Rhetoric of Logos: A Primer for Visual Language

The volume will enable students and professionals in the fiels of graphic design and visual communication to better understand existing marks and logos and apply the principles of rhetoric to create persuasive new ones. It offers a descriptive model with practical guidelines for systematic and structured working.

The creation of a logo as one of the most important elements of corporate design is a demanding design task. The idea that a good logo is by definition a persuasive logotype suggests a direct link to the principles of rhetoric, which, according to Aristotle, has the power of observing the means of persuasion on almost any subject. It follows that rhetoric concepts and methods are ideally suited for understanding the effectiveness of logos and expanding the horizons of applied design work.

After an overview of the history of logos and how corporate design has evolved since its inception, Eduard Helmann illustrates how designers can utilize the tools of rhetoric. Stylistic devices play a central role in this as logos are analyzed and classified to determine which communicative strategies and intended effects they fulfill. The theoretical insights gained from this provide designers with a wealth of knowledge that facilitates analysis, ideas generation, and argumentation along with a deeper understanding of the design process.

Pages: 144
Dimensions: 148 × 210 mm
Format: Softcover
Language: English
Year: 2016
Publisher: Niggli