February 5, 2010

Signs of the Time

I’ve been mulling over what to put on my very first ever (yes, it’s true) blog post. Diving deeper into image abstraction got me exploring semiotics and how it relates to logos. I included a link to the Wikipedia article on semiotics, but it’s really complicated and more scientific than the point I’m trying to make, so if you’d like to learn more I have some good articles on it.

Semiotics is the theory of signs developed primarily by linguist,
Saussure, and philosopher, Peirce. Signs are an integral part of our image processing, especially today with corporate and consumer targeted advertising. If a company and/or graphic designer can develop a sign (logo) that will make the viewer immediately think of the product, you’ve got a winner (and a large paycheck). Signs develop and change over time primarily to reflect cultural significance, but also can have personal significance to the viewer. For a sign to work properly, it has to be recognized as a sign (duh, right?). For example, the Apple logo as an apple needs to be recognized as a SIGN for Apple Computers/Software. Semiotics is a simple theory, but before you know it, it’s complicated. Here are some fun things to make you think about semiotics and image abstraction.
Semiotics and You!

Signs and Cultural Revolution... Hitler thought up what now?

Posted by Whitney.



1 comments:

typeandimage said...

Yes, Hitler wanted to be an artist, but was apparently rejected by the Bauhaus. Later he closed that school down and took out his anger in many other ways as well.

The word "logo" is a shortened version of "logogram" or "logotype" where the word "logo" comes from the Greek meaning "word" or "meaning." Confusing, isn't it?

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