Need for Developing Ibibio Symbols in Clip Art: Example of Plant Grouping

Symbols are very essential in our daily lives. They help communicate important information without using words to people – literate and non-lliterate class alike. In view of the value of symbolism, it is necessary to develop cultural symbols in clip art packages to meet with the demands for effective design, whether local or western. Clip art is a readymade package with keywords and categories of different fields of pictures, illustrations, and images. In modern graphics practice, symbols, images or visuals are stored in clip art environment and are retrieved, therefrom, for use as the need arises. However, in many cases, it is difficult to find suitable clip art images. The most affected are clip art with local or traditional contents such as that of the Ibibio symbols that have not been pre-made and stored for retrieval purposes. This gap therefore, constrains Ibibio designers to use images that are not suitable in most designs with traditional Ibibio themes. It is against this backdrop that this study was undertaken. The objectives of the study were to discuss the need for Ibibio symbols in clip art; discuss compatible and mismatched symbols in Ibibio designs; and illustration of select Ibibio symbols of plant in clip art with their manifest meaning. The study depended on primary and secondary data. The study recommends that more illustrations of Ibibio cultural background clip art should be created; and profusely used by Ibibio designers, and others, in their design content so as to promote Ibibio symbols. The findings reveal that with the subsequent creation of Ibibio symbols in clip art package alongside their manifest meanings, it is possible, with time, to curb the mismatch or misuse of western contents in local design contents.