Delete the first empty image from this icon ( Tools\Delete Image Format).ĩ. Add PSD images to this icon ( Tools\Add Image).Ĩ. #WINDOWS XP BACKGROUND LAYERS PRO#Make a new icon with ArtIcons Pro ( Main menu\File\New Icon).ħ. It's helpful to include the size and color depth in the file name.Ħ. Do not merge the image layer with the background layer. If an image's drop shadow gets cropped, you should go back to FreeHand, scale down the image, and follow the steps again.ĥ. Create three new Photoshop files, one for each size: 48 x 48, 32 x 32, and 16 x 16 pixels. In the Layers menu, select Merge Visible and merge the three layers.Ĥ. To merge the drop shadow and the 24-bit images, create a new blank layer. The drop shadow is black at 75% opacity.ģ. Then change Angle to 135, Distance to 2, and Size to 2. Add the drop shadow to your images by double-clicking on the image's layer and selecting Drop Shadow. If the 16 x 16 is not reading clearly, consider going back to FreeHand to simplify the image at that size.Ģ. Once you've pasted your three sizes into Photoshop, check the readability and resolution of your images, especially at the 16 x 16 size. Copy and paste the vector images into Photoshop as pixels (bitmap).Īfter pasting your vector files into Photoshop, the next step is to finalize the 32-bit images.ġ. Because there will be a drop shadow added to the image later, you should create three sizes that are around 46 x 46, 30 x 30, and 14 x 14 pixels.ģ. Illustrate your image using FreeHand or Illustrator.Ģ. Use the palette and style characteristics as outlined in the Icon Design Overview.ġ. #WINDOWS XP BACKGROUND LAYERS WINDOWS#You may use a vector tool (such as Macromedia FreeHand or Adobe Illustrator) to illustrate Microsoft Windows XP style icons. To add the drop shadow to your images, select the Effects / Drop Shadow item from the main menu. Windows XP icons use a drop shadow to provide definition and added dimension. #WINDOWS XP BACKGROUND LAYERS HOW TO#Consider also how your icons may be viewed as a set to help determine how to group objects. Icons that are single objects (such as the magnifying glass)Ĭreate overlapping secondary objects at an angle unless it makes more sense, due to readability and integrity, that they are rendered straight on.Icons that are symbols (such as warning or information icons).The following objects are usually shown in a straight-on manner: Not all objects work well at 16 x 16 at an angle. This is the perspective grid that Windows XP style icons use: To load this palette into ArtIcons Pro icon editor, select the Effects\ Palette\ Predefined \Windows XP item from the main menu. These are the primary colors that are used in Windows XP 8-bit icons: You should have a total of nine image formats - three sizes per color depth: 4-bit (16 colors) with 1-bit transparency.8-bit (256 colors) with 1-bit transparency.If you are creating icons for a toolbar, the Windows standard sizes are 24 x 24 and 16 x 16 pixels.Įach Windows XP icon should contain these three color depths to support different monitor display settings: This is not a size that you need to provide usually. Icons on the left side of the Start menu are displayed at the 24 x 24 pixels size. Microsoft recommends that your icon contains these three general sizes:
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