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Creativeprose: Adobe's New Icons

Written by Terri Stone on January 3, 2007

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In pursuit of better brand consistency, Adobe has redesigned the icons for its apps and those that came with the Macromedia merger. Adobe places those simplified icons on a color wheel (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The new Adobe application icons.

What do you think of the new icons? Tell us by clicking on the VoxBox icon on the left side of this page.

Return to the January 3, 2007, creativeprose.

Comments

Jonathan Boehman

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 11:36

It's like the periodic table of elements

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that was the point, whether or not it makes sense, I don't know. I do know that I found the Macromedia icons for Flash and Dreamweaver easily recognizable and useful, while the CS2 ones were vague (although pretty). My hunch is that these new icons will work for you, even if you don't think they're creative.

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sswoll

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 14:37

Adobe's new icons

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They SUCK!

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eschrad

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 18:43

I don't hate them...

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Are they groundbreaking design? No... any of us could have come up with these. But that fact could be what makes them work! I don't need my icons to be avant garde... i need them to instantly communicate. And as Adobe's line of products grows ever more extensive, I am having a hard time keeping all the little pictures straight. I constantly find myself having to think twice about what icon I am clicking on. Lately, InDesign & Bridge always trip me up, and invariably I click on the wrong one. And I have been a Butterfly -- I mean, InDesign -- user since day one! When I need to edit a photo, I am not thinking "feather". I am thinking, "Photoshop." So I feel the abbreviations will match up easily with the emphasized consonants in the program title, and I will be able to find and click on the right program icon without missing a beat. And I kind of like the periodic table connection... communicates that design, creativity are elemental. In the end, they are just icons... I have better things to worry about. Like how to get the non-profit I work for to find the money needed to BUY the programs with the much maligned icons! Come on folks, let's get some perspective!

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deezinrr

Wed, 01/10/2007 - 05:30

ZZZzzzZZZzzz sleeping now!

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I am sorry but I think it is so boring. The Icons should be beautiful and illustrate conceptually what the programs strengths are. As a illustrator and designer I prefer icons that communicate and please my eye and senses.

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michael martin

Wed, 01/10/2007 - 05:51

Works for me.

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Logos. Icons. Always a tough assignment. You can bet that someone in the Nike boardroom was saying, "Come on guys, it's a check mark!"

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daisymac

Wed, 01/10/2007 - 06:40

Why??

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'New and cutting edge' is truly an overused phrase. However,this is neither - the colorwheel idea is interesting but the chemistry is in the creativity and originality of these products, definitely not these icons. There is not enough differentiation of the icons and the fonts are boring. Let's get up to speed with the market we are serving. It's hard to sell what doesn't look good. Packaging IS IMPORTANT.

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Rocket Scientist

Wed, 01/10/2007 - 07:36

adobe icons

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I don't like the new icons and the more I look at them, I feel like I'm looking at a periodic table or old micro chips. But on a positive note, the new icon concept is cool for one thing: When I'm sitting in front of my computer trying to figure out the best way to do something, I can entertain myself by arranging all of the adobe toolbar icons by color theory!

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malavevisions

Thu, 01/11/2007 - 08:41

Simplify

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I like the color chart for its immediate visual impact. Keep it simple and colorful (perhaps using smooth gradiant colors): To many letters that mean little and confuse the meaning. What is the message I have to ask myself and I shoud'nt have to ask.

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Jeanne Thomas

Sat, 01/13/2007 - 22:37

Adobe's new Icons are so boring as well as being hard to disting

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The whole point of Icons, surely is that they are immediately recognisable! The Alphabetic Icons have no easily identifiable application. They could be for a children's book or blocks. Certainly they are colourful but within such close proximity they do not stand out from each other. I can imagine that they would be hell on wheels to try and remember!

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lstout

Tue, 01/30/2007 - 09:52

Universal to the point of generic

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These are crap! Yes, icons are supposed to be simple. But they're also supposed to be immediately recognizable and meaningful. These icons are neither. They do nothing to convey their meaning graphically, and almost nothing to differentiate themselves graphically -- which means the viewer has to actually read and interpret the letters to identify which Adobe application the icon represents. And THAT means that the icon's meaning is conveyed through written language instead of graphic recognition. And isn't graphic recognition the point of icons in the first place?

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mschar

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 19:30

CS3 icons

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I would have to say that I'm very disappointed. It makes me wonder if there was too much to do and they had to cut something and the marketing was what suffered. Untimately it is the quality of the application that counts but that aside especially for those of us who design creativity is King.

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mschar

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 19:31

CS3 icons

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I would have to say that I'm very disappointed. It makes me wonder if there was too much to do and they had to cut something and the marketing was what suffered. Untimately it is the quality of the application that counts but that aside especially for those of us who design creativity is King.

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Piccia

Wed, 01/10/2007 - 04:38

Very depressing

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I agree with those who say that the choice of imagery for the old icons was baffling, to say the least (why the butterfly? especially). However, this is just jumping to the other extreme. Minimalism is ok by me, but why not make the design and typography interesting? These icons are terribly depressing. And it's not as if the products are cheap. We are designers â€" the packaging is important.

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Carravagio

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 14:00

icons

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Once again, who cares about icons, how is the software? Don' give a rat's *** how it looks, just how I can make things look. Just supply the fuctionality, I'll supply the creativity.

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Shakespeare

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 11:10

Easier recognition, but lacks creativity.

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I never got used to the feather, butterfly, etc., so I looked for the name to appear on the app. The initials are easier to recognize, but even Office icons have some artistic value.

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serf

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 11:53

A Dope Eye Cons

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You gotta be joking! This is what the folks at Adobe have come up with? Remember years ago when Coca-Cola tried something new? Are we going to see a menu item in the preferences that lets the user select 'Icons Classic' for those us that want to be normal? Wheel see, woe hunt we?

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Jak Keyser

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 12:37

Can author provide update with Key and sample dock?

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Can author provide update with Key and sample dock? We could use a key as I could only decipher 11 of the icons. More importantly, it would be helpful to see 3 or more mocked up docks representing what a graphic designer, a web designer, and a web technician (Coldfusion etc.) would typically see respectively. Add a few apps for a multipurpose user as well. I plan to try a mock dock regardless. I think if only Adobe adopts this convention that it will work well. They put typical apps for a person in one area at complementary positions on the color wheel--eg Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are very different colors. It would be interesting to see rounded corners for web apps so that folks that are both print and web designers will have one addtional clue besides color for recognition of icons. Finally, while icons should work at the outset of introduction, they are also what you make of them over time. The first use of nature illustrations were only pretty and not functional. They only became functional (marginally, I would argue) over time. To the comment on "using letters means you stop and read, which takes time" (paraphrased) -- Perceptual research tells us that we see shapes of words, not so much the letters. In these icons we will have quicker recognition not slower, with only two letters-- it will improve with use just as the nature icons did. I just think these will work better at the outset and will work even better than the nature icons with continued usage.

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picabia

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 18:58

New icons are not very creative for a creative tool

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I usually don't spend a lot of time worrying about the elegance of the packaging for the products I purchase, but the programs in Adobe's Creative Suite have been an exception to this rule. I don't see the necessity of bucking tradiition in this way...

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Calico

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 16:13

Adobe Icons

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I think they look terrible

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Simba82047

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 15:52

Unfortunately this is a step backwards.

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Go back to icons that have become meaningful and still give us a sense of design. I think they are ugly.

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gariphic

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 14:08

The strength of the software is more important more than icon.

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C'mon folks, they're just icons. Remember icons are supposed to be simple in appearance. It's the pedigree and functionality of the software that truly matters.

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jmsaylor

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 10:45

They serve a purpose

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For me, I recognize file extensions faster than Periodic Tables (I suck at science). If I see a psd, I know what that is, if I see an ai, I know what that is, if I see swf, I know what that is. Okay, you get the point now. But really, when does Ps = photoshop? ps = post script. Confusing? Maybe. Although it's a step in the right direction to identify everything simply, it is still a step in the wrong direction in accomplishing it's goal. Give it another attempt and I think they will have it.

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cbyerly

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 12:49

Horrible Adobe Icons!

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I hate them - they're horrible! It DOES look like a periodic table! The lack of clever design reminds me of uncreative Mr. PC from the Mac commercials. How are they supposed to sellling a "creative suite" if the icons say "uh... no creative ideas here!"

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salspua

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 13:08

a sad day for creativity

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I am disappointed in the new icons. It doesn't matter if I connect an icon with a particular program - if I have the corresponding program, my computer knows. To me, it's just loss of character in the combining of Adobe and Macromedia.

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mtartist

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 21:51

Adobe Icons

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I love them - should make my desktop look like a periodic chart - I think it is a very clean look - I already look for my apps by color - this is perfect.

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visual ingenuity

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 21:53

Periodic Table of Rejected Elements

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My first thought was Chemistry, not design. Hopefully, Adobe does a usability study before the release.

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valtrese

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 22:32

there's a reason I didn't become a chemist

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I feel like I'm back in my high school chemistry class struggling to remember what letters stand for what... doesn't Br stand for Bromine?

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abrxas

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 22:58

What the hell

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are they thinking?!? I hope this article is a trial balloon and they respond to what would have to be overwhelming feedback about how terrible these icons are. CS and CS2 icons are gorgeous. Why change from that style? But even if the change was warranted, they can surely do better than a colorful periodic elements chart. (Maybe they're trying to compete with Microsoft for ugliest product design.)

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aequalis

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 00:05

Looks like a chart of chemical elements to me!

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Have Adobe turned into a chemical industry? Anyway the colourwheel strongly makes me think of my teenager studies chemical chart... Maybe that's on purpose, but for a so-called "creative" suite, I don't see the point. Nothing's less creative than chemistry to me...

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Somerleaze

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 01:09

How does the mind work?

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I hope they never get used, they slow you down. When you see letters you READ them and try and turn them into a meaningful word. Your mind has to go through many extra routines to associate the letters with the correct application. A symbol does it in one move once you know it. The letters never will.

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tgiadd

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 01:09

I think they are cool, and show the new integration

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When I saw them I instantly saw them as emulating the periodic table - and how the allegory of these 'elements' being used individually or grouped to produce our projects. The periodic table represents the building blocks of everything on an atomic scale - it is also a very good design for communicating a lot of complex ideas.

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zubair74600

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 02:50

Adobe's New Icons

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Creativity down to "no creativity", that's Adobe CS3.

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Athanasios Karalias

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 03:36

made for distinction

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Did you take a look at the Mac OS X dock? The Ps and Br (BETA VERSIONS of CS3) stand out easily. During all those years icons have become more sophisticated and complex, but if you have a lot of Apps open the dock becomes a colorful and confusing mess. Those are easy to spot. In Windows (I use them as well) the tabs in toolbar they have text that you cannot really read if you have a lot open and the icons are easy to spot there too. I also use the Objectdock in Windows, a utility that behaves similar and can look the same as the Mac OS X dock. Are they pretty? I am neutral about their look. I believe a symmetrical but colored differently line of icons in the dock will be very practical with their lettering distinction, and pretty as well(but that remains to be seen when the whole suite comes out).

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RandyDunbar

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 21:26

Icon redux

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Personally, it's a little odd. I never liked the butterfly, the shell or the flower..they never seemed to distinquish themselves on the mac dock. Thus, I created icons nearly exactly the same. And I was lazy. These are pretty unremarkable considering these are programs that most professionals use...but again, I would remind every mac user, you can always create your own.

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JULIVI

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 21:34

What???

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I can guess that who ever designed these new icons must have a concept, though i really don't get it... These are the most wonderfull softwares why diminish them with these terrible simple icons? Please let me know what they were thinking (the concept they followed) THXS

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Christopher Reisner

Wed, 01/03/2007 - 21:45

Adobe should rethink these icons

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I can't imagine what Adobe was thinking with these icons. As a Windows user I'm looking forward to the visual enhancements Microsoft is making in the Vista OS, including the improved icons. Adobe seems to be moving in the wrong direction. These icons are unimaginative, confusing and non-iconic. Adobe should hold a contest to allow their users to design a decent set of icons.

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choreo

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 10:28

Further feedback

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It would be interesting to see the breakdown of the OS platform these comments are being submitted from. These icons would look right at home in Windows where everything looks the same, but can you imagine what a nightmare it would be if every app adopted this as their philosophy? I would have a dock full of little square boxes some with the same two letters. Sorry a box with two letters is not an icon unless you are only dealing with a few apps like Adobe. I agree that feathers and butterflys have nothing to do with the programs they represent and they took a while to get used to, but that is what we have learned over the past few years to deal with and when I see a butterly now I see InDesign, etc. I could even distinguish dissimilar butterflys with different programs if necessary, but as always - a picture is worth a 1000 words and a true icon is worth 1000 boxes filled with letters.

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steveo sf

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 10:05

10 steps too far in the right direction

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I would love to hear the argument that birthed these... um... squares with letters. Icons and logos have discrete purposes. These have a great deal of neither. Letters are not icons are not logos. IMO, unobtrusive distinction is the best you can ask for in a desktop icon. I agree that after a week of use, icon descriptiveness becomes frosting, albeit admirable frosting. Three cheers for being bold, a big loud boooo for allowing theory to invalidate beauty.

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Smavitz

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 09:54

Simple Wins

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Too many times in design the best solution is overlooked because it is simple. Case in point: an evolved logo. Google any corporation for their logos past and present (Ford, Starbuck's, AT&T) for a lesson in how "simple" wins the iconic race. It is possible when Adobe created Illustrator in the dark ages of the late 80's they did not anticipate a suite of products whose icons would later be represented in a line up of tiny graphics at the bottom of our screens. It will be a nice change... until they change them again.

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dansroka

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 08:33

better than before

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I like the new icons quite a lot, and they are a huge improvement over the old ones. I never liked the CS2 icons: A feather for Photoshop? An x-rayed shell for Bridge? The images had do connection to the product. And even worse, when those icons got reduced in the dock, it was almost impossible to see what they represented. The new icons are clean and functional, and work at nearly any size.

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imb

Tue, 01/09/2007 - 08:43

They do the job

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The trend of opinion, predictably, is that these are horribly uncreative icons to be used on a creative suite. People--they're ICONS! They are, first and foremost, pointers. The last two icon iterations, while beautiful and certainly creative, never worked well for me. FWIW, I'm a left-handed illustrator/designer, presumably one of the usual "creative" suspects. The picture icons, to this day, make me stop before I click because if I don't mentally sort them, I might wind up in the wrong app. They never got internalized--I guess because there's no strong pre-existing symbolic association. Also, I think people are looking at the large images linked to the article, rather than at small images crowded among a diversity of other eye-sugarplums in a dock or desktop or whatever. Adobe aren't stupid. These icons are about esthetics in the context of usability. That said, I don't kow how well I'll really like 'em until I've test-driven them for a while.

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daniel.garciasatx

Sat, 01/06/2007 - 11:10

CS3 Icons

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There's an appealing quality in the simplicity of the design of the new CS3 icons, but they don't demonstrate the creative flair that the previous CS icons have. CS and CS2 icons give a direct indication of what the programs can do... namely something creative. These look like boxes off the Periodic Table of Elements. Adobe could have done a much better job on these icons.

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spolster

Sat, 01/06/2007 - 08:44

Ugly icons, defeats purpose of what an icon is

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They look like science and if I wanted a science career, I would have chosen that path. As a graphic designer, these icons are insulting to my design sense. Keep the old ones, at least we know what they are. I chose neutral because it is not clear which way means that I hate the new icons.

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Kerry Crow

Fri, 01/05/2007 - 20:15

I don't like the new icons

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Your article was non-commital in its reveiw of the icons and asked "What do you think of the new icons?" There is no way to agree or disagree with that statement. If "strongly disagree" means I don't like the icons, then I strongly disagree. If "Strongly Agree" means I don't like the icons, then that would be my answer. You need to restate the question in the article..

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GrayLensman

Fri, 01/05/2007 - 06:39

becoming elemental

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those icons strike me as similar to the graphics used on any standard Periodic Table of the Elements. Perhaps this is Adobe's way of saying everything in the visual world is composed of these elemental apps in the Creative Suite?

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Slidebar

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 23:07

Adobe has clearly underdone itself with these icons.

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Adobe's wimpy icon scheme might well be cited as an example of The Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome applied to graphic design. Tsk, tsk.

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jaxjay

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 23:18

Hmmm... getting back to the basics, are we? Maybe too basic.

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I can see that Adobe is trying to say their software are "elements" or basic building blocks. The icons float on a colour wheel, to conyey them as colour swatches which will combine to form a kaleidescope of amazing works of art. Grouping software by media family within the same hue on the colour wheel is a smart move. I'm a believer that 'less is more' and clean design is effective design. When I look at my row of icons on my Genie dock, I can never remember which is Photoshop and which is Illustrator until I look at the titles above them. (And I've been using these software daily for years!) By contrast, I can easily find Dreamweaver and Flash. Simplistic, yet easily identifiable. However, I do agree that the new icons are boring and don't have a creative edge. They lack pizazz. Adobe (the Designer) could have taken a few more design steps and still kept the overall concepts intact. I can only hope that the animations and visuals for the software launch sequences will be awe-inspiring. Or take the next few months to develop the icons further. Give us something to salivate over!

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Fisty

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 20:09

Does "Aw" stand for awful?

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Ugh..

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jonom

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 21:27

icons should be easily understood

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You should not have to learn an icon. An icon, by definition, is a pictorial representation of its subject. What is the point of an icon that has no relationship to its subject? Feather? Flower? Butterfly? Seashell? How are we supposed to relate these to their the programs they represent? It's form over function. As you can probably guess I really dislike the last batch of Adobe icons. ;) While I'm not hot on the latest at least they are a step in the right direction. But I think they should go back to the older ones.

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mwright22se

Thu, 01/04/2007 - 17:38

HATE 'em

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HATE the new icons! They are ugly, uninspired and lack artistic merit. And they look unfinished. I will continue to use the great CS products, but having to look at these icons each time I open an application will not be fun. And using CS products is definitely fun!

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