Taking digital design back to the drawing board

How hand-drawn design can help make the universal, personal.

Illustration has always played a part in my design. Hand-drawn elements help to bring brand identity into the spotlight, connecting the audience with the creator, and the business with the user. It’s not always easy to strike that balance between the personal and professional in design, but hand-drawn illustrations help to extend an arm beyond the screen, dreaming up a visual language that looks to capture the full scope of the brand, business, or company. 

My approach to design revolves around authentic storytelling. It’s like opening a book - the first chapter sets the scene, introducing the brand’s character, personality, and purpose, all while constructing an engaging narrative arc, (and not spoiling the ending). A good novel holds your attention, and design is not dissimilar. The aim is to construct a message that appeals to the masses, whilst connecting with the individual on a personal level. Going back to pen and paper resets the digital clock; we are stripped back to the basics of honest, raw, and transparent communication, with the view to translate a meaningful message into an accessible image.

Stop Superbugs was a landmark project for me. A global health initiative that connected my vested interest in health with impact driven design, it secures practical support and funding for existing projects working to quite literally stop superbugs. For this particular project, I used a bespoke hand-drawn style with a hand motif reappearing throughout the font and website. It was important to put the story back into the hands of the people, and investigate why successful design is rooted in original storytelling in its purest form. You can have a read of my piece on Stop Superbugs here, and learn a little about my process and the power of sharing skills, knowledge, and kindness in a global health emergency.

Combining the hand-drawn with the digital generates a new dimension of design - it helps to communicate a universal message in a uniquely personal way. There’s real value in authentic storytelling, a method of connecting with not only an audience, but with people.