If you’re familiar with the footpaths of Melbourne’s Inner North, you’ve no doubt chanced upon the kitsch sign painting, from the quirky imagination of Billie Justice Thomson.
Ironic and vintage sensibilities are the trademarks of Billie’s illustrations. Each one expertly hand painted onto the shop windows of some of the city’s most forward thinking retail and hospitality outlets. Billie injects whimsy and fun into the age-old trade of sign writing.
A Visual Arts graduate from the South Australian School of Arts, Billie has hit Melbourne running. Vintage window designs have always been an inspiration for her illustrations and artworks, which are all painted onto framed Perspex canvases. It’s no surprise she’s gravitated towards bigger “canvases”, in the form of shop frontages.
The reason we love Billie’s approach to sign writing, is her innate ability to project a brand’s personality on to the streets. This isn’t just a logo painted on a window. It’s a perfect balance of the individuality of the artist matched with the sentiments of a brand. These brands are leveraging from Billie’s authentic expression and borrowing her unique style to convey their own messaging.
The result? Core values of the client are communicated in a succinct, technicolour summary that reaches the consumer in a memorable way. Her comic book iconography spell out the brand’s message, whilst subtly reinforcing to customer’s the brand’s appreciation for the world of imagination and creativity.
Major clients have included: Melbourne Central, The Vegetable Connection, Kuwaii, Kleins Perfumery, Black Hearts & Sparrows, Save Yourself Store, Rooftop Bar, and Acland Street Cantina.
Images via Billie Justice Thomson and the Design Files
