Symbol : A New Book
Symbol, edited by Angus Hyland with Steven Bateman and containing an introductory essay by David Gibbs, is published today by Laurence King.
The book features over 1300 symbols, organized into groups and sub-groups according to their visual characteristics. Each category includes a short introduction on who the symbol was designed for, the designer, and in some cases, what the symbol stands for. These sections are interspersed with short case studies on both classic and more recently designed symbols.
Symbol is a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in graphic design.
“The idea behind this book,” Hyland writes in his preface to Symbol, “is to explore the visual language of symbols according to its most basic element: form.” The collected symbols are categorized by visual type, either abstract or representational designs, and include 1,300 examples using circles, dots, crosses, stripes, loops and curves; followed by those that are versions of flowers, objects, animals etc.
“They are laid out for view divested of all the agendas, meanings and messages that might be associated with them in their own customary contexts. Arranged this way,” Hyland continues, “the symbols are essentially isolated so that the effectiveness of their composition and impact can be assessed without distraction and so that the reader can enjoy them as a pictorial language in their own right.”
The book releases on June 1, 2011 through you local design bookstore or Amazon.
Angus Hyland is a graduate of the RCA and a partner at Pentagram Design London. He is the author of ‘C/ID’ and the best-selling ‘The Picture Book’.
Steven Bateman is a freelance writer who has worked with some of the UK’s leading design agencies. A regular contributor to ‘Grafik’ magazine, he also writes for ‘ISTD Condensed’, ‘Nico’ and ‘Varoom’.
Paperback
Laurence King Publishers
1400 illustrations
336 pages
9.7 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
ISBN 978-1856697279
$40.00
“A book with this depth of content will be a ‘must have’ for those who are involved with brand and identity development. The extended case studies on some of the most celebrated symbol designs will no doubt be most insightful. It’s certainly a book I’ll be adding to the library and returning to for some inspiration and refreshment.” – Filip Jansky
Tags: Angus Hyland, Book, Branding, Logo, Steven Bateman, Symbol
Posted in Branding, Design, Logo, Reference
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