Back in April, before I left Clearleft, I started creating a few social media icons as a little side project. They were inspired by two specific icons within the BBC’s new Global Experience Language (GEL) document – those for RSS and Share.
The BBC’s icons were lovely, single-colour icons, and I could imagine a whole iconset along the lines of my colleague Paul Lloyd’s social media icons, but cleaner – simplified without all the bevels, gradients, and rounded corners. Indeed, much of this set is derived from his icons, and I thank him for his encouragement and advice based on what he found works and what doesn’t at such small sizes.
When BBC News (my news source of choice) launched a beautiful new design last week I tweeted about my unpublished GEL-inspired icon set, and within a day a friend who worked on their new site got in touch asking to use them!
BBC News only needed half a dozen (most of which are only visible when you click the green ‘share’ icon at the top of an article page), but there are many more which are free for you to use in exchange for attribution – a link back to this page would be appreciated, but isn’t required. The set isn’t comprehensive as-yet, but I intend to add and improve icons when I have time and when there is demand.
I’ve tried to stick to single colours and simplicity where possible, although that plainly wouldn’t work on some like Google, Dopplr and Stumble Upon, where I’ve only managed to reduce some of the shading and complexity rather than colours. I may try again later where I’ve failed this time!
Please download them and leave your feedback below (maybe also a link to a site where you’re using them!), and sign up for site updates in the box below so you don’t miss any updates to the set.
Click here to download the 16-pixel GEL Social Media Icon Set
You can use these icons under an Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales Licence. These are shared for the greater good, and I claim no ownership of the logos used in these icons.
