ID; Lecture 3 (Cliche exercise)

Visual & Verbal Cliches

EXERCISE (i) • Draw symbols/pictograms to represent the following words.

• You will have 10 seconds per word.

A Cross

Brush

Drop of liquid

Lightning

Time

Tree

Book

Umbrella

Sheep

Bee

Egg

Keyhole

Halo

Acorn

Apple

Results?

• What did you draw?

• How many of you drew the same symbol?

EXERCISE (ii) • Now discuss and write down what what each pictogram symbolises.

A CROSS • The Red Cross - a voluntary first aid group.

• Green Cross - medical aid, a chemist, a hospital, paramedic, • A Band Aid. • Religious - sign of Christ.

• Treasure - x marks the spot.

• Target/Aim • Repel the devil

BRUSH • Art class • Cleaning teeth • grooming • Brush tool • Gallery

DROP OF LIQUID • Rain - precipitation • Water • Drink • Weather • Condensation

LIGHTNING • Warning! Electric shock • Electrical socket/point • Weather • Power • Struck by the Gods

Time • Time • Deadline • Waiting time • Alarm clock, morning • Time flies • Time after time

TREE One of the most extensively used images.

• Life • Knowledge • Wisdom (a great oak tree) • Environmentally friendly • Family tree/roots

BOOK • Library • Knowledge • Organised - filofax/diary • Literature • Learning • Hobby/Reading

UMBRELLA • Weather - rain • Cover - safe, dry, protection • Sun shade • Cocktail drink • Golf

SHEEP • Easily led - baa!

• Countryside • Real wool • Soft, comfort, pure.

BEE • The Blackburn coat of arms contains three bees. They symbolise the industrious nature of the town.

• Busy bees - industrious • Birds and the Bees - reproduction.

EGG • Evolution • Morning (hens laying) • Farm house, countryside, organic • Bad smells • Fragile • Easter time • Chocolate

KEYHOLE • Easily recognisable silhouette • Keyhole surgery • Secretive • Security • Spying, peep through

HALO • A symbol of the sun in pre Christian religions. Now most commonly associated with Christian Saints.

• Saintliness, angelic.

• Mocks innocence • Tilted halo, bit of a devil, naughty

ACORN • An unofficial symbol of the English countryside.

• Financial firms often use it to symbolise growth - from its habit of growing into an oak tree.

APPLE • Often used because it has many characteristic attributes such as being bitten into, peeled.

• Association with original sin (temptation).

• Also used flippantly with sexual connotations (forbidden fruit).

• A is for … elementary education.

• Apple Mac • Health - an apple a day keeps the Doctor away.

EXERCISE (iii) Collect examples of logo that demonstrate the use of visual and verbal cliches.