New Branding for Affinity

[JGD]

The latest ones are a marked improvement over the first three versions (original, new without gradients and new with the simpler gradients).
 
Using two-tone/hue gradients (and not just between two shades of the same hue), from the original logos and splash screens, no less, make them more enticing logos to look at, more recognizable in relation to the older versions (you just have to look at it right next to the Designer's [MAS version] logo on the dock, the resemblence is definitely there) and a piece of advertising to Serif's superb gradient engine. It actually makes the interim version's gradients look amateurish by comparison.
 
As for readability and iconography: I think you nailed it. The interim Designer logo was too abstract, IMHO. It did look a bit too much like two mountains… The pencil tip is one of those cool “ah-ha, clever!” features that will probably go unnoticed on daily use, but will definitely stand out on your marketing materials, website and MAS page. And it is also a nod, as has been suggested here already, to your novel corner tool.
 
Overall a nice identity… I am still not digging the weird shape on the back (which, as I've said earlier on Twitter, is probably more of a function of brand equity management than anything else), but it is more subdued and colourful at the same time (two apparently opposing goals, but hey, if it works, great). Alas, I also miss the möbius strip… Maybe you can go for a cleaner look still on V.2 and resurrect that element, too? I give it a solid 8/10 for the two icons you've shown as of now.
 
As for Publisher: may I suggest something a bit more recognizable and iconic, like the classic folded corner on pages? I mean, since you are using an isometric grid, why not make the most of it and make an isometric projection? It wouldn't look too bad, and it could certainly silence the “way too abstract” camp.  ;)
 
On the other hand, you could easily draw the inner corner of a folded booklet, loosely based on the new Affinity Designer icon, and giving further significance to the diagonal line that shoots out of the logo, by equating it to a spine… Also, it would be a nod to the möbius strip theme, too. Check out my quick and dirty rendering:

 

… or why not even a combination of both ideas, by folding the upper vertex of the booklet, which would play nicely along the equilateral triangles theme? By keeping the top triangle, you are already implying that Publisher not only works with typography, but is best suited for multiple page layouts… Like so:

 

 

Aaaaand… while you're at it, and since Photo already has a big gaping hole in the middle of the icon, why not chop off a triangle from Publisher's icon as well and reinforce the booklet's proportions, while further reinforcing the möbius strip theme?

 

 

Food for thought… :)

[lmegson]

I do not know how to change the icon that appears when opening Affinity Photo but has always been possible to change icons on the mac desktop. I don't often bother but some of the latest Mac icons are less distinctive (as are some from other software vendors) and so it reduces the comfort factor of my personal working environment, so I change them. When I have time I may create my own or as in the case of Affinity have just replaced them with the older version, at least for now.

[Busenitz]

Being over 50, I'm not a fan of the new minimalistic icons that are today's rage.  1 - They remind me too much of Windows 3.1 to look professional to me, and 2 - having four blue and white two colored circular icons  just complicates my dock.

 

But no matter why the icon looks like, I agree that it's the software that counts, and I'm loving AD / APh.

 

Having said that, I strongly prefer the old icons, or even most of the examples submitted by other users over the current icons.  

 

And back to the whole concept of icons don't count, it's the software, I would state that IMHO the icon for a graphics program probably matters more than an icon for a financial program.

[LilleG]

I have the icons for all three apps, Designer, Designer beta, and Photo in my dock.  Compared to Designer with it's pencils, the beta icon looks small and flat and very bland.  Like imegson,  I will prolly revert my dock icons once the MAS version is updated.

[toyotadesigner]

I vote for the first versions of the logos. The effort to 'flatten' the icons to follow a dubious trend is a waste of time. The world isn't flat either. For me it's like falling back into the times of black and white photography. Nice stuff, great for the first steps, but it lacks the color of life.

[Timber]

Well, the new icons look busy and even less so tell one what the app does. I prefer the original older ones. They show more detail and the new one's looked rushed/pressured to be flat with less precision. The programs are great and deserve top flight icons. The newer icons just don't look "professionally done" to my eye.

[ronnyb]

I like the second version of the new icons. I would only say for Affinity Designer's icon, try making the pencil tip's triangle dark instead of light, like the aperture hole in the new Affinity Photo icon, and it will read more like a pencil, which is kind hard to read now... but loving it! Great work as always.

[pbass]

Definition of impossible: Pleasing everyone on esthetic matters! 

Most of us use these great apps because we're really interested in the visual arts. So we all have strong ideas of what we like.

I sure offered some of my opinions early on.

 

Whether you love the new icons or not, seen in the Dock, they are pretty good at showing you unambiguously where to click for the Affinity apps!

 

Kudos to the Serif folks for both 1) listening to your customers, and 2) steadfastly pursuing your own icon goals.

[bpedit]

The heavy border appears black in isolated images of the new icons. But when in the dock they soften up to a darker shade of the principal icon color. Much nicer than when viewed in isolation on a web page. I'm on board.

 

Let's now get back to the business of coding in arrowheads, I know that's the current secret project!

[macmello]

Hello friends!
I apologize to the designer who created these new icons, but like much of the old.

The new seemed a study, not something ready .

Wel, if approved, I have to get used to them then.

[LilleG]

Just ran across this app in the iTunes Store and wondered if Affinity's icon design team had seen it.  There's an awful lot of similarity.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10351644/Auxy%20Beat%20Studio.jpg

[TonyB]

Thanks for all the feedback. I created the thread so you could all help drive the iteration of the new icons. We have now completed what we will have for our next App Store release so I'm going to close this thread.

 

We plan on iterating our icons in the coming years so will probably need your help again. Keep hold of all those opinions for the next round.

 

Thanks again,

TonyB.