/*
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 */
#include <iostream>
#include <complex>
#include <vector>
#include <string>
#include <algorithm>
#include <cstdio>
#include <numeric>
#include <cstring>
#include <ctime>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <set>
#include <map>
#include <unordered_map>
#include <unordered_set>
#include <list>
#include <cmath>
#include <bitset>
#include <cassert>
#include <queue>
#include <stack>
#include <deque>
    
     
using namespace std;
template<typename T1, typename T2>inline void chkmin(T1 &x, T2 y) { if (x > y) x = y; }
template<typename T1, typename T2>inline void chkmax(T1 &x, T2 y) { if (x < y) x = y; } 
template<typename T, typename U> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const pair<T, U> &_p) { _out << _p.first << ' ' << _p.second; return _out; }
template<typename T, typename U> inline istream &operator>> (istream &_in, pair<T, U> &_p) { _in >> _p.first >> _p.second; return _in; }
template<typename T> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const vector<T> &_v) { if (_v.empty()) { return _out; } _out << _v.front(); for (auto _it = ++_v.begin(); _it != _v.end(); ++_it) { _out << ' ' << *_it; } return _out; }
template<typename T> inline istream &operator>> (istream &_in, vector<T> &_v) { for (auto &_i : _v) { _in >> _i; } return _in; }
template<typename T> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const set<T> &_s) { if (_s.empty()) { return _out; } _out << *_s.begin(); for (auto _it = ++_s.begin(); _it != _s.end(); ++_it) { _out << ' ' << *_it; } return _out; }
template<typename T> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const multiset<T> &_s) { if (_s.empty()) { return _out; } _out << *_s.begin(); for (auto _it = ++_s.begin(); _it != _s.end(); ++_it) { _out << ' ' << *_it; } return _out; }
template<typename T> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const unordered_set<T> &_s) { if (_s.empty()) { return _out; } _out << *_s.begin(); for (auto _it = ++_s.begin(); _it != _s.end(); ++_it) { _out << ' ' << *_it; } return _out; }
template<typename T> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const unordered_multiset<T> &_s) { if (_s.empty()) { return _out; } _out << *_s.begin(); for (auto _it = ++_s.begin(); _it != _s.end(); ++_it) { _out << ' ' << *_it; } return _out; }
template<typename T, typename U> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const map<T, U> &_m) { if (_m.empty()) { return _out; } _out << '(' << _m.begin()->first << ": " << _m.begin()->second << ')'; for (auto _it = ++_m.begin(); _it != _m.end(); ++_it) { _out << ", (" << _it->first << ": " << _it->second << ')'; } return _out; }
template<typename T, typename U> inline ostream &operator<< (ostream &_out, const unordered_map<T, U> &_m) { if (_m.empty()) { return _out; } _out << '(' << _m.begin()->first << ": " << _m.begin()->second << ')'; for (auto _it = ++_m.begin(); _it != _m.end(); ++_it) { _out << ", (" << _it->first << ": " << _it->second << ')'; } return _out; }
#define sz(c) (int)(c).size()
#define all(c) (c).begin(), (c).end()
#define rall(c) (c).rbegin(), (c).rend()
#define left left228
#define right right228
#define next next228
#define rank rank228
#define prev prev228
#define y1 y1228                                                         
#define read(FILENAME) freopen((FILENAME + ".in").c_str(), "r", stdin)
#define write(FILENAME) freopen((FILENAME + ".out").c_str(), "w", stdout)
#define files(FILENAME) read(FILENAME), write(FILENAME)
#define pb push_back
#define x first
#define y second
const string FILENAME = "input";
const int MAXN = 1001;

int m, n, A, B; 
char a[MAXN][MAXN];


int main(){
	ios::sync_with_stdio(0);
    cin.tie(0);
   // read(FILENAME);
    cin >> m >> n >> A >> B;
    for (int i = 1; i <= m; i++) {
        for (int j = 1; j <= n; j++) {
            a[i][j] = '.';
        }
    }
    if (n & 1) {
        for (int i = 1; i < m && B; i += 2) {
            a[i][n] = '^'; 
            a[i + 1][n]='v';
            B--;
        }
    } 
    if (B % 2 == 1 && m % 2 == 1) {
        if (n > 2 && m > 1) {
            a[m - 1][n - 2] = '^'; 
            a[m][n - 2] = 'v';
            B--;
        }
    }
    for (int i = 1; i < m; i++) {
        for (int j = 1; j <= n - (n & 1) && B; j++) {
            if (a[i][j] == '.' && a[i + 1][j] == '.'){
                a[i][j] = '^'; 
                a[i + 1][j]='v';
                B--;
            }
        }
    }
    if (B) {
        cout << "NO\n"; 
        return 0;
    }
    for (int i = 1; i <= m; i++) {
        for (int j = 1; j < n && A; j++) {
            if (a[i][j] == '.' && a[i][j + 1] == '.'){
                a[i][j] = '<'; 
                a[i][j + 1] = '>'; 
                A--;
            }
        }
    }
    if (A) {
        cout << "NO\n"; 
        return 0;
    }
    cout << "YES\n";
    for (int i = 1; i <= m; i++) {
        for (int j = 1; j <= n; j++) {
            cout << a[i][j];
        }
        cout << '\n';
    }
    return 0;
}


Measured memory_bytes: 2176