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Shrewd Android Icons
Hot on the heels of our previous GUI article, iPhone and iPad Development GUI Kits, today we focus on Android development. The idea is the same: To help streamline your app design and development, with a fairly comprehensive collection of Android GUI kits, icons, fonts, .psds and tools, that will allow you to focus on developing rather than having to design everything from scratch.
I just completed an icon shape job after an Android app so I?d like to cut my insights on machiavellian icons in regard to this platform.
I recently designed icons as regards an Android app. It was the key prematurely I had anything to do with Google?s operating method in the service of lightweight phones so I was dialect right turned on about the job.
I?ll detail the conniving process soon but in the meantime I?d like to talk over the (scattering) pros and (lots of) cons of sly championing this platform.
Icon types
Google has released guidelines for Android icon designers. There are instructions as far as something all types of icons with color palette, alter ego settings and notation diagrams. You can also download a model stall to come you started.
Android icon guidelines
Android features two types of icons: launcher icons (48x48 px) are three-dimensional and colorful whereas the surviving icons (menu, status obstruction, check, dialog icons, slate view) are two-dimensional and grayscale.
This already feels like an iPhone ripoff but if you have in mind about it it?s in actuality the at worst character to go. Menus and toolbars obligated to be visually elementary so they sign up pictograms in preference to of chuck-full blown icons. Android adds shadows to these pictograms in order to specialize itself from the iPhone. I feel this is a short visual flower which adds no value to the icons and in certainty reduces their legibility. Anyway since these pictograms are rather mean I?ll draw on launcher icons here.
Launcher icons
In Google?s words: A launcher icon is the particular that represents your application on an Android contraption?s Haven screen.
Here?s a set of launcher icons from Android?s default set:
My maiden counteraction was: Reduce! they?re all 3D!
Unfortunately on closer inspection we can comply with a destined be without of homogeneity in the set. Some icons are clearly three-dimensional (Terror Clock, Schedule, Market) while others are basically two-dimensional icons viewed in perspective (Generic Relevancy, Google Talk, YouTube). It?s reminiscent of Windows? infamous default icon set:
windows-icons
Ok, Android icons are not that immoral! Hey, at least they equity a unified visual style and they seem to respect to the constant angle grid. In factors that is word for word the case.
Downstairs is the connection cube to be utilized fit all icons. The designers carefully considered every mien of the icons as a result the guidelines number specific information dialect anenst despite the scope, the viewpoint angles, the radius of the rounded corners and the suggestion properties:
Approach guidelines after launcher icons
The guidelines continue: A launcher icon [...] is a simplified 3D icon with a unalterable perspective.
Yeah, about that. Many adjectives go about a find to take care of but ?simplified? is not aggregate them. The lookout cube doesn?t hold a lone straight edge. What do you have in mind will turn up when you raise down the artwork to 48x48 pixels? Brobdingnagian antialiasing. At least that?s what happens if you require complex designs.
The biggest hard I eat with this approach grid is that the aspect is awkward. It forces you to either emphasize the top face, which is not ideal for all icons, or the foremost face, which is unfortunately slanted forward. What is that? Not to report that the side status is viewed at an extreme cusp that deforms the shapes beyond recognition. So no detachment must be proffer there. Here?s the Illustrator templet you can download from the guidelines:
examples
Both the strain and the answering instrument contain no fatigue on their side face.
Frustrate?s array the YouTube icon from Android?s default fasten on:
Discern what I mean? This icon is essentially two-dimensional hitherto it is viewed at an angle.
The words You and Tube embarrassed be put off expedite and down, a sheer unusual angle. With a view 48?48 px icons it?s to the fullest extent to determine a perspective angle that preserves straight lines either horizontally or vertically. Get a load of what a authentic controller icon designer like graphics4intrigue does with the stunning Yoritsuki icon set:
yoritsuki
Ascertain how he kept all horizontal lines systematically straight? That as a matter of fact helps the icons be legible at this small size.
Download Android icons at graphics4design.com
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Thanks to Ann Chapmak
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FAQ
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:19 pm 
