signs are one of those things that can really bother certain people. Another factor as to why they may be going out of style is the fact that they can often be fairly fragile, and breaking them is a pain in the ass. When you can get the same effect (especially for a theatrical purpose) with LEDs for less cost and less hassle, why wouldn’t you jump on that opportunity? As many people who have responded to this article have pointed out, there has been a resurgence in their popularity anyway. At the end of the day I think that there are just more possibilities on the table now then there were when neon was at it's height.
I've personally always loved the look of a neon sign, partly because I think they're nice-looking, and partly because I think we've been conditioned to associate them with fun things: restaurants and bars, theatres, music halls, boardwalks, etc. It's sort of a guarantee for a good time, unless it's a "closed" sign. I think, with that, we've also come to associate neon signs with things that are older, or more antique, which I kind of like. While it is sad that neon signs are becoming less common, I think they're more interesting as sort of a symbol of the past rather than a common commodity. Things like this change all the time; there are always new standards, something better. So I like that neon signs are able to be a little more period-based than they would be otherwise.
I agree with Kat when she says that everyone associates neon signs with fun places, and we do! I am definitely more drawn to the curb appeal of a vintage-looking diner than a fancy breakfast place. The more chromed out it is, the better. I think neon signs are something that new fangled technology will have to fight a long time to actually rid of them, seeing the favoritism towards the old-style aesthetic everyone seems to like. I also think that the design of neon signs is one of the more clever ways to advertise a business at night. They have the ability to move rhythmically and change shape, like the women kicking their legs or an arrow building itself up and then flashing, and I don’t think screens have quite the same effect. When you look at a screen with an image on it, you know the rest of the screen is there due to a faint glow, but neon signs can be trickier and less noticeable and that factor is very valuable.
Although there has been a rise in cheap LEDs and colorful screens, that small companies are now using for their advertising, I don't think that that should indicate the end for Neon signs. I just think it will just redefine what a Neon sign means. Now that more and more businesses are using alternative signage, Neon signs will have more of a retro statement, and although they will not be as prevalent, I think they will still be used, but more as an artistic choice than a necessity. This can be good and bad. This would create fewer neon signs, but the good side is that these signs have made such a major impact of the culture of the time period in which they were in use, that it's going to be a very long time before we see the end of Neon signs. It has such an intense symbolic meaning that will forever be known in history; these signs will be in use for much longer than this author has predicted.
For people that have not seen the Disney movie “Cars” you should. In the movie, there is reference to how the good old historic route 66 across America and its iconic driving stops and signage is dead or dying now, and it really is a little sad. In New Mexico, route 66 was once most of the paved road in the entire state, and a good deal of towns were built around it. Running right though the middle of Albuquerque, there is still a neon strip that lights up their neon signs every night and maintains their works of advertising art and their still operation, never-became-retro dinners. There is a picture of the “Doc’s Bar and Grill” sign in the article, I have eaten there, and I would hate to see it go out of business. It is owned and run by the grandson of the original owner, and makes a very good burger.
At the beginning of reading this article I couldn't say I wasn't really sad to see neon signs go, but looking at all of the cool neon signs around the world I think I have taken for granted the meaning of neon in the modern world. They may be kitschy and sort of out of place in most 'hip' new buildings, but when used right they have a really cool aesthetic, as Brennan says. I've seen a lot of art exhibits that use neon tubes to make words, so though neon signs may be disappearing from the streets it doesn't mean they'll be completely wiped out. They might perhaps come to be used minimally instead of in excess, like putting together portraits of cowboys. There's a beauty in having minimalist neon signs that I've talked about with a friend or two of mine about. And the substitutes we have for neon signs are just as good, if not sometimes better for the situation we need. Especially if they're environmentally friendly!
A lot of those signs are really cool looking. The ones in Vegas and Reno are awesome, and they’re very well done and flashy, but I thought that some of the China one’s were the best in the article. The attention to detail and the way that everything worked while also being chaotic was really great. Neon signs are an important part of the last century, and there are some places in the states, like Vegas, that are known for their use of the signs. I saw a musical last summer, Violet, and a big scenic element in it were neon signs that really helped to set the time period of the show. They are such an important part of their culture, and it’s sad that they’re on the decline. More high tech solutions like LEDs are going to be replacing them, which will allow much more intricate opportunities for sign design than anything neon could do, but it’s also kinda going to be the end of an era. Even now, if you see a neon sign on something you can tell it’s been around for a bit, just because it’s already on its way to becoming a thing of the past.
I love the look of neon signs. I think there is something almost sentimental about them, but their bright, cheerful colors and smooth lines are always eye-catching and fun. Somehow, they are much more visually interesting than the LED screens and lit plastic letters of storefronts today, which seem almost fake and flat. One of my favorite neon signs was one for an elephant car wash in Seattle Center, which had a large pink elephant happily spraying water while mice frolicked around its feet. Now, this elephant carwash remains standing but the elephant’s neon is broken and dark- and hasn’t been fixed in years. Sadly, neon is much more expensive to maintain and to create than an LED alternative…but I still don’t think that the aesthetic of neon should disappear. Someone (I can’t remember who?) showed our class a picture of a set that they had done filled with neon signs that had been made of an LED alternative that still looked and behaved the same way, without the added expense. I hope that businesses, while moving away from the old neon signage, will just update it with new technology rather than doing away with it altogether.
I don’t think Neon signs are “dying out” or “becoming extinct” at all. Yes they are not as common as they were during the 1900s, and the aesthetic wonder of them has been replaced by new technologies in many ways, but there still is a place for them and there is still a sentiment I think people feel when they see a classic style neon sign. Yes, we have mega TV screens, advanced LED’s, and things like projection mapping, but all these things are their own modern form of displays and they aren’t necessarily comparable to a neon sign, because they are extremely different. A neon sign is attractive because o the wonder of seamlessly illuminated tubing, which is a very different kind of attraction than that of a giant screen that flashes in your eyes and shows hundreds of different images. There’s something classic about the neon sign, and I think that will prevent it from dying out. Yes it is somewhat sad that their presence in our society has decreased, but if anything I think it has only allowed for more variation in displays, which isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing just different. With our culture constantly revisiting things and the neon sign having such a long life span, I don’t foresee it dying out any time soon, or at least it dying out and then not making a comeback.
Neon has always been one of my favorite things to see whenever I go to the historic district of any town or city. Usually it’s still up and running. Just like the article states, I don’t know what it is besides the fact that it’s brighter than bright, just the word neon, makes it seem that much cooler. Seeing the progression of LED lights being used in place, is more cost effective, and we use it in the theatrical setting for that reason, but what is the difference between the two? With LED’s at least you would be able to control the brightness, I’m not sure how and if you could do that with neon. Plus from the project we worked on last semester, to get a 3’x5’ sign with a word on it, costs close to three to five grand. Neon is becoming more of a collector’s item, which will probably be very much sought after in the near future.
Neon signs have reached the end of their run. They are now just a dated form of artist impression. We live in a society now where light is everywhere. Night is no longer as dark as it used to be. It is truly a disappointment because we are loosing the ability to truly appreciate the stars but we as a society only care about seeing was 10 feet in front of us. Neon signs no longer hold the artist effect they used to have when they first were created. Neon signs also break far too easily and need far too much maintenance than we can give now. Especially when there are LED technology that can give the same amount of light output if not more and being more reliable and ascetically nicer. Also we as humans are growing out of that vibe as a culture. More people are awake and active at night and the crowd of people are changing.
The neon sign has become such an iconic thing, not just in art but as a near-universal means to grab someone's attention. While I understand why it is being phased out, I also wonder if it isn't worth preserving as a "classic". The way we still fawn over old diners, and mom-and-pop stores, and 80's rock leads me to believe there might be a widespread desire, and indeed, cultural import in saving neon signs. Perhaps this is the way of evolution, but just because a more advanced substitute has come along does not mean the neon sign is irrelevant.
This also raises the broader question of what can become "classic". Is this a term reserved for things from the last half of the 20th century? What will be a classic in the years to come? Perhaps technology turnover has become so rapid that the notion of a "classic" will be forever frozen. But we should take the time to examine our culture, and truly comprehend whether we are truly cutting out the excess, or throwing away important pieces of our past.
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