Wayfinding Systems - Pictograms, Study Task 2

PICTOGRAMS 

Is a pictorial symbol for a word or phrase. Pictographs were used as the earliest known form of writing. A starkly means of graphic communication, pictograms transcend language and relays on the visual literacy of the audience to communicate. As they are not written word but imagery they are multilingual they only need the user to have be associated/understand them basically to communicate their message.

examples - 

They strip down symbols to their most basic and shows only the needed information, they can work in monotone colour and are relevant to any time or place. They must be clear and convey the meaning in a glance, they should get straight to the point and not cause any confusion.  They're purposes are warn, guide and protect, they are created with the audience in mind for the benefit.

STUDY TAST 2

For this study task we have to create a monotone pictogram for a olympic event, using Oti Aichers pictogram grid. There are a few main features we need to consider when designing this pictogram that will inform our design decisions. Audience, scale, contrast, impact, clarity. 


research:
existing and past Olympic pictograms

olympic sports

as we have to pick an olympic sport to do i collected a list of the sports, this allowed me to make sure the sport i selected was actually in the olympics and to see if there was a sport that would produce the most creative pictogram. this will also help me if i decided to create more than one symbol, it gave me a list to pick from.

mock up digital experiments - 

this design has taken the basic body shapes and form of the skeleton of the athletes while competing actively in the sport, then reduces it to the simplest line possible so that still is clear its a body part but is simple and basic, most pictograms i found where effective by simplising the imagery and this is why i did this. For each main body part/limb i , this allowed me to see how the body work for each sport the show this as it reflect the act of performing the sport clearly. Showing the forms of the athlete reflects the way the move when competing, this shows clear the act of the sport so i combined it with the equipment needed/use to create a bold pictogram. The freeness of the lines reflect nature and natural body forms, it less mechanical than straight .

final - 

scale test -

feedback - 

for the feedback i got for this task i learn that i need to focus more on the brief we have been given and not how the overall outcome looks aesthetically, i created a pictogram that i felt work for appearing modern, minimal and nature as i use simple free forms based off the skeletons of the athletes. This created an image that appears pleasing to the eye as it an organic form thats well balanced but doesn't work as a pictogram for the Olympics for with the pictograms main purpose is to inform and guide, i should have focus more on the ideas i needed to consider. I thought about the audience, contrast and scale of the pictogram  but mostly the idea but then i didn't think much about the colour or the size of the image. I experimented with different scales but feel as i have associate myself with the pictogram too much i can see it clearly, the crit gave me an opinion of someone who was informed from why i created it like i did but just saw it for its purpose. The fresh idea is always useful as over time design work becomes very familiar to me as the designer, therefore the idea becomes the main focus rather than if its fits for it purpose, this crit helped me to realise how i need to get constant feedback from any audience at major points for my design decisions .

it wouldn't work small because of the thin lines - this feedback showed me how i hadn't thought out how the image will need to be used at a smaller scale, it may need to be used tiny (on a map ect)
 and because i selected to use thin lines to look more health/ athletic this wouldn't work when i had to make the design smaller as the lines may not be visible or be unclear, this would mean the audience couldn't understand or use the pictogram as a sign/logo.

contrast isn't clear enough - This relates to the fact i used a light blue and a white for my colour scheme, again i did this to reflect clean minimal design but also because i felt it showed water-sports, the only issues was the shade of blue i used. i should have used a darker blue that would have had a greater contrast with the white, this would have created a stronger more clear image that would be easier on the eye of the audience. Selecting a darker blue would have made the edges clear from a distance and would be more effective because then it would have been more obvious and fit for the purpose.




crit questions - 

Colour Relatively

LEAST FAVOURITE COLOUR

WHY: related to football shirt, too bright/bold, doesn't suit my skin tone, to contrasting.

STORYBOOK COLOUR SCHEME:

I piked a coral, light orange for with red and black for my colour scheme, this is as i felt this colour was a neutral, basic colour that wouldn't reduce my book to a gender ideal or make it only for one genre, it can be used to mixed because is flexible for a range of ideas, it also looks less powerful compared to the over powering red so it works well.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Symbol

SYMBOL -

 research into the ideas behind simple same symbol only logos

Main themes:

simple shapes and forms
work small and big
unique/different for every other logo
colourful but simple colour scheme
bold
clear
simple idea
represent/links to brands ideas
negative space imagery

YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK TRIP


We visited the site to get a feel for the art work and the company, this allowed us to see the main visitors ( all ages, interested in art/culture) who are the target audience so we can suit the logo to this. Seeing the work up close helped me form more of an opinion of which sculptures i would like to experiment with and also a chance to see primary any negative space ideas or forms.

( terrible photos sorry)

IDEA 1

This is a simple idea that i think developed more if i worked on it, i made suitable little changes to the form of the Y from the photo that worked for my ideas as now its clearly seen as a Y from a far.

The flat images appears as simple at first yet this is so it can be reproduced in different sizes and forms on all the products for the park, as well as it works with a minilistic style that is poplar with current modern logos seen in my research. 

I feel that although its a straightforward concept the final designs fits the brief as its unmistakeable at the same times as being clear from far away so it will be recognised easily. I wanted to create a logo that would work for all the target audience not just those with an art knowledge, i feel that as this shape works as a Y rather than just a part of the sculpture this will appeal to everyone. Its not overly complicated which would put off general public as they can see the form behind the idea. 

IDEA 2

This idea is a simple, its clear but in quirky way which i think reflects the different uniqueness of the sculptures in the park. It almost creates a modern font Y which would attract an audience that would be interested in sculpture and design as they will want to see more sculptures like this. It causes its audience to think, to look at the shape as a letter and a sculpture at the same time combines with the simple colour scheme works to add interest to the park. it reflects the modern style seen in the actual sculpture. I feel the colour scheme is very important to this design as without it it isn't clear the tree sculpture is a sculpture and the ground is the ground, the simple addition of different colours separate the design into two different elements. i love this logo but i do feel it would lose some aspects smaller and might not be as clear at a smaller size.  

IDEA 3

Here i looked at experimenting with negative space under the sculpture, i felt this was a innovative idea that would reflect the sculpture park in a different unique way but after creating it using photoshop the digital version wasn't clear enough. Unless pointed out the audience don't notice the Y under the legs of the sculpture, therefore this idea isn't effective at showing the concept also i feel the design wouldn't work smaller as it would become unclear what the design was.

IDEA 4

Although as a sketch i felt this idea was the strongest concept using negative space as a mock up i felt it didn't work as well, i think this is because i liked the smartness of the hidden concept behind the idea rather than the aesthetic design of the final logo . Another issues i found with this design is that the hands may look like they are praying downwards which could be seen as praying towards the devil which may offend religious people.

This logo task has taught me that when it comes to symbols they don't always work as you expect, the simple easy ones may actually be more effective and fulfil the brief better than the conceptual ideas and detailed thought out ideas. Minimal works best for all sizes and means as well as can be recognised more easily and reflecting the company in a way thats shows what they do and what they are without being over complicated.

I used Helvetic text for all my ideas as i watched the Helvetic documentary and it states it a basic type that works with what ever you put it with, it so plain it used just as a platform to enhance any idea you put it with therefore would make my logos stand out more. 

FEEDBACK

- Excellent research into logo design
- Thorough approach
- 1 design works best
- Excellent critiquing of own design work
- Get constant peer feedback
- Good development
- Good consideration
- LOOK INTO MORE CONCEPTS/ NOT JUST ONE IDEA
- Clear design path

FEEDBACK ANALYSIS

- Don't just get a concept and stick to it, have loads of ideas to show clients incase they don't like the first

- Keep researching in depth to get ideas of logos ect work before starting projects

- Ask for opinions on my work more, ask everyone around me

- Keep the design path ideas

- First logo works best

- Keep analysing mistakes and ideas that don't work to show strengths, find out why they don't work

- Keep looking into target audience research