For the icons below, I used ChatGPT to generate the icon set. Achieving a consistent result requires a process that applies a JSON style for uniformity and defines every detail of each icon or illustration.
Before drafting a prompt in ChatGPT, as a designer, it's important to sketch or jot down your ideas to visualize your concept. This could involve listing real-world materials like clay, ceramics, plastic, or metal, along with their qualities—whether cracked, shiny, old, or new. Thinking about placement and how to simplify each element is crucial, as it helps ChatGPT generate the correct icon more easily. If your idea is too complicated, it can be hard to communicate exactly what you want; thus, your prompt should be detailed and consistent. For now, keeping things simple is best—aiming for a straightforward style will enhance the viewer's understanding of the icon and make the creation process faster.
My background is in B2B SaaS, so I began by researching the top 20 icons typically used in B2B SaaS enterprises. Then, I considered how to transform a dull 2D line-based icon into something more engaging while preserving its original meaning. Without relying on any brand guidelines or decks, I decided to have fun experimenting with different materials for iconography, aiming to evolve it into an illustrative style that clearly conveys the intended message.
Growing up on the East Coast, I often visited the beach with my parents and collected seashells and sea glass, which had a lovely frosted, wave-rounded texture. Occasionally, when I had a bag of these, the overlaying pieces would let light through, blending together to create smooth gradients. I aimed to incorporate that effect into these icons, which influenced my JSON prompt.
To establish a consistent design style, we first need to select a uniform JSON library. We will ask ChatGPT to generate this style using a prompt similar to the following:
Can you assist me in creating a JSON library for an icon set? The icons should be 3D, simple yet feature a frosted glass look. They need to use colors ranging from white to #3737f4, #05053f, and #67ef3a. The viewing angle must be consistent across all icons, maintaining a uniform visual style and color scheme. All colors should be present in each icon, with green used as an accent color, making up about 25-30% of the design.
Be as specific as possible when describing your desired appearance. Include keywords like: 2D, 3D, isometric, frosted glass, or other materials, and specify exact colors using hex codes to ensure color consistency and preferred proportions. Experimenting with this prompt is crucial to achieving the best results.
Once ChatGPT generates the JSON code, copy and paste it into a text document and save it to a location for future tracking.
In a new ChatGPT chat window, ask to create any icon based on the topic by entering the prompt for the icon and then pasting the generated JSON code. The prompt should look something like this:
Generate a data stack icon using this JSON style [paste in the generated JSON code generated earlier and hit return].
When generating multiple icons, it's best to start a new chat for each one. This approach helps prevent ideas from blending across creations. different icon