The relationship between traditional Chinese seal study and graphic design

Introduction

Chinese Graphic Design plays an inestimable role in the inheritance of Chinese civilization and national spirit.Chinese antiquities are famous in the world.A kind of Chinese antiquities is Chinese engravings （360dot，2016）.The possession and use of the seal is a common historical and cultural phenomenon in the four ancient civilizations of the world.Seal is a specific part of Chinese engravings which is also called stamp.Seal was used by touching on the pigment printed generally.It can also be used without stain with pigment then printed on plane is concave and convex seal.The materials are usually made of metal，wood，stone and jade.Seal has a great impact on Chinese graphic design in many different ways.

The purpose of doing this article is to discuss the connection between traditional Chinese seal study and graphic design.This article was divided into three parts.The first part is to introduce the seal’s origin and how did seal develop.The next part is seal’s influence in design.The final part is the application of seal in graphic design.

Seal’s origin

Chinese engraving has a long history.The most ancient is seal’s oracle，Zhou dynasty’s Zhong Ding Wen and Qin dynasty’s stone，etc.All the texts which were sculpted on gold and copper jade are called “golden stone”.The seal is included in the “golden stone”（douban.com，2015）.People protected the privacy by putting the seal over the mud of their file.And the seal is like the symbol of power at that time.In addition to daily application，the seal has been used in calligraphy and painting.Seal is a symbol of level at that time.Different work positions use different seals （douban，2015）.People will get different seal if they are promoted to higher level.The seal which stand for higher levels are always more exquisite than the lower levels’ seals （360doc，2014）.——In a word，the seal is closely related to the development of social economy.

Seal’s influence in design

China’s seal has been closely related to politics，legal，teach and culture.The seal was combine with the art and played a unique role in various fields （wenku，2011）.Chinese seal gradually developed into a kind of art with the rise of calligraphy and painting （wenku，2011）.Seals have played a special role in the development of social economy and the spread of visual culture.In the course of the rapid development of graphic design，designers not only learned to use the Western “composition” theories and methods，but also created a Chinese traditional style by absorbing and utilizing the traditional cultural.In the period of feudal society，seal’s appearances，materials，shapes and so on are connected with rank grade（wenku，2011）.It has gradually become a popular element in graphic design.More and more graphic designers would like to use seals as an element in their works.

The application of seal in graphic design

There are many ways of showing or using seals in graphic design.One kind of them is logo.Logo is an abbreviation for trademarks （baidu，2015）.Logos play a role in the recognition and promotion of companies which can makes consumers to remember the company’s main idea.The best example about seals’ application in logo is the logo of the Olympic Game in 2008.It was designed by three designers.The seals’ texts and images have concave and convex two kinds of form.The convex kind seals are always print white bottom and red words.The logo of Games of the XXIX Olympiad was used the emboss seal.Engraved printing mostly are white text or images which can makes people feel open，spacious and pleasant （baidu，2013）.The logo of the 2008’s Olympic Game was skillfully designed combines Chinese characteristics，Beijing characteristics and Olympic elements （baidu，2015）.

Conclusion

Above all，Chinese seal have made great achievements in the field of Chinese design.It has a strong vitality both in the artworks and life.Chinese seal becomes the composition of the calligraphy and painting work.It can also be the key element in graphic design.There will have more different new forms of using seals in graphic design.In today’s society，there are many other Chinese traditional works are being used in design.As a symbol of Chinese traditional culture，Chinese seal has a close contact with the graphic design.

References

[1]Huang P.Three Names of Chinese Seal，2016.https：//zhidao.baidu.com/question/242939084575934204.html（accessed 2017-12-19）.

[2]Shangrao C.Chinese Ancient Seal，2014.http：//www.360doc.com/content/15/0429/14/9165926_466809678.shtml（accessed 2017-12-19）.

[3]Tian T.Chinese Seal is a Unique Art Form，2016.www.360doc.com/content/16/0301/13/6932394_538521760.shtml（accessed 2017-12-19）.

作者簡介

莫凡（1997—），女，學生，本科，河北大學，視覺傳達設計。