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What tools do you use to design icons beside sketching?
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The sketch pad is definitely my favourite tool, but a lot of time is also spent researching the subject matter and gathering references to do the sketches from. I’ve found that actually seeing an object in person or taking reference photos yourself immensely helps in understanding the materials and other qualities of what you’re trying to draw. I was struggling with drawing a hammer once, but one quick trip to the hardware store to check out all the various styles, materials and types of hammers, and the results instantly showed up when I went to redraw the icon. Internet searches can work, but there’s nothing like first-hand experience to help you understand what you’ll be rendering out.
You’re known as an illustrator, rather than specifically an icon designer. Do you find any difference in workflow to how you approach an illustration and an icon?
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My approach to drawing an icon versus an illustration is pretty close to being the same. The initial steps of research, brainstorming and sketching all apply, the subtle difference being that I have to keep in mind how the final drawing will be used. Icons generally need transparent backgrounds and easily recognisable shapes and colours that work on a variety of backgrounds; illustrations need more focus on composition and colour relationships. They both need to get the message across quickly and efficiently, however, and with icon sizes getting larger and larger, they’re becoming more about illustration than ever before.