Seeing the World in Icons

Why are icons important? Part of the joy of icons is their simplicity and their ability to convey meaning with great economy of line. Not only this but well thought out, simple icons can provide a means of communication without words. This chapter will guide you through the process of developing your visual practice and creating a library of go-to icons for use in your communications materials, storyboards, and interface designs. Within this chapter, you will build their core knowledge, turn scribbles into distinct images, and grow in confidence. You will identify relevant concepts and items for visual representation based on your own studies and practices, sketch, and solidify these concepts and items into simple icons or images, identifying where and when to simplify, or use detail. Further, you will refine and develop these concepts and items with practice and build your own, personally relevant, visual library.