An icon is a symbol equally incomprehensible in all human languages An icon is a symbol equally incomprehensible in all human languages. There's a reason why humans invented phonetic languages. Jef Raskin, Steve Jobs iconographysymbols
The preliminary sketch Among the best woodblock prints are many that seem not to have adhered strictly to the preliminary sketch. The sketch simply indicated a general direction, and in many cases was not used at all. Or it was even improved upon in the process of carving and brought vividly to life; the woodblock qualities of the print were accentuated and highlighted. Yanagi Sōetsu, Woodblock Prints BlueprintsHead and hand drawing