Opium Dim Sum Parlour
The great Dre Masso asked me to write some lettering inside his cocktail & dim sum parlour, smack-bang in the middle of Chinatown, central London.
The white 8700 jumbo paint marker came in very handy – the only choice for the three floors of dark stairways throughout the building. The 8700 is one of my favourite pens of all time (beaten by my first edding no.1, which I still have).
The proposition was to decorate the walkways leading up to the parlour with adequate signage to direct visitors to the correct spaces. I used a chalk to outline the funky, loose type, and produced most of the Chinese characters with an initial, single stroke. There were four separate areas that received a title treatment on their respective floors, and the stairway vestibules had a big and bright treatment. Authentic translations were supplied, the Chinese characters were a joy to write.
If it weren’t for the dark, confined areas, I would’ve preferred to write everything in aerosol paint – paying guests, food and paint fumes don’t mix too well unfortunately. Opium is well worth a visit if you prefer a discreet break, away from the bustling streets below.
