Ocean City, New Jersey

Seen at the Jersey Shore, this sign caught my eye for so many reasons. From a design perspective, I responded to the clarity of the blue and red lettering on the clean white background. Mondrian's colors with none of the finesse. Yet the script had a classic approachability to it. The slight back-hand of the artist evokes a casual joy you expect from a seaside resort.

And then you see the bacon. Or is it? For a moment, it appeared to be a reclining nude, with her arm tucked coyly under her head, draped in a red shawl. Of further examination, simply the fat and lean of the bacon, wrinkled and sizzled into a strip that is meant to be alluring, appealing and maybe even appetizing. The image begged me to read the words again: "Chocolate Covered"? Is that what it said? I see the bacon which appears to not have its covering on. Simply bacon before the fact.

The artist in me tried to imagine what Chocolate Covered Bacon looked like and I imagined the sign artist was daunted by representing that on a sign. In this case, do the words need a picture? As an illustrator, I respect words. I was taught that if the writer said it, perhaps I did not need to visually describe everything, but rather I could simply allude to the facts, enhance the words with a picture. Illustrations are meant to enhance rather than duplicate. So here was a perfect case for my brain to conjure. What did Chocolate Covered Bacon look like anyway? And especially was it worth the calories and the arterial sclerosis to try it?

Fortunately, the shop was closed. All I have is this little picture and a vivid picture in my mind. Some day I will return to Ocean City to try it, however, I have a few other places to visit first. Let me know if this sign works for you.