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The pictograms featured below, to be featured in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, were created by the Rio 2016 in-house team. Inspired by this years olympic typeface (designed by Dalton Maag) which, in turn, was influenced by the city itself - including the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer - the pictograms represent each and every Olympic and Paralympic sport individually for the first time in history.
The lines of the pictograms have been matched with those of the typeface’s letterforms, using the athlete's bodies and sports equipment to built the characters' forms, or part of them, in a continuous stroke varying in weight of line. This creates the impression of depth and dynamic movement effective in communication of the events carried out.
The curvature and fluidity of the lines successfully signify dynamic movement via an expressive quality of line that is appropriate to the event and true representation of form.
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From the London 2012 Olympics, this image shows the adaptable nature of SomeOne design agency's pictogram concept for the visual identity of the games.
Rather than producing pictograms alone, the agency also wanted to produce a dynamic 'look' to take over the city with a developed, widespread aesthetic. This resulted in two variations of the designs - silhouette-style pictograms for high visibility and information based application, and then a more dynamic, decorative line variation inspired by the London underground map for use on posters and banners.The vibrant, expressive designs conveyed a new, creatively driven approach to the olympic picogram design task, effectively communicating events through a new, exciting and considered visual language.
The combination of both straight, sharp lines and smooth curves create a diverse, contemporary look that ignores convention and achieves a bold, strong and distinct resolution.
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Designed by Nikolai Belkov for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, these pictograms provide visual information for olympic events individually, though the visual language is cohesive and consistent. The grid used to produce the pictograms provides each with a distinct, angular aesthetic that has been effectively exploited to represent a range of activities. The use of varying weights of line enable the viewer to comprehend the order of significant information, whilst the rounded edges make for a softer, more dignified visual.
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Using Oti Aicher's 45° pictogram grid, I explored a range of potential compositional variations, trying to most effectively communicate the act of Rowing.
Considerations included representation of a boat, human form and rowing paddles. I initially portrayed only one human form before realising the importance and strength in numbers the sport requires, and so began exploring ways in which to signify multiple forms through duplication, multiplication and negative space.
Though I explored simpler pictogram designs, such as just three rowing paddles, this level of visual information was much too ambiguous; A more complex resolution was needed to most successfully portray the sport.
The final drawn design I produced exhibited three identical representations of the human form interconnected, each holding a paddle and sat in a boat. Although this information is delivered via one solid block of black, the mind perceptually simplifies the element into multiple, more easily understood interpretations and shapes - influenced by established semantic understanding - made easier by differentiation in weight of line to aid distinction of each element.
The design is visually geometric, angular and structured, representing the strength and form required to row, as well as signifying the symbol as an aid to present the games with an ordered structure of events and identification of them thereafter.
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| Digitalisation of Final Design. |
With the final design made into a vector shape, ground colour was now required to enhance the communication of the sport of rowing. Light blue was the decided representing colour due to its acceptation of strong, common connotation of water - appropriate in that rowing is a water sport. The selected tone/shade needed to be eye-catching, vibrant and produce enough contrast to create tonal energy and distinction between the visual information present. I explored a range of light tones of the hue to discover a tone that would meet the required criteria.
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The colour selected was tone number three, evidenced above. This is Pantone colour 'Pilandros,' code 458CCC. This tone is a vivid, intense light blue that effectively creates a contrast with the white visual information of the sport making it bold, distinct and easily identifiable. By using white to deliver the symbol, attention is guaranteed as the human gaze is always drawn to the lightest element of visual information.
Although the geometric structure of the pictogram design is successful in signifying strength, the sharpness of the corners appear harsh. To resolve this, subtle rounding was applied to the corners and edges creating a softer overall aesthetic that remains dignified and strong.
Feedback:
'The pictogram would be easily seen on a smaller scale, even with the rowing paddles being a lighter weight of line because the design is effectively simple and easily recognisable in what it is communicating. Consideration of line thickness allows for distinction to be made between elements featured in the design.
The colour works well because blue is obviously associated with water sports. The tone of blue against white gives the pictogram contrast, although isn't overpowering or difficult to absorb visually. The combination looks bright.
The image would be easily produced via both screen and print based media because the design is simple and therefore easily re-producable and identifiable in different places and contexts.'
