Project 2: Symbol System

I have taught variations of this project for years, generally through the development of a single logo. This semester I shifted to a symbol system so that students would make more than one mark — practicing reduction repeatedly across a set, and learning what it means for multiple elements to share a visual language. A logo teaches simplification once. A system teaches it as a discipline.

The reduction problem introduces students to the difference between simplification and abstraction. Simplification involves making something smaller, while abstraction focuses on distilling its essential structure. Many students approach this project thinking they are just simplifying, as they have a natural desire to draw realistic images rather than abstract them. Overcoming this tendency is the main challenge and a key skill to develop: creating a logo that conveys meaning through abstraction rather than detailed depiction. The Symbol Game—a game I created in 2017—addresses this directly. It encourages students to use simple lines and shapes to communicate meaning without drawing it directly, and to work quickly to prevent the illustrative impulse from dominating. This game helps loosen the grip of literal representation before the main project. Students who participate in the game develop a better understanding of reduction and abstraction compared to those who do not.

The system constraints—such as consistent stroke weight, corner radius, and proportional logic—highlight the difference between mere simplification and true abstraction. While a single strong icon can be created accidentally, creating six to eight cohesive symbols requires an understanding of their shared visual language. The postage stamp format provides a real-world frame, imposing scale constraints and a functional context that the icons must fit into. Students designing within this context tend to produce more refined and coherent symbols than those working on a blank screen.