The difference between an illustration

The difference between an illustration and a useful design asset is what happens after the first layout.

With vector work, the image doesn’t have to end where the original composition does. It can be cropped, recolored, deconstructed, paired with type, extended across formats, or developed into a broader visual system without losing its logic.

That’s how I approached Music in Color: 24 original vector illustrations built for posters, editorial, events and brand communication — not as one-off images, but as adaptable visual material.

When you commission illustration, do you expect a finished image — or a system you can keep working with?