Type and Icons

For my type selection I chose to use Grotesque and Naskh. Both typefaces I felt had a good balance between the curved and straight strokes that both relate well to the concept of Aspire. What I noticed most while selecting Grotesque for the latin typeface is that the curse especially on the lowercase r, reflect the curve of the track. I also feel that Naskh and Grotesque balance each other well through stroke width and their x can easily be balanced. And they are both very clear and legible.

Creating My Icons

It took me several different refinements to be able to finally get my system right. I kept jumping around from one idea to the next.


This was my first set of icons. Originally because of the time that I had spent on developing the trash icon, and because of how refined it was, I decided to us the embedded concepts for my system. The idea was that it is clean balanced between curved and balanced between curved and straight lines. But the rest of my icons dont fit in at all and each seemed to have their very on system. But I could look at these icons and take certain elements from each that I could then put into my system to make them work.

Now with this set of Icons i created I was getting closer. I had zoomed in close on each object, made them more equally balanced by color and I added the element of the socks to the legs so I could break up the space more. But during the critique I noticed that I hadn't followed the diagonal on all the images and that they all needed to include and object combined with an action; like the bottle being thrown into the trash, the foot stepping on the flower. I needed to come up with some way that there would be interaction between the bench and the cigarette, and most of all I needed to still develope a good icon for the restroom that followed the system. Also I needed to come up with a way that my walk and run icon could be unified but at the same time could have distinguishable characteristics so that they could be read as separate signs.

For my final set of icons I fixed the above problems by giving them all the same angle, I created a hand that was holding the cigarette to create some sort of interaction, as well as the ball resting on the bench, and then finally I made the walk and run icons exactly the same but added texture to the running to separate the two. Then for the bathroom signs, I illustrated a womens and a mans shoe, this idea I still should have pushed further if the time allowed for me to do so.

Overall while creating my icons I was very frustrated, it took me until the end to understand the idea of a system and especially what exactly my system was. The icons would have been much easier for me to complete I feel if I had spent more time on research and developement through sketches just like I did with the trash icon. But what I liked about my icons is that by including interaction between objects as a part of my system made the icons more interesting and exciting to work with. It forced me to be more creative and to generate ideas that you wouldn't see on a normal basis. I feel that signages systems is definitely and area that Ill still need to improve on but feel like I do have a good basis for it, and also even though I struggled with my system, the fact that I kept working with the idea helped me to learn about the concept within design more, and that was definitely a good outcome for the project.

Icon Development

After having done the book where we had to find certain problems within our space, I used these ideas to begin my icons. I took different photographs from my space and as well as looked back at some of the photos I took from the beginning of the problem and started sketching ideas. With each sketch I would try to look at different element within the photo so that I could abstract the image. Here are some examples:

Most of what I did was to highlight the different shadows. what I noticed while doing these sketches was that it took several different trys to find a way that was affective so that both the bottle and the hand would remain clear. If I highlighted one area the bottle would disappear and if I highlighted another it would blend in with the hand and create a blob.



Another step I took when I first started to create my icons was to look at the different features within Aspire so that I could try to develop A system. I definitely wanted to keep the idea of a some was organic feel but very clean and sharp. But some of the designs I was coming up with still didn't really fit with the surrounding fill especially with the audience. So I kept trying to develop my concept for a system

Final project

With the final due, i still refined, tuned some of my icons like the finger nail, the spray in order to simple and yet to be more effective in communicating.
My choice of typeface:
Initially it was very difficult for me to understand which typeface reflects the same quality as my icons. After understanding my system more clearly, i was able to point a few things such as the bold black parts in my icons, the thickness and straight edgy feel of my icons. Henec i chose a typeform which has a heavy bold look to it and its more geometrical and sharp edge.
Placing in context
it was a difficult challenge to place in classrooms of VCU because the classrooms are usually very busy and messy. Furthermore, i didnot wanted something which would add further to this messy look or be an obstacle to the remaing open space. Thus i chose to place the signs where the objects are place so that the students can see and realize whenever they are dealing with a particular equipment in the classroom. As for the bathroom, i decided to put it on the wall, next to the taps.
Research:
However i would just like to add, that i did a little bit more research of placing the signage in context, and constantly referred to this book; Signage Design Manual by Edo Smitshuijzen and Pictograms Icons and Signs, A guide to Information Graphics by Rayan Abdullah and Roger Hobner.
I learnt the different ways of placing sign, for example suspended sign from the ceiling is basically to how direction. Projecting sign can be placed in corridors when there are a lot of doors and you want to direct someone to something. And placing it on the wall, where the problem occurs.
I also learnt about how the eye reads the eye from a particular distance. hence affecting it visibility and scale.

Experimenting with Colors

For the color experimentation, i began from taking inspiration from my mood board and the clrs around VCU. I practiced getting the exact color by learning the pantone color book. However later i realized that in order for the signs to communicate well in the environment it should build up contrast, so its visible, has a contextual language to it. First i was using 4 colors in one icon...pink, black gray, white. However later i understood, that its just gonno blend with all the colors around VCU. Thus i tried something more subtle yet that contrasts with the VCU colors; gray and black. And i felt that gray suited.

Jo Bermejo, Icons in context

Here are some Photoshopped images of some of my icons in context:

At the Library entrance. I want to immediately emphasize that talking is not allowed.
There is also a "No-Google" sign at the door, and I just replaced it with my version of the sign/icon.

The computer area where currently a very small sign is that says "No mobile phones".
I replaced it with my version of the icon and added other appropriate icons too.

Jo Bermejo, VCUQ Library, Icon development

Final set of icons.

After another class discussion and critique, I was told that my set of icons still didn't have a clear system. Some elements are centered on the box, while some are cropped out. In some icons, a pair of objects are separated while some are overlapping one another. The biggest issue was my grid system, which doesn't work for all of my objects. I need to decide on one system that would allow curves, but I need to be consistent with the way images are placed on the icons. In the end, I decided that the system that works best is when all the images are inside the boxes and not cropped out, and pairs of images would be separated and not overlap one another.

Then, we were asked over the break to come up with color swatches for our icons. Outside the library is the Yellow wall, and inside is full of neutral tones (wooden bookshelves, for example) so I decided that neutral or "earthy" colors would be appropriate. The library is a very calm and quiet place, so vibrant and bold colors would not work. Here are the samples of color experimentation:
In the end, I chose soft brown with light yellow because it gives off an earthy feel, and it's calm and looks professional. Here's my final set of icons with the chosen color scheme:

Lastly, we had to choose a typeface that would go with the set of icons we made. My icons are simple, (hopefully) clear with a rounded edge...which is why I felt the typeface Century Gothic is the most appropriate to use. We also had to choose an Arabic typeface that would compliment the English font, and I think Al Wadi in bold is a good match for Century Gothic. Note: I used an online translator for the Arabic type, and double checked with my friends to see if the translations are correct.

Jo Bermejo, VCUQ Library, Icon development

After tracing my drawings and simplifying them several times, I had a set that I am happy with and proceeded to make some sample icons. I want the icons to have a rounded edge square based on the pattern of the bins in the library. Here are the first few icons i came up with:

The bin pattern that I based it upon:We had a class discussion and I showed them the initial icons. I was told that the image of the front view and side view of the phone is the one that works the best for my location. The rest either didn't look like they belong to a design school, or are still not simplified enough. I decided to stick to the two mobile phones, and from there I tried to follow a system of simplified objects that were drawn using a grid system. I chose to use a grid to reflect the organization and the orderly characteristic of the library.
Here are the first proper set of icons:

The top set shows the different sections of the library.
The bottom set shows what's prohibited in the library.

Jo Bermejo, VCUQ Library, Icon development

What I did to start with, was look at the problems that I found at the library and tried to make a list of the symbols, indexes, etc. associated to these problems. For example, one of the problems were people are talking on their mobile phones in the library even though it's not allowed. I wrote down the words 'phone', 'mouth', 'noise', etc. anything that I can think of that associates with the problem.

I then started to draw things from my list, and here are the initial sketches:

I photocopied and traced the drawings several times, simplifying them each time. I want to come up with images that are very simplified for my icons. Here are the images I decided to work with:

Application of Fruit and Vegetable Market Signs

Here are some of my signs in their context. I decided since the market is out doors, placing the signs on walls would be a challenge since there aren't many walls and especially not where I need the walls to be. Therefore I used the blue shades that are placed all around the market to hang the signs from.
A strong rope will hold them to the right height they need to be at. Which is just over the average persons height. Then they would be painted or stuck on to a piece of wood. The sign will be placed on both sides of the wood so it is seen from every angle.

Below is the Weigh and Pay here sign:

Below is the Vegetables and the Fruits signs. They are placed at the front entrance to the market:


Below is a close up of the Vegetable sign. As you can see it is hung from the already existing shades:

Materials for Fruit and Vegetable Market signs

Research on sign materials

I did some research to find out what materials would be best to display my signs on.
Here is a website I found useful for this: http://www.fastsigns.com/sign-materials.html
After reading about each material, I decided that wood was the most suitable material for my signs.

Here is what I found out about the wood:

"Wood and composite materials
Wood and composite materials will give you years of outdoor service. They are suitable for large format signage, are weather resistant and have a rigid, flat surface. Wood products can be painted to match custom colors for signage use in commercial real estate, construction firms and property leasing companies. Some composite materials come in a wide range of colors. Others are only available in white.
There are occasions when wood or any one of several other composite materials is the appropriate substrate to use for your outdoor signage needs. There are a number of different materials that can fill these requirements. Medium Density Overlay Plywood (MDO), Alumalite®, Omega® board, DiBond® to name a few. All are durable and versatile, materials designed for a wide variety of outdoor uses including these types of signage:

• Site Signs
• Directional Signs
• Identification Signs

Signs made from wood can be displayed in several ways:

• Bolted to posts and planted in the ground
• Bolted to walls
• Hanging"

The wood material contains all the elements I need for my signs. It can be used outdoors, in all climates. It can be used on walls and could be hung. It is fairly cheap and is not too heavy. It is long lasting and can be painted on or can be used with stickers.