7 Do's and Don'ts of Using Illustrations in Design
Nowadays, you can take a ready-made set of illustrations and use them in your designs. Even so, choosing the correct image and using it properly is not a difficult task.
So what should and shouldn't be when using illustrations in your designs? Here are some helpful tips to help you know how to apply illustrations properly.
1. Use explanatory text if you want the image to convey a specific meaning
A picture can convey many meanings. Creating text combined with illustrations can help viewers easily understand the meaning.
2. Make sure the character's facial expressions match the message you're conveying
If there is a cartoon character in your graphic, make sure that the character's face and the illustration convey the same message. Otherwise, it may lead to confusion for users.
3. Ensure enough contrast between content and background
Good contrast makes all shapes on the graphic easily recognizable. It is also more accessible to users with low vision.
4. Use consistent colors
When inserting illustrations into the interface, you should adjust the color to match the context. Make it darker or lighter depending on the position of the image and the background.
5. Do not use images showing gender stereotypes
There was a surprising finding in one of our interviews. Users don't like images that imply gender stereotypes. Many users reacted negatively to the image of a lady wearing a tight mini skirt and high heels.
6. Illustrations should be easy to understand
Illustrations play an important role to convey important information. However, sometimes designers may not find the best option and take something unrelated. As a result, users may feel confused about text and graphics mismatch.
7. Don't abuse the illustrations
The overuse of illustrations will weaken the celebratory atmosphere at the end of the journey. Also, it will add clutter to prevent users from completing tasks. Use graphics only where necessary.
The style of illustration design to many of you will still be new, but this is one of the most popular branches today. If you are wondering what is the style of illustration design? Then take a look at the following content.
Illustration design style?
To answer this question, let's continue by defining the word "illustration". According to the Vietnamese dictionary, illustration means to clarify more information presented, expressed in pictures or words that are easy to see and understand, thereby helping readers/viewers to have visualization and insight. specific, methodical and truthful about the information being explained.
What's so special about the illustration design style?
Illustration design style?
So what is illustration design? First of all, this is a professional phrase that is present a lot in the field of design in general and graphic design in particular. In essence, designers will use graphic software, combining their own imagination and creativity to create meaningful drawings and images that represent the content they want to express. , helping to convey information to the viewer in a more coherent and attractive way.
Impressive illustration designs that you can't ignore
Abstract illustration
With geometric images, placed in perspective space and combined with non-physical works (non-performance), designers evoke the viewer's association with the message they want to convey. Abstract design somewhat has the appearance of stylized minimalist design, because abstraction combined with complexity makes it difficult for viewers to understand what the design meaning is.
Illustrated with typeface
Not to be confused with stylized typography design. With typographic illustration, the designer only used a few clever letters, changed according to the original idea. It could be the start of a brand name, an item name, or a continuation of the business's implementation motto.
Illustrated with collage art
This is also a pretty smart design in illustration design style. Collage here is not a manual selection, but rather the use of technology - the application of graphics to produce images similar to collages.
Some collage designs are quite well known and highly artistic such as works by Taku, comic collages by Samplerman, or crafts by Carlin Diaz, etc.
Illustrated with funny pictures
Surely everyone realizes, a large part of businesses today are being prioritized for children, just like an investment for a generation. That's why, illustrated with funny images (combined with fun music) is extremely "martial arts".
State-of-the-art illustration techniques
As people have discussed before, industries and creatives are both entering the digital age, making the expression of artists' talents faster and more free. The first hand-drawn electronic aid was invented in 1888. Since then, technology has become more sophisticated, making it easier for many illustrators and designers to access today's graphic tablet now. Artists use the electronic pen to draw on the surface of the tablet to transfer the image to another graphics application, for example Photoshop, Artrage, Ikscape. Etc. These software have the function of simulating brushes, pens, drawing tools, paper and many different effects.
We can divide digital illustrations into two large groups:
Digital hand-drawn illustrations
As you can see from the images below, the digitally hand-drawn illustrations allow for smooth light-dark transitions, producing vivid and detailed spaces. Most of these illustrations are in raster format and only print at a few solid sizes.
Vector graphics
The second group of illustration design styles is called vector graphics/illustrations. This type of illustration allows you to resize to any size without sacrificing image quality. Vector illustration has the advantage of producing consistent images. This makes this illustration technique popular in web design. You can easily realize the technique of vector illustration by lines, clearly drawn shapes.
Sort the stylized in the illustration
People find and analyze dissimilar genres through illustrative style (mainly defined from the broadest of styles). However, each artist has a unique and specific personal style, which is difficult to conceptualize in detail. But in general, people can identify genres in illustrations according to the following main stylizations:
Concept Art
This category includes surreal illustrations, games, animation and theming. The definition of the term was coined in the 1930s, perhaps by Disney, and it is also used in the auto industry. Artists will generate some inspiration from a certain topic, from which the user can select and follow stages while producing illustrations.