Blog Entry 5

The wayfinding handbook says, "Colors are a fundamental part of everyday life and greatly influence our experience in the world. Because people closely identify with colors, designers exploit them in powerful, evocative ways for all kinds of problem solving and often choose colors as the ventral organizing element of a wayfinding design program," (87). Different colors represent different things and actions. It is almost second nature for people to assume that green means go and red means stop. Colors help shape, define and navigate the world we live in.

The first photo I took a picture of is a stop sign. This is one of the most basic, fundamental wayfinding signs in traffic. Even if someone couldn't see the four letters "S-T-O-P" the red color signifies that the driver will need to stop the car. The color red has become a signal to stop a given action. Red is successful as a color tool because it is bright and eye-catching.

The next photo I posted is a picture of a construction cone. I think this is a great example of how color is used as a wayfinding tool. There are no words or symbols on this sign. It is just an orange and white striped construction cone. However, when the color orange is used on street or traffic markers, it always signals that there is traffic ahead and to use caution and slow down. It has become second nature to drivers to know that orange means construction. This orange and white striped cone is a wayfinding marker that tells drivers they are entering a construction area. 

The next two images are similar in their intended meanings. The first image is a pedestrian crossing zone photo. It has symbols of a man and woman in the walking position. Underneath them, there is an arrow pointing to the left. There are no words on this sign, just three symbols that signify that pedestrians are allowed to walk in this general area. The symbols depict a man and woman. The man is in pants and the woman is in a skirt. Their legs are in mid-walk position. There is very little information on this sign, however, most people are able to deduce that this means there is a crosswalk soon.

The second image is of a bicycle. This sign signifies that bikers have the right-of-way and are allowed to ride in this general area of the road. The image of the bike itself is enough to signify that this area is intended for bike use. The text says that, "Symbols provide a shorthand pictorial representation of a place, a service, or an action. Symbols can establish a sense of place while functioning as wayfinding tools." Both of these signs fulfill the definition of a wayfinding symbol.

The next four photographs are examples of 3-D signs. "The wayfinding designer needs to appreciate that three-dimensial structure and detailing can impact the look of a system as much as color and typography. This first image says"Drive Thru Entrance." It is a sign located outside of a local fast restaurant in my neightborhood. It is different from other signs nearby because it is free-standing and 

3-D. It is successful because it looks different from other signs and is more eye-catching. It is illuminated, which catches the viewers attention; and it is located on the curb, which draws more attention to the restaurant.

The next image is the sign posted on the building of a local orthodontics studio. As I was driving around trying to find 3-D signs, this stuck out to me because it was different from other signs of local businesses. Most business signs are just 2-D and flat against the building or typed onto a sign in the building complex. This sign, however, is made of individual 3-D letters that stand out from the building. This is a good example of a 3-D sign. It is successful because I immediately noticed it. Also, it is subtle enough that it doesn't distract from anything, but it is noticeable. 

The next 3-D sign I found was at a gas station. This sign has two different 3-D elements to it. First, there is the Holiday Oil clown which is three dimensional. This is used as both a logo and a sign. People are able to recognize the clown and know that they are approaching a Holiday Oil gas station. The clown is 3-D and catches attention. Next, the price of gas is on a 3-D stand which sticks out and is different from just a typed sign. 

Lastly, I took a photo of the Tres Hombres restaurant sign. This sign has always stuck in my head ever since I was a little girl. No other restaurant that I know of has a sign that moves back and forth and is three-dimensional. Most signs are just typed and 2-D. I think this sign is effective because it catches attention, says what it is for, and helps people find their way to the restaurant. It would be difficult to miss the giant, moving sign of three men that is visible from all four corners of the intersection.