During this week we looked at illustrations in ux/ui, we touched on this a bit last week however we went into more detail on how illustrations in applications for Ui can make such an impact on these apps. We also looked at the different types of illustrations.
Pictures and illustrations can create emotions as people can interpret images faster than reading words. Pictures can be provocative and can be more attention catching that images. We looked at different applications that use illustrations as part of their app
When using illustrations there should always be a purpose for their use, the illustrations should be harmonic and corresponding to the app and match the vibe of the app. using illustrations for the purpose of you think it looks nice can be detrimental to the brand as it might not match the application. Purposes of illustrations can include clarify, visually represent text or ideas, show products, information, explanation, advertising , rewards/badges, appealingness etc.
Illustrations can improve the app in many different ways, the unique approach to design can engage users in a way those without illustrations cannot. Illustrations can also create dynamic experiences for the user for example, Mailchimp uses illustrations to explain their ordering process easily for the user. Finally illustrations can strengthen a brands aesthetic, displaying the brands identity or creating a mascot to represent the company are great ways of creating a strong aesthetic.
Illustrations can immediately set the theme of the application/ brand, setting the first impression for the user is extremely important as they can disifer whether they want the app or not. A good illustration can create strong brand associations which may engage the user more. A brand that’s illustrations are really fun is Drunk Elephants, they are a skincare brand that use this fun, vibrant and cute illustrations that contrast so well with their brand.
There are many artistic approaches and unique visual characters that can be created with illustration. There are different aesthetics, techniques and graphic elements that are used to create these different illustrations to create a specific emotion or tone. There are some that are consistently used in apps such as mascots or characters, many apps use characters to create a emotional convection with their users, for example, Duolingo uses a green bird and also multiple different characters to help the user complete the task.
Thematic
Theme means an idea or message, in illustration it is conveying a message in art forms. The artwork usually aligns with a theme or concept, these can be used to communicate ideas, or narratives and can capture the mood of the theme,
Hyper realistic
Hyper realistic drawings are drawings that are extremely detailed and can sometimes be considered as an image rather than a drawing, it looks incredibly lifelike.
Hand Drawn
Hand drawn illustrations are a great idea to implement into apps as this gives a personal touch to the project. It is a unique and fun, which can attract users to use the brand.
Diagrammatic
A diagrammatic illustration is a visual representation that shows information through simplified graphics, symbols, or diagrams. It makes the information easily understandable, helping viewers grasp key points quickly. These illustrations are commonly used in presentations, education, infographics etc.
Data Visualisation
Data visualization illustration involves the graphical representation of data to present information in a clear and visually engaging way. This type of illustration can be provided through charts, graphs, maps, and other visual elements. Data visualization helps users understand patterns, trends, and relationships within datasets quickly.