I am working on a ponytail hairstyle custom wearable!

Only now I can't think of a good item icon for it :( someone already used "ponytail extension" so that's off the menu.

Anyone got any tips and tricks on how others come up with ideas for the item icons?

I've been in the CW market for ages so I feel like I've drawn just about everything under the sun (I haven't, but it feels that way LOL) Now when I am trying to make item images, I often do a little research to find something new. I may research a culture for example, if the hairstyle I am drawing belongs to a specific one and draw something from that culture.

In the case of wigs, you have a variety of good options! You can do just the loose hair, or like you've suggested, extensions (and potentially their packaging). There can be more than one item with a similar theme to the item image, so if you want to do 'Ponytail Extensions' for the item image, you still can, as long as you're not copying or tracing another item.

Other suggestions could include things that you may use to style the hair, along side of some loose pieces of hair (a brush, a blow dryer, hair spray, the type of ponytail holder, etc)

Or you can go the non-traditional route and make something entirely unique. An animal or doll wearing a wig of your hairstyle; an animal holding or playing with pieces of hair. Something that is made out of hair, such as a nest would work too! The sky is really the limit, and since I'm guessing this is your first CW, you have a lot of room to play with :) (Ps, You can also look in the wardrobe at existing items to see if something inspires your own creation! Just remember to not copy or trace and you're all good :) )

Thank you! That is really good advice :D

I got super impatient about the sumbitting process... Finished the hair and couldn't wait to submit it soooo I rushed a quick manequin with wig on image as item image so I could just submit it already heh..

So the item icon is not impressive at all since it was so rushed, but it should serve its purpose xD

Do you know if CW's get judged for approval during the weekend, or only on weekdays?

Awe I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. I think it looks really nice and well executed n_n

CW approval appears to be random (as in, I don't think anyone knows staff's hours for working on the queue!) I have gotten approvals on the weekends and week days, super early, and also super late at night. Sometimes it takes less than 24 hours and sometimes it can take several days. It's mostly just a patience waiting game I think. :)

Also GL on your submission! :) It's nice to see a new artist! Welcome to CWs hehe.

Thank you!! <3 It cost me all my subetan savings to get this slotted, but I was too impatient to find 4 other interested people, but I can sell the other 4 and submit recolors etc. to earn it back :) Waiting is gonna be hard so it's good that there's a new season of instant hotel for me to binge hehehe, I'm really hoping to get a response fast x_x Especially since it's my first so it will probably get declined a few times before I get it right.

I hope you don't mind me posting, even though I'm a little late. :) I know you don't need a ci for this particular wig anymore (congrats on getting it approved!!), but for future ideas - the sky really is the limit! If I'm stuck, I find it helpful to browse sites like pinterest or tumblr for cute ideas that could reasonably fit into a small square canvas. For wigs, you can add in a strand of hair, for clothing you can have a piece of fabric somewhere in the cI to make it "count" as representative of the overlay. Sometimes, it helps to come up with an interesting name, then brainstorm a CI to match the name.

I highly recommend spending an hour or two going through the wardrobe and seeing all the variety of CIs that artists have come up with over the years. Honestly, the CI is where you get to be creative and, and having a nice CI can sometimes increase the value or "desirability" of the CI itself. For instance, some people collect CWs for their pets' treasure chests, just because the CIs match their desired theme. ^^