The first version of PaintZ was a desktop adaptation of the Holo design guidelines, but switched to Material Design when Material was announced partway through development. That led to implementing animations based on the Material guidelines to provide meaningful transitions and generally delight users. In addition to using shadows to create clear hierarchy of layers like most Material apps, I also raised the color selector to make it somewhat reminiscent of the floating action button (FAB) pattern. I later added other Material effects, like ink ripples when you change tools.

When designing the icon, I knew I wanted a paint palette, but also wanted the “Z” icon represented somehow. Rather than include my normal “Z” icon, I chose to create the “Z” out of painting tools. I opted to include a bit more detail and less sharp shadows than most Material icons while still keeping an overall colorful and playful feeling. I selected a theme color for the toolbar and form elements in PaintZ that would contrast with and complement the icon's primary color.