You like them to implement in C::B or do you want to stick with the current set of icons?
Well, if the dev team were unhappy with the current set, we would likely have changed it, wouldn't we?
Apart from that, even if we were desperately looking for a new icon set, there would be no base for a decision, because you did not include a 16x16 preview (which is among the most important things).
Producing icons (or images in general) has three major complications.
The first difficulty is to make
small icons. Bluntly said, every monkey can make a 128x128 icon that looks cool. The really difficult thing is to make an icon which looks good at 16x16 (and no, you cannot just scale the existing 32x32 icon by 50%).
The second complication is that all graphics in one unit (i.e. in one program) should more or less look the same. A simiar style should be used for everything. This is harder to get right than one would think at first.
The drop shadow (you called it "blurred") and the big, plastic-like highlight are two elements that most images in Code::Blocks have as "common look".
The last problem is that what you like is not necessarily what others like, and what you think is not necessarily what others think. This makes it particularly hard.
When I make changes to any kind of artwork or UI design, I first state my idea to one or two fellow devs. If their reaction is not outright positive, I forget the idea at once. There is the Greek saying "a begging pussy is a sour shag", and it is so true.
Now, being sure that my idea is not unreasonable from the start, I work on a first version until I am 95% satisfied by the result. Usually, this takes a day or two and a few dozen revisions. I show it to one of the other devs, and if the reaction is positive, I produce the final image. After that, I build Code::Blocks with it and work with it for a couple of days to make sure the most annoying flaws are detected.
Once I am satisfied with that, it goes into SVN and I wait for input. Usually, someone provides positive feedback within less than a day. If the suggestions are feasonable and not prohibitive for some good reason, I make the changes accordingly (otherwise, I state why not). For example, the workspace icon was completely redesigned from scratch a couple of times that way. At some point, nobody complains any more, which suggests that for the time being, it can be left as it is.
