welcome to

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Lecturer
Itamar Medeiros (Brazil)
BA in Industrial Design;
PgDip in Information Design; 1 /48

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Expertise
Multimedia/Web Design,
Photography, Information Design
and Human-Computer Interaction.
WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
learning outcome

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Students will understand basic
terminology and principles of
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Semiotics.

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
content

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Introduction to Semiotics theory;

Interpretation of Signs; 3 /48

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The practical session.
IMAGES & REPRESENTATION

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
From the Visual Communication
perspective, designers develop
images to represent the ideas they
want to communicate. 4 /48

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

POGGENPHL, S., 1993, “Graphic Design: A Career Guide”, AIGA,
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/guide-careerguide, retrieved 03 March 2007
IMAGES & REPRESENTATION

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Images can be incredibly powerful and
compelling tools of communication,
conveying not only information but
also moods and emotions. 5 /48

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

POGGENPHL, S., 1993, “Graphic Design: A Career Guide”, AIGA,
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/guide-careerguide, retrieved 03 March 2007
IMAGES & REPRESENTATION

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Images are particularly important in
3 (three) areas:

Identification;
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Expression;

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Communication.
IMAGES & REPRESENTATION
Identification

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
When serving as representations of
concrete, real-world objects, images
make identification easy.
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IMAGES & REPRESENTATION
Expression

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Images offers infinite possibilities for
expression and personalization.

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IMAGES & REPRESENTATION
Communication

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Pictorial representation cross social and
linguistic boundaries with ease when
the objects being represented are
relatively across cultures. 13 /48

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REPRESENTATION
Communication

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Representation provides the basis for all
communication: understanding what
an image represents - as opposed to
what it depicts - is a prerequisite for 15 /48
reading/creating visual messages.

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

REPRESENTATION
semiotics

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
The field of science the study the manner
in which representations are interpreted
is called Semiotics.
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SE.MI.OT.ICS
–noun (used with a singular verb)

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
1. the study of signs and symbols as
elements of communicative behavior;
the analysis of systems of
communication, as language, gestures, 17 /48
or clothing.

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

semiotics. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/semiotics, retrieved March 01, 2007.
SE.MI.OT.ICS
–noun (used with a singular verb)

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
2. a general theory of signs and
symbolism, usually divided into the
branches of pragmatics, semantics, and
syntactics. 18 /48

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

semiotics. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/semiotics, retrieved March 01, 2007.
 SEMIOTICS

What is a sign?
study of signs

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1 WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS

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SEMIOTICS
signs

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
A sign is defined by Charles S. Peirce as
something that stands for someone
or something in some respect or
capacity. 21 /48

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Peirce, C., 1931, “Collected Papers”, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
SIGNS

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Understanding how signs are formed,
transmitted and interpreted can help
the designer to analyze a
communication problem and provide 23 /48
the basis for the development of a

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design solution.
SIGNS
representamen, object, interpretant

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
The sign is the product of a three-way
relationship:

Representamen (that which represents);

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Object (that which is represented);

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Interpretant (that who interprets).
 2EPRESENTAMEN

3
3IGN

/ )
/BJECT )NTERPRETANT

In Peirce’s definition of the Sign, the

Representamen stands for some Object in the
presence of a given Interpretant. (Nadin,1989)
SIGNS
sintax, semantic, pragmatic

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
This three-way relationship allows the sign
process to be considered at three levels:

Syntax (the relations between the

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elements of the representamen);

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Semantics (the relations between the
representamen and the object);

Pragmatics (the effectiveness of a syntax/

sematics for a particular interpretant).
 3YNTAX 3EMANTIC 0RAGMATIC

2 2 2

/ ) / ) / )

Sign processes can be analyzed at the level of syntax (a) - relations between
elements of the representamen, semantics (b) - relations between
representament and the object, or pragmatics (c) - the effectiveness of a
given syntax/semantics for a particular interpretant.
SIGNS
semantic

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
The critical process of representation (the
focus of the analysis at the semantic
level) depends on establishing a clear
relationship between a 31 /48
representamen and its object.

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SIGNS
semantic

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
In other words:

The Semantic level relates to the

intended meaning of signs.
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SEMANTICS
icon, index, symbol

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Peirce identifies three forms this
relationship can take:

Icon (the representamen relates to its

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object by resemblance);

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Index (the representamen refers to its
object indirectly, by consequence);

Symbol (the representamen refers to its

object by convention alone);
SEMANTICS
icon, index, symbol

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Peirce identifies three forms this
relationship can take:

Icon (the representamen relates to its

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object by resemblance);

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Index (the representamen refers to its
object indirectly, by consequence);

Symbol (the representamen refers to its

object by convention alone);
SEMANTICS
icon, index, symbol

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Peirce identifies three forms this
relationship can take:

Icon (the representamen relates to its

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object by resemblance);

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

Index (the representamen refers to its
object indirectly, by consequence);

Symbol (the representamen refers to its

object by convention alone);
SEMANTICS
icon, index, symbol

WORKSHOP: SEMIOTICS
Peirce identifies three forms this
relationship can take:

Icon (the representamen relates to its

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object by resemblance);

INVESTIGATION & PRACTICE 1

Index (the representamen refers to its
object indirectly, by consequence);

Symbol (the representamen refers to its

object by convention alone);