The Icon Handbook

by Jon Hicks

The Icon Handbook cover and spine side view➥ Read free sample chapter The go-to book for the modern designer, starting at the basics and taking you right the way through to being able to create stunning iconography.

Buy paperback* £19.20Buy e-book £9.60 *Includes free e-book

About this book

A page from the print version of the bookHave you ever needed to create an icon for something and not known where to start? How do you go about crafting the right message, the tone, the line work and getting it to work in the environment it's supposed to; be it mobile, operating system, or browser?

Jon Hicks' ‘The Icon Handbook’ uncovers the thought processes and skills you'll need, becoming an all-round reference book for designing your own icons.

Who is this book for?

A page from the print version of the bookThis book is aimed at designers who already have basic vector and bitmap drawing skills. It could be that you want to create a simple, unique favicon, or perhaps you've been asked to work on a mobile app that requires them. It starts at the basics and takes you right the way through to being able to create beautiful icons.

Table of contents

  1. A Potted History of Icons
  2. How we use icons
  3. Favicons
  4. The Metaphor
  5. Drawing Icons
  6. Icon formats and deployment
  7. Application Icons
  8. Appendix (common icon badges, drawing and creation tools, icon reference chart)

The author

Jon HicksJon HicksGentleman designer, icon artist and cyclist. One half of the creative partnership Hicksdesign, based in the Cotswolds, UK. He designed the logos for Firefox, Shopify and MailChimp, and has also worked with Opera, Skype and many more well-known businesses.

Nice things other people have said

“This isn’t just any book, it’s one that Jon has wanted to write for a long time but waited until he found a publisher who could do justice to his vision. Lucky for us he found it. Jon’s flawless eye for detail is evident on every page of The Icon Handbook.” Andy Clarke
“The Icon Handbook is another must-have publication from Five Simple Steps. Bold, beautiful, thoughtful, and comprehensive. Jon Hicks has created a fantastic web-specific resource that every web designer should own.” Simon Collison
“What graphic designer wouldn’t love to find The Icon Handbook on their reading shelf in 2012?” Happy Cog
“Wow! The Icon Handbook is a truly well put together resource. Amazing! Honored to have been included in it!” Drew Wilson

Goodies

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External resources

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