Illustration is hot. It’s new, fresh, unique, funky – really – whatever you need it to be. With all of the easy access to stock photography, and the overuse of it, illustration is a great way to differentiate, infuse excitement and add vibrancy to visual communications.

I recently found a really great source of illustration while visiting Sephora (makeup store) with my wife, and was totally inspired by what I found. I literally spent an hour in there just looking at packaging (while my wife shopped!).

The first thing I noticed when walking into Sephora were some cool pinup girl illustrations on some packaging for BUXOM. The BUXOM logotype was embossed and clear foil stamped on a very weighty uncoated stock. The pinup girl illustrations had a really kind of rough feel to them, like the ink bled on the packaging – almost like they were drawn right on the package.

After drooling over the packaging for a minute, I noticed another brand, called Urban Decay. This packaging was just freaking awesome – particularly one makeup case they did with a magenta-ish foil stamp of icons, leaves, and flowery-swirly-thingys flowing out of the barrel of a revolver on a black matte case. Over the top of the foil was a purple velvet pattern. Just gorgeous. They also have a line of really cool smaller makeup cases, each with a themed name and custom illustration/design for each. Very cool indeed.