John D. Saunders
John D. Saunders is a designer, marketer, and the founder of Black Illustrations, a collection of beautiful illustrations of Black people that can be used across websites, web applications, mobile apps and more. He is also the founder of 5Four Digital, a branding and web design studio focused on helping startups grow.
We spoke with John to learn more about his path to a career in design and marketing, his creative process, and the power of visual representation in the design industry.
Hi John! Tell us about yourself - how did you get to where you are today and what first sparked your interest in design?
Great question. When I was about 19, I read Ogilvy on Advertising.
David Ogilvy was a classic ad man, responsible for writing copy for some of the most iconic brands. I fell in love with advertising and design as it let me leverage my creativity in a work setting. During that time, my mom, a teacher, wanted to create an online tutoring service, so I decided to build her website. After weeks of research and YouTube videos, I was able to build a website for her by using Wordpress. When I realized I could create beautiful, actionable websites from an idea in my head, I knew I’d chosen the right path.
As a kid, I loved writing short stories and creating original art, so this segue was perfect for me. While working in banking in my early 20s, I worked hard to move into the marketing department with no luck. I decided to take a few internships to hone my skills, but after acquiring some experience it still wasn’t enough to secure a job.
Finally, after a few years a marketing agency hired me.
I worked primarily on web design and social media until I moved up with the agency to Digital Marketing Director. After a few years there, and a TON of amazing learning experiences, I decided to branch out on my own. The agency focused on automotive clients and I wanted to work with more diverse clientele, so I took the leap of faith 7 years ago.
I Founded 5Four Digital a branding and web design studio focused on helping startups grow. Since then, I’ve grown an amazing remote team, launched and sold a few projects and enjoy developing custom web experiences for forward-thinking companies.
Designer and Founder John D. Saunders
How would you describe your aesthetic and how has your design style changed over time?
I’m a huge fan of minimalism and bold, clean typefaces. I think it’s important as a designer to get the point across to users as simply as possible. With that said, over the years it’s been important to maintain an aesthetic that’s reflective of the marketplace.
A lot of our work is rooted in proven methods and competitive analysis. While a lot of designers create to “look good,” every design element we provide is rooted in analysis of the marketplace, historical analytical data from user websites, and a focused design created with intent at the forefront.
You’ve worked with a range of brands from Land Rover to Audi and the NAACP - what’s your creative process like and how do you approach creative collaboration?
We’re all about PROCESS. Every client we bring on goes through a similar breakdown of systems we use to create definitive designs and develop websites iteratively along the way. Our path of execution is simple in theory. It includes:
1. Brand Discovery
2. User Research and Analysis
3. Concept Design
4. LO Fidelity Design
5. HI Fidelity Design
6. User Testing
7. Development
8. Quality Assurance
9. Launch
10. Maintenance and Management
We also have HOURS of training in our process with step by step directions for every part of our business. I just released a video on our process HERE and HERE.
By creating processes, we’re able to mitigate issues our team members might experience. We open up the opportunity for creativity by giving our designers a trusted resource for finding everything they need to work optimally.
You created Black Illustrations, a collection of beautiful illustrations of Black people that can be used across websites, web applications, mobile apps and more. What inspired you to create this project and how has the collection grown over time? How have you seen them used out in the world so far?
To this day, I’m still blown away by the impact. With over 80,000 downloads, I knew BlackIllustrations.com was needed, but I wasn’t sure of the marketplace’s reception. I was inspired by the lack of diversity in illustrations. As a web designer myself, I always found it hard to find truly Black illustrations. The hair types, body types and style was always off and I found myself constantly changing the skin tones of existing designs.
Now, we have over 28 packs, thousands of illustrations and they've been used by employees at The CDC, Harvard, Google, Amazon and Webflow.
What are your thoughts on the importance of visual representation in design and illustration?
It’s crucial. Our industry needs more Black and POC represented on Boards, in companies and in leadership roles to create impact in this space. This creates a more diverse world-view, especially when it comes to the online experience.
What do you think is one of the most important elements for a brand when telling that brand’s story visually, and what role do illustrations play in the larger brand story in the digital world?
The best thing about great design is that it expedites trust between you and the consumer. If a customer can find continuity in your branding, from the color palette and typeface, it’s easier for them to find solace in your brand and develop trust quickly.
Illustrations are a crucial part of that. I think of them as works of art that accentuate your brand messaging.
Where do you find creative inspiration? Are there any artists, ideas, or projects you’re currently excited about?
Oh, man! So, so many! I’m pretty much a geek, so I’m inspired by the colors and design of some of my favorite anime and comic books. In our space, I love checking out The Webflow Showcase, Lapa Ninja and Dribbble for inspiration.
However, inspiration can be fickle. It’s important to take some designs with a grain of salt, as their goal is to awe and inspire and might not be rooted in functionality. We like to take the best elements of design and marry them with functionality.
Do you have any favorite design resources? (books, podcasts, courses)
I do! Here’s a list of my favorites!
I also have a course on scaling Web Design Agencies HERE for freelancers looking to grow their agency.
Thanks for sharing with us John! To view more of John’s work, check out 5Four Digital and support Blackillustrations.com.
All images courtesy of John D. Saunders.