Located on Pennsylvania Ave, a busy commuter, pedestrian and tourist throughway on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C., Bearnaise French Bistro needed signage to bring in all those potential diners. We were hired to design signage that didn't resemble typical chain restaurants, a design that kept the look and feel of a small French Bistro. Our studio went with the look of a hand drawn chalk signs similar to those found at small cafes and restaurants. It evokes a softer and more inviting feeling but still provides the relevant information. We spent hours online researching stock photographs for crab, corn on the cob, and other related imagery. After sifting through all the found images for the best fit, we applied multiple photoshop filters to achieve that chalk drawn look and feel. We then assembled those individual images into the final presentation.
The faux chalk sign was printed on outdoor banner material, measuring 35" wide by 6.5 feet tall. Two smaller designs were created for a "sandwich" sidewalk display stand using elements from the larger sign. The smaller signs measured 2 x 3 feet and were printed on rigid 3mil PVC board for durability and strength.