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The exercise was about exploring signs, symbols and images. I researched and collected danger signs and symbols and noticed that all of them used (along with white) black, yellow or red - or a combination thereof. I also learnt that a lot of the icons were exclusive to specific types of danger. For example, the black lightning on a yellow background warned of electric shock, skull and crossbones were used for toxic substances, and the atom radiating activity (what I'd up to now thought of as a fan) was for radiation.

I discovered that most of the pictograms were icons. As well as the ones mentioned above, I also noticed falling figures and falling rocks. The symbols tended to be crosses, chevrons and exclamation marks.

In creating an alternative symbol to represent danger I decided it would be most effective if it incorporated red, yellow and black. I then thought about what all of the danger signs had in common - what they were all trying to achieve. Common to all was a desire to make the observer stop and pay attention. I mind-mapped stop and one of the images that came out was a raised hand.

I decided to see if I could create a symbol with a hand (the 'stop' element) that Incorporated a good balance of red, black and yellow (the 'pay attention' element) and finally decided on a thumbnail that became the design below: