The first section focuses on symbols that tell a story. Hyland and Bateman split these into two subcategories:
Published by Laurence King Publishing, Symbol is not just a coffee table book of pretty pictures. It is a rigorous, beautifully curated catalog of over 1,300 symbols from around the globe, organized by their fundamental graphic form.
Angus Hyland is a partner at Pentagram, one of the world’s largest independent design consultancies. Steven Bateman is a respected author and lecturer in typography and branding. Together, they dissect how abstract shapes convey concrete meaning. Symbol By Angus Hyland And Steven Bateman Pdf
The book is structured around the psychological principles of Gestalt theory—how the human eye perceives form, pattern, and intention. It breaks symbols down into simple categories:
The book heavily references the Isotype movement (International System of Typographic Picture Education). These are the stick-figure bathroom signs we take for granted. Bateman explains how these symbols bypass language barriers—a crucial lesson for global UI/UX designers working on international apps. The first section focuses on symbols that tell a story
Unlike a simple encyclopedia of icons, this book offers 32 in-depth case studies. For example, it dissects the evolution of the Nike Swoosh, the WWF Panda, and the Peace Sign. The PDF version allows readers to zoom in on the fine details of these sketches and final vectors—something invaluable for students.
You do not need the PDF in your hand to practice the principles of Hyland and Bateman. Try these design exercises: Angus Hyland is a partner at Pentagram, one
If you manage to get your hands on the PDF, what should you be looking for? Here are three core lessons from the book that explain why symbols work.