The Illustration Library

Strengthening Brand Identity:

The primary goal of any branding initiative is to create a consistent and recognizable identity. With this objective in mind, I conceived a Library constructed using the Atomic Design technique. By adopting a unified style, each illustration present in the library ensures that visual elements are aligned across various platforms, reinforcing our brand’s language and leaving a lasting impression on our audience.

One of the key advantages of the Atomic Design methodology lies in its modular nature. The illustration library we created in Figma fully leverages this concept, using modular components that can be easily customized and combined. Thanks to this approach, designers have the ability to personalize illustrations according to their specific needs without compromising the overall harmony of the brand. By offering a flexible and adaptable tool, we encourage creativity while maintaining the brand’s integrity at the same time.

Why Figma:

The decision to use Figma for creating an illustration library comes with several advantages. Figma is a powerful collaborative design tool that allows multiple designers to work simultaneously on the same project, making it an ideal choice for creating a library accessible to all company designers.

Figma provides an intuitive and user-friendly environment that facilitates access to and customization of illustrations. Moreover, the presence of modular components enables the creation of reusable and easily editable graphic elements, in line with the methodology we have chosen.

Another advantage of Figma is its cloud-based nature, which allows for easy sharing and synchronization of the library with the team. This fosters smooth and real-time collaboration, providing a constantly updated view of the contents.

Simplicity, Modernity, and Customization:

We opted for a flat illustrative style for our illustration library, as it is modern and easily adaptable. The adoption of the flat illustrative style brings several advantages. Firstly, it is known for its simplicity and visual clarity, making it easily understandable for users. Additionally, the flat design suits digital interfaces well, providing a modern and clean appearance. Lastly, its modular nature allows for easy customization and adaptability to various design needs.

On the color front, we chose to use more contemporary gradients rather than flat shades. This choice enables us to add dynamism and modernity to the visual compositions, creating eye-catching color combinations.

Moreover, being Sisal a company closely related to the world of sports, illustrations have been created representing characters from various sports disciplines, incorporated into dynamic compositions that are well-suited for promotional purposes. Thanks to the modularity of the flat style, it is possible to easily adapt the illustrations to different proportions for all the digital touchpoints.

Improvement of Workflow Efficiency:

Prior to the implementation of the library, designers spent valuable time searching for suitable illustrations or creating them from scratch. This led to resource dispersion and a slowdown in the creative processes. However, thanks to a centralized and easily accessible library, designers now have a wide range of ready-to-use illustrations at their disposal, resulting in significant time savings. This optimization of workflow processes allows designers to focus on higher-level tasks such as generating new ideas and creative solutions, thereby enhancing the overall team productivity.

Furthermore, the adoption of an internal library also yields substantial cost savings by eliminating the need to rely on external agencies. This provides us with greater control and flexibility over our creative resources, enabling us to allocate budgets more efficiently and concentrate on developing a distinctive and cohesive brand.

Conclusions:

Through the implementation of an illustration library based on the Atomic Design methodology, Sisal has made remarkable strides in terms of branding, workflow efficiency, and sustainability. The consistent visual identity, coupled with the flexibility of modular components, empowers designers to create captivating visuals while maintaining brand coherence. This initiative not only streamlines our design processes but also makes a tangible contribution to our growth in the digital landscape.

@Alessia Antonini, Sisal Experience Design — Brand&Visual Design