Isotype (pictograms)

Isotype (pictograms)

In graphic design and sociology, an Isotype is a system of pictograms designed by the Austrian educator and philosopher Otto Neurath, an active member of the Vienna Circle, in collaboration with the illustrator Gerd Arntz to communicate information in a simple, non-verbal way. Isotype stands for International System of TYpographic Picture Education.

Neurath originally intended Isotype to be used by educators of young children, but it wound up instead heavily influencing modern public signage, statistical graphics, and information graphics. Visually, it owes a lot to a clean-lines, 1920s realist/deco aesthetic. In 'a picture speaks a thousand words' kind of a way, Isotype was developed as a way of conveying quantitative information with social consequences — the availability of bread and sugar, the manpower involved in constructing automobiles, in different countries. Isotype may have some common ground in intentions with Buckminster Fuller's "Geoscope".

Neurath founded the Isotype Institute with his spouse Marie Reidemeister.

References

*

External links

* [http://www.fulltable.com/iso/is03.htm From Hieroglyphs to Isotypes]
* [http://gerdarntz.org/isotype Gerd Arntz Web Archive]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Isotype — can refer to: * In crystallography, an Isotype is a synonym for isomorph * In biology, per the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, the Isotype is a duplicate of the holotype. * Isotype (pictograms), a system of pictograms designed to… …   Wikipedia

  • Ideogram — An ideogram or ideograph (from Greek polytonic|ἰδέα idea idea + polytonic|γράφω grafo to write ) is a graphic symbol that represents an idea, rather than a group of letters arranged according to the phonemes of a spoken language, as is done in… …   Wikipedia

  • Characteristica universalis — Universal characteristic redirects here. For the concept of the three universal characteristics in Buddhism, see Three marks of existence. The Latin term characteristica universalis, commonly interpreted as universal characteristic, or universal… …   Wikipedia

  • Information graphics — or infographics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics are used where complex information needs to be explained quickly and clearly Doug Newsom and Jim Haynes (2004). Public Relations Writing: Form and Style …   Wikipedia

  • Energy Systems Language — The Energy Systems Language (right), also referred to as Energese , Energy Circuit Language and Generic Systems Symbols , was developed by the ecologist Howard T. Odum and colleagues in the 1950s during studies of Tropical Forests funded by the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”