Developing a brand illustration library that work for a business

Why does a business need illustrations?

This is a key question for understanding high-level reasons before starting on the project. It's not just about the aesthetic aspect of the brand but also about simplifying complexity and creating meaningful connections. Let’s talk about this today!

How illustrations help businesses:

• Stand out among competitors

• Tell the unique story of the brand

• Visualize ideas and messages tailored specifically to the product, service, and target audience

• Create emotional connections with users

When developing a brand illustration library, it's crucial to follow simple and clear steps throughout the project to achieve the goals. Don't just jump in. Each decision is significant, as its weight is reflected in subsequent decisions. Figuring out the why behind the actions should be the initial step.

Savoy Life Brand Illustrations by Irene Neyman, 2025

Step 1: Core questions

The Problem

Many businesses rely on stock photography or generic illustrations that fail to capture the unique brand essence. Stock visuals often feel temporary and don't fit truly unique scenarios or brand values. Custom illustrations serve as a communication tool that can simplify complex ideas and concepts, adapt tone depending on the situation, and speak directly to users, helping them connect more closely with the brand.

Goals

The goal should be to create brand illustrations that bring delight to users' experience. The aim is to communicate complex ideas in a simplified, attractive way, explain the benefits of a product or service, and ultimately, persuade people to love the brand. The objective is also to inject personality into areas that feel unfinished and create stronger connections with the audience.

Existing Brand Guidelines

Before starting, assess what you already have:

• Existing color palette used in marketing and product materials

• Current brand guidelines and visual identity

• Typography and design systems already in place

Values

How do you determine if illustrations are suitable for the brand and integrate well across all touchpoints? Identify the key qualities and values that illustrations should possess. Consider attributes like: trustworthiness, innovation, friendliness, professionalism, approachability, or expertise. By infusing personality into brand materials, an emotional connection with the audience is established.

Savoy Life Brand Illustration by Irene Neyman, 2025

Step 2: Exploration stage

Styles

Experiment with mood boards and different illustration styles that could fit the brand and its values. Work with various approaches – from abstract to simplified, outlined to fully rendered – to discover what resonates with the brand identity. Consider how different styles might communicate different aspects of the brand personality.

Colors

The illustrations need to stand out from the user interface while remaining cohesive with the overall brand. Consider creating a separate color palette specifically for the illustration library. Research how colors work together across various applications and contexts. Settle on a balanced palette that complements the current brand colors while adding diversity and flexibility.

If the brand serves diverse audiences, carefully consider inclusivity, reflecting this in a wide range of skin tones and representations within the palette.

Savoy Life Illustration Color Exploration by Irene Neyman, 2025

Step 3: Creation stage

Types of Illustrations

Creating illustrations for various uses requires consistency across all platforms and materials. Consider dividing your illustration library into main categories that keep your system unified and scalable. The specific type should be used depending on the purpose and placement of the illustration.

• Spot Illustrations
  Small illustrations used to highlight features or explain experiences. They're not overly complex but enhance user flow by bringing interfaces to life and creating moments of delight.

• Scene Illustrations
  Designed for larger spaces, these enable you to explain capabilities or scenarios in a more detail-oriented manner. They allow you to depict various scenarios and situations to establish stronger connections with users.

• Character Development
  If the brand benefits from human connection, consider incorporating characters that represent the audience. Characters can be central elements that convey the company's attitude towards consumers: care, enjoyment, and convenience. This approach fosters trust in both the company and its offerings.

Savoy Life Brand Illustration by Irene Neyman, 2024

Final thoughts

Hope it was useful for you! Don’t forget that when developing a distinctive illustration style, it immediately makes the brand more recognizable and allows breathing life into ideas in a way that is easily understandable for people. Continue to refine and expand this style, integrating it across the platform and materials.

Remember that illustrations help simplify complexity and evoke greater empathy from the audience, ultimately making the connection between the brand and the people it serves stronger.

I’ve used all these principles when working on the brand illustration library for Savoy Life – all images above are from this project! I see the value it brings to their brand 3rd year in a row. Amazing feeling!

As always, thanks for reading!

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