Where an icon earns its place
An icon or symbol is the part of a logo that works without words. It's what shows up as the app icon, the favicon in a browser tab, the round profile picture, the sticker on a laptop and the stamp on a coffee sleeve. Startups with an app or a strong social presence usually need one early.
Built from simple shapes
We draw icons from a small set of circles, rectangles and cuts on a fixed grid. That keeps curves consistent and makes the mark easy to redraw at any size. It also makes the icon easier to remember, because simple shapes are what people can picture later.
The sheet above is a concept icon for an imaginary coffee cart. On the left is the drawing with its construction guides. On the right is the same drawing placed on 16, 24 and 32 pixel grids, then at actual size. Notice the steam dots: at 16 pixels they start to blur, so a final favicon for this mark would leave them out.
What we test
- Pixel grids at 16, 24 and 32 pixels, the sizes of browser tabs and small app icons
- Inside a circle crop, since many platforms show profile pictures as circles
- One color, for stamps, engraving and cut vinyl
- Reversed, light on a dark background
- Next to the wordmark, to check the two look like they belong together
Files for apps and the web
Along with the usual vector files, you get the icon prepared for the places it will go: a favicon set for your website, square app icon files with the padding app stores expect, and a round-safe version for profile pictures. If your developer has a list of required sizes, send it and we'll export to match.
Questions
Can the icon be the first letter of our name?
Yes. A single letter or a two-letter monogram is a common choice for a first icon. We draw the letter as a shape rather than typing it, so it stays clear at small sizes.
Does the icon have to show what we do?
No. A literal picture of a cup or a wrench is fine, and so is an abstract shape. What matters most is that it's simple and that people see it next to your name often.
Starting something new? Tell us the business name, what you sell and where the logo has to show up first. We reply with questions or a written quote.
Request a quote