What is Semiosis 101?

About this Semiosis 101 semiotic resource header

To enhance how you illustrators and designers visually communicate to your target audiences, understanding Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic theory of Semiosis (semiotic sign-action) can prove to be very beneficial. Peirce stated that

“nothing is a [semiotic] sign unless it is interpreted as a sign.”

But as Peirce was a philosopher and not a creative, his theoretical terminology is very obtuse. He never wrote his semiotic theory with you designers and illustrators in mind, BUT his theory is rich in ways to enhance how you can visually communicate using semiotic signs.

I am Dave Wood, a design educator, researcher and author. I have a PhD in Visual Communication and I have worked professionally as an illustrator and designer. Semiosis 101 is unique in translating and contextualising Semiosis to pragmatically apply semiotic signs into your illustration’s or design’s visual language. 

Since 2022, my Semiosis 101 channel on YouTube has been publishing bite-sized video episodes on applying pragmatic semiotic theory to enhance how you visually communicate as illustrators and designers. My 2026 book Semiotics for Designers and Illustrators, published by Bloomsbury Visual Arts, continues this contextualisation of Semiosis into existing creative practice.

This Semiosis 101 Semiotic Resource supports your ability to understand and implement Semiosis into your ideation phase of your existing creative practice.

This Semiotic Resource is constantly updated with free episode transcripts of the YouTube episodes, 5-minute semiotic reads, further reading lists, semiotic visual materials, semiotic infographics in the form of Little Creative in Theoryland ® strips, exclusive semiotic essays, plus a Semiotic Hero name drop on future YouTube video episodes.

Some of these semiotic materials are free while others are exclusive available to paid subscribers. Check out the subscription tiers and help me to help you to enhance how you visually communicate on semiotic sign at a time…

Free Subscription Tier

Everyone who takes a free subscription gets free access to

• Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript
• Previews of the Semiosis 101 5-minute semiotic reads
• Previews of Semiosis 101 visual materials
(as seen in my Semiotics for Designers and Illustrators 2026 book

If you take a paid subscription your financial support will help me continue to produce more semiotic episode videos and written semiotic resources. If you pay annually you will get all the same benefits as a monthly paid subscriber AND save money. There are three paid tiers of Qualisigner, Sinsigner and Legisigner:

Qualisigner (4 benefits)

• Semiotic Hero (Qualisigner) named status
on all future Semiosis 101 video episodes
• FULL access to Semiosis 101 visual materials
(as seen in my Semiotics for Designers and Illustrators 2026 book)
• FULL access to all the Semiosis 101 5-minute semiotic reads
• Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript

Sinsigner (6 benefits)

• Semiotic Hero (Sinsigner) named status
on all future Semiosis 101 video episodes
• FULL access to Semiosis 101 reading lists of recommended books
• FULL access to Semiosis 101 visual materials
(as seen in my Semiotics for Designers and Illustrators 2026 book)
• FULL access to all exclusive semiotic essays
• FULL access to all the Semiosis 101 5-minute semiotic reads
• Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript

Legisigner (7 benefits)

• Semiotic Hero (Legisigner) named status
on all future Semiosis 101 video episodes
• FULL access to Little Creative in Theoryland strips
• FULL access to Semiosis 101 reading lists of recommended books
• FULL access to Semiosis 101 visual materials
(as seen in my Semiotics for Designers and Illustrators 2026 book)
• FULL access to all exclusive semiotic essays
• FULL access to all the Semiosis 101 5-minute semiotic reads
• Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript

Free Subscription Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript – Yes. Semiosis 101 5-min semiotic reads – Preview. Semiotic visual materials – Preview. Qualisigner Subscription £3 month/£34 annual Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript – Yes. Semiosis 101 5-min semiotic reads – Full Access. Semiotic visual materials – Full Access. Semiotic Hero named status on future YouTube episodes – Yes. Sinsigner Subscription £4 month/£44 annual Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript – Yes. Semiosis 101 5-min semiotic reads – Full Access. Semiotic visual materials – Full Access. Semiotic Hero named status on future YouTube episodes – Yes. Semiotic Essays – Yes. Reading Lists – Yes. Legisigner Subscription £5 month/£54 annual Every free Semiosis 101 episode transcript – Yes. Semiosis 101 5-min semiotic reads – Full Access. Semiotic visual materials – Full Access. Semiotic Hero named status on future YouTube episodes – Yes. Semiotic Essays – Yes. Reading Lists – Yes. Little Creative in Theoryland strips – Yes.