Civilization Icon/Flag Template (SVG)

If you're like me, then you find quite a lot of importance in making a really good looking icon. But if you're also like me in that you have little experience with GIMP or any raster editor, then perhaps your icons with this fantastic tutorial turned out less than fantastic. But, as it happens, I have created a handy-dandy SVG template! If you're familiar with the SVG format and have a vector editor handy such as Inkscape (what I'll be using - it's free) or Illustrator (which may or may not work for this template, which is designed for Inkscape), then you can probably skip most of the below tutorial. For those who aren't familiar, here's a hopefully quick tutorial.

But first, a word about vector graphics. Most editors and images you're familiar with use what's called raster or bitmap images. These images are defined as an array of pixels, each of which is assigned a color. While raster images are great for storing photographs and other intricate pictures, they have the large problem of being unscalable without pixelization, and being hard to edit easily after they're created. Vector graphics, on the other hand, are defined by shapes and paths, meaning you can zoom in and out and they'll never become blocky. Plus, they're very easy to edit! If there's a rectangle in the background of an image, you can just move it around. No need to fiddle with the eraser tool in a raster editor. Here's an example from Wikipedia (which generally uses SVG for its images):



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Step 0: Install Inkscape (because life is zero-indexed)
We're going to be using a free and open-source editor called Inkscape today. You're going to have to install it from their website for your appropriate system - I use Windows, but it works for Mac or Linux (although if you're the kind of person that uses Linux you probably already know about Inkscape). Simply run through the installer and open Inkscape.

Step 1: Download the files
This step is pretty important, so if you haven't scroll back up and download the file. Save it wherever you like, preferably somewhere you can find it later. Open it with Inkscape and you should see an orb with a cross in it, like this.

The Civilization forums don't let you resize images, unlike most forums! Yay!

Step 2: Find the art you desire
Now you need to find the actual symbol you need to use. Most non-photographic graphics on Wikipedia are vector images, so that's where I'll be getting this art from. I'm going for modern Saudi Arabia, so I'm using their military roundel as the art. If you find an SVG, save it and import it (File > Import or Ctrl+I) into Inkscape; alternatively, just paste the URL into the file name box. My screen now looks like this:



Select it and press Ctrl+Shift+G (or Object > Ungroup) with it selected a couple times until it no longer does anything. Delete everything other than the actual symbol (delete button, backspace, or right click > delete). If, at this point, the symbol is several objects, use Path > Union to combine them.



Step 2.5: What if I can't find a vector version?
If you're not quite as fortunate and are forced to use a raster image, Inkscape has a useful feature called Trace Bitmap. For this to work, your image must be large enough resolution and only contain a few colors! It cannot have a gradient or be a photograph! Paste or import your image into Inkscape (in this case I used the same roundel but a raster graphic). Select it and use Path > Trace Bitmap; make sure you have Colors selected, with the nearby Scans box at the number of colors in the image. In my case, that's 3. Disable Smooth (probably - it might look better with it enabled, play around) and Stack Scans.



Click "Update" to see a preview. If it looks fine, click OK. Ungroup the group of colors (Ctrl+Shift+G) and delete the original raster image. It's a possibility that your symbol is the same color as another block of color, such as the white ring. In that case, use Path > Break Apart and drag the other shapes away.

* Note: when tracing your bitmap, you can also use "Brightness Cutoff" and change the threshold until it looks like you want it to.

Step 3: Change the colors
By this point, you should have an idea of what you want your civ's icon should look like, color-wise. Either ungroup the template or just double-click on it to enter the group and delete the cross, which is just there as an example. Then, select the outer ring and choose a color from the bottom row, or press Ctrl+Shift+F to open up the color panel and select one manually. Do the same with the inner ring, using Alt+Scroll to cycle objects until you get the circle. I've settled on dark green, like Saudi Arabia's flag.



Step 4: Center the icon
Next, you need to center the icon and add some fancy effects to it. Press Ctrl+Shift+A to open up the alignment panel and choose "Page" from the drop-down box. Press the two buttons in the middle on the top two rows to center the symbol on the page. If it seems a bit small or large, select it and hold Ctrl and Shift and drag one of the outside panels in or out to resize it. You should have something like the following:



Step 5: Add a gradient
This step is sort of optional, although very recommended because it's found in all of Firaxis's icons and most good modder's. Pick a good base color for your icon and use the gradient tool (it's a greenish square with two points on it, between the paint bucket and eyedropper) and drag across the icon from top to bottom. Hold Ctrl to keep it vertical. You should now have two points on top of your icon, a square and a circle. Change the colors either along the bottom or using the aforementioned color panel (turn up the alpha slider if one or both of the points is transparent).



Step 6: Add a shadow
This is the final step of actual work, and Inkscape does it for you! Aren't you excited? No? Alright, whatever. Go to Filters > Shadows and Glows > Drop Shadow, and use the following options:


Live preview is optional, but it allows you to preview the shadow. Mess with the settings if you wish, then click Apply and Close.

Step 6.5 (Thanks to Klisz): Bevel
If you'd like - and this is optional - you can also bevel your icon under Filters > Bevel > Diffuse Light. Klisz recommended settings of 2.0, 10, and 190, although I find turning down the alpha value to ~64 can make a more subtle effect. Feel free to play with the various values until you're happy.

Step 7: Export!

Holy crap, you're done with the graphics! Now you just need to export it as PNG file, because most image editors can't handle the power of an SVG file. Click File > Export PNG Image, and a little window or panel will appear. Use the Page option and change the image size (near the bottom) to something that makes sense. Click Export As... to change the file name and path, then the Export button! And you're done!

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Now that you have the icon finished, you need to get it in game. I won't detail that process here, because there are other tutorials for that, which don't involve Inkscape or this template.

And now, some examples:



See if you can figure out which is which! (Hint: The first two columns are from The Legend of Zelda.)
I only have so much time in a day, but if anyone is having trouble I'll try to help (look up your problem first, though!)

Thank you, this tutorial was great!

Very useful! Bookmarked for later reference!
Thanks a lot for your work!

This is very nice, but I have one minor complaint: the outer, unshaded ring seems too large compared to the inner shaded portion to fit in well with the Firaxis icons.

Another slight improvement - Firaxis' icons tend to have a slight bevel on the symbol itself. This can be created in Inkscape by selecting it and going to Filters->Bevels->Diffuse Light...; after a bit of experimenting, I think setting Smoothness to 2.0, Elevation to 10, and Azimuth to 190 works well.

In order to make this more than just a pointless nitpick, here's a version with my changes.

Klisz said:

This is very nice, but I have one minor complaint: the outer, unshaded ring seems too large compared to the inner shaded portion to fit in well with the Firaxis icons.

Another slight improvement - Firaxis' icons tend to have a slight bevel on the symbol itself. This can be created in Inkscape by selecting it and going to Filters->Bevels->Diffuse Light...; after a bit of experimenting, I think setting Smoothness to 2.0, Elevation to 10, and Azimuth to 190 works well.

In order to make this more than just a pointless nitpick, here's a version with my changes.

Click to expand...

That looks quite nice indeed! I'll link to your edit in OP.

I hate hate hate to revive an old thread, but it seems as if the SVG template is missing. This is a pretty good tutorial but I need the template to make this icon (I was playing around with it a lot until my computer rebooted so now I don't have it).

Real_AviEmpire said:

I hate hate hate to revive an old thread, but it seems as if the SVG template is missing. This is a pretty good tutorial but I need the template to make this icon (I was playing around with it a lot until my computer rebooted so now I don't have it).

Click to expand...

I don't have TristanBomb's original version, but my edit is here.

Thanks so much. I was looking for yours (Tristan's had the large border and while it looked great, doesn't look good ingame)

I'd give you the salute emoji but can't find it.