What is an icon?

Icons are defined as a “picture, image, or other representation,” and “a picture or symbol that appears on a monitor and is used to represent a command, ex. a file drawer to represent filing.”

Icons are simple shapes often created in one color that are used to explain, symbolize or represent an idea. The most ubiquitous and a great place to start are the icons known as pictograms of males and females that signify the correct toilet to use as in the picture to the right.

Watch this short video to learn more about symbols, icons & language.

Then, check out the NounProject.

If you look at a toolbar in any Adobe program, you see icons representing the tools.  If you look at your folder in Schools. You can see icons representing different types of programs or files.

Think about texting. Emojis are also a form of icon. They are a graphical representation of "what you are feeling."

Branding

Now, think about the brand of a business. Those are a type of icon. It's a graphical representation of what the business wants you to think about them.  What is a brand?

Take a look at some of these logos/brands to determine what these graphics says about them.

Spend a few minutes playing the Retail Alphabet Game.  This puzzle shows you one letter from a logo/brand name. You are trying to guess it. It's amazing how we can recognize popular brands from a single letter. That shows how important it is to have a solid design for the logo/brand. If this version is easy for you, there are 4 more for you to take a crack at.

Four Icon Challenge

Take a look at the Four Icon Challenge on Kyle Tezak's website.

You are going to choose a movie, book, song or other well-known story to create 4 icons that represent the story.  You will use the Pen Tool and Shape Tools (and other necessary panels) in Illustrator to create a simple series of icons that condense stories into four icons while keeping the narrative intact. It forces you to re-examine some of your favorite stories and gain a deeper understanding of them. DO NOT use the paintbrush!!! Watch this video to see how to get started. Your icons should be able to stand up in black/white or with the use of some color.

Save your Illustrator file as #_lastname_4icons. Then save for web as a JPG with the same name.

Any ideas what famous movie my four icons represent?

Emojis

An emoji is a small digital image or icon used to express an idea, emotion, etc., in electronic communication.

What emoji do you wish you had on your phone but don't???  I wish I had the University of Houston Cougar Paw Hand Sign.

You will use the same tools as in the icon challenge to create 4 new emojis. Do NOT create more than one face (smiley, sad, mad, etc.) emoji. Save this as an Illustrator file: #_lastname_4emojis and then Save for Web as a JPG.

Turning it in...

1. Turn the #_lastname_4icons & the #_lastname_4emojis
2. Find the Illustrator page on your Canvas, new entries go at the top of the page.
3. Write your entry
   1. Title of your assignment
   2. Answer the questions:
      1. Define icon in your own words
      2. What movie do your 4 icons represent?
      3. What do your emojis represent?
   3. Insert the JPG images of your completed work.