
11 / 03 / 19
6th August 2019
Over the last couple of years we have seen an increase in demand for bespoke illustration and original iconography, particularly when it comes to businesses and brands that operate in the digital space, such as tech companies, digital first products and SaaS platforms.
Capturing individuality and personality and embodying subject matters and themes in ways that photography often can’t, bespoke illustration can unify a design and totally transform not only how it looks but overall feel and mood too.
However, it’s not just about how it looks, it’s important that we create something useful. Illustration should enhance and clarify the message and aid user understanding of the offering. Illustration allows a designer to (over)-exaggerate expression and encourages interpretation and imagination, clarifying and amplifying the brands message and making it both more understandable and accessible to the user.
Illustration can be particularly useful for businesses working in traditionally ‘dry’ markets, or ones with services that are confusing, dull or even upsetting. Difficult subject matters and abstract themes or topics where specific visuals don't work well often lend themselves better to an illustrative treatment. Illustration and iconography are also great for presenting complex information, demonstrating processes and conveying credentials, initiatives or services in an interesting, eye-catching and totally bespoke way.
The simple beauty of illustration is the fact that it can take so many different forms; cartoon and fantastical, abstract and conceptual, or realistic and literal. The versatility of illustration means it can be produced in an entirely unique way - there are no boundaries as to what kind of world you can create.
Due to the amount of different directions illustration can take, it is important that a brand carefully considers their values, ethos and audience before briefing an illustrator, in order to ensure that the style selected reflects and reinforces the brand positioning and personality; and helps to express what they are trying to say. Once a style is developed, the illustrator will pair the style with key phrases and messaging to create a ‘bank’ of illustration assets. These assets can be used both independently and pieced together in ‘scenes’ / ’scenarios’ to give the digital design (and print design) team flexibility when creating designs.
Thanks to SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) which supports interactivity and animation, we can create dynamic interactive elements out of our illustrations and incorporate them into our digital projects. This element of surprise and delight creates an additional layer to the users overall experience and can elevate an otherwise simple site.
Illustration is a powerful and creative medium which can identify and communicate brand values and transmit ideas universally in a way many other mediums can’t. Here at Abstrakt we love working with illustration. We are experienced in producing unique, impactful and engaging bespoke illustration and iconography, which when layered on top of exceptional digital design, helps our clients to stand out from the crowd in a highly distinctive and ownable way.
Interested in exploring the possibility of illustration for your next digital project? Get in touch to speak to our digital design team.
Interesting? There’s plenty more where that came from…
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