How can you create a cohesive style for graphic illustrations?

1 Choose a theme

A theme is a general idea or concept that guides your style and content. It can be based on a genre, a mood, a message, or a purpose. For example, you might choose a theme of fantasy, humor, education, or activism. A theme can help you narrow down your choices and create a consistent tone for your illustrations. To choose a theme, think about what you want to communicate, who is your audience, and what inspires you.

2 Define your palette

A palette is a set of colors that you use in your illustrations. It can create harmony, contrast, and emotion in your style. To define your palette, you can use tools like Adobe Color, Coolors, or Paletton, which can help you generate and adjust color schemes based on different rules and modes. You can also get inspiration from existing artworks, photos, or nature. Try to limit your palette to a few colors that match your theme and mood, and use them consistently across your illustrations.

3 Select your shapes

Shapes are the basic building blocks of your illustrations. They can create forms, patterns, and symbols in your style. To select your shapes, you can use tools like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or Sketch, which can help you create and manipulate vector shapes with different tools and effects. You can also sketch your shapes by hand or use references from other sources. Try to choose shapes that suit your theme and message, and use them creatively and coherently in your illustrations.

4 Add your textures

Textures are the surface qualities of your illustrations. They can create depth, detail, and interest in your style. To add your textures, you can use tools like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or Procreate, which can help you apply and edit bitmap textures with different brushes, filters, and layers. You can also create your own textures by scanning or photographing real materials, such as paper, fabric, or metal. Try to use textures that enhance your palette and shapes, and use them sparingly and consistently in your illustrations.

5 Choose your fonts

Fonts are the typefaces that you use for any text in your illustrations. They can create hierarchy, readability, and personality in your style. To choose your fonts, you can use tools like Google Fonts, Font Squirrel, or DaFont, which can help you browse and download thousands of fonts for free or for a fee. You can also create your own fonts by using tools like FontForge, Glyphs, or Fontself. Try to choose fonts that complement your theme and mood, and use them wisely and sparingly in your illustrations.

6 Apply your composition

Composition is the arrangement of the elements in your illustrations. It can create balance, movement, and focus in your style. To apply your composition, you can use tools like Adobe InDesign, Canva, or Figma, which can help you layout and align your elements with different grids, guides, and frames. You can also use your own intuition and creativity to compose your elements. Try to use composition principles, such as the rule of thirds, the golden ratio, or the focal point, to create effective and engaging illustrations.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?