The Power of Web Illustration
I've noticed illustrations have been a web design preference for a while now, and I think there is good reason for that. Illustrations on web pages can tell a story, or explain a concept where words may fail. Illustration is also a powerful brand identifier. Style, color and content can be used to create a signature look for your site. Of course, pulling an image from Unsplash is quick and easy, but does that image work with the page content? Does it meld with the site style and brand? It can be tough to make stock images work with page content.
Enter 3D, Branded Illustrations
I see a lot of 2D illustrations, and some of them are really compelling. For the Tangent site, I want to bring in a mix of photography, 2D and 3D illustration depending on the circumstance. I want to show the versatility of these image mediums and how they can be used for maximum impact.
The Branded Ring Tubes
So, in about 2 hours I created this illustration in Blender 3d. Blender is open source and runs on almost any operating system. It is an incredibly versatile and capable application and doesn't require an expensive computer to use. It runs on my Raspberry Pi quite well (the renders are a bit slow but...).
This objects in this image have been colored with the Tangent Brand colors. Any manner of shapes is possible, and with simple duplication and placement, an interesting composition can be achieved. The plastic look along with the orthogonal projection creates an approachable and friendly look.
Cloud Databases
Another quick image I whipped up of simple 3D clouds and databases. I plan to write a post on Azure Cloud databases, and this will be the banner image. These high quality, unique and custom images are quick to make and look amazing.
How to install Blender?
Blender is available for download at Blender.org, and it can be installed on Linux using popular package managers (Eg. 'sudo apt-get install blender' on Ubuntu). There are many tutorials on Blender and there is a bit of a learning curve. But simple shapes like I've used in this image are easy to create and after that your imagination is the only thing holding you back.
I love creating this stuff
If picking up Blender is just not something you want to take on, contact me with your concept ideas and I can create a custom 3D image for you site.