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Metaicona is a unique set of icon tools
I created inspired by my favorite musical genre - Heavy Metal.
Metaicona
My Role
UX Research | UI Design | Branding | Design System
Tools
Figma
Photoshop
Procreate
Year
2021
Understand
The Problem
If you are a big fan of big orchestras or small 3-person bands, everyone loves music. As a big fan of alt. music, I notice it is hard sometimes to differentiate between sub-genres when playing music in apps. The issue is even bigger in the Metal genre, when you have 30+ sub-genres you can choose from and need some guide to be clearer.
The Solution
A set of uniquely altered Icons, that depicts the culture, society and sound of 20 Heavy Metal sub-genres out there. The idea is to create a clearer understanding of what music a user going to find out behind the symbol in order to help him or her with the musical picks in the user's preferred musical app.
Research
📊Approach Research
In order to find the right looks for the icons, that will fit the music behind them, I took inspiration from some of the biggest music player apps in the market such as: Spotify, SoundCloud, Musixmatch, AIMP etc.
When some genres might be with versitile crowed of listeners like pop or reggae, None is more differential, detailed, and according to many fans: with follow up guidelines as the Metal genre.
In the world of Metal music genre. there are more then 30 sub - genres for metal out there, starting from: Heavy, Trash, Black, and Death, to Glam, Extreme Groove, Power, Folk and Grindcore Metal, etc.
Initially, the Spotify app does not recognize band logos or other icons except the main “Metal” main genre icon, only detailed typography, and album arts when reaching out for playlists in the Metal genre section.
it creates dis comfort among the users a giant mass of plenty songs to choose from with different styles and backgrounds not related to the user’s request.
feels lost and in a jungle of musical sub-genres.
Research
🖼️inspiring Mood boards
In my research I explored most common Metal sub-genres in music, culture, and society. I looked at music magazines images, Listen to records, saw musical documentaries and searched online from the world of musical apps icons.
Three examples of Metal sub-genres styles:
Death Metal - Death Metal prides itself with gorish skeletons, blood, and the afterworld. When other genres have a more idiological concept of music, this sub-genres is honest with its message of death.
Power Metal - Power Metal is all about fantasy: dragons, far away imaginary lands, and Heroes. the Sub-genre mostly focuses in its art on fighting epic battles, using the power of steel and even lightning
Black Metal - One of the most important symbols is the invereted cross that have various meanings in Black Metal. The most general are the total disagree with the christianity and a symbol of humility and respect to the wisdom.
Result
😊 Impact
Now the user can enjoy Music with easier understanding on where to find each style of Metal, between 20 sub-genres, and with a stylish touch.
Thank you!
Design
🎨 UI Design
I imagined the ideas of the music and its alternative lifestyles, as well as the impact they have on the user. Here is the result of 20 sub-genres icons I made, from viking Metal to Folk and Djent. Enlarge Icons are the three first icons I worked on: Black, Power, and Death.
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