From the course: Storytelling for Designers

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Iconography and logos

Iconography and logos

If you're in the business of designing logos, you'll want to have a highly refined sense of symbolism. Your goal with an icon is to convey meaning without words, and symbolism allows you to do that with very concise visual language. Earlier we looked at some basic universal symbols. Hearts, stars, stick figures, lightning bolts. But as we get into local design, you're going to want to delve deeper into the meanings that simple shapes might conjure up in your viewer's minds. Let's say, you had an assignment to design a logo about travel. Your sketches might began with a page full of symbol work. You might start with a compass for example and then move on to fill a page with other little signs and symbols that remind you of a journey. Suitcase. Map. Bus. Sunshine. Passport. And from there, your logo would be born. If you look at this page full of hand symbols, you'll think all sorts of thoughts. What do each of these gestures say to you? Imagine how the simplest hint of these gestures…

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