Icons and symbols are powerful tools that have been used by humans to communicate ideas for over 100,000 years. Computer-based illustration tools like Adobe Illustrator have made creating icons easier than ever.

However, sometimes redrawing and creating icons can be a cumbersome task. Simple concepts such as a wavy line can be harder—or at least not as straightforward—to replicate on a computer than they would be by hand. Thankfully, Marc Edwards, founder and creator of Mac system monitor bjango, has given us some shortcuts to simplify life as a designer. 

Marc made it his mission to discover the most optimal ways to illustrate vector icons. He’s shared a number of speed-runs that you might want to follow to create some of the most common symbols on the web. Using the shape tools in Adobe Illustrator CC, Marc deftly combine vector shapes to help you design memorable icons for your next digital project.

While many icons are drawn using vectors, they are most often viewed as pixels on computer monitors. Therefore, paying attention to pixel-level detail is very important. Adhere to a grid and specify the exact placement of elements as they are drawn below to ensure that your vector icons are both crisp and pixel-perfect.

Icon speedruns

Icon speedruns

Source: https://designtaxi.com/news/402227/Designer-Shares-Animated-Adobe-Illustrator-Cheatsheets-For-Creating-Icons/