Semiotics is the study of signs that offers an explanation of how people extract meaning from words, sounds and pictures. An understanding of semiotics helps a designer to instil work with references that enable them to communicate multiple layers of information to a reader.
Semiotic principles Designers use images to communicate. When images are developed through the application of semiotic principles, a graphic device can be made to mean more than it would appear to be at first glance. The type of image, its style and presentation, its quality and how it has been reproduced can all add layers of meaning to the overall design, drawing different meanings from the context in which it is placed. Source: http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/graphic-design/9782940373826/chapter-2-influences-and-creative-elements/semiotics#X2ludGVybmFsX0J2ZGVwRmxhc2hSZWFkZXI/eG1saWQ9OTc4Mjk0MDM3MzgyNi82Ng== | Symbols are physically recognisable representations of items, while icons rely on a shared understanding. For example, ‘dog’ could also be a symbol – a pictorial element that communicates a concept, idea or object, such as a sign, pictogram or a graphic element, which describes an action, or series of actions, through visual references or clues. A red cross is a universally understood icon, which means help or medical treatment. Indexes are signs that link to an object – for example, a horseshoe or an anvil could be an index for a horse. |