The 2008 GUI Championships is an international skinning and graphic design competition where graphic artists from around the world compete for thousands of dollars in prizes.  This year, one of the most popular categories was Icon Packages.  There were tons of submissions and after many hours of reviewing and judging, the nominees for Most Usable and Most Original have been decided.

These icon packs, along with other desktop skins, are available for download at www.guichamps.com.  These nominees represent some of the best icon creations this year.

 

Most Usable Icon Packs


 

Blue Memory 2 by ditu

Blue Memory 2 by dtu is an outstanding icon package that is very complete.  Full Vista support, if these icons showed up as the default Windows 7 icons, I wouldn't have thought twice.

 

Eliminator IP by TYCUS

Eliminator by TYCUS is one of the most complete icon packages in the contest. Bonus points for supporting all kinds of files including Office 2003 and Office 2007.

(0)125.155

 

Evolution by xiaomaohua

Evolution by Xiaomaohua is a somewhat traditional but with a more modern feel. One could imagine Windows 8 having icons something like this.

(0)126.158

 

Growth by Skinhit

(0)126.158

 

Junior by treetog

(0)57.77

 

My Toy by Kingyo

(0)198.255

 

Non-mainstream 2008 by iconboy

(0)129.163

 

Plastic Fantastic by Tiggz

(0)85.110

 

Plump by zerode

(0)117.160

 

Purplesilver by kidaubis

 (0)33.41

 

 

Most Original Icon Packs


 

 

Ancient Legend by GeorgeUI

Ancient Legend by Zuo Zhiyu is one of my favorites in teh contest. Good Vista support. It makes me wish IconPackager's live folder support was a bit more flexible.  The artistic quality here though is really good.

(0)186.241

 

Delta by J. Aroche

(0)146.185

 

Lineless Design by bingben_penGUIn

Lineless Design is one of the most original concepts in the contest. First, they are really outstanding in terms of art quality. It doesn't support Vista but the sheer creativity shown here makes this a must-have for XP users

(0)209.266

 

My Toy by Kingyo

(0)198.255

 

Non-mainstream 2008 by iconboy

Non-Mainstream 2008 by iconboy is one of the most complete icon packages I've seen.  Bonus points for lots of file type supports. It's an excellent theme for XP and Vista.

(0)129.163

 

On the road by Dooandjen_penGUIn

(0)216.273

 

 

Plastic Fantastic by Tiggz

Plastic Fantastic by Tiggz may be the best entry of this year in my opinion.  It's extremely original and extremely usable. My only gripe is that there's no Office support built into it (support for Office icons) but otherwise this is about as good as it gets.

(0)85.110

 

Pure handwork by tongzhenming

(0)153.193

 

STAR by zsj8679

(0)66.90

 

 

Weird Creature by edwin_penGUIn

(0)170.214

 



Comments
on Dec 12, 2008
I'm really diggin' the plastic ones ..I dunno, maybe I'm biased ? Thanks for the condensed close up View ID
on Dec 12, 2008
A definite collection of the best icons to come in 2008! Well done everybody!!
on Dec 12, 2008
Delta one of my fav but there all great,deffinetely the ones with Full Vista support are the best   
on Dec 13, 2008
Eliminator and Plas-Fan
on Dec 13, 2008
Really digging the Ancient Legend one.
on Dec 13, 2008
IMOHO - you have to take your hats off to each and every artist, these icons packs are the best done. You all have really raised the bar!! Congrats to everyone !!!!
on Dec 14, 2008
All wonderful packs! I have to go and vote now......
on Dec 14, 2008
Eliminator