Here are examples of both a reproduction and original grid that was used by the Egyptians to gain aesthetic value within their writing. If a hieroglyph was used in the primary level to express meaning, then it's form related concepts, ideas, or identities with which it was directly related. The form of the djed pillar is an example of primary association. The djed pillar stands for stability. This hieroglyph is shaped as a pillar as you can see from the picture.
Pillars offer stability.
Thus the djed pillar stands for what it is. The djed pillar is also associated with the god Osiris and is sometimes said to represent the backbone of the god. Osiris was believed to have been a triumphant god who conquered and overcame his enemies, thus becoming a symbol of stability. Also backbones are the stems of life found in human beings. Thus the djed pillar symbolized both the deity and the concept of support and duration.