Icon Set

Project Overview

You are asked by your employer to create an icon set for a topic of your choosing. These icons need to be consistently designed, but each icon should clearly communicate a single message.

Minimum Expectations

  • “BYU-Idaho Appropriate” (See syllabus)
  • Use Illustrator
  • 4-6 Original Icons (no symbols)
  • All original work
  • Each icon communicates a single message
  • Set of icons are consistently designed
  • No text, gradients, drop shadows, pixels, raster effects

Draft Design

Your draft should include 100% of the project Minimum Requirements, and you should have a good start on a visually appealing design. You can find these Minimum Requirements at the bottom of this page.

  1. Open and use the Adobe program(s) required for this project.
  2. Using the information from your Project Report (Outlined below – Part 1: audience, message, sketches) start designing in the Adobe program.
  3. Double check to see if your draft includes 100% of the minimum requirements.
  4. Save your draft as a JPG(s) and a PDF. (NOTE: The draft is not your sketches. A PDF version of your draft, designed in the outlined Adobe program, will be submitted for critique.)

Design Expectations

You will be graded on your understanding, application, and integration of the principles of design, typography, color, and photography. This will also include evidence of original thinking and skillful use of concepts.

Project Report

The Project Report has two parts. The first part will be completed and turned in with your draft. This will help you think through your motivation, purpose, and reasoning behind your design.

You will describe and provide your audience, message, sketches, typography information, and critique screenshot. This will be created using a Word Document and saved as a PDF for submission.

  1. Download this Project Report template (Click to open and then choose file -> Download as -> Microsoft Word (.docx)).
  2. Fill out the information requested.
  3. Save the finished document as a PDF.

Project Report Expectations

Part 1 (Turned in with Draft)

  • Audience (description)
  • Message (explanation)
  • Sketches (3-4 variations of sketched project)
  • Typography (where applicable)
  • Color Scheme (screenshot and strategy)
  • Draft Attribution (photography or other assets)

Part 2 (Parts 1 & 2 turned in with Final Project)

  • Attribution (photography or other assets)
  • Target Audience Appeal (explanation)
  • Main Design Decisions (explanation)
  • Design Analysis (explanation)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Download the Project Report
  2. Start sections 1-3 on the Project Report (Target Audience, Message, Sketches).
  3. Start Project Draft.
  4. Check for Minimum Expectations.
  5. Upload draft to VoiceThread and take a screenshot.
  6. Finish Project Report Part 1.
  7. Save Project Report and Project Draft as a PDF and upload to Canvas.

Suggested Itinerary

This is an optional schedule, but I highly recommend you stick to it!

Monday – Download Illustrator (if you haven’t already). Work on the first half of the videos in the Illustrator Worksheet assignment. Read over all of your Icon Draft requirements. Download the Project Report Template and fill out the section for Audience, Message.

Tuesday – Work on your Illustrator Worksheet, either complete it or complete videos another portion of the Illustrator Worksheet. Create your Sketches for your project.

Wednesday – Finish and submit your Illustrator Worksheet. Look over the Helpful Illustrator Videos, and if you have time start your icons.

Thursday – Work on your draft for 1-3 hours. If you run out of things to work on, reach out for help to refine your work or try doing some alternative versions of your work.

Friday and Saturday – Finish your draft and fill out the rest of Part 1 of your Project Template. (1-3 hours)

Submission

  1. Critique Post: Post your draft to the critique thread (VoiceThread). This is a PDF version of your draft created in the outlined Adobe program. This IS NOT your sketches.
  2. I-Learn: Submit the Project Report PDF and Design Draft PDF in I-Learn.

Project Tips

  • Unless you plan on having a flat color scheme, try branching out with different shades of the same color to add depth.
  • Dribbble.com (with three “b”) is a great resource to look for clean and modern design inspiration. When looking at others’ work be sure not to just take their idea and recreate it. This would be cheating.
  • Express yourself through your work; it’s okay to be different. Think of what message you want to share with the world.

Good Examples

Bad Examples

Notice that this example is very similar to one of the good examples. This bad example is using thin black strokes and is not as refined.