A Showcase of Realistic Icons

When you’re designing an icon – whether it’s for the iPhone, iPad an Android device or for the desktop – you have to keep in mind that the icon will be competing for attention with other apps & programs. There’s a few things that you can do

to make sure your app doesn’t fade into the background – you can use a high contrast colour to help it stand out, you can use a distinctive design or you can make your icon look realistic. As so few apps use very realistic designs for icons, a realistic design can help your app to be instantly recognisable and help it to earn it’s spot on the first page of the home screen.

We’ve brought together a showcase of realistic icons to, hopefully, inspire you for your next design.

Expresso Icon

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/358711-Expresso-Icon

Beach App

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/525816-Beach-App-Icon

FM Icon

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/510711-Icons-fm

Wallet

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/300845-Wallet

Washing Machine

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/507566-Washing-Machine-iOS-Icon

Radar

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/186125-Radar-Icon

Whiskey iPhone

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/165689-Whiskey-iPhone-Icon

Strategy

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/521605-strategy

British Tea Cup

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/202313-British-Tea-Cup

Camera

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/123451-iOS-camera-icon

Pencil Case

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/419719-Pencil-Case-iOS-Icon-Revision-2

Starbucks Coffee Cup

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/132108-Starbucks-coffee-cup-icon

Numark Mixtrack

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/319960-Numark-Mixtrack-Icon

Food App

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/476596-Food-App-Icon-v2

Little Typewritter

Source:

http://dribbble.com/shots/186061-Little-Typewriter-Icon

Are there any realistic icons that you’ve found that deserve a mention? Let us know in the comments.

This post is written by Alex:

Alex writes for printing experts Print Express, who specialise in custom printed flyers, postcards & Business Cards. In his spare time he studies graphic & web design and tries to improve his Photoshop skills.