Running a design gallery does have its perks. One of them being I get to see new designs almost every day. In the process of reviewing numerous examples of illustrated web design, I have noticed a few trends that are specific to illustrated sites. Whether it's clouds, landscapes or animals, these trends can lend themselves to designing more intriguing compositions.
Clouds
Simple, light, airy and perhaps influenced a little by Twitter. Clouds add brightness to the overall composition and can be used as a creative way to frame white space.
Candy Cult
FrancescoMugnai
indiqo.media
Katherine Designs
MiNDiNG MoNSTeRS
MULTIWAYS
Landscapes
Green pastures, rolling hills and deep blue skies often comprise this trend when used as a design technique. Landscapes also provide a psychological contrast to the dull gray world of the browser window.
Artua Design Studios
Blue Acorn
Digiti
Goin Nutty
Góralski Domek
Morphix Blog
Treehouse Editing
Characters
Aristocrats, super cows and monsters oh my. A central character can provide immediate focus to a design, support branding and convey an overall feeling of what the site is about.
The Alamo Basement
Elektrocity
Haäfe & Haph
Josh Cleland
MONSTER CSS
Monster Isle
Shout Digital Limited
Labs and Robots
Mad scientists, glassware, robots and mutants. Usually quite playful, this trend can lend itself to some fun experimentation with the design.
Blue Flavor
CreativeSwitch
Mutant Labs
Pixel Thread
Radium
SixOneFive
Yaron Schoen
Microcosm
A journey from top to bottom, sites falling into this category tend to redirect the user to a starting point of the page which can then be explored often using vertical smooth scrolling navigation.
Atomic Cartoons Inc.
BWM Media
Foradian Technologies
Orman Clark
The Pixel
Tomáš Pojeta
Visual Harbor
volll
Animals
Primates, fish and the whole zoo. Animals can add a certain friendliness to a design, support branding and provide a central focus as well.
Groovy Web Design
GUERRILLA
Kiwi
N.Design Studio
old loft
Owltastic
Piipe
Silverback
Zologicka
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About the Author
Brian Rhinehart is a designer and illustrator who has worked in the media and design industry for the past sixteen years. Aside from freelancing and running Illustration Toolbox, he enjoys playing the bass, spicy foods and chasing the cat around the house with squeaky toys.
Josh Cleland
April 1st
Thanks for featuring my site among these other greats.
Brian Rhinehart
April 1st
No problem Josh, had to include the super cow.
arkev
April 2nd
Nice selectión thanks, I liked so mucho.
Kyle Jones
April 2nd
Thanks for posting up Haäfe & Haph! Great list of sites here
Mariano
April 6th
Another one: http://www.690design.co.uk