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I am producing a new application icon for a query menus and I would critique about this icon:

The aim of this icon is to represent the group of dishes, like in a folder tree found in many operating systems.

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    Hi there! Welcome to GD.SE :) Please take a look at our Critique Questions Guidelines. Why do you / don't you like your design? What are not sure about?
    – Yisela
    Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 19:38
  • What do dishes have to do with it? Who's the audience? (Does 'query menus' mean it's a restaurant menu search tool?)
    – DA01
    Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 19:38
  • Yes, it's for a restaurant menu search tool, but it will be used by the kitchen staff to search for recipes.
    – Tarso Virgilio
    Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 20:28
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    How about a plate with a knife and fork, shaped and positioned like a search icon? (This is a comment because it's not a critique, but a suggestion instead.)
    – Dom
    Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 20:50
  • As an app icon, it likely should borrow heavily from (or be) the primary branding element. An app icon, like a logo, doesn't have to literally explain the app. It has to uniquely identify it. Does the app have a name yet? A brand identity? Or is the intention that this is the branding?
    – DA01
    Commented Aug 19, 2014 at 21:58

4 Answers 4

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If it's not a standard icon (read: thousands of apps use it) then it will be difficult to figure out no matter how well you design it. Add a label next to it, then the exact icon doesn't matter so much.

I'm yet to see a non-standard icon so incredibly clear that I immediately know what it means without labels.

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  • Thanks for the support! I followed what you say and, finally, the icon looks better now.
    – Tarso Virgilio
    Commented Aug 20, 2014 at 16:08
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I would change the icon to include different types of dishes to better represent hierarchy.

For example on a traditional dinner setting. So maybe the top one is a dinner plate, then a saucer, then a cup, then a spoon.

Right now it just looks like a poorly aligned group of indiscriminate objects (I don't see them as plates).

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Rather than trying to explain, I figure I'd post a visual suggestion, if the OP is stuck on using "dishes"/"Plates" as a icon theme. It kind of takes a riff of of what Ryan is promising with a stack of items - in this case "plates".

I hope this helps you!

Here it is:

enter image description here

Peace.

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I don't understand the icon presented in the question. Some lines, circle, flying aliens?

I suggest not to use "folder"-like icon - no matter what you will do, it probably will be not original and not beautiful as you like.

IMHO you should find some "symbol" to your application and create just a beautiful icon even without any suggestion of menus/folder/archives etc.

IMHO simple is better

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