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A History of Symbols A History of Symbols http://www.designhistory.org/symbols.html > Symbols have been used to show ownership, group affiliations and to signify who made a particular object. They convey direct information or can carry quiet subliminal messages. These images are edited selections from class slide lectures. Reading this page is not a substitute for attending class. A Symbol Primer 1. 1. 2. 3. Pictograms Pictograms Rebus Ideogram A pictogram is an image that Chinese is composed entirely of The rebus is a pictorial image that An ideogram is a character or symbol represents an object. Pictograms are pictograms, a system of writing used by represents a spoken sound. Today the representing a complete idea useful for conveying information more than any other in the world. rebus is mostly used for amusement without expressing the pronunciation of through a common "visual language" (About 1 billion Chinese speakers however it was a critical link in the a particular word or words for it. able to be understood regardless of compared to 350 million English development of the phonetic Above, an ideogram demonstrates the one's native language or degree of speakers). To be literate in Chinese alphabet starting in Egyptian perils of tipping a vending machine. literacy. So that means that anyone in requires knowledge of several thousand hieroglyphics. (See the "Development (Image from Warning by Nicole the world familiar with a drinking of the over 80,000 Chinese pictograms of Handwriting" on this site). Recchia) fountain should recognize the — although about 3,500 are most pictogram above. commonly used. The pictogram above Shown above are two famous rebus Below is the familiar request to not is Chinese for world peace logos from the 20th century. First, a smoke in a specific area. The red bar is This particular pictogram is part of an Image source famous rebus for IBM by Paul Rand, an image that alone means nothing but entire system of signage symbols an American graphic designer renown when combined with a circle developed by the United States During the 2008 Olympics in China the for his corporate identity work from symbolizes the idea of "no." Department of Transportation to event signage employed pictographs 1960—1980. (See #11 below for more help manage the flow of large numbers that echoed the style of Chinese about Rand) of people through transportation hubs. language pictographs. More of the To encourage their adoption world-wide images can be seen at this link. Milton Glaser's ubiquitous rebus "I Love the symbols were made available for New York" is actually a combination of free. The American Institute of a rebus and a phonogram. A Graphic Arts played a pivotal role in phonogram is a symbol (letter) the design and development of these that represents a spoken sound. symbols. Read more in entry #15 on For example the letter 'A' represents this page. sounds, ahh or aay, etc. 1 of 6 3/14/10 4:55 PM A History of Symbols http://www.designhistory.org/symbols.html 4. 6. Trademarks | Brands 5. Printer's Devices Logotype or Logo? An often duplicated printer's mark During the Middle Ages European trade This semester we will also be looking at originated with the master printer guilds began using marks to identify Technically the term logotype means a printer's devices (symbols) used to Aldus Manutius, who started his the origin and content of their symbol comprised entirely of identify the printer or publisher of a famous Aldine Press in Venice in products. The term "hallmark" comes typography. The Coca-Cola symbol is book. Many early printers used the 1494. The Aldine innovations included from the identification marks that an example of a purely typographic combination of the orb and the cross, scholarly editing of content, high metal artisans stamped into metal logotype. a signifier of the earth and Christianity. quality typography and printing as well when exhibiting wares in the guild The mark on the left is a version of the as masterful woodut illustrations. Look hall in London. In the image above the Frequently the term logo is used orb and cross by Joannes de Colonia of for more about him in the book anchor refers to the town where the interchangeably with symbol. The Venice, 1481. section, entry #17. product was made, the lion signifies symbol below is from the Weiner Werstatte, or Vienna Workshops, On the right is a contemporary the type of metal (sterling silver) and Aldus's Anchor & Dolphin device, formed in Austria in 1903. The printer's mark by Paul Moxon for his the letter B refers to the year the item which embodied his motto "Make Haste workshops were a co-operative of Fameorshame press. He explains the was marked. (Image source) Slowly" is shown above. This semester artisans and artists united in their goal myriad of reasons for the mark, "The we will see this mark used by many of making products that merged pure Fameorshame mark is based on the The terms ear mark and branding printers from the Renaissance period and applied arts. Their hand orb and four, a traditional sign used by have their origins in the practice of until the present. It is used by pritners manufactured goods were imprinted some early printers. A related sign the farmers marking ownership on their who want to signify their attempt to with the WW symbol (left) but often orb and cross—literally the earth animals. When herds ranged freely, follow the innovation and quality of the also carried the individual marks of surmounted by the cross—is also the intermingling with others in common Aldine Press. pastures, these permanent marks were each designer and craftsman involved alchemical symbol for antimony, an imperative. Ear marks are cuts or holes in the production. By 1913 the Weiner ingredient in type metal. Long before punched into ears; branding is a scar Werkstätte symbol was officially the development of printing, the 4 had burned into the skin. registered a trademark. been a mark of merchants to identify their wares. Several authorities, including the great lettering artist Rudolph Koch also associate the 4 with Hermes, the god of scribes, trades- men, and travelers. Additionally, in The Book of Signs Koch provides an illustration of a 4 being represented in a medieval monogram for the Christian name Paul. Thus in the Fameorshame mark, where the components are 4, F, and M, the 4 may also be read as a reversed P, the F for Fameorshame, and the M for Moxon. M in its curvilinear form suggests a heart, a shape featured in several orb and cross marks. Quote and image source 7. Monogram 8. Coat of Arms & Family Crest If you are interested in a book that Greek for 'single line.' In early thoroughly explores symbols, their European kingdoms illiterate monarchs The origin of "a coat of arms" came origin, development, style and signed documents with custom from the symbols displayed on the classification, I highly recommend Per monograms. Today a designer's crest of a helmet or metal chest Mollerup's Marks of Excellence, The monogram can add status to an armor to help identify soldiers in battle History and Taxonomy of Symbols. The everyday object and add value to the or jousting matches. Eventually the text classifies symbols into three price. Case in point below. images were moved off of the helmet and chest plate and onto banners, categories, by history, function and dinnerware, etc. The coat of arms, motif. however, often retained the helmet (Source for #7 and 8) reference as part of the composition (see above where the goat stands). Now the coat-of-arms appears on items ranging from automobiles to 50cent's web sites, or on any application that wishes to imply regal lineage or status. 2 of 6 3/14/10 4:55 PM A History of Symbols http://www.designhistory.org/symbols.html Symbol Pioneers 9. 10. 11. Symbols are "styled" Raymond Lowey Paul Rand 11.Paul Rand Trademarks are designed to reflect the Both Behrens and Lowey have been It was in the area of corporate identity The role of the logo is to point, to style during which they are created. named by historians as the "Father of design that Rand achieved his highest designate—in as simple a manner as Above is the GE logo first used in the Modern Industrial Design." In addition recognition. His designs reflect the possible. A design that is complex, like late 19th century at the height of the to their dual monikers they both share style of the mid to late 20th century a fussy illustration or an arcane Art Nouveau period. It clearly reflects importance as significant contributors —simplicity, neutrality, clarity—all part abstraction, harbors a self-destruct the curvaceous motif that dominated in to Graphic Design. of the vocabulary of the Modernist mechanism. Simple ideas, as well as that period. period. But Rand added a blend of simple designs are, ironically, the Lowey is most well known for his playfulness and illustration that set products of circuitous mental purposes. As Art Nouveau waned logo styles simplified streamlined designs that his work apart. Rand wrote:"A Simplicity is difficult to achieve, yet became more geometric and simplified he applied to buses, cars and airplanes. trademark is not merely a device to worth the effort. The effectiveness of a as seen in the 1907 trademark for AEG He pushed the 1940's design frontier by adorn a letterhead, to stamp on a good logo depends on: (a German electrical company) application of his mantra, MAYA (Most product, or to insert at the base of an designed by Peter Behrens.
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