There are some designs that require an exceptional amount of detail, and some that don't. Living in era we live in, there are so many architectural aesthetics that incorporate the principles of minimalism, and exemplify the belief there is "elegance in simplicity".
This also holds true in for illustration design. Leaving some detail to the viewer's imagination inspires creativity and a level of interpretation that adds depth and character to the illustration. As individuals, we will always have different perceptions from others, due to our own experiences and environment.
The illustration above is a lady's silhouette wearing a tutu-esque evening dress. I chose to use a sharp-edged pen for the dress detail and I played around with different opacities to portray the sheerness and the layering of the dress.
I chose to outline the left-hand side of the silhouette, where I expected the darkest shadows to be. The similar hue specks on the dress represent sparkle, creating a non-overpowering detail to the illustration.
The lighter shades I used contrasted better on a darker background, hence the black canvas.
When illustrating, it may be helpful to ask yourself the question whether extreme detail emphasizes the intended purpose or meaning of the illustration, or does it lose its 'oomph'. Many popular logos we know today require minimal detail, as it is easier to remember and familiarity is key when creating a logo (BONUS RESOURCE: try creating a minimalist logo design here).
Lastly, it is crucial to consider the background your logo will be placed on, as it can either blend in or stand out from it.
Here are a few examples from the DesignCrowd Illustration gallery that include a minimalistic approach:
This logo illustration is a great example of how difficult minimalist illustration can be. You have to discern which detail you want to illustrate in order to capture the audience the most.
It portrays a simplistic and dainty impression through the use of curvature lines. By doing so, the design suggests the plump texture of the bird's body without the need to draw the feathers individually. The illustrator definitely shows their knowledge of color through the contrasting green and yellow shade.
Power. Strength. Dominance. Those are the words that come to mind when looking at this illustration. The simplistic approach emphasizes the outline of the lion and the red solid color portrays authority.
This illustration, again, shows the importance of the background color. If the background color were white, the yellow would contrast and stand out less. This broken line technique allows the audience to engage with it more and asks them to "connect-the-dots" to see the overall outline of the horse.
This illustration may seem more simplistic than actual, but a lot of time was put into thinking about which features of the illustration should be added and how much detail should be included.
In the end, NamiLurihas chose to highlight Einstein's unruly hair, mustache, and simple jumper to fit the brief of showing him happy and bright in a simple line-art illustration.
This illustration shows the simplicity in logo design. One solid color is used and little detail is drawn. Despite this, the viewer knows it's an anglerfish, and the design succeeds in making the character lovable and cute. The background is also well-thought as orange contrasts well with the vignette on white.
Want more?
Check out these articles to help ensure your illustrations are the best in the business.
Design Using Adobe Illustrator – How To Use Different Brushes And Opacity levels For Shading
25 Step by Step Guide To Setting Up Digital Illustrations
8 Simple Steps to Convert Hand Drawings into Vectors
Written by Danielle Tarroza on Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Danielle is an aspiring writer with a penchant for design. She has completed a Biomedicine degree and is a self-confessed fashion eclectic. Her creative and stylist skills are matched by passion for coffee! Follow her on Twitter: @__daniellegrace