December 24, 2009 at 16:145 tips for designing the app icon for your app store
Author: Jen Gordon
Translation: Aleksandr Krotov
Many years of experience in graphic design have made Jen Gordon specialize in “squeezing juices” from such an app store application element as a simple icon. It would seem that there is nothing unusual and beyond the complexity of the task of making the icon there. But it is she who will distinguish your application from the crowd of their own kind. After interviewing a number of developers about the design of icons, we made the TOP 5 tips for their truly effective design.
Tip 1: Analyze the App Store
When you design an icon, remember that you must be honest, first and foremost, with the buyer. The icon may attract attention, but vary with the content of the application itself. The icon should reflect the essence of your development and show its functional differences. Take a look at the apps with which icons sell best in the App Store and take these conclusions to your advantage.
Tip 2: Pay attention to the quality of the icon
Keep in mind that all potential buyers can see the app icon. And partly thanks to him, the client must decide to buy or not to buy your development. Seeing a badly made icon, the client may decide what you think is a poorly designed application. The head of Apporacle.com, Nicholas Thomsen, says: “The ineffective and ugly icon says that the developer spent two minutes on it and gives the impression of poor application quality, even before you open it.”
Tip 3: Be Different
Track trends in App Store icons. There are a number of colors that are used more often than others. For example, the colors of the sky stand out from the rest. Also, most icons have shaded edges. Icon trends, like all trends in the world, have the ability to change. Stay on top of all these changes. But be careful. Remember that the best is chosen in return for the good. And if everyone follows one trend, then this only leads to depersonalization and the creation of a gray mass.
Tip 4: Pay attention to the little things The
application icon may not seem like such a significant thing. When dealing with a 57x57 pixel image, it’s easy to overlook certain things, such as gradients and blackouts. And this is a big mistake. Here is what freshapps.com says about it:
“You may not know what the application is about, but the icon will already characterize it. If you notice that the creation of the icon took a lot of time and effort of the author. If you can see that all the little things are thought out and not made in a hurry, then this can only say that the developer makes the product worth your time. ”
Tip 5: Get Professional Help
So you've created an iPhone app. Do not lose days, weeks or months of work by developing ineffective badges and wasting time. Very rarely among the developers there are also graphic artists. Often a good designer will take not so much money for developing an elementary icon, in his opinion, but this “elementary” icon can bring you a huge number of downloads and take you to the top Apps Store.
Translation: Aleksandr Krotov
Many years of experience in graphic design have made Jen Gordon specialize in “squeezing juices” from such an app store application element as a simple icon. It would seem that there is nothing unusual and beyond the complexity of the task of making the icon there. But it is she who will distinguish your application from the crowd of their own kind. After interviewing a number of developers about the design of icons, we made the TOP 5 tips for their truly effective design.
Tip 1: Analyze the App Store
When you design an icon, remember that you must be honest, first and foremost, with the buyer. The icon may attract attention, but vary with the content of the application itself. The icon should reflect the essence of your development and show its functional differences. Take a look at the apps with which icons sell best in the App Store and take these conclusions to your advantage.
Tip 2: Pay attention to the quality of the icon
Keep in mind that all potential buyers can see the app icon. And partly thanks to him, the client must decide to buy or not to buy your development. Seeing a badly made icon, the client may decide what you think is a poorly designed application. The head of Apporacle.com, Nicholas Thomsen, says: “The ineffective and ugly icon says that the developer spent two minutes on it and gives the impression of poor application quality, even before you open it.”
Tip 3: Be Different
Track trends in App Store icons. There are a number of colors that are used more often than others. For example, the colors of the sky stand out from the rest. Also, most icons have shaded edges. Icon trends, like all trends in the world, have the ability to change. Stay on top of all these changes. But be careful. Remember that the best is chosen in return for the good. And if everyone follows one trend, then this only leads to depersonalization and the creation of a gray mass.
Tip 4: Pay attention to the little things The
application icon may not seem like such a significant thing. When dealing with a 57x57 pixel image, it’s easy to overlook certain things, such as gradients and blackouts. And this is a big mistake. Here is what freshapps.com says about it:
“You may not know what the application is about, but the icon will already characterize it. If you notice that the creation of the icon took a lot of time and effort of the author. If you can see that all the little things are thought out and not made in a hurry, then this can only say that the developer makes the product worth your time. ”
Tip 5: Get Professional Help
So you've created an iPhone app. Do not lose days, weeks or months of work by developing ineffective badges and wasting time. Very rarely among the developers there are also graphic artists. Often a good designer will take not so much money for developing an elementary icon, in his opinion, but this “elementary” icon can bring you a huge number of downloads and take you to the top Apps Store.