The designer's guide to illustration

Illustration is a beautifully expressive, versatile artform. It can add impact, style and personality to any graphic design project. But it's not always easy to get right.

The illustrator hotlist 2018

The illustrator hotlist 2018
Whether you're looking for the best illustrators to hire, collaborate  with or inspire you, we've gathered together the most exciting up-and-coming artists to whet your appetite.

5 inspiring illustration trends from Barcelona

5 inspiring illustration trends from Barcelona
Soak up the Catalonian capital's vivid colours and dynamic vibe. Featured trends include dynamic eclecticism, vivid Mediterranean colours, playful optimism, simple beauty, and the blending of illustration and design.

5 rising stars of design from Paris

5 rising stars of design from Paris
Be inspired by these ones to watch in design and illustration from the chic French capital, including Frederic Tacer, Playground, Le Duo, Akatre and Violaine & Jérémy.

10 killer examples of illustrated ad campaigns

10 killer examples of illustrated ad campaigns
Whether it's creating fantastical worlds, grabbing attention with on-trend styles or conveying abstract ideas, illustration can be a fantastic communication tool for advertisers. Read on for 10 stand-out illustrated ad campaigns, created for household-name brands in recent years...

8 inspiring uses of editorial illustration

8 inspiring uses of editorial illustration
Master the art of designing with illustration with these standout examples of editorial work from around the world. Featuring Vice, The Sunday Telegraph, Dance Gazette, FT Weekend, The Observer, The Economist, WIRED and Weapons of Reason.

5 reasons to use illustration in design

5 reasons to use illustration in design
Why you should choose illustration for your next design project: you want to express something abstract, the subject is too ambitious to photograph, you want to tell a story, you have some data to visualise, or a particular style is required.

7 ways illustration can help a brand stand out

7 ways illustration can help a brand stand out
Illustration can make a brand more playful, more charming, more accessible or more beautiful – perhaps even all of the above. But brands don't always get it right. We look at seven brands that used illustration to emphasise their brand values.

8 expert ways to commission better illustration

8 expert ways to commission better illustration
Pro art direction tips, which cover choosing the right style, considering composition, setting a detailed brief, discussing references, brainstorming concepts, collaborating on layouts, and giving direction with annotations.

4 tasks that stock imagery makes easier

4 tasks that stock imagery makes easier
Make your stock assets work harder, and your life easier, on common illustration tasks such as adding depth and texture to your artwork, and developing UI elements for a digital design.

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Nick Carson
Brand writer and consultant

Nick has worked with world-class agencies including Wolff Olins, Taxi Studio and Vault49 on brand storytelling, tone of voice and verbal strategy for global brands such as Virgin, TikTok, and Bite Back 2030. Nick launched the Brand Impact Awards in 2013 while editor of Computer Arts, and remains chair of judges. He's written for Creative Bloq on design and branding matters since the site's launch.