THE PLACE OF TRADITIONAL SIGNAGE IN AN ERA OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS

A STUDY OF SELECTED SIGNWRITERS IN BENIN METROPOLIS

Abstract

In early human societies, mark making served as a precursor to written words, functioning as symbolic representations that conveyed messages and shared information among community members. These markings played a crucial role in facilitating communication and coordination within early cohabitative environments. These marks, whether originating from the hands of authors or respondents, erected bridges of understanding among habitats. However, visual practitioners in the early signage industries these contemporary eras were bedeviled with challenges accruing from limited scholarships, rudimentary technology, insufficient materials, and disproportionate energy and time investments relative to productivity. Nonetheless, the individuals’ manual dexterity, dynamism, excellence, originality, and creative concepts enabled navigations through tough terrains. On the other hand, the advent of computers has revolutionised information communication, offering faster, higher quality, more reliable, and cost-effective services. This raises question on the ‘role of traditional sign writers in the current era of digital signage’. To address this, the research conducted interviews with veteran artisans in Benin City, consultations with art media dealer and a computer graphics operator. Findings revealed a sustainable orthodox sign practices amongst fore-bearers amidst revolutionised signage industries inspired by computer technologies, and a synergy ensued between older, established methods (traditional) and modern, innovative approaches (computerised) in the context of visual signage.