Top 5 Tips for iPhone App Icon Design • Clever Twist - iPhone application design & development in Atlanta, Georgia.

Here at Clever Twist, we LOVE good design.  Head Juicer and Lady-in-Charge, Jen Gordon brings her many years of graphic design experience to every iPhone challenge she takes on and we're constantly checking out our peers and competitors for tips and ideas of just how to make our apps stand out from the crowd.  After interviewing a number of app developers about icon design, we've compiled the TOP 5 TIPS for really effective icon design.

Tip #1: Understand the App Store

In order to design an icon that will grab your customer's attention, you have to be an honest-to-goodness aficionado of the iTunes App store.  Look and see what is out there. Download apps and see how the icon matches the application itself. Once you have an appreciation for the sheer quantity of applications in the store and a good sense of what kinds of applications are selling, you can tailor your icon accordingly.

Tip #2: Put Your Best Foot Forward

Keep in mind that the icon for your app may be all a potential customer has to go on when decided when to buy or not to buy.  A poorly-designed icon will make customers assume you are selling a poorly designed application.  As Nicholas Thomsen of Apporacle.com told us, "The ineffective [icon] is the "ugly" one, the ones that look like the developer spent two minutes on it and gives you a bad impression of the quality of the app even before you open it."

Tip #3: Be Different

Notice trends in the icons visible in the app store.  Are there certain colors being used more than others?  Use a color palate that stands out from the rest.  Do most of the icons have shaded edges?  Put a nice, dark line around yours.  Icons, like everything else in life, change with trends.  Stay on top of these more common choices and make your icon different.  But be careful.  Remember, good design comes first.  As Louie Mantia of iconfactory.com shared with us, "There's a difference between being unique and being the right thing to do. A lot of people miss that."

Tip #4: Pay Attention to the Little Things

An iPhone App icon may seem like a little thing.  When dealing with something as small as 57x57 pixels, its easy to overlook certain things, like gradients and shading.  According to freshapps, this is a big mistake.

"When you first take a glance at the App without opening it you will notice the icon. This is probably the most important feature to an app for me, in the sense that if the author takes the time to create a great looking icon you know it will be an amazing app. Fine attention to detail searching pixel by pixel; Adding gradients where they seem fit and color scheming are true signs that the author cares about what he/she does and the product they are creating is worth our time."

Tip #5: Seek Professional Help

So you've built an iPhone app to be proud of.  Don't let the days, weeks or months of work you put into your app go to waste because you couldn't design an effective icon.  If you're a developer, chances are you're not a graphic artist as well.  Outsource.  Often, a good graphic designer won't charge you an arm and leg for a clear, well designed icon and it may pay off more than you think once your prized app joins the 50,000 plus already vying for attention in the apps store.

[Note: Need a great Icon Design?  Clever Twist may have just what you need.  Email Jen[at]aclevertwist[dot]com for more information or to get started on your icon!]