Flaticon Contributor Andrei Manolache Gives The Low Down On Creating Icons
We sat down with icons creator Andrei Manolache to find out his inspiration and advice for fellow designers working in the icons field. From Bucharest, Romania, he is one of Flaticon’s most valued contributors, you can read his interview below.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? What do you do in your spare time?
Hello everyone, my name is Andrei Manolache and I live in Bucharest, Romania. Before becoming a UI / UX Designer and Icon creator I was a professional gamer, mainly focusing on MMOs and MOBA style games. Now, for the past 4 years, I have been creating Mobile / Web interfaces and icons to ease the work of creative people like me. When I am not working or designing new stuff I am either playing soccer, basketball or video games with my old teammates.
Fast forward 3 years and a half to 2017, Oliver and I created one of the world’s biggest icon sets (at that time)
When did you first start designing? Were you always passionate about designing? How did you become interested in design? When did you start working in the industry?
My start in the design business is a funny story: back in 2013 after I finished high school, I got admitted into the University of Bucharest to study Law. After the first semester, I was really depressed because everything was really boring and I felt like my mind was rotting there. My family moved to a new neighborhood and there I found Oliver who would later become my friend and mentor in the design business. After he showed me the basics of Interface and Icon design, I soon got really interested in the business and started learning at an accelerated pace everything related to UI / UX design. Fast forward 3 years and a half to 2017, Oliver and I created one of the world’s biggest icon sets (at that time) and countless UI products for the world to use.
Where did you find the inspiration for your Flaticon designs?
I mainly take my inspiration from websites Pinterest, Dribbble, Freepik, Shutterstock and Istock Photos.
The most important part of excelling in any industry is being there, playing the game every day and always learning something new
Tell us about your portfolio: How many vectors have you designed throughout your career? What style are you most comfortable working in? Where do you find the inspiration for your work?
I have designed over 50.000 Icons so far and over 50 UI products. The style that I am most comfortable working in is the standard that Apple used back when I started learning icon design, 60×60 px grid, 2px stroke, with the main styles designed in “Outline”, “Solid” and “Flat”.
What advice or tips would you give anyone starting out as a graphic designer?
My advice for someone starting out as a graphic designer will be the same one that Oliver told me when I started: “the most important part of excelling in any industry is being there, playing the game every day and always learning something new.” Get inspiration for your designs from the industry leaders, talk to them if you can and don’t be afraid to ask for help when in doubt.
What made you decide to work with microstock platforms?
I always knew that microstock platforms were the future when it comes to stock Vector and images. The step to selling my work through those platforms was the right decision.
And what advice would you give people who are thinking about getting involved with microstock platforms?
I would advise them to go for it, because it is one of the only places which gives you unlimited creative freedom, by letting you post your work without restrictions. It can provide great additional income if you are consistent with the quality of your work ethic.
Flaticon has one of the most whole collections of icons that creative people can use for whichever project they desire
What made you take the step to join Flaticon?
I really admired their story, of how the company came to be. Also, their business model was what I was looking for and I knew from the start that we could do great things together.
Which do you think are the main advantages of working with Flaticon’s contributor model in comparison with other platforms?
The main advantage is the freedom of creation. Flaticon doesn’t impose boundaries for the creator, it lets them design freely which can be monumental in an artist’s development. Flaticon has one of the most whole collections of vectors that creative people can use for whichever project they desire which is great exposure for your designs.
What advice would you give to other designers who want to be contributors on Flaticon?
Being a Flaticon contributor is satisfying, they are very good business mediators and the communication is impeccable. The more work and quality you put into your designs, the more revenue you will get.
Do you have any tips on how to succeed on our platform?
To succeed you have to always be up to date with the styles that are currently trending. Always follow the authors who you consider are the leaders in the business so you can see what they think is the trend and by doing this, you can hop on the wave and be more successful than working on your own.
The more work and quality you put into your designs, the more revenue you will get.
Would you recommend that other designers join Flaticon as contributors?
Flaticon is definitely one of the leaders in the icon industry. Their business department is great, the communication is always on point. I would recommend working with Flaticon to all my fellow design colleagues.
