Semiotics Studies
Icon
Index
Symbol
This project was an exercise in using semiotic principles to link signs with ideas. The purpose of this project was to understand the 3 main semiotic signs, and construct posters to represent these signs by conveying the meaning of song lyrics. This project served as a working practice of utilizing signs and connecting them with meaning.
Lyrics
The form of the project was to take one line of lyrics from a chosen song to use as the focus for investigating semiotic meaning. Research began by analyzing the chosen song lyrics and pinning down the essence of meaning so that I could come up with ideas for icons, symbols, and indexical references. I chose the song Time, and chose the following line from the lyrics:
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun
But it’s sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
-Pink Floyd, Time
My Interpretation
The lyrics describe the existential feeling of being caught in the tedious and repetitive motions of daily life, trying to get ahead while constantly having the next day catch you unprepared with new mounting work and life responsibilities. It’s about the so called Rat Race and the anxiety of seeing day after day being wasted while questioning whether our chosen path in life is really getting us to where we want to be. As each day disappears into the next, the passing of time can be seen as bringing us closer to the end of life. This makes us search for deeper meanings, and something to free us from the daily cycles of work and stress.
Icon
This poster is an icon sign because it works by showing an image of what it represents. In this case, the is sun setting ahead but is also seen in the rear-view mirror coming up “behind you again”.
Index
This poster is an index sign because it communicates an idea by showing evidence of what has happened or what will happen, rather than directly representing the idea as an image. In this case the dominos are lined up in a row, with one domino leaning towards the others. This shows us that each domino is about to fall in successive order, reflecting on the idea of each day coming and going in a chain of monotony that is hard to escape. And yet, the days all blur together and the time is gone before you know it.
Symbol
This poster is a symbol sign because it represents an idea using abstract qualities. In this case, the only elements are typography, but the repetition in a spiral form communicates the idea of time. As each day turns into the next time seems to be both too fast and too slow at the same time. Unconscious patterns, habits, and responsibilities eat away at the possibilities for growth and progress, and then it’s all over.
Animated Poster: Icon
As a final exercise for this project, I chose one of the posters to animate, using only Photoshop to create a simple GIF using motion as a tool to communicate meaning. I showed the motion of the sun coming up, and setting which is shown ahead and in the rear-view mirror. This image in motion is meant to convey the anxiety of time, and racing with the sun in an attempt to live a meaningful life.