Design Principles of Chinese and English Logotype Matching
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Yinan Wang
Beijing Posts & Telecom Press
July, 2023
$44.00
Chinese
284 pages
6.5'' x 9''
978-7-115-58498-4
Abstract
The book includes six chapters.
Chapter 1 Overview
Identification and analysis of problems with Chinese-English bilingual logos, including identifying the root causes of logo misuse and proposing better methods.
Chapter 2 Classifications of Chinese-English Bilingual Logo
Eight basic classifications of Chinese-English bilingual logo are discussed.
Chapter 3 A Comparison of Chinese and English Typographies
Five basic design rules comparing the type origins, type anatomy, type classifications, type connotations, and principles of type design are discussed.
Chapter 4 English Typography in Bilingual Logo Design
Ten English typefaces rules in Chinese-English bilingual logo design are discussed: type size, type style, density, typographic variant, ascender and descender add a subject or make these words nouns, spatial sequence, reading direction, position, white space, and color.
Chapter 5 Selecting English Typefaces in Chinese Logo Design
Four rules of matching Chinese and English logotypes are discussed: design strategy, visual consistency, common elements, and visual contrast.
Chapter 6 Ten Common Design Errors
Ten commonly design errors are discussed: type weight, oblique type, upper and lower case, spacing, word spacing, typeface combination, over complication, incorrect market targeting, color usage, and punctuation.
Challenge
With the emergence and growth of international markets, more and more Chinese logos are designed for global audiences. Chinese businesses use logos with both Chinese and English typefaces to identify themselves as international businesses. However, according to a survey of 150 Chinese graphic designers and graphic design instructors, about 87% of them never studied or worked with English typography in college. A review of existing Chinese logo designs using bilingual typography reveals that many of the logos do not exhibit harmonious consistency due to an ineffective mix of English and Chinese typography.
Are you familiar with
Typography?
My Role
5-Year Research
I spent 5 years researching the problems with existing Chinese-English bilingual logo design in order to write this book. For my initial stage of research, I read numerous books and articles about Chinese and English typography, logo design, and cross-cultural design. After strengthening my basic knowledge of both Chinese and English typography, I compared the differences between Chinese and English typography. James Craig's Designing with Type, 5th Edition: The Essential Guide to Typography was extremely helpful in developing typography principles that I could apply to Chinese- English bilingual logo design, I also searched, sorted, classified, and analyzed hundreds of Chinese-English bilingual logo cases. This work helped me to develop rules and principles for coordinating English typefaces with Chinese characters and logo images effectively. I also identified and summarized the common design errors for Chinese-English bilingual logo design.
Process to Write & Publish
IDEATE
I developed a mind-map of crazy and creative topics in the class of Design Research Method of the MFA program at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
DEFINE
I selected my topic of improving Chinese-English bilingual logo design and identified the research needed to address it.
PLAN
The plan that I followed included an anonymous survey of Chinese graphic designers and graphic design instructors; detailed data analysis; an extensive literature review, and then development of the guidance and design.
SURVEY
150 Participants
I developed an anonymous on-line survey for Chinese graphic designers and graphic design instructors working in the Beijing and Tianjin areas to assess their skills and experience, knowledge of Chinese-English logo design, and their perspectives. The survey questions were translated from English to Chinese, and both languages appeared on the questionnaire. Invitations to participate and data from the surveys were sent by email. Learn more about this survey.
Key questions
1. How much design experience with English typography do you have?
2. What is your design process for Chinese logo design with English typeface?
3. What do you think about using English types in Chinese logo in the international market?
4. How would you describe the demand of Chinese graphic designers for acquiring more education in English typography.
DATA ANALIZE
Insights
1. The use of English typeface in Chinese logos is important not only for Western audiences, but also for Chinese audiences.
2. A vast majority of Chinese graphic designers and design instructors (about 87%) are not familiar with typography.
3. For 78 of 150 survey respondents that had experience using English typeface in logo design, about 68% admitted that they only use English typeface for decoration.
4. Lack of education, practice, and training in typography has left Chinese graphic design students and designers uncertain and less prepared when it comes to English typefaces. They consequently cannot design effective professional bilingual logos.
5. About 67% of Chinese graphic designers and graphic design instructors in this survey indicated interest in learning typography and how to select English typefaces in Chinese logo design. In fact, the most common reason that participants had not learned English typography was the lack of readily available guides and manuals.
6. Chinese graphic designers and graphic design instructors generally learn by reading a book, and studying online.
Opportunity
According to survey-response percentages, creating a guidebook to introduce the tenets of typography and how to coordinate English typefaces with Chinese characters in Chinese logo design may have a huge demand; this highlights the opportunity to accomplish this project’s goal.
STRUCTURE
DEVELOPING
Read numerous books and articles about Chinese and English typography, logo design, and cross-cultural design.
Based on my research and the anonymous survey results, I searched, sorted, classified, and analyzed hundreds of Chinese-English bilingual logo cases.
A structure was developed to group related content and clearly define logo usage.
Guiding rules and principles for logo usage were developed. I also identified and summarized
common design errors for Chinese-English bilingual logo design.
PUBLISHER
TOP 1 Publisher of Art and Design in China
TOP 10 Book Publishing Company in China
I submitted my draft manuscript to 3 different publishing companies in China. All three companies (Tianjin Fine Arts Publishing House, Tianjin Nankai University Press, and Beijing Posts & Telecom Press) were willing to publish this book. I chose to work with Beijing Posts & Telecom Press.
PUBLISHING PROCESS
Here is a schematic of the publishing process I am using:
FUTURE RESEARCH
There is additional need for more work on Chinese-English bilingual logo design. Asian shopping markets, stores, restaurants, schools, banks, beauty salons, bakeries, foreign film rental stores, travel agencies, and book stores in Asia need to improve their logo designs. In addition, Asian businesses in the United States also need these designs. Although there are a number of American designers and students majoring in graphic design that have experience selecting and using Asian typefaces in their logo design projects (such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay, Filipino, and Vietnamese), many of them do not have a formal educational background in Asian typography from college or from the few books about Asian typography that have written in English in the United States.
As a result, I plan to investigate the design need for Asian typography in the United States and do similar work to that described above for American graphic designers, design instructors, and students majoring in graphic design. I also hope to provide Chinese- English bilingual logo design support to some real world projects for Chinese or international companies, employing the guidance and instructions I have developed.
Recommendation
It is my distinct pleasure to recommend Yinan Wang’s book as a quintessential guide to understanding typographic structural anatomy, similarities, nuances, pairing, and design harmony between English and Chinese Typefaces. Yinan’s book is a welcome 'how to' typography guide tool to educate Chinese logo designers and English-speaking logo designers as they acquire new knowledge and excel as cross-cultural design communicators. I plan to use this as the primary course reference when teaching cross-cultural design in the U.S. and China."
- Virgil Scott
Professor of Visual Communication
Texas A&M University-Commerce
It is difficult enough for designers to produce great typography within one’s native language. When you add the complexity of multicultural requirements, the communication challenges can grow exponentially. Author Yinan Wang has painstakingly prepared a guide that allows globally-focused designers to easily match typeface characteristics and sustain intended meaning with aesthetic consistency. This guide will be beneficial to many existing global brands and help emerging entrepreneurs communicate with multicultural audiences."
- Douglas May
Professor of University of North Texas
AIGA Fellow, Designer/Educator
This book is an incredible study in cross-cultural design and a crucial reference publication for any design studio, agency, or university. Currently, I am an associate faculty member teaching Cross-Cultural Communication. If there is ever an English version published, I’ll be one of the first to order it and use it as a valuable instructional tool."
- Randal Presson
Senior Manager & Design Lead
Marketing Communications
AT&T Services, Inc.
Yinan has done a masterful job of leveraging her considerable experiences in the U.S. graphic design field and culture to produce what many consider the defining cross-cultural typographic manual. In a world where subtle messaging mistakes can mean the difference between success and failure, this guide will be the most valuable tool."
- Lane Baker
Commercial Photographer
This guidebook will be invaluable to Chinese logo designers desiring to do practical work for international markets. I also believe that applying the principles outlined here to other bilingual combinations. I highly recommend this text to both students and working designers."
- Traci McKindra Harper
Associate Design Director at VMLY&R
Co-Founder of OmniBlack
This book is a very well organized, informative, and valuable multicultural resource. It would be an excellent educational addition in teaching logo design for a diverse group of visual communicators in any location."
- Veronica Vaugha
Assistant Professor and MFA Coordinator
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Much needed guide for international branding based on scholarly research. Categorizing meaning and aesthetics in systems used in the U.S. and China creates a path to understanding in this reference to cross-cultural graphic design and marketing."
- Deanna Gibson
Visiting Professor at University of North Texas