Is the art of Icon making lost?

[trentmorris]

Maybe I just need to rant, so I'll make it short. I don't want to offend anyone, or their themes, because there are still a lot of very talented people submitting themes these days. It just seems like 99% of the Winterboard themes I see consist of an intricately skinned UI, beautiful battery/lockscreen, with wonderful backgrounds, gradients, and textures throughout.

But then come the icons, roughly thrown into a an overly shiny border, possibly resized, the end. It's pathetic really. If you take the time to create a uniquely polished user interface, why settle for stock icons framed in a bland box?

And please don't take this as an attack on everyone making themes today, because there is some stunning work out there, but a lot of packages fall short because the icons are half-assed. I'm also not saying I'm better than anyone else. I have been working for months on my first theme "Colorgasm HD" that was released the other week, and I now know how hard it really is to create a "complete" theme. I spend a good 150-200 hours on icons alone, and worked them in with very minimalistic additions to the UI because I know where my creative strengths are.

Icons are the first thing you notice on the screen of an iPhone, and what sets every theme apart. So when every theme has the same icons only in a different silver border, it's sad. I can't be the only person tired of this lazy tradition right?

[gabessdsp]

It bugs me too, it does seem like people often slack on creating custom icons, personally they are one of the things I try to concentrate on the most in my themes.

[indyracer05]

Yes I agree with u, but unless there's a faster more efficient way of making them that still makes them look good other than the overlay thing, it would take forever considering many app store apps and Cydia apps there are now. And the one thing I HATE the most is when only half your icons are beautifully themed and the rest are still the stock, boring bulky icons!!

[Stray]

You guys are talking about autoskinning? Its easier for a themselves to use it and theme more popular apps

[trentmorris]

Yes I agree with u, but unless there's a faster more efficient way of making them that still makes them look good other than the overlay thing, it would take forever considering many app store apps and Cydia apps there are now. And the one thing I HATE the most is when only half your icons are beautifully themed and the rest are still the stock, boring bulky icons!!

Exactly right. If you set out to make an entirely original icon pack for your theme, you need to plan on making at least 100-200+ icons to ensure people aren't left with an iPhone that's "half-themed" -- And the simple fact is, people don't want to spend that extra amount of time so they resort to auto-skinning. And we're left with this trend, every theme looking like the one before it.

You guys are talking about autoskinning? Its easier for a themselves to use it and theme more popular apps

Yes, we're talking about how auto-skinning is making people lazy, and giving us tons of themes that are exactly alike.
(Shiny border, simple overlay, zero originality.)

[indyracer05]

Yep, what I love the most is when someone who thinks they are cool names a theme with an original name but the icons aren't and the style isn't, haha it's amazing how many themes ive seen that are the exact same... This new sleek looking simple theme and every themer somehow thinks there new theme is better than others and is "revolutionary" I just think that is soooo funny and ironic X)

[trentmorris]

Yep, what I love the most is when someone who thinks they are cool names a theme with an original name but the icons aren't and the style isn't, haha it's amazing how many themes ive seen that are the exact same... This new sleek looking simple theme and every themer somehow thinks there new theme is better than others and is "revolutionary" I just think that is soooo funny and ironic X)

Haha, very true! People just need to get back to being creative and having pride in creating original work.

[indyracer05]

I think its time someone (Wyndwarrior or anyone like him) makes an app that somehow takes like one icon, and automatically matches that icon to every other icon you have. I have no idea how, but it has to happen and will happen in order for anything new to come out of icon theming

[i.Annie]

I like auto-create icons. It skins all my icons. Before, I'd have nice looking icons for those that are created for but not all my apps are skinned, probably bc they are less common apps or the theme simply doesn't have an icon for certain apps. Now all my icons match and there isn't any stray stock app hanging out on my springboard.

Currently using AppleWEB HD and my springboard is amazing.

But in a sense I can understand what this thread is getting at. Just depends on your style I suppose.

And yes there are a lot of themes that have dull boring framed icons, but some like iNav HD and Snow Leopard Ultimatum still makes the springboard look fantastic. I don't quite like the standard springboard look with just icons on the page. Guess I'm a huge dreamboard fan bc the entire look can be changed into something drastically new and different.

[CaptainChaos]

Not to mention it is impossible to create icons for every app out there. I like icons that are not autoskinned, but completely understand autoskinning. The community used to band together and fulfill icon needs, but that is slowly disappearing with autoskinning. To me, themes with home made icons will always look better. Otherwise every theme looks the same.

[i.Annie]

Oh yes that's true, it is super time consuming and I myself used to modify icons individually for my own use. And I hate it when I spend this much time on it then I go off and find another theme that I really like and have to make new icons for it for the ones that aren't included in the theme. I think I'm just lazy

[DevouredDreams]

omega hd and xquisite have the best icons to date. freeapple did it with those icons.

but zausser will always own my phone (in a sense of theming)

i think freeapple and zausser should come together then there would be no complaints on either end.

[Stray]

I like auto-create icons. It skins all my icons. Before, I'd have nice looking icons for those that are created for but not all my apps are skinned, probably bc they are less common apps or the theme simply doesn't have an icon for certain apps. Now all my icons match and there isn't any stray stock app hanging out on my springboard.

Currently using AppleWEB HD and my springboard is amazing.

But in a sense I can understand what this thread is getting at. Just depends on your style I suppose.

And yes there are a lot of themes that have dull boring framed icons, but some like iNav HD and Snow Leopard Ultimatum still makes the springboard look fantastic. I don't quite like the standard springboard look with just icons on the page. Guess I'm a huge dreamboard fan bc the entire look can be changed into something drastically new and different.

i just had to lol

[i.Annie]

Yeah, you kind of make my springboard look bad Stray.

[Stray]

Well then lmao

[x12_Carnage]

Idk I guess I like the auto skinned apps better.I spend less time making them myself when I'm busy or not able too.I used to make alot of em myself on my photoshop but when themers started using auto skinning for icons I stopped.it saves me the time and energy

[trentmorris]

Idk I guess I like the auto skinned apps better.I spend less time making them myself when I'm busy or not able too.I used to make alot of em myself on my photoshop but when themers started using auto skinning for icons I stopped.it saves me the time and energy

It definitely saves time, but there's a point where auto-skinning can't be a substitute for creativity. Auto skinning is very limited as far as design goes. You still have the stock icon behind the layer effects, borders, and shadows.

It really does, as people have mentioned thus far, depend on your tastes. Sometimes you sacrifice uniqueness for conformity.

[Stray]

Please make me a theme will 1000000+ apps skinned lol

[trentmorris]

Please make me a theme will 1000000+ apps skinned lol

Well, most people don't have 1,000+ apps installed at any one time. But even with a theme that is missing 2 or 3 icons for apps you have, it takes 5 minutes to throw a quick glyph in the PSD (provided the author includes them) -- and you're all set.

[Stray]

Wait so if i have a paid theme i should include my icon frame for free? and let people make icons?