Blog: Behind the Scene
cookbookHow to draw recolorable icons
What is a recolorable icon? It is a picture which is capable of changing its color, hence is the world recolorable. There are several ways of getting there. I will tell you about a simple technique that we used while developing Iconza. In essence it's a web application that provides for changing colors of icons followed by generating the required files.
journalIconfinder meets Iconza
Now Iconza's icons are available in Iconfinder, the icon search engine. But they are not merely lying around there. You can recolor them right on the search engine results page. Originally the Iconza's icons are depicted in Gothic black and a special switch serves for selecting the right color. We also would like to use the opportunity to give our best to the creator of Iconfinder Martin Leblanc.
cookbookHow we came up with the name for Iconza and later made its logo
We decided upon making a web application that would serve a collection of customizable icons. Any project needs a cool name and a logo. We started off with naming.
journalIconza
We have launched a new Turboproject called Iconza with a whiskered carrot for a logo. In essence it is a set of royalty-free icons but it is not as simple as it looks. You can recolor and resize the icons right on your screen!
journalEverything should change
We have invented something special here in Turbomilk and even shot a video about it. We won't show it, because it's not ready yet. However, we will show you a short teaser that really does not tell you a thing :)
cookbookFive reasons for migrating to the new Illustrator CS4
All new stuff is extremely lucrative: it lures a feeling of novelty and freshness. I sincerely believe that a newer version is always better than the previous one. But there is one software package that undermines my life views. I am talking about Adobe Illustrator. It gained so many useless functions that operational mistakes have become too easy to see. It all lasted for six passed years. Here is an appropriate time for a short sermon.
journalRadio Seven Skies
We love music very much. We even have a dedicated music server. Tastes differ however and we failed several times creating a one-type-suits-all music background in our office. Online radio Seven Skies reconciled this problem and we keep tuning in to this wave for three consecutive weeks non-stop. And how does your office sound like?
journalReMIX 09
A delegation of three brave Turbomilkers will descend at ReMIX’09 web conference to be held in Moscow on April 20, 2009. And we will not only be engaged in hearing the reports. Denis Kortunov will give his answers to the questions of participants of the “Interactive web” worshop at 5:00 pm. By the way, Turbomilk acts as an information partner of ReMIX.
journalDesigncollector 6
Back in 2004 Arseniy from Designcollector asked for a favicon 
for their project. Since then we are connected by not just hyperlinks but also by warm friendly relations. This year Designcollector celebrates its sixth anniversary. The guys have setup a little contest with some invited guests. We have also participated in it!
journalMIX 09 Live
I finally reached Las Vegas and now joined the MIX 09 conference, which has just begun. Expect a number of reports on design and interfaces (lots of designers among participants). The conference features the online video broadcasting from the event. I will be taking pictures and Turboflikring it as it progresses.
journalMIX 09, March 18-20, Las Vegas
So it happens that I will visit MIX 09, the conference that will be held in March 18–20 in Las Vegas. As a rule, the designers get bored at the events organized by Microsoft due to the high level of technicality. But this time we are promised quite the opposite — a lot of reports on the subject of design, social networks and the future of the Web.
journalremix.ru
The delegation from Turbomilk had tons of fun at ReMIX last year. Therefore, it was out pleasure (and honor) to make a modest contribution into setting up ReMIX'09: we have drawn remix.ru, which is not really a site but a stub in Windows 7 logon screen style.
journalNew Apple's Safari is catching up!
We very much like Google Chrome. Apparently Safari was originally meant to be like Chrome from the interface perspective. As it happened recently, Apple released a new version of its browser resembling Chrome in may interface solutions. Now we are wondering, whether Google has finally became the lawmaker in GUI and Apple was made a sad runner-up?
cookbookWindows 7: clothes count for first impressions
Judging by the many online reviews, the brave souls who have downloaded and installed the beta version of Windows 7 are, in general, pleasantly surprised. Your humble servant likewise entered into the ranks of the brave souls. I confirm: it’s actually pleasant to work with No. 7. However, given the many new and different functionalities, and well-written reviews of other authors, allow me to throw in my two cents worth in our particular area of expertise: visual interface design.
journalTurboillustrations
We have decided to significantly improve our web sites's usability (by 37%) to become even more visitor-oriented (by 59%). For this reason our new designer Evgeniya has come up with a set of rocking illustrations for About Us picturing the hardships of our working days. The verisimilitude of the pictures tops all possible heights. The pictures were drawn on location. Now everyone is clear about what Turbomilk is really up to!
journal10 Questions on Icon Design — Microsoft Design folks are responding
Every single designer is dreaming about being involved in creating the original icon set for an operating system. It is far more exciting if the set will be used in a massively distributed system such as Windows. We have uncovered some interviews with people from Microsoft who made their dreams come true. Here, icon masters from Microsoft address 10 most frequently asked questions on design.
cookbook10 Outstanding Metaphors in Icon Design
For each and every action or object, different icons can be drawn. These can have any variations: in style, color, perspective and even metaphor. In my view, the latter is the most valuable in the design of icons — the concentrated thought. And if the metaphor is original, and humorous, then it turns out to be not just an icon, but genuinely brilliant! I present for your review my personal selection of icons based upon unusual and shining metaphors.
journalDesign for iPhone Applications
We are very fond of drawing icons and other graphics for Apple's iPhone. First, it is very interesting and progressive. Secondly, the result you get is touchable! That's why if you need graphics for your iPhone application, we have a very special offer for you.
cookbookWorkSection Review
We have been using Basecamp (web-based project management and collaboration tool developed by 37signals) for many years. I will not be able to truly emphasize on how important this tool is for us since our clients are scattered around the Globe and all communication with them is handled online.
For small service IT companies like ours, Basecamp became a de-facto standard. On one hand it is very convenient: new users recently invited into our cozy Extranet have no problem getting around. On the other hand, we get the feeling that Basecamp is “too tight”. And it is not surprising: you cannot please everyone and the guys from 37signals are well aware of that and not even trying.
journalPaper rocket
Our corporate Turbolauncher is finally materializing! Now everyone can make a symbol of our small but proud company. Developing your fine motor skills and engineering abilities come as a bonus. Check out our special launch pad for details.
Continue your reading in Cookbook Archive and Journal Archive.
About this Blog
We at Turbomilk talk about the subtleties and nuances of visual interface design in a popular scientific style. In our blog we give you touching stories about icons, critique of other people’s designs — and praise of our own! — plus exciting links and news on the life of the company.
- Journal — snappy notes bursting with info on given topics
- Cookbook — extensive ponderings about the eternal subjects and secrets of design
- Case Studies — exciting and detailed stories about our projects
We will be over the moon if you decide to place a link to our site from your site or blog. We have stashed one pretty picture for precisely that purpose:
Please refer to the home page of our site: www.turbomilk.ru
We often write
rather useful stuff.
cookbook10 Outstanding Metaphors in Icon Design laranz.wordpress.com: people om mac always kidding Windows........ When this comes to an end :(
cookbookHow we came up with the name for Iconza and later made its logo prorender: Guys, you should really consider a merchandise shop. I would gladly buy T-shirts and Yegor's prize winning characters or featuring the Iconza carro…
cookbookHow we came up with the name for Iconza and later made its logo prorender: Glad to be a part of it!
cookbookFive reasons for migrating to the new Illustrator CS4Dmitri Joukov: Pardon I didn't quite catch the idea of question. Could you try to ask someway else. Thanks.
cookbookFive reasons for migrating to the new Illustrator CS4 abby: how to make the working area in window, can teach me? i can find the way Thank, from abby.