Icon Utopia Blog
Teaching how to make a steady income and build a career as an icon designer
6 Reasons Why Sketching Is Important!
You often ask me if I sketch my icons first, and how important sketching in general is. Well, let me tell you without a shadow of a doubt – sketching is an essential part of icon design! Why so important? Here are 6 reasons why you should start sketching now: 1. Sketching is FUN! Let me tell you a secret: there are times when I think I love sketching more than the actual vectorising of my icons. It wasn’t always like that though. People tend to dislike things they don’t know or are not used to. When you first start sketching, it may feel unnatural and uncomfortable. But I promise, once you get through that first phase, you’ll fall in love with it! Trust me, you’ll see the benefits of sketching, and it will eventually become an inseparable part of your design process. You know, the hardest thing is always to start, right? 2. Sketching Brings Out The Best Idea If you head straight to the Illustrator with your first idea, you put yourself at a huge risk of getting stuck with it. As sad as it may sound, the first idea is not always the best one. Brainstorming icon ideas in your sketchbook is a great way to find the best suitable icon! Next refining and exploring different variations will make the icons perfect in the end. 3. Clients Love Sketches Oh yes, they do! I always try to share my working process with the clients. No wonder they love it – sketches help them understand how much effort I put into the project, and they appreciate the... read more
6 steps to make your icon set cohesive
Creating one beautiful icon is easy. Creating a few good looking icons isn’t that hard either. It’s making them cohesive that can knock you down.
Completing a set of coherent icons is a hell of a challenge. In fact, one of the biggest out there in the icon-making world. But that’s why I’m here – to help you overcome them and make your way to the top. Keep reading to get 6 useful tips that will help you master your skills of creating exquisite cohesive icon sets.
Fasten your seatbelts, space cadets, and let’s go!
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My Icon Design Process
A lot of you keep asking what does my working process is like, so I’ve decided to dedicate an entire article to my icon designing routine. Finished and polished icons sets look gorgeous and may seem to be so easy to create. Not even close! As it is impossible to fit every little detail into just one article, I will continue sharing the insights of my working process with you as we go in the future. For now, here are some of my icon designing keynotes. 1. Ask Questions When working for a client, the first thing you should do is ask a lot of questions. That’s right, clarify what you don’t understand, otherwise you will get frustrated in the process of making icons for them. Create a questionnaire and ask your client to fill it in. It won’t take them more than 10 minutes, and you will get the idea of which path to take. It is very important to make your questionnaire clear and informative. I will cover up the ‘how to create a good questionnaire’ topic in one of my following newsletters, because it is so important, it needs a whole email. Let me just tell you that the most crucial thing is to never let your client dictate what symbols there should be. Even though “the customer is always right”, all you need is simple topics, and it is your job to cover them with the correct icons. It may be difficult to find that perfect metaphor, but it’s entirely a designer’s responsibility, not the client’s. 2. Find Perfect Metaphors So here you are – knowing... read more
4 Reasons Why Icon Design Is The Future
As the world is getting busier, icons are becoming a fundamental part of our lives. They help us orientate, make decisions and find what we are looking for.
Let’s have a closer look at why icon design has become so important in the present, and how it will influence the future.
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