Thursday, February 24, 2011

Simple Icons Characteristics

Simple icons are among the principal features of minimalistic design. Do not forget that simple icons and also other design elements should be used moderately. One of the secrets is minimizing icons use in general. Reduce the amount of simple icons. Use them only where it is essential. Refrain the optional simple web icons.

Simple web icons design includes limited amount of color, reserved shades, clear elements, soft lighting. Simple icons are created out of elegant and simple elements which really don't distract site visitors from the main navigation and webpage idea.

Rules for simple icons design:

  • minimal usage of duplication
  • less amount of graphical elements
  • maximum intuitive clarity
  • clear typography in simple web icons
  • less icons

Minimalistic design with simple web icons

Additionally to simple icons themselves lightweight background textures and patterns are essential for the design and content perception. The background pattern or images shouldn't catch all the attention of your visitors. The eyes should focus on the website content or some main blocks. So the background needs to be of a light simple shade making it secondary compared with the foreground items like simple web icons.

Another well known feature of the lightweight and clear design is without doubt clear typography. Simple icons names (if there're any) should be precise, meaningful and equivalent to their function. Also use readable as well as enough large font for headings on simple web icons.

Also for developing a great clean simple icons design you may use enough white or empty space. Extra spaces keep elements individual and thus much more readable and easier to work with. Some extra space between simple web icons will do your design no harm at all.

Speaking about the minimalistic trend in general it isn't totally minimal. In spite of its large amount of white space there are still some simple icons, light textures, neat styles and bold fonts. Keep in mind that minimal isn't exactly the same as simple. Initially minimal meant plain typographic excluding images and styling. Nowadays there is a great amount of various websites over the Internet. Thats why modern design demands something more than black text on white background. Reducing elements of design to the most essential items you can add much more zest to your site layout with some unusual coloring, catchy simple icons, half-transparent and light-weight textures and patterns.

Simple equals smart. While creating the modern web site design you should bear in mind the eternal truth stating that genius is based on simplicity. Simple web icons look fantastic and professional especially for a clean business style design.

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