Let's talk about Icons

I remember learning about icons a while back in freshman year, when the graphic design classes were tutorials and exercises into learning CS3 Illustrator and InDesign. There was this one assignment we did back then, involving the creation of a set of icons. I was fond of pixel bases art, and ended up making these 8-bit like designs.

Not the most fascinating things I ever made and they received a good amount of criticism. And yes, they are heavily based off of Mega Man Weapon sprites. I gave myself too many restrictions and ended up making this assignments more horrible than it had to be, which then turned off my interest in the little buggers. However, I recently found a page filled with Icons while looking for a specific photoshop tutorial and I have to say, I'm willing to give icons another go.


A name that comes to mind is Ryan McGuiness, an artist I discovered some time ago before I began to formally attend college and one of the inspirations that lead me to choose design as a major. Colorful icons and images that he would use a smaller details in a larger piece. In other words, a bunch of tiny icons and all the meanings they have forming an even larger icon as little ornaments.

It also reminds me of some of the pins from the video game "The World Ends With You." (also known in Japan as "It's a Wonderful Life", the name changed for obvious reasons) Each of the pins are used as means to preform certain attacks to the game while also a part of the trend setting feature used in the game. I won't go into the game's mechanics or anything, I would warn you if this was going to be a game review. I can tell you however from experience that it is one of the better Japanese RPGs out there. Anyway, the pins themselves share that same kind of colorful poppy-ness that I find so appealing in icons. Simple images, both abstract and figurative from sunshine rainbows to down to concrete grunge. The variety is VERY amusing.

So what do I have to say about icons personally? I find them very compelling. Portraying an idea without using more than a couple lines or shapes isn't something anyone can do and I think the process is a tad bit underrated. That being said, I think I could incorporate icons in my work more than I already do.

For good examples of Icons click here

For some more The World Ends With You pins click here