Opinions on icon design

jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
edited July 2012 in Art, Graphics, Music and Sound
I've been playing around designing an icon for my new game. It's geared towards kids, so I wanted to make it bright, colorful and fun. These are three quick mockups I've made this afternoon using a photoshop template. Any thoughts? I've got 40 different backgrounds that are used in the game, this is just one of them. The owls are actual game characters since the topic of the game is owls. I wanted it to look kinda like the owls were photobombing a nice nature shot :)

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Comments

  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    The first one is cute as a large image but gets too cluttered as an icon. I'm split between the other two... but I think I like the two owls better than the single owl.

    The cherry blossoms make me think it's going to be an eBook. Not sure why.

    Props for using the Fresh Prince for your description... lol.
  • IsabelleKIsabelleK Member, Sous Chef Posts: 2,807
    I like the second :)
  • Braydon_SFXBraydon_SFX Member, Sous Chef, Bowlboy Sidekick Posts: 9,273
    Second is the best, I believe. The first is to cluttered.
  • patapplepatapple Member Posts: 873
    I love the second! :)
  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    thanks guys, i also though the first one was too cluttered at small resolution. I added the green owl because I thought the 2nd one had too much blue and pink, I wanted the owls to stand out more. I should see what other backgrounds I have.

    and I can't claim the fresh prince for my own, it's part of the template :)
    http://appicontemplate.com/
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    hahaha I love the app description in your mock up

    Im a bit torn to be honest. The first one is the best icon. but its tough to see it all in the smaller form. I like the second one two except it doesn't pop. So what I would say is maybe adjust the owl colors in the second icon
  • LiquidGameworksLiquidGameworks Anchorage, AKMember, Sous Chef Posts: 956
    edited July 2012
    I think TSB has it right. Try subbing out the pink for the green. Should provide better contrast. Looking good!

    After reading Tenr's comment, I went and read the description. Haven't had a flashback hit me so hard in a long time. Does that make us old?
  • gyroscopegyroscope I am here.Member, Sous Chef, PRO Posts: 6,598

    @jonmulcahy

    I like the 2nd one too! First too cluttered, second just right (barring colour-change choices) and the third makes me dizzy looking at it ;-)

    Overall, looks a really nice concept; best of luck with it, Jon. :-)
  • husherhusher Member, PRO Posts: 31
    second one! :)>-
  • TechNoirTechNoir Member, PRO Posts: 117
    Second is great.. Might move the blue wing, and move the background mountains to the centre.. Good work!! :)
  • beefy_clyrobeefy_clyro Member Posts: 5,394
    i like the second one but i think id like it better if the pink owl was the green one :)

    cheers

    I concur
  • NovicaStudioNovicaStudio Member Posts: 174
    It seems like it just me on this part, but even just having one poking from the side feels too clumped. I'd like it standing straight. I don't know, it just seems like too much of the screen covered by... OWLS... DUH DUH DUH ~:> Or Chickens :))
  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    a few more iterations:

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  • LiquidGameworksLiquidGameworks Anchorage, AKMember, Sous Chef Posts: 956
    Yeah.... It's #3
  • beefy_clyrobeefy_clyro Member Posts: 5,394
    Number 3 just makes me think something 'twitter' related but could appeal more to kids
  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    yea, ill throw some more samples in the full owl category, I have like 4 different colors with 8 different faces.

  • expired_012expired_012 Member Posts: 1,802
    edited July 2012
    I agree that 3 makes it seem like its a twitter app.

    From the last 4 I think #1 is the best, but I still think you can come up with something even better. Looking very cute though!!
  • ellfireellfire Member Posts: 187
    I kinda like number 2 from the first batch. Soft focus can be hard to get a good read from on a tiny icon. Ex. Just change the leaves from cherry blossoms to the same color as the darkest green on the green owl. Still in your color palette but gives a bit of a pop from the pink owl. Just a thought.

    image
  • rhinokeyrhinokey Member Posts: 158
    i like 3 (owl taking up whole area) and i think if you change the color of the owl it would not seem twittish.
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    The number 3 one is very cute and cuddly but to me it just looks like every single other cute and cuddly icon so Me personally I would go for something with a more of an original feel.

    Maybe the second one from the first batch and swap Pink for an Orange if that is a color option.
  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    some quick tests tonight. I am liking the cute entire icon as the owl. it is a kids matching game, and it's all about Owls, so it is appropriate. While I like the older photo bombing icons, they are just too small when shrunk to really make out the details. I think I'm going with the green one as that one is the most fun looking to me :). I've got to tweak the layout and such, but it's a start


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  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    oh, and for those of you looking to make icons like these, download the free PSD template here:
    http://appicontemplate.com/

    this is what it generates for you:

    image
  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    Dude, you just need to make an owl image gallery app. Forget whatever other ideas you had and throw in a few sound effects and you're golden. Those close-ups are adorable! :P
  • Fal01Fal01 Member Posts: 460
    The way I see it with owls is, owls are universally accepted as 'wise', and if you start going around giving them goofy eyes the owl union will come down on you like a ton of bricks! (or ton of owls)

    So i would play it safe and pick No3 from the second batch
  • BIG_THINKIN_APPSBIG_THINKIN_APPS Member Posts: 944
    I like the last one on the second batch!

    You are awesome at making icons.
  • fadamionfadamion Member, PRO Posts: 309
    1st one second batch
  • creativeappscreativeapps Member Posts: 1,770
    I like the second one
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