Graphic Design: Create Color Line Icons
Get on trend with simple line icon designs and a simple splash of color! We’ll build up shapes and color each icon making a quick, well designed icon set.
Build line icons
Step 1
In a New Document use the Pen Tool to draw a straight line, dip down into a 45° angle, and back down toward the center of the first line. These three lines will form half of your diamond icon. Copy and Paste the path, Reflect the copy over a Vertical axis, and Unite the two paths together once you’ve aligned them horizontally.
Step 2
Draw a straight line to define the top plane of the diamond. Then draw two angled lines that split the diamond into three sections. Mimic the contour of the diamond with these interior lines. Group your icon elements together. Set the stroke width to 3-5 pts with Rounded Caps and Corners in the Strokes panel.
Step 3
Our next icon is an umbrella. Use the Ellipse Tool to draw a circle. With the Selection Tool adjust the angle of the circle’s radius so you have a half circle (this is a CC 2015 feature). Line up five small circle along the edge of the large half circle. Use the Shape Builder Tool to unite them together and delete the intersecting sections from the large circle.
Step 4
Using the drawing tool of your choice, draw four curved lines from the top of the umbrella to each of the scallop points of the umbrella. With the Line Segment Tool, draw a small line at the top of the umbrella and a long line coming out of the bottom of the umbrella.
Step 5
For the curve in the umbrella’s handle, line up a small circle at the bottom edge of the vertical line you drew previously. With the Scissors Tool, make cuts to the top two sections of the circle and delete them. Groupeverything together.
Step 6
The document icon is quite simple. Draw a rectangle with the Rectangle Tool. Add a small triangle in the bottom corner. You can draw this with the Pen Tool or the Polygon Tool. For the seal, draw a small circle and use a Zig Zag effect (Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag and adjust the settings as you see fit. Add a few line segments for the writing on the document itself.
Step 7
The pizza icon is also quite simple. Draw a large circle with the Ellipse Tool. Use the Selection Tool to changle the angle of the circle’s radius so there’s a section cut out of it. Repeat with a second circle, but this time you’ll want only a small section to be left.
Step 8
Draw smaller circles over each pie section and use the Scissors Tool to cut away sections. If you need to, you can add an anchor point to the path where you want to cut away so you’re just left with an arc rather than a full shape.
Draw little circles all over the pizza and use the Shape Builder Tool to delete portions of each circle from the pizza so pepperoni slices aren’t on the crust.
Create more colorful icons
Step 1
Let’s create a colorful pencil icon. Draw a rectangle. Add an anchor point onto the top edge and pull it upward with the Direct Selection Tool. Round out the bottom of the rectangle by pulling the Live Corners inward. Add vertical and horizontal line segments to create the pencil’s details and sections.
Set the basic pencil shape to a fill color only and make sure the overlapping lines are larger than the base shape and set to Multiply in the Transparency panel.
Step 2
To create a fun and simple paint bucket, draw a square and add two ellipses on the top nad bottom (make sure their widths match). Unite the swuare and the bottom ellipse in the Pathfinder panel. Draw a smaller, brightly colored ellipse on top of the paint can.
For the handle, draw a curved path going from side to side with the Pen Tool and add two little ellipses on either side to join the handle to the can. Add a curved line at the bottom of the paint can and Group everything together.
Step 3
Our paintbrush icon is fairly simple as well. Draw two perpendicular rectangles. Round out the bottom corners of the vertical one and add a small ellipse to create a hole in the paintbrush’s handle.
Draw five identical rectangles for the brush’s bristles. Line them up so they overlap just enough to form a large square. Round out the top edges of these rectangles. Using the drawing tool of your choice (I chose the Pencil Tool), draw a large, brightly colored shape for the paint. Set its Blending Mode to Multiply.
Adding pops of color to icons
Step 1
For the icons you already created, let’s add fun pops of color! Raindrops are simple circles with their top anchor point pulled upward. Clouds are formed from multiple circles overlapped and United together. Make sure fill colors are set to Multiply and your color choices work well together. Complementary colors or analogous colors are often good choices.
Step 2
For a sparkling diamond, draw a circle and apply a Zig Zag effect to your circle. I chose 5 ridges per segment with a size of 11%. Experiment with your effect as you see fit!
Step 3
Consider just small bits of color. Copy and Paste sections such as the document’s page corner, seal, and back page to be filled in and offset slightly. Don’t overwhelm your icon with colorful additions. This is about simplicity and modern design!
End result
Great job! Adjust the stroke and fill colors of your icon as you see fit. Pair complementary colors or brights and pastel colors together to really make your set pop! Share your designs with us in the comments or through social media!
