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Published in · 7 min read · Jan 15, 2024
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Graphic design trends help you create projects that communicate and connect to your audience in a timely way. Following and understanding trends signals to your audience that you are attuned to the dynamic landscape of graphic design and responsive to evolving consumer interests.
Additionally, trends often evolve in tandem with advancements in technology. Designers adapt their styles to leverage new tools and techniques, and staying current ensures that designs are optimized for the latest platforms and technologies. In essence, embracing graphic design trends is a strategic way to remain relevant, engaging, and technologically adept in the ever-evolving field of design.
In retrospective, we leverage insights from the Graphic Design Trends 2023 to continually enhance our skills, also propels us to push boundaries, ensuring our designs are innovative and forward-thinking in the ever-evolving landscape of graphic design.
Without further ado, below is presented our curated selection of graphic design trends anticipated for the year 2024. Read, learn, do a little test run and have fun!
Minimalism, a timeless and enduring graphic design trend of 2024, will probably never go out of fashion. This “less is more” philosophy has been gaining even more prominence recently. In this approach, every element in the design serves a purpose, stripping away the unnecessary to reveal the essence. Minimalist designs are characterized by clean lines, ample white space, and an uncluttered aesthetic.
This trend not only brings a sense of elegance and simplicity to the forefront but also promotes efficient communication. With a limited color palette and a focus on typography, minimalism allows designers to convey a message with precision. Its adaptability to various mediums, from websites to branding, makes it a versatile choice for design projects. As we journey through 2024, minimalism reminds us that sometimes, in a world filled with noise, a whisper can be far more powerful than a shout.
The hand-drawn doodles graphic design trend, also known as hand-drawn art, brings out the ‘human’ in design. It derives from the idea that handcrafted elements infuse warmth. More brands and corporations have recently adopted this style to create a friendly, approachable image. You can use this versatile style to create designs in print and digital media, from outdoor banners to social media graphics.
As part of our research process, our designers collected brand images they liked from the previous year. We then shared our findings with the team and identified the styles we believe will be trending in 2024. Afterward, we conducted another round of voting to select our favorite styles and discussed the reasons behind our choices. The versatility of hand-drawn doodles makes it a favorite trend among all designers.
Tip: Combining hand-drawn elements with minimalist design and layout can create a modern and unique brand identity.
These hand-drawn, often whimsical, and spontaneous illustrations add a touch of human personality to brands. Doodles infuse designs with a sense of authenticity as if the artist’s hand is still at work. From the margins of notebooks to the digital canvas, doodles invite playfulness and creativity into design.
They can be subtle accents or take center stage, depending on the message and mood. This trend is an echo of the never-ending charm of handcrafted styles in a world dominated by digital precision. Doodles remind us that design doesn’t have to be rigid; it can be spontaneous, free-spirited, and highly engaging. As we journey through 2024, be ready to embrace this design trend of the unpretentious and endearing world of doodles and other hand-drawn illustration styles, where every line drawn is a unique stroke of imagination and character.
Gradients are making a bold comeback. This graphic design trend is all about seamlessly blending colors from one shade to another, creating mesmerizing transitions that add depth and dimension to designs. Gradients are versatile, lending themselves to a variety of applications, from backgrounds to typography and logos.
Gradients are the perfect way to spice up your backgrounds instead of going with a plain background color. The visual of a gradient is so strong and recognizable that it can even be a main element in your brand identity. So, whether it’s a subtle fade or a striking color shift, expect to see gradients adding an extra layer of visual intrigue to design projects in the year ahead.
Similar to gradients, patterns, a captivating graphic design trend in 2024, is a great way to bring character to a design. From intricate geometrics to playful florals, designers are embracing patterns to add depth, character, and a touch of nostalgia to their creations. In today’s digital age, patterns connect us to tradition while allowing for endless creative exploration. They offer a canvas for storytelling, from minimalistic elegance to vibrant whimsy.
More and more designers are starting to make the creation of patterns their main focus by working on commissioned projects or selling them on digital marketplaces. Brands are realizing the power of custom patterns to use on their branded wrapping paper or tissue paper or anything else for that matter. A custom pattern is another asset for a brand to communicate its story to customers.
Utilitarian design is all about functionality. This design trend has been gaining popularity this year as we move into an increasingly digital world. With so much of our lives taking place online, it’s important for websites and apps to be easy to use and navigate.
Utilitarian design is focused on simplifying user experience by removing unnecessary elements. This can be achieved through minimalism, clear navigation, and easy-to-understand content.
Designing something in this style immediately creates a certain boldness and trust in quality. In this trend there are recognizable elements that can be found in vehicles, tools, and manuals.
Tip: Harness the power of the Utilitarian design graphic trend by prioritizing functionality and simplicity in your designs, focusing on clear communication and user experience; employ clean lines, minimalistic elements, and purposeful color schemes to create designs that seamlessly serve their intended purpose with efficiency and aesthetic appeal.
How to emphasize your brand as modern, innovative, and maybe even a bit futuristic? Maybe not the most innovative way of doing this but the use of pixels is something we’re seeing more and more of nowadays. These tiny, square building blocks are taking on a new life and purpose, offering a unique blend of nostalgia and modernity. The art of using pixels is no longer confined to retro video games as it’s now a creative choice for web design, animation, illustration, and branding.
Key elements of the Pixels Rediscovered trend in 2024:
- Combination of modern, high-quality graphics with 8-bit pixel-style elements
- Often applied to just a few letters or graphics
It’s crucial to recognize the significance of each trend as it will help you stay on top of your game and keep you technologically relevant. From the timeless Bold Minimalism philosophy, which emphasizes ‘less is more’ with clean lines and vibrant visuals, to the warmth and authenticity of Doodles infusing human personality into designs. These trends offer a diverse range of creative possibilities. Additionally, the resurgence of Gradients and Patterns adds depth and character, connecting tradition with modern exploration. Utilitarian design, prioritizing functionality and simplicity, proves essential in an increasingly digital world, fostering trust and user-friendly experiences. Finally, Pixels Rediscovered takes a unique approach by blending modern, high-quality graphics with 8-bit pixel-style elements, offering a fresh perspective to your art direction.
As we navigate through 2024, integrating these trends will not only enhance the visual appeal of your designs but also convey a message that resonates with contemporary audiences.
