I've always been fascinated by the beauty and movement of koi fish. For this project, I decided to replicate that movement and elegance. 

Each fish has its own unique movement and personality. The hats were inspired by a friend wishing she could dress her pet fish for Halloween. These icons make that possible.

As I sketched I experimented with different positions and shapes. I also experimented with hats. As the sketches progressed I attempted a more stylized version of the fish, with tails and fins not fully connected. However, when I finished those sketches I realized that having the fins more attached would look better when they were computer rendered. 

The first draft was mainly used to determine the color scheme and the positions of the fish. I settled on a red and gray scheme, which was also used in the hats and eyes. After receiving some feedback I began work on improving the hats and tails of each fish. 

The next draft included the full icon set, as well as adjustments on the tails and hats. This mainly involved thickening the strokes and perfecting the shape of each fish. I decided to make sure that half the fish had some sort of hat for facial accessory. 

These icons capture the graceful elegance of the koi fish. Each has its own personality and follow a specific theme of koi fish. They are all vector based and belong in a set.