icons.

symbols pictograms
+
1,000 works selected by BLACKCOFF E E
 2006, 2011 by Rockport Publishers, Inc.
T his edition published in 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have
been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any
infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply
with information supplied.
Digital edition: 978-1-61673-635-4

First published in the United States of America by Softcover edition: 978-1-59253-239-1

Rockport Publishers, Inc., a member of ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-532-3

Quayside Publishing Group ISBN-1O: 1-59253-532-1
100 Cummings Center, Suite 406-L 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Beverly, Massachusetts 01915-6101
Telephone: (978) 282-9590 Design: Blackcoffee (Boston, MA)
Fax: (978) 283-2742
www.rockpub.com Printed in China
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icons. symbols pictograms

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Visual Communications for Every Language
To all the companies around the globe who shared their work, thank you.

T hanks to the folks at Rockport Publishers for their help, support, and collaboration throughout this process.

We'd also like to thank Tim Gil/man for photography, Andrea Fugere, and Jocelin Johnson.
(f)
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INTRODUCTION
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WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

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Picture yourself in an airport, in a foreign country. You've just

landed. You don't speak the language. You don't know the culture.

You are, in effect, lost. Despite the language you speak or where

you're from, first aid is first aid, food is food, luggage is luggage,

and transportation is transportation. Without this symbolic language,

you would be confused and bewildered and may never find your way.

Icons, symbols, and pictograms may be the purest form of visual

communication. They transcend the boundaries of language and

culture to convey a concept quickly and effectively. In selecting

the works to be featured in this book we sought out simple, elegant

solutions that communicated clearly-something we call simp/exity.

As we filtered through the piles of submissions and collected

works, we learned a great deal about icon design and cross-cultural

communication. We hope that you also leave this book with a new

appreciation for the world of icons, symbols, and pictograms.

 designer directory and index

........................... .

A
Atlas Communications 0702-0704
Travis Tom Art Director: Laura Savard
958 Millbrook Ave" Ste 8 Designer: Laura Savard
Aiken, SC 29803 Client: The Rockport Company
USA
803,641,6899 0705, 0992-1000
ttom@atlascreates,com Art Director: Laura Savard
(f) Designer: Laura Savard
L 0941-960 Client: Gary Tardiff Studio

0:: Art Director: Atomic Kitchen Design

CJ Designer: Travis Tom 0706-0707

o
Client: Atomic Kitchen Design Art Director: Laura Savard
Designer: Laura Savard
0...
+ Client: Blackcoffee
(f)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

---.J B 0839-0843
o Blackcoffee
co Art Director: Laura Savard
L Laura Savard
> Designer: Laura Savard
840 Summer St.
(f) Client: Numark
Boston, MA 02127
(f)
z USA
o 617,268,1116 0919-921
o Art Director: Laura Savard
info@blackcoffee,com
o Designer: Laura Savard
o
o Client: Conway Autoworks
0331-0337
Art Director: Laura Savard
Designer: Laura Savard Belyea
Client: Naked Lion Brewing Company Patricia Belyea
1809 Seventh Ave" Ste 12150

0572 Seattle, WA 98101

Art Director: Laura Savard USA

Designer: Laura Savard 206,682.4895

Client: SBR patricia@belyea,com

0573-0574 0584-0639
Art Director: Laura Savard Art Director: Patricia Belyea

Designer: Laura Savard Designer: Caro Koegler

Client: Blackcoffee Client: Belyea
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

c
Cannondale Bicycle Corp. 0180-0194
John Lucas Art Director: Chris Rooney
16 Trowbridge Dr. Client: Chris Rooney
Bethel, CT 06801
USA 0506-0517
203.749.7094 Art Director: Chris Rooney
john.lucas@cannondale.com Client: Pacific Sun

0051-0075, 0088-0090 0518-0523, 0575-0583

Art Director: Javier Alberich Art Director: Chris Rooney
Designer: Javier Alberich Client: Young & Rubicam
Client: Cannondale Bicycle Corp. Creative
Department

Chen Design Associates o

Dean Arts
Joshua C. Chen
Dean Hunsaker
589 Howard St., 4th Floor
2502 Dwight Way
San Francisco, CA 94105
Berkeley, CA 94704
USA
USA
415.896.5338
510.843.0586
info@chendesign.com
dean@deanart.com

0036-0044
0197-0200
Art Director: Joshua C. Chen
Art Director: Dean Hunsaker
Designer: Darlene Gibson
Designer: Dean Hunsaker
Client: Public Policy Institute of CA
Client: Regional Training Inst.

0961-0966
Dimitris Stamatis
Art Director: Joshua C. Chen
Dimitris Stamatis
Client: CDA Press
Achaion 24, Paraskevi
Athens, 15343
Chris Rooney illustration/Design
Greece
Chris Rooney
30.69.7352.5317
1317 Santa Fe Ave.
dezzzign@gmail.com
Berkeley, CA 94702
USA
415.827.3729
looneyrooney@mindspring.com
 designer directory and index

0045-0050 Art Director: Ed Pusz

Art Director: Dimitris Stamatis Designer: Kevin Dresser
Designer: Dimitris Stamatis Client: The Museum of Modern Art
Client: imaginary children's hospital
0656-0659
Dotzero Design Designer: Kevin Dresser
Jon Wippich Client: Working Mother Magazine
(f) 208 SW Stark St., # 307
L Portland, OR 97204 0660-0663

0:: USA Art Director: Heidi Volpe

CJ 503.892.9262 Designer: Kevin Dresser

o
jonw@dotzerodesign.com Client: Outdoor Magazine

0...
+ 0085-0087 0696-0701
(f) Art Directors: Jon Wippich and Karen Art Director: Cindy Poulton
---.J
Wippich Designer: Kevin Dresser
o
m Client: Rejuvenation Client: Two Twelve Associates
L
>
(f) 0201-0212
(f) Art Director: Jon Wippich and Karen
Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wippich
o
o Designer:
E The Earth Institute @ Columbia
University
o Client: Bridgetown Printing
o Sunghee Kim
o
2910 Broadway Hogan Hall B-16

Dresser Johnson New York, NY 10025
Kevin Dresser
USA
N 705 Manhattan Ave., # 2
N 212.854.0477
-.:t Brooklyn, NY 11222
skim@et.columbia.edu
USA

718.389.4830
0027-0035
dresser@dresserjohnson.com
Art Director: Mark A. Inglis
Designer: Sunghee Kim
0213-214 Client: The Earth Institute @ Columbia
Art Director: Andy Omel
University
Designer: Kevin Dresser
Client: Guitar World Acoustic Magazine

0228-0234
 ............................
F
Federico Panzano 0801-0809
Federico Panzano Art Director: Bill Gardner
C.soA. Gastaldi 19/34 Designer: Brian Miller
Genoa, 16131 Client: Standard
Italy
39.010.31.90.33 0852-0871
Federico.panzano@virgilio.it Art Director: Brian Miller
Designer: Luke Bott
0245-0298 Client: Epic Apparel
Art Director: Federico Panzano
Client: Hospital E.O. "Ospedali Galliera" 0932-0937
Art Director: Brian Miller

............................ Designer: Luke Bott

G Client: Standard

Gardner Design
Bill Gardner GBH Design, Ltd.
3204 E. Douglas Piers Komlosy

Wichita, KS 67208 Chiswick Station House, Burlington Ln.

USA London, W4 3H, England

316.691.8808 UK

bill@gardnerdesign.com 44.0.20.8742.2277
studio@gregorybonnerhale.com

0013-0026
Art Director: Brian Miller 0235-0244
Designer: Luke Bott Art Directors: Peter Hale, Mark Bonner, and
Jason Gregory
Designers: Peter Hale, Mark Bonner, Jason
0489-0492
Gregory, Piers Komlosy, Pak Ying, and
Art Director: Brian Miller
Russell Sanders
Designer: Luke Bott
Client: PUMA

0708-0713
Art Director: Brian Miller Gee + Chung Design
Designer: Luke Bott Earl Gee
38 Bryant Street, Ste 100
San Francisco, CA 94105
USA
415.543.1192
earl@geechungdesign.com
 designer directory and index

0338-0344 0793-0800
Art Director: Earl Gee Art Director: Winnie Hart
Designer: Earl Gee Designers: Winnie Hart and Suzy Rivera
Client: Castile Ventures Client: Marsh Garden Decor

0392-0461 .

Art Director: Earl Gee

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f) Designer: Earl Gee I

Ideas Frescas
L Client: Xinet, Inc.
Frida Larios
0:: 62 Caldecot Road
CJ Glitschka Studios

o
Von R. Glitschka
London, SE5 9RP, England
UK
0... 5165 Sycan Ct. SE 44.793.035.4714
+ Salem, OR 97306 frida@ideas-frescas.com
(f) USA
---.J
o 971.223.6143
0987-0991
m info@glitschka.com
L Art Director: Frida Larios
> Designer: Frida Larios
(f) 0345-0384 Client: MA Communication Design, Central
(f) Art Director: Von R. Glitschka
z Saint Martins College of Art and Design,
o Designer: Von R. Glitschka The Embassy of EI Salvador, in London
o Client: self-published
o
o ideentity
o 0972-0986 Mirco Kurth
Art Director: Von R. Glitschka

Uckendorfer strasse 210
Designer: Von R. Glitschka
0-45886 Gelsenkirchen
Client: www.creativelatitude.com
Germany
49.209.39.42.38

. info@ideentity.de
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H
Winnie Hart 0938-0940
Winnie Hart Art Director: Mirco Kurth
1055 St. Charles Ave., Ste 300 Designer: Mirco Kurth
New Orleans, LA 70130 Client: systemtrans e.k.
USA
504.522.6300
Winnie@thinkh.com
 Inpraxis. Kommunikation + Design 0095-0119
Andreas Kranz Art Director: Steve Redmond
Nigerstrasse 4 Designer: Steve Redmond
81675 Munich Client: IDX Corporation, Inc.
Germany
49.89.4443986
kontakt@inpraxis.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

L
LSD
0493-0499
Gabriel Martinez
Art Directors: Andreas Kranz, Christiane
San Andres, 36 2 P6
Schaffner
Madrid 28004
Client: Self
Spain
34.915.943.813

. . ..... . . . . ..... ... . ..

. . . . . .
Gabriel@lsdspace.com

J
Joe Miller's Company 0462-0488
Joe Miller Art Director: Gabriel Martinez
3080 Olcott Street, Suite 105a Designers: Gabriel Martinez and Paz Martin
Santa Clara, CA 95054 Client: URJC Rey Juan Carlos University
USA
408.988.2924 0822-0827
joecompany@aol.com Art Directors: Sonia Diaz and Gabriel
Martinez
0895-0918 Designers: Sonia Diaz and Gabriel Martinez
Designer: Joe Miller Client: Juan Carlos Ibanes and Gema Diaz
Client: Hewlett-Packard

...........................
M
mgmt. design
Alicia Cheng
55 Washington Street, Suite 704
Brooklyn, NY 11201
USA
718.855.6262
Alicia@mgmtdesign.com
 designer directory and index

0174-0179 Muggie Ramadani Design Studio

Art Director: Alicia Chen Muggie Ramadani
Designers: Sarah Gephardt and Alicia Sortedam Dossering 55
Cheng Copenhagen, OE DK 2100
Client: Metropolis Magazine Denmark
45.26.70.89.89
0684-0695 contact@muggieramadani.com
(f) Art Director: Alicia Chen 0543-0562
L Client: The New York Times Art Director: Muggie Ramadani

0:: Designers: Muggie Ramadani and Frans

CJ Michael Graves Design Group Theis

o
Patrick O'Leary

0... 341 Nassau St. .

+ Princeton, NJ 08540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f) USA p
---.J Planet Propaganda
o 609.924.6409
Travis Ott
m poleary@michaelgraves.com
L 605 Williamson St.
> Madison, WI 53703
(f) 0091-0094 USA
(f) Art Director: Eric Bogner
Z 608.256.000
o Designer: Danielle Gingras travis@planetpropaganda.com
o Client: Michael Graves Design Group
o
o 0120-0173
o Mirko llie Corp. Art Director: Kevin Wade

Mirko Ilic' Designer: Jim Lasser
207 East 32nd St. Client: Square Joint
New York, NY 10016
USA
PS Art & Design
212.481.9737

Stephen A. Klema
studio@mirkoilic.com
69 Walnut Street
Winsted, CT 06098
0721-0756 USA
Art Director: Mirko IlieS 860.379.1579
Designer: Siavimir Stojanovic
Client: Publikum
0757-0762
Art Director: Stephen A. Klema
Client: Tunxis Community College
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

R
R & MAG Graphic Design 0385-0387
Raffaele Fontanella Art Director: John Sayles
Via Del Rescatore 3 Designer: John Sayles
80053 Castemammare di stabia Client: IshopDesMoines.com
Italy
0039.081.870.5053 0664-0675
Art Director: John Sayles
0299-0330 Designer: John Sayles
Art Directors: Raffaele Fontanella, Maurizio Client: American Institute of Architects
Di Somma, and Marcello Cesar
Designer: Raffaele Fontanella 0679-0683
Client: Ulysse Wellness Experience Art Director: John Sayles
Designer: John Sayles
Rickabaugh Graphics Client: Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Eric Rickabaugh
384 W. Johnstown Rd. 0782-0792
Gahanna, OH 43230 Art Director: John Sayles
USA Designer: John Sayles
614.337.2229 Client: Amateur Athletic Union
rickabaugh@columbus.rr.com
Seibert Perkins Design Collaborative
0763-0766 Robin Perkins
Art Director: Eric Rickabaugh 200 Culver Blvd.
Designer: Eric Rickabaugh Playa del Rey, CA 90293
Client: Luckie & Co. / Alabama USA
310.822.5223
info@spdwest.com
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

S 0828-0838
Sayles Graphic Design
Art Director: Robin Perkins
Sheree Clark
Designer: Robin Perkins
3701 Beaver Ave.
Client: LA County Department of Beaches
Des Moines, IA 50310
and Harbors
USA
515.279.2922
sheree@saylesdesign.com
 designer directory and index

Simon & Goetz Design Stillpoint Studios

Gerrit Hinkelbein Drew Allison
Westhafen Pier 1, Rotfeder-Ring 11 4 Orchard St.
60327 Frankfurt am Main Watertown, MA 02472-3445
Germany USA
49.0.69.96.88.55.0 617.926.6478
g.hinkelbein@simongoetz.com drew@stillpoint-studios.com
(f)
L 0001-0008 0922-0928

0:: Art Director: Gerrit Hinkelbein Art Director: Drew Allison

CJ Designer: Gerrit Hinkelbein Designer: Lexi Lepard

o
Client: Billerbeck International AG Client: Kenan Systems

0...
+ sky design Stoltze Design
(f) w. Todd Vaught Clifford Stoltze
---.J
o 50 Hurt Plaza, Ste. 500 49 Melcher St., 4th FI.
m Atlanta, GA 30303 Boston, MA 02210
L
> USA USA
(f) 404.688.4702 617.350.7109
(f) skydesign@at.asdnet.com clif@stoltze.com
z
o
o 0644-0655 0772-0775
o Art Director: W. Todd Vaught Art Director: Clifford Stoltze
o
o Designer: Carrie Wallace Brown Designers: John Pietrafesa and Angelia

Client: Forum Snellel
Client: Profit Logic
0767-0771
Art Director: W. Todd Vaught 0872-0878
Designer: Carrie Wallace Brown Art Director: Clifford Stoltze
Client: Fry Reglet Designer: Tammy Dotson

Client: Massachusetts College of Art

0879-0884
Art Director: W. Todd Vaught
Client: EarthLink
Studiovertex 0643
Michael Lindsay Art Director: Sebastien Theraulaz
108 S Washington St., Ste 310 Designer: Sebastien T heraulaz
Seattle, WA 98104 Client: Dominique Vitallis
USA
206.838.7240 Substance 151
michael@studio-vertex.com Ida Cheinman
2304 E. Baltimore St.
0500-0505 Baltimore, MD 21224
Art Director: Michael Lindsay USA
Designer: Michael Lindsay 410.732.8379
Client: PetroCard icheinman@substance151.com

Subcommunication 0076-0084
Sebastien T heraulaz Art Director: Ida Cheinman
24 avo mont-royal West, # 1003 Designer: Ida Cheinman
Montreal, PO, H2T 2S2 Client: The Kitchen
Canada
514.845.9423 0524-0528
info@subcommunication.com Art Directors: Ida Cheinman and Rick
Salzman
0563-0571 Designers: Ida Cheinman and Rick Salzman
Art Director: Sebastien Theraulaz Client: LightWorks
Designer: Valerie Desrochers
Client: Chambly Matin Newspaper
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0640-0641
T
Titanium
Art Director: Sebastien Theraulaz
Mitch Anthony
Designer: Valerie Desrochers
126 Main St.
Client: Chambly Matin Newspaper
Northampton, MA 01020
USA
0642 413.586.4304
Art Director: Sebastien Theraulaz mitch@elementI2.com
Designer: Valerie Desrochers
Client: Alexfilms
 designer directory and index

0885-0894 Type G
Art Director: Dann De Witt Mike Nelson
Designer: Dann De Witt 130 South Cedros Ave., Suite 3
Client: Numark Solana Beach, CA 92075
USA
The-Groop 858.792.7333
Sharon Tani and Aldo Puicon miken@typegdesign.com
(f) 125 West 4th St., # 103 0009-0012
Los Angeles, CA 90013 Art Director: Mike Nelson

a: USA Designer: Josh Hassin

(9 213.613.0066
f:?
o
stani@thegroop.net, apuicon@thegroop.net 0810-0821
Art Director: Mike Nelson
0...
+ 0388-0391 Designer: Don Hollis
(f) Art Director: Jose Caballer Client: AMN Healthcare
-.J
o Designer: Aldo Puicon
m Client: The Groop 0844-0851

Art Director: Mike Nelson

f}) TnTom Design Designer: Mike Nelson
(f) Travis Tom Client: Clive Backpacks
Z
o 2436 Apricot Ln.
o Augusta, GA 30904 0967-0971
o USA Art Director: Mike Nelson
o
o 706.495.8664 Designer: Mike Nelson
Tntom70@aol.com Client: Fortress Watches

0529-0542
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Art Director: Amy Hawk

Designer: Travis Tom
U

UNIT-Y
Client: HOW Magazine
Andrey Nagorny
655 W Irving Park Rd., Ste 4809
0676-678 Chicago, IL 60613
Art Director: Bob Klingler USA
Designer: Travis Tom 312.388.8864
Client: Atomic- Fusion andrey@unit-y.com
 0714-0716 0929
Art Director: Andrey Nagorny Art Directors: Brian Webb and James Webb
Designer: Andrey Nagorny Designer: James Webb
Client: Sony Client: Sense UK

0776-0779 0930-0931
Art Director: Andrey Nagorny Designer: Brian Webb
Designer: Andrey Nagorny Client: Borch/Fisher
Client: Sony

0717-0720
Art Director: Andrey Nagorny
Designer: Andrey Nagorny
Client: Zimmer Corporation

w ...........................
Wallace Church, Inc.
Calley Frith
330 East 48th St.
New York, NY 10017
USA
212.755.2903
calley@wallacechurch.com

0780-0781
Art Director: Stan Church
Designer: Akira Yasuda
Client: Wallace Church, Inc.

Webb & Webb

James Webb
16 H Persubrance Works
38 Kingsland Rd., London, England
UK
44.20.7729.7895
james@webbandwebb.co.uk
 about the author

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o
e was founded in 1994 by Mark Gallagher and Laura Savard. The firm
0...
+ works with Acura, Cannondale, Converse, Hasbro, Kryptonite, MTV,
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m Puma, Reebok, Salomon, Showtime, Timberland, and Zildjian, helping
L
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these companies transform brand position into brand aesthetic. They
Z
o
o are authors of The Best of Business Card Design 6 (Rockport, 2004) and
o
o

are based in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit

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www.blackcoffee.com.