Vista and Xp Style icons

Icons plays a major role in software applications. Each and every one should know about icons and their uses.

At first Know what is meant by Icons?
Icons are usually a small graphical objects which is used to represent a program, any actions or a concepts that helps users to recognize and grasp the meaning of particular actions.

Where we are using Icons:
Today the icons are largely used in various softwares companies and in some printing services for designing purpose. Generally icons are used in computer desktops, toolbars and in some computer applications such as MS Word, etc.
Icons are represented as Vista icon, Xp Style icon, desktop icon, Application Icon , Messenger Icons , Avator and so on.

How to design Icons:
Icons should generally be designed by high end professionals. There are various icons and they differ in sizes.
The maximum size of a icon should be of 256 x 256 pixels. For example GUI(Graphical User Interphase) will produce a set of 16, 32, and 48 pixel icons for any program and sets of 16, 24, 48 and 96 pixel icons for other program.Icons should be designed by considering the guidlines given by microsoft corporation.

Sizes recommended by microsoft :

• 48 x 48 pixels
• 32 x 32 pixels
• 16 x 16 pixels

Each icon colors depths that supports some monitors :

• 24-bit with 8-bit alpha (Windows XP)
• 8-bit (256 colors)
• 4-bit (16 colors)

Icon Colors:
Color selection usually affects both the users and the designers. Care should be take while selecting colors. Windows usually use 4-bit (16 color), 8-bit (256-color), and 32-bit (WindowsXP) images in multiple sizes.
There are some primary colors which is used for designing window icons.

Icon format:
There are some icons format which supports limited colors. For example in starting stage xp icons usually supports only 256 colors but now there are nearly 16 million colors.
The xp style icons which supports some vista are named as vista icons , due to the rich colors.
Icons are usually edited by using photoshop, Illustrator, Icon editor and so on.

Quality xp style icons:
Icons should be of high quality.The icons should give a good look and feel. It should be user friendly and should need all the qualities for all softwares.

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