About the Artist

Celebrating Twenty Years in the Sign Industry!

Glassbender, and Graphic Artist Eileen Thompkins

Eileen Thompkins began her profession as a freelance artist in 1995 and was taught  the art of glass bending at a notable, full service sign company located in Southwest Philadelphia in 1989.  

Thompkins opened Empress Signs LLC in 1997 and her goal was to create neon sign designs and products that are artistically fabricated and distinguishable from the commercial neon signage so common to our business landscape today.  Read More About Neon Glass Artist ... 

Why I Love Neon

Signs Speak Louder than Words, An Urban Artist's Journey Into the Neon Trade(PRWEB) August 8, 2005 -- Eileen Thompkins' love for graphics and lettering evolved out of her earliest experiences growing up in a city where graphic imagery was all around her.

Painted signs and neon lights displayed by the businesses in Thompkins' West Philadelphia community, inspired her at a very young age. All along Market Street merchants offered goods and services, from appliances to zucchinis, and just as impressive to Thompkins, were the colorful signs and displays used to help the merchants promote their wares.

In particular she noticed and remembered the signs that were painstakingly hand painted by local sign-men, the Wilson Brothers.

NEON F.A.Q.s

NEON - An inert gas found in the air you breathe.

The word Neon is synonymous with brilliantly colored signs and lighting. The Packard company displayed one of the first signs commercially in the early 1900's and not long after merchants realized neon's potential for grabbing attention. By the 1920's neon would be used at the world fare to help showcase the latest in technology. Since then we've used neon to create ambiance and excitement for businesses and brands all over the world.

Neon lights come in many vibrant colors. Minerals that exhibit florescence when illuminated are used to coat the inside of glass tubing. Color pigment may also be embedded in the glass itself. "Fill" gases such as Argon, Neon, and Helium are used inside of a vacuumed tube with electrodes placed on each end for the introduction of electricity to achieve color and illumination.

Neon Gas produces a brilliant red glow when illuminated. Argon and helium are combined to produce a dim blue light. Argon and helium serve as a carrier for minuscule amounts of Mercury added to evoke the brilliant glow found in fluorescent lighting. These factors are combined to achieve brilliance in neon color and design.

See glass colors EGL Neon Color Chart

See Neon Terminology EGL Neon Glossary

NEON F.A.Q.s
How are neon lights produced?"	If a neon tube breaks can it be repaired?	If a sign is blue, does it really contain neon?
Can the gas from a neon sign kill you?	What chemical reactions take place with neon?	For longevity...is it better to turn the sign off every night OR leave it on 24/7?
What electronic transitions take place inside of a neon sign?	Does cold temperature have an effect on neon?	Do neon lights flicker when turned on?
Can I get my beer sign repaired?	How much does it cost to repair neon?	Is a broken neon tube carcinogenic?
What causes electric discharge when you touch neon glass?	My neon sign has a little flicker in a small part of it. Is the sign going bad or is this normal?

Find Answers to these questions and More by following this link.