How to Become a Top Contributor at IconScout: Tips from Powerhouse Contributors

Starting out a creative journey can often feel like being a fish out of water. Navigating a vast and uncertain sea of opportunities, searching for the right currents to swim in—in other words, it's quite daunting.

We reached out to some of IconScout's most influential contributors for insights on how inspiring designers can progress in their careers. In this article, they will share all the experiences and tips they have gained over time.

Zulfa Mahendra

Hi, my name is Zulfa Mahendra, and I'm a professional graphic designer and the founder of Eklip Studio. 2019 was the start of my adventure, particularly in icon design. However, my career as an official icon designer began in 2020 when I joined Inipagi Studio. In 2021, I expanded my knowledge into 3D design and started creating 3D icons.

Today, I'm building my own studio along with my team, exploring leadership and business. In addition to this, I still take on external projects, which remains a distinctive achievement. You can connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Dribbble or visit our website at eklip.studio.

Advice:

• Practice consistently: Consistent practice is crucial for improvement. Regular practice, even if not daily, helps refine your skills.
• Thorough research: Start each project with thorough research, this includes the project's theme and keywords. Then gather references and create a dedicated folder. Use a variety of models and styles for creative inspiration. Seek inspiration from platforms like Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble, and LinkedIn.
• Continuous learning: Commit to learning something new every day. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available and utilize resources like YouTube, books, and other sources. Keep updating your skills to stay competitive and innovative.
• Tools of the trade: Practice using either Adobe Illustrator for vector icons or Blender for 3D icons.

I would like to add that taking the step to share my icons on IconScout was a game-changer for me. My icons were visible to a wider audience which helped bring more people to see my work. As a result, I earned more through my designs. IconScout is a fantastic platform for icon designers to get their work out there and make some extra income.

Rakata

Hello, I'm Nur Miftahul Haq, a 3D artist and founder of Rakata Studio. As the Creative Director, I've come a long way from my small village in Lampung, Indonesia. Starting as a freelance 3D artist and animator in 2014, I faced economic challenges but stayed committed to my passion and love for art

Today, I have the tools and a dedicated team to create 3D illustrations. This journey has not only supported my family but also led to winning contests and opportunities to work on government and e-sport projects. I'm now focused on creating 3D assets to assist fellow designers. Remember, persistence can overcome any limitation.

Advice:

• Clear concept development: Establishing a clear concept of the 3D object that meets user needs. Research and identify what people worldwide currently require in 3D representations.
• Sketching for 3D application: Create a sketch that serves as a blueprint for the 3D model. Don't aim for exact replicas; instead, consider simplifying and adopting a minimalistic approach. Embrace unique 3D characteristics in your design.
• Mastering lighting and shading: Prioritize lighting and HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) to achieve the best shading effects. Proper lighting is crucial and can significantly impact the overall quality of the 3D asset.
• Camera placement: Set the camera view strategically to capture the 3D object from the best angle. Consider positioning the camera at the top right of the 3D object for an effective perspective.

Here is an example of one of the 3D illustration sets we created. We made some sketches on the iPad and created 3D objects using Blender.

One last tip I can give you is to use platforms like IconScout to get your design out to the world. This point is something we cannot stress enough. The IconScout team not only provides a platform for your designs but also actively promotes them by featuring them on various social media posts, spotlighting them through editorial views, and helping to maximize your earnings.

NTL Studio

We are 'The <Img>', a creative graphic design studio! We have a deep passion for bringing ideas to life through captivating illustrations and animations, with expertise in crafting tailor-made graphics for web projects and more.

Our journey may not be filled with inspiring tales, but we're a team of dedicated individuals passionate about what we do. Each day, we strive to create, innovate, and deliver the best to our clients, and this commitment drives our success.

Advice:

• Market awareness and research: Stay updated on the latest trends. Try to utilize insights from stock sites for data on search terms, style preferences, and more. Add the relevant keywords to enhance product visibility and improve SEO.
• Diversify and adapt: Explore a wide range of genres, styles, and formats initially. Emphasize diversity in your work and ensure inclusivity. Create variations and multiple iterations of content to meet buyer needs and offer a selection.
• Learning from success: Keep track of your most successful products. Analyze what made them popular and use this information to create similar content.
• Persistence and consistency: Remember that personal satisfaction doesn't determine the reception of your work. Don't hesitate to post your work; it might resonate well with others. And remember consistency is key; regularly update your portfolio with new products.

A while back, we boldly revamped our art style, yielding more recognition and new clients. Achieving this was no accident; it resulted from extensive research and diligent execution.

The fruits of our labor were instantly visible, as we tasted almost immediate success. Our endeavors resonated with our target audience, proving that a combination of research, creativity, and strategy could lead to impactful results.

Therefore, if you feel it's time to change something, don't hold back. Taking calculated risks often leads to growth and improvement.

Nixx Design

I'm Yudha Agung Gumelar, Yudha for short, from a small village in Pandeglang, Indonesia. My design journey began as a hobby in photo editing, sparking my interest in 3D design. While I briefly explored interior design, limited resources led me to quit this field. In 2018, I ventured into the icon industry. Growing my IconScout account was a challenge despite putting in three years of effort.  Fortunately, I joined design studios, gaining valuable knowledge.

In late 2021, I connected with Mohit Gandhi at IconScout, who suggested trying 3D icons. Seeing the potential, I thrived and even became a 3D design mentor. In just two years, I was able to support my family and witnessed my designs making a real impact. Special thanks to the IconScout team, especially Mohit, for their invaluable guidance.

Advice:

• Start with high-demand products: Begin by creating products that are in high demand to establish a foundation. Target general themes like business or user interface. Consider creating design assets for upcoming trends and events, but make sure you make and plan them several months in advance.
• Fast-track your journey: Consider publishing your designs on platforms like IconScout. IconScout has a wide audience and can help introduce your design assets to a larger market. The IconScout team also actively supports the community by enhancing asset visibility, driving traffic, and increasing income for designers.
• Build a solid foundation: Once you have a foundation is solid, you'll have more flexibility to explore different themes and create a variety of potential products.

For example, I created a pack related to Artificial Intelligence to capitalize on the current AI hype and its widespread use in various technologies. I also included AI elements that can be useful in other fields, such as art education.

There's another set I've created that remains quite popular to this day—Space.

Offers versatile elements suitable for educational activities, website design, and decorative design elements. Designs of this nature are typically in high demand and remain timeless.

Lotus Studio

Hello, I’m Hoang Thai Duy, founder of Lotus Studio in Da Nang, Vietnam, specializing in graphic design. My passion for design began with UX/UI design for mobile and web apps, leading me to create diverse illustrations.

In 2017, my friends and I founded Lotus Studio. Our team consisted of five like-minded designers, and we initially focused on 2D illustrations and flat-style icons. Throughout my design career, I've encountered significant challenges that served as valuable learning experiences. One particularly challenging project initially filled me with self-doubt. However, it ultimately taught me the vital importance of effective communication and the significance of aligning clients' needs with my creative vision, leading to exceptional designs. You can check out my work on Behance, Dribbble, and IconScout.

Advice:

• Meticulous market research: Conduct thorough market research before taking on a project. Analyze aggregated reports from platforms to identify high-interest topics and sought-after content. Understand client interests, aspirations, and pain points to establish a strong emotional connection through design.
• Embrace simplicity: Prioritize simplicity in design philosophy. Achieve elegance by removing unnecessary elements and focusing on essential visuals. Balancing simplicity and visual appeal enhances audience engagement and message conveyance.
• Leverage platforms and communities: Share your designs on platforms like IconScout to reach a broader audience. Gain recognition and income through wider exposure. Benefit from the support and resources provided by platforms like IconScout.
• Seek inspiration continuously: Keep an open eye for diverse sources of inspiration. Explore nature's beauty, captivating artworks, and work from other talented designers. Expand your visual vocabulary and infuse fresh perspectives into your designs. Maintain design dynamism and relevance through continuous exploration.

A pivotal factor that significantly contributed to my journey was introducing my designs to IconScout. Taking this step enabled me to share my designs with a wider audience, which not only brought me recognition but also provided a source of income. The IconScout team provided invaluable support throughout this process, truly making a difference.

Fuwa Team

Faris Muhtadi is a professional UI Designer who was ‘summoned’ to a magical country called Indonesia several years ago. He is an expert in UI Design, as you can see on his Dribbble & LinkedIn profile. While Faris manages the Fuwa Team during his spare time and weekends, his primary daily focus remains on User Interface design. If you have questions or are interested in collaborating, don't hesitate to reach out to him at [email protected].

Advice:

• Understand your niche: Start by deciding what kind of stock you want to contribute (3D or 2D illustrations, icons, or Lottie animations). Then, study similar assets from other contributors as a benchmark, both conceptually and visually. This will help you gauge which assets are more likely to be approved and sold.
• Check the guidelines: Familiarize yourself with the contributor guidelines, covering dimensions, metadata, and quality, to ensure your assets have high approval and usage rates.
• Decide the topic: Okay, let’s assume you've grasped the earlier points, but you're unsure about your topic. Fortunately, you can check IconScout keyword insights on the contributor dashboard. Use this feature to research trending topics (e.g., virtual reality) and draw inspiration. Address unmet needs in high-demand areas. Alternatively, if you prefer a hands-on approach, you can always conduct your own manual research and trends analysis. Consider addressing high-demand topics that other contributors haven't covered yet, solving specific user needs.
• List the items of the pack: Decide on how many items you would like in a pack.To decide on the specific items, take advantage of keyword insights, explore other packs (whether they're in similar or different categories), or use the power of artificial intelligence to guide your selection.
• Upload the asset: While your lovely assets are already created, and ready to be submitted, don’t forget to follow the submission guidelines and provide an eye-catching pack preview.

Take our 3D Ramadan Illustration pack, for instance. This religious event is significant for Muslims worldwide, creating a demand for 3D illustrations. We chose a distinct style, departing from the typical green theme while maintaining relevance. I made a preview for the pack after finishing it to make users curious and interested.

In conclusion, a bit of last advice would be to contribute to IconScout or any platform, and start right away. Don't focus too much on the outcomes or earnings. Success comes from consistently creating high-quality assets over time. This leads to a snowball effect, offering passive income and time freedom.

Flat icons

Hi, fellow design wizards, we’re Flat Icons, a graphic design company from the Netherlands! 👋 We’re a tight team of 20 creative individuals working hard to design pixel-perfect products.

Founded in 2014, we’ve grown together with our users. Our community is our most valuable asset – we help fellow designers and creatives solve their biggest problems. Over nearly ten years, we've created over 150,000 assets that are now used by individuals and companies worldwide. Our portfolio includes 2D icons, 3D icons, animations, illustrations, kits, fonts, and presentation templates.

Advice:

• Follow market evolution: For us, this journey started with a focus on 2D icons, but we later pivoted to 3D elements in response to market trends. Embraced the shift to 3D for its greater creative possibilities.
• Inspiration seeking: Allocate at least one hour to find inspiration before starting a design. Sources of inspiration include 3D artwork on platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and Pinterest. Nature and the environment can also serve as sources of inspiration.
• Sketching and exploration: Begin the design process with sketching. Explore various shapes and styles to refine the design concept. Prefer stylized 3D design for simplicity and creativity and prioritize recognition while simplifying object shapes.
• Choice of 3D Software: When we began making 3D, we used Cinema 4D. Gradually, we switched to Blender as our software of choice. Not only is Blender free and open-source, but (for us at least) it’s also easier to use.

Below, you can see our first 3D set, as well as one of our latest. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still plenty of room to grow! 🌱

Inspired to be a contributor?

Our community boasts over 4,000+ talented contributors from diverse backgrounds. Some are just starting their journey, while others have been with us since the inception of IconScout. We invite you to embark on your design journey with us and share your creations with the world!

The IconScout brand not only reflects our team's dedication but also the enduring commitment and hard work of our contributors. Together, they have helped shape IconScout into the globally recognized brand it is today.

We hope you found this advice valuable for your design journey. If you'd like to join and become a contributor, please check out the link below.