Icon

Icons. 16 minutes to read.In this articleIcons are pictorial representations of objects, important not only for aesthetic reasons as part of the visual identity of a program, but also for utilitarian reasons as shorthand for conveying meaning that users perceive almost instantaneously. Windows Vista introduces a new style of iconography that brings a higher level of detail and sophistication to Windows.Note: Guidelines related to are presented in a separate article. Design conceptsAero is the name for the user experience of Windows Vista, representing both the values embodied in the design of the aesthetics, as well as the vision behind the user interface (UI). Aero stands for: authentic, energetic, reflective, and open. Aero aims to establish a design that is both professional and beautiful. The Aero aesthetic creates a high quality and elegant experience that facilitates user productivity and even drives an emotional response.Windows Vista icons differ from Windows XP-style icons in the following ways:.

Products start in the mind and continue with a labor of love; each one hand crafted and designed to work to perfection.Each one has its own identity, while fulfilling stylists and clients wants and needs.

The style is more realistic than illustrative, but not quite photorealistic. Icons are symbolic images they should look better than photorealistic!.

Icons have a maximum size of 256x256 pixels, making them suitable for high-dpi (dots per inch) displays. TipFollow these steps to create a single.ico file that contains multiple image sizes and color depths.Step 1: Conceptualize. Use established concepts where possible, to ensure consistency of meanings for the icon and its relevance to other uses. Consider how the icon will appear in the context of the UI, and how it might work as part of a set of icons. If revising an existing icon, consider whether complexity can be reduced. Consider the cultural impact of your graphics. Avoid using letters, words, hands, or faces in icons.

Depict representations of people or users as generically as possible, if needed. If combining multiple objects into a single image in an icon, consider how the image will scale to smaller sizes. Use no more than three objects in an icon (two is preferred). For the 16x16 size, consider removing objects or simplifying the image to improve recognition. Do not use the Windows flag in icons.Step 2: Illustrate.

To illustrate Windows Aero style icons, use a vector tool such as Macromedia Freehand or Adobe Illustrator. Use the palette and style characteristics as outlined earlier in this article. Illustrate image using Freehand or Illustrator. Copy and paste the vector images into Adobe Photoshop. Make and use a template layer in Photoshop to make sure that work is done within square regions of the regulated sizes. Create the images in a size a bit smaller than the overall icon size demands to allow space for a drop shadow (for those sizes that require one).

Place images at the bottom of the squares, so that all icons in a directory are positioned consistently. Avoid cutting off shadows.

If you are adding another object to an image or a series, keep the main object in a fixed position, and place flat smaller sized images in a fixed position, such as the lower-left or upper-right depending on the case.Step 3: Create the 24-bit images. Once you've pasted sizes in Photoshop, check the readability of images, especially at 16x16 and smaller sizes. Pixel-poking using percentages of colors may be required. Reduction of transparency may also be needed. It is common to exaggerate aspects at smaller sizes and to eliminate aspects as well, in order to focus on the key point.

The 8-bit icons will be displayed in any color mode lower than 32-bit and will not have the 8-bit alpha channel, so they may need to have their edges or more cleaned up because there's no anti-aliasing (edges may be jagged and image may be hard to read). In Photoshop, duplicate the 24-bit image layer and rename the layer to 4-bit images. Index 4-bit images to the Windows 16 color palette.

Clean up images using only the colors from the 16 color palette. Outlines made from darker or lighter versions of the object's colors are usually preferable to grey or black. If working on a bitmap, be sure that the background color isn't used in the image itself, because that color that will be the transparent color. Magenta (R255 G0 B255) is often used as the background transparency color.Step 4: Create the 8-bit and 4-bit images.

Now that the 24-bit images are ready to be made into 32-bit icons, 8-bit versions need to be created. This is a great time to test contextual screen shots.

It's amazing what can be discovered by viewing other icons or a family of icons in context. This step can save time and money. It is much better to catch issues before files go through production and are handed off. Add the drop shadow to your images in sizes that require them. Merge the drop shadow and the 24-bit images together. Create a new Photoshop file for each size.

Copy and paste the appropriate image. Save each file as a.psd file. Do not merge the image layer with the background layer. It's helpful to include the size and color depth in the file name while working, but the file may ultimately need to be renamed.Step 5: Create the.ico file. Choose the application that best meets needs and skills of artists.

Remember that icons to be used in a shipping product must be created in a tool that has been purchased or licensed.

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