Creating Icons
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Please leave these personal issue based posts out of the Lounge and in the Soapbox where they belong.
I wasn't, now I am, then I won't be anymore.
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So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so). In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain. Maybe a good bit of drink or three would help the creative juices. :beer::beer::beer:
RJOberg wrote:
So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so).
In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain.Sounds like you are designing the glyphs for the next version of Visual Studio.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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RJOberg wrote:
So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so).
In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain.Sounds like you are designing the glyphs for the next version of Visual Studio.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so). In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain. Maybe a good bit of drink or three would help the creative juices. :beer::beer::beer:
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So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so). In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain. Maybe a good bit of drink or three would help the creative juices. :beer::beer::beer:
I came across this the other day: http://thenounproject.com/[^] Good if you want monochrome glyphs, or a source of inspiration otherwise. Usually I use this handy piece of software: http://www.axialis.com/iconworkshop/[^] since I can't draw worth a crap.
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It feels like it. I want the icons to make sense, my previous employer stressed usability. Having worked on projects that existed before I started at my current job, acceptable standards are more suggestions.
RJOberg wrote:
I want the icons to make sense
You're definitely NOT designing the Visual Studio glyphs then.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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RJOberg wrote:
I want the icons to make sense
You're definitely NOT designing the Visual Studio glyphs then.
*pre-emptive celebratory nipple tassle jiggle* - Sean Ewington
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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Lighten up. Jeez. A small joke between Mark and I. Although he didn't get it either but man, get off my back and relax. You are so uptight.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
Actually, I completely got it. That is the point.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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Actually, I completely got it. That is the point.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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Go to Google Images, type in what you want and click the search button. Works for me.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
me, me, me[^] - even if this is a good suggestion, this was just too tempting :-O
Espen Harlinn Principal Architect, Software - Goodtech Projects & Services AS My LinkedIn Profile
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"
Quote: Mark Merrens
But not getting it.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
I was referring to you, not me! BTW: hope that isn't you down-voting me: I have not been down-voting you: quite enjoy our little 'discussions'.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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I was referring to you, not me! BTW: hope that isn't you down-voting me: I have not been down-voting you: quite enjoy our little 'discussions'.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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I came across this the other day: http://thenounproject.com/[^] Good if you want monochrome glyphs, or a source of inspiration otherwise. Usually I use this handy piece of software: http://www.axialis.com/iconworkshop/[^] since I can't draw worth a crap.
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I am thinking easter egg. On certain dates/times/random number of launches, change the icon to this. If I put it in as is, it would get shot down. If it didn't show normally and only appeared at certain times... profit!
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:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: x 10 I can’t stop laughing! And I’m sober as a water-main!
There is only one Vera Farmiga and Salma Hayek is her prophet! Advertise here – minimum three posts per day are guaranteed.
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Free icons. Inkscape is nifty for creating icons (I've created a couple myself).
RJOberg wrote:
"Contact Us" for example
A phone (the old kind)? A rotary dialer? A number pad? The pound symbol? A pen writing on a pad of paper? A loudspeaker with arcs to represent sound waves? An area code (e.g., "(555)")?
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It wouldn't do me any good to down vote you. Slap you I will, but downvote, not now. :)
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
Good: hate the whole down voting thing and it looks like some sunshine is uni-bombing me as we speak. Oh well, the price of being hilarious, I suppose. :-)
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so). In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain. Maybe a good bit of drink or three would help the creative juices. :beer::beer::beer:
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I would think in terms of using layers. Put your img in one layer and text in another. The enclose both in a third (Master) layer. Then you only change the master as necessary from a library.
Was your message meant for me? I don't see how it applies to my post.
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So I'm working on a project and I need to create icons for various tasks within the project. I'm having a bit of a creative block and can't figure out what to do for each of them (going to end up with 10 or so). In the end, I'm certain that each icon will be examined by a committee and redesigned to what they want. If I try to present them with a button that has some text on it, that won't fly. Anyone have any strategies for figuring out how to make match an image to the text you want to convey? A few I have ideas about, but others I am just lost. "Contact Us" for example... total shutdown of the brain. Maybe a good bit of drink or three would help the creative juices. :beer::beer::beer:
IMHO creating good (read consistent, intuitive, pleasing) icons is no easy feat. I've long since given up trying to create icons and instead use IconFinder[^] to identify representative icons and pass them to a designer who will create the icons from scratch. You may be able to use IconFinder's icons directly, depending on their license. /ravi
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