Designing an application icon and preparing it for the user home screen

It's often said that a book shouldn't be judged by its cover, but the harsh reality of mobile development is that an app is often judged by its icon. This rounded rectangle will appear on the home screen of every user, and it's important that we create something that is attractive and also a good indication as to what the user should expect after downloading our application.

In this recipe, we'll create a strategy for successful app icon design.

Getting ready

Adobe Photoshop will be our primary tool in the design of our app icon. It may also be helpful to grab some paper and a pencil so that we can sketch out any concepts we may have before we begin working on our computer.

How to do it...

The application icon is a primary component of any work. Appearing in the App Store, on a user's home screen, in Spotlight searches, and more, it's an important part of our job.

Let's take a look at several steps that will...