I am delighted to announce that my article about creating 512x512 icons for Mac OS X Leopard has been published at Smashing Magazine!

Smashing Magazine delivers useful, inspirational and innovative information for designers and web-developers and it's a great pleasure for me to contribute to such a creative designer environment!

“In 2000 Apple released the visual theme Aqua, a stunning leap forward in graphical user interface design. At the same time Apple published the Human Interface Guidelines (HIG), a tool for developers and designers that gives a detailed breakdown of the design philosophy behind Aqua. Apple recently updated their Human Interface Guidelines (HIG), to include the way the visual theme Aqua has evolved in Apple's latest operating system, OS X 10.5 Leopard. This is the first update since 2006.”

Aqua: "Gorgeous, artistic icons are an important part of the Mac OS X user experience. Users expect beautiful icons that tell an application’s story in a clear and memorable way". Well, how do icon designers go about creating beautiful icons in 512x512 glory? Leopard and the Updated HIG: A Designer's Guide to Icons examines Aqua's interface. Realism, symbols, silhouettes, transparency, light source and perspective. We take a look at the Dock, Leopard's file browser Cover Flow and the icon sizes. Finally you will find some practical tips on how to scale your art work so that the smaller versions become crisp and clear.

Tags: Apple, Mac OS X, Leopard, interface, design, usability, gui, icons, guide, tutorial

He's been here! The Easter Hare was all excited and said he had hidden six eight Easter Egg Icons on the Marmalade Moon!

I asked him what you were supposed to do when you found an egg, he gave me a look like I am hopeless, and said that “you just click on it and you will be magically transported to a secret page where you can save them to your computer”.

Then his paintbrush dropped out of his satchel and he snatched it back up and suddenly looked a bit worried. He said something about finding the right shades for chocolate, and said he'd be back with more eggs “when they were ready”. Then he jumped vertically for no apparent reason. Blinked and darted off.

Just like that! There was no time for me to remind him that the last day for the egg hunt is on Easter Monday, 24 March and ask him what he had planned for the grand finale! If anything... One wonders... I will keep you updated when I see any more evidence of his work...

Until then, good luck on your icon egg hunt! Six eight eggs to find to start with!

CLUE: If you have recently been browsing Marmalade Moon you might have to reload a page to see the egg, or clear the cashe in your browser.

Tags: icons, design, free, desktop, interface, Mac OS X, Windows, Leopard, Vista, nature, holiday, Easter icon egg hunt

This fun and colourful collection of iPhone inspired icons has been updated for modern systems.

The set is now complete with 512x512 pixel versions for Mac OS X Leopard and 256x256 pixel versions for Windows Vista added to the versions for the older systems.

Head on over to the Freebies page to download the updated collection of iPhonica Volume 1 icons for Leopard and Vista to your computer!

Tags: icons, design, iPhone, free, desktop, interface, Mac OS X, Windows, Leopard, Vista

I designed a new set of Halloween icons in the iPhonica style available for download over at the Iconfactory.

Tricky spiders, skulls, cobwebs, a pointed witch's hat, candy corn, ghosts and ghouls as well as some smashing pumpkins will crawl out of this collection of icons! Happy Halloween!

Tags: icons, iPhone, design, free, desktop, interface, holiday, Mac OS X, Windows

I designed a new set of icons in the iPhonica style. This time it is application icons for iLife.

There are five icons in the collection, including iPhoto, iWeb, iDVD, iMovie and GarageBand. Download iPhonica Volume 3 at the Iconfactory!

Update: Since Apple redesigned the iLife 08 version of iMovie I added a second version of the iLife icon to the set – the iLife ‘08 version of iMovie.

Tags: icons, iPhone, design, free, desktop, interface, iLife, Mac OS X, Windows

I was recently interviewed by SvD Näringsliv, if you speak Swedish you can read the interview here: Design i digitala rum.

Tags: interview, Mac, computer, interface, icons, design, art

I have designed a system replacement set in the popular iPhonica style available for download at the Iconfactory. The set contains over 70 icons to customise your entire system in the simple and clear silhouetted style of Apple’s hottest new sensation, the iPhone!

Disclaimer, turning your computer sideways will NOT initiate portrait mode.

Tags: icons, iPhone, design, free, system, interface, desktop, Mac OS X, Windows

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jonas Hållén at Dagens Teknik. Alexander Ruas was the photographer.

Tags: interview, Mac, computer, interface, icons, design, art

Even I was surprised that there were SO many people longing for their new iPhones!

On popular demand I created a second set of iPhonica icons. Volume 2 of my series of icons based on the upcoming GUI of Apple's new iPhone is this week's freeware release over at the Iconfactory. The set contains 10 new icons. A rose for your iPhone Valentine. A snowflake for winter. And several more utilitarian icons too.

Tags: icons, iPhone, design, free, desktop, interface, Mac OS X, Windows

Can't wait for your new iPhone? Turn your computer into a wannabe iPhone with 15 brand new iPhonica icons!

These iPhone inspired icons include icons for music, work, experiments, favourites, various forms of electronic communication, hardware as well as coffee, a dry martini, a slice of orange and of course your favourite game, World of Warcraft. 

Tags: icons, design, iPhone, free, desktop, interface, Mac OS X, Windows