antarctica

The
Newsymbol
Symbolfor
forthe
TheMiami
MiamiZooZoo
The new

what is a symbol system?

A symbol is a sign or mark designed to represent
an activity, idea or object. Symbols can be pictorial or
abstract and can be utilized within a cultural, social,
political or commercial context. The most highly
effective symbols work across national boundaries.

A symbol system is a series of symbols

pertaining to one particular place or event. Each
symbol within the system is cohesive with the one
next to it. You can find symbol systems in zoos,
parks, airports, restaurants, and even the Olympics.

symbol system
The Miami Zoo
This symbol system for the Miami Zoo has a
specified color palet with two shades of pink and two
shades of blue and an accent of white. The animals
on each banner represent the prominent species of
the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Asia. There is
also a welcome banner represented by a palm tree
that violates the geometric symbol system. Designed
geometrically with minimal anchor points, the animals
have a spacy separation of the head and body.

animal information
matrix
When it comes to penguins, there are a variety of
characteristics and behaviors that describe them.
The bill is mostly used for eating and hunting, while
the feathers of the penguin are used to protect and
insulate the bird from the cold, arctic weather. The
feet and tail are both used for walking, swimming,
and standing. The tail aids the penguin in standing by
acting as a sort of prop. Penguins use their flippers
to aid the penguin with swimming and gliding through

KEY BEHAVIORS

wALKING
the water. Penguins primary form of communication
is through individually identifiable vocalizations, the
ears are a primary part of the penguins attribute for
communicating with others. Lastly, The claws of the
penguin, located on its feet because of its flippers,
aid with hunting prey in the arctic water. Overall, each
attribute of the penguin is used to apply a behavior
such as walking, eating, swimming, protectinf,
standing, communicating, and hunting.

eATING
SWIMMING
PROTECTING
STANDING
COMMUNICATING
HUNTING

the process
Sketches
I began my sketching using basic geometric shapes
disconnected to form the overall shape of a penguin.
My earlier sketches shown here are mostly that of
only frontview. After examinig my symbol system
further, I was able to deduce that none of the existing
symbols showed the front of the animal, they were
all profiles. My last sketch here shows my intent to
turn its head, my later renderings would show the
penguin entirely in profile.

the process
comps
After sketching, I began drawing the penguin in
Adobe Illustrator. I tried several different renditions of
a penguin, while remaining geometric and having a
minimal amount of anchor points. While I was creating
comps, I decided that the prominent features of the
penguin: The bill, feet, wings, and the separation of
the black and white body, was the right direction to
go. Doing this, I found that the comp on the far right
was the one that I would manipulate further.

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the process
other explorations
After sketching the comps of the penguin, I began
exploring other positions and behaviors penguins do
and perform and what they looked like. Especially for
the symbols on the banner,s the animal represented
seems to be more in motion, especially the bird
on the Americas banner. I decided to explore a
geometric penguin that was diving, but unfortunately,
being one-dimension, it appeared to look more like a
shark or a dolphin than a pengiun.

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the miami zoo

the final symbol
After sketching the comps of the penguin, I began
exploring other positions and behaviors penguins do
and perform and what they looked like. Especially for
the symbols on the banner,s the animal represented
seems to be more in motion, especially the bird
on the Americas banner. I decided to explore a
geometric penguin that was diving, but unfortunately,
being one-dimension, it appeared to look more like a
shark or a dolphin than a pengiun.

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the miami zoo

Final banners
Although this wasnt required, I was interested in
exploring what the final penguin would look like
next to the other banners. There is definitely a
evident system of symbols for the banners, so it was
especially difficult fitting into that system. As I was
studying each banners differences, I noticed that
not only was the head and body separate, but they
were each touching opposing ends of the banner.
On one side, the head, colored in light blue, would

touch, while on the other side, it would blend in

with the banners background color. I tried several
varations in order to achieve this affect, but each one
made it look less and less like a penguin, while also
exagerating its size. In the end, I ended up with the
penguin defying the symbol system by only touching
one side of the banner and making it a bit smaller. No
other animal represented is as thin as the penguin,
so I think this solution works for animals in that case.

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by cheyenne padgett