Creating a Retro Icon in Affinity Designer

This way, both shapes would look more like a single tridimensional piece with a nice bevel at the bottom-right corner.

To emphasize the 3D effect, duplicate the bottom shape and move it vertically a couple of pixels. Now the main piece of our Gameboy icon is done.

Step Dos, Screen:

Again, select the Rectangle Tool, create a new rectangle about half the size of the top one. With the Corner Tool, round its corners as shown in the image above. Color it with these RGB values: 89, 88, 106.

Duplicate this rectangle and change its color to a lighter value: 106, 111, 127.

Let’s create a reflection effect, by drawing a rectangle similar to the one above; you can use the Pen Tool for this task.

Select both; the shape you’ve just drawn and the lighter duplicated rectangle. Then, use the Subtract function from the Context Toolbar above, to cut the bottom part of this rectangle.

Move it vertically a couple of pixels to add some depth to it.

Add another rectangle, color it green, using these values: R:153, G:70, B:80. Then repeat the process we’ve just made a couple of minutes ago to create the screen reflection.

Duplicate the screen, change its color to a lighter shade of green: R:184, G:183, B:78. Use the Convert to Curves function from the top Context Toolbar to be able to manipulate its nodes. Select the Node Tool and move its bottom corners upwards as shown above.

Don’t forget to move this shape vertically a couple of pixels to the bottom, to add some depth to the screen.

Add a thin rectangle, with the same width as the screen, to create a sharp bevel effect. Use a light grey on this one.

Step Tres, Buttons:

Create a pill-like shape using the Rectangle and Corner tools. With the Gradient Tool, create a linear gradient using the colors above. Then, add a circle using the Ellipse Tool and color it using a linear gradient as well. Pick the colors also from the image above.

Now, select the round button and add an Outer Shadow Layer Effect. Copy the settings above.

Keep the Layer Effects Panel open and add a Bevel / Emboss effect to the button.

Copy the values above for the Highlight color.

Copy the values above for the Shadows color.

You should have something similar to the image above. Duplicate this button.

Group the pill shape and both buttons, then rotate this group -45°, using the Transform Panel.

To create the D-Pad, merge two rounded rectangles together, using the Add function from the top Context Toolbar. Add a linear gradient to this either, using the RGB values shown above.

Let’s add a drop shadow using an Outer Shadow Layer Effect.

Then, add a Bevel / Emboss Layer Effect to give it a nice plastic finish.

You should end up with something similar to the image above.

As a final detail, add small circle on top of the D-Pad, using a linear gradient with the same values, but reversed.

Now let’s create some air vents using three rounded rectangles, again fill them with vertical linear gradients. Next, copy these rectangles and fill them with a plain light grey color (RGB values above) and, move them down a couple of pixels to add a subtle bevel effect.

To make the ‘Select’ and ‘Start’ buttons, create two pill shapes again. Look at the image above for reference. The bigger one, will have the same values we used for the previous rounded rectangle we made for the purple buttons. In fact, you can just duplicate that shape and use it here.

Step Cuatro. Putting All Together:

Take all spare parts we’ve made so far and place them over your Gameboy’s main body. Looking nice, right?

Extra Details:

For the sake of presentation, I’ve added a background, a drop shadow and some tiny details to make my icon design more realistic. Here you can use your imagination and as many details as you wish, you can experiment even further and change your Gameboy’s colors, background design, etc… Just have fun!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this little tutorial. Please, let us know that in the comments. Also, tell us if you’d like to see more of these tridimensional icon tutorials in the future.