I’ve been taking pictures of warning signs, particularly ones with stick figures, for a long time, and I’ve accumulated enough at this point that I think it’s time to share. I’m starting with one of the biggest categories, Slips.
At first I focused on the text of warning signs, because I love how the same warning for the same reason is written completely differently in different cultures. After a while, though, I started to notice more and more variety in the stick figures, which is the focus of this series.
To be clear: I don’t think injuries are funny, and I know that warning and cautionary signs serve an important purpose. With that said, sometimes the figures on those signs, particularly out of context, are not only interesting, but also pretty funny. I hope you enjoy them too!
Let’s start with one of the most common iconographs. I call this one “Halp” and depending on the orientation, it can look like it’s just sitting down and reaching up a hand for assistance, or if it’s tilted a little more it can appear to be in the act of falling and putting out the other hand to catch itself.
We also have this common variant, which is a great example of how the same design can have lovely subtle differences in shape – some are angular, some more curved, some more rounded at the edges. It kinda looks like it’s in the process of pulling itself out of the sign.
This is another common position – both arms bent, one down, one up. I tried it just for science and it didn’t feel very natural, but it does look dynamic on a sign!
I personally prefer the both hands up style. I call this one “Whee!” because regardless of the landing it’s about to experience, it looks like it’s having a bit of fun in the moment. I like it best in freefall, without any visible ground.
Speaking of landings, some are rougher than others.
This one slipped so hard it lost an arm 
This one might not get up again 
That bottom wrist is going to need medical attention 
Depending on what that landing surface is, that looks painful (or maybe just very wet)
Most slips happen alone (which is tragic in its own way), but sometimes a surface is so slippery you get multi-slips. Mirror-slips?
I also enjoy finding the same figure in different scenarios. This one in particular really gets around.
This one also has several adventures, and appears to be having a great time.
This one also shows up in a few different situations.
Most versions were walking to the right when they slipped (across countries, which is interesting), but we do see a few going the other direction. I love finding opposite facing versions of the same figure:
I also appreciate the presence or absence of the cause of the slip and/or the landing surface. Water is of course the most common (“Caution: wet floor” and so on), but the amount of water varies quite a bit.
There are only two drops, this figure will be fine 
Two drops AND a puddle, uh-oh 
Small stream 
River, yikes 
Deep river, watch out 
Middle of the ocean, somehow? Did this one fall out of a plane? 
Puddle? I think that might be a puddle. Or a sinkhole, oh dear 
This one has slipped so far that the water is above the head
Ice is also a problem, though it’s a little hard to represent in a simple iconograph and sometimes looks a bit like water, or like the figure has tripped on a snake (that’s not the case, of course – trips are a completely different category which I’ll cover in the next post).
Unclear if this is ice or perhaps just some very slippery lines 
Layered ice? 
Looks like a puddle but the winter hat implies a frozen puddle 
Could be a cloud, could be water, could be wool, who can say 
Swirly ice, the most dangerous kind 
Fast ice?
Stairs come up sometimes, rather suddenly in these cases…
These seem like normal stairs 
These stairs seem very shallow, but this figure still managed to take a dramatic tumble 
Ah yes, the Whee, Down The Stairs We Go variation 
An important combination to consider: wet stairs 
Sometimes it just takes a single step
Rocks can be a factor, too.
I think this figure encountered a volcanic fissure, watch out 
Gotta watch out for gravel, very slippery 
This one is a crossover with the Drowning category, uh-oh 
This could almost be categorized as a Trip, but crucially you trip forward and slip backward, according to me anyway This might be rocks? Or water? Maybe wet rocks. Or snakes.
And then there’s a whole variety of somewhat unclear causes. Sometimes I think these are more effective because I stop to wonder what happened to the poor sign figure, and when I’m standing in one place wondering, I’m much less likely to slip.
Mud? This could really be anything 
Crosswalk? 
A frozen pond where the figure is both slipping and falling through the ice? That, or a horror movie and the puddle is hungry 
Clearly a crossover with the Electrocutions category; who knew electricity was so slippery
And of course many don’t include the cause of the slip in the image, like this one who could be doing a fancy dance move:
Most appear to have slipped while minding their own business, but a few have details that imply they may have been partly at fault.
This one was moving so fast the slip made a sound This one is also slipping at speed Those rocks were clearly dangerous, your mistake Full-on running when this one encountered the red sea
Now let’s look at the level of detail. Many signs are quite basic, simple iconographs; others are remarkably detailed. The representation of hands is really interesting – they vary from the most basic with a thumb stuck on to articulated fingers, sometimes even gesturing. There’s also variety in the limb and head detail.
This one might be wearing mittens? 
This one has a hint of futurism in the style I feel like this one is grabbing for a missing handrail. Perhaps they should add one? If you changed the angle a bit this one could be in the middle of an impassioned speech 
I think this figure is a little embarrassed at being caught mid-slip and is waving to pass it off as an on-purpose situation If this one raised that knee a little higher and sat up a little straighter this would be a very casual shirt-model pose This one has a nose! And hands but does not seem to know how to use them 
So much detail! Two different hands, a chin, leg muscles…
And some are fully clothed, or at least have evidence of hats or shoes.
I love the hat, very stylish This one is just in a onesie I bet this figure is regretting those high heeled boots 
Slipping aside, this one is at least going to keep warm 
This one has a very well defined shoe Are those clogs? I think they might be clogs. Oh wait, maybe wellies 
Workboots and coveralls, I think Hipster sneakers, probably the same figure from the No Skateboarding signs
That’s all for the Slips, at least for now! I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey into the world of sign figure slips as much as I have. The sign figure world is a perilous one: stay tuned for Trips, Falls, Electrocutions, and so much more.
And of course, we mustn’t forget that it’s not only humans that slip:
Shastified, Continued 