Chart 9: semiotic classification
5. Chapter 5-Design
For the creative part of the thesis, the researcher designed new logos for four martial arts teachers, two male and two female, two of them teach an internal martial art, in this case taijiquan, and two teach external martial arts, jujitsu and Israeli street defence.
In the process of designing, she first asked the teachers to provide her with a detailed idea of what they would like their logo to convey, expressing as many ideas as possible. The next step was to examine the thesis research conclusions and match the teacher’s ideas to the corresponding categories found in the research.
Bearing in mind the teachers’ specific demands, the researcher presented each teacher with a logo and sets of applications she found suitable for his or her demands. The following paragraphs introduce the teachers and their respective briefs regarding their logos:
Karen Leith:
Karen is a taijiquan, qigong and yiquan teacher from Davis, California, USA.
“My Taijichauan (Yang Style) and Qi Gong school is in California. I teach in the parks. Half my students are women...”
“I want a logo that portrays Internal Martial Arts and the soft nature of Taiji. I had considered, for one, a bamboo background with a Yin Yang circle but I don't want my thought to limit you. I also like the idea of a
"cartoon" character in one of the postures, such as ‘Snake creeps Low’
or ‘Brush knee’. I also thought of a ‘White Crane Spreading Wings’. I thought of using I Ching Yarrow sticks. I don't want it too masculine but I don't want it too feminine. There is also the idea of Stillness in Motion…. Nothing too tame, but nothing too bold.”
“One more idea: A circular frame or oblong. Since Taiji is full of circular motions, it would be great if you could make the frame circular and still get the calligraphy inside the frame.”
Melanie Fine – Suigetsu dojo:
Melanie is a jujitsu teacher from NY, USA.
Melanie already has a logo for her dojo (EMA logo 32) and was interested in a new logo for her website.
“… My idea is to someone incorporate the name Suigetsu ("Sui"
means water, "Getsu" means moon). The overall meaning of the word Suigetsu is the light of the moon shining on calm water and being reflected back. So... something along the lines of water/moon/healing.”
Ronnie Robinson – Chiron school:
Ronnie is a taijiquan and qigong teacher from Scotland. He has stopped using his previous, self-designed logo (IMA logo 44) and is looking for a new one. Ronnie’s brief was:
“I'd like to have something that symbolises in some way the importance of the internal aspects of taiji & qigong, the relationship and connection to ourselves and to others, the balance of inside and outside, structure and relaxation, intent and focus.”
However, Ronnie also attached pictures of his favourite taijiquan postures,
‘snake creeps down’ and ‘single whip’, and asked the researcher to try working with those postures as well.
Haim Cohen – Israeli street defence:
Haim is from Israel, he is the founder of a self-defence system he calls Israeli street defence. The system is combined from traditional martial arts such as karate, taekwondo and Thai boxing as well as Greek pankration, grappling and Western boxing, and was created, according to Haim, after he and some professional colleagues of his realised that the existing martial arts they practiced do not provide solutions to high violence situations, and that even instructors and black belts were found lacking in real-life situations. The system’s purpose is to provide the practitioner with ways to deal with pressure in situations of danger. Haim’s ideal logo should emphasize the following qualities:
1. It should be clear from the logo that the system is Israeli.
2. The variety of aspects the system is dealing with.
3. The main purpose of the system is to prevent violence.
4. The system provides tools to help cope in danger and stressful situations in life in general.
In designing the new logos the researcher follows the earlier conclusions from the semiotic, taxonomy and affectivity examinations of the paper’s sampled logos. Observing the semiotic category, it is evident that logos using icons depict the style characteristics and create a strong recognition. The results regarding the corresponding taxonomy category of descriptive marks confirm those findings. When observing the affectivity conclusions it is clear that representative, active logos are more affective in creating recognition. On the other hand, when wishing to depict more philosophical, abstract ideas, both the semiotic and taxonomy categories conclusions point at symbols as the appropriate choice, and even the affectivity category recommendations allow for more ambiguous images when the need arises.
The researcher has taken the above-conclusions into consideration and has considered the design of each and every logo in their light.
The researcher incorporated the logos in a variety of customised martial arts’
items. In the two external styles wearing uniform is obligatory, she therefore placed the logo on the uniform. Due to the fact that injuries are common in the practice of martial arts, the researcher also suggested lines of designed braces and supports. She additionally placed the logo on professional equipment, training gear and weapons. Alongside the customised items, standard applications were suggested: stationary, T-shirts and a variety of sports-related accessories frequently used by martial arts practitioners, which are usually not branded by the styles or schools. In the researcher’s opinion, the current technology enables relatively inexpensive printing solutions that make it possible to create a visual identity even for a small school, and thus increase the schools visibility and ability to attract more students.
The creative process
Karen Leith Logo
For Karen’s logo, the researcher applied two main approaches. The first employed a human image, in two postures: ‘snake creeps down’ and ‘ward of’. The researcher then used different techniques and strokes, in order to capture the quality of the movements. Taijiquan is an internal martial art and its form is executed in smooth, flowing movements, the researcher found the use of brash strokes and free hand lines suitable for expressing those qualities. Two postures were depicted in a sketchy line, following the posture’s shape while creating well-defined surfaces (Images 7 and 8); two were employing a minimal approach, seeking the smallest amount of lines or surfaces needed to define a form, and using the emptiness created to emphasize the posture’s shape (Images 9 and 10). The images are slightly feminine, but not obviously so. The lines give a dynamic notion to an otherwise still posture, simulating the flow of qi in the body while performing the movement. In logos 3 and 4 the researcher added Chinese characters depicting the words taijiquan she wrote in clerical script calligraphy. Logo 4 is created with a scribbled white line on an ink spot background. The line is appearing and disappearing while defining the figure’s posture.
Image 7: Karen - logo 1 Image 8: Karen - logo 2
Image 9: Karen - logo 3 Image 19: Karen - logo 4
The second direction of design employed bamboo as the logo’s main design element. The bamboo is often employed to symbolize internal martial arts in general and taijiquan in particular because of its flexibility and strength, it moves with the wind but doesn’t break, just like the practitioner of taijiquan should be sensitive to any pressure, as light as it might be, and yield to it in order to avoid resistance. Or, in Wang Zongyue (eighteen-century) word as were written in the Taiji Classics:
A feather cannot be placed, and a fly cannot alight on any part of the body.
(Scheele, 1996-2005)
The researcher’s original idea was to combine the bamboo with some manifestation of the yin-yang symbol, in logo 5 the yin-yang’s essence of change from black to white is manifested in a gradient background, whereas in logo 6 the centre line in the background of the bamboo insinuates the yin-yang symbol. In both logos, the bamboo leaves are tracking the curved centre line of the yin-yang symbol.
Image 11: Karen - logo 5 Image 12: Karen - logo 6
In the next logos the bamboo remained as the main graphic element. In logo 7, a brash stroked circle insinuates the existence of a yin-yang symbol. The bamboo leaves track the left side of the circle.
Image 13: Karen - logo 7
Logo 8 depicts a bamboo plant, creating a balance between the thin, upright stem and the full leaves.
Image 14: Karen - logo 8
The last of the logos is a composition of curved bamboo leaves. The balance and execution of this logo made it a favourite and it was chosen to represent Karen’s school.
Image 15: Karen’s final logo
The bamboo is an iconic image and a metaphoric mark; the schools name is a descriptive name. As mentioned before, it represents certain qualities that taijiquan practitioners aspire to achieve in their practice; it is also a distinct Chinese image, regularly employed in Chinese paintings. The researcher believes that as such, employing bamboo in a logo representing a taijiquan school serves the purpose requires by the teacher: not distinctively masculine or feminine, communicates stillness in motion, not too tame and not too bold. Although the use of bamboo as a graphic symbol is not unknown
even in the West, the researcher believes that the position of the bamboo in the logo is unique and will create recognition. As for affectivity classification, the logo is high on natural, representative, harmony and balance.
The colour black was the researcher’s first choice because of the obvious connection to Chinese ink paintings. The play of greys on the stem and leaves gives the logo a slight depth. The black and grey were repeated in the colour of the fonts. The font ‘Ariel’ was chosen for its simplicity, cleanness and balance. The narrow format creates a block that balances the blackness of the leaves. The researcher also created a coloured version of the logo in green and blue. Maintaining the balance between dark and light as was expressed in the black and grey version of the logo. (See image 16)
A third version, white on black, was created for the application purposes.
The researcher used the logo either in its original form with the school’s name attached, or separately, turning the bamboo into a pattern.
The colour scheme for the application was borrowed from the logo’s colours.
Applications
Karen’s school is small and the applications designed for the logo were suitable for the commercial potential of a school that size. The application are divided into four groups:
1. Stationary: a name card, envelopes and notepaper, stickers and post-it notes. The researcher also designed a sketchbook, commonly used to sketch movements and drills and write comment relevant to the practice.
2. Training related objects: taijiquan shoes, fan and taiji ruler (a wooden ruler-shaped object used for meditation purposes), and braces - ankle, knee and wrist support used in case of an injury.
3. Accessories: T-shirts, a cap and bandana, a fabric bag, socks, glasses and key bands, thermos and water bottle.
4. The taijiquan classics booklet: a booklet containing Zhang Sanfeng’s a poetic, short paragraphs text explaining the principles of taijiquan and providing instructions for the right way to perform the art.
In the first three groups, the applications were designed both in black and in colour. The booklet is solely black and white.
Most of the designs were created in the original black on white, the colour green on white or black and the original black logo on a green background.
The following images will show a selective selection of the designs.
Image 16: Karen’s visual identity system
Group 1: stationary
Image 17: Karen -name card Image 18: Karen -sticker
Image 19: Karen -envelope Image 20: Karen -notepaper
Image 21: Karen -post-it notes Image 22: Karen -sketchbook cover
Image 23: Karen -pages from a book
Group 2: Training related objects
Image 24: Karen – ankle support Image 25: Karen – wrist support
Image 26: Karen – taiji ruler Image 27: Karen – fan
Image 28: Karen –taijiquan shoes
Group 3: Accessories
Image 29: Karen –bandana Image 30: Karen – cap
Image 31: Karen – bag Image 32: Karen – socks
Image 33: Karen – glasses band Image 34: Karen – key band
Image 35: Karen –towels Image 36: Karen –water bottle
Image 37: Karen – T-shirts
Group 4: The taijiquan classics booklet
Image 38: Karen – pages from the taijiquan classics
Haim Cohen – Israeli street defence Logos
Haim wanted his logo to communicate that Israeli street defence is an Israeli martial art. Therefore, the depiction of the Star of David, Israel’s national symbol was a given. The researcher decided to combine it with an iconic image depicting a characteristic movement of the style. The movements portrayed in the logos are taken from the different disciplines that combine the system; a design decision made in an early stage of the design led the designer to visually integrate the Star of David symbol with the iconic image.
The researcher decided to use blue as the logo’s main colour, as another reminder of the system’s Israeli origin. (Blue is the colour of the Star of David in the Israeli national flag).
The researcher created the Star of David in two different styles, one depicted with brash strokes and one imitating a folded strip of paper.
Following are some samples of the logos designed for Haim.
The first three logos depict a defensive hand movement against an opponent attacking empty handed or armed with a weapon. This design indicates the style’s emphasis on defence, as stressed in its name. (Image 39)
Image 39: Haim – logos 1, 2 and 3
The movements depicted in the next three logos are defensive moves performed against a kicking attacker. (Image 40)
Image 40: Haim – logos 4, 5, and 6
The last logo portrays a throw. The images are depicted in black and white over a light blue Star of David. This logo was chosen to represent Israeli street defence.
Image 41: Haim final logo
As mentioned above, the logo combines both a symbol and an icon. As presented earlier in the paper, logos constructed of symbols and icons have appeared frequently in the questionnaire’s EMA logos. The Star of David is a non-figurative mark, whereas the figures are a descriptive mark, and the name of the school a descriptive name. The logo is high on natural, representative, active and balance, as well as geometric and parallel qualities, therefore combining all the classifications of affectivity that received the higher values in relation to the logos examined for this paper (See chart 10, p. 155).
The style’s name is depicted in the compatible Hebrew Avtala and the English Geomtr fonts. For additional captions and texts the researcher chose the Hebrew Gad and English Avant garde fonts. The basic colour scheme is borrowed from the logo’s colours, and additional background colours were chosen for the purpose of trendy applications’ design. A white on black version of the logo was created especially for depicting on sparring equipment such as guards, gloves, helmets etc.
Applications:
Israeli street defence is a big system with multiple branches across Israel and a great amount of student. Since the system is combined from different disciplines, the outfits worn in the different classes vary from traditional uniform to T-shirts, design solutions were provided for all options. The logo applications are divided into professional and leisure time application, providing the school with a complete visual identity. The applications are divided to four groups:
1. Stationary: a name card, envelopes and notepaper, stickers and post-it notes.
2. Work out and training accessories: braces, T-shirts, gym bags, sweat bands, glasses and key bands, towels, sport’s bras, caps and water bottles.
3. Official documents: a passport - a booklet in which the student’s progress and achievements are marked; and two exam certificate, one of them for a Dan1 exam.
4. Clothes and sparring equipment.
1 Dan is the name used to indicate levels of black belts.
Image 42: Haim’s visual Identity
The following images are examples of the applications designed for Israeli street defence divided according to the groups mentioned above.
Group 1: stationary
Image 43: Haim-name card Image 44: Haim-sticker
Image 45: Haim-notepaper Image 46: Haim-post-it notes
Group 2: work out and training accessories
Image 47: Haim-ankle support Image 48: Haim-wrist support
Image 49: Haim-sport’s bra Image 50: Haim-cap
Image 51: Haim- shoes Image 52: Haim-gym bag
Image 53: Haim-sweat headband Image 54: Haim-wrist swaetband
Image 55: Haim-T-shirts Image 56: Haim-water bottle
Group 3: official documents
Image 57: Haim-exam certificate Image 58: Haim-Dan exam certificate
Image 59: Haim- pages from the passport
Group 4: clothes and sparring equipment
Image 60: Haim-belt Image 61: Haim- gloves
Image 62: Haim-helmet Image 63: Haim- knee guards
Image 64: Haim-uniform Image 65: Haim-punching bag
Melanie fine - Suigetsu dojo Logos
Melanie Fine is a jujitsu teacher in Suigetsu dojo, New York, USA. Besides their martial arts classes, the dojo also sells herbal medicines and holistic products online. When Melanie approached the researcher, she was looking for a logo for her website that would represent both aspects of the dojo. The researcher suggested a number of logos that were inspired by the school’s name, Suigetsu - water moon, which literally means the moon’s reflection in
the water. The graphic visual was developed from the Chinese characters for water and moon written in seal script (logos 1-4). The researcher also suggested a number of logos that were based on characteristic jujitsu drills (logos 5-7). An added graphic element was the kanji for Suigetsu, which the researcher wrote in semi-cursive script.
The following logos were inspired from the meaning of the school’s name.
They are symbols, non-figurative marks, high on abstract, repetitive and harmony. For logos 1 and 2, the researcher chose to play with hues of mustard-yellow and deep purple that in her opinion convey the feeling of night, moon, darkness and magic.
Image 66: Melanie-logos 1 and 2
Logos 3 and 4 are simpler; the researcher kept the yellow but changed the purple to black and blue respectively.
Image 67: Melanie - logos 3 and 4
The next three logos are based on characteristic jujitsu throws. They are icons and descriptive marks. The researcher employed three different techniques to portray the dynamics and motion of the movements. Logo 5 imitates a woodblock print, and the colours are inspired by Japanese fabrics.
Logo 6 is created with scribbled lines, altering in depth.
Image 68: Suigetsu -logos 5 and 6
The lines in Logo 7 the researcher was inspired by the previously used seal script brush strokes, which are characterised in an equal thickness preserved along the whole length of the stroke. Logo 7 was chosen to represent Suigetsu.
Image 69: Suigetsu -logo 7
Logo 7 is an icon, a descriptive mark and a found name. It is high on representative, active, but can also be perceived as abstract.
The name Suigetsu is written with Eras Bold, and for captions and additional text the researcher chose Arial.
The colours mustard-yellow and deep purple, which the researcher used in the symbolic logos, were adopted for this logo. A white version of the logo was created for use on dark background.
In order to allow more variations in the application’s design, the figures were separated to basic geometric components: a square, an oval and three arcs.
Applications
Suigetsu is, on one hand, a martial art dojo with clear and defined principles
Suigetsu is, on one hand, a martial art dojo with clear and defined principles