Modern logo design Chinese traditional culture element application

I. Chinese traditional visual elements and modern logo design

As an important part of modern visual communication system, logo design is to express specific things, events, scenes and abstract spirits and ideas through special graphics. When people see the logo, they spontaneously generate associations, thus creating a sense of identity with the brand. In the entire corporate image transmission process, due to its high frequency and wide application, it is easily recognized and remembered by people. Throughout the history of modern design, many well-known and creative logo designs are all concise and clear. The United States and China contain the cultural heritage of a company and a group, and the inner spirit of the spirit of the times. There is an invaluable role for a company and a group.

In modern logo design, China's plastic art inherited the traditional Chinese art concept. It is different from the West's aesthetic interest in emphasizing visuality and vividness. It does not emphasize "realism" and "transmitting the word of God". It pursues the romantic and elegant realm of "big skill". It is concrete and abstract; it is painted and enters God; it is certain and undecided. The work's interest has ambiguous and ambiguous aesthetic effects. In recent years, the traditional Chinese cultural elements have been integrated into modern logo designs and are favored by designers.

The success of the Olympic bid logo is the best example: the five-star, five-ring, pictographic Chinese knot, and the combination of Tai Chi, the essence of Chinese traditional culture, make the logo vivid and harmonious. While embodying the concept of modern design, the work also reflects the aesthetic value orientation and historical and cultural features of the nation. Fully demonstrated the artistic charm of traditional culture and modern logo design.

1. Application of Chinese characters in modern signs:

The ancient Chinese characters span thousands of years of time and space and are still filled with vigorous vitality and unique artistic charm. Chinese characters are square characters that have evolved over long periods of hieroglyphics. Six kinds of compositional means such as pictograms and consciences are used to convey specific ideographic properties. Coupled with the "graphic" and "symbolic" performance characteristics, it can be said that the logo is the most primitive form. At the same time, the different representations of Oracle, Scorpio, Li, Sui, etc. also provide rich visual elements for modern signs.

The emblem of the 2010 World Expo was designed based on the Chinese character “The World”. It implies an image of three arms embracing each other and symbolizes “you, I, and him” all human beings, expressing the Expo’s understanding, communication, gathering, and cooperation. The concept of "satisfaction with the Chinese spirit of advocating harmony and unity." This “Chinese character” of Chinese character calligraphy and the “Beijing” character of the emblem of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games can be said to have the same purpose and a similar picture. The “dragon” character written by the Heilongjiang TV station’s station sign, the dancing body and the jubilant dragon body are extremely masculine, and it also shows the dragon's descendants from “or jump in the Yuan” to “the dragon in the sky”. . It can be said that the use of Chinese characters as a very effective design element and logo is consistent with the shape and connotation.

2. Engraving gradually becomes a design element of modern logos

Seal carving is a unique art category in China. The different external forms of Zhu Wen and Feng Shui, as well as the rich and varied style of ancient Indian artists, have enabled the carving art to create thousands of meteorological conditions. India is a kind of power and a responsibility. It is both a solemn agreement and a commitment to integrity. Therefore, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games emblem selected the traditional Chinese symbol of culture—the seal (Shadow India) as the main symbol of the logo. This is a major breakthrough and innovation in the history of the Olympic emblem design. With the ancient seal of India, it implied the solemn promise of the ancient Chinese nation with thousands of years of honest tradition. “The world gives me trust, and I give the world glory!”

The emblem “Jing” in the seal of the representative letter represents Beijing, the ancient capital of youth, and is welcoming the arrival of the people of all ethnic groups in the world with her open mind and absorption of all things and the integration of ancient and modern cultural cohesion. The infamous letter of the seal of Ink Shine turned it into an image of an athlete who sprinted into the line and danced to meet the victory. The entire model embodies a high degree of integration between force and beauty. God is outside the picture and outside the word. It is an accident. The dual beauty of human decency and spirit is conveyed in the movement and is a perfect interpretation of the spirit of sports.

3, traditional graphics and modern logo design

From the Neolithic Xi'an Banpo's “Human Facing Pottery Fish Bowl” to the Han Dynasty portraits of the stone “The King of Thorn and the King of Qin”, from the enamel patterns on the bronze wares to the simple shapes of the Qin and Han dynasties, these figures are of various shapes and styles. Park. It is an image interpretation of the Chinese people's social life at different times. It also reflects the aesthetic purport of people in different periods. Many works that are recognized by the world and have distinctive ethnic characteristics and cultural connotations have been inspired by traditional graphics.

The logo of Hong Kong Phoenix TV has successfully borrowed from China's traditional phoenix pattern and adopted the unique structure of “combination of joy” in China. One phoenix and one phoenix flutter high, 铿锵和鸣, the characteristics of the media, and the brand With a long and far-reaching vision, the spirit of the leader of the lead singer is expressed with absolute enthusiasm. Using the two circling images of the phoenix to represent the complementarities and blending of the two cultures of China and the United States, it reflects the cultural concept of blending things and integrating North and South. The mark of civilization.

The symbol of China Unicom is the modern interpretation of the ancient Chinese auspicious figure “Plate Length” pattern. "Plate length" is derived from the "eight auspicious" of Buddhism. It was originally intended to be "long history and endless life." The logo adopts reciprocating lines to symbolize the highly developed modern communication network in the information age. The entire logo is easy to memorize and full of rich national sentiments. The high awareness brought by the vivid image has played an active role in the expansion and promotion of Unicom users.

4. The influence of Chinese traditional philosophy on logo design

In ancient times where burrowing and fishing and hunting were alive, our ancestors "regarded astronomy as an apperance while observing geography as a rule," and "distributed everything and taken everything." Contemplating. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period, various schools of Confucianism, Taoism, and so on clarified their views on the world, life, and ethics, and formed the cornerstone of Chinese philosophy through the washing and accumulation of the times. The most representative "Taichi Diagram" is often used by designers for its forms and concepts. For example, the symbol of the "Water Park" in Shenzhen's main park is based on the "Tai Chi Chart" and the "Taichi Diagram". In the framework, water patterns that are rolled up and down and endless are added to reflect the ever-changing characteristics of the theme “water” in the “water park”. While emphasizing the form and beauty of dynamics and harmony, it contains the philosophical concepts of unity of change and freedom of movement, and transmits the "dynamic view" and "space-time outlook" of the Taoist doctrine.

The symbol of the Bank of China is simple but far-reaching. It incorporates the cosmic view of “the heavens and the earth” in Chinese traditional philosophical systems. It borrows the compositional tactics of Chinese characters and the shape of ancient coins from the perspective of the shape. The square hole in the center runs through the centerline. Symbolizes circulation and relations, while the outer circle represents the internationalization of the Bank of China in the world. Embodies the bank's industry characteristics and profound cultural complexes.

The application of these traditional cultural elements in logo design is often multifaceted. Symbols such as the Bank of China, the 2008 Olympics, and China Post are all organic combinations of calligraphy and seal carving, figuration and imagery, and form and concept. This multiple and complementary design concept not only enhances the sense of culture, but also contributes to the extension of design concepts and the enhancement of visual appeal.

Second, the importance of integrating Chinese culture into modern logo design

The logo is a symbolic symbol of the brand image, which enriches the characteristics, reputation and culture of the company and the group. Represents the value of the brand. The outstanding symbol is not only the intangible assets of the company, but also has a considerable price due to its irreplaceable position in the minds of consumers.

As the symbol of Phoenix TV, the value assessed by professional organizations reached 22.832 billion yuan. Nike, most of its products are OEM-made by other companies, but it can earn several times the manufacturer's money, it really sells Nike's trademark. Not all signs can be worth the price, after all, the value of the logo and the company's decision-making, business is closely related to many factors. And the absence of personality, creativity, and deep cultural intrinsic signs that are ignored and annihilated will be the inevitable fate. Therefore, the competition of economic strength in the world is actually the competition between brands.

A new round of economic rise and cultural renaissance will be in the East, as many insightful thinkers and design masters once said. 5000 years of cultural heritage, so that the "China" this big brand has eternal, wisdom, mystery, exquisite workmanship and unparalleled creativity. This series of tempting values ​​has gradually waned in the "modern" development of China. This is enough to alert us to internationalization and to re-examine our cultural heritage.

How to re-examine traditional culture with a new perspective of modern aesthetics, as Mr. Qiang Qiang said: "We don't have to paint Peking opera masks and wear robes to make people recognise them as Chinese." To fully understand On the basis of traditional culture, its "idea" is transmitted to its "god" and traditional culture is updated and expanded in modern logo design. It is also possible to promote the dialogue and interaction between the eastern and western cultures through the unique persistence and extensive influence of the logo itself.