Unit 03: John Caserta

Question: How can we use symbols to unify a group of people?

The creation and appropriation of symbols to create meaning is an important part of a designer’s toolset – whether on a flag, website, emblem, logo or other context. This unit will take a close look at flags as an example of how symbols can connect (or distance) a group of people. Whether for nations, towns, labor unions, or schools, flags make use of the simplest of forms to communicate various cultural, historical or aspirational qualities of the group. This unit asks students to perform basic ethnographic research to better understand the values of a group, and to design symbols — sited on flags – that communicate those values.

Learning objectives

• Understand how symbols work
• Learn to work with simple forms
• Consider how material and context affects form
— Learn to work together to accomplish more
• Learn about others and your values

Core Assignment:

Design a flag to fly at the top of Design Center. This should act as a symbol for the RISD GD Department, the primary tenant of the building.

WEEK ONE: Oct. 11 – 18

Inform yourself about the community for whom the flag represents. What holds the group together? Is there a common understanding of what RISD GD is (or GD generally) or what it should be? How can a flag unite the group? How can a flag pull the group towards an ideal or belief? How can a flag (symbol) distinguish this group from others? How have others solved this problem?

Research is part of the design process, and can be done in creative and unique ways. This project requires a few types of research: material/contextual research, research into symbols more generally, and ethnographic research (understanding the community being represented/served).

For next week: Produce a keynote of research of what you found, acknowledging each of the three areas. You will work in groups of three or four, with each person taking on one of the three areas, and combining those findings into one keynote presentation with each other and presenting to the class.

Material/Contextual Research

• How are flags made or constructed? What is possible? What is standard?
• Find flags that you think are successful.
• Find flags that relate to the subject matter at hand (unions, other GD programs, other RISD programs, etc).

Research into symbols

• How have shapes, colors been used to communicate ideas? Propaganda, etc
• Are there flags or symbols used by other graphic design organizations or departments?
• What symbols make sense for the content/group more generally
• Flags

Ethnographic Research

• Who are we now? Who/what have we been in the past?
• How do we work?
• What is the building like? Its texture, its geometry, its character?
• How are we different than other Departments, Schools, Buildings?
• Based on what you’ve collected, what is your vision?

Be sure to sketch and think about the ‘final’ flag as you research.

Lecture Notes

Lecture as pdf

Bookmarks informing lecture

Lecture References below can be viewed in the folder

Ethnographic research

• “An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris”, Georges Perec
• Bill Moggridge on People
• Norman Potter. What is a designer “Asking Questions”
• IDEO method cards
• Additional resources

Material/Contextual Research

• Good Flag, Bad Flag, North American Vexillogical Association
• Designing a good flag
• 99% invisible episode
• John Oliver on New Zealand flag redesign
• Testing flags

Symbols

• Symbol Sourcebook (in GD Commons)
• A design brief for the ages by Tim Maly
• Scott McCloud on detail/drawings/meaning
• Google Cultural Institute
• Heller, Steven. The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption? New York: Allworth Press, 2000.
• Make your own coat of arms

WEEK TWO: OCT 18 – 25

Design 48 flags, print to plotter (42” x 28”) at actual size (flags should be 3 x 4.5”). Do not trim flags, but you may need to put a background shade behind certain flags to see white.

Upload one flag to flagtest.nz and have open on your laptop for walkabout.

WEEK THREE: OCT 25 – NOV 1

Make one flag printed and trimmed at 22” x 33”. Pencil your name lightly on the back. Hand this in on November 1 at the start of class.

Write a caption for the piece (150 word max) and place onto the Google Doc Shared with you. The caption should mention consider these questions: what does the flag symbolizes (and/or what the individual parts symbolize)? Why would this unify the community and/or how do you predict the public would see the community? (What is your intention?)

Additionally, remember you will be creating a reflective document at the end of the semester. In preparation for this, you should note which of your flags you would like to include in the document. And more importantly, what did you learn about RISD GD, Graphic Design the profession, the Design Center, your own goals/ambitions for your the community? Please list out the research that was instrumental in you forming your designs. What were you trying to communicate? Did some of the visual moves that you came up with begin to inform your ideas?