@article{article_1730334, title={A qualitative study on the use of illustration as a tool of cultural representation in Commemorative Stamp designs}, journal={Ordu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi}, volume={15}, pages={335–351}, year={2025}, DOI={10.48146/odusobiad.1730334}, author={Arslan, Hakan}, keywords={Pul Tasarımı, İllüstrasyon, Kültürel Temsil, Grafik Tasarımı, Görsel İletişim Tasarımı.}, abstract={Throughout history, the stamp has been a versatile communication design product that is not only an element of a postal system but also conveys information through its graphic language, possesses collection value, and represents the cultural identity of its era. This function of representation is more pronounced in special series of stamps prepared to commemorate or promote a specific person, event, or subject, defined as commemorative stamps. In commemorative stamp designs, illustration stands out as a representation tool that shapes cultural memory and constructs visual identity. The aim of this research is to examine how illustration functions as a cultural representation tool in commemorative stamp designs and to analyse how cultural narratives are visualised through this form of visual expression. The research is a document analysis study conducted based on a qualitative research design. The role of illustration in cultural representation is discussed within the framework of Stuart Hall’s theory of representation and signification; the review is limited to commemorative stamps printed by the Turkish Post Office (PTT) since 2014. The findings of the research indicate that the illustrations used in commemorative stamps do not solely serve the purpose of visual ornamentation; rather, they are positioned as functional and strategic tools in the construction of cultural narratives through graphic language. Every colour, composition arrangement, form, or figure used in illustrative representations produces meaning as part of a specific visual discourse. Therefore, in this aspect, illustration is not only an aesthetic form of visual expression but is also evaluated as part of cultural signification practices, in Hall’s terms. In this respect, the study contributes to the visual communication design discipline by revealing, through concrete examples, the role of stamp design, a micro-scale graphic application practice, in the production of meaning regarding cultural representation.}, number={ISRIS 2025}, publisher={Ordu Üniversitesi}