SHAPES: SEMIOTICS + SYMBOLISM

Just like color, shapes instantly form ideas and associations in our mind. The primary difference is that many of the meanings behind color are mostly associated with their occurrence in nature, whereas the associations behind shapes are more abstract, and have been built upon, arguably, since the beginning of human civilizations.

There is a lot to unpack when it comes to shapes and, on the larger whole, visuals, so we’ll attempt to make sense of some of the most prominent ideas and terms as they relate to shapes and their meaning.

SEMIOTICS

As abstract as the concept may sound, the core idea behind semiotics is the process of extracting meaning from something. More specifically, it’s the process of extracting meaning from a sensory perception. If this sounds very broad, it’s because it is.

While the concept of semiotics applies to all of the senses, we will be focusing on the visual aspect of it. In that sense, semiotics is the process of seeing something, and your mind processing what that thing is, and what it means to you.

Imagine that you are looking at a leaf on a tree. In semiotics, the leaf is the ‘sign’. You have a certain understanding of what that leaf is; that is, you can form a mental construct of a leaf, as you understand it.

This is defined by an immeasurable number of influences, including instinct, what you have learned, and personal experience.

This mental construct that you formed might be called an ‘object’ or ‘signal’.

Many people who study and philosophize in semiotics will use various words to mean slightly different things, and we’ll look at a few of those distinctions a bit further down.

Whatever level of understanding you have in regards to that leaf, you have completed the semiotic process.

Language is a formal branch of semiotics; ‘formal’ meaning that it hinges on logic, per the logician Charles Sanders Peirce.

When you read the word ‘leaf’, you form a mental construct of what you understand a leaf to be. You managed to form a similar object in your mind, even though you weren’t actually looking at a leaf.

You were able to do this because the letters of the alphabet are all symbols. The symbols themselves have individual meanings, but infinitely more meanings can be made when you use those letters in specific orders (syntax). In other words, when you use letters to spell a word.

For example, when the letters L, E, A, and F are used in that order, you associate them with a leaf. Whereas the first example had an actual leaf as the sign, the word ‘LEAF’ is the sign in this case.

The concept of semiotics also covers the same process of you hearing the word “leaf” phonetically,and so on.

In a weird, abstract way, semiotics is the most all-encompassing idea of association. This means that. Or in the case of something so simple as a leaf, it might feel more like this means this.

Along those same lines, the concept of semiotics also works as analogies between different representations of the same object. The actual leaf is analogous to the word ‘leaf’ in that they both form the approximate object of a leaf in your mind.

Furthermore, semiotics also applies to other aspects of language, like sign language, body language, inflection, tone, and much more.

DYADIC SEMIOTICS (FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE)

According to Ferdinand de Saussure, semiotics is primarily concerned with the relationship between two concepts: the ‘sign’ and the ‘signal’.

The ‘sign’ is the visual that is being processed. We’ve already defined the signs in the above examples as being the leaf itself and the word ‘leaf’, respectively.

The ‘signal’ is the meaning derived from the sign, so the mental construct of the leaf.

TRIADIC SEMIOTICS (CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE)

Charles Sanders Peirce complicates the sign-signal relationship by factoring in the individual, creating a triadic relationship of sign, object, and interpretant.

Peirce keeps the idea of the sign pretty much the same, but transforms the ‘signal’ into the ‘object’.

The interpretant is all of the individual factors that go into processing the sign: instinct, knowledge, experience, etc.

The interpretant is, in a sense, a personal filter that fundamentally shapes the way in which the individual constructs the object in their mind.

There’s certainly no denying that individuals perceive things differently, so I think it’s fair to say that the interpretant should always be factored into how the sign will be processed.

However, the dyadic nature of the sign-signal relationship is fundamentally simpler to grasp when introducing the concept of semiotics.

Defining semiotic symbols

As it relates to visual semiotics, there are many terms that apply to the combinations of symbols that humans use to communicate with one another. We’ll try to make sense of the different terms and their differences.

Symbols

First, the big one.

In an attempt to define what symbols are: symbols are images or characters that can represent phonetic sounds, actions, ideas, and by extension, objects and emotions.

This seems broad because it is; pretty much everything that follows falls under the umbrella of symbols, or are made up of a collection of symbols. Icons, for instance, are symbols (but not all symbols are icons).

Symbols are usually context and use specific, with different systems and locations having different sets of symbols.

Various cultures use different alphabets, but while the symbols and syntax might be different, the final meaning can be the same. This is the fundamental difference between languages.

For example, English and French share the same alphabet, so they share a set of phonetic symbols, but yet ‘leaf’ is ‘feuille’ in French. This demonstrates the importance of syntax when it comes to arranging symbols to create meaning in different contexts, which in this case are different languages that share a common alphabet.

Symbolism

Typically speaking, symbolism is the concept of objects or things representing other, perhaps unrelated, ideas.

For example, a coffee mug could symbolize a character’s control over their life. The symbolism might become apparent when a series of events demonstrates that the character’s life is spiraling out of control, punctuated by the coffee mug slipping out of the character’s hands. The coffee is spilled all over, their mug shatters into a dozen pieces, and the character breaks down on the floor as the tragic symbolism sets in.

Symbolism is usually context-specific, meaning that any given object can represent different ideas in the context of different experiences, perspectives, or works of art.

The meanings behind various colors illustrate this point well. The color yellow can mean energy and warmth, but it can also mean cowardice and madness, depending on the context of its use.

If an object is symbolic, it means that it represents an idea.

In one work of fiction, a spoon can be symbolic of hunger and poverty. In another work, a spoon might represent magic and psychic abilities.

Fog and mist are genre tropes of noir films. What is the fog symbolic of?

ICONS AND ICONOGRAPHY

Historically, icons were recurring symbols in archaeology, and iconography was the study of these symbols.

Most of these symbols were what we think of today as hieroglyphs. Some hieroglyphs represented phonetic sounds, much like our alphabet, but many hieroglyphs represented more esoteric ideas and actions, more in line with emojis.

Originally, knowledge of the culture informed the meaning of the icons, but eventually the icons used by a culture came to influence the understanding of that culture. This was through the consistent meanings that otherwise unrelated cultures would put behind similar symbols.

Then, the term ‘iconography’ was appropriated by the religious art community to mean recurring visual themes and motifs in said religious art. The term ‘icon’ was also appropriated to no longer mean a hieroglyph, but instead a religious figure, such as an angel or saint. The religious paintings themselves also came to be known to many as icons, but many people outside of the religious art community prefer them to be known as ‘icon paintings’ to help differentiate from other uses of the word.

Nowadays, the terms icon and iconography can mean a few different things.

Most notably, icons are small pictures that indicate or are otherwise relevant to function or ideas. These are most commonly found on computers, smart phones, and other interactive devices. App icons are one such use. To this day, most icons for a phone app feature a physical handset for a telephone.

In film studies, iconography means recurring visuals and styles, and is often used to define genre tropes.

For example, derelict wastelands are part of the iconography of the post-apocalyptic sub-genre. How else is the viewer to know they’re watching a post-apocalyptic film if you don’t show them a hot, barren landscape with sign posts at 45-degree angles?

An icon might also simply be a symbol that has become highly recognizable within any given culture or time period. The golden arches of McDonald’s is an icon of the Western world in the 20th and 21st centuries. You’d be hard-pressed to find a soul in any corner of the world that doesn’t recognize that misshapen M.

EMOJIS?

Technically-speaking, emojis are icons. They are small pictures that represent somewhat abstracted ideas, like digital hieroglyphs.

When it comes to language and processing meaning, however, do emojis help or hurt communication?

Is it possible that they could do both?

In which scenarios could they help communication? Which scenarios could they hurt communication?

SIGNS

Speaking in simpler terms than semiotics, but still directly related, are signs, as most people think of them. We’re talking stop signs, bathroom signs, etc.

Generally speaking, signs indicate to the viewer the approximate idea of something that is likely imminent or in close proximity.

A stop sign means that you should stop because there is probably an intersection or crosswalk nearby. A bathroom sign on a door indicates that there is likely a bathroom behind that door. Within the larger idea, lightning is a sign that there is a storm nearby.

Some signs aren’t so direct, and require a bit of deduction. Imagine you’re taking a nice hike through the woods, and come across a steaming pile of bear poop. That’s a good sign there’s a bear nearby, and you should stop playing with its shit and get to safety.

EMBLEMS

Emblems are typically made up of several symbols, which together are meant to symbolically represent a nation, family, team, or kingdom. The primary purpose behind an emblem is to be a unique, identifying symbol.

LOGOS

Logos are symbols or emblems that represent a company, product, organization, etc.

There is a fair amount of crossover as to what would be considered an emblem and/or logo. A fairly simple differentiating factor is that an emblem’s purpose is to be unique, while a logo’s purpose is to be recognizable or eye-catching (for the sake of being marketable).

WORDMARKS

Wordmarks are logos in which the company or product’s name is prominently featured as a means of branding.

In wordmarks, choices of font and color are paramount in creating an identifiable logo, but shape theory is always at play, too.

SHAPES

Simple shapes can carry meaning much in the same way that colors can. Many of these subconscious meanings have ancient roots, and are still used in art and marketing today.

THE CIRCLE

The circle, having no real beginning or end, is cyclical and everlasting. Many of its meanings are derived from these simple, but very big ideas.

The circle is continuous, and often is used to represent infinity. The actual infinity symbol, being two touching circles, not only represents infinity, but also a balance, or duality, between any number of things; light and dark, good and evil, order and chaos, etc.

Similar to infinity, the circle also represents timelessness and eternity.

If given some vector or direction, a circular shape can also represent mobility. This is a rather obvious association when you think of the practical application of circles and spheres, which are mostly wheels and gears.

When used as a kind of boundary or bounding box, a circle can represent wholeness or totality.

In a more abstract sense, the circle can also represent perfection and enlightenment. Before computers, and arguably still to this day, it was notoriously impossible for a human to create a perfect circle. Enlightenment is perhaps related to this idea because much of enlightenment is about acceptance, and the imperfect nature of living. Enlightenment might also be related through the idea of reincarnation, a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The ideas of enlightenment and reincarnation are shared by many religions stemming from Tibetan Buddhism.

Compared to the following, more pointed shapes, circles feel softer and more approachable.

THE TRIANGLE

Triangles can represent many ideas, depending on whether you focus on the aspect of its relation to the number 3, its relation to the arrow sign, or its physical properties.

The three sides, corners, and points of a triangle have led it to represent many ideas with triple relationships. In religion and philosophy alone, there are many meanings behind the triangle.

As mentioned above, the idea of reincarnation hinges on life, death, and rebirth; the three stages of the soul.

In those same philosophies, there is also the relationship of the body, mind, and soul (spirit); at least for us in the ‘life’ stage of the soul cycle.

Similarly, the triangle can also represent the Holy Trinity, which is usually associated with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost in Christianity, but many religions offer like ideas.

In physics and science fiction, a triangle might represent matter, space, and time. Within each of those, there are three aspects each (sort of).

There are three common states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. There is a fourth, known state of matter, plasma, but this is a relatively new and lesser known fact.

Likewise, there are the three simple physical dimensions of space, which is represented in math terminology as the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.

As related to time, a triangle can mean the past, the present, and the future.

The triangle’s relation to the arrow has led to it being commonly used as a directional vector to indicate up, down, left, right, etc. Its history with tape media has also linked the triangle to the ‘play’ button.

On maps, the triangle has long represented the ideas of mountains and caves, depending on its orientation. A triangle with a point facing straight up represents a mountain, whereas the point facing down represents a cave.

Related to the triangle’s physical properties, it can be associated with the ideas of strength or balance, depending on its orientation (much like its relation to mountains and caves).

When the base of the triangle is facing down, with the point up, this represents strength. Physically represented, this triangle has a wide base and low center of gravity, so it would be very difficult to knock over, thus the association of strength.

When the triangle is positioned with the point down and the base up, this represents balance. It might seem ironic, since this shape would usually just fall over, but that’s the point. To stay in this shape and position, the triangle requires perfect balance.

THE SQUARE

Much in the same way that many of the triangle’s associations come from it having three sides, the square is largely defined by its four sides. That, and it’s a square.

The four sides associate the square with the directions (North, East, South, and West), seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), and elements (earth, water, air, and fire).

In either 2- or 3-dimensional representation, a square (or cube) is a sturdy shape.

On a map, the square is the shape of a building, foundation, base, and can even represent a home.

One of the more abstract meanings behind the square is that of balance. The inability to have a true 2-sided shape leaves a void for any sort of truly symmetrical balance in shape theory. The square is the first polygonal shape to have an even number of sides, so it’s the shape most associated with stable balance. (Yes, a triangle can represent balance, but moreso in the zen state-of-mind way.)

THE Star (+ PENTAGRAM)

We’re all familiar with the star shape, but it’s actually rather obscure in its popularity.

In general, a star is a type of polygon that has alternating points and pits, and in which an equilateral polygon lies at its center.

The star that most people associate with the term is the five-pointed star. As a shape, it’s actually a ten-sided polygon (decagon) with an equilateral pentagon at its center.

The most common uses and associations of the star shape include that of fortune, luck, and fame.

The shape came to be associated with fortune and luck with the whole ‘wish upon a star’ concept. The earliest and best explanation as to why people do this dates back to the early 2nd century, when astronomer Ptolemy wrote that falling stars were a result of the gods looking down at humans on Earth. Presumably, they had to open the heavens a little to peer down at us, and a star would fall out. People would then make a wish because they thought that, at that moment, the gods were paying attention to humans, so their wish was more likely to come true. People still wish upon a falling star today.

Stars later came to represent fame, as well. This was likely a logical extension of the luck and fortune granted by stars, considering how ‘lucky’ one must be to become famous. This is directly reflected in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where celebrities names are indefinitely featured within star shapes, right over circular, gold medallions representing the industry that earned them their star. What might be the reasoning behind using gold circles in this context?

Compared to the five-pointed star, a pentagram is simply a version where the dissecting lines are visible, as well as the pentagon at the center.

Many people, Christian or not, associate the upside-down pentagram (five-pointed star) with the religion’s great antagonist, Satan.

The pentagram doesn’t really have much to do with Christianity, but rather Celtic religions, which viewed the pentagram’s five points as representative of the spirit and the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. The fifth, top point represents the spirit, being over the material elements. The pentagon in the middle represents the mind, love, or will, depending on the context and origin.

Ironically, the pentagram was consistently used as a means of thwarting evil and bad luck; thus representing protection and good luck. The upside down pentagram represented the spirit’s subservience to material things, and was used to remind people to mind their spirit, and not allow it to be buried or stifled by earthly matters.

It’s unknown whether the Ptolemaic association of the star with luck is related in any way with the Celtic association of the pentagram with luck. Either way, stars are lucky.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Obviously there are a lot more shapes than what is covered here. Likewise, there is a lot more to consider when designing logos, such as corners, angles, textures, etc.

What is provided here is meant to be a foundation to stimulate your thought process in how you think about logos and emblems you see and/or are in the process of designing. This foundation, combined with color theory, is enough to dissect almost any logo or emblem.

IT IS WHAT IT IS?

While I do believe that most of us gravitate towards colors and shapes that reflect ourselves in some way, shape, or form, it’s hard not to be skeptical whenever someone says that everything has meaning.

I know it to be true that everything has the potential for meaning, but I also certainly know that many things are created by designers who are blissfully unaware of what those colors and shapes ‘represent’.

(Likewise, if the person on the receiving end of those symbols, logos, emblems, etc, isn’t versed or educated to a certain degree, then it’s totally possible that the subconscious meaning behind the colors and/or shapes used will be compromised, if not rendered null.)

With that in mind, I think it’s perfectly fair to say that you should take into consideration the possibility that the thing that you are analyzing doesn’t have any deeper meaning than the fact that the designer liked that color combination, or perhaps it was simply ‘on brand’.

Sometimes it just is what it is.

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