As a branding designer for small businesses, crafting unique, one-of-a-kind brands is the name of the game. To do this, it requires me to think outside of the box and design assets that are unique to the individual client that nobody else has. When I first came up with the idea of providing illustrations to clients, I had no idea to draw. I’m not kidding.

I just decided to pick up my ipad and start moving my pen around. And yes, the first dozens of icons that I drew were horrible. But practice makes perfect and over time I got better and better.

When it comes to picking out which brand illustrations make sense for a business, I try to do a combination of obvious and not so obvious drawings with a sprinkle of personality.

For instance: for a photographer, an obvious icon choice would be a camera. A not so obvious icon choice might be a camera stand, a flash, or a desk. A personality icon might be a drawing of a daisy because that’s their favorite flower or that’s their middle name.

Check out some examples of icons we’ve drawn below. First up is for a Bookkeeper – Second Nature Numbers. Some of the obvious icons include the money clip, pencils and notebook. The less obvious being the mug and glasses. The personality infusion being the Stanley cup and glasses because Jen is always wearing glasses. She also loves her lattes.

Next example is for The Artist’s Assistant. Started by Sierra Dyer Co., a photographer, she wanted to offer virtual support for other creatives so she added a sub-brand to her business. The camera icon is a node to her parent business. The coffee, bow and cherry are less obvious and provide a fun feminine touch to the brand.

Let’s look at one more example – our own Saela Studio rebrand icons! For my rebrand, I wanted the vibes to be comfy, cozy and welcoming. The laptop was on obvious choice because I’m a designer. The chair, the coffee and the lamp were pulled from inspiration found in my home and bring in that cozy vibe. The sourdough starter jar is a bit of personality pulled in as I love to make loaves of bread.

As you can see, brand illustrations really enhance your branding and website design and make you stand out from the crowd. You’ll notice all three brands have coffee cups but no two are the same design. The goal of hiring a logo designer is so that you can finally have a brand that represents you and all of your uniqueness.

Head on over to our services page to learn more about how we craft custom brands tailored to your audience. And when you’re ready to book with us, fill out this short form and we’ll hop on a consult call to make sure we’re the right match for all of your branding and website design needs.