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I knew it was time for drastic change. It was apparent to me that our company could greatly benefit from a new approach to the graphics used in our learning materials, websites, and documents. I envisioned a graphic language that was chic to communicate our brand, had the flexibility to convey complex ideas, and streamlined to reduce the hours of work asked of the Creative team.
In my role as Art Director, I developed a new graphic language system that was harmonious with our brand, taught my team to replicate the style themselves, and oversaw the creation of graphics used across the organization.
Graphics
Graphics
Talk about Saga's unique use of graphics. Talk about how they are used to support language and bring equity to the classroom. Talk about how graphics impact the understanding of word problems and allow kids to learn. Talk about the concept of reuse. How did that save time? How did that improve work? Why did you need a new graphic approach to begin with?
Graphics communicate abstract concepts and narrative ideas in a way that overcomes language barriers and supports a learning environment. It was paramount that the graphic language I developed first and foremost served students and removed roadblocks to education such as unfamiliar terms and difficulty for students' conceptualization of math.
Graphics communicate abstract concepts and narrative ideas in a way that overcomes language barriers and supports a learning environment. It was paramount that the graphic language I developed first and foremost served students and removed roadblocks to education such as unfamiliar terms and difficulty for students' conceptualization of math.
Visual Development
Visual Development
Research
Research
The dawn of a new art style had to begin with research. The graphic language should be future facing, clean, flexible, repeatable, surprising, and effective. I looked at images of designers across the globe, and landed on inspiration that took from timeless mid-century modern design, modern European design, and the textured art of worldwide designers.
The dawn of a new art style had to begin with research. The graphic language should be future facing, clean, flexible, repeatable, surprising, and effective. I looked at images of designers across the globe, and landed on inspiration that took from timeless mid-century modern design, modern European design, and the textured art of worldwide designers.
The Past
The Past
The Present
The Present
Media Tests
Media Tests
With the inspiration locked down, it was time to iterate my own graphics until the correct approach arose.
Sketches began with an emphasis on silhouette. The graphics were to be simple enough to be recognizable from a black and white image. Built into the treatment was a level of abstract wonkiness to give energy, and the placement of elements were made to give a visual flow or a cadence of repetition and anomaly.
Next I began testing the treatments in their vector form. I played with textures and line treatments. Different faces were added; they were to be strange but approachable. Below are iterations and comments I kept as I worked.
With the inspiration locked down, it was time to iterate my own graphics until the correct approach arose.
Sketches began with an emphasis on silhouette. The graphics were to be simple enough to be recognizable from a black and white image. Built into the treatment was a level of abstract wonkiness to give energy, and the placement of elements were made to give a visual flow or a cadence of repetition and anomaly.
Next I began testing the treatments in their vector form. I played with textures and line treatments. Different faces were added; they were to be strange but approachable. Below are iterations and comments I kept as I worked.
Basic, recognizable form. I want to add texture to create interest and depth, so I begin with the outline. Smaller weight lines are added as an example of how additional elements may work with the hero image.
A halftone texture is applied to the fill. It is too busy, even at large scale, and does not read well. The wobble outline feels out of place.
A matching stroke does not balance with the visual strength of the shape. It lacks hierarchy and variety compared to the light arrow elements.
A heavy, solid outline stroke is cleaner and feel smore in sync with the variety of design structures we use (Ex. graphs, tables). Line feels too present and claustrophobic. The shaped halftone still does not work. It fails to bring meaningful texture.
Heavy line was not working. No line at all was questionable--it needs a variety of weight to create interest. The line texture works much better. It provides energy and connection to the lighter stroked elements. It is a bit bold, though.
Open heavy line turns line into shaped design element. It gives weight and provides openness.
Face position is moved to break the form and create an unexpected composition.
Stranger face features are used, break edge. White texture line creates movement and breaths air into the form.
Finalized Language
Finalized Language
Testing the style led to satisfying conclusion. The detail of graphics was dependent on the complexity of the items. They were categorized as an Object (Hero), Group, Scene, or Icon.
Testing the style led to satisfying conclusion. The detail of graphics was dependent on the complexity of the items. They were categorized as an Object (Hero), Group, Scene, or Icon.
Portraying People
Portraying People
A greater challenge came to meet me: drawing people. Until now, the graphic language addressed the creation of objects, symbols, plants, and animals. People, however, were even more important. Our student and teacher users are a diverse crowd, and it is vital that they feel seen and represented in our graphics. When students are able to identify with people they see in examples, they feel empowered to embrace education for themselves.
I played with exaggerated proportions and chose a human build with a short head-height and a diminutive
frame to convey the idea of age and body type while making them fit into our often squat page space. The bodies themselves were composed of shapes that either flowed into each other to evoke ease or stuck together at sharp angles to create energy and tension.
In order to represent our students, I developed a broad skin tone palette, and drew them with a more adult, cool air rather than a childlike appearance. We regularly researched fashion and styling trends. As with our other graphics, our people-graphics were built on limited colors using our brand palette, textures, and varied line.
Finalized Graphic Language
Finalized Graphic Language
Now we have examples of the finalized language. It creates visual rhythm and encourages playful engagement. The colors are restrained to a limit for each image, but all are within the brand's style guide palette. Linework and texture are utilized to describe weight, edge, and quality of the subjects. White consistently utilized to bring space and fresh air into graphics.
People are given specific character to imply they are unique. Diversity in age, race, gender, fashion, physique and hobbies ensures that everyone who encounters these graphics will find someone with whom they relate.
Exaggeration, abstraction, and lost and found edge breath life in these graphics. A balance between sharp angles and soft curves maintains energy and surprise
throughout each graphic.
These graphics are also designed to be reused for many applications. Their messages are purposefully interpretive, and the Creative team was able to significantly reduce work by either reworking existing components or reusing a graphic in its entirety.
Plants, animals, and objects come to life. The graphics required a considerable degree of literal interpretation in order to serve their purpose as teaching aids, and we consciously worked in as much abstraction as we could. As I saw it, our graphics should be supportive to students while not diminishing their ability to discern visuals.
Our graphics grounded students to their lived experiences. Everyday objects, activities, and relationships were depicted to encourage students to see the connection between math and their daily lives.
Graphs & Learning Supports
Graphs & Learning Supports
As an Art Director, I guided my team when designing and constructing learning supports for students. The graphs were used for vocabulary, problem solving, and as interactive elements within lessons. The most important quality for graphs of this nature is to be functional, that is clearly demonstrating all data. I had to balance this with my goal of bringing all of our graphics into harmony with Saga's brand, hence colors, line weights, fonts, and all other aspects were refined.
Geometry
Geometry
Tables
Tables
Line Graphs
Line Graphs
Diagrams & Number Lines
Diagrams & Number Lines
Development
Development
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