Create a set of icons or badges using basic geometric shapes

ASSIGNMENT

Create a series of at least 6 icons or badges that focus on a central theme of your choosing: animals, robots, spaceships, buildings, food, social media, you name it! Your goal is to execute your ideas by drawing them out with basic vector shapes as an exercise in restraint and simplification.

When you're brainstorming ideas of things that could possibly be in your series, aim for 2 or 3 times as long as the final number you're shooting for. You'll likely weed some out as you go along.

Try out your ideas in quick sketches, then build a moodboard and color palette to define your creative vision. As you refine your badges, keep consistency, unity, and your theme in mind. Be sure to review your badges as a group. Check them often and look at how they are stacking up next to each other.

And remember: share your badges in the project gallery!

DELIVERABLE

Share your badges in the project gallery. A complete project may include:

brainstorm and word association lists
sketches
moodboard
color palette
final icons and badges

RESOURCES

Be sure to download the step-by-step class project guide (attached), and check out some of the other resources I've included below.

Additional Resources

Book: Principles of Two-Dimensional Design
Book: The ABC's of Bauhaus
Video: Inge Druckery: Teaching to See
Article: How to Think Creatively
Article: How Sketching Will Take Your Design Process to the Next Level
Inspiration: Our Creative Process
Inspiration: Icon Styles Bucket on Dribbble

Research & Information

Drawing Tutorials

Tutorial: Illustrator Shape Tools
Tutorial: The Shape Builder Tool in Illustrator
Tutorial: Basic Shape Illustration
Tutorial: Comprehensive Guide to the Pen Tool

Additional Tutorials

Tutorial: The Power of Smart Guides
Tutorial: Pixel Perfection in Illustrator
Tutorial: Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Illustrator

Resources & Information

Advanced Tool Tutorials

Tutorial: Custom Vector Textures in Illustrator
Tutorial: Complicated Shapes with Precision in Illustrator

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Alexander Russell

Designer.

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Company

Community

Teaching