Simple icons are among the principal features of minimalistic design. In addition, simple icons and other design elements should be used moderately. Simple icons are meant to be used where they are absolutely important and eliminated where it's possible. Optional simple web icons are to be refrained from repetition or eluded.
Limited amount of color, reserved tones, clear elements, soft lighting are being used for simple web icons design. Simple web icons are created out of elegant and simple elements which do not distract webpage visitors from the main navigation and webpage idea.
These rules for simple icons design can be outlined:
- minimal usage of duplication
- less amount of graphical elements
- maximum intuitive clarity
- clear typography in simple web icons
- less icons
Some important tips for creating a minimalistic design with simple web icons
Additionally to simple icons themselves lightweight background textures and patterns are necessary for the design and content perception. The eyes should focus on the website content or some important blocks but not on the background pattern or image itself. So the background needs to be of a light simple shade making it secondary compared with the foreground items like simple web icons.
One more prominent feature of the lightweight and clear design is for sure clear typography. Simple icons names (if there're any) should be precise, meaningful and equivalent to their function. Headings placed on simple web icons need to be of readable font and huge enough for easy reading. Clear hierarchy should be followed as well.
Enough white or empty space is helpful for creating a great clean simple icons design. Extra spaces keep elements separate and for that reason more readable and simpler to work with. In case you use some extra space between simple web icons this do not harm to the design of your site at all.
Generally the minimalistic trend is not entirely minimal. Despite its great amount of white space there are still some simple icons, light textures, neat styles and bold fonts. Minimal isn't exactly the same as simple. From the very begining minimal meant plain typographic eliminating images and styling. Today there's a great amount of various web pages over the Internet. Thats why modern design requires something more than black text on white background. Reducing design elements to the most important items you can add much more zest to your web-site layout with some uncommon coloring, catchy simple icons, half-transparent and lightweight textures and patterns.
Simple is often used as a synonym of smart. Simple icons is the best solution if you'd like your site look fantastic and professional.