New Branding for Affinity

[TonyB]

Thanks for all the feedback. As always we have been listening and we are working up some new Icons that we will show soon.

 

TonyB.

[Mireille G]

It seems like a lot of the people who commented here like the old logos betters. I have to concur, I prefer the old logos, but it's okay eventually we will get used to the new ones. It's not the most important part of the software.

[osang]

I'm fine with the new look. I like it.

[eindietmar]

To start off, saying that i am not in favour with the old icons, indeed i feel that they look dusted, don´t really reflect the vibrant UI look and feel of Yoxsemite color palette change. 

 

That siad, i also wouldn´t go with the new ones:

As i see it, an icon should reflect what the app itself is able to help me with.

In best case it gives you a sense of the featureset without even knowing the name of the app.

 

I can´t really see how the new icons are doing that trick here. Usually simpler is better, but this looks more like an aged church glas window then anything of the topic here. I am not saying that they are not pleasing to the ey, they are, but they just don´t tell you the story.

 

An icon is much more than just branding.

 

And looking back to Adobe, i think those CC icons are just a plan b option: "as we can´t find a way of using iconography for doing the trick we´re now using abbreviations."

 

And as moentioned before, please don´t even consider to make an option for changing an icon via the preferences. Otherwise this would maybe even end up in a UI sandbox.

 

Sometimes in life of a UI/UX designer you just do those decision to focus on what you want to achive. In best case the 80/20 % rule takes account, meaning 80 % support what you do, 20% do not.

 

In my opinion Apple is a good example of doing icons which tell you the right story…

 

cheers Dietmar

[jhmdigital]

My initial thoughts were that I preferred the old logos but after comparing the two sets for a while the new ones grew on me and now I think I prefer them. Certainly their introduction will not upset me.

As many others have written it is the quality of the software that is paramount but there is also a need for logos that indicate the high quality of the product.

[Talabardio]

I like the new icons. Typically, simpler is better and you need to be able to easily distinguish them from each other and other icons at a glance. I think these work well along those lines.

[Nazario]

I prefer the old icons.

 

However, my style is based very much around minimalism and its strengths, but I see a lot of poorly designed minimal icons as people try to keep up with the latest design trends etc. just for the sake of it but don't fully understand or follow through with the concept.

 

Affinity's new icons are not poor I just think they need tweaking. I would drop the gradients or reduce them so they are only barely noticeable. They are far too prominent and make the icons look very 'cheap'. Its like saying 'heres a symbol, its very simple, it works great in black and white and is memorable and relevant but lets whack a drop shadow and rainbow colours in it just so its looks like we've actually done something' which simply destroys the initial aim of having a more simplistic logo.

 

I get clients ask 'is that it?' when I present them with logos sometimes purely because they don't understand the concept. When you explain it and follow through with it they end up happier as they understand what they are looking at and can see it working.

 

A great logo is achieved when it conveys everything it needs to without any extraneous pieces. Its like a sculpture. Start with a block of marble and chip away everything thats not needed to unveil the masterpiece.

 

The gradients are not needed and on top of that are too strong and make the logos look a bit tacky.

[rchrdnsh]

I like the new icons, although the concept of the designer and publisher icons is unclear. The photos app Icon is obviously an aperture, so that one works well. Maybe a combination of shapes for the designer Icon and some books for the publisher icon would be a little bit more clear in intention. But I do like the overall look, although the old Icons were not bad, just different.

[digital_wampa]

Luv em'

 

Esp. Affinity Photo - the older ones were indicative of the old school branding of having an item represent each product - (like pen, camera etc) the new logos are more modern and more abstract while still representing each product within the "suite" of tools.

 

I actually liked the version that was flatter the ones without the left side heavy line.

 

Anyway nice.

[Pixie Bebop]

Hi,

 

If you want to do more graphic icons, I think that these new icons have too many lines, detail and are too abstract ... sorry, even a little ugly.

 

I think it should be the opposite, simple and recognizable forms. And I would also seek more intense colors, a more attractive palette.

[bpedit]

Flatten the old icons if you must but please preserve the elements that help identify function. Sure, folks can learn to relate any icon to any particular program but what's the advantage of not having visual clues? Pencils, drawing; lens, photos. . . I get it right away.

I don't understand the heavy black border, especially on the left side. 

[ONSO]

I think you guys should stay with the concept of the old icons. The old / current icons gave an visual indication of the apps function — if theres a need or desire to update I feel that the visual indicator element must be maintained. Personal I thought the icons were fine.

[KateM]

Our new branding is now available in our latest beta versions (and release candidates!) 

 

- Affinity Photo RC-3:  http://bit.ly/1THRiSL

- Affinity Designer: http://bit.ly/1NjSxm4

 

A little bit different to what we showcased last week... worth checking out ;)

[Leigh]

I prefer these icons to the original ones! Go Team Affinity :)

[smallreflection]

Great balance. I think it gets enough tonal value and detail to be interesting and give a greater air of quality, yet flat enough that it reflects a more modern/pro aesthetic. I think you're hitting the most important point—brand distinctiveness. They look quite at home with similar apps in my dock. My only concern is on dark backgrounds the great silhouette shape gets a bit lost. But still, pretty near perfect, in my opinion.

 

[ckpro]

I much prefer the older icons... Designer and Photo are too similar looking now, but I guess I can get used to them.

 

I love your apps and they couldn't have come at a better time for me.

 

Thanks

[A_B_C]

Couldn’t say it better than smallreflection … thank you so much for reconsidering the design …  :)

[aagirlz]

I prefer the older ones, for me the black edge seems harsh and the range of colours seems reduced in the new ones. Also the old ones were easier for those who don't know to work out what it is.

[Paul Bravery]

I think I'm a 'flat icons' convert!

 

Both Betas' icon sets are much improved.

 

I also like the improved AD Beta ui.

 

Great work!

[VectorVonDoom]

Sorry but that new icon is plain awful. Sometimes I really wonder how people create something, look at it and think, yep that's better than the old one when it obviously isn't. You only need to look in your apps folder and it sticks out like a sore thumb.

[brandoseven]

Very well done. Congrats.

[bpedit]

Oh, I get it! Those are pencil points directed upward in the new Designer icon! Hmmm. . and maybe layers of paper for Publisher? With a little practice, I can master recognition!

 

Still think the heavy handed black on the left is, well, heavy handed. But, at least on first inspection, the software still seems to function well.

[JimGoshorn]

The best icon of the bunch is Photo as it graphically relates to photography. Designer sort of relates to geometric design. Publisher just doesn't relate by looking similar to Designer. Take the names of the apps away and let people look at the icons on their own and how many would have an idea of what the app does? The old icons could better stand on their own by at least giving a person an idea of the app's functionality.

[vonBusing]

Maybe it should be made more obvious in the initial post and from now on in the thread that there are updated new icons, so the comments are relevant to the latest version.

 

Can we also see the latest version of the icon for Publisher?

[anon1]

I still like my idea of a preset setting for changing icons best.

Especially since I find the recent photo icon more a step back - Personal thoughts.