Consider using a theme icon for the theme templates

[juanfra]

What problem does this address?

There are different icons used to represent template categories—user and plugin templates each have their own. However, theme templates don’t have a unique icon. It also feels a bit redundant that the “All Templates” icon is the same as the one for theme templates.

What is your proposed solution?

It would feel more intuitive if the theme category had its own unique icon. While we already have an icon for plugins in the design system, there doesn’t seem to be one specifically for themes. One option could be to create a new icon for this purpose. Alternatively, we could use an existing icon from the system that better represents themes, like brush.

Pinging @WordPress/gutenberg-design

[jasmussen]

That seems valid. It needs a good icon design, one that feels conceptually related to the current icon. We have sidebar, footer, header versions of the "layout" icon already, that feel connected. What's a way to create a remix of the layout icon that's just for the active theme? Maybe a solid version rather than outline version?

[jameskoster]

Yeah I don't think we were able to settle on an icon in the current set that represents 'theme', which is why the layout icon was reused.

Conceptually themes are a bundle of design assets; templates, styles, fonts, graphics, etc. Maybe something that plays on that?

Or perhaps something more standard like a paint brush, echoing to the icon we find in wp-admin.

[juanfra]

Thanks so much for looking into this!

I really like both directions. Personally, I feel the paintbrush icon could create more cohesion with what WordPress users are already familiar with, making it especially helpful for those transitioning to the site editor.

[jasmussen]

Of the two, I'd choose the masonry over the paintbrush. We already have a paintbrush in the verse icon, which leverages solids, suddenly introducing the outline style for painting accessories exits that metaphor a bit. That's not to say it's not a nice design, that was quite a good brush though.

[richtabor]

Are those icons helpful on the grid there anyhow?

[fcoveram]

I like the brush. It is consistent with the concept. The "Appearance" action in Admin and even the Theme team. I envision the masonry one for a new grid view, if the CSS inclusion keeps improving.

[jasmussen]

It's really a well designed brush. My hesitancy is that it feels like a different visual language than these similar utensils we have:

[juanfra]

It’s a bit tricky because the design language of these icons (verse and edit) might feel out of place in the sidebar, where the other icons have more of an outlined look.

While we do have the brush icon as an option, it feels slightly disconnected from the rest in my opinion.

brush-icon.mp4

[richtabor]

I actually lean towards no icons here. If they're not adding communicative value, I question if they're needed.