Visual
Illustration
Our illustrations bring a friendly and informative dimension to the Fannie Mae brand. They help us to clearly deliver our messages, with the ability to convey complex information in a bright, clean, approachable look. We categorize our three illustrative styles as: flat geometric, pictographic, and iconographic.
Download full set of illustrations
Characters
Architecture
Props
Do
Use simple, geometric shapes to build illustrations.- Use realistic colors (pulled from the brand color palette) when coloring hair, skin, and clothes.
- Highlight inclusivity and celebrate people by showing a wide range of characters.
- Place characters in dynamic poses to add personality and emotion to the characters.
- Use mouths sparingly when adding emotion.
- Incorporate shapes, props, and text in order to add context and creativity.
- Use solid shapes to create shadows or depth in overlapping elements.
- Use a monochromatic color scheme on backgrounds.
- Create a focal point to the illustration by using color on important foreground elements (such as people) and keeping context elements monochrome or light gray (Hex #EDEBE9).
Don't
Overuse color in both the foreground and background.- Add organic elements or unnecessary detail.
- Use colors that are unrealistic or too playful.
- Use stereotypes to build out characters’ hair, clothing, facial features, body shape, size, etc.
- Use stereotypes to show a hierarchy of characters, certain activities, or interactions between people, poses, props, etc.
- Add facial features to characters that are not provided with template files (e.g., eyes, ears, eyebrows, etc.)
- Incorporate multiple colors in the background.
- Use lines to separate overlapping shapes.
- Use gradients.
Pictographic style used as background elements
Pictographic Illustrations as hero graphic for B2B audience
Do
- Add to the flat geometric illustrations as background or accent elements.
- Keep all lines the same width.
- Use Hex #EDEBE9 for background elements or a light tint of the palette.
- Use lines sparingly to add context, without being distracting.
- Use the pictographic style in select B2B communications.
Don't
- Use bold or vibrant colors.
- Use thick line weights.
- Draw complex line illustrations.
- Create organic shapes.
Do
- Use one single brand color per icon.
- Use lighter tints of the icon color when adding a surrounding circle.
- Keep all lines the same width.
- Open lines when possible.
- Finish strokes with rounded corners.
- Keep icons simple.
- Use icons sparingly to add context.
Don't
- Close all lines in icon.
- Finish strokes with hard edges.
- Over-complicate with too many details.
- Introduce multiple colors within one icon.
Shapes and patterns
An underlying symbol architecture, which echoes the arcs that join the hill and house of our symbol, informs our shapes.
Our pattern motifs derive from the architecture of our symbol. A “tone-on-tone” approach to color is leveraged across all patterns in order to produce a clear and confident look. Please reserve our “rooftop” pattern of Fannie Mae Navy and Blue, or White and Fannie Mae Gray, as our core brand patterns.
Our Primary “Rooftop” Pattern
displays in color combinations that employ our primary color palette: Navy and Blue, or White and Gray. It may be employed across all core media.
Secondary Diamonds and Circle Patterns can be used as supporting graphics to add depth and interest to compositions.
Additional patterns based on our shapes can be created for specific uses.
Do
- Keep patterns tone-on-tone.
- Use gradients at a -45 degree angle.
- Use circles.
- Only use navy + blue or white + gray for our “rooftop” pattern.
- Create new patterns with our brand shapes.
Don't
- Flip the rooftop pattern sideways.
- Create organic shapes.
- Manipulate the quote (
) shape.
Organic shapes
Illustrative linework
