rebus madness

eyesore

treason

lets make a deal

how to sell boat people

symbol for our cause

symbols of revolution

the peace symbol

the symbol is thought to be derived from the semaphore symbols for nuclear disarmament, but its true origin is unclear. since its origin in 1958 it has grown to become one of the most recognisable symbols of peace in the world. it has encountered very little alteration over its years

Phrygian cap that is used by french revolutionaries as a symbol of liberation and freedom

the black panther party is a group aimed to liberate black people from the oppression felt from american society. The black panthers did not condone black supremacy, fighting instead for racial equality.

unlike the black panthers, the aryan supremacist group were a group that aimed to eradicate other ethic groups. the fist is a commonly used socialist symbol, signifying the groups hatred and power

this particular image of marxist revolutionary Che Guevara has been adopted by popular culture as a symbol of revolution and rebellion.

bra burning became a symbol of feminism, an act of destroying the conventional objects of enforced femininity.

pixel faces

Phil Harkness

dittmar

nigel

desiree

nathan

8 bit immigration

some cause symbol designs

penguin road signs

the real boat people

symbols that have changed their meaning over time

the smiley face

the smiley face first appeared around 1953. since its conception it has been present in popular culture as an emoticon for happiness. its simplistic design has allowed for it to be appropriated easily. such as in the image below, the white supremacists have altered the smiley to look like hitler, becoming something deeply offensive, a far cry from its neutral original

the swastika

the pentagon

the cross/ crucifix

the "V" sign.

symbols based on superstition or belief

a dream catcher. the threaded ring is supposed to symbolise a magic spiderweb spun in a sacred circle. they are supposed to block out the bad dreams allowing only the good dreams to pass through. they've become something of a kitsch item now. like dimitri martin so cleverly puts it "dream catchers work.... if your dream is too be gay"
the dragons meaning changes from its country of origin. in many european countries, the dragon was a warning for danger, evil and the unknown. in eastern asia, the dragon was a positive force, acting instead as a guardian against bad spirits
the crescent moon is a symbol of the ageing goddess in Wicca (modern day witch craft). it can also be perceived as meaning victory over death in muslim culture.

the elephant with its raised trunk. a symbol of wisdom, dignity, luck and longevity.

the anarchy symbol. i was surprised that i couldn't find one easily around Newtown, only this tiny and poorly executed one above. the A stands or anarchy where the O stands for order. its a common symbol used in punk rock

group symbol design

heres our symbol for your tribe, the critterz

we were after something that was suggestive of the image but is so removed that it could be assumed to be an abstract shape. dave, betty and i are avid drawers of critters, thus the name. we wanted the picture to look like a mixture of woodland critters

group identifiers

hipster trend

this group is usually seen wearing outlandish or ironic items of clothing. there are a few other articles of clothing that are linked with the scene.

these include:

brogues

plaid or checked tops

bright, bold coloured sunglasses

the gothic subculture

this subculture is usually clad in black clothes, fish nets and dark eye makeup.

clothing display out the front of a shop specialising in gothic sub-culture

the rockabilly subculture

this is usually signified by retro clothing with full skirts and 1950's inspired hair styles. The men in the subculture also have stylised hair, often slicked back with brill cream, as well as dressing in suspenders, tight jeans and plain grey or white bonds style shirt.

typical rockabilly style tattoo. they usually depict swallows, cherries, dice or scantily clad ladies

some rockabilly men. the look is inspired heavily by films such as rebel without a cause.

another look in the rockabilly scene.

sports outfits/ team colours

a teams colours help to make them instantly recognisable.

They help to enhance camaraderie, the spectator is instantly aware of where the team comes from and who to support.

work groups also use colours and patterns to differentiate from the customers.

the customer is instantly aware of who is employed

i found this neat book on sign and symbols and their development. its called signs and symbols; their design and meaning, by Adrian Frutiger. i found this particular page rather interesting. it details how shapes like the star, cross, arrow and serpent are often present in symbols and the evolution of those shapes and how we react to them