Tracing Recognition Through Geometric Analysis: The Search for Federal University of Pelotas Original Coat of Arms Authenticity Features

This paper presents partial results of the research developed over the Federal University of Pelotas original coat of arms design. The study supposes that the institution original coat of arms design, made in 1972, has been redesigned several times during early times of desktop publishing. Taking that in consideration, assumes that several tracing changes has taken place, generating diverse versions of the same graphic symbol. Searches for geometric locus and visual composition rules that defines elements tracing of the original design, as a way to achieve accuracy for a comparison between digital redesigned versions. Authentic graphic properties are identified as from a pattern sample of the original design. Through comparison between the original pattern and digital samples of UFPEL’s coat of arms gathered at the very institution, the research aims to verify mischaracterization events and evince possible losses of authenticity features of the original design. Finally, the study endorses the relevance of project documentation in order to achieve accurate representation of graphic properties in transposition processes of originally hand-drawing geometric designs to vector digital versions.