Iconic Icons – Creating Impactful Icons
Iconic Icons – Creating Impactful Icons - Session with Jason Hoppe - Adobe MAX 2024
Session Overview: In-depth exploration of icon design fundamentals and best practices, from planning to final touches.
Speaker: Jason Hoppe, icon design expert, Adobe Certified Instructor, and author.
Understanding Icon Purpose and Function
Icons as Visual Language: Icons are simplified symbols designed to convey meaning quickly. They’re essential for user experience in navigation, information, and branding.
Types of Icons:
Navigation Icons: Guide users across interfaces.
Information Icons: Provide context or additional information.
Social Media, System, and Action Icons: Serve specific user actions, tasks, and platform representations.
Consistency and Cohesion: Icons must have consistent size, line weight, and spacing to maintain a cohesive style.
Best Practices:
Simplicity: Icons should be recognizable at small sizes, avoiding complex details.
Consistency: Keep style uniform across sets with defined color palettes, alignment, and spacing.
Building Icons with Grids and Shape Tools
Grid Setup: Use a grid for consistent alignment, spacing, and scalability.
Shortcut: Command + ’ to turn on the grid, Shift + Command + ’ to snap to grid.
Shape Tools:
Use basic shapes (Rectangle, Circle, Polygon) as foundations.
Smart shortcuts for shapes: Hold Shift to constrain shapes (perfect circles, squares).
Techniques for Editing and Enhancing Icons
Stroke & Corner Options: Use “Scale Stroke and Effects” for uniform line weights across resized icons.
Path and Line Adjustments: Tools like the Curvature and Pen tools make precise curves and adjustments.
Advanced Techniques:
Shape Builder Tool: Hold Option to subtract areas for refining shapes and creating complex icons from simple forms.
Exporting and Saving Icons
Pixel Preview: Check icons in pixel preview to ensure crisp edges when exported.
File Formats: Recommended formats include SVG for web (scalable) and PDF for print-ready icons.
