School mascots and the psychology of scale



Our new logo



I wonder what percentage of art teachers have painted their school mascot onto a prominent school surface.  When our mascot and logo received a much needed facelift this year, I intuited that one way or another; my trusty paint brushes would get involved.  I wasn’t disappointed when the vice principal, Mr. Beun, requested adding the mascot’s visage to the athletic office’s walls.  Then, in addition to that location, several advanced art students wanted to paint our new tiger near the gym as a service project.  So, amid mural madness, we’re adding mascot madness to the month of March. 


 For scale, I thought the athletic office’s proposed image too big for the small space, so I asked Mr. Beun to eye ball a projection before I physically transferred it to the wall.  When I mentioned that sometimes “less is more,” he replied with a wide smile, “bigger is better.”    Psychologically speaking, perhaps the proposed large size metaphorically represents athletic power and strength.  I’ll be watching to see if by dint of sheer design size, we empower our athletes and prove more daunting to our opponents.  Go Tigers!



Thank goodness I still have my overhead projector!