Making a new icon theme
Saturday, March 13, 2004 by joetheblow | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
How is anyone else doing with making icons? where do you start from?
Reply #2 Saturday, March 13, 2004 10:54 PM
joetheblow: Making icons is not that hard, but sometimes is kinda tricky, once you get the hand, then you go forward. F few tips bellow...
- First think about what is going to be the concept of your icons, by this, I mean: realistic, cartoonish, etc... what materials are you going to use: plastic, metal, glass, wood, etc... Try to follow the same style for each icon.
- always make the bigger size first.
- try to use an image editor that uses vectors. I use vectors from Photoshop 7.
- after making your icon design, transfer it to your icon editor for it to make the resizing job for you. I use SkinStudio as icons editor.
- make the most complete icons theme as possible, at least around 50 of them.
- the most sizes you make them, the better, I would go from 16x16 up to 128x128. People like to use them as Object Dock objects too.
now a suggestion, don't make glass or OSX kind icons, I think people are allready sick of them. Imagination and creativity are the words of order.
Making icons is something that requires patience, sometimes is very boring for most of the people, but I love to make them. I think I got used, since I have done near 4000 unique icons so far. 
Good luck!
4000?? Wow, I think I am just up to 400...
Reply #4 Sunday, March 14, 2004 4:05 PM
I was thinking also that I would start at 256x256 so I can get the detail then shrink it. But maybe 128x128 is better so I know what it will look like at the size allot of people will use.
50 icons a set is ALLOT of icons!! And then to have multiple sizes of each sounds like a task too. I didn't see that SkinStudio has the ability to make icons? I though icon Developer does that? I am not eve sure how to have Icon Developer create the different size sets out of the 128x128.
I guess when it comes to what to create it just seems pretty hard. Windowblinds, DX and other skinables seems easier (except Old School WinAmp skins) to come up with a concept.
I'll give it a shot thought. I wanted to make some for the contest but I am sure I will not be able to make that in time. I only have time for Windowblinds and maybe a free form WinAmp.
Reply #5 Monday, March 15, 2004 12:35 AM
Joetheblow:
suggestion, if you make images in 256x256, when youreduce them into 16x16, you will have a dramatic lost of quality, the resizing range is away too big.
I was not talking about Icon developer, I was talking about SkinStudio, yes, you can make icons on that app and it's resizing filters are very good.
The contest was extended, you still have almost 60 days to make a theme. 50 icons are not that much, it is quicker to make then a complete wb skin. I made around 35 new icons, just this weekend.
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Reply #1 Saturday, March 13, 2004 10:17 PM