Icon Analysis

With your icon set draft in front of you:

  1. Pick 2 icons: one you're confident about, one you're uncertain about
  2. For each, write: What makes it work (or not work)?

Prepare yourself for the critique mindset.

Prayer

[Name], will you pray for us today?

Unit A: Wayfinding Map & Icons

Good icons need both form (beauty) and function (clarity) — excellence in one doesn't excuse failure in the other

Today

Icon Critiques: Function & Form
Icon Design Principles
Introduce A3: Vectorized Icons
Learning Vector Tools
Vectorizing Work Session

By the end of today...

Critique Skills

You'll know how to evaluate icons for both usability (does it communicate?) and aesthetics (is it cohesive?)

Icon Principles

You'll understand simplicity, recognizability, and consistency as the foundation of good icon design

Vector Skills

You'll have started vectorizing your icons in Illustrator or Figma

Critique Round 1

Functional / Usability

Icons are functional communication tools.

If someone can't understand it, the icon fails — regardless of how beautiful it is.

Rotating Silent Critique

  1. Move through 3-4 peers' icon sets
  2. Write feedback on sticky notes

Guiding questions:

  1. Can you identify what this represents?
  2. Does it communicate the intended emotion?
  3. Would a user understand this at small sizes?

Critique Round 2

Formal / Aesthetics

Cohesive icon sets are like good typefaces.

Similar strokes, proportions, and stylistic forms.

Rotating Silent Critique

Same format as Round 1

Guiding questions:

  1. Is this a cohesive set?
  2. Consistent stroke weight?
  3. Similar proportions?
  4. Do they look like they belong together?

Three Principles for Effective Icons

Simplicity

Reduce to essential forms; remove unnecessary detail

Recognizability

Users should identify meaning instantly

Consistency

Unified stroke weight, proportions, and style across the set

Round 1 tested recognizability. Round 2 tested consistency.

Form and Function

Function = Forming Intent

What must this communicate?

Form = Rendering Intent

How do I execute it beautifully?

A brilliant idea poorly executed fails.

A beautifully crafted solution to the wrong problem also fails.

Are form and function ever in tension?

A3: Vectorized Icon Set

From sketch to scalable

A3 Requirements

  1. Vectorized versions of all 4-7 icons
  2. Icons at least 2 inches tall, aligned on horizontal line
  3. Attentive to spacing and optical alignment
  4. Consistent stroke weight and visual style across set

Due Day 4 (Wednesday, Jan 21) — submit PDF by end of class

Day 4 is a work session day; come prepared to finalize.

Vectors vs. Pixels

Vectors scale infinitely without quality loss.

Icons need to work at many sizes — vectors are essential.

Tips for consistency:

  1. Use a grid
  2. Set a standard stroke weight
  3. Align anchor points

What is the best process for learning new digital programs?

Next up

Vectorizing Work Session — Begin translating your icons into Illustrator or Figma

Choose based on preference and career goals · Apply critique feedback

Homework — Continue vectorizing; bring progress to Day 4

A3 due Day 4 — Submit PDF to Learning Suite by end of class

Resources

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