Rules of Thumb for Loan Repayment — cover

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Rules of Thumb for Loan Repayment

Cultivating solvent habits

Mission
Design a series of graphics (for newsletters and web-banners) that illustrate and support the rules of thumb developed to aid students with making their student loan repayments
Timeframe
Fall to winter 2016
Client
Commonwealth

In an independent project with Commonwealth, a nonprofit working to build financial literacy and security in vulnerable populations, I was tasked with designing illustrative graphics for a series of rules of thumb they have produced as a part of a larger study with the American Student Association to develop strategies for assisting students in their student loan repayment.

The rules of thumb given to me were succinct with little to no context. My client and I agreed that our goal was to associate the phrases with memorable graphics so that they would stick in the minds of the students. In brainstorming, I drafted up some ideas - in basic pencil sketches as well as quick colored mock-ups - for how these concepts might be illustrated with simple yet provocative imageries.

Digitized and colorized draft of the sketch with the balloon concept.

One of the earlier concepts is the analogy that being loan-ridden is like floating away on a giant balloon: it is scary, but if you let out the air a little bit at a time, eventually you will find yourself back on solid ground. It was a compelling and whimsical idea, but when I digitized and colorized the design, it felt more unnerving than it did reassuring. I experimented with recoloring and varying the style, while in the meantime going back to iteration to attempt other visual stories that are more calming.

Final draft of a design that told a neutral story. Image courtesy of Commonwealth.
Design adapted to the brand style guide of ASA. Image courtesy of Commonwealth.

The illustrations that were visually interesting while exuding an air of calm became the client's favorites, and I agreed that in emails about repaying your student loan, it would be more effective to have reminders that are reassuring. A few of the designs were adapted to the brand guide of ASA to participate in the next phase of the ongoing study.

Final draft of another design that depicts a calming scene. Image courtesy of Commonwealth.
Final draft of a design that depicts a calming scenery to associate repayment reminders with the feeling of reassurance. Image courtesy of Commonwealth.