Illustrations

We use illustrations to ensure that our content is presented in a brand-appropriate manner. They can help us cover topics and address issues. Illustrations also play an important and varied role in our visual communication:

Visualisation of abstract issues and facts.
Emotionalisation and storytelling for a relatable and attention-grabbing appearance.
Differentiation from the competition through a distinctive, recognisable style.

The illustrations primarily use the corporate colours, with shades of green dominating the overall impression to give them a high recognition value in line with our brand. The colour palette is complemented by specific tones for skin, hair, nature and backgrounds.

Certain applications may require a more realistic representation of colours, such as safety instructions or technical explanations. In these cases, shades of green can be replaced with the required colours.

People bring life and emotion to our illustrations. They can make technical subjects more accessible and create opportunities for the viewer to identify with. The people in our illustrations represent the diversity of our workforce. They are friendly and professional.

The representation of objects and their surroundings is generally positive, healthy, and modern. The level of detail in the illustration depends on its display size within a scene. Objects in the foreground are more detailed while objects in the background are more simplified. To create complex scenes, it may be necessary to adjust the level of detail and colour of objects.

Multiple objects can be combined to form a scene. It is important that the foreground objects stand out clearly from the background. Generally, the main subject is in the foreground and has the most contrast and detail. The further an object is in the background, the less detail and contrast it has.

Depending on the application and purpose, illustrations can be used in larger or smaller sizes. In a small size, details are barely visible, whereas in a large size they add life to the illustration. All illustrations are supplied with the same level of detail; if required to be used in a small medium, the illustration will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Depending on the level of detail, an illustration can contain several line widths. However, in order to achieve a consistent look, these should be within our line width scale. This ensures that even scaled illustrations fit together in most cases.

For illustrations that are scaled to 25%, 50%, 100% or 200% of their original size, the line widths automatically fit into the line width scale (see exemplary scenes below).

For safety instructions, it is essential to show the correct colours and details. In these cases we use realistic colours, but only for internal touch points. Where possible, we use Deep Green as a background colour to add to the corporate feel.

Our illustrations can be used on light or dark backgrounds. Objects and scenes must be recoloured to provide sufficient contrast.

The Illustrator master files provided can serve as a basis for your own interpretations. For example, they allow for colour adjustments and the removal of details.

The master files of our characters offer extended options for customization. Facial expression, hairstyle, hair and skin tones can be adjusted. Facial expressions are available on a separate layer in the master files and can be shown or hidden. You can even swap entire heads, e.g. to turn a female worker into a male worker. The body posture can also be adjusted to a certain extent; arms and legs are created as an editable path on a separate layer.

All adjustments must take into account the illustration colour palette and the general look and feel.

The pool of illustrations should continue to grow and all illustrations should be available worldwide. Each location should be able to create illustrations and portray regional or national characteristics. In order to ensure both the corporate style and the compatibility of the illustrations, a number of basic principles must be followed, including technical and design requirements and the approval.

All illustrations are created so that they are proportionate in size to each other and have a comparable level of detail when displayed at 100%. As the illustrations are vector-based, they can be scaled up and down without loss of quality. PNG files are used for provision in the image library.

Objects should be created in a realistic size in relation to other comparable objects. Humans are designed with a height of 500 pixels at 100%. The smallest defined stroke width is 1.5 pt. Exception: small objects, such as the frog, are designed with a minimum height of 250 pixels. To create new illustrations, the existing illustration files can be used. Choose one that is thematically relevant to the new design and adjust the size of the motif to match the reference objects.

All illustrations are available for both print and digital applications and must therefore be created in RGB and CMYK file formats.

RGB: PNG, PDF
CMYK: PDF

Our library is constantly updated and contains ready-to-use illustrations on a wide range of topics. The modular system allows for the creation of custom scenes and compositions. For more information, please refer to „Application of the Illustration Library“. The illustrations are available as vector graphics, which can be edited and adapted using the appropriate software.