Icons, Symbols, and Signs

The meaning of a symbol has to be learned. It isn’t always apparent in the drawing.

Departing Flights Bus Transportation

Air Transportation Car Rental

Baggage Check / Claim

Baggage Locker Rental

Pictograms conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object

Icons are restricted to graphical representation of familiar things, not necessarily objects, and one can easily understand what they stand for.

Logo type

logo symbolCombination mark

What are the most memorable attributes of airplane flight? Why do people choose it over a train or bus? The arrow or chevron, and diagonal lines symbolize flight and speed. The circle, often used to brand an airline, oceangoing vessels, or travel agency, signifies globe-spanning capability.

Does this font, and do these shapes, suggest flight or speed? What else do they suggest to you?

Using Symbols

USING SYMBOLSIf a symbol is an image of an object or being, it should be simplified to the point where the important attributes attributes remain to support the message and help visual recognition. These designers show the ‘braid’ shape of an ear of wheat, and added gold and green colors, associated with wheat and crops.

USING SYMBOLSWhen designing a symbol, the choice of color and degree of detail will depend on the type of product or service, the audience being reached, how the symbol will be used, and how the logo will be reproduced. What if the logo will be printed in a small format, embroidered, or stamped into plastic or metal?

USING SYMBOLSThe purpose of a symbol is to illustrate one or more important attributes of the product or service being branded. Why was the butterfly chosen for the brands below?

Network of Web servicesincluding instant messenger, news

Record company.Founders’ names: Chris Wright and Terry Ellis

Women and children’s shelter Table tennis products mfr.

Scents and bath oils

Why was the butterfly chosen for the brands below?

USING SYMBOLS

USING SYMBOLSWorking from primary sources for logo ideas. What view of the chair best shows that it’s a rocking chair when simplified?

Clothing and gear for climbing and extreme environments

The logo below shows a very jagged mountain range. The actual mountains of Patagonia, a section of the Andes, are indeed very jagged and remote, a formidable challenge for climbers and hikers.

USING SYMBOLS

Clothing and gear for climbing and extreme environments

The photograph shows the North Face of Half Dome, at Yosemite National Park. The North Face is a famous challenge for rock climbers, 3,000 feet of sheer rock face. This view is at a slight angle to the northwest. Do you see how a side view of Half Dome could be simplified to create the symbol below?

USING SYMBOLS

sports and exercise shoes and apparel

BRANDING APPLIEDWhy did this designer choose these shapes, or ‘stripes’ to represent the company? What is adidas famous for?

Old logo.

New logo.

CUSTOM FONTS

Does this logo ‘read’ differently in color?

WORKING WITH VALUE & COLOR

USING SYMBOLS

Design firm

Forestry high school

USING SYMBOLS

engineering and constructionRobel Steel

Manufacturer of steel structures.Design, manufacture and

installation of steel structures

Both of the images below are fairly realistic, three-dimensional illustrations of the product or service, even though they have been simplified to their basic components.

USING SYMBOLS

Frank Nesslage, photographer

Designed by Stephen Dziallas. Nesslage, in German, means Lake Ness, or ‘Loch’ Ness.

USING SYMBOLS

USING SYMBOLSThree different symbols for ‘Mercury.’ What images or ideas are the source for these symbols?What is Mercury? What does Mercury stand for?

USING SYMBOLS

Suite of software applications.

Microsoft repeated the colors and basic relationship between type and shapes in the Windows logo, to create the Microsoft Office logo. This ties the parent brand very closely to the product, while supporting the message that all the Microsoft Office programs work together.

Personal computer operating system.

BRANDING APPLIED

Microsoft News web site.

BRANDING APPLIED

BRANDING APPLIED

BRANDING APPLIED

Monogram sketches