GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR THE IDENTITY OF SONGKHLA OLD TOWN

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate a creative graphic design approach for representing the identity of the Old Town of Songkhla Province. The study was undertaken by gathering data from locally published, pertinent literature and interviewing Songkhla identity specialists. It was revealed that the development of Songkhla Old Town from Songkhla City on the Bo Yang Side, Songkhla City on the Laem Son Side, and Songkhla City on the Hua Hin Daeng resulted in a multicultural population that included native Thai Buddhists, Chinese, and Islamic (Malay) people. The information collected was then summarized and concluded with keywords that would be synthesized into a key message, “Singora, the City of Peace of the Union of Three Cultures.” The key message was also analyzed to identify the appropriate personalities: peace, union, and culture. Then, to cultural representation photographs was analyzed to identify the color schemes and shapes: color schemes are analogous and split-complementary, shapes are united shape and overlapped shape. Design brief was developed and used as a directions to create 3 design alternatives. Each alternative consisted of a different medium: 1) items of corporate identity (CI), such as a logo, name card, letterhead, envelope, and notebook; 2) souvenir items, such as a clothing bag and pillowcase; 3) printed advertising items, such as a poster; and 4) environmental media, such as a billboard, flag, and wall. The three alternatives were then evaluated, and one of them was selected by experts as the most suitable alternative to use in a unique graphic design expressing the identity of Songkhla Province.

In addition to using the identified color schemes and shapes, the most suitable result is to use an initial letter S as logo which has consisted with many iconic translations of local architectures and then create a motif in the same direction and use the motif in 1 color in environmental media while using many colors in souvenir items. The space is divided by using the letter S silhouette.