Well purchasing a software package that has the formatting capabilities is the best bet if you are a do it yourselfer. Axialis Iconworkshop is a good starting point.

Most images will need to be compressed and formatted using Axialis. Aero Vista has a sharper graphical user interface than most other formatted images, therefore formatting is necessary to create the sleek glassy transparent look that embodies Vista. Icons can be anything from little symbols to people and pets. Many icons are transparent and their ripple effect shows through to the color on the screen behind them. Most of these are exclusive to Windows Vista use and can not be found anywhere else.

Some icons represent what their purpose is for example, the printer icon may actually be a picture of a printer itself, or email may be a picture of a document or a picture of a lock and key. The home page could be a picture of a little house. Welcome to the virtual reality world of the Vista. Icons are actually replicas of items not found physically in the cyber world, for instance one can place an icon of a clock face plate on the side of their screen to keep track of time rather than having it displayed in the bottom toolbar. Pictures of MP3 players can also be visible in the toolbar, so you can click and listen to your Ipod or Windows Media Player all by locating their cute and trendy Icon at the bottom of the screen.

Animations take center stage with their group of icons, with everything from firecracker balls to fish swimming aimlessly in their fish bowls, sure to be appeasing to the eye of the beholder. Don’t forget about the Holidays. Sitting on rugs and customizing your Icons so you can display your Holiday spirit is a must for the computer user who loves to celebrate and display their holiday spirit. Who needs to spend hundreds on decorating the yard and trees for the holidays, it’s quicker, cheaper and much easier clean up to apply decorations and tinsel to your Dreamscene application and share the love as people pass by. Orbs are little icons who live up to their names, they are clear glowing and flowing little round icons that usually sport the Windows Icon in the center. Gently reminding us all that Windows will surely be alive and kicking even long after everyone else is gone. With the broad array of design options and endless possibilities to personalizing icons, finding the perfect one will be the only hard decision you will ever have to make when it comes to Vista Icons.