Illustration guidelines
Illustration helps breathe life into our brand. It can take a complex idea and make it easier to understand. It is a tool that allows us to communicate our product in a way that feels human and fun.
Illustration style
Our illustration style is colorful and exhuberant. We depict a fun and energetic world where businesses and organizations seamlessly communicate with their customers and constituents. Illustration is good way to represent our brand personality.
Colors
We primarily feature Twilio Red and Night in illustrations unless the audience is already very familiar with Twilio. The extended red and blue color palettes are used to add depth and variety to an illustration. When using our Secondary Palette for a Veteran Audience, consider switching only the red shades.
Shapes
Shapes are made of solid colors. We do not outline them. Depth is created by differing color tone.
Lines
Lines can be used to define details within a shape (like the edges of fingers). They can also be used freely in space to show emotion, movement, or sound. They are always the same weight whether they are in the foreground or background. For a hero image on our website, the line weight should be 2pt.
Characters
Our characters all have circular heads. We typically try to show characters being active. Their activity can be used to metaphorically show building, communication, engagement, or other complex ideas. We aim to illustrate a healthy and balanced diversity.
Scale
We use dramatic and exaggerated Scale as a way to illustrate concepts. Scale shifts add an element of play and magic to the Twilio-verse.
Space
Generally every object exists in space as a flat object. Imagine paper cutouts stacked up. Shading can be added with a stipple brush. It should be subtle and not excessively used. To represent an object in 3D, we reveal only one additional side. We don’t show persepective.
Activity
We want to show people in action. Their actions can metaphorically represent communication, building, engagement etc. Generally we do not illustrate characters using their phones.
Mixing illustration and photography
We mix illustration and photography to create dynamic, branded assets. We want to evoke that Twilio is energizing and powering our customers’ visions. The illustration is expressive and abstract. It complements the colors and composition of the photograph.
Our illustration kit contains many playful elements for creating branded environments, however it is not a strict rubric. It is not necessary to utilize the entire kit in every situation and is often advisable to show restraint. Strive to balance loud and quiet elements, expressiveness and elegance, to create a sophisticated environment and maintain visual interest.
Colors
When pairing illustration with photographs, a single ramp of colors is used. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple may be used. We use a consistent set of values.
- 100 – free lines
- 70 – shading
- 50 – shapes
- 30 – background
- 20 – clouds
Shapes
Start with these basic shapes. Sharing the same dimensions helps us make many illustrations that share a unified system of proportion.
Rotation
Rotate the shapes mathematically in increments of 15°.
Scale
Use a variety of sizes to create a dynamic space.
Compound shapes
Create compound shapes by combining two of the basic shapes together.
Compound shape shading
Use a stipple brush to give depth to the compound shapes.
Free lines
Use monoweight free lines to playfully interact with the foreground and background.
Backgrounds
Clouds anchor the composition. Use these or create your own using overlapping ovals rotated 30°.