Beyond the Basics - Custom Icon Design

Beyond​ ​the​ ​Basics:​ ​Custom​ ​Icon​ ​Design By​ ​Jenna​ ​Erickson,​ ​Codal​ ​Inc

_________________________________________________________________________________________ Icons​ ​are​ ​a​ ​small,​ ​but​ ​powerful​ ​feature​ ​to​ ​any​ ​website​ ​that​ ​can​ ​give​ ​users​ ​a lasting​ ​impression​ ​of​ ​a​ ​brand.​ ​While​ ​custom​ ​icons​ ​should​ ​blend​ ​and​ ​match with​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​your​ ​branding​ ​and​ ​website​ ​design,​ ​they​ ​should​ ​stand​ ​out enough​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​user’s​ ​attention.​ ​Any​ ​company​ ​that​ ​offers​ u ​ ser​ ​experience design​ ​services​​ ​will​ ​probably​ ​recommend​ ​using​ ​custom​ ​iconography.

Although​ ​there​ ​are​ ​many​ ​websites​ ​that​ ​offer​ ​free​ ​icons​ ​to​ ​download,​ ​such​ ​as Flat​ ​Icon​,​ ​Free​ ​Pik​,​ ​and​ ​Icons8​,​ ​using​ ​custom​ ​icons​ ​is​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​way​ ​to​ ​ramp​ ​up your​ ​brand.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​let​ ​your​ ​UX​ ​design​ ​company​ ​design​ ​custom​ ​icons​ ​for​ ​you, they​ ​will​ ​be​ ​available​ ​to​ ​use​ ​on​ ​the​ ​following: ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Website​ ​and​ ​Mobile​ ​App Blog​ ​Posts Print​ ​Material Company​ ​Swag Tradeshow​ ​Backdrops​ ​+​ ​Material Product​ ​Packaging Social​ ​Media​ ​Visuals

The​ ​list​ ​of​ ​places​ ​that​ ​you​ ​can​ ​use​ ​icons​ ​for​ ​can​ ​go​ ​on​ ​and​ ​on.​ ​If​ ​your​ ​business has​ ​a​ ​mobile​ ​application​ ​and​ ​a​ ​website,​ ​than​ ​pass​ ​the​ ​new​ ​custom​ ​assets​ ​along to​ ​your​ ​mobile​ ​app​ ​development​ ​agency​​ ​and​ ​have​ ​them​ ​implement​ ​them​ ​into your​ ​design.

Be​ ​Original People​ ​simply​ ​appreciate​ ​originality.​ ​All​ ​of​ ​the​ ​icons​ ​in​ ​the​ ​libraries​ ​of​ ​the above​ ​websites​ ​I​ ​mentioned,​ ​probably​ ​have​ ​the​ ​same​ ​ongoing​ ​list​ ​of​ ​icons,​ ​that

tons​ ​of​ ​UX​ ​companies​​ ​are​ ​using.​ ​You​ ​wouldn’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​company​ ​that blends​ ​in​ ​with​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​them,​ ​would​ ​you?​ ​I​ ​didn’t​ ​think​ ​so.

Be​ ​Clear​ ​and​ ​Usable By​ ​using​ ​custom​ ​icons​ ​on​ ​your​ ​web​ ​pages​ ​and​ ​apps,​ ​chances​ ​are​ ​that​ ​the​ ​icons will​ ​be​ ​much​ ​more​ ​clear​ ​on​ ​what​ ​the​ ​message​ ​is​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​convey.​ ​For​ ​example, Codal​ ​is​ ​a​ ​mobile​ ​application​ ​development​ ​agency​,​ ​offering​ ​iOS​ ​development services​​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Swift​ ​language,​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​just​ ​using​ ​an​ ​iPhone​ ​to​ ​show​ ​off​ ​that we​ ​are​ ​iOS​ ​app​ ​developers​,​ ​Codal​ ​could​ ​create​ ​a​ ​custom​ ​icon,​ ​incorporating Codal​ ​branding,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​elements​ ​that​ ​would​ ​show​ ​that​ ​that​ ​that​ ​we specialize​ ​in​ ​Swift.

How​ ​to​ ​Get​ ​Started?

Start​ ​planning​ ​and​ ​select​ ​a​ ​style The​ ​first​ ​step​ ​to​ ​creating​ ​custom​ ​icons​ ​is​ ​to​ ​start​ ​thinking​ ​about​ ​the​ ​style,​ ​look and​ ​feel​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​go​ ​for.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​so​ ​many​ ​different​ ​routes​ ​of​ ​styles​ ​you could​ ​go,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​would​ ​want​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​it​ ​aligns​ ​with​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​your brand​ ​(fun​ ​versus​ ​corporate).

Gather​ ​resources Once​ ​you​ ​have​ ​a​ ​plan​ ​and​ ​a​ ​style​ ​in​ ​mind,​ ​start​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​resources​ ​that specialize​ ​in​ ​custom​ ​icon​ ​design.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​user​ ​experience​ ​design​ ​agency​ ​in Chicago​,​ ​we​ ​would​ ​love​ ​to​ ​sit​ ​down​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​consultation​ ​with​ ​you​ ​about your​ ​UX​ ​and​ ​brand​ ​experience.