beyond the blue neon

Although neon gas was originally used in neon signs, it is now only used to produce reds and oranges. Argon, or an argon-neon mixture, is used in most signs. To improve the intensity of the light, a small amount of mercury is added to the argon to produce an intense blue light.


Recently, neon has made a comeback in both commercial signage and as an artistic medium. In Los Angeles, the LUMENS project of the Museum of Neon Art has restored over 150 signs ensuring that the city has the greatest concentration of original neon in the world.

thirty-three/blue