Start:

1) replaced link element before li item in order to make the whole box clickable
2) placed "New file" item as first one so that it is always at the same place no matter what session or recent files you have
3) created a thumbnail for "New file" item

src/Mod/Start/StartPage/StartPage.py

@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def getInfo(filename):
     "returns available file information"
 
     global iconbank,tempfolder
-    
+
     tformat = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Start").GetString("TimeFormat","%m/%d/%Y %H:%M:%S")
 
     def getLocalTime(timestamp):
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def getInfo(filename):
         return hsize
 
     if os.path.exists(filename):
-        
+
         if os.path.isdir(filename):
             return None
 
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def getInfo(filename):
 
 
 def buildCard(filename,method,arg=None):
-    
+
     "builds a html <li> element representing a file. method is a script + a keyword, for ex. url.py?key="
 
     result = ""
@@ -174,16 +174,16 @@ def buildCard(filename,method,arg=None):
             if finfo[5]:
                 infostring += "\n\n" + finfo[5]
             if size:
-                result += '<li class="icon">'
                 result += '<a href="'+method+arg+'" title="'+infostring+'">'
+                result += '<li class="icon">'
                 result += '<img src="'+image+'">'
                 result += '<div class="caption">'
                 result += '<h4>'+basename+'</h4>'
                 result += '<p>'+size+'</p>'
                 result += '<p>'+author+'</p>'
                 result += '</div>'
-                result += '</a>'
                 result += '</li>'
+                result += '</a>'
     return result
 
 
@@ -302,17 +302,17 @@ def handle():
     if rfcount:
         SECTION_RECENTFILES = "<h2>"+TranslationTexts.T_RECENTFILES+"</h2>"
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += "<ul>"
-        for i in range(rfcount):
-            filename = rf.GetString("MRU%d" % (i))
-            SECTION_RECENTFILES += buildCard(filename,method="LoadMRU.py?MRU=",arg=str(i))
-        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<li class="icon">'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<a href="LoadNew.py" title="'+TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW+'">'
-        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<img src="'+iconbank["createimg"]+'">'
+        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<li class="icon">'
+        SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<img src="images/new_file_thumbnail.svg">'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<div class="caption">'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '<h4>'+TranslationTexts.T_CREATENEW+'</h4>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</div>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</li>'
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</a>'
+        for i in range(rfcount):
+            filename = rf.GetString("MRU%d" % (i))
+            SECTION_RECENTFILES += buildCard(filename,method="LoadMRU.py?MRU=",arg=str(i))
         SECTION_RECENTFILES += '</ul>'
         if sys.version_info.major < 3:
             SECTION_RECENTFILES = SECTION_RECENTFILES.decode("utf8")
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def handle():
         UL_WORKBENCHES += '</li>'
     UL_WORKBENCHES += '</ul>'
     HTML = HTML.replace("UL_WORKBENCHES",UL_WORKBENCHES)
-    
+
     # Detect additional addons that are not a workbench
 
     try:
@@ -521,4 +521,3 @@ def checkPostOpenStartPage():
         if len(sys.argv) > 1:
             postStart()
     Start.CanOpenStartPage = True
-