“It could be in a square, it could be in any shape that you want.” Image by DKNG Studios “There’s plenty of ways to illustrate an icon, and you don’t have to have it in a perfect circle,” adds Kuhlken. Working within a shape-they suggest starting with a circle, can offer a helpful starting point. “When we start sketching, we usually like to have some type of template,” says Nathan Goldman, who hosts the class Illustrating an Icon Set: Design a Cohesive Series with his business partner Dan Kuhken. But it is possible to make them other sizes: One growing trend is to create scalable sets of icons that you can adapt depending on the needs of the program or project. First, what size and shape will your icons be? Website icons are commonly 16, 32, or 48 pixels. With an idea in mind, it’s time to figure out the technical details you’ll need to execute. The best icons can stand the test of time with little or no tweaking. Think about how your icon will resonate with people in one, five, or ten years. Try running ideas past friends in an informal focus group during the brainstorming process, too. If you spot a comparable icon, tweak yours so that it stands out and better distinguishes your brand. Once you have a relatively solid idea, do some research and see if there are any similar icons in the marketplace-after all, you don’t want to waste time creating something that already exists. If things seem too complicated or obscure, they probably are. They shouldn’t be fussy or have lots of extra features. Remember that icons are small, and you want people to be able to recognize them fairly quickly. Many icon designers start with basic shapes like triangles, squares, or circles, and turn them into streamlined, clean graphics. The best icons are simple and don’t need text to be understood. Think about how you can use font, shape, or color to tie the set of icons together. It really helps me think ahead.” While the individual icons should stand on their own, you’ll also want the set to flow together and blend cohesively. I do this with every single project I’ve done. “This list is basically just a brain dump of ideas under the theme. “I make a list in my Illustrator working file,” says designer Adam Whitcroft, who shares tips in his Skillshare Original Icon Design: Create a Cohesive Icon Set. When you tackle a project like that, start by considering the overall theme and what individual elements you might include. Often, designers will produce icons as a set to correspond with different products or ideas. If you get stuck, try looking around for inspiration-all it takes is opening your phone and looking at the home screen. You can even start doodling as ideas come to you. Right now, don’t censor yourself-just write down thoughts and ideas until you flesh out what you want to create. Is it professional or whimsical? Colorful or monotone? Flat or 3D? Hand-drawn or precise? Consider how the icon will be used, who will see it, what you want it to represent, and what colors or images you want it to contain. Here, we’ll look at how to create an icon for a website, sign, or publication.Įvery great design project starts with a brainstorming session, and icon design is no different. Fortunately, understanding a few basic principles can help you create an icon that works seamlessly in multiple contexts-and can be tweaked as needed. Icons can be used anywhere, including social media, flyers, signs, and product packaging, and landing on an image that works in all of those environments can feel like an impossible task. But trying to design your own can be an overwhelming process. In both personal and professional situations, icons can be a cost-effective way to help people easily recognize the content you create. They’re incredibly powerful.” Image from Edward Boatman’s Skillshare Original “That information is almost always communicated visually through pictograms because these little images can make a huge impact. “A good way to think about the power of visual communication is to think about the most important information that you encounter daily, and that’s health and safety information,” says Edward Boatman, co-founder of the Noun Project and the instructor behind the Skillshare Original Icon Design: Creating Pictograms with Purpose. The brain processes visual cues much faster than textual cues, so an icon can convey a message much faster than the written word. Icons are powerful because they make concise statements. They tell stories, share information, and contribute to the way people think about the world around them. Icons are everywhere, from social media to food labels to street signs.
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