Illustration design

Custom illustration is a good choice when you need to explain something tricky, show a subject you can’t easily photograph or give your brand a recognisable visual style. Illustration also helps to add character and give your business a unique point of difference in the marketplace with visuals that are truly ownable.

We shape the subject, colours and character around your message, saving you from scrolling through stock images that almost fit. It’s also useful when you need a family of visuals that look like they belong in the same burrow.

We have a handy questionnaire for any illustration project that will guide you through the process and allow us to obtain valuable information such as your message, audience and where the artwork will appear. You can also shoot us through your brand guidelines, preferred colours, dimensions and any details that need to feature. Visual references are useful too, especially if you can tell us what you like about them. You don’t need to arrive with the idea already drawn. That’s where our illustration bunnies pick up their pencils.

We choose an illustration style around your brand’s personality, your audience and what the artwork needs to communicate. Simple line drawings might make instructions easier to follow, while expressive characters could give a campaign more personality. Your existing colours, typography and visual identity help guide the direction. The result should feel at home alongside your other marketing, with enough character to catch the eye.

Yes. One illustration can often work across websites, packaging, brochures and other marketing materials when those uses are planned from the start. Different placements may need adjusted proportions, crops or file formats to keep everything looking sharp. Tell us where the artwork needs to appear so we can plan the composition, deliverables and agreed usage. A little forward thinking gives your illustration more places to hop.

Vector illustration uses shapes and paths that can scale up without losing sharpness, making it useful for icons, signage and artwork needed at several sizes. Raster illustration uses pixels, which suit textured and painterly styles, but the image needs enough resolution for its intended size. We’ll recommend the approach that suits your artwork and applications. Nobody wants their beautifully drawn character turning into a blurry bunny on a billboard.

With our project management, we guide you through specific revision rounds. The first round is the best time to give feedback on the subject, layout and overall direction. Once you’re happy with those foundations, we can refine the colours, expressions and smaller details. Speak up early if something doesn’t feel right. Moving a character in a rough sketch is much simpler than reworking a finished scene, and major changes later can affect the cost and timeline.

Custom illustration costs depend on the number of images, level of detail, intended uses and file versions required. A handful of simple icons involves a different amount of work from a detailed scene or a whole cast of brand characters. Share your brief, budget and where the artwork will appear, and we can scope a proposal. We’ll work out what your project needs before our pencils get carried away.

An illustration project’s timeframe depends on the number of images, their complexity and the time needed for feedback and refinements. A single spot illustration usually needs a different schedule from a coordinated set of campaign artwork. Tell us about launch dates, print deadlines or upcoming events when you brief us. We can then plan the key stages and leave room to give the details the attention they deserve.

You’ll receive final digital artwork in the formats agreed for your project, prepared for the intended uses. Website graphics, printed brochures and large displays can each need different file settings, sizes or versions. We’ll confirm those requirements with you before preparing the final files. Editable working files are a separate deliverable, so let us know at the start if you need those included in the proposal.

Yes, all work is considered work for hire, so once all final invoices have been paid, you own the rights to the materials. Tell us how you plan to use the illustration, including future advertising, packaging or merchandise, so those uses can be covered in the contract. We’ll also clarify the agreed final files and any editable source files. A clear agreement keeps everyone on the same page, sketchbook or otherwise.