WEEK SIX / DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO / CE 2404 01 / continuing education / fall 2006
iconography resources
brands of the world
good logo
logo server
logo rip
marketing profs
symbols
Herb Lubalin
all about branding
ICONOGRAPHY
Lecture: Reduction, design, mark & identity
Reduction in art and design is the practice of breaking down an image to it's most essential characteristics. The final result is a picture graphic, brand or mark. While this sounds relatively simple, it can be one of the most difficult design tasks to do effectively. It demands strong conceptual skills with things visual and an alert eye for the meaning of detail.
TO BEGIN: Render a visual interpretation of a thing or idea. Boil this down to a single image, and render it with the method of reduction. Build your image with basic shapes or lines in an effort to keep it simple. You are essentially designing or "building" a symbol. This may require some initial sketches in your journal. Try several ideas with notes and ideas. Work loosely and fearlessly. These are just sketches. Once you've settled on something, bring it together in Illustrator as black and white art. No gray scale please. You may even try to scan your sketches and use the photoshop image as a template.
GOOD LUCK!
The images to the left are representations of familiar "things". The shape and line manipulations are creative ways to reinvent how we see something. Below, applying this practice to the design of an "idea" can be very effective.
Herb Lubalin was a master at applying this practice using typography.
