German and Japanese Symbols

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German andJapanesesymbol systems:A Visual

Investigation


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German andJapanesesymbol systems:A Visual

Investigation


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German and Japanese symbol systems: A Visual Investigation

The purpose o the visual exploration was to investigate theinuences that dierent cultures can have upon symbol sys-tems, particularly those within the public transportation environ-ment. Pictographic signage programs communicate importantinormation and directions simply to people rom all cultural

backgrounds ad are meant to bridge language barriers. How-ever, my visual exploration was developed in the belie thatworldwide public reaction to those symbols, may be dependenton culture, gender, language, age and literacy. So, I set out tovisually challenge this notion and at the same time have someun with this exploration. In 1974 the United States Depart-ment o Transportation commissioned the American Institute oGraphic Arts to create a master set o passenger and pedestri-

an oriented signs. The fnal set o symbols were designed anddrawn by Roger Cook and Don Shanosky.

An important inspiration or my exploration was the tra-ditional Japanese amily symbol or crest, the mon, the principleexpression o Japanese heraldry in use or a thousand years.The simplifed design o owers, birds, animals, plants, or ob-jects in the home contained in a circle was applied to belong-

ings and clothing. These simple, symmetrical Japanese crestcompositions have a subtle and precise use o line and space.Another important inspiration is European Heraldic Design.From the earliest stages o mans development, groups and in-dividuals have used signs or marks or identifcation symbolsthat we call emblems or insignia.

For the visual exploration I chose two countries, Japanand Germany, and developed two sets o symbols, taking into

consideration each countrys culture, tradition, history and vi-sual language. My overriding goal was to create a new amily oglyphs combining the traditional Japanese amily crest, Euro-pean heraldic emblems, without losing sight o semantic, syn-tactic, and pragmatic considerations, and retaining the overallharmony o the 1974 United States Department o Transporta-tions passenger and pedestrian oriented signs.


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Symbol Systems

In 1974 the United States Department o Transportation commissioned the American Institute o

Graphic Arts to create a master set o passenger and pedestrian oriented signs. The nal set o

symbols were designed and drawn by Roger Cook and Don Shanosky.


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Traditional Japanese Family Crests

An important inspiration or my exploration was the traditional Japanese amily symbol or crest,

the mon, the principle expression o Japanese heraldry in use or a thousand years. The simpli-

ed design o fowers, birds, animals, plants, or objects in the home contained in a circle was

applied to belongings and clothing.

These simple, symmetrical Japanese crest compositions have a subtle and precise use o line

and space.


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European Heraldic Design

Another important inspiration is European Heraldic Design. From the earliest stages o mans

development, groups and individuals have used signs or marks or identication symbols that

we call emblems or insignia. Emblems in general are older than our ability to read and write;

people o all cultures have used them. Arms and symbols have also appeared on the battleelds.


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The system o emblems introduced by European knights during and ollowing the Crusades was

much more elaborate than earlier emblem designs, and later periods saw a growing complexity.

Shields (or coats o arms) began to assume the prestige o their bearers and their usage was

extended as artistic embellishment symbolic o the nobility o the possessor. Arms were carved

in wood and stone, impressed in metal, and appeared almost endlessly in castles and churches,on monuments and tombstones.


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japanese symbol:

yengerman symbol:

money exchangejapanese symbol:yen


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german symbol:medic

japanese symbol:botanical

german symbol:book shop


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japanese symbol:

teleaxgerman symbol:

church

japanese symbol:

entrance


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german symbol:playground

japanese symbol:bus stop

german symbol:washroom


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japanese symbol:

aquariumgerman symbol:

fve

japanese symbol:

money exchange


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german symbol:hospital

japanese symbol:preist

german symbol:our


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japanese symbol:

bakerygerman symbol:

telephone

japanese symbol:

conections


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german symbol:time

japanese symbol:gits

german symbol:escalator


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japanese symbol:

yengerman symbol:

airportjapanese symbol:

ruit


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german symbol:subway

japanese symbol:library

german symbol:german city


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japanese symbol:

oodgerman symbol:

wine barjapanese symbol:book store


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german symbol:luggage

japanese symbol:time

german symbol:inormation


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japanese symbol:garden center

german symbol:truck stop

japanese symbol:

sake


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german symbol:coee bar

japanese symbol:airport

german symbol:police

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German and Japanese Symbols