Get icon ideas in one click with this ChatGPT Prompt
ChatGPT transforms a complex concept into a simple icon
Using icons is an excellent way to explain concepts visually so the user can understand the information on the screen without words.
In some cases, choosing an icon is easy, such as explaining to a user how to add a t-shirt to the favorites on an e-commerce shop. In addition to being visually known and understood by users, these common icons also appear in icon libraries, so we can pick them from the library we use.
However, representing something more complex, such as a concept or process not commonly represented by an icon, can be much harder.
When you have to create icons for non-standard concepts, this is a much more complex task. For example, design an icon to represent deep thinking or create a line of icons for each doctor’s specialty on a hospital’s website.
With the development of artificial intelligence, getting ideas and involving them has become much easier.
To help you get ideas for complex icons, I am sharing a prompt template to develop creative ideas for icons so you will always have ideas for this case.
The AI won’t do all the work
The prompt can help you design an icon for your project. However, it will not give you an icon idea you can copy and paste (I hope it will do it, but from my experience, it will not happen).
It is necessary to take the ideas they give you and work on them to get a final result. The advantage of using the prompt and executing it in ChatGPT is that it will help you think more quickly compared to a case where you do not use it.
The AI will push your imagination faster than if you start from scratch but do not do all the work for you.
Ask ChatGPT or Midjourney to create an image of the idea
After generating the icon idea, you can ask ChatGPT, Midjourney, or another AI tool to generate it visually so you can get visual ideas to create the final icon. As always, a picture is worth a thousand words.
In addition, you can add technical parameters to the prompt, for example, line stroke, full icon, color, size, etc., and you will get something more appropriate.
If you need to create an icon for marketing, it is usually much easier because the sizes are bigger than 24x24 px, so you can add more details and play more with the icon styles, more than one color, gradients, etc.
How to use the prompt
Copy and paste the prompt in a note block and write in the ###Information### section:
- MY PRODUCT IS = “Explain what your product does.”
- WHAT THE ICON NEEDS TO REPRESENT = “Explain what the icon needs to represent.”
Then, execute it in ChatGPT or another LLM (large language model) and start working with the results.
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The prompt
###Instruction###
Your task is to assist in identifying suitable icons for a specific process within a product design context.
Assume the role of a professional illustrator with over 20 years of experience, leveraging your expertise in iconography, drawing skills, art direction, attention to detail, storytelling, cultural awareness, and creativity.
This task is critical for a product designer needing help to conceptualize ideas for an icon that encapsulates a complex process. You MUST provide five icon ideas.
###Context###
1. You support an expert in graphic design and illustration.
2. Break down the task: First, understand the product's purpose. Next, grasp the essence of what the icon needs to represent.
3. Use affirmative language to guide actions.
4. Implement example-driven prompting by considering similar successful icons in the industry.
5. Ensure that your answer is unbiased and does not rely on stereotypes.
###Task Breakdown###
1. Understand "MY PRODUCT IS" to grasp the product's functionality.
2. Interpret "WHAT THE ICON NEEDS TO REPRESENT" to comprehend the core message the icon should convey.
3. Generate five creative icon ideas suitable for the product.
###Output Primer###
Start your response by outlining the product's function and the process the icon needs to represent. Then, list your five icon ideas, ensuring they are abstract yet informative, creatively reflecting the process within the product design.
###Information###
MY PRODUCT IS = ""
WHAT THE ICON NEEDS TO REPRESENT = " "
Remember, your contribution is pivotal for a product designer's career. Begin with an analytical approach to the product and the representation needs, then transition to ideation, culminating in five distinct icon suggestions.Result Example
I requested an icon that represents “Empathy” in the instructions.
###Information###
MY PRODUCT IS = "Website for a psychologist clinic""
WHAT THE ICON NEEDS TO REPRESENT = "The icon should represent Empathy, so we want to convey that our services have empathy for the client. "The results:
1. Two Faces with a Heart Connection
Description: An icon featuring two abstract human faces, slightly overlapping or facing each other, with a small heart symbol emerging between them or where their 'brains' would be. This design conveys a deep, empathetic connection between the therapist and the client, highlighting understanding and shared feelings.
2. Listening Ear
Description: An icon that focuses on a stylized ear with a gentle wave or sound pattern flowing into it. This imagery suggests active listening, a key component of empathy in therapy. It symbolizes the clinic's commitment to hearing and understanding the clients' concerns and emotions.
3. Hand on Heart
Description: A simple yet powerful icon of a hand placed over a heart. This design can represent compassion, warmth, and the human touch of understanding. It communicates the clinic's dedication to providing heart-centered care and understanding for everyone who seeks help.
4. Interlocking Circles with a Shared Glow
Description: Two overlapping circles that share a common area which glows or is highlighted. This icon symbolizes unity, connection, and the shared journey of therapist and client. It reflects the idea of coming together to heal, with empathy at the intersection of their connection.
5. Bridging Hands
Description: An icon depicting two hands reaching towards each other, almost touching, forming a bridge. This imagery represents support, connection, and the bridging of gaps between individuals. It illustrates the clinic's role in connecting clients with the help they need through understanding and empathy.Visual results for the idea “Listening Ear”, Generated by Midjourney.
Visual results for the idea “Interlocking Circles with a Shared Glow”, Generated by Midjourney.
Visual results for the idea “Interlocking Circles with a Shared Glow”, Generated by ChatGPT.
Get more from your prompt with these tips
Improve your prompt with key objects
Add to the prompt objects that are special for the concept: for example, if you need to create an icon that represents the cooking process with the bain-marie technique, you can add the objects used in the process to the prompt.
ChatGPT 4 works best
You can use any AI chatbot, but from my experience, ChatGPT 4 (included in ChatGPT Plus) produces better results.
Use ChatGPT to explain the process
If the process you want to share is common, for example, changing a wheel on the car, ask GPT to write you the process and copy it to the prompt.
You can write it by yourself, but if the process is common and not very niche, GPT knows it, and it will save you time.
The power of perfecting your prompt
Keep testing and make changes in the prompt until it is perfect for your specific need. Once it’s working, save it. Use it every time you need a new icon.
Boost design team efficiency
If you work as a DesignOps or in the design system team, you can save the prompt and share it with your team so they can use it, which will help them in the work process.
Simplify the ideas
If the icon ideas include many elements, you can ask ChatGPT to make it more abstract.
Want more AI tips for product design? See my other articles
To summarize
In this blog post, I showed you how to get creative and relevant icon ideas that effectively communicate your concept using generative AI.
Using the prompt includes two key pieces of information: details about your product and the specific message you want the icon to represent.
Once you provide this information in the prompt, you will receive many creative ideas that can be visualized more effectively using tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or other image-generation tools.
Because you won’t start from scratch, finding the right concept will be much easier from that point on.
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Thank you for reading the article. I hope this article helped you understand how to get many icon ideas with AI. Please feel free to share it with your friends or team members, and if you have any questions, please let me know.
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