It’s a defined set of visual devices — patterns, shapes, textures, icons, illustration styles or other graphic components — that form the supporting language of your brand identity. These elements give designers a visual vocabulary to work with beyond the logo and colour palette.
A logo alone can’t carry all the visual work your brand needs to do. Graphic elements provide the texture, flexibility and distinctiveness that allow your brand to feel coherent across a wide range of formats and contexts.
Depending on the brand, this might include a pattern system, a set of icons, an illustration style, a photography treatment, a shape system, data visualisation templates or any other visual component that complements the core identity.
Graphic elements are the raw components — the visual building blocks. Templates are pre-designed layouts that use those components. Graphic elements feed into templates, but they also give designers the freedom to create new applications that aren’t templated.
Most projects take four to eight weeks, depending on the number and complexity of elements being developed. Icon sets and pattern systems typically take longer than simpler graphic devices.
Yes. Elements are delivered in the appropriate vector formats for use in design software, alongside guidance on correct use and any restrictions on how they can be applied.
Yes. Graphic elements are often developed as a complementary system to an existing logo and colour palette, extending the visual language without changing the core identity.
Inconsistent use of graphic elements creates the same problem as inconsistent use of any brand element — it dilutes distinctiveness and makes the brand feel fragmented. Usage guidelines and team training are both important for maintaining consistency.
They should be reviewed. If other elements of the brand have changed significantly, the graphic system may need to be updated to remain coherent with the rest of the identity.
Yes. A well-designed graphic elements system is built to work across print, digital, social, video and environmental contexts. Channel-specific guidance is included to ensure elements are adapted correctly for each medium.