Symbol Designs

Symbol Designs

We stared off looking at map symbols to get an idea of the structure of the ones that are already out there on maps. The key parts of the symbols were that they are simple but effective, they also only use 2 colours so it isn't too busy. 

We made a list of what type symbols that we could create that are personal to us. I chose to do a symbol to show where Cat Shelters are because i like cats and to save them. 

The way we designed them was to come up with 3 different ideas for the symbol that we have got a concept for. When we have narrowed it down to the final one i went round it with a fine liner to make it show up more when scanned in. When scanned in to the computer we opened it in illustrator and used the pen tool to go round it to create a thicker black line. I also filled in the silhouette of the cat to make it look more life like and prominent in the image. 

I developed the design further by putting a blue box around the final image to make it look more like a road/ map symbol. 

The artist the we have looked at for this workshop was Lance Wyman, he did the designs of the Mexico Subways. 

Lance Wyman (B.1937, Newark, NJ, USA) is a graphic designer specializing in systems for cities, events, institutions and transit systems. Over the past 5 decades he has helped to define the field of environmental graphics.

His graphic design for the 1968 Mexico Olympics identity is widely celebrated as a pinnacle of environmental and branding design.

He teaches corporate and wayfinding design at Parsons where he has been a visiting lecturer since 1973.

http://www.lancewyman.com/info.php