For the past two weeks, I have been working on autumn themed icons. Fall is my favorite season, so I chose twelve, out of the hundreds of reasons why I love this time of year. Pulling on my worn sweater, sipping hot chocolate, carving pumpkins, or eating candy corn by the handful are just a few activities that make autumn special. I designed these icons for those who share my excitement for sweater weather.

While sketching, I came up with a few different icons or variations of an icon that I wanted to possibly create. However, there was one huge road block that I knew I needed to overcome. Drawing. This is not a strength of mine yet, but I am good at picturing what I desire something to look like. However, transferring what is in my head, onto paper, is challenging. 

These are drafts of what would become my maple leaf. Although, they still required a lot of work to be completed. At one point I realized I was making things much more complicated than they needed to be. I decided to only draw a portion of a leaf, because Illustrator would do the rest. Then, I could mirror my little leaf section to create a whole maple leaf. 

Here are the first two drafts of my icon set. My first draft was...well, a very rough draft. I had some icons with a big/small version, while others did not, and my shadows needed some tlc. With the direction and guidance from colleagues and friends, I was able to improve my shading on my second draft. This draft, albeit better, still needed to be refined. With more feedback, I was prepared and determined to achieve my vision. Of course, the third times a charm! I focused on correcting tangents, football curves, bigger strokes, and more precise shading. 

As a result, I was able to create icons that I feel represent and show the mood of autumn. The soft colors I chose help create a feeling of warmth and relaxation. The thicker strokes contrast nicely against the fill color and the repetition of colors unite the icons together. Now, enjoy that crisp apple, scent of pine, and slip on your favorite sweater!