I often do hand write SVG icons. I know roughly what I want, it's less messy compared to using an editor (cleaner, smaller xml, easier to hand-edit later if needed). Path arc is my nemesis, otherwise it's not that hard. Pelican would take some time, but same as software development, you split it into smaller chunks and do one at the time.
Main problem in complex icon is remembering which (x, y) point is used in which element, <g> with background grid is helpful here. I was even thinking about making extended SVG language with variables for (x, y) points.
We were hand writing PostScript code that drew pelicans at job interviews in the 90s, then they sent it to a printer a stored the page in a file drawer /s
