Design AtlasA spot illustration isn't a full scene filling the screen — it's a small, self-contained drawing made for one specific spot: an empty state, an error, a success message. Sitting next to copy like "No results found" or "Nothing here yet," it softens what would otherwise be a bare, empty-feeling screen far more than the text alone.
The rule is to stay on one subject. Unlike a flat illustration that packs several objects into a scene, a spot illustration usually settles for a single object — an empty box, a magnifying glass, an umbrella — plus a handful of small details (dots, stars, a shadow) around it. That's what lets it drop comfortably into the narrow space next to a list or a form.
When a product uses several spot illustrations — one for empty search, one for errors, one for success — the line weight, color, and overall tone need to stay consistent across all of them, or moving between screens starts to feel like switching products. That's usually why one illustrator draws the whole set, or everyone works from the same style guide.
When to use
Use it to soften one specific spot on screen — empty states, errors, completion messages. If the product will use several, settle a style guide for line weight, color, and tone before drawing the first one.