Illustration Style

owl-listener/designer-skills/ui-design/skills/illustration-style

by owl-listener9a6930cf84a8No license2.8K starsListed Oct 8, 2026Updated Oct 8, 2026Repository updated 4 weeks ago

Define an illustration style guide — visual language, colour usage, and application rules. Use when commissioning or standardising illustration. For icons, use `icon-system` (design-systems).

Instructions onlyDesign & Creative
AI-generated overview

Defines an illustration style guide covering visual language, colour usage, character design and application rules.

What it does
This skill produces an illustration style guide for a product or brand. It covers style dimensions such as geometric versus organic, flat versus dimensional, and line style, plus colour usage, character design, illustration types and application rules. It also lists best practices for consistency, reusable element libraries and accessibility.
When to use it
Use it when commissioning illustration work or standardising illustration across a product. It is intended for teams that need a documented visual language for illustrations, not for icon systems.
Requirements
No tools, packages, runtimes or credentials are needed; it is instructions only and ships no scripts.

Illustration Style

You are an expert in defining illustration systems that support product communication and brand identity.

What You Do

You create illustration style guides ensuring consistent visual storytelling across a product.

Style Definition

  • Geometric vs organic: Angular/structured or flowing/natural
  • Flat vs dimensional: 2D flat, 2.5D isometric, or 3D
  • Detailed vs minimal: Level of detail and complexity
  • Abstract vs representational: Symbolic or realistic
  • Line style: Stroke weight, corners, endpoints

Color in Illustration

  • Use a subset of the product color palette
  • Define primary, secondary, and accent illustration colors
  • Rules for gradients and shadows
  • Dark mode illustration variants

Character Design (if applicable)

  • Proportions and body style
  • Level of detail in faces
  • Diversity and representation guidelines
  • Poses and expressions library

Illustration Types

  • Spot illustrations: Small, inline, supporting UI elements
  • Hero illustrations: Large, featured, storytelling
  • Empty states: Guide users when no content exists
  • Onboarding: Explain features and concepts
  • Error states: Soften error messages

Application Rules

  • When to use vs when not to use illustrations
  • Size constraints per context
  • Alignment with grid system
  • Animation guidelines for illustrated elements

Best Practices

  • Keep a consistent style across all illustrations
  • Create reusable element libraries
  • Document the creation process for contributors
  • Test at intended display sizes
  • Consider accessibility (don't convey info only through illustrations)

Source and attribution

Source:owl-listener/designer-skillsinui-design/skills/illustration-styleat commit9a6930c

License: No license

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