A Few Pointers on Icon Design

Fresh from a recent client engagment, here are a few quick pointers I'd like to share on Icon Creation:

Support User Recognition
A very essential factor that needs to be considered when creating icons. The user/audience must be able to recognize the icon easily and its associations. By using real-world objects or effective metaphors, the user can draw from previous experiences.

Be Simple and Preserve the General Shape and Detail
Design your small icons similar as possible to their large counterparts for consistency. Try to preserve their general shape and detail to facilitate effective user recognition.

Avoid Using Stereotypes or People as Icons
This is specifically important for international users as such images may be offensive depending on the culture.

Sketching
I prefer sketching with a pencil on a pad to begin the icon design process. However, not many projects and/or clients allow me the time for sketching. Therefore, I either dive straight into an Adobe Illustrator/Fireworks combo or at times, an icon-editing utility or pixel drawing package such as IcoFX and Icon Builder. 

Color is A Property Enhancement
When designing icons, it's best to do so in grayscale mode first and then add color later and the reason behind this is to focus on the actual design i.e., form and not relying on colors or special effects. Consider color as a property enhancement and If a logo requires color to be strong, most likely, it's not a strong logo. So, test your images in black and white to see if it holds or breaks.