Hand Painted Icons for Games by Randall Mackey

Part 1 of 2: Randall Mackey has designed and illustrated hundreds of icons for games, including League of Legends, Smite, and Paladins. In this first part of a two-part course, he discusses the basics of creating legible and clear icons that properly compliment the gameplay. He covers value and contrast, basic color conventions, and thinking of an ability kit as a whole. He then demonstrates creating a simple spell effect icon from start to finish.

Part 2 of 2. Randall Mackey has designed and illustrated hundreds of icons for games, including League of Legends, Smite, and Paladins. In this second part of a two-part course, he discusses larger considerations when creating icons, with a focus on gameplay, spectating formats; such as esports and streaming, and considering the entire pool of icons within a single game. He then demonstrates creating a magic ring icon in Photoshop.