Took a trip in March across the big pond to Europe. It was a whirlwind sightseeing extravaganza with stops in London, Dublin, Paris, Florence and Rome. Whilst everyone is taking selfies or snapping shots of historic landmarks and whatnot, I was getting strange looks for snapping shots of subway billboards, type on manhole covers, logos on menus, graffiti and the like. My graphic design peers understand, but everyone else, not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in a bunch of selfies and have a plethora of typical tourist pics, too. But you’ve seen those before. So, instead, take a tour of Europe through the lens of this graphic designer.
Some of the photos are clickable for more information. Feel free to comment, berate or share.
Useless “European” trivia for you – The “W” of Clark W. Griswold stands for Wilhelm.
Angel Grafitti - Paris
After touring Notre Dame Cathedral, spotted this interesting sketch near Pont Neuf.
Caffe delle Carrozze - Florence
Cafe Carriage - nice logo concept.
Piero della Francesco Museum Exhibit Billboard - Rome
Bodoni seems to be a favorite typeface in Rome. Go figure. This billboard is located in the center of Roma Termini Train Station.
The Euro Store
Didn't see a WalMart, but found the European version of a Dollar Store.
Heathrow Airport Logo - London
Concourse billboard in London's Heathrow airport. Wonderful icon. Love it.
Metro Billboard - Paris
Yes, I stopped at stations just to shoot pics of some billboards.
Bookstore Window - Paris
Colorful eyecandy on the streets of Paris. Look closely and you'll spot some Jules Verne novels.
"I Have a Dream" Subway Poster - Paris
No, it's not a UPC bar code and yes, it reads "I HAVE A DREAM."
Diesel Jeans Subway Translight Billboard - Paris
I'm pretty sure I'm not in the targeted demographic for this message.
Hotel Galileo Window - Florence
Our hotel in Florence, Italy. Like the combination of the gold type and the white lace behind it.
Paris Metro Signage & Various Posters - Paris
Near Moulin Rouge, this is, without a doubt, my favorite subway station signage. On the right, these posters are pasted over the rivets of the Eiffel Tower base.
Hotel Atlantico Rome
Art Deco type. Nice.
Native Blooms Packaging - London
Nice branding befitting the product.
London Underground Safety Message - London
The Brits are some polite chaps.
Princess Diana Memorial Walk Path Marker - London
Beautiful tribute to a lovely lady.
Printemps Subway Billboard - Paris
One component of a massive media blitz centered around the 140th anniversary of this Paris department store.
RER Train Station Billboards - Paris
Nothing like some Impressionist Era artwork to dress up a drab transit station.
Heineken Signage & Entertainment Bros. Costumes
Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade route. Premium beer placement and colorful costumes with prominent URLs displayed.
iPhone 6 Scaffolding Scrim - Paris
This campaign was featured in all of our stops in Europe. It simply displayed wonderful photographs all shot with the iPhone 6.
Birra Poretti & City Library Posters - Florence
Two contrasting poster styles. In the poster on the right, the books create a type headline that translates to "Do not forget to read."
Charles de Gaulle International Airport - Paris
Nice logo concept. Like the fun style of the rendering.
Bourbon Street - Paris
Can I get a big "Who Dat?"
Underground Author
I love subway systems. I'm fascinated by them.
About Kevin Prejean
Kevin, owner and creative director, has more than 25 years of advertising and design experience. Having worked in Dallas and Springfield, Mo., he has managed creative direction for a number of national and international clients, particularly in the hospitality and foodservice industries. His work has received beaucoup professional accolades. A little about Kevin:
Lifetime New Orleans Saints fan.
Graduate of University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Never met a fantasy sports league he didn’t like.
Former Army Reserve officer, who in 1983, did 76 push-ups nonstop.
Proud owner of a velvet Elvis.
Stuck in perpetual bogey golf mode.
Cooks a mean chicken and sausage gumbo.
I’m jelly of you Euro vacation. Nice pics. Love the subway tile. Cheers!
Thanks, Allen. It was a great trip. Biggest observations: the scale of the architecture (especially churches) is enormous. And it’s hard to wrap your brain around how old some of the museum artifacts are. It was a treat to see many pieces of art and sculptures that I studied in college.
Love seeing Europe through your eyes Kevin! 🙂
Thanks, Carmen. I’m ready to go back.
Dude, I was doing the same thing! I understand your weirdness. And I tried several times to get a selfie with some of the dudes selling selfie sticks at the Vatican. But they would have none of it.
The street vendors/gypsies were relentless, but to try and sell a selfie stick to a man with a natural selfie arm? Tsk. Tsk. So they let you in the Vatican City. Security must have been lacking that day. 😉