Icons and Free Assets

There are two routes to an icon, and the cost structure is completely different. Generating them yourself suits the case where you need "a consistent visual language with the rest of the content": Text to Icons splits a line of text into characters and renders each one as an identically sized icon with the same background, which works well for initial-letter sets, step numbering and label systems. The limits are clear: a single line is capped at 50 characters, and the style is a fixed rendering result — you cannot get custom-shaped icons.

Looking up existing assets suits cases where you need detail or a specific subject. The 49 resource sites here are grouped by photo, icon, illustration and SVG, and every entry is marked with its licence type and attribution requirement — some are free for commercial use, some require attribution, some forbid commercial use and some forbid modification. Check the intended use first, then look down the list.

Reading a licence is worth a dedicated pass, because the method applies to sites beyond this page. It is written up in this article.

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