18 June 2026 · 4 min read · Ellis Signs
Built-up letters can be illuminated in two principal ways, and the choice changes the character of a shopfront completely.
Face illumination pushes light through an acrylic face, so the letter itself glows. It is bright, legible from distance and works well where a shopfront competes with a busy street or a retail park elevation.
Halo illumination throws light backwards onto the wall behind the letter, leaving the face solid. It reads as more considered and premium, and it depends on having a clean, pale background surface to glow against.
Practical considerations matter as much as taste: the fixing substrate, whether cabling can be concealed, how far the letter can stand off the wall, and whether planning or a landlord restricts illumination levels. We assess all of this at survey stage and provide a digital visual before anything is manufactured.
