Project One
Symbols & Visual Language
We all interact with sign and symbols on daily basis. They tell use how to use roads, where the bathroom is, and how to find specific locations / items. These symbols communicate regardless of language and allow even people from other cultures or non English speakers to find what they need.
You will need to research your category and come up with what symbols you think your user might need? What symbols would communicate the needs of that particular group? Do certain symbols need opposites etc? Is thee a framework you will use to create all your symbols, etc?
One of the more famous examples of this type of visual langue are the hobo signs that transient people developed to communicate with one another. These symbols need to be simple enough to be reproduced but complex enough to communicate your ideas.
You will be researching and designing a series of symbols that communicates visually and without the need for written words or numbers of any kind. Theses need to work at large and small sizes and be read from both far away and close up. It's also important to think and research what you can do do show things like quantity / direction / etc without resorting to numbers or letters which can only be understood in context by English speakers.
1. Pick Up Sports
2. Bars & Restaurants
3. Gyms
4. Public Bathrooms
5. Surfing / Skiing
6.Gas Station / Service Station
7. Dog Parks
8. Hiking & Running
9. Dating
10. Rental Preoperty / Roomates
11. Teachers / Professors
12. Camping
13. Bands / Concerts
14. Retail
15. Contractors
16. Plants / Nursery
17. Golf
18. Transportation
19. Fast Food
20. Library Musuem
21. Contractors
22. Grocery Store
23. Online Video Games / Streaming
This project will be turned in both physically and digitally along with a process book. When creating symbols and marks it is important to construct them in a way that allows them to be scaled both large and small. It is also important to remember that you are not the end user of these marks and symbols. They will be passed off to a client with little to no knowledge of illustrator or graphic design software. They will want to be able to scale and color them accordingly without degrading the quality of the symbol you create.
You exploration is just as important to me as the final product. When creating a mark many solutions must be explored in order to determine that you have arrived at the best solution.
FINAL DELIVERABLES:
- 18-20 Unique Symbols
- (1) 18" x 24" Poster of Final Symbols, (DIGITAL PDF POSTER)
- (1) 18"x24" Poster (That explains the system for creating new symbols and teaches someone how to make new symbols) (DIGITAL PDF POSTER)
- Digital AI file with all symbols (fully outlined and properly constructed with a minimal number of points)
SCHEDULE:
3 / 26 / 20
HOMEWORK
Research and create a potential list of the symbols you want to create. (18-20) Brainstorm what symbols you would need to communicate in this space. Move beyond the obvious. Think about how someone else would interact with this system?
Research some of the top symbol and mark designers. 1)Saul Bass 2) Lance Wyman 3)Aaron Draplin 4) Ivan Chermayeff & Tom Geismar (Put this in your process book)
3 / 31 / 20
IN CLASS
Sketching and ideation exercise in class.
https://kansas.zoom.us/j/297654331
https://awwapp.com/b/uyrins3bb/
HOMEWORK
Finish your sketches from class today and post them to google drive in PDF form.
4 / 2 / 20
HOMEWORK
(10) sketches per icon. These should all be from the group that you choose and the terms that you selected as well. You will probably have to do more than 10 to get 10 you feel good about and you think convey your idea. Try and mix of abstract and representational.
Work on consistency and how to use similar elements to create continuity throughout.
4 / 7 / 20
HOMEWORK
Choose your best (10) sketches for each icon and move them into the computer. These should be different types and styles of symbols. Keep it broad for now and we will refine them later on.
4 / 9 / 20
HOMEWORK
Continue Homework from 4/7. Also begin to form sets of symbols. You will probably need to recreate all your symbols in a particular style / structure / etc.
4 / 14 / 20
HOMEWORK
Choose your best (3) sets and finalize all your symbols in the computer. Should be mix of both representational and abstract sets. Print off all of them at both large and small (Black and white) on 11x17 sheets for class.
The full set is 18-20 symbols. Make sure they are starting to work large and small.
4 / 16 / 20
HOMEWORK
Continue to finalize all your symbols in the computer for your 3 sets. Should be mix of both representational and abstract sets. Please have all three completed for class on 4/21 and be prepared to upload to Padlet.
4 / 21 / 20
IN CLASS
Second Poster Introduction
In Class Demo about how to finalize icons
https://kansas.zoom.us/j/297654331
HOMEWORK
Construction and Diagram Examples
Choose Final Symbol direction and begin to draw and finaize all your symbols. Some additonal exploration will likely be involved here to make everything feel familiar.
(3) Explorations of second poster and the system for creating new symbols to add to your set.
4 / 23 / 20
HOMEWORK
Narrow to final poster concept for the second (construction) poster.
Use a grid and pay attention your typograhy. Is it the right size, etc?
Show this to other students / friends can they understand your system and how to use it?
Explore (3) directions for first poster.
This poster needs to show the symbols you created at both large and small sized. They also will need to be labeled. The design of this poster can be as simple as a nicely laid out gird but it can also be am ore dynamic layout. It will need to be a twin to your construction poster.
4 / 28 / 20
HOMEWORK
Refine! Look at the how the two poster interact. How can they use similar elements but also stand on there own?
Make sure you are using the grid and looking at youy type in additiona to diagrams. Both show us and tell us how to use your system. Does it make sense? Ask yourself?
4 / 30 / 20
HOMEWORK
How do you create consistency but als ocreate visual interest?
Make sure you are using the grid and looking at your type in additiona to diagrams. Both show us and tell us how to use your system. Does it make sense? Ask yourself?
5 / 5 / 20
HOMEWORK
Please turn in your files to Google Drive. and