IconBuilder 8

As with any aspect of design, good icons are important. But the devil is in the detail and, working with such a limited palette, getting them to work can be something of a struggle.

Working with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Fireworks MX 2004, the beauty of IconBuilder is that it doesn’t require you to get to grips with a new application, but instead allows you to create icons in the environment in which you are most comfortable. In fact, the only restraint imposed is that your design cannot be bigger than the Mac icon limit of 128x128 pixels or the Windows icons limit of 48x48 pixels.

But IconBuilder isn’t limited to square icons alone. This software also allows for icon creation in the more non-regular sizes of 64x32, 10x200 or any size in-between the two.

Using a simple grid structure, IconBuilder‘s accessible interface shields you from all the technical intricacies of interface creation for both Mac and PC. For example, creating Open and Drop icons on Mac OS X — used for folders that seem to open when a file is dropped onto them — is as easy as creating the two different states and running the filter twice.

In terms of workflow, we found IconBuilder easy to use and intuitive, too. The Preview window allows you to view the icon you’re working on in a variety of colours and textures. Another useful feature, new to this release, automatically verifies platform compliance and flashes up a warning when errors are detected.