Ambigram
|
|
Ambigram_rotating.gif
An ambigram, also known as an inversion, is a graphical figure that spells out a word not only in its form as presented, but also in another direction or orientation. This is typically when viewed as a mirror-image or when rotated through 180 degrees. The word usually is not a palindrome, although it may be. Sometimes the word spelled out from the alternate direction may be a different one, but for mirror-image ambigrams the canonical form spells out the same word.
Douglas R. Hofstadter describes an ambigram as a "calligraphic design that manages to squeeze two different readings into the selfsame set of curves." The first published reference to the term was by Hofstadter, who attributes the origin of the word to a friend.
Ambigrams are exercises in graphic design that play with optical illusions, symmetry and visual perception. Ambigram lovers value especially those with a relation between form and content.
Ambigrams feature prominently in Dan Brown's novel, Angels and Demons. The first UK release of the novel featured an ambigram of the title on the cover.
Ambigram logos
Ambigrams are sometimes used as logos. Notable examples include:
- ABBA [1] (http://www.abba.de)
- ASE, The Association for Science Education [2] (http://www.ase.org.uk)
- CND, China News Digest [3] (http://www.cnd.org)
- DIP, Database of Interacting Proteins [4] (http://dip.doe-mbi.ucla.edu)
- DMC, De Lorean Motor Company [5] (http://www.delorean.com)
- DOP, Digital Outpost [6] (http://www.dop.com)
- DP, Don Park, a Canadian manufacturer [7] (http://www.donpark.com)
- DP, don piso, a well-know Spanish real estate agency [8] (http://www.donpiso.com)
- Duna, Duna TV (Hungarian television) [9] (http://www.dunatv.hu)
- GOES, NASA's GOES satellite (designed by Scott Kim) [10] (http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/goes/goeslogo.gif)
- JP, Justícia i Pau, a Catalan NGO [11] (http://www.justiciaipau.org)
- MNW, Music Network [12] (http://www.mnw.se)
- Mosuki, a online calendar sharing site [13] (http://mosuki.com/)
- MOW, Möbel Ordermesse Westfalica [14] (http://www.mow.de)
- MSW, Musées et Société en Wallonie [15] (http://www.msw.be)
![[10]](http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/goes/goeslogo.gif){kind=link}
Sun_Microsystems_logo.png
- Newman, a French clothes manufacturer (logo designed in 1969 by Raymond Loewy) [16] (http://www.newman.fr/)
- New X-Men, a comic book series [17] (http://www.thexaxis.com/newxmen/newxmen130.htm)
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nuxnu, a German company [18] (http://www.nuxnu.de)
- ONNO, Ökologisches Unternehmensnetzwerk Ostfriesland [19] (http://www.onno-net.de)
- Opodo [20] (http://www.opodo.com)
- OXXO, a Mexican company [21] (http://www.tiendasoxxo.com.mx)
- Oysho [22] (http://www.oysho.com)
- Sun, Sun Microsystems (designed by Vaughan Pratt) [23] (http://www.sun.com)
- SWMS, German software company [24] (http://www.swmms.de)
- Triology [25] (http://www.setgame.com/set/rules_triology.htm)
- Xpedx, a division of International Paper [26] (http://www.xpedx.com)
- VIA, VIA Rail Canada [27] (http://www.viarail.ca)
- Viva, a German TV music channel. It is an ambigram by pure shape, but the letters are colored differently, so it is not a perfect ambigram [28] (http://www.viva.tv)
- VNA, a Chilean recording studio [29] (http://www.vna.scd.cl)
- VOA, Voice of America [30] (http://www.voanews.com)
- VSA, VSA Comunicación [31] (http://www.vsacomunicacion.com)
- WM, Waste Management [32] (http://www.wm.com)
- WOM, a German music company [33] (http://www.wom.de)
References
- Kim, Scott, Inversions, Byte Books (1981)
- Hofstadter, Douglas R., "Metafont, Metamathematics, and Metaphysics: Comments on Donald Knuth's Article 'The Concept of a Meta-Font'" Scientific American (August 1982) (republished in the book Metamagical Themas)
- Langdon, John, Wordplay: Ambigrams and Reflections on the Art of Ambigrams, Harcourt Brace (1992)
- Hofstadter, Douglas R., Ambigrammi, Hopefulmonster Editore Firenze (1987) (in Italian)
- Ploster, Burkard, Les Ambigrammes l'art de symétriser les mots, Editions Ecritextes (2003) (in French)
- Ploster, Burkard, Eye Twisters: Ambigrams, Escher, and Illusions, web-based book available at http://www.maths.monash.edu.au/~bpolster/ambigram.html (date unknown)
External links
- Ambigram.Com by Word.Net Communications (http://www.ambigram.com/)
- Inversions by Scott Kim (http://www.scottkim.com/inversions/)
- Graphic artist John Langdon's ambigrams (http://www.johnlangdon.net/New_Pages/Ambigrams.htm)
- Ambidextrous: Ambigrams by Robert Maitland (http://ambidextrous.quintopia.net/)
- Ambigram designs by Brett J. Gilbert (http://www.ambigrams.co.uk/)
- Ambigram gallery by 01101001 (http://www.01101001.com/ambigrams/)
- Ambigram gallery by Mariano Tomatis (http://www.marianotomatis.it/ambigram)
- Ambigram gallery by Blake Hodgetts (http://www.efn.org/~bch/ambigrams.html)
- Ambigram gallery by David Rutter (http://www.quintopia.net/ambigrams.html)
- Ambigram gallery by Jonathan Gough (http://www.ambigram.net/)
- Ambigrams and other Visual Wordplay by Punya Mishra (http://punya.educ.msu.edu/punyaweb/ambigrams/)
- Ambigram gallery by Kevin Pease (http://cerulean.st/ambigram/), including two four-word ambigrams
- Ambigram gallery by Keith Enevoldsen (http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/Ambigram/Ambigram.htm), including two four-word ambigrams
- An Ambigraphic Notation for Nucleic Acids (http://www.sealedwiki.net/bunq.html)
- Information on ambigrams on Dan Brown's website (http://www.danbrown.com/secrets/ambigram.html)
- Online ambigram generator (http://ambigram.matic.com/ambigram.htm)
- Ambigrams (http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Humor/Wordplay/Ambigrams/) in Open Directory
- Ambigram gallery by Carlos Carpio (http://www.ambigramas.com/)de:Ambigramm
es:Ambriama fr:Ambigramme it:Ambigramma he:אמביגראמה lb:Ambigramm nl:Ambigram pl:Ambigram