.png)
In the age in which we currently reside, Illustration is not only everywhere, but also more accessible than ever. The list of stock sites, freelance sites and AI generators is endless. With companies like Adobe adopting AI toolkits into its repertoire, it’s easier than it ever has been to create digital illustrations and artwork for any design project. With apps like Procreate dominating the digital illustration space, and the fact that you now have a supercomputer in your palm, accessibility to these resources is huge. And this has only aided a plethora of companies to use tailored illustrations in more and more prominent ways. So, what’s the value in it?
I believe bespoke illustrations crafted by talented artists will always trump a quick prompt or a free download. But do we all share the same idea? That is a question I often find myself asking, and whilst there isn’t a definitive answer, I believe it’s more likely that we do – as creators, we understand the importance of building something truly distinctive, something that is synonymous with a brands image and story. It’s something that becomes an integral part of how a brand tells that story, how it aspires to be and how it inspires its audience. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against stock site assets, they have their place, and at the end of the day they were still created by talented artists (in most cases, but we’ll talk about that another time!), but when you are developing a brand that requires that something extra, then having a devoted illustrative style and unique artwork to match really helps differentiate that brand from the market norms.
One brand I find does this well time and time again is Nike. In a world saturated with sport brands, they’ve always found a way to stand apart, and one of the ways they do this is utilising illustration in their marketing, product campaigns, and user experience (in-store and online). They’re keen to not just follow trends but put their faith in the artists fronting those trends. They are acutely aware of the importance of using local artists, up and coming illustrators and by doing so balance their corporate brand image with something that is real, authentic and relatable.
They’re also incredible pieces of art; Boomranng Studios collaboration with Nike is a great example. Boomranng were tasked to create 20 bespoke images of Mumbai for Nike’s personalisation services in the region, this project was able to catch the vibrant, cultural texture of the region in a way that was truly authentic as they used local artists “We have lived the sounds, the feel, the visuals and peculiarities of Mumbai” Sonal Vasave, co-founder, Boomranng Studios. You can look at Nikes stores across the world and you’ll find although each adhere to the overall brand guidelines, there is a licence and appreciation to showcase the cultural distinctions via the medium of art, and in particularly illustration, of that location.
When I’m starting an illustration piece for a client, I always look at two things first. One, who is this for; are we creating a style that we ‘just like the look of’, or one that will resonate with our clients end user? And secondly how is that going to impact that person, will it produce the right message, will they feel what is intended to be felt. For example, when creating hand drawn iconography for a company in the finance sector, would I use a rough childish inspired style of illustration, with crayons and bold colours? The answer is most probably no – unless of course they are market disruptors and it suits their story, but in most cases you develop an illustration style based on the demographic of its use, and this is why I feel that approaching illustration in this way is far more beneficial to not just our clients, but yours, instead of just picking from an endless library.
When all’s said and done, the value of having unique illustrations designed specifically to enhance your brands visual language, and to aid in telling a story that is uniquely yours, is invaluable. For 64,000 years, and 15 years at Ministry of Fish, we’ve been communicating in imagery. So why stop now? Art lives and always will.
.png)
.png)
