After the reveal of a new design for Trinidad & Tobago Coat of Arms(CoA) this past weekend, graphic designers are requesting that the government postpone the makeover on national trademarks, money, and papers so that it may be reviewed by experts.
Award-winning graphic designer Marlon Darbeau anticipates difficulties in reproducing the new design on various surfaces and feels that a cooperative approach would have been preferable. He stated, “I am sort of disappointed that after three months of this conversation, this is what we have in front of us.”
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Darbeau argued that rather than being completely rebuilt, the CoA was only altered by swapping out the ships for a steelpan, while keeping the helm and mantle intact. He underlined that the additional feature is inconsistent with Carlyle Chang’s original art style. The positioning of the steelpan was questioned by senior graphic designer Kamron Julien, who stated, “It does not seem like there was any professional touch of any sort.” The colors are off. The art style is off.” The artwork is not in keeping with the style. He added that the steel pan looks out of place because of its color contrast with other items’ yellow tones.
Kevin Solomon, another award-winning graphic designer, compared the design to a badly done movie with inadequate computer graphics. He maintained that the visual harmony is broken by the contrast between the slick steelpan and the coarser textures of other components. Solomon suggested that an abstract depiction of the steelpan could have been preferable, cautioning that the state might have trouble printing the updated CoA and maintaining design coherence.
Social media was used by several people and organizations to comment on the new CoA. Pan Trinbago was excited, saying, “For the first time in history, the steelpan takes its place on this national symbol, representing our culture, creativity, and resilience.” Other comments, however, were more critical, with some raising concerns about the cost of redesigning state documents, currency, buildings, and vehicles, while others suggested additional changes.
One person commented, “They could have at least stayed consistent with the original art style. If you’re going to create something that represents the country, please take the time to do it properly.”
One critic said that T&T’s past could not be altered, while another contended that the steelpan was not symmetrically aligned with the rest of the CoA.
