Without susan kare s openminded, exploratory approach to design, our digital world might look a good deal less friendly. Susan kare, former apple designer and creator of the famous icons used in the original macintosh operating system, is the latest artist to have a sticker pack featured in popular social. Kares aim was to create icons that were distinct, simple but could also call up visual queues of what she wanted them to do. In the 7 x 7 book, it highlights 80 of susan kares favorite icons that she has designed between the years 1983 to 2011. In 1982, kare was hired to design typefaces and screen elements at apple, where she created the. Susan kares sketchbook icons pictogram, pixel art, icon. This is an interview with susan kare, september 8, 2000, at her home.
The designer of the icons and typefaces for the original apple mac, kare helped give a. After the introduction of advanced technologies and tools, implementing the design of icons became less. Mac os graphic designer susan kare on icon design creative bloq. But it is not just her fonts and contributions to typography that make susan kare a design icon. She has a special place in apple lore as the artist who designed the original icons, symbols, vector fonts and many of the other user interface elements used by the mac computers in the 1980s, many of which have lived on to this day. Kare, the designer of the happy mac icon, contributed a sticker set to the.
Mac icon designer susan kare explains the inspiration for her designs. Susan kare 1954, a fine arts graduate from new york university, moved to california when the call came from apple for a graphic designer. How susan kare designed userfriendly icons for the first macintosh the graphic designer is receiving a lifetime achievement award from cooper hewitt for her recognizable computer icons, typefaces. A pixelperfect sticker pack, designed by icon legend susan kare by kyle vanhemert 1 minute read you may not recognize susan kares name, but youd almost certainly recognize her work. Recently announced on aigas website, kare is being recognized for the bold and intelligent icons, user interface graphics and fonts introduced with apples first. Susan kare is best known for designing the distinctive icons, typefaces, and other graphic elements that gave the apple macintosh its. Since 1983, the san franciscobased designer has designed thousands of software icons that have become familiar to anyone who uses a computer. Submit what it is the most unique feature of icons. Iconographer susan kare talks about designing for apple.
Careers at behance adobe portfolio blog powered by behance creative career tips download the app. Mac icon designer susan kare explains the inspiration for her. Without susan kares openminded, exploratory approach to design, our. A computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen in order to help user navigate a computer system or mobile device in a similar way traffic signs are used to. Susan kare is an independent digital designer whose ubiquitous onscreen icons are clicked by countless users every day.
Dec 26, 2011 susan kare s early mac icons gave computers a personality photos millions of people around the world are familiar with the artwork of susan kare, but few would be able to connect that name with. I have previously linked to these apple macintosh icon prints by susan kare kare prints on previous occasions blogs, but was reminded of them again as i came to find some prints for my studio. Original macintosh icons designer susan kare to receive. Susan kare is a pioneering and influential computer iconographer. Making it easier for people to use both images with text. The popular social networking site, facebook requested her to design the gift icon for their site in 2007. Apr 20, 2018 susan kare, the former apple designer who gave the macintosh a smile, will later this month receive an american institute of graphic arts medal. Apr 05, 2011 celebrated computer iconographer susan kare is offering limitededition prints of her famous macintosh icons for the first time the signed and numbered prints include the worldfamous happy mac. Susan created if youll forgive me some of the most iconic images in the. Susan kare is an influential computer iconographer and partner at susan kare design and kare prints. Jan 28, 2020 when it comes to the most famous icon designers of all time, susan kare is, frankly, the most iconic. May 15, 20 currently leading susan kare design, a digital design practice in san francisco, and kare prints giclee prints of some of her favourite icons, shes also the brains behind font families such as chicago, monaco and geneva, and has designed thousands of icons for a range of global brands.
Graphic designer and iconographer susan kare talks about creating interface elements for apple and explains where the icon on the command key came from in this video from the eg conference. Meet susan kare, one of fast companys most creative people. Susan kare, the former apple designer who gave the macintosh a smile, will later this month receive an american institute of graphic arts medal. A pixelperfect sticker pack, designed by icon legend susan kare. New york is part of a series of fonts all named after famous cities, together with san francisco, chicago, geneva and more. Kare developed a number of icons and interface elements for the original mac os, and remnants of her work can still be seen in os x today. Susan kare prints signed and numbered limited edition prints. Mac icon designer susan kare explains the inspiration for.
Susan kares early mac icons gave computers a personality. Apple macintosh icon prints by the original apple icon designer. In fact, it was originally released in 1984 for the new macintosh by susan kare, probably best known for creating the mac icons among the other things. Susan kare together with bill atkinson also pioneered macpaint, a bitmap editor. Icons are one among the earliest elements utilized in the first uis. Also offered on her website is a book entitled susan kare icons. On the inside, its signed by susan kare, and it features a forward by steve silberman. The woman behind the original mac icon and facebooks gift icons. Kare followed dreams of a career in the fine arts to san francisco. Jun 19, 2014 iconographer and graphic designer susan kare is a graphic designer and was a member of the original macintosh team. May 04, 2016 susan kare started designing black and white icons using a grid on the apple macintosh computer during the 1980s.
Design icon susan kare is best known for designing the distinctive icons, typefaces, and other graphic elements that gave the. During the time, the style of icons resembled pixels, and designers created icons on a canvas as small as 32 by 32 dots. Celebrated computer iconographer susan kare is offering limitededition prints of her famous macintosh icons for the first time the signed and. October 7, 2014 oct 15, 2019 without susan kare s openminded, exploratory approach to design, our digital world might look a good deal less friendly. This includes original marketing material and many typefaces and icons, some of which became patented. The apple icons you see today have surprisingly ancient roots. Susan kare born in 1954 in ithaca, ny, susan designed some of the original bitmap fonts for the original mac in 19831984, including chicago, new york, monaco, fivedots, geneva, cairo dingbat font, losangeles, athens and san francisco 1984, ransom note. Tell me about the inspiration for susan kare icons. Artist susan kare is offering original mac icons as limited.
I have previously linked to these apple macintosh icon prints by susan kare kare prints on previous occasions blogs, but was reminded of them again as i came to find some prints for my studio and well, these prints just sum up how i remembering spending my late teens playing with my friends apple macintosh classic. Many of the visual metaphors are still in use today. How susan kare designed userfriendly icons for the first. Susan kare is an american artist and graphic designer best known for her interface elements. Susan kare designed the original apple macintosh system and application icons. New york is part of a series of fonts all named after famous cities, together. Susan kare on icon design in the video below susan kare gives us some creative insights into her time at apple as their primary icon designer. Kare, the designer responsible for some of the most famous icons in. A chance encounter with an old high school friend landed her an interview with apple. Interview with susan kare background and work before apple. Susan kare s early mac icons gave computers a personality photos millions of people around the world are familiar with the artwork of susan kare, but few would be able to connect that name with.
How susan kare applied embroidery skills to create the iconic. Susan kares print and book set is a great gift for any retro. New book celebrates maker of macs iconic icons susan kare icons takes a look back at the nearly 30year career of the designer who brought us the happy mac and helped us learn to love the. Although our next pioneer briefly worked for microsoft, susan kare is best known for her work with bill gates nemesis, steve jobs. Kares trash can, folders, smiley mac, command button symbol and other icons are reduced to just a. In facts, it was originally released in 1984 for the new macintosh by susan kare, probably best known for creating the mac icons among the other things. Kares designs have been featured in the moma and have also won her an aiga award in addition to other acclaim. Sep 25, 20 a computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen in order to help user navigate a computer system or mobile device in a similar way traffic signs are used to help a driver navigate. According to susan kare, good icons should be more efficient like road signs rather than mere illustrations. Her designs for the original apple mac were friendly, whimsical, quirky, and soulful making a huge contribution to the emotional connection that many apple users formed with their mac, and enhancing the user experience in the process. New book celebrates maker of macs iconic icons cnet. I got my start working on the macintosh computer, the first one, in the early.
See more ideas about computer icon, apple icon and pixel art. The folks at plos published an article a couple of days ago showing her early work on mac icons, most of which was done using a pen and graph paper in order to get the pixels. Some of the icons displayed in gift section are also featured in mac os x. Feb 07, 2017 7 things we love about susan kare she created some of the worlds most recognisable icon art.
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