Art & Advertising in One

I’ve always had a passion for illustration. Not just any style of illustration though, one that reflects both sides of art and advertising. I constantly find myself fascinated with simple vector illustrations that posses a bit of irony. This isn’t the only style of illustration I like, but it is certainly the style I like best. Something about simple and perfect vector lines, combined with a subtle juxtaposition speak very loud volumes to me. If I had to pin point why, I think it would fall within two major categories: Brand Awareness and Production value.

Brand  Awareness

Anyone who has any marketing background at all could tell you how important brand awareness is. Your brand is the lifeblood of your business which drives your message with a simple word, mark or color. Spreading this message can be a simple as a reiteration of your logo, or as complicated as an integrated marketing campaign. Either-way, the more a consumer sees your mark, the better the chances that they will recognize you and consider themselves to be “familiar” or “comfortable” with your company.

So what does this have to do with this particular style of illustration? Well, just like any great work of art (or advertising campaign), a message will be received in a more memorable way when it poses an intriguing point of view. At the risk of an ambiguous, ineffective campaign, many clients will be reluctant to this and will prefer to play it safe with a straightforward list of services or product benefits for their advertisement. Though this may work well too, it certainly won’t be as memorable or as something that stops you in your tracks and makes you think.

In short, this style of illustration allows for an intriguing opinion while  being communicated in a very simplistic way.

Production Value

There are many forms for mass production out there. Some artists prefer to have their art reproduced in a very precise and exact way, while others are more concerned with quantity over quality. I, for one, prefer the latter. Of course, some art is more conducive to this approach than others. When dealing with a quantity over quality mentality, it’s smart to design with simplicity in mind. I suppose this means less room for error during a quick and dirty process. Silk screen printing is probably my favorite forms of production, so illustration that complies with it’s standards is only natural for me.

Another benefit to this style is scaleability. Since vector graphics can be sized to any thinkable dimension, they will inevitably work across multiple mediums. This also supports brand recognition. If you have a design that can seemingly be reproduced in any fashion, then there is a better chance that your consumer will see it in one form or another.

The Revealing of a New Series

All reasoning aside, from as far back as I can remember I’ve always preferred simplicity over complication in regards to art. Though I don’t claim to be an illustrator, I will probably always illustrate in my spare time for fun. I actually find myself motivated most when being exposed to iconic/ironic illustrations such as these.

With that said, here is a series of three illustrations that I have been working on (off an on) over the past few years. They fall into (at least) some form of  the style and characteristics I’ve mentioned above, but in all honesty… who really cares. I like the way they look and I hope other people do to.