- I was first introduced to the idea of using
metaphorical images and symbols rather than scenes
during my first year at design school.
Lou Danzinger brought in examples
and gave us the assignment,
Pan Am Airlines in Hawaii.
I sketched many scenes of people in Hawaii dancing
with hula skirts and sun bathing on the beach.
When I presented these in class,
Lou simply looked at me in his thoughtful way and said,
"No Sean, you're just not getting it."
The problem of course was that I had no process.
Lou suggested I write a list of 10 symbols
to represent Pan Am and then 10 for Hawaii.
I concentrated more on the idea
and if the symbol communicated.
I arrived at a solution I didn't expect.
This seemed counterintuitive to sketching design solutions,
but by writing words I stepped away from fixating
on how it would look.
Today, I still follow this process.
Let's start with a catalog cover
for UCLA Extension programs.
The client asked me to promote the idea of Los Angeles
and extension courses, not UCLA's undergraduate courses.
So, I start with a written list of all the symbols
and metaphors that signify Los Angeles.
Freeways, palm trees, surfing, oranges, Hollywood sign,
and I could go on with more.
For extension, which is a little tricker,
extension ladder, tall people, skyscraper,
sunflower, longboard, surfing long shorts.
Now, I can begin mixing these together.
Some will be really stupid,
but I might stumble onto a solution.
I won't know until I've sketched them all.
I won't worry about how I execute the idea yet.
I just want to know if it communicates.
My sketching is so awful that I write notes
next to each idea.
I'm sure I won't understand them later.
I keep combining as many as possible.
Some won't combine well or will be too vague,
but if nobody is watching you,
don't edit yourself, just sketch it out.
I can now go back and choose the concept
that seems to communicate the best.
I consider different media,
cut paper or flat shapes for the surfboards.
Everything handpainted, a photo with drawing on top of it.
Some ideas seem great on paper,
but just don't play out well.
No worries.
Keep refining the one that works best.
This process will eventually narrow down
to one that you feel communicates clearly
and is visually successful.
One last exercise is to make sure the type isn't giving away
the idea too quickly.
You want the viewer to do some work.
If the headline is huge,
he or she won't need to try to solve
why one surfboard is longer than the others.
The solution isn't an expected image of people
studying in a library or on the campus lawn.
It's about discovery and delight.