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Common Ground
Graphic language7/12

Chapter 7 of 12

Graphic language

Everything grows from the mark

Our shapes, pattern, icons and illustrations all come from the same four forms in the mark. Used together, they make a poster or a post recognisable as Common Ground even before you see the logo.

The four base shapes: a Forest circle, a Clay half-circle bowl, a leaf and a sprout
Use the shapes flat and filled, in brand colours, never with outlines, shadows or gradients.

Pattern

The table pattern

Bowls, leaves and sprouts on a loose grid. Use it on Forest as a backdrop for packaging, bags and event banners, never behind text.

Repeating pattern on Forest with Cream bowls, Sage leaves and sprouts and small Clay dots
Scale it so a bowl is at least 10 mm wide in print and 24 px on screen.

Icons

Icons

We use Material Symbols, Rounded style, weight 400, in Forest. Rounded corners match the soft shapes of the mark. Search the set, switch sizes and download what you need.

Food and produce

8 icons

Community and activities

7 icons

Practical information

8 icons

Material Symbols by Google, open source (Apache 2.0)

Illustration

Spot illustrations

Simple, flat drawings built from the base shapes, in two or three brand colours. They explain (what's in the box, how pick-up works) where a photo would be too busy.

Four spot illustrations in circles: a steaming bowl, a crate of vegetables, a hand holding a sprout and a loaf of bread
No outlines, no gradients, no faces: hands are enough to show people.

Frames

How we crop images

Three frames, each with its own job. The bowl frame is our signature: use it once per layout at most.

Three photo frames: a soft rectangle, a bowl shape with a flat top and round bottom, and a circle
Frames hold photos only. Never put text or the logo inside the bowl frame.
Do
  • Combine one photo, one shape or illustration and the logo. Three ingredients are plenty.
  • Let shapes bleed off the edge of the page: it makes the layout feel generous.
  • Use icons next to a word, never instead of one, so everyone understands them.
Don't
  • Don't use the pattern and a photo in the same area. Pick one.
  • Don't mix icon styles or download icons from other sets.
  • Don't draw new illustrations with outlines, shading or cartoon faces.

Questions about this guide?

Contact Noor

Last updated 24 Sept 2026

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