Jun 22
Firefox’s New Spin
Given how often I write about iconography here, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the subtle Firefox icon redesign that’s been introduced in the recent 3.5 Release Candidate. The new icon comes courtesy of Anthony Piraino of the IconFactory and is based on the previous icon by John Hicks.
I was initially a bit put off by the little bits of fur going around the globe, which to me unnecessarily break up the eye-pleasing circular shape. But then I saw the smaller variations (48 square pixels at right), and I’m really impressed with the way the newfound flecks of blue reinforce the sphere when the level of detail is reduced. I also enjoy the new sweeping strokes in the fur (reminiscent of Adam Betts’ variation) and the re-treated globe.
Overall, this is a solid icon progression that increases the dimensionality and contrast without sacrificing recognition and consistency. Thanks to WordPress contributor @Viper007Bond for pointing it out to me.