Research On Ambigrams Font Design From The Perspective Of Semiotics

Ambigram,as a special and niche type of font design,is a transitional form between "graphics" and "text," and there are differences in the understanding of Ambigrams between the East and the West based on their respective linguistic characteristics.In China,Ambigrams are referred to as "symmetric characters" and are recognized by the public for their mirrored reading effect.In comparison,China’s native "combined characters" have a broader concept and a different explanatory perspective than ambigrams.Currently,the application scenarios of these two types are gradually becoming blurred,representing the development of font design methods that blend ideographic characters and phonetic characters,which have high research value.However,relevant research in China is extremely scarce,mostly limited to the practical thinking of font designers,and has not yet reached a theoretical level.This study,guided by semiotic theory,takes Ambigrams as the basis and conducts parallel research on Western "symmetric characters" and Chinese "combined characters" under the same concept,exploring the development direction of Ambigram design under their mutual influence.The research work mainly diverges from the Ambigram itself as the "origin" and uses the concept of Ambigrams that emerged in the Western world in the 20th century as a starting point.The early important literature on Ambigrams is organized and summarized using literature research methods.The design principles of ambigrams are derived by analyzing classic cases using design semiotics principles.Iconic cases in the development process of Ambigrams are summarized to clarify their developmental context.In this study,comparative analysis is conducted on four contemporary Ambigram designers using case study and comparative research methods.The designers include John Langdon,Kazuhiko Nishi,Scott Kim,and Gu Wendao,and their Ambigram styles are analyzed and differentiated.Through research on these two levels,the study ultimately proposes the external characteristics and design principles of Ambigram design,including four dimensions: "readability," "aesthetic form," "aesthetics," and "fun." In addition,by comparing the differences between Western and Chinese ambigrams,Ambigram types based on Western languages are categorized based on the reading direction and sequence,which serves as a guide for future Ambigram research and design practices.Finally,a set of paradigms regarding Ambigram design is summarized to guide future Ambigram design practices and inspire visual design.