[Contest - $35] Make an app icon

[DFox]

Hey everyone,

This should be a fairly easy $35 for anyone who can make a badass icon.

Contest overview: Please make an awesome application icon from the graphic in this PSD file: http://www.newgrounds.com/dump/item/ff45 e659b8d1a6912c2776d485b47cd3 (please download the PSD as you need to use the high quality format when doing the icon)
The icon must look really good on the following platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android. It will mainly be used at the following sizes: 128x128, 48x48, 32x32, and 16x16, so it should look good and identifiable at all of those sizes.

Requirements: There really aren't many. It just needs to look awesome and be an appealing icon. The provided graphic can be in a circle, orb, square, whatever you want. The only requirement is of course the provided graphic needs to be the symbol in the icon. Any parts of the icon that don't have graphical elements must be transparent. I discourage the redrawing of the symbol but you're the artist so break the rules if you want. For posting entries, just post a sample export of the icon in a post in this thread. You can submit as many entries as you'd like.

Prize: I am guaranteeing the $35 prize, which means I will award it to a winner no matter what at the end of the contest. The winner can receive the money via PayPal or check.

DEADLINE: ENDS AT 12:00 PM EST. ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH, 2010

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with and I'll be giving lots of feedback!

[big-jonny-13]

That isn't an icon? So this is an icon made from an icon?

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 07:26 PM, big-jonny-13 wrote: That isn't an icon? So this is an icon made from an icon?

Very good question. Originally, what you see in the PSD file was going to be the icon. It is simply the "t" taken from our logo. In the alpha testing phase for the app, I've gotten constant feedback that it looks flat and boring next to the cool icons you see on the Mac dock and other places. The main thing is it needs some sort of depth. All great icons have depth, and this doesn't have any depth or glow or shadow or any effect for that matter.

So in the most basic form, yes, this is an icon made from an "icon", but the "t" provided is just the flat t taken directly from the logo with no effects on it. If you take a look at it next to some other icons you'll see how it looks flat and overpowered by the other icons.

[EDUCATIONALWAGON]

Here is the best I could come up with, I still have the working copy though, so if you see any problems I could fix with it, just say so!

[Uborghin]

Sorry for bitching, but I believe that no royalties will be given to the Icon's creator right?
I have absolutely no experience in this field, so pardon me if the question was retarded.

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 07:38 PM, EDUCATIONALWAGON wrote: Here is the best I could come up with, I still have the working copy though, so if you see any problems I could fix with it, just say so!

This is a good start. The depth created looks pretty good, but I don't love the shape and the white fill in the shape.

At 2/2/10 07:40 PM, Uborghin wrote: Sorry for bitching, but I believe that no royalties will be given to the Icon's creator right?

You're correct... Royalties don't exist for icon or branding design like this. The application is completely free on all platforms, so if you were to get royalties from the usage of the icon on the application, there would be none no matter how many times it's downloaded. The $35 is for the compensation for the icon. But I'll also provide credit on the website once it is up, identifying the icon designer and a link to their site. So you won't have any "royalties", but you will be credited as the designer of the icon but I maintain the right to use it however I want. And just so you know, in normal branding design, you'd have to sign over copyright to the work, but in this case, that wouldn't benefit me being that the creator of the icon maintaining credit can only help me as they'll probably show the software to more people upon release which is what I want.

[Kasplazm]

A quick edit. You can pick it up from here if you want, I think it looks like crap.

[snowstormfir]

I spose this could work?
will keep trying and make another one maybe.

[snowstormfir]

At 2/2/10 08:49 PM, snowstormfir wrote: I spose this could work?
will keep trying and make another one maybe.

Transparency (for icon)

[M-Vero]

I may have missed it in the post but, I think it'd help to know what your app will do. I'm guessing by the headphones it's music, but is that it? Does it do other stuff?

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 08:52 PM, snowstormfir wrote:

At 2/2/10 08:49 PM, snowstormfir wrote: I spose this could work?
will keep trying and make another one maybe.

Transparency (for icon)

This is looking good. I like the circular aspect, but with all the lines, it's a little too busy I think. I like the readability aspect of the "t", but some more depth would be good.

At 2/2/10 08:52 PM, M-Vero wrote: I may have missed it in the post but, I think it'd help to know what your app will do. I'm guessing by the headphones it's music, but is that it? Does it do other stuff?

Sorry I didn't include any of this. You're correct, it's an application based around music. For the actual functionality, it's purpose is for the informational exchange of playlist information and I think that's enough information for now. Let me know if you need any specifics.

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 09:02 PM, snowstormfir wrote: Last post (sorry again, I'm not a spamma!)

http://www.newgrounds.com/dump/item/5ce6 6e525f0444b0c7ceebe7670a40b7 THERE.

Oh wow, this looks even better. Like I said before, maybe just a little more depth somehow.

[de-cider]

Do you effectively want someone to clean up and polish the icon? I mean, do you want us to change it at all, or leave it the same with a more professional finish?

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 09:06 PM, de-cider wrote: Do you effectively want someone to clean up and polish the icon? I mean, do you want us to change it at all, or leave it the same with a more professional finish?

It's entirely up to you. Whichever you think will look best and can work most effectively with. I'd probably prefer pretty much the same letter with a more professional finish, but I'm open to anything.

[The-Duesta]

hows this

[ImaFreekozoid]

I gave it a go

[M-Vero]

I can understand he said you can use the premade logo, but come on guys, so far everyone here has either just slapped a background or an effect on their

I'll see what I can whip up

[dnjumpz]

Here's mine.. I can make more but different if you want.
What file extension would you like it to be? I can't make it transparent if it's jpeg. Here's link to the .png transparent one :
dfox_icon

[quantumkitty]

lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

[snowstormfir]

At 2/2/10 10:12 PM, quantumkitty wrote: lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

you > me.

I give up.

[quantumkitty]

At 2/2/10 10:20 PM, snowstormfir wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:12 PM, quantumkitty wrote: lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

you > me.

I give up.

im the one who gives up lol. i barely even know how to use the program D:

[snowstormfir]

At 2/2/10 10:22 PM, quantumkitty wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:20 PM, snowstormfir wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:12 PM, quantumkitty wrote: lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

you > me.

I give up.

im the one who gives up lol. i barely even know how to use the program D:

I used gimp aswell. Anyway you win, I wouldn't have accepted the moneys anyways.

[quantumkitty]

At 2/2/10 10:26 PM, snowstormfir wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:22 PM, quantumkitty wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:20 PM, snowstormfir wrote:

At 2/2/10 10:12 PM, quantumkitty wrote: lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

you > me.

I give up.

im the one who gives up lol. i barely even know how to use the program D:

I used gimp aswell. Anyway you win, I wouldn't have accepted the moneys anyways.

it took me a while, i dont even know how to use effects or anything. cant even use transparency.

[snowstormfir]

Anywho.. Got a winner yet DFox?

quantum kitty?

[quantumkitty]

still got a few days to go.
I've got to improve mine a lot.
yours was pretty good too.
doubtful that i will win though

[DFox]

At 2/2/10 09:20 PM, The-Duesta wrote: hows this

It's along the lines of the right idea, but the actual text is too flat.

At 2/2/10 09:43 PM, snowstormfir wrote: moar. dis 1 suckkssss.

http://www.newgrounds.com/dump/item/8c43 f267f6211d0fd8e72af9246d6d25

Looks really interesting, definitely cool.

At 2/2/10 09:57 PM, M-Vero wrote: I'll see what I can whip up

Let's see it!

At 2/2/10 09:58 PM, dnjumpz wrote: Here's mine.. I can make more but different if you want.
What file extension would you like it to be? I can't make it transparent if it's jpeg. Here's link to the .png transparent one :
dfox_icon

Awesome! This is looking great. The only thing I'd like to see is maybe some form of circular oval instead of the squarish shape, because I think that might look a little cooler, but it might not. It's definitely looking great though.

At 2/2/10 10:05 PM, snowstormfir wrote: Fine: not effect http://www.newgrounds.com/dump/item/86f2 956a2ff8f25c670c5f2c238c3bd1.

Interesting!

Another effect: http://www.newgrounds.com/dump/item/eaba f2920cef0e56acfcffe75a553940

A little too busy/crazy.

At 2/2/10 10:12 PM, quantumkitty wrote: lol, here's my attempt. first time trying to use gimp for things like this lol. rarely use gimp anyways

Eh, it's interesting, but doesn't have much to do with the concept and it's too pink.

At 2/2/10 10:44 PM, snowstormfir wrote: Anywho.. Got a winner yet DFox?

Huh?? The contest just started...

[snowstormfir]

Huh?? The contest just started...

Hahaha I know, :P im jurst screwin with ya.

don't have anything else to upload yet. And have school tomorrow and the next day. But not the next day.

Probly upload something within 5 hours.

[Kuoke]

For some reason, this reminds me of something else but I can't quite put my finger on it. If I subconsciously stole the idea from somewhere and someone recognises it, then give us a shout.

[big-jonny-13]

At 2/2/10 11:57 PM, Kuoke wrote: For some reason, this reminds me of something else but I can't quite put my finger on it. If I subconsciously stole the idea from somewhere and someone recognises it, then give us a shout.

The internet explorer logo?

[Kuoke]

At 2/3/10 12:00 AM, big-jonny-13 wrote:

At 2/2/10 11:57 PM, Kuoke wrote: For some reason, this reminds me of something else but I can't quite put my finger on it. If I subconsciously stole the idea from somewhere and someone recognises it, then give us a shout.

The internet explorer logo?

I was actually thinking RealPlayer, but now that I look at it, I guess I merged the two in some sort of horrendous amalgamation of sorts.

D=