28 Jan Mistakes not to make when creating an app icon
Designing an icon is very different from designing a graphic. In the icons, you have some limitations and rules that you cannot avoid. On any platform and for any design, icons play the role of communicator. Icons are small designs that reduce the use of words and improve the overall design.
On websites and apps, it is not possible to show a complete design or entire illustrative information for each step. The use of icons becomes more feasible. When designing icons, we must not forget some essential aspects that differentiate them from graphics. So here are mistakes not to make when creating an app icon.
Do not perform any planning
Never start your project without any planning and strategy. You may find no need for strong strategic planning and discussion for icons, but it is critical to a brand and user experience. Then discuss with your client and team about the entire project, purpose and requirement. It would be better if you thought about the final goals before moving on to the design part. If you follow a well-structured format, hierarchy, suitable placements, and a planned scheme for your icon designs, you can see the difference in the look of the design and user experience. Without any basic strategy and planning, your icons could make it difficult to meet the design motif and UX expectations.
Don’t calculate the screen size
When you are designing an icon, you need to consider the possible screen sizes in which your icon would be visible. It can be visible on any screen size, so the icon design needs to be adaptable to those screens. In graphics, you can add more details to make your design stand out. But icons are limited in size and space, so if you’re making it complicated with multiple elements, not all screens will justify your design. Small screens could make your design boring and confusing. Always try to be short and simple. Think about the different screen sizes and what your icon would look like on those screens. And never compromise on the readability and appearance of your icons.
Don’t choose the wrong placements
If you are responsible for the whole design or if you are working on your own design, then you should decide on the placement of your icons. Positioning means at the forefront where your icons would be placed to convey the right message and help the user. Proper placement of suitable icons provides convenience and helps the user to better understand the design. So keep a basic idea of the appropriate placement in your mind as you design an icon.
Don’t design with grids
In icon design, the grid method helps a lot. The grid is made up of squares of equal size and space. When designing icons, the hand can sometimes forget the size and area of the subject. On the final design, the random appearance of the icons can really create a wrong impression. So, to avoid this kind of problem, you have to use grids for your icons. It helps amateur designers a lot, and through grilling practice, they can design well without such help.
Don’t add too many elements
If you are adding various elements just for the sake of appearance, then it can only make your design worse. Icons can’t look good by adding more elements without direction. There should be some balance between the fundamental elements and the complementary elements. For aesthetic purposes, you can cleverly use perspective and shadow in your design, but unnecessary fills of shapes, lines, and objects can’t enhance your design the way you want. So avoid adding too many elements just for the purpose of appearance.