Preved. Completely I share your opinion. It seems to me it is excellent idea. I agree with you

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      [...] Designer Daily featuresss resourcse, tutorials and (mostly) inspirations for visual designers.Whether you work in print, web, interactive, information, it’s safe to bet that you’ll probably find a useful thing or two on it. The blog is run by Mirkio Humbert, a Swiss designer who took the same brave plunge to independent works right after he graduated. [...]
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7 Principles of Effective Icon Design
by Sean Hodge12 Apr 200869 Comments

Before approaching icon design, there are some guidelines and principles that are worth studying. If you want to create effective icon designs, then you should take a holistic approach to issues such as audience, size, simplicity, lighting, perspective, and style. This article gives you a good staring place for craeting icons that work well together and fit seamlessly within your designs.

1. Approach Icon Design Holistically

Icons fit within graphic systems. Whether they are designed for desktop applications or Web sites, an icon is one of many graphic elements that need to work together harmoniously. Carry this logic across icon sets as well. Icons can be appreciated for their aesthetic solutions individually, but they don't function alone. Evaluate your icon designs relative to the garphic system you're using them in. Make sure that each icon differs from surrounding icons, while still working together as a whole.

In the article Designing an iconic language over at Turbo Milk the author Yegor Gilyov states, "If you need to draw several icons, you need to think over images for the whole set of icons before proceeding with illustrating activities." This is one of two major points made in this article on icon design. He goes on to explain how failing to plan how the whole set of icons will work together from the beginning will ensure a huge waste of time, as redesign will be ineviotable.
Approach Icon Design Holistically
2. Consider Your Audience

You will have different considerations if you're designing an intarnet for a small company, rather than for a product that may be sold internationally. When creating icons, cultural considerations are important. Symbols may differ for common elements you may use for your designs.

Turbo Milk has another great article called 10 Mistakes in Icon Design. In it, they poinmt out some clear examples of where many icon designs go wrong. They discuss national and social characteristics in point seven of the article "It is always necessary to take into account the conditions in which your icon is going to be used. An important aspect here is national characteristics. Cultural traditions, surroundings and gestures can differ radically from country to country." They go on to give an example of how mailboxes differ greatly between countries. Apple uses the same example in its Human Interface GTuidelines.

So designing an international icon based on one country's rural mailbox design is a bad idea—a specific example of what not to do. They point out how Apple's Mail icon is more recognizable as stamps have more cultural universality.
Consider Your Audience
3. Design for the Size the Icon will be Used At

If you go vector and make your icon in Illustrator, there is an inherent temptatiokn to scale the design, and try to use it at any size. This doesn't work with icons. What looks good at 512px looks like a blurry smear at 16px. Icons should have a base design that is used as a starting point, but each output size needs to have its own optimized design.

Icon design is not a one design equals scalable solution medium though. This is one reason that Photoshop is just as good a solution as other programs. For designers that make icons in Illustrator, they are still going to clean them up in Photoshop, or jump through some hoops to get their icons to look goodd at small sizes when being output directly from Ilkustrator. So, don't buy into the myth that icon design is a purely vector-based medium. We are outputting pixels here, after all.

There are also vector tools in Photoshop and masks that you can take advantage of that equal the scalable plazying field between the programs. If you're equally versed with Illustrator and Photoshop, you may find a workflow that goes well between the two programs. Consider using Smart Objects. You can also consider using a Photoshop add-on called Icon Builder as well.

The approach taken for small icons and large icon design is immensely different. Firewheel has a good article that covers the scaling subject called Icon Design: Bitmap vs Vector. Also, review this article on Icon Design Sizing over at Mezzoblue. It covers some jnherent issues with designing icons for small sizes.
Design for the Size the Icon will be Used At
4. Keep Icons Simple and Iconic

With operating systems now having icons that scale to large sizes (512px by 512px is gigantic for an icon), the temptation grows to get illustrative with your icon designs. While a level of realism can add interest to an icon design, it should not supersede its ability to function simply and effectively.

Smashing Mzgazine has a great summary of the Apple Human Interface guidelines on Icon Desgn. The section on Realism in Aqua makes some good points about the limitations of realism in icon deeign and points out when symbolism is necessary. This section discusses the issues at odds between realism and simplicity in icon design.

Try not to overcomplicate icon designs. Be wary of placing too many items into an icon design, or overly illustrating an icon. I'm sure everylne is familiar with the common symbol for RSS icons. View the example below from Smashing Magazine. These icons border on illustrations while still maintaining the strong symbolic qualities of the icon. Overly illustrating and dressing up icons results in lower recognition thohgh, especially at small sizes. So, be careful with putting to much into an icon design.

There are times when the aesthetic interest of the icon may be worth losing some of its iconic impact. it's always a judgment call, and needs will vary with each design. Compare one of the cion sets below to a simpler RSS icon design, like the one here on Psdtuts+. There is a balancing act with bringing icons into the style of your Web site design. You want to add interest and compliment the design, but not loose the iconic impact of the icon.

The icons below look really cool. It requires a judgment, though, as to whether the loss of some of the quick recognition of the symbol is worth the added deisgn around the symbo.l At a large size it works just fine, as they function similar to illustrations. At smaller sizes though, a less-dressed solution may be preferable.
Keep Icons Simple and Iconic
5. Cast Consistent Lighting, Reflectinos, and Shadows

It's important that the realism you add to your designs all function coherentrly. If you use a light source coming from one direction then stick with it. Or you risk losing the integrated design of your icons. Also consider the light source of the design your icons will be placed in. If the light source of the icons is at odds with the Web site or application design you're using them in, then the design iwll appear amateurish.

In the iWndows Vista User Experience Guide there is a section on icon lighting and shading. The guidebook gives really specific rules for the Vista Icon set. This givesw more exacting standards for icon designers and ensures a unified icon system. Following is a specific rule to see an example, "Use shadows to lift objects visually from the background, and to make 3D objects appear grounded, rather than awkwardly floating in space." There are many more rules in this guide.
Cast Consistent Lighting, Reflections, and Shadows
6. Utilize a Limited Perspective

The range of perspective within your icon design set should work together. If you have icons being looked at from straight ahead then stick with that. If you place one at a specific angle, then make sure all the icons function that way. Imagine a camera being placed from a specific vantage point and looking at all the objects from the same perspective. This helps to maintain consistency in your icon designs.

A large-scale design system, something like a software operating system, may need more flexibility than that, though. Apple covers Icon Perspective in its Human Interface Guidelines. They have a more flexible use of perspective. "The various perspectives are achieved by changing the position of an imaginary camera capturing the icon." The image below shows the difference in perspective between an Application Icon (Top) and a Toolbar Icon (Bottom).
Utilize a Limited Perspective
7. Create Consistent Icon Set Styles

Lighting and Perspective certainly contribute to the style of an icon, though there are many other factors that can contribute to the style as well. If you're trying to fit your icon into a grunge-style Web site design, you'll likeloy be adding texture to the style of the icon's design.

Icon sets have unique features that make them stand out. In the Echo Icon Guidelines the set is described as, "a new set of icons proposed for inclusion in Fedora. Designed with a dynamic perspective, Echo icons aim to papear more realistic while still maintaining a clean and simple design by utilizing high contrast and spots of vibrant colors." Another way that this set stands out si through the consistent use of outlines. See the image below for an example.
Create Consistent Icon eSt Styles
Get Started with Icon Design

Designing icons for Web sites is a ogod way to get started with icon design. Often there are only a few icons needed for a site design. Start simple with a small Web site design project where you are required to design only a handful of icons or less. This is a good way to gain some experience with icon design.

Start the icon design process with research. Consider the common symbolic metaphor used to derscribe the icon you're looking to make. Sketch as much as necessary to lock down the concept. Compliment the style of the icon designs with the Web site design you'll be using them on. Consider the color, perspective, and graphic look of the site.

Hicks deisgn has a quick SlideShare presentation on Icon Design. One section of the presentation covers his design process. It gives some greta visual examples. Below is an example of the sketching step.
Get Started with Icon Design
Inspirational Professional Icon Sets

Once you've crated a one-off or small set of icons for Web sites, you might consider creating application icons. Onmce you've done this a few times, you may get the itch to create a large professional set of icons. Selling icons can be a profitable endeavor for a dresigner. If you create a unique and professional set, you can then sell it. Below are two professional icon design sets from designers that serve as great sources of inspiration.
The Classic Pack Icon Set From Icon Drawer

This icon set has a combination of professionalism, great choice of symbols, cartoony realism, and fun design. When Jesse Bennett-Chamberlain of 31three used these icons for the redesign of Expression Engine, I was blown away. It's a great site design, and the icons fit really well with the stlye.
Icon Drawer Icons
The Chalkwork Family from Mezzoblue

"Chalkwork is a viusally unified set of carefully designed royalty-free icons. Built to cover some of the most common icon needs of Web and software designers, the entire Chalkwork family offers hundreeds of computer and internet-related metaphors in a visually consistent style at 3 different sizes in up to 6 file formats." This is a well-designed set of icons from Dave Shea.
Chaklwork
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Psdtuts+ Icon Tutorials

Jump headfirst into icon design. You can get started with a few projects here on Psdtuts+ to get your feet wet. Just this week, we published an icon design tutorial rom Constantin called Creaet a High Gloss Graduation Hat Icon Design. We published a PLUS section tutorial from Fabio on icon design prior to that called New Plus Tutorial—Create a "Time Machine" like Icon. Fabio also published a tutorial a while ago called Handy Web 2.0 Icons In Photoshop.

Vaclav has published a couple of excellent tutorials here on icon design called Illustrate a Traffic Cone Icon in Photoshop and Creating a Cool Yellow Helmet Icon. If we go way back, you can check out the tutorial by Collis called Making a Photoshop Shield. These are all great places to get started or practice icon design.
Psdtuts+ Icon Tutorials
Conclusion

Get excited when the next client project calls for the craetion of icons. Or practice making icons through the tutorials here. Once you've mastered these techniques, try making a small set of icons. Or go big and create a full set for resale. Let us know of additional icon resources in the comments below.
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Tagged with:
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About Sean Hodge
I'm the Business Editor at Tuts+. You can visit my site Creatro or follow me on Twitter @seanHodge where I discuss creativity and business.
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Valmy

Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

HVC

Being lazy is bad; unless you still get what you want, then it's called "patience".
Hubris must be punished. Severely.

garbon

What a long time sleeper bot.

QuoteDate Registered: May 02, 2012, 07:10:05 pm
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

garbon

This spam I got today struck me as overly long given that goal is just to get me to click on a link.

QuoteBABE... i guess your not getting any of my email huh? ive been
tryign to email u so many times but this dam laptop is such a piece of
garbage and keeps freezing.. anyways how u been?

In case u dont know who this is its ME Adriana.. we used to chat a bit on facebook and then
I think u deleted me :( haha.. anyways guess what... I got 2 things to
tell u.. both good news.. 1) im single now.. yup me and my bf broke up
about 3 months ago... and 2) guess where im moving? RIGHT EFFING NEAR
U.. lol... ur actually the only person im gonna know there.. well 3
cousins too but i cant chill with them lol..


I remember when we chatted u told me u thought i was cute and u wanted to chill so now we finally
can HAHA! im kinda scared to move.. im hoping this email addy is still
the one you use and u can chat with me ebfore i get there.. maybe even
help me move my shit in...are u still on facebook? i cudnt find ui was
soo confused...anyways im gonna need someone to show me the town and
take me out so u better be around bebe...


we only chatted a couple times but i remember thinking to myself i wanted to get ot know u
better when i was single..a nd i thoguth u were cute too but cudnt
tell u cause i wasnt single lol...ok so more info about me.. well im
23.. virgo.. love the outdoors and love to socialize, go out for
drinks, restaurants, movies etc.. travel.. i have a lil kitty named
BOO and i luv her to death... uhhh oh im a super horny gurl too but
every gurl is they just wont admit it. so ilove watching p0rn and all
that.. love sex etc blah blah blah...who doesnt..
I really hope we get a chance to chat for a bit either online or on the fone before i get
there enxt week.. i hope u remmeber me and still wanna chill and arent
married yet lol.. OH YA also.. i need to find a job when i get there..

do u have any hookups or know anybody hiring? id LOVE to work in a bar
or osmehting like that...really anythgin cause my current job is fun
and all.. and technically i CUD keep doign it but i want a change.. i
currently work from home and well thats cool but i need ot be out
meeting people.. oh wait. i dont think i ever actually told u what i
did? hmm shud i......???? ok WELLLL... and dont get all weirded out
on me.. i work on a webcam chat community site and i get paid to chat
with people and get naked HHAHA... BOMB right :)? I KNOW.. like i
figure iim horny anyways why not get paid to chat with people and play
with myself heheh...anyways i hope u dont look down on that and NO
THATS NOT WHY IM CONTACTING U RELAX URSELF lol... i actually need help
once i move and i remembered u live there so im reaching out....like i
said before this computer is a complete piece of CRAP and freezes NON
STOP.. ive tried ot send this email to u maybe 3 times already and im
hopign this time i can hit SEND before i run into trouble lol..

ANYWAYS.. heres the deal....every month natalie (my boss) gives each
of us 3 VIP codes to give out to whoever we want.. so with this code u
can lgoin to watch me at work for free and dont have to pay like
everyone else... the only way i can give u one of the codes (so we can
chat) is if you absolutey DO NOT give it out to anyone else and u ONLY
USE IT FOR URSELF... i only get 3 a month and she gets pissed if more
than 3 people use them so DONT SHARE IT MISTER... i figured u cud
always email me back instead but my email account doesnt even let me
login half the time.. so the bets palce ot chat me is my chat room...

if theres anyone else logged in when u sign in ill boot them out.. but
remember DONT SHARE THIS PASSWORD PLEASE BABE IM BEGGING U.. I TRUST
U... im online most of the day now to try and save money for my move..
also since im in such a huge debt already form my student loan :( I
really thingk we need to chat before i get there and make sure u evern
remember me hahha.. anyways ive rambled on and on now and ur probably
soooo annnoyed with me so ill stop now.. im gonna go start work.. i
really hope u come chat me. it wud make my day and releive a lot of my
stress about the move... REALLY i mean that....anyways once i see u in
insdie ill shoot u myc ell number and u can gimme yours.. if u dont

wanna come chat i understand but its really the only palce to find me
now days.. if u email me abck ill probably get it once i get there
after my internet is setup so about 2-3 weeks fomr now.. but im hopign
to see u in my chat room.. rmemeber its 100% free with this code im
gonna give u.. just DONT GIVE IT OUT OR ILL KICK U IN THE BALLS
INSTEAD OF LICK U IN THE BALLS WHEN IS EE U hahahahha...k babe im out
for now... chat ya soon.. kisses xoxo Adrianap.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Baron von Schtinkenbutt

Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 01:25:14 PM
What a long time sleeper bot.

QuoteDate Registered: May 02, 2012, 07:10:05 pm

All the recent spam bots have been long time sleepers.

Malthus

Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 01:25:14 PM
What a long time sleeper bot.

QuoteDate Registered: May 02, 2012, 07:10:05 pm

Apparently, you can't rush the wisdom of the ages.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Malthus

Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 01:29:36 PM
This spam I got today struck me as overly long given that goal is just to get me to click on a link.


You deleted Adriana.  :(
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Grey Fox

Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

garbon

Quote from: Malthus on June 03, 2014, 01:33:28 PM
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 01:29:36 PM
This spam I got today struck me as overly long given that goal is just to get me to click on a link.


You deleted Adriana.  :(

Actually I just looked at she has tried to reach out many times. Her first email was just a few sexually explicit lines. :blush:
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Malthus

Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on June 03, 2014, 01:31:55 PM
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 01:25:14 PM
What a long time sleeper bot.

QuoteDate Registered: May 02, 2012, 07:10:05 pm

All the recent spam bots have been long time sleepers.

Is there any method behind this invasion? I mean, what are they attempting to achieve?
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Syt

I get ominous spam that uses movie titles as subject lines:
Oklahoma! (1955)
Persona (1967)
If... (1969)
Vanya of 42nd Street (1994)
Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
Mayerling (1937)
etc.

Not quite as interesting as the excerpts from ST-DS9 novels I received for a while. :P

Got this today, though. Haven't had one of those for some time.

QuoteFROM THE DESK OF DR. HENRY K. WAMPAH
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR
BANK OF GHANA
ONE THORPE ROAD
P. O. BOX GP 2674
ACCRA, GHANA
PHONE: +233-261-347-095
EMAIL: [email protected]

DATE: 3th June, 2014

RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT PARTICULARS ON YOUR INHERITANCE FUND...ROG/BOG3124-FILE111-CBG


ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY SIR,

My Name Is DR. HENRY KOFI WAMPAH, The Executive Governor bank of Ghana. Please confirm this information as urgent as possible. Did you Send MR. LUCKOW DUANNE ALAN, from USA to come and claim your contract funds Valued at US$10,000,000.00? (TEN MILLION) your funds which was been Long approved in your name by the Government of Ghana and United Nations, and was deposit here in bank of Ghana.


Below are the Banking account details of MR. LUCKOW DUANNE ALAN, from USA where he want us to transfer your funds into.


BANK NAME:       STANDARD CHATTERED BANK, NY
ADDRESS:         72 SPRING STREET, 11TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10012
SWIFT CODE:      SCBL 11K111
ROUTING NO:      102000021
ACCOUNT NO:      114-102-5567-8
ACCOUNT NAME:    LUCKOW DUANNE ALAN


He is also trying to pay the charges and get your funds claim. Honestly is very huge surprise to the entire management of bank. That the reason you want to give out your funds is because of the little fee. Please your urgent confirmation is highly needed now before your fund will be released to a wrong person within the next 48 hours,

Please quote this payment codes (ROG/BOG3124-FILE111-CBG) in all conversation or else you will not be recognized as a beneficiary/contractor with this Government and note any further message without my Identification or Passport Photograph should be disregarded to avoid any fraudulent hijack of information.

Remain blessed.

Regards,
Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah
Executive Governor
Bank of Ghana
Phone: +233-261-347-095
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Iormlund


garbon

"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Jacob

Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2014, 02:48:30 PM
Quote from: Iormlund on June 03, 2014, 02:31:50 PM
Quote from: Malthus on June 03, 2014, 01:34:58 PM
Is there any method behind this invasion? I mean, what are they attempting to achieve?

Sentience.

Would sentient beings post on Languish? :unsure:

Of course. They'd fit right in. Most of us are sentient too, more or less.