This week, we explored the fascinating world of icon design, looking at how icons have evolved over time and what makes them so effective. We also reviewed the work of both historical and contemporary icon designers, analysing iconic visual systems like those from the Olympic Games, and broke down key considerations for designing our own icons. From style to scalability, it’s clear that icons are more than just pretty pictures, they’re essential tools for communication.
Icons have been around since ancient times, when people used symbols to communicate. Today, icon designers blend this old tradition with modern design techniques. They work to make icons that look good but are also easy to understand. The best thing about icons is that people from different countries and cultures can understand them without needing to know the same language. That's why icons are so important today, they help us communicate quickly and clearly in our connected world.
Susan Kare is an American designer who created the first icons for Apple's Macintosh computer in 1984. At that time, most people found computers hard to use and intimidating. Kare's friendly and simple icons helped make computers more welcoming and easier to understand.
Unlike the strict geometric icons made by designers like Aicher, Kare's icons were friendly and had personality. She used a style called skeuomorphism, which means making new digital things look like familiar real-world objects. For example, the trash icon looked like a real garbage can. This helped people quickly understand what each computer function did.
What makes Kare's work even more impressive is that she created these detailed icons using just black and white pixels, with very limited technology. Her designs were so good that they influenced computer icons we still use today. I find it amazing how these simple but clever icons helped change the way people interact with computers.
Bonnie Kate Wolf designs icons for many well-known companies. Her work stands out because it's both simple and powerful. What makes her icons special is how well they work together as a set - they all look like they belong to the same family. While her icons might not be the most unusual or fancy, they're very effective because they share a consistent look and style. Her icons strike a perfect balance: they're professional but still have a gentle, friendly feel to them. She uses clean lines and basic shapes that are pleasing to look at, often working with geometric forms. Her work shows that icons can be both professional and approachable at the same time.
<aside> 💡
It's fascinating to see how iconography has evolved over time. Despite spanning hand-drawn, pixel-based, and vector artwork, these icon sets share remarkable similarities—even across a 50-year timeline. The Icon Design Guide has provided valuable foundational principles for creating my own icons and will be instrumental in this module's projects.
</aside>