Icon design tutorial on Smashing Magazine

Posted by Min Tran on 07 Jun 2008. 19 comments

After I released some free icon sets, many readers emailed and asked me if Vu Tran and me could share some techniques and experiences of designing attractive icons. So here it is, “Icon Design Tutorial: Drawing A Pencil Icon” on Smashing Magazine.

What is next

This tutorial is not everything you need to master icon design. We are working on a free book titled “Learning icon design in 30 days”, which we will be published in July. I also will post articles about icon design and release more free icons frequently on my blog. Subscribe to the RSS feed to get updated with the latest piece of work.

There have been 19 comments so far

dosamantes 07 Jun 2008

I try to post this comment in Smashing Magazine but it seems it didn’t work. So I’m posting it in here.

I really appreciate your hard work. Not everybody offers for free its knowledge and the fruit of its work and experience. Both of you deserve a lot of gratitude.

After a quick reading of your post I’m pretty sure that these article will help me to improve my designing and technical capabilities in Illustrator. Other people will benefit with this post too.

So please, keep sharing with others your knowledge.

It would be nice also to have access to your upcoming book “Learning icon design in 30 days”.

Thank you very much !!
Live long and happy !!

Min Tran 07 Jun 2008

Thanks for your kind words, Dosamantes. Much appreciated.

Regarding the upcoming book, it’s completely free, so you certainly will be able to read it.

jopicar 14 Jun 2008: Thanks a lot for your work, great tutorial.
I´m agree with Dosamantes, please, keep sharing, and thanks again.
Best regards.

Min Tran 14 Jun 2008: @jopicar: Thanks for your compliments!

Jaffe 16 Jun 2008: Great tutorial!
Can I translation this tutotial to Chinese and post it on my blog? I’ll leave your name and link back your blog.
Thanks a lot for your tutorial and works!

jopicar 18 Jun 2008

I´m thinking on translate the tutorial to spanish and to publish on my blog, would you mind if i do that, Min?

Kind regards.

Min Tran 18 Jun 2008: @Jaffe and Jopicar: this tutorial is dedicated to Smashing Magazine so you should ask the editors of S.M for permission. If they agree then me too :)

chasgrits 17 Jul 2008: i’m anxiously awaiting the book....is it almost ready?

Min Tran 18 Jul 2008: @chasgrits: yes, we’re nearly there. I’m looking forward to publishing it in August. Stay tuned!

Evo5 22 Jul 2008: thank you very much…

joko 01 Aug 2008: send me now

Adorable 04 Aug 2008

“Learning icon design in 30 days”.......it’s a dream come true!!!!! I swear that i am counting the days.......till the publishing. I am so excited!!!

Your sharing is noble.

God Bless You for your generosity

chasgrits 03 Sep 2008

i feel like a little kid.....are we there yet daddy? :)

i’m sooooo looking forward to your next icon tutorial...a chapter, a snippet, a morsel :) i’ll be quiet now :)

Dave 13 Sep 2008: great tutorial. Any update on the icon design book? I am really looking forward to it!

350-001 15 Sep 2008: Awesome tutorial!
Perfect tutorial, i really like that will write a review for this and definitely will link to this blog, Perfect i must say.

vlad 28 Sep 2008: Hey! Nice tutorial, great info and comparisons.
Just one quick question: did you publish that book yet? :D

Cottages in Kent 09 Oct 2008: Amazing stuff.. Thanks a lot for the tutorial!

Stroller 16 Oct 2008: Good post. Thanks a lot for the tutorial.!

Enhancement 29 Oct 2008: Great review!!! informative tutorial, i have learn so much thanks to share such a nice tutorial.

Commentary is not available for this article.

Min’ blog, an online journal of a Vietnamese desinger