Home » Visual & Performing Arts » Art Exercises » Iconography

Iconography

© Joe Jeskiewicz

Icons have been around for quite some time. Icons quite simply are a way to communicate a thought in a quick manner while retaining a full meaning in the process. Look around you and you are surrounded by icons. The man on the bathroom door communicates to all as a universal symbol that it is a men's restroom. The walk don't walk symbols are other examples. When you are traveling down the highway you can quickly identify exits that have gas, food, and places to stay. We recognize airports, train stations, and bus stops by the icons presented to us.

We can go back further than our own history to other cultures and recognize the use of icons and symbology to represent abstract ideas. Egyptians have fascinated so many people today that the eye of Ra is still present in our common symbology. Icons for people of various castes, animals, and tools were present in the Egyptian iconography. Familiar figures present in the written language of China and Japan are really icons that represent thoughts and ideas. So the question is, why are they in more widespread use today?

Who knows. Perhaps the challenge of reading and the importance of the communication of abstract ideas through the written word has kept a system of communication through symbols and icons away from the schools and universities. It is however important to know how to draw certain ideas or communication through signs when trying to talk to someone who doesn't speak the same language as you. For the next two weeks I have asked participating artists to develop their our symbols and icons in order to convey a short story or ideas.

The power to illustrate a complete thought through the use of icons or simple abstract drawing is important to the artist in my opinion because symbols have been the forte of the artist for centuries.

In the above image, I have taken the short story "A woman, goes downstairs, sees a monster, screams, and runs away." And for each element of the story I have illustrated my point and filled in the gaps to make the entire ensemble a pleasing eyepiece. I have reiterated the story numerous times to drive home the point that it is an age old story told time and again. And I have offset the bright vibrant modern colors with an older looking typeface.

Opinions vary on art as they always will but I feel that ultimately it is the artist who must please himself in the end. It is the artist's satisfaction with his or her work that indicates to an artist that the piece is finished. The desire to communicate is present always however, the desire to please is not always necessary. After all, an artist is not an artist to please others, an artist is an artist to please himself or herself.

Short Story

The copyright of the article Iconography in Art Exercises is owned by . Permission to republish Iconography in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.