Spookifying Reddit: A Halloween Icon Pack Case Study

Why Reddit?

Reddit is all about community, conversation, and, let’s face it, a little chaos. What better place to introduce a spooky twist for Halloween? By redesigning Reddit’s icons, I aimed to give users a lighthearted, eerie experience that enhances the app’s playful side while respecting its familiar feel.

Goal & Approach

The mission? Bring Halloween to Reddit's iconography without sacrificing usability. Each icon had to keep its functionality crystal-clear while slipping into something more... supernatural. From a pumpkin-smiling upvote to ghostly comments, I focused on balancing spooky fun with Reddit's distinctive style.

Design Process

Research: Studied Reddit’s brand voice and iconic colours, aiming for an eerie yet engaging feel that speaks to Reddit’s community-first vibe.

Sketching & Iteration: Started with classic Halloween motifs—Jack-o'-lanterns, ghosts, bats, tombstones—and tested how they could replace, not displace, the original icons.

Icon Design Structure

Using a 24x24 pixel grid as the foundation for each icon allowed me to create designs that are not only visually appealing but also highly functional. This structured approach ensures that each icon maintains a sharp, polished look across different screen sizes, seamlessly blending with Reddit’s familiar interface.

Colour Harmony: Stuck to Reddit’s core colours, adding a hint of shadowy purples and Halloween orange to maintain brand consistency while embracing the spooky spirit.

Icon Transformations

Upvote: 🎃 Jack-o'-lantern with a cheeky grin—because voting should be wicked fun!

Downvote: 😈 A frown-flipped pumpkin, for when things get ghastly.

Share: 🦇 Our friendly bat ready to spread the word (or a little fright).

Comments: 👻 Ghost icon, perfect for haunting the comment sections.

Brand Colors

Sticking to Reddit’s signature orange and white, I added a hint of deep purple in dark mode for a Halloween feel without straying from the brand. This keeps the icons instantly recognisable as "Reddit" while enhancing the playful, spooky theme.

• Orange: #FF4500
• White: #FFFFFF
• Black: #000000
• Deep Purple: #6A0F4

Dark Mode Compatibility

For the dark mode version, I adjusted the stroke weight to 0.5px to maintain visual clarity in the icons with filled areas. This finer stroke ensures each icon remains sharp and legible against a dark background, enhancing readability while retaining the Halloween vibe.

By reducing the stroke weight, the icons stay balanced and cohesive without overwhelming the filled elements, making them easy on the eyes in darker themes.

Final Thoughts

Creating these icons was a howl. With this Halloween icon pack, Reddit’s classic icons get a fresh, festive twist that balances fun and functionality. It’s Halloween on Reddit—bringing the spooky vibes to the front page and beyond!