Illustrations can make a brand more personal, recognisable and vibrant. They can be used to reinforce messages, explain services and create a visual identity that sets the brand apart from its competitors.
For small businesses, illustrations are particularly useful as they can create a professional and creative impression without every aspect of the marketing having to rely on photography.
In this guide, we’ll look at how you can use illustrations in your brand in a well-thought-out way.
Why use illustrations in a brand?
Illustrations help to create a clearer visual identity.
They can reinforce the company’s identity and make it easier for customers to recognise the brand. At the same time, they can be used to convey information in a more subtle and visual way.
Illustrations are particularly useful when you want to:
- create a more personal feel
- explain a service or process
- develop a unique visual style
- create more variety on social media
- add photographs
- make a website more dynamic
The important thing is that the illustrations feel like a natural part of the brand, rather than separate decorative elements.
1. Start with the brand’s visual style
Before you start creating illustrations, you need to know how they will fit in with the rest of the brand.
Take a look at:
- colours
- typography
- forms
- tonality
- image style
- logo
The illustrations should use the same visual language.
For example, if the brand uses soft colours and rounded shapes, the illustrations should reflect the same feel. If, on the other hand, the style is more graphic and bold, the illustrations can be more geometric.
This makes the whole brand more cohesive.
2. Use the same illustration style consistently
One of the most common mistakes is to mix too many different illustration styles.
For example, a website might feature simple line drawings on one page and highly detailed 3D images on another. This can make the brand seem less polished.
You should therefore choose a clear style and stick to it.
These could include, for example:
- simple line drawings
- hand-drawn illustrations
- flat vector illustrations
- organic forms
- minimalist icons
- colourful characters
3. Let the colour palette guide the illustrations
Illustrations are a good way of reinforcing the brand’s colours.
Use the same primary and accent colours as in the rest of the visual identity.
That doesn’t mean that every illustration has to use all the brand colours. It’s often enough to use two or three recurring colours.
This creates a clear link between illustrations, web design, social media and printed materials.
4. Use illustrations to explain
Illustrations are particularly effective when something is difficult to show in a normal photograph.
These could include, for example:
- a work process
- a digital service
- an abstract concept
- a step-by-step guide
- a customer journey
- various functions
Using illustrations can make the information easier to understand.
On a website, for example, you can use an illustration for each step in the process, rather than just text.
5. Create your own icons
Icons are a simple form of illustration and can help to create a clearer visual system.
Custom icons can be used for:
- services
- contact details
- features
- processes
- categories
- social media
If the icons use the same line thickness, colours and design language, they become a distinct part of the brand.
What’s more, they can be used in many different contexts without feeling repetitive.
6. Combine illustrations with photographs
You don’t have to choose between illustrations and photographs.
They often work best together.
Photographs can depict real people, products and settings, whilst illustrations can be used to reinforce a message or create graphic details.
It could, for example, be a photograph with illustrated lines, shapes or symbols around it.
That way, you’ll achieve both authenticity and a strong visual impact.
7. Use illustrations on the website
Illustrations can be used in many different parts of a website.
For example:
- hero sections
- service pages
- FAQ
- process descriptions
- contact sections
- blog post
- call-to-action sections
It is important that the illustrations do not dominate too much.
They are intended to help visitors understand the content and enhance the design.
A good illustration should therefore serve a purpose.
8. Illustrations on social media
Social media is a great place to use illustrations.
They can introduce variety into the flow and make it easier to build recognition over time.
For example, you can create:
- illustrated quotations
- tips
- guides
- carousels
- campaign images
- infographic
If the same style appears regularly, it will be easier for followers to recognise the content as yours.
9. Adapt the illustrations to suit different formats
Illustrations need to work well in a variety of sizes.
A detailed illustration might work well on a large web page but could be difficult to read in a small Instagram image.
That is why it is a good idea to create several versions.
For example:
- full illustration
- simplified version
- icon
- detail
- symbol
This makes it easier to use the same visual style across multiple platforms.
10. Create an illustration system
If illustrations are an important part of the brand, it is a good idea to draw up clear guidelines.
An illustration system can describe:
- which colours are used
- what the lines should look like
- which shapes are used
- how people are depicted
- how much detail there should be
- which backgrounds work
- how illustrations are combined with text
This makes it easier to create new content without the brand losing its focus.
Illustrations can make a brand more recognisable
Illustrations are not just about decoration.
When used consistently, they can become an important part of the brand’s visual identity.
They can help you communicate more clearly, add more personality and develop a style that customers recognise.
The most important thing is that the illustrations feel well thought-out and fit in with the rest of the brand.
Summary
Illustrations can be used to create a more personalised, clear and cohesive brand.
By using a consistent style, the right colours and clear guidelines, illustrations can be used in everything from web design to social media and printed materials.
Good illustrations shouldn’t just look good. They should help to convey the company’s message and reinforce its visual identity.
Find out more about our services
Would you like to create illustrations that suit your brand? Find out more about our services in graphic design and branding and how Svea Designs can help you create a personalised and consistent visual identity.
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