I began this workshop by photographing and then creating experimental studies of house hold objects including bulbs, watering cans, kettles in a range of medias (acrylic, watercolour, collage and felt tip)- this exercise allowed me to explore the different features of each product which may be important when creating my icon.

(Susan Kare’s skeuomorphic “Trash Can” icon design for the Apple Macintosh)

I had planned to create an icon which would represent multi-coloured strips of LED which are very popular at the moment within my age group. I thought that this icon could be hypothetically used on an app which allowed the user to control the LED colour display as currently they are sold with a physical remote. However, it was difficult to reflect the LEDs in a drawing as they are physically like a circuit board, making it impossible for a mobile user to identify in its literal form.
Therefore, I decided to take inspiration from the concept of Skeuomorphism (creating a graphic interface which mimics the real world counterpart)- utilised by Susan Kare when designing the first Apple Macintosh icons. I experimented with a traditional lightbulb design as I thought this may convey the purpose (switching on a light up LED) of the app more clearly to the user.

Despite experimenting with a light bulb design / LED icon, I was still not satisfied with any of my designs. Instead, I began to sketch out studies for the watering can which I photographed at the beginning of the workshop. I found creating these multi-media experiments much more exciting and decided to begin brainstorming different icon designs for a theoretical app that informs a mobile user how to care for household plants.

(Brainstorming the app’s hypothetical demographic)

Using Krita illustrating software, I began to sketch out my icon. I think that Figures 1.4 & 1.6 from my felt tip drawings was the most successful and so I began to adapt it digitally onto a 16 x 16 grid.

Fig. 1.0

 (Fig. 1.0) My design becoming more curved and fun, mirroring the organic shape of leaf/plants.

Fig. 1.2

Fig. 1.3

(Fig. 1.2 & 1.3) Beginning to incorporate curving (to create a pattern of rounded, organic shapes) geometric shapes suggesting a fingers holding water can handle and merging handle to the main body of the watering can. I was really inspired by the bold, rounded shapes used in the fonts of Armin Hofmann’s work which I had been researching.

Fig. 1.4

(Fig. 1.4) Experimenting with colour and gradients – Focused on creating green tone as it created a sense of vitality and growth due to its association with plants which would also be the centre of the app. I decided that the blue toned green used in the bottom two squares was more appropriate as it looked cleaner and brighter.

Fig. 1.5

(Fig. 1.5) I began to adjust my sketches so that they aligned with my grid to create a cleaner finish. I also began to experimented with creating a background because I thought that the watering can and water drop was too little. I utilised the layering tools in Krita to create a darker foreground that jumps out at the user while the plant growing in the background is pale.

Fig. 1.6

(Fig. 1.6) I didn’t like how flat the watering can appeared in the final square of Fig. 5 and so I began to render highlights to the icon using paint tools to create a more exciting, 3D illusion.

Fig. 1.7

Fig. 1.8

 

Fig. 1.9

(Fig. 1.7 & 1.8) My Final Designs- Overall, I am really happy with my icon design. I think that the bright colour palette and animated shapes creating a fresh and playful style that would attract mobile users.