Symbol Set

A Checklist for Designing a Symbol Set

Design Brief:

A Symbol Set is typically a small group of symbol/icons that visually belong together because of a consistency in their look or style. Their purpose is to represent different locations, tasks, objects, or options that would might be found at/in the specific venue within your chosen field of interest. Careful consideration of multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-age audience is important to your design process.

In this project you will be working with an imaginary client from one of the following area of interest:

State Park (hiking, lake, picnic, camping, etc.)
Transportation Station (bus, train, subway, etc.)
Vacation Hotel (golf, swimming, dining, conference rooms, entertainment/performance, etc.)

Now, imagine a specific venue within your chosen area of interest. This imaginary choice should be specific enough to give you some unique opportunities to work with. First define this location by at least 5 different characteristics or special qualities that sets your choice apart from other similar or competing locations/services or venues. Then decide on the most important one of those five. This choice will have the biggest influence on the style or “look” of your symbol/icon set. This becomes the Visual Brand.

Your task is to design a set of five symbols

That visually represent 5 of the main activities, locations, tasks, objects, or options, etc. associated with your chosen area of interest. (research your venue and topic area)
That help visitors and employees positively experience the venue through directions, identification and location. (research your primary audience)
That extend the Brand of the venue as a system of visual identification. (research existing brand of your chosen venue).

To guide your decisions you will need to do the following:

Research the basic amenities provided by—or expected of—your client in your chosen area of interest.
Know what are the specific unique, special or unusual qualities.

Design Process:

Thorough Research at the beginning of any project is what results in a successful and meaningful design. Start the research process for this project by going to the page links found below. Follow these initial steps by doing your own research. Create a Mood/Pinterest Board of successful examples.

Research the specific industry/company/product you have chosen. Know what you are trying to symbolically represent with your symbols set.
Sketch your rough ideas in pencil
Photograph or scan your drawings and import them to Adobe Illustrator.
Place in an Illustrator background layer. Create a new drawing layer to create your final vector drawings. (refer to Illustrator Tips)
Design first in Black and White. Do not add color until later. Your symbols must work in black and white first.
Give your symbol/icons some “soul”. Do not create generic clipart. Your icons must accurately represent what each symbolizes but must also do it in a way that communicates to human beings, not robots. Ask yourself, “What is “humanness”? How can we interpret it as an aspect or quality of the icons?
Each of the symbols in the final set should have an “equal visual voice”. This means that all five symbols are equally detailed, equally simplified, and equally abstracted. Attention to this gestalt will result in a unified group of symbols.