Thanks to 20 years of digital innovation, the humble website has gone from simple colourful pages to a piece of artwork. Today, sites are more than just repositories for information, they’re a place where creativity takes centre stage, working in sync with brand promotion. With thousands upon thousands of sites out there, businesses and individuals alike want outstanding web design that nurtures brand awareness.
A good layout coupled with excellent font choice is one thing, but increasingly site owners are looking to incorporate illustrations into their designs as well. There are a number of sites around today that feature illustrations.
Awwwards explain why there is such a growing attraction:
“Illustration can turn an average website into something really unique, something which identifies and communicates the brand messages, and something with the power to seduce us.”
In this post we explain how illustrations can go a long way in enhancing web design.
Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary
One of the great advantages of incorporating illustrations into web design is that it can turn something mundane into something evocative. Whether it’s simplistic drawings or elaborate illustrations featured right across the site, the key is to understand what qualities and feelings you wish to communicate.
Illustration takes website design to the next level, being able to convey a message that text simply cannot do. A single illustration can enhance huge reams of information, enticing a potential customer to explore the site a little more. Of course, not all brand sites are going to suit illustrations, but for many they are the ideal tool for encapsulating a brand’s personality.
Making a brand unique
The ability for illustrations to bring a sense of uniqueness to a brand cannot be overemphasised. Gone are the days when companies played it safe and stuck to rudimentary formulas, ubiquitous stock images and standard colour schemes. Today, it’s a world where brands need to think differently.
An illustration is itself unique, working with an illustrator will only increase the sense of individuality visitors experience when they land on your front page. Visitors should always be able to differentiate your brand from that of your competitors. An outstanding website will stick in a consumer’s mind.
Illustrations tell a story
Storytelling is another incentive for brands using illustrations on their site, as stories are told best when they’re accompanied by superb visuals.
Data is one thing most sites have heaps of and what better way to relate that data to a customer than to have it in the form of an infographic. Organising data into an infographic or a colourful chart helps grab a reader’s attention and communicate your message rapidly and succinctly.
Studies have shown that 65% of people are visual learners and as we said in our previous post on infographics:
“With so much information saturating practically every space in our lives, people are learning to switch off from content that doesn’t explain itself quickly or make itself readily apparent.”
Illustration is more than just something pretty to add to a site, it’s becoming essential for brands in attracting and holding a viewer’s interest.
Artwork, illustrations & infographics
Illustrations and infographics are a great way to get instant visual engagement, but they require clarity, purpose and accuracy to shine and stand out from the rest.
