Hand-Painted Icons for Games

Randall Mackey has designed and illustrated hundreds of icons for games, including League of Legends, Smite, and Paladins. Learn the fundamentals of icon creation for games from an expert!

Part 1
Icon Conventions
Randall reviews the basics of creating legible and clear icons that properly compliment gameplay. He covers value and contrast, basic color conventions, and how to think of an ability kit as a whole. He then demonstrates creating a simple spell effect icon from start to finish.

Part 2
Icon Creation and Context

Randall wraps up the course by covering additional factors in icon creation. He focuses on gameplay, spectating formats (such as e-sports and streaming), and how to consider the entire pool of icons in a single game. He then demonstrates creating a magic ring icon in Photoshop.