Project 1 Camping Icons

 For this week's project I was tasked with creating a series of camping icons identifying various amenities around the campground.  I find that campground icons are important because campground icons are small symbols or images used on maps, websites, or brochures to visually represent different amenities or features at a campground. They make it easier for campers to quickly identify the services available, like restrooms, fire pits, water sources, hiking trails, and so on. Creating campground icons in Adobe Illustrator can be a fun and rewarding process, but there were a few challenges that I encountered along the way.

Simplicity vs. Clarity

First I thought to myself campground icons need to be simple to make them easily recognizable at a glance, but achieving simplicity while maintaining clarity can be tricky. Icons need to be reduced to basic shapes, but if they’re oversimplified, they may lose their meaning.

Consistency Across Icons

If you’re creating a set of icons, it’s important to maintain a consistent style same stroke thickness, color palette, and visual weight so they look cohesive when viewed together. Getting the balance right across different designs can be challenging, especially when the subject matter varies greatly (a fire pit vs. a tent, for example).

Scalability

Icons are often used at various sizes (from small on a map to large on a website or brochure). It’s important that they remain clear and legible at any size. Too much detail in a small icon can make it hard to understand when reduced.