_project statement

For me, this project was an in-depth study of an idea's simplification and refinement. Though in the initial stages I worked with detailed drawings of the sushi, I learned to refine the idea at hand, taking away any superfluous elements for a more visually compelling icon set.
Scaling the icons was an interesting challenge as well - for it forced me to consider how I could make my chosen visual language work at different sizes. The application of color made me look at my icons again from a different angle - for as designers, we all will have to grapple with a multitude of different parameters. I often thought of the entire process as an algebraic inequality.
For example, let's say A is the icon refinement, B is the scale, and C is the color. I would often ask myself, if parts of A and C were modified, how would that affect B? (Or vice versa.)
Thus by having to contend with issues such as visual languages, scaling and color application, I pushed my own understanding of communication visually.

_icon naming?

When it comes to naming a piece of art or essay I may have made or written, I often use one of the following methods:

• Method A: Select a word that I feel is most strongly associated with the piece, look up a synonym for it in a thesaurus. (i.e. if the word selected was "shadow", I might call something "penumbra.")

• Method B: Flip through a book or text, place finger on random words. (i.e. I flipped through a medical textbook when looking for a title for an essay about Artemisia Genticleschi. I came upon the word "catharsis", and came up with "Catharsis of Sufferance."

• Method C: Ask someone else what they would call the piece. You would be surprised at some of the responses received.

• Method D: State what is presented. (i.e. "Still Life with Charcoal.") Note: This typically only results in mundane titles, and I only use it if nothing else works.

I thus proceeded to apply all four methods to naming my icons set. Unfortunately, they all produced more or less lackluster results.


Method A Results:

I also tried the thesaurus widget on my computer, but all it told me that sushi was a noun (duh), and what different types there were.


Method B Results:

Book: "Asian Cooking" - Helen Aitken

• Wok
• Hokkien
• Tablespoon

Book: "Rakkety Tam" - Brian Jacques

• Bulrush
• Tree
• Wind

Book: "The Cheese Monkeys" - Chip Kidd

• Soured
• Face
• Mouth

Method C Results:

Question: "Hey you! What the fuck would you call this?"

• "...sushi?"
• "sushi."
• "food."
• "A poor, monochrome representation of the colorful culinary delight that is sushi."
• "Your lunch?"
• "Why didn't you share?"
• "...art??"

...ouch.


Method D Results:

• Sushi.
• Food.
• Soy Sauce.
• Sake
• Wasabi on plate?

Conclusion(s): These methods don't really work in regards to naming icons.


Instead, I just jotted down some random words and phrases that came to mind with sushi:

• Zushi - Transliteration of the word from Japanese
• Sushi A Go-Go
• Goes best with soy sauce
• "A poor, monochrome representation of the colorful culinary delight that is sushi."
• YOU CAN'T EAT THESE
• Delicious Coma
• Kakoii - "cool"
• No refrigeration necessary.
• Digital feast. (lame)
• iSushi.
• KANPAI! ("cheers!")
• Icons from the Sushi Bar
• Eat me.
• Sushi Culture
• Raw Fish and Seaweed Culture

_vector art

Some vector art done over break.

_final icons

Final Icons:

_color palettes

_connotative attributes

• Culture
• Health
• Convenience
• Food
• Japan
• Asian
  

vis comm:: interim icons

Work in progress of my 10 icons - not quite sure yet of the grouping as a whole.

(L-R)
1.) Chopsticks
2.) Temari
3.) Nigiri
4.) Maki
5.) Teacup
6.) Temaki
7.) Sake
8.) Soy Sauce
9.) Oshi
10.) Wasabi

Currently, I'm having the most problems with my wasabi icon - it's definitely one of the hardest of items to represent. I played around with it's form for quite a while - and added a plate to give it more weight/size in regards to the others.
Additionally, though I like the teacup icon as an individual piece, I have some doubts about it against the rest of the grouping - does it seem too redundant since I already have another beverage (sake) in there?