I took a recent trip for my honeymoon with my husband Matt! We explored the islands of Crete and Santorini, Greece and then traveled to Barcelona, Spain to end the trip. It was quite nice to reset and take some time away from my desk.
I was out of office, yet still inspired by the fantastic art that surrounded me! I’m so excited to show you what I found. Take a journey with me as you see what caught my graphic designer eye.
Hand-Painted Menu Design
While in Greece I spotted this beautiful menu outside a restaurant. It looked like it had been working its magic there for a hundred years with the antique framing and hand painted lettering. Not to mention it was very well taken care of. It may not be the most timely thing to paint your own sign but it worked well in their case for gaining a customer named Lexi!
Surprising Bathroom Lights
I enjoyed this modern approach to single restroom stalls with a swirl in pink or blue to communicate based on gender where to go. I loved the custom neon signs. This made it easy to understand and grabbed my attention without using any words. Such a creative approach considering language was a barrier for me and surely other travelers.
Experimental Hand Drawn Logo
One of my favorite things about Europe is the experimental nature in their designs. No design is the same, instead things are so different and have more imperfect elements. Companies here like to stand out with organic, hand-drawn text to showcase their unique individuality! Simplicity is still applied in many cases too for readability like in this 2D flat design with its colors.
Colorful Handouts
Ooh, the colors! Are you mesmerized too? In the three larger pieces I see odd color combos that end up working in a playful way together. I love that. I took these home with me to inspire future print pieces I work on. The font combos and imagery captivated my attention as well. I keep wondering what the purpose of these handouts really are, since I can’t read them! I’ll let you know.
Quirky City Illustrations
Barcelona was making me giggle with its streetlight pole flags! The language barrier was easy to jump over here because the imagery was so clear and not to mention silly which made me feel more comfortable in a foreign land. I enjoyed the light, cute approach to captivate the citizens to do their part for the city, for example, cleaning up after their dog … woof!
Sidewalk Pavement Tiles
Last, I wanted to show you the common stones we walked on all around in Barcelona. They represent the flower of Barcelona. What a fun icon they have kept alive in the city for over a century! The famous modernist architects Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Lluís Domènech i Montaner designed the tiles and they are known as “panots.” Talk about something interesting to look at below you! And apparently they help combat muddy situations (if you ever find yourself in one there).
Thank you to Greece and Spain for your lovely views and inspiring streetscapes! Every little thing that surrounded us was given close attention with unimaginable detail. I feel inspired coming back to work, and I am ready to share the magic with all our clients … yay!