This week Google launched a new FavIcon, the 16×16 pixel graphic that typically can be found in the browser address bar or in bookmarks. FavIcon’s offer the challenge is of portraying the corporate image in 256 pixels, and Google has certainly opted for a colourful and ‘arty’ approach, almost like Picasso. I like the new design as far as design goes, though for me it doesn’t match the Google homepage or logo very well, with the ‘g’ being slightly overpowered.

The Official Google Blog tells the story of its emergence from a design by André Resende.

The Google Blog also shows three other designs submitted to them, which play around the idea of using the four ‘Google’ colours. My favourite is the offering of Lucian E. Marin, which to me includes a much stronger tie to the Google brand.

A Google FavIcon idea by Lucian E. Marin – Visit Official Google Blog