Meet the artist behind Firefox’s new community-created app icon
December 8, 2025
Last year, the Firefox team set out to test something fans requested: choosing a custom app icon. The experiment was simple. Offer a small set of options and see how people use them.
The team created early concepts, but experiment lead Gabrielle Lussier noticed something was missing. The designs were clean and functional, but none captured the playful, emotional spark people associate with Firefox. That led the team to revisit a collection of fan art shared during Firefox’s 20th anniversary, and one illustration stood out immediately: a warm, whimsical drawing of Firefox hugging the Earth by Dutch illustrator Ruud Hendriks (@heyheymomodraws).
“I love that it is reminiscent of our original logo from 2004, but modernized and simplified. It’s also adorable! How could you not love it!” said Gabrielle.
Ruud is known for the charming, joyful characters in his comic series heyheymomo, and he brings that same energy to this design. He originally created the artwork as a quick doodle for fun. Today, it is the first community-created app icon in Firefox. To select the icon, head to Settings → Customize → App Icon.
In the Q&A below, Ruud shares how the sketch came to life, what inspired it, and what it means to see his work appear inside a browser he has used for years.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to participate in last year’s Firefox 20th anniversary fan art challenge?
The funny thing is, I participated before the challenge was even a thing! One day, I didn’t know what to draw and somehow felt inspired by the cute little fox icon in my dock. I drew my own version as a super loose doodle, completely on a whim, in just a few minutes. I thought it came out pretty cute, so I posted it on my social media just for fun. People vibed with it, and the Mozilla social team picked it up. A few weeks later, I got a message asking if I wanted to submit it for the challenge since they really liked it. Of course I said yes!
What does Firefox mean to you personally, as a brand, a browser, or a community?
I’ve been on the internet for a long time. Firefox has been my favourite browser since forever, and I’m a bit of a creature of habit, so it’s always stuck with me. I like how lightweight and simple it is. Plus, as a visually minded person, I totally judge books by their covers — and I’ve always loved the Firefox icon. It’s so appealing that it made me want to draw it in the first place.
Where did the idea for your “Firefox hugging the Earth” artwork come from?
It’s my little homage to the older Firefox logo, the one that made me a Firefox fan. The new one is very stylish, but the older one has always had a special place in my heart. My own work is usually very cutesy, with smiley faces and friendly characters, so I just drew my own version of it in that style.
This looks hand-drawn. What tools or techniques did you use to create it?
The initial five-minute doodle was just a quick sketch on my iPad using the app Procreate. Since Mozilla was interested in making it an actual icon, I later created a high-resolution, smoother version using vector art.
How did you feel when you learned your artwork would become one of the official Firefox app icons?
As a longtime Firefox fan, I was over the moon and couldn’t believe all of this came from just a silly doodle I did on a whim. I think that’s the beauty of the internet — how something small and spontaneous can take off like that. I’m really honoured, and I hope you all like my silly, little icon.
What a fan-made icon says about how we build
Ruud’s icon shows how product features can come from small, genuine ideas. His artwork delivered exactly what the team set out to explore: a bit of delight, a touch of nostalgia, and a visual style that feels true to Firefox. This project reflects how Mozilla builds. We listen, we iterate, and we look for ways to bring community creativity into the product. Ruud’s contribution shows how users and artists can shape Firefox in ways that feel both personal and unexpected.
Ruud Hendriks is an illustrator from the Netherlands, specializing in cute and whimsical characters. He has extensive experience working on children’s toys, apps, and games, and now focuses primarily on his own comic series, heyheymomo, which follows the adventures of a dog and frog who are best friends.
His work is lighthearted and designed to brighten your day, even if just for a moment. You can explore his comics on Instagram @heyheymomodraws and find prints at heyheymomo.com.
