WORKSHOP: Icons: Study & Design

Icons require an extreme design discipline to communicate clearly and effectively. Like type, icons exist at the intersection of visual systems, language, and cultural contexts. We’ll apply lessons from type to explore what it is to make cohesive sets and icons that communicate.

Students will learn how to critically analyze icons and approach drawing their own. We’ll start with hand drawing and finish with digitizing. We’ll navigate the contemporary landscape of icons, including the technical considerations of Unicode, emoji, and interface applications.

No previous experience is necessary but those with experience in adjacent fields — illustration, type, UI, and branding — will benefit the most from this workshop. Join this class for a solid foundation in iconography.

Materials necessary
Laptop – Required, not provided
Vector software – Required, not provided (Illustrator is preferred)
Drawing tools – Optional, some provided (Bring your own if you prefer)

Mike Fortress is a partner at Oak Studios in Dumbo, Brooklyn. At Oak he designs and develops sites for clients including WorkingNotWorking, Village, and Tobias Frere-Jones.

In 2012 he co-founded Symbolset, an icon foundry and distributor. His icons are in use by Kickstarter, Etsy, and others.

He graduated the Type@Cooper Extended Program in 2013.

Register online