Shape language for blind people 1 and 2

A tactile taxi hand signal ‘language’ for blind people designed by Woolf is seen in two limited edition prints. Fourteen basic tactile shapes combine to form all the taxi hand signs for blind people to read. They are tactile TRIANGULAR, CIRCULAR, OBLONG, LINEAR shapes. By combining them in various ways they make up all the individual taxi hand signs. Sighted people can also use the regular taxi book in conjunction with the blind taxi book to explain how combining 14 Basic shapes result in the various taxi hand signs.

The 14 shapes are as follows:
• The TRIANGLE with the DOT beneath it are co-joined and remain one entity.
The TRIANGLE represents the palm of the hand. The DOT represents the WRIST.
When the DOT is at the top of the triangle it means that the hand is pointing downwards. When the DOT is below the TRIANGLE the hand is pointing upwards. When the DOT is to the left or right of the TRIANGLE the hand is pointing sideways.
• QUARTER CIRCLE: SIDE VIEW of the hand .
QUARTER CIRCLE (smaller): Represents the Hand FACING to the FRONT .
• LONG OBLONG STICKS are the number of fingers VISIBLE.
They point up, down, left and right. Fingers not used for a hand sign are simply not shown. BENT LONG OBLONG STICKS: Long stick shapes shown bent in the centre represent the fingers of a cupped hand OR one individual bent finger may form a circle as it touches the thumb or another finger. SHORTENED STICKS: Fingers that are shortened represent a fisted hand.
• ARROW: The pointing finger always has a small triangular arrow tip. This arrow tip indicates which direction the hand is pointing. Sometimes when the arrow is parallel with the floor, it is pointing backwards..
• THUMB: Short Oblong with thickened end represents the Thumb