2D web icons as well as other objects are famous for their flexibility. This is achieved by the peculiarity of rendering them at different resolutions suitable for various output devices.
2D Icons may include the next items:
- raster pictures (digital graphics);
- styled text as a typeset for 2D Icons;
- vector models (geometric graphics).
The above-mentioned items can be managed by 2D transformations such as rotation, scaling or angular position and many others. Meshing simple models you may get more complex ones.
As a result of layers technique 2D icons can create the illusion of all 3D characteristics such as shadow, reflection or highlighting. The layers really should maintain the definite hierarchy and order carefully. This makes editing 2D icons and related objects easier.
2.5D Icons
2Dicons also are well-known as 2.5D models. This technology enables web site designers to work with any layer without touching the others. This type of 2D object creation is preferred by the most of the famous graphics editors.
2.5D is a synonym to pseudo 3D and is interpreted as "two-and-a-half-dimensional" graphics. Models created with 2.5D technology appear to be tridimensional while in fact they are not.
This technology used for designing 2D icons is usually attained by the special lighting effect. 3D illusion can be reached as a result of virtual light source to the left or to the right side and above the users monitor.
