SYMBOLS

When is a drawing a symbol? Is it good if our drawings are symbols?

The very use of the word symbol connotes a far higher import than does image, or sketch. Can you imagine saying to either your client or professor, “I have made this symbol of your design; what do you think?”  Of course, we would not say this. But maybe we should. Or maybe we should think with greater symbolism when we draw.

“A symbol gives particular shape to types of things or constellations of forces. The greater the abstraction, the higher level of the symbol.”   Visual Thinking p 139.

Consider for a moment a few of our culture’s most potent symbols. Think of the peace symbol. Or think of religious symbols such as the Star of David or the Cross. Each of these symbols will likely trigger a flood of associations for each of us. We have been concerned with the concept of abstraction in these pages. Each of these symbols gives a form and shape to a constellation of forces.

Yet each of our responses is individual. And our responses to these symbols, as are our responses to any image, the process of abstraction is left entirely to the user.

When your picture or image migrates to become symbolic from the response you get from your culture, then you know that you have dug just about as far as you can go. You have touched the nerve. You have derived some sort of truth.

When we solve problems, we do want to solve a symbolic truth for our projects and solutions. We want to derive a solution that is deeply symbolic to the culture of our clients or our studio. The greater the symbolism of our solutions, the better we have done.

So see if you can make your design solution a symbol.