26 Graphic Design Trends for 2022/2023: Future Predictions To Watch Out For - Financesonline.com (2024)

Graphic design is about more than just brand identity since it delivers benefits that transcend visual appearances. Good graphics empower brands to educate, inform, or persuade audiences through imagery, color, typography, and form. However, the graphic design world is a constantly evolving landscape exemplified by rapidly changing design styles. This means to reap any meaningful benefit, you must continually flex and align your skills with the latest graphic design trends.

In this article, we’ll discuss all the fresh design trends you should keep an eye on. From the most popular compositions and layouts to the emerging technologies and top graphic design software that professionals use, we’ll provide you with all the information you need.The goal is to help you embrace new design ideas and instill visual consistency across every aspect of your business.

Graphic Design: What’s the deal?

As a small business owner, every responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders. With the number of tasks you need to oversee, it’s easy for certain tasks like graphic design to fall off your radar as of primary concern—unless you started as a graphic designer yourself. If graphic design has become the least of your worries, then your brand image—as well as the survival of your business—is at stake.

This is because gone are the days when graphic design was just “icing on the cake.” Today, graphic design plays a crucial role in communicating who you are, what you do, and your unique appeal. Almost every aspect of your business requires a dash of graphic design to flourish. From logo, website, and brochure to branding, package, and signage, graphic design impacts your business in many ways.

Picture this: your website only has a few seconds to make a good impression. Even worse, it takes a visitor just 50 microseconds to examine and create a perception about the visual appeal of your website. This means, in the absence of compelling visual graphics, your business stands no chance in the cutthroat competition. Furthermore, the type of graphics you use reflects your visual identity, and consumers often equate them to your company’s values.

Mind the eyes of the viewers: your customers

Overall, graphic design affects the consumers’ ability to use your product or website. When used effectively, visual graphics improve brand recognition and boost marketing. Above all, good graphics create a professional appearance that enhances trust, goodwill, and loyalty.

As a result, businesses gain higher visibility, and it becomes easy to convince consumers about the quality of services and products. It’s no surprise then that 40% of digital marketers ranked visual graphics as the best performing element of content marketing.

You can read our compilation of graphic design statistics to gain an in-depth understanding of the industry. Meanwhile, let’s start our presentation of the 12 graphic design trends that you should watch out for, starting with the hot 3D design practice.

1. 3D design

Trends come and go—that’s the reality of things in the graphic design world. After years of being the benchmark of designs, flats are now paving the way for 3D design. Even though we still see a touch of fabulous flat design here and there, the entry of 3D design is causing ripples in graphic design space. The 3D design is everywhere and has established itself as a persistent graphic design trend for 2019 and beyond.

Today, thanks to technological advancements, designers can create 3D masterpieces that showcase new dimensions and environments. It’s easy to recreate the world with 3D elements that immerse viewers into depths never imagined before.

For example, 3D typography is no longer in the novelty space. The 3D typography is off the ground, and the best part is that it works for every type of typography. From skinny and bold to script and sans serif, it’s now easy to render any font in 3D. Aside from 3D typography, graphic design space has seen a proliferation of 3D compositions with stunning effects and impressions.

What’s more, 3D design has crept into technologies like AR and VR. Interestingly, its era-defining, disruptive power is only expected to have a greater impact. As the world turns to realism, the 3D design is tipped to unlock infinite possibilities for various aspects of graphic design.

2. Open compositions

Remember the traditional framed design? There is no doubt these designs were great, but the emergence of open compositions has exposed something we didn’t know. Apparently, framed finishes limit the viewer’s imagination to the boundaries of the creation. They encase design elements in rigid orders in a bid to make each part of the picture visible. However, this is not the case with open compositions.

Open compositions render a sense of infinity to the creation, leaving viewers to wonder what else is there. Furthermore, what’s intriguing is that open composition gives viewers an illusional glimpse of a whole world off the picture. These stunning designs nudge the viewer’s curiosity with aspects that feel like they are extending offscreen. This way, viewers feel as though they are watching just a small piece of a bigger, beautiful picture, putting their imagination to work.

The open composition trend is gathering pace, and 2020 seems to be the year it’ll pop. As things stand, there are hints of open composition in web design since its suitable for interactive digital experiences.

3. Isometric Compositions

While open compositions seem like they are leaving some elements out, isometric illustrations are the direct opposite. Isometric design is creative, visual storytelling that involves creating an elaborate universe on a miniature landscape. What happens is that designers generate 3D objects in 2D to create ostensibly technical yet simplified drawings.

The idea aligns well when used for character creation, landing page, or creating an illustration of a city. What will intrigue you most about isometric design is that they are simple and clean. Besides, these illustrations add more tactility and warmth to the creations than flat designs. Above all, the isometric design is a cut above flat design when it comes to depth of illustration. As a result, they immerse the viewer into realism more than flat designs do.

4. Realism and Flat design blend

Realism encompasses adding real-life objects to make design authentic, genuine, and relatable. Flat designs may not be as real as realism designs, but they are incredibly simple. Interestingly, the two designs are on the opposite ends of the spectrum—but as you know, opposites do attract. Today, designers are innovatively combining flat visual elements with real-life objects to stun the viewer’s eye.

The realism + flat design element is a complementing trend that is here to stay. Its unconventional combo of styles, techniques and dimensions has found a place in the heart of modern designers. From package designs to web designs, and even editorial design, the trend has a hand in different aspects of graphic design.

What you should know, however, is that combining real-life objects with flat designs is not a walk in the park. It is an intricate form of art that demands creativity and mastery of the highest caliber. Besides, if thinking outside the box is a tall order for you, then there is no catching up with this trend.

5. Augmented reality

Graphic design meets augmented reality—this combination is simply enthralling. But will the trend last or is it another fad?

There is no doubt AR harbors an outsized potential to change the way we tell stories and interact with our environments. And this potential is piquing the curiosity of brands and graphic designers of all types. For example, creative coder Zach Lieberman has created a unique app known as the Weird Type App. The app allows users to work with moving typography in space.

While AR has not yet gone mainstream in graphic design, it’s still considered the next big thing in the industry. Graphic designers are all out exploring the potentially creative and beneficial ways to use AR technology. The trend has developed a firm foothold in the business arena, and we anticipate it’ll open a new world of modern graphic designs as early as 2020. In fact, augmented reality may be one of the top graphic design trends in 2020.

6. Colorful minimalism

Traditionally, minimalism was all about generating a combination of black text and white backgrounds. But were these designs really colorful? I guess no!

Fortunately, the creators of today have completely redefined minimalist designs. Today, the world is loving the new minimalism where artists blend two designs with only the components that make sense. Global giants like Apple have used neutral and muted color palettes to put across their marketing messages.

However, modern designers have refused to confine minimalism to the limits of the color palette. Instead, we see intricate designs blend with a dash of traditional minimalism. Brands like Nike have mastered the art of combining color and creativity while ditching superfluous flair of unnecessary elements to deliver eye-catching visuals. Their designs have carefully treaded the fine lines between complexity and dullness, without breaking the main principles of modern minimalism.

7. Strong typographic focal points

Long typefaces and fonts have been the norm in the graphic design space. In fact, brands like Adidas and Samsung have used these designs to great effect across numerous marketing campaigns. One thing you may have noticed about the traditional Adidas and Samsung designs is that they use bold fonts as secondary design elements.

However, the way bold fonts and typefaces are used in graphic design is changing. This year, we have seen visuals that flaunt bold fonts as the focal point for other design elements. Moreover, the change has come upon the realization that when bold fonts are used as primary elements in designs, they capture the viewer’s attention quickly.

Because of this, bold fonts and typefaces are becoming more prevalent in social media graphics, posters, and flyers. In some fascinating cases, graphic designers are using only bold fonts without adding supporting images. Besides, some designers are using bold fonts and backgrounds with vivid color backgrounds.

Most Popular Graphic Design Software

1. Pixlr. A robust web-based image editing platform that works on any browser on any operating system. Pixlr is free to use and offers a lightweight editor and a suite of great image editing tools including filters, layers, brushes, and more.
2. Inkscape. An open-source vector graphics editor that leverages SVG and scalable vector graphics. Inkscape is a reliable solution for artists that want to design logos and banners.
3. Autodesk Sketchbook. An innovative painting and drawing platform built for designers, architects, and concept artists. Autodesk Sketchbook provides tools that enable creative professionals to design great illustrations.
4. Piktochart. An easy-to-use, cloud-based infographic solution designed to help graphic designers create stunning illustrations. Piktochart provides a suite of great features including icons, images, high-resolution downloads, and design flexibility.
5. Paintshop Pro. A powerful image editing platform that enables users to edit images/photos, retouch images, and create graphic designs. Paintshop Pro provides a suite of features that include image editing, correction, and drawing tools.

8. Complex duotones and gradients

Some graphic design trends don’t emerge out of the blue: they unfold right before our eyes. This is the case with gradients and duotones. Gradients are not entirely new: designers have used them to add depth to design projects.

However, the use of gradients was slowly fading away until recently when they began to take over the world. The combination of futuristic patterns and colors is shaping the path for this trend. In fact, today, designers feel at home using gradients in more ways than just simple one-color logos or backgrounds.

On the other hand, complex duotones have sealed the spot in the echelon of trendy graphic designs. Duotones are gradually taking over the role of whites and blacks in graphic visuals. To the delight of both viewers and designers, duotones have facilitated the creation of visuals that feel colorful and futuristic. While there is a decline in the popularity of duotones, its still early to discount their contribution to the graphic design world.

9. Eclectic

The consumers and viewers of today are well aware of the old tricks of luring them to brands and products. Apparently, viewers now want transparency and authenticity, and designers are obliged to get real, too. The behavioral shift by viewers has created an eclectic shift in the style of illustration.

Today, graphic designers are coming up with ideas, tastes, and styles from a diverse spectrum of sources. In fact, more design projects now feature stains of colors, freestyle doodles, organic textures, and incredible brushstrokes. This change in ideation has professionally unearthed the imperfect or raw side of art. As a result, designers are slowly breaking out of the cocoon of rigid, grid-based elements, to a new world of asymmetrical approaches.

10. Asymmetric layouts

As mentioned earlier, the inflexible, grid-based designs are losing prominence in the modern world. Websites like Canva and Squarespace have offered a reliable platform for designers to express ideas using grid-based templates. However, things have taken a different turn and designers now want to create products dominated by touches of authenticity.

The craving for products that feel alive and bespoke has turned the odds in favor of asymmetrical layouts. The reason many designers have fallen in love with the asymmetrical layout is that they lend products more kinetic movement. When used on design compositions, asymmetric layouts illicit reactions from viewers. They grab the viewers’ attention and invoke inherent interest as they examine the design illustration or page.

11. Custom typeface

In line with the increased demand for authenticity, brands are ditching the common typefaces for custom ones. In fact, reputable brands like Apple, Google, Debenhams, and Airbnb have given this trend the impetus it needs to carry on beyond 2019. These brands are forking out lump sums to get custom typefaces created for their brands.

The need to stand out in the highly competitive business world is pushing businesses to unthinkable heights. As a result, brands big and small have plans to create custom typefaces that ooze authenticity. The trend is still at its infancy phase but it’s poised for exponential growth until all brands have custom fonts and typefaces. At the current rate, we don’t expect this trend to reach its peak any soon.

12. Authentic stock photos

In the modern era, edited stock photos are overtaken by events, and brands are well aware of this. People are no longer interested in the photos that look too professional and polished. There is a new crowd-pleaser—genuine and authentic photo.

Not long ago, the new stock photos were considered a risky bet by many. However, today, these photos carry the day and their prominence is tipped only to increase. In fact, viewers have developed an innate liking for photos that look like a semi-pro took them. In the same light, brands are dropping the ultra generic photos for authentic photos that tell visual stories with plenty of realism.

13. Handdrawn illustration

Some brands are prone to using generic illustrations. This habit is so yesterday and will only work against your brand. Time and again it’s mentioned that we are in a new era of design where authenticity is the slogan. Fortunately, the tenets of modern design offer numerous ways for brands to stand out.

One of the best ways to generate unique visual assets is by using hand-drawn illustrations. MailChimp is a good example of a brand that has mastered the use of hand-drawn visuals.

The best thing about hand-drawn illustrations is that they are complicated. Meaning, no other brand can create an exact copy of your illustration masterpiece. As a result, even when competitors use your illustration, they can only copy the stock image and color scheme. This way, your handwritten illustrations will forever stand out regardless of the number of times it is replicated.

This hand-drawn illustration trend is here to stay, and things are tipped to get complicated over the years. We predict that come 2020, the use of simple sketch will cease and designers will go for more intricate hand-draw illustrations and visuals. So, you better be prepared!

14. Light and dark color combo

The light and dark color scheme trend is popular amongst tech companies, and it has caught the attention of other industry partakers. Brands and designers are embracing the light and dark color illustrations across different websites, apps, and graphic design elements.

Moreover, some of the notable brands that are riding the wave include Apple and Facebook. Not long ago, these tech giants adopted a dual-color scheme to make their apps useful in all situations. With reputable brands like Facebook and Apple in the fore, we can be certain that other companies will follow suit.

15. Illustrations/flat icons

Another upcoming graphic design trend is the use of flat icons and illustrations. Achieving their peak in 2015, these design elements are poised to make a comeback. What’s good about flat icons and illustrations is that they have a myriad of applications—from presentations to infographics, to social media visuals—you can use these elements to get your audience’s attention and impart invaluable information.

To boot, these design elements can be easily understood and may not even need text to be consumed—essentially a cartoonist’s dream. Also, visuals in the form of icons are known to be very effective visual communication tools. Keep in mind that a picture paints a thousand words. This makes flat icons ideal for boosting the consumption of videos, infographics, and social media or blog posts.

What’s more, is that you can use icons to update existing visuals or upgrade complex graphics. This is very useful in infographics and blog post headers.

16. Data visualizations made simple

Why do we visualize data? The short answer would be to make information easier to understand for readers—by removing the complexity of data sets. To better make them effective, graphic designers have been simplifying the way they present data.

This is accomplished by allowing the reader to quickly spot the takeaway that a graphic represents. And given the amount of data that people consume these days, making them more friendly to readers makes a ton of difference. Designers also do this to keep people’s attention. Remember, complex data tend to be ignored as people continue to use that scroll button.

Data can be simplified with the use of simple pie or bubble charts. But if you’re feeling creative or want something more attractive, making an infographic is also a way to go. Just make sure you have all the pertinent data that you want to convey and that they are clearly presented.

They also eliminate the need for text to be consumed easily.

17. Geometric shapes anyone?

This year, one thing that stands out in graphic design is the increased use of geometric shapes. Everywhere you look, you’ll find designers making use of such shapes in their work, replacing the abstract shapes that previously ruled graphics. What’s good about geometric shapes is that they’re easy to make and use, not to mention that they remain consistent throughout a graphic.

You can combine geometric shapes with any image and create a free-flowing set of data. It has become popular among many companies such as Rivet, Zendesk and Vengage. Aside from images, you can use shapes to represent data points, display content and even reflect your brand. What’s even better is that these shapes when combined with muted colors create easy-to-understand text and eye catching visuals.

18. Classic serif fonts are in

Used as far back as the early 15th century, Serif fonts are one of the oldest fonts in existence still being used today. But don’t confuse Serif for the San Serif variety. If you’ll notice, the classic Serif font has those extra “tails” at the top or bottom (or both) of the letters. You know how our forefathers couldn’t help being artistic even in writing.

As old as they are, Serif fonts are not just black marks on paper. They evoke a feeling of nostalgia and exudes elegance in every word that they form. Some companies have benefited from using serif fonts in their landing page design.

Serif fonts help companies boost their brand by reflecting the tone of their pages and helping them position their brand through graphic design. The fonts’ simplicity can give websites that aura authenticity that’s very popular among users. Not only that, serif fonts works for social media and blog posts, too, giving them that semblance of trustworthiness.

19. Videos with heavy text

With the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc on the world, video content creators won’t be seeing the return of normalcy anytime soon. Shooting original video content has become not only hard but outright impossible.

What used to be done by well-organized teams has ceased to exist (at least for now). Creating solo videos showcasing a talking head can only get you so far. People are bound to miss watching creative videos, which make for both entertainment and education.

For these reasons, the idea of using motion graphics and text in video creation may not be far-fetched. In fact, many businesses have started following the trend by populating their social media accounts with text-heavy videos. Projects include user content, product explainers and even routine announcements.

What’s good about creating text heavy videos is that businesses can retain their brand by using their own colors, voice, and fonts—allowing them to stick to a single brand wherever they are focusing their marketing efforts.

Also, since there is minimal to no video shoots, the turnaround times for such videos are much shorter, not to mention they cost lower than conventional ones. If you’re having a hard time creating new videos from scratch, you can repurpose old videos using this technique.

20. Going monochrome

These days, many graphic designers have been experimenting with creating images and dousing them with monochromatic effects. An offshoot of the duotone trend of 2017, monochromatic effects has increasingly become popular among graphic designers. Just use a monochrome filter and voila! you’re in.

21. Psychedelic design

Tracing its roots to the hippie days of the ’60s, abstract psychedelia is a graphic design technique borne of drug use and social unrest. Artists then viewed the artform as akin to opening individual minds, hence its break away from traditional art. This is also the reason why most images created during those days reeked of chaos.

Some designers think that abstract psychedelia is poised to make a comeback this year. It will be represented by the complex abstractions and generous amounts of colors in graphic design. However, the use of grotesque and confusing images will be stabilized by symmetry, giving the vision of order amidst chaos.

22. Symbols, symbols, symbols

Symbols are a very powerful bunch when it comes to conveying messages or even evoking emotions. Banners and flags have distinct effects on people while traffic signs can bring order to otherwise chaotic traffic. Another thing about symbols is they are universal in nature, crossing languages and cultural boundaries.

In 2021, designers are seen to use symbols in coming up with unique yet moving designs.

Examples of these include medieval crests, symbols of divinity and other classic visuals. In some ways, designers are using them to drive away the disappointments that are bound to come this year—mythical but true in a sense.

23. Muted colors

It was last year when muted color palettes first made its round of the graphic design landscape. Expect to see more ot this design in the coming years. To put it simply, muted colors are vivid ones whose edges have been removed by incorporating white, black or any hue that complements the color.

The time of bright and bold hues has passed with more people preferring the lighter tones of muted colors. Businesses have turned to these colors, an example of which is LinkedIn, which has veered away from bright hues to date. This shift has rewarded the social networking platform with messages that feel light and authentic.

Aside from those mentioned, muted colors also exudes organic vibes, making them highly-suited to health-conscious brands. It won’t be long before other players get wind of the benefits of using muted colors in graphic design, and start a new design trend.

Another advantage of using muted colors in graphic design is the fact that it blends well with text (light or dark). When used as backgrounds, these colors make text jump out of any web or social media page. And given what we know about graphic design trends, it will most likely be years before another trend comes around.

24. Social slide decks

Social slide decks by themselves are a trend. For the uninitiated, social slide decks are exactly what they sound like—slide decks that are meant for use in social media posts. They work most effectively and beautifully on LinkedIn and Instagram as these platforms use them to handle images by default. Plus, both platforms seem to be bent on having users slide decks.

Designers can use slide decks when repurposing blog content or even convert an article into a condensed form. Slide decks are quite useful in compelling action from followers sans a link. For B2C companies, they can be used effectively in product launches as they equally convey messages in simple visuals. You can make use of videos or images to boost audience engagement.

25. Spotlight on inclusivity

The explosion of the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked worldwide interest in revisiting social prejudice. It has invaded every facet of society across the globe. To date, the movement continues to inspire people, even graphic designers.

Such is evident in the way diversity is being represented in many designs. This renewed interest in the issue can be seen in how graphic designers portray diversity in an effort to effect positive change through colorful illustrations and stock photographs.

This development holds true for designers from the minority who have risen to prominence by portraying black individuals in inspiring works of art. This diversity is expected to permeate graphic design, the purpose of which is to highlight different cultures, skin color, and beliefs.

26. Season for surrealism

As the term implies, surrealism is a mixture of the surreal—something that defies scrutiny—and realism. This trend became popular in 2020, the time when we became embroiled in a surreal world of science fiction—with a killer virus threatening the world. Reality soon kicked in, with practically everyone accepting the concept of a “new normal.”

Graphic designers have been seeking to reflect this new reality in their works, combining unsuspecting objects to form a strange mixture that appears blurry at the least to the senses. Although a bit disconcerting and creepy at times, these images can be dissected by separating intertwined objects from one another at the seams.

Many companies have been embracing surrealism, using these images on book covers, album art, posters and even product labels.

What you should do to remain relevant

As you can see, the dynamics of graphic design are constantly changing. The visual hierarchy, as well as the design layout techniques, are evolving to meet the needs of the modern consumer and viewers. Even more, the logic of displaying visual elements is unfolding as designers strive to optimize the user experience.

The trends we’ve highlighted in this post have the biggest impact on graphic and design world. However, some of these trends will fade away and new trends will take their place. On the other hand, others will persist and continue to redefine the path for graphic design. The landscape will surely change, but it’s difficult to tell the direction it will take.

If you are a graphic designer, you must be a lifelong learner so that you can keep the pace of the meandering course taken by the design world. You need to add or change your specialization to remain relevant and adaptable.

Above all, if you are just getting started, a platform like Adobe can be too expensive. You should consider getting one of the alternatives to Adobe Photoshop CC.

On the other hand, if you intend to hire a professional graphic designer, you must keep your ears to the ground. More importantly, you should consider getting the best project management software for virtual teams, especially if you hire remote graphic designers.

References:

1. 20 graphic design stats & facts – Infographic. (2018, June 1). Red Website Design Blog.
2. Khoja, N. (2020, March 11). 14 visual content marketing statistics to know for 2020 [Infographic]. Venngage.
3. Stinson, L. (2018, March 22). Zach Lieberman’s new app turns type into a 3D object. Eye on Design.