Analyzing Square and Circle Shapes as the Basic Structure of Financial Industry Logo Designs in China

Abstract

As the two most basic structural elements, squares and circles construct a rich design art form, and they endowed with profound design cultural connotations. In the logo graphic design, we can still see the thinking orientation of squares and circles, which has become a unique aesthetic form of the graphic design of the Chinese logo. The image of this unique modeling concept contains profound Eastern philosophical thoughts and is very characteristic of the Chinese nation. It is an image modeling design phenomenon with high research value. Cash (Chinese coin) was a type of coins with a round outer shape and a square center hole, as the most classic case of ancient Chinese cosmology and philosophical thinking, have been in circulation in China for more than two thousand years since the Qin Dynasty. Therefore, through the interpretation of the historical source and ideological connotation of “square” and “circle”, this article aims to analyze the specific composition form, and semiotic meaning of “square” and “circle” as the basic structure of Chinese logo design in China’s modern financial industry logo design, and trace the origin between square and circle symbols and Chinese logo design. In the writing process of this research, the literature survey is conducted based on various design theory textbooks, histori-cal documents and academic journals, to understand and mastered the historical source, ideological connotation, logo design, plane composition and other relevant theoretical knowledge of “square” and “circle”. And marked in Chinese modern financial industry logo as the main research object, this paper uses semiotics theory, Cultural Code Brand Design Methodology (CCBD) and other research methods to analyze the cases of applying the shape of “square” and “circle”. Explore the value embodiment and innovation of “square and circle view” and square and round symbol in modern logo design. The results show that there are indeed some contemporary Chinese designers who are no longer satisfied with the traditional expressions of “circle” and “square” graphics. They tried to break the original rules and concepts, and made some technological and contemporary graphic expressions possible. But most designers still haven’t gotten rid of the phenomenon of stylization and convergence.