A Study of the Design Characteristics of the Police Uniform As A Visual Language - Focused on the U.S., England, Italy, France and Korea -

Visual language is 'a form of communication without text'. Visual language is one of the strongest methods to spread knowledge. Uniforms could be interpreted as a symbolic language that establishes order in this complicated modern society by placing identity and responsibility on each members of various different organizations. In light of the above, the purpose of this research paper will be to analyze police uniforms of U.S.A, Great Britain, Italy, France and Korea as a form of visual language and interpreting them in terms of visual design in order to understand the fundamental ideas behind the designs and the effective applications thereof. Upon analysis of traffic police uniforms of each individual county mentioned above by separating each uniform's distinctive design, pattern, color, material and decoration based on visual factor, three characteristics of authority, dynamic functionality and friendliness were derived from comparing and analyzing each country's distinctive uniform design. The traditional unique role of police in our society was to maintain social order as their nature inherently possesses characteristic of authority and preservation, but has since undergone transition in many countries to appeal to the broader public by incorporating friendliness and dynamic functionality. Analyzing police uniforms in terms of visual linguistic sense requires a much more profound process of understanding beyond simple interpretation of configurative shapes. In conclusion, the true purpose of uniforms is to include and portray images of mankind's desire toward expressing ideas like 'mankind's bias toward existence beyond theirselves and the exercise of force through authority' and materializing such ideas into a physical form.

시각언어로서의 교통경찰관복의 디자인특성 연구 - 미국, 영국, 이태리, 프랑스, 한국을 중심으로 -