25 Emerging Graphic Design Trends That Will Rule

Graphic Designing

7 minute read

Trends in graphic design are evolving. The change is visible in the new set of colors, designs, and exposure patterns that are increasingly been applied. Typographical variations are also evident in these changing graphic design trends. Besides, changes in editing styles have also influenced graphic designing trends. Animations are increasingly being used to craft new design patterns and different types of animation software programs are being introduced increasingly. Designing is all about experimentation and we are witnessing a number of emerging trends in graphic design.

Graphic design trends
  1. Responsive web and logo designs

    Responsive web and logo designs

    Responsive web design has been in the industry for a decade now. People across the world are using various types of mobile devices having screens of varied sizes. As a result, traditional websites are facing challenges in the digitized business space. Responsive designs are compatible with all types of devices having different screen sizes. Besides, business firms are redesigning their logos and simplifying them for optimum visual appeal. These firms would be looking for responsive logo designs in the coming years. You can improve your brand identity by redesigning your logo. Look out for some leading logo designing companies that you can outsource your requirements to.

  2. Following the geometric pattern

    Following the geometric pattern

    In recent years, the geometric pattern of design has gained immense popularity. Last year, the solid geometric pattern had been too common. However, certain changes will be evident in the design patterns. The number of polygons and cards is decreasing, and the ‘wavy’ design patterns are becoming popular. The color variations in geometric design patterns are also likely to change.

  3. Incorporating bold colors

    Incorporating bold colours

    The emerging design trends reveal the popularity of bold colors in the designs. Besides, potential colors are likely to make their place conspicuous in the designs. Colors such as Lime Punch and Cherry Tomato are being integrated into various design patterns. Industries such as fashion and interior designing have already experienced the change. Well, colors such as millennial pink have been in use in recent years. Also, you can use the animated version of font colors for your design. This will give an extra dimension of interactivity to your content. However, the new color trends are likely to dominate the trends in the coming months in various industries.

  4. Double exposure

    Double exposure

    Double exposure has lately become popular and the trend is likely to continue; top companies offering digital graphic design services testify the same. The key reason behind incorporating this pattern is that it instills an impressive look in the objects. Besides, the designers can easily incorporate this design in various industries. Double exposure has gained significance in portraying themes involving nature and wildlife, among others. This creates a special feel and generates more impact.

  5. Typography fonts

    Typography fonts

    Integrating typography at the front has been a key design trend in recent years. Various industries have realized the importance of typography in branding. This concept has emerged as a result of information overload in cyberspace. Professional designers have come up with an effective way to capture the attention of readers by making the use of typography in graphic design in a more conspicuous way. Most graphic professionals are using InDesign software for typesetting and typography Last year, several industries have witnessed the incorporation of this design. The graphic trend is likely to dominate various industries. However, the fonts will become larger, bolder, and brighter. The important variations of this pattern come in 3D format or as handwritten and geometric shapes.

  6. Cropping

    Cropping

    The designers are likely to experiment more with cropping the designs and graphics. In recent years, the cropping trends have gone bold. If correctly done, this can yield attractive results. Through cropping, the messages can be delivered in a more prominent manner. Cropping is expected to be a more experimented area.

  7. Animation

    Animation

    Animation has made its way into graphic designs. Well, this is a powerful means to attract the eyes. A dynamic design appears more compelling than a static one. Movements are being incorporated in design trends, and these are becoming popular in a large array of industries such as filmmaking advertising, entertainment, education, corporate presentations, and more.

    Previously, Flash animations were used on the internet. With the popularity of smartphones and tablets, users are designing graphic patterns on these devices. These are not compatible with Flash, however, there are other motion graphic software applications that are being used to create different types of animations in computer graphics.

  8. Using colours in transitions

    Using colours in transitions

    Designers have been using colors in transitions for a while now. The trend probably started with the redesigning of the Instagram logo. How to choose a color for the logo will be a matter of grave seriousness. It is a very important thing especially designing brand logos. Colors and typography in good design play a major role. Read the complete guidelines of colors and typography in graphic design. The trend has been evident in other areas lately and has been widely accepted in various industries. The digital design trend is likely to continue and make its impact evident on a large scale.

  9. Drawing by hand

    Drawing by hand

    With the inception of geometric patterns in designing, the use of hand-drawn illustration has increased in the world of graphic designs and that’s for good. Today, illustrations are replacing photos in the field of commercial designing. Fonts, too, are being drawn with hands. When perfectly done, this creates a stronger impact on the viewers. With creativity, there is no limit.

  10. Revisiting minimalism

    Revisiting minimalism

    Minimalism has been in the trend for a long time, although it had become dormant in recent years. Minimalism is likely to find its way back in various industries. However, it is likely to come with a twist, with rich details and warm colors.

  11. Telling stories through cinemographs

    Telling stories through cinemographs

    Well, various industries have lately witnessed the incorporation of GIFs, which tell stories. The key feature of this element is thatthe stories do not have any beginning or end. The users cannot make out the first and last images. The loop is endless, and the designers are incorporating these elements in design patterns.

  12. Videos are being used everywhere

    Videos are being used everywhere

    Animated content has penetrated deep into the marketing strategies of business firms. Video content is playing a pivotal role in digital marketing today. Companies use high-quality animated videos to disseminate their marketing messages to their customers. Last year, several websites were found to integrate videos as headers in the home pages of their websites. These videos cast a powerful impact on the audience, with their narrative features. However, these videos need to be relevant to your content. Have a look at the key reasons to use animated graphic videos in your website.

  13. Photos reflect authenticity

    Photos carry authenticity

    Photos have been an integral part of websites over the years. However, the stock images are generic and these have already been overused. Have a look at the modern graphic design trends and integrate the popular ones into your website. In case you are using stock images, it might appear to be too common to your visitors, as they might have already viewed them on other sites. This creates a negative impact on your sales. Make sure that your content and visuals are fresh and unique.

  14. Unique layouts

    Unique layouts

    It is necessary to integrate a creative page layout design in your website, as customers expect a fresh look of your website, with new materials. Business firms will be experimenting with new layout design ideas. Well, symmetrical designs have been in the trend for a long time. Companies are trying out newer designs, experimenting with concepts that have not been used yet. The designers are focused on utilizing neutral space with creativity, with asymmetrical designs.

    Symmetrical designs have become generic, being used in websites for decades together. It is time for designers to stray away from the established design trends in the industry.

    Changes in print design are also taking shape gradually. Splitting content is another layout design style that is likely to gain prominence. You may be interested in the print design layout ideas. In these cases, the design is divided into various sections, where the data is presented over each part. In websites with split content, a part of the page contains images, while the remaining half contains the text.

  15. Bold backgrounds

    In graphic designing, background plays a significant role in making or breaking a design. Decades ago, bright background colors were way too popular. Thanks to the rise of social media, the bold and bright background trends are back on track again.

    The designers use these bold colors with lighter text that highlights the images on social feeds and draw users’ attention. The multicolored background trend is popular across blog posts and poster headers. The boldness of the background does not divert the audience from reading and understanding the vital points in the visuals. Make sure that you use bright colors with a combination of muted tones when you try out this trend.

  16. Branded memes

    Today we live in an era of memes and it is impossible to avoid them. One can create a meme for everything and turn everything into a meme. Some memes get viral in a short span but tend to fade away within a day or a few hours. But some classic memes exist even after years of creation.

    This humorous graphic design trend works wonders due to its simplicity and relevance during that particular time. You need not invest in those memes as they become irrelevant after a few months. In simple terms, memes are standalone visuals with a short life span but they can convey your brand’s messages without any context.

  17. Quotes

    Quotes is a cyclic graphic design trend. A few years ago, the social media was raging with inspirational quotes from business magnates and marketing experts. But people got frustrated with the same messages again and again.

    That trend has now changed today. These quotes have made a terrific comeback but with the power of creating impacts. They educate people more than inspire them. Many companies have adapted to the trend of posting quotes alongside a photo of the individual. You can use this for visual marketing but try finding the one that is most suitable for your business.

  18. Social screencaps

    Many brands create and share different versions of the same post on social media channels. As each channel has its unique appeal and features, it is not possible to produce content separately. When a company has product launch announcements or contests to share on all social media channels, they use social media screencaps.

    It is an enthralling trend because you can now screenshot Tweets from Twitter and share them on Instagram. Not only this, it is now possible to share TikTok videos on Instagram. With this graphic trend, brands can bring together multiple platforms together and thus provide entertaining and educational content for their followers.

  19. Symbol revival

    When it comes to designing, all little things have great significance. The “Work in Progress” warning sign at the end of a busy road or a steep curve on a highway are some classic examples of the symbols of its ability to transcend the language. Today designers are leveraging the power of symbols to produce inspirational icons of empowerment, growth, or perseverance.

    Many designers are now modernizing some classic powerful symbols of deities or stars into recognizable logos for the brand products.

  20. Authentic representation

    In this graphic trend of 2021, designers portray diversity to encourage people to re-examine the systematic prejudice that will cripple through in the years to come. They ditch the authentic models in stock and illustration photography and design portraiture of black men and women in impactful settings and poses. To be precise, the trend is to use photos of real people with their original physical characteristics.

    With authentic representation, the designers have an exciting opportunity to create original designs.

  21. Irrelevant characters

    Memorable stories are born from great designs. Professional graphic designers are moving away from abstract visuals to peculiar characters.

    A more relevant example is the concept illustration that depicts the characters with more personality. These styles can have detailed or simplified colors, lines, and shapes of a modern cartoon. A concept of a goat wearing a suit and riding a bike gives the character a quirky look.

  22. Comics and pop art

    Some graphic designs never fade away. Yes, this year, designers are reviving the heavy inks and grainy colors of classic comics. Earlier, comics used simplified dot shading to represent colors. But today, we are witnessing the trend of flat design that has more depth and grainy texture. The web designers have taken this trend to the next level with skewed shapes and slanting panels to create that classic drama and motion feel.

    Designers nowadays use illustrative and texture techniques of nostalgic graphic novels to resurrect modern design.

  23. Fine art illustration

    This trend is less concerned with the distinction between design and fine art. We have seen techniques such as abstract expressionism and acrylic brushstrokes making their impacts on global racks and screens. The abstraction painting helps the artists express their creativity without any restriction.

    The painting saturates designs with depth and surface variation makes them look realistic enough to touch. Hence, this graphic design pairs perfectly with elegant and classic physical products such as cosmetic packaging and wine labels.

  24. Blur and grain

    The designers widely use this gradient and color transition trends nowadays. When the professionals use the grain filter, the resulting designs stand on the fine line between the realistic touch and transitory feel.

    With this design, the forefront elements stand out in contrast to an unnoticeable background. A blurred image can simulate the shadows of grainy textures. The blur and grain trend is a mood that is a good choice for designs with a dark side.

  25. Outsized typography

    Outsized typography is a recent web designing trend. It has neutral, simple, and minimalist designs that help the designers to find new roads to create a dramatic design effect. Companies use this style for brand creation and marketing.

    The designers can use neutral and simple fonts and still create a dramatic effect. In this technique, the image or text gets cut off and breaks off the conventional hierarchies, thereby producing an arresting and memorable design.

Conclusion

The changes are already evident in various industries. We will experience a large-scale incorporation of the design patterns with interesting variations. The world of designing is likely to bring you more innovations and surprises.