Anyone remember Skype? Back when videocalls were a novelty not a scourge, icons all had that shiny plastic highlight on them, emojis were still called emoticons, and the thumbs up was always caucasian.

Anyway I animated the Skype 120+ emoticon set, based on Jon Hicks' static art in the Skype house style, which was in turn an evolution of the original set by Priidu Zilmer. At this point they're internet history I imagine. But it was an interesting challenge inventing little chunks of a new pictographic language, bringing bits of micro-storytelling to the animation, and keeping them readable at multiple resolutions right down to 20 pixels square (which is also why they look a bit clunky at larger sizes than they were intended, such as above).

The dance emoticon is based on the real dancing of Skype staff member Mark Lacroce and I'm pretty sure it directly influenced the later iOS dance emoji. The soccer guy was a homage to a departing staff member named Mike, though I don't think the version in the app was wearing a Tottenham shirt and smoking. And the women's legs emoticon was a touching 'tribute' to a secretary from the Tallin office. (Felt like a bit of a creep animating that one, in the middle of a room full of people at Skype London.)