Color selection and Application

I selected this color palette based off of the blue that is used throughout Aspire on the buildings and other architectural features. Then I decided to use orange, it's an accent color used in aspire in the mulch and paths that surround the area. Then I wanted to use a grey blue to offset the bright blue.


These are my final icons. I put the orange around the edge so that the signs would pop out. Aspire is a very large open space and the icons if i just left them blue for the back it would blend away and not be noticeable in its surroundings. I made most of the objects in the darker blue and just used the grey for the background color. I was very happy with my color icons I felt like i did a good job matching the color properly to the building especially when the icons were printed. the orange is just light enough to stand out and doesn't cause vibrations between the blue. One icon I would have worked more on if time allowed would have been the no smoking icon because the line of the cigarette is to thin and it disappears.

Jo Bermejo, VCUQ Library, Icon development

Final set of icons.

After another class discussion and critique, I was told that my set of icons still didn't have a clear system. Some elements are centered on the box, while some are cropped out. In some icons, a pair of objects are separated while some are overlapping one another. The biggest issue was my grid system, which doesn't work for all of my objects. I need to decide on one system that would allow curves, but I need to be consistent with the way images are placed on the icons. In the end, I decided that the system that works best is when all the images are inside the boxes and not cropped out, and pairs of images would be separated and not overlap one another.

Then, we were asked over the break to come up with color swatches for our icons. Outside the library is the Yellow wall, and inside is full of neutral tones (wooden bookshelves, for example) so I decided that neutral or "earthy" colors would be appropriate. The library is a very calm and quiet place, so vibrant and bold colors would not work. Here are the samples of color experimentation:
In the end, I chose soft brown with light yellow because it gives off an earthy feel, and it's calm and looks professional. Here's my final set of icons with the chosen color scheme:

Lastly, we had to choose a typeface that would go with the set of icons we made. My icons are simple, (hopefully) clear with a rounded edge...which is why I felt the typeface Century Gothic is the most appropriate to use. We also had to choose an Arabic typeface that would compliment the English font, and I think Al Wadi in bold is a good match for Century Gothic. Note: I used an online translator for the Arabic type, and double checked with my friends to see if the translations are correct.

adding color

here is my initial color scheme that I've chosen









and this is the more improved chosen the bright neon colors to contrast with the dull pastel colors of my space and they are inspired by the shopping theme of my section

experimenting

so the next thing i did was trying icons and refining it in order to get the communication cross.
since the band aids did not work so well, so i took a start from showing how the garage bag, the blade cuming out of it and pricking a hand. But after the critique i realized this was not following my system.
the glue on the floor. i tried to show more zoomed up of it by showing more of the sole, trying to follow the system of showing a very close up of the cutting marks on the table. after the critique i realized that the shoe showed a lot of details in comparison to th rest of my icons and so it needs simplification.
now instead of my toilets i now tried to show the icon of showing electric danger, hence i showed bare open wires. in this the diagonal of the wire follows the system of the same way my cutting marks has a diagonal of the table.
Now instead of showing the printer i now concentrated towards just showing papers scattered around, however according to the critique this looked more like an organized pile of papers
And lastly since my water tap and droplets were all solid color, i tried to experiment more with the lines. however according to the critique this no longer showed a tap and instead looked like an open shower.

developing the actual Icons

I take a sample of each kind of the original form of the spices. then I explored the surface and the size of each one of them. I draw sketches of each one in different angels. I started with a very detailed one tell the I reached the simple abstract form. For some spices I cannot get rid of the detailed because the actual form is not easy to recognize. So i have to figure out which details I have to include or take of.






I keep in mind the effect of the arabic calligraphy pen ( thick & thin part) plus the texture of the in ink on the rough surface.

Fruit and Vegetable Market, phase 3

This is what I showed on sunday:
After talking to Maya about my work and seeing what other people in the class created I noted the changes I need to make to my icons.
These changes are:
-create smoother lines
-the uneven floors icon needs to be clearer to show uneven floors rather than a box on the ground
-make some of the white lines thicker or get rid of them
-trash icon: less detail in the trash to continue the unity between it and the other icons
-hands: need to all give the same feel, stroke etc.
-fruits icon: change to fit the feel/mood, not so much detail like in the pineapple
-vegetables: smoother lines
-tap: less detail
-icons may need a box/border around them
-space between arabic words may need to be smaller
-english type needs to change, no serif, needs to be more organic