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Icon design
Genre

Icon design is the process of designing graphic symbols to represent physical objects (pictograms) and abstract concepts (ideograms). In the context of software applications, an icon often represents a program, an action, or data on a computer.

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Usage and process

Though the design of icons has existed as long as pictograms and ideograms have, modern icon design primarily exists in maps, public infrastructure like wayfinding, and user interfaces for video games, computers, and mobile devices. Physical venues and events make use of either existing symbols from governments (such as the DOT pictograms) or custom icon designs. Custom icons are most visible as application icons, favicons, and user interface toolbar icons on computers and mobile devices.23

Modern app icons have a maximum size of 1024×1024 pixels or greater, however icon design involves creating artwork at various sizes for legibility.4 At smaller sizes, designers often eliminate or reduce unnecessary details while exaggerating important details. Especially for lower-density displays, icons are hinted at various sizes similar to digital type design by aligning shapes to pixel boundaries as to ensure visual clarity. Icons may also need to be altered for different display modes, such as dark mode. The design of icon sets includes consideration to a shared elements, such as a color palette, perspective, and style.56

The process of icon design includes defining a metaphor, drawing an illustration, creating any necessary alterations for various sizes, and occasionally assembling files into a folder, ICO file, or ICNS file. Vector icons in apps and websites are usually SVG files.

Due to their high visibility and relation to logo design and branding, new app icons are frequently criticized.78910

Notable icon designers

See also

References

  1. "Design In The Age Of The App Icon". Fast Company. 2016-05-13. Archived from the original on 2022-09-12. Retrieved 2025-03-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20220912080249/https://www.fastcompany.com/3059854/design-in-the-age-of-the-app-icon ↩

  2. Pavlus, John (September 18, 2015). "Masters of the Small Canvas".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-17/drawing-icons-and-emoticons-for-screens-of-all-sizes ↩

  3. Schonfeld, Erick (2008-06-07). "The Story Behind Google's New Favicon". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://techcrunch.com/2008/06/07/the-story-behind-googles-new-favicon/ ↩

  4. Pavlus, John (September 18, 2015). "Masters of the Small Canvas".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-17/drawing-icons-and-emoticons-for-screens-of-all-sizes ↩

  5. Warren, Tom (2019-12-12). "Microsoft reveals new Windows logo design and 100 modern app icons". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/12/21012997/microsoft-new-windows-logo-fluent-design-icons ↩

  6. "Facebook Testing New Emoji Designs". Emojipedia - The Latest Emoji News. 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://blog.emojipedia.org/facebook-testing-new-emoji-designs/ ↩

  7. "Rebranding Lessons From Airbnb, Instagram, and Google". Inc.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2025-03-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20230522170216/https://www.inc.com/anna-guerrero/airbnb-instagram-google-what-marketers-can-learn-from-these-companies-rebrands.html ↩

  8. Chen, Brian X. "Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not 'Suck'". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://www.wired.com/2010/09/steve-jobs-itunes/ ↩

  9. updated, Daniel John last (2021-03-01). "Amazon just fixed its controversial new app icon". Creative Bloq. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://www.creativebloq.com/news/amazon-fixes-controversial-app-icon ↩

  10. Beck, Kellen (2016-05-13). "10 app icon redesigns: The good, the bad and the ugly". Mashable. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://mashable.com/article/10-icon-app-redesign-instagram ↩

  11. "Buy a virtual cupcake for breast cancer, on Facebook". CNET. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/buy-a-virtual-cupcake-for-breast-cancer-on-facebook/ ↩

  12. "New Skype Emoticons | Hicks Journal". hicksdesign.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-05. https://hicksdesign.co.uk/journal/new-skype-emoticons ↩

  13. Jon, Hicks (2011). The icon handbook. Noun Project. United Kingdom. ISBN 9781907828034. OCLC 778700859.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) 9781907828034 ↩

  14. Oiaga, Marius (2007-05-02). "Windows Vista Icons - The Prototypes". softpedia. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-Vista-Icons-The-Lost-Prototypes-53713.shtml ↩

  15. "The designer behind Twitter's emoji suite: 'Of course I love the smiley poop'". Digiday. 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2025-03-22. https://digiday.com/media/designer-behind-twitters-new-emoji-suite-course-love-smiley-poop/ ↩