Through my research, writing, and illustration, I attempt to establish a defensible, historical basis for the creation of representational images in a climate of intense theoretical critique. I perceive a misalignment of the applications of theory and practice in the academic environment, and my readings of the essays of PNCA faculty member Daniel Duford affirm my apprehension of this divide. Through the research of semiotic theory, Modernist theory and historical and contemporary examples of iconic representation, I form a series of images using the synthesis of ancient, classical, antiquity, and contemporary iconic representation. I intend for these images to assert the value of iconic image making in contemporary culture.