the quantised shading makes a cylinder look like a polygon that got extruded, the same with the cones etc. my eyes keep wandering around looking for the right tool/icon instead of clicking right onto it. it introduces extra linings that obscure identifying the shape fast and clear… i really dont like it. is there a way to have the shading less toon like? also the entire shape is now very fuzzy. i understand the idea of trying to minimise colour here but it does not work well. they got unnecessarily complex now.
I think the confusion comes from the fact that the areas of the shading are all equal on the cones and cylinders
I’ve added RH-89839 Icon shading makes shapes look faceted
the confusion comes from too many segments congesting the clarity as explained above. that at least was my confusion, maybe everyone has their own confusion here anyway shifting segments around will not make it better. and maybe even cause more distraction.
dear @marika_almgren if i may tag you, i saw that you are the Asignee, i want to be sure that my post is not just carried somewhere else, the faceted shading generally introduces more lines and in that sense is congesting it visually. if it would be possible to avoid it entirely in favour of a more plain simpler looking style?
i am a graphic designer besides being an everlasting architecture student, communication is very important to me, such little icons serve as a binding point to the Software. they look nice but it is not making them better readable..
I don’t want to make it harder for you to convince others of your vision, but I’d like to share my subjective impression. For something as small as interface icons, “faceted” lighting on a cylinder is simpler and more appealing to my imagination.
A subtle gradient simply isn’t as striking. We can imagine this cylinder being very shiny and therefore having such sharp lighting, rather than diffused. As for the distinction between a cylinder and a hexagonal prism, this difference needs to be clearly communicated through the drawing of the edges rather than through lighting.
In summary, even if such a sharp, gradual spread of light on a cylinder is less realistic, in the case of the icon that I intend to look at for significantly less than a second, in my opinion, it better communicates the three-dimensionality of this shape than a calm gradient.
Maybe more contrast in the gradient would flip my opinion opposite, I don’t know.
Either increase the number of shades from 3 to 6-8, or simply use an SVG gradient to make a perfectly smooth gradient. Limiting the shades to just 3 makes the icons confusing, ugly and difficult to read.
anyway shifting segments around will not make it better. and maybe even cause more distraction.