"Pictograms and icons are a keystone of nonverbal and multicultural communication. But what exactly are pictograms, and when is it appropriate to use them? What are their advantages, and what rules must be followed? What pitfalls must designers of pictograms and icons take care to avoid?" "Rayan Abdullah and Roger Hubner address these questions and scores of others in this illustrated guide to pictogram design. Drawing on a multitude of examples from around the world, they outline the history of the pictogram and show how it has been used in commercial and creative fields over the past century, as well as offering hints and advice to designers."--BOOK JACKET

• The pictogram. Definitions ; Semiotics: the study of signs ; The history of pictograms ; A summary.
• Building pictograms. Conception ; Design ; Using the pictogram ; General tips ; Creating pictogram fonts ; Legal protection.
• Pictogram pioneers. Traffic signs ; The Olympic Games ; Association of German Airports ; Professor Herbert W. Kapitzki.
• Commercial pictograms. ERCO ; Deutsche Bahn AG ; Berlin Transport Services ; Cologne/Bonn Airport ; Dusseldorf Airport ; A design for telecommunications ; Pacific Bell - Yellow pages 1 ; Pacific Bell - Yellow pages 2 ; Bombardier 'Drivers cab' ; Berlin Swimming Baths ; Zurich Airport ; Swiss Post ; Sto AG.
• New uses for pictograms. Zurich Waste Disposal ; Park in Chambord ; Expo 2002 ; Typebox, San Francisco ; Pippo Lionni, Paris ; The Natural History Museum, Berlin.
• Icon variations. Icons ; Susan Kare Design, San Francisco ; Meta Design, San Francisco ; eBoy, Berlin/New York ; Ascom, Berlin ; Kame Design, San Francisco.
• A language of icons. Development of an icon language