Visual Elements

Ovoids and Circles

Ovoids are a flexible design element used for navigation, buttons, and content emphasis. On the FredHutch.org, they are commonly used for buttons, providing a distinctive, approachable shape for calls to action. They can appear as full-color shapes or outlined forms, helping create clarity and focus across materials. Use them thoughtfully with surrounding space to maintain balance and avoid awkward gaps with other elements.

Zooming into the ovoids and using circles for cropping shapes creates dynamic, expressive compositions. These enlarged shapes act as containers for imagery and typography while introducing movement and refined white space.

Linear Accents

Linear accents serve as versatile tools for reinforcing the Fred Hutch identity. These elements provide a subtle yet impactful way to introduce structure, guide the eye, and emphasize key information.

Linear accents can be positioned along the edges of a composition or used as underlines to highlight important content. They may be applied using Fred Hutch’s signature sunset gradient or any of the approved brand colors, offering flexibility while maintaining a cohesive look and feel.

This approach is especially effective in designs where the stroked ovoids may feel too prominent or visually heavy. Gradient linear accents add depth and a sense of movement, while solid color applications create clarity and precision. Together, they offer a refined, adaptable system that supports a wide range of design needs while maintaining brand consistency.

Angles

In addition to our horizontal and vertical accent bars, the use of angles offer a unique, dynamic way to integrate Fred Hutch’s brand identity. These angles, inspired by the diagonal orientation of our supergraphic, typically span from the bottom left to the top right, adding movement and visual interest to designs. While images can be masked using angles from left to right or right to left, when incorporating graphics, we maintain consistency by using the bottom left to top right angle.

Angled accent bars are versatile: they can serve as bold holding shapes for images or typography, or be strategically placed to highlight brand colors and gradients. This angled approach introduces an energetic rhythm to layouts, offering an alternative to the linearity of horizontal and vertical bars while upholding our cohesive brand identity.

Gradients

Gradients are a core expressive element of the brand, used to convey warmth, depth, and forward momentum. They help unify communications across digital, print, and environmental applications while reinforcing a sense of care, innovation, and progress. Gradients often bridge brand colors to create visual interest without overwhelming content, allowing the message to remain clear and human.

We use gradients as backgrounds and panels for campaign messaging, cards, and calls to action; in digital interfaces such as headers or feature areas to guide focus; and in environmental and large-scale graphics to create visibility and presence at a distance. Gradients should always use approved brand colors, maintain smooth transitions, and preserve strong contrast for readability and accessibility. They are meant to support the story, not compete with it, and should be applied purposefully and with restraint.

Supergraphic

Stroked

We are evolving from broader use of the full color supergraphic toward a more subtle application of the stroked supegraphic, creating a more refined and sophisticated expression of the visual brand.

For designs that call for a lighter touch, the stroked supergraphic is an effective solution. It introduces structure and movement without overwhelming the composition. When working at larger scales, adjust the stroke weight as needed to maintain visual balance and intention. While there is flexibility to experiment, ensure the line weight is never too thin and retains a clear, purposeful presence.

Color application for strokes
Strokes can be applied using Fred Hutch’s solid brand colors or any approved gradients. When using gradients, apply them consistently to maintain cohesion and brand integrity across all designs.

Supergraphic Usage Tips and Guides

• Do not create a design using the full color supergraphic. 
• Use the stroked supergraphic sporadically. It does not need to be used in every branded communication.
• Only add the stroked supergraphic to White, Dark Navy, or photo backgrounds.
• When applying the stroked supergraphic, do not cover the entire background, avoid covering the text or other graphics, and space out the elements in a way that creates visual interest.
• The direction of the supergraphic moves upward from left to right, not from right to left.
• Avoid having a dot at an end of a row.
• Avoid overlaying dot at the end of a bar.
• Do not have the same color bars next to each other.