New TC 9 icons now in 24x24 and optional in 48x48

[ghisler(Author)]

I have seen their black+white icons too - while they look good, they don't fit well into Windows programs because they don't follow the Microsoft design guides. Mixing standard icons (e.g. sorting) with user-added app icons would look horrible.

[ghisler(Author)]

The icon libraries have been both updated to a newer version. The URLs are the same, see the first post of this thread.

They now use stronger outlines for the 24x24-48x48 icons for files/folders, and the various sizes should be more consistent with each other.

[Lefteous]

Nice work on the file and folder outlines for larger sizes!

A mark on consistency. What is the reason that the separate tree icons have more elements compared to the standard views? It seems the icons for standard views have a reduced complexity compared to 8.5 icons but the separate tree icons still look the same.

While the file and folder icons now have outlines they are still missing for other 'document based icons' like view and edit. The same is true for 'window-based icons' like CD tree or exchange source/target and 'file operations icons' like copy or move.

[blazerman]

If you guys need any updates/modifications to G-Collections Icons

Just Holler, I wud be glad to help & re-edit color, design etc as per requirements..


Rgds
BM

[Lefteous]

I just saw you replaced the binoculars for search with a magnifier. A magnifier is okay as a metaphor but it is already used in other icons as a metaphor so I think it's confusing to have one visual metaphor for really different things. Why not keep the binoculars?

[phantom]

A magnifier is standard for search at all devices and platforms. I prefer the new icon.

New pack and unpack icon

Is it possible to make smal changes at the packer icon?

I don't like the cardboard box with lid. I am bothered about the lid.

Here are two revised icons:

Image: https://abload.de/img/packeru7sjs.png

[Lefteous]

A magnifier is standard for search at all devices and platforms. I prefer the new icon.

In this case there must be a new icon for 'view' - right? It could be an eye or glasses. Some quick ideas:

[img]http://fs5.directupload.net/images/160826/h5zbl69c.png[/img]

I don't like the cardboard box with lid. I am bothered about the lid.

I guess the lid is the archive header

[tosbsas]

If you guys need any updates/modifications to G-Collections Icons

Just Holler, I wud be glad to help & re-edit color, design etc as per requirements..


Rgds
BM

Please do

[ghisler(Author)]

A mark on consistency. What is the reason that the separate tree icons have more elements compared to the standard views? It seems the icons for standard views have a reduced complexity compared to 8.5 icons but the separate tree icons still look the same.

The separate tree icons are 1:1 from the old TC icons, while some of the other, more often used icons have been simplified. I don't think that the separate tree icons would benefit a lot from simplification.

While the file and folder icons now have outlines they are still missing for other 'document based icons' like view and edit.

The G collection does NOT have these outlines. We added them to make the file and folder icons better visible, especially the small ones.

I just saw you replaced the binoculars for search with a magnifier. A magnifier is okay as a metaphor but it is already used in other icons as a metaphor so I think it's confusing to have one visual metaphor for really different things. Why not keep the binoculars?

Difficult to say what is better here - binoculars are used for searching in the far distance, while a magnifying glass is used for searching small details - which is more appropriate for finding files on a harddisk...

New pack and unpack icon
Is it possible to make smal changes at the packer icon?
I don't like the cardboard box with lid. I am bothered about the lid.

They are standard icons from the G Collection. I think that the cover on the right makes it more clear that this is some sort of box...

2blazerman
Thanks for your offer. What's your knowledge of designing Windows icons? What are your rates? Can you show us an example of one modified icon of what you would improve?

[Lefteous]

2ghisler(Author)

The G collection does NOT have these outlines. We added them to make the file and folder icons better visible, especially the small ones.

So what do you think about the 'document based' icons e.g. view and edit? Do they need the same treatment regarding outlines or not?

Difficult to say what is better here - binoculars are used for searching in the far distance, while a magnifying glass is used for searching small details - which is more appropriate for finding files on a harddisk...

So do you think using the same metaphor twice is a problem or not? ( I know that this has its root in the G collection )

[Lefteous]

I found a nice tool called 'contrast checker' which is mainly thought for checking a font color against a bg color to make sure there is enough contrast. It turned out to be a great tool for checking contrast in general.
The highest contrast ratio is 21:1 for black/white. Black/black is 1:1.

New icon:
Icon outer pixel color: #ffd762
Bg color: #f0f0f0
Contrast: 1.22:1

So this contrast ratio prooves that the icons are not ment to be placed on a light-grey background. The G collection is presented on white bg on the web. In this case you would get 1.39:1 which is better but still not really good.
I made some tests with the 'create folder' icon.

Old icon:
Icon outer pixel color: #B37601
Bg color: #f0f0f0
Contrast: 3.35:1

So that is really a _huge_ difference. So as I tested with a common bg color I think a sufficient contrast is somewhere in the 1.5 - 2.0 zone. I think this would be a good compromise between the old high contrast icons and good recognizability of the new icons without killing their lightweight style.

Here is the tool. Maybe you want to give it a try: http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/


P.S.: The view icons have been changed from ~1.06:1 to 1.54:1 in the last iteration which is exactly what needs to be done for other icons with light backgrounds.

[blazerman]

@ghisler

Windows Apps Icons Designing has pretty elaborative approach namely Tiles & Banners etc for win-8 & Win-10 (Related to apps)

Apps - Refers Windows Mobile Platform Apps
Applications - Refers Window Desktop/Server platform applications

Standard Windows Icon Size for ICO format

256 x 256 pixels – 32bit (24bit colour, 8bit transparency)
48 x 48 pixels – 32bit (24bit colour, 8bit transparency)
32 x 32 pixels – 32bit (24bit colour, 8bit transparency)
16 x 16 pixels – 32bit (24bit colour, 8bit transparency)

To allow for backwards compatibility with Windows operating systems of software with a limited colour palette, you can also include the above icon sizes in 8bit (256 colours, 1bit colour transparency) and if you really wish to cover all eventualities in your icon design, 4bit (16 colours, 1bit transparency).

Icon sizes for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8
Application Icons and Control Panel Items

The icons should be in .ico file format, should includes following icon sizes:

16x16
32x32
48x48
256x256

Icons for Windows 8 (Metro Design)
Application icons 30х30, 50x50, 150x150
App Bar icons 26х26


Toolbar Icons
Required sizes: 16x16, 24x24, 32x32.
Note that toolbar icons are always flat.

Dialogs and wizards
Required sizes: 32x32 and 48x48

All sizes in Pixel..

Generally, Were are in Win-XP,Win-Vista & Win7
16x16,
24x24
32x32

We would be using & working on these sizes

Generally, are used in Win7, Win8 to win10
40x40
48x48
64x64

For Windows Apps(we can use in desktop applications also)
128x128
256*256
512*512

It would be highly appreciative, if it wud be possible to communicate via email.

I have pushed 439(.PNG sizes 16 & 32 mixed) samples here - They have been created to comply with MS Icons Guide.. - These were colored as per client requirements for a Windows Applications(Not Apps) to be run on Client/Server.

hxxp://workupload.com/file/BjV9NjP - kindly change hxxp to http

Another set of Icons - Partially Comply MS Windows Icon Guide - Morely Designed for client with Flat Design Concept - http://i.imgur.com/hSVZ0qL.png

Our New TC icons can be similarly Edited, (re)Colored & Tweaked in design & form as per requirements (Hopefully Vector formats files be made available to work with..icons of G-Collections)

Windows Apps has following sizes

Main tile: 150x150, 310x150 (wide version)
Small logo: 30x30
Badge (for lockscreen): 24x24, monochromatic
Splashscreen: 620x300
Store: 50x50

So the result: Windows XP uses 16, 32, 48-size icons, while Windows 7 (and presumably also Vista) also uses 256-size icons. All other intermediate icon sizes are ignored (they may be used in some area))

Also checked in Windows 7 what happens if icon sizes are missing:

The missing sizes are generated (obviously). With sizes of 16, 32, and 48, if one is missing, downscaling is preferred. So if we have icons with size 16 and 48, the 32 icon is created from the 48 icon. The 256 icon is only used for these if no other sizes are available! So if the icons are size 16 and 256, the other sizes are upscaled from the 16 icon!

Additionally, if the 256 icon is not there, the (possibly generated) 48 icon is used, but not resized anymore. So we have a (possibly large) empty area with the 48 icon in the middle.

Note that the default desktop icon size in XP was 32x32, while in Windows 7,8 & 10 it is 48x48 onwards. As a consequence, for Windows 7,8 & 10 it is relatively important to have a 48 icon. Otherwise, it is upscaled from a smaller icon, which may look quite ugly.

- Suggesting for Brand new TC icon for v9.0 - Incase, if I would be given the responsibility to revamp the icons for TC v9.0,
Only below given Brand icon/logo, Can be done at no charges at all.. for you Mr Ghisler

Round Icon

http://i.imgur.com/ewGrgoo.jpg
Square Icon
http://i.imgur.com/oCxp3oS.jpg

Thanks
Best Regards
BM

[ghisler(Author)]

2Lefteous
The G collection was created according to the Windows icon design guidelines. Seems like Windows is using less contrast than my old icons.

[blazerman]

Absolutely True..

Windows.. has started using flat concept for the Icons from Windows 8 onwards.

Windows 10 onwards they have started using fonts embedded with Scalable Vector Graphics.

I wud be happy to share a brand new "Segoe Symbol" embedded Scalable Vector Graphics as per I have worked on Graphics-Typo Project as internal developer for win10 with @MS, Just install on any windows OS from Win-Vista onwards don't know whether it support XP or not..

Download here - hxxp://workupload.com/file/74Ht2rR
pass for host & archive : tc.forum

See Emoticons come alive on Windows OS too, Like the ones we use on social Apps & iOS.

Rgds

[Lefteous]

2ghisler(Author)

The G collection was created according to the Windows icon design guidelines. Seems like Windows is using less contrast than my old icons.

Yes, but they are referring to desktop icons which are in general application icons placed in contexts like the desktop, the taskbar or the start menu. As the icon motives are about actions in applications they are ment ot be used like that. I don't see that they match the visual guidelines for use in applications. Of course it's possible to match the styleguide by refining the icons. It would have been better though if they would match the styleguide right out of the box.
The big advantage of the G collection is how comprehensive it is.

The slightly desaturated color scheme of the Gradient style matches the colors of the Windows 10 desktop icons. In this style the illusion of depth is achieved through unobstusive gradients and subtle shadows.