Why Graphics?

Graphical icons online serve the same purpose as road signs do in the real world.  They are designed to be recognized by people around the world.  They are meant to give direction and clear understanding.  Signs tell the viewer at a glance what to expect.

Regardless of what language is written on the sign, everyone knows the octagonal red sign means stop.  

We use graphical signs for many things not related to traffic safety.  For example, silhouettes of male and female bodies posted by restrooms mean the same thing wherever you live.  A red circle with a line through it,  placed over anything means “no”.

Will the Creative Commons Icons Work?

When coming up with graphical icons for the STOUI one of the suggestions was to simply adopt the Creative Commons icons and licenses.  While they work well for written works, they are missing a few elements digi-scrappers were begging for.  It was quickly decided not to use the Creative Commons icons because:

1. They are not easily recognized or clearly distiguishable.

2.  There’s confusion over how the intended meanings of each icon would/could pertain to digital art for scrapbooking.

3. The licenses attached to these icons are either too limiting, too vague, or they allow more freedom than what digi-art designers are comfortable with.

Digi-Artist Need More

The number one concern over TOU’s is that they are confusing and one designers meaning of the words may differ from another designers.  Especially when it comes to the term “commercial”.  The second most common concern is that while making them easier to read and understand, designers still want complete control over the context within each license.  

Any graphical icons designed for the digi-art community would need to allow for flexibility while at the same time being easily recognized and understood. With that said we know that whether they are road signs, or other types of identifiers - signs that work the best are those that are recognizable by both color and by shape.  So we took this into consideration when developing a set of graphical icons to help lead the way for digi-scrap artists.

Six Primary Icons

Six icons were developed to represent the main uses provided to digi-scrappers and digi-scrap designers.  Each with a specific shape and color associated with it.  With one created to allow for limiting the product use to a said number of times it can be used for a particular purpose.  For example sometimes personal use licenses, limit the number of times the digi-art can be used to create invitations or other greeting cards. 

Additional “Clarifiers” for Our Road Signs

Six primary icons seemed enough to fill the needs and still not clutter things too much.  While using the above icons on product packaging - it’s assumed that leaving the commercial icon off of a product, would indicate no commercial use was allowed.  However, designers wanted something that gave a stronger notification of the license.  Customers wanted something to indicate when something wasn’t necessary.  Boy are we digi-scrappers picky or what?! 

So two “clarifier bars” were developed to add to icons for when an artist wants to further clarify the terms of their licenses.  A red bar with octagonal shapes at either end means “No.”  Any icon with this clarifier over it shows the user that the license totally prohibits specific use.  As in “no commercial use allowed.”.  The green bar with circled ends means “Not Necessary or Not Limited.”  As in, “Not Necessary to give credit to artist” and “not limited to only a certain number of uses.”  These bars are only to provide further visual clariety to what’s written inside the TOU document.

The Key to It All

These icons are meant to be combined inside a key that is similar to the key used on road maps to help guide the viewer to know what privileges are granted in the TOU. When combining the icons inside a key and displaying it on your product packaging and or inside your TOU document, it gives quick recognition and clear indication as to what the license allows for the purchaser.  For example the key located to the right tells you the product it is attached to, is for personal use only and that credit must be given to the designer of the product.  The TOU would further clarify any particulars such as specifically how to credit the designer correctly.

Read more about the STOUI icons and their specific meanings in our Training Center on the Icons Descriptions page.  We also have a free download that offers a quick-reference guide with this same information on it.

The Lack of Road Signs Causes Collisions and Missed Turns

When driving on our roads, what happens when you come to an intersection along with several other cars and there’s no road signs to say stop or yield? Total confusion and possible crashes. What happens when TOU’s are not clearly understood? The same thing - possible collisions between people. 

Stay Informed - Subscribe to Our Site RSS Feed

Share This page at your favorite social networks or Email it to a friend!