Overview
A careful and thoughtful design process leads to a more knowledgeable project outcome. In this project, a thorough process of research, iteration, and graphic reduction was undertaken to create a series of wayfinding signage lockups for a hardware store. Graphic reduction focuses on stroke thickness, space, and tool consistency for clear legibility at a distance.
Design Process of an Icon
To support this goal of graphic simplification, tools were photographed, sketched, traced, and recreated as digital icons using simplified shape systems.
1. Photography
Sketches to turn objects into simple vector shapes
I tried to keep them as real as possible, focusing on light and dark. I first drew the outline and then shaded it, changing from one color to another.
Hammer
Screwdriver
Scissor
The reduction process focuses on breaking down shapes, using black and white to represent light and shadow.
Black and white also aid in highlighting areas of overlap during the reduction process.
Testing icons in pixel format
Typography, lockup exploration & color application
I used Rockwell Bold for its friendly, typewriter feel and paired it with icons. Following a create-build-repair sequence, I vectorized the tools in Illustrator and applied a vintage color palette.
The final design is a cohesive, scalable wayfinding system with a unique aesthetic.
The final design is a cohesive, scalable wayfinding system with a unique aesthetic.
