Graphic designer at work. Color swatch samples.
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5 Graphic Design Trends to Take Note of

 

Are you in the business of graphic design and want to know how you can get an edge on your competitors? Here are 5 graphic design trends to take note of.

In the increasingly visual world of online graphic design, staying atop the latest trends is more important than ever. If you want your designs to stand out above the competition, you’ll have to be up-to-date with the newest “big thing”.

Whether you are using powerful design software or using a free banner maker online, you want your graphics to appeal to your target audience. You want them to be aesthetic and attention-grabbing.

You certainly don’t want your graphics to be interpreted as boring and out of date, right? Of course not. That’s why we’ve scoured the field in search of the hottest trends in the design world.

Here are the five trends making waves in 2017.

Minimalism

Minimalism has been gaining in the design world over the past few years. And it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Graphic designer at work. Color swatch samples.

Apart from the louder side of the design spectrum, a minimalist design allows for some breathing room. A simple yet striking design will speak volumes to your audience while not overwhelming them with an assortment of flashy colors and text. Classy, sleek, and digestible.

Minimalist designs are a true testament that “less is more.” They present powerful messages while letting the viewer’s eyes breathe.

One illustrious example of a design shift to minimalism is Google. While their logo had always been simple, shaving down their design even just a little bit made a huge difference in their message. They created a design that evoked a sense of simplicity, accessibility, and ease – all traits they attribute to their functionality as well.

Minimalism is a hot new way to send strong messages in simple ways.

Hand Drawn Illustrations

In today’s world of technology, much of design is done electronically. Hand-drawn images help bring a human element back into graphic design.

Much like minimalism, hand drawn images are simple. Many even elicit a feeling of nostalgia and revive a sense of childlike wonder. They add a personal element into the image that is typically lost in the ready-made sea of icons and stock graphics.

While there is criticism against hand-drawn illustrations as being unprofessional and immature, this trend brings back a sense of free-form imperfection. They are especially relatable to viewers outside of the design industry, which makes it a powerful device to generate attention.

Take Dropbox for example. They’ve chosen a hand-drawn design to express that it’s a fun, inviting, and easy to understand company. The simplicity keeps the viewer at ease rather than on edge about if they have the competence to use the platform.

Perhaps most notably – nobody draws exactly the same. So hand drawn images and doodles are perhaps the single most unique content you can put out there!

Asymmetry & Chaos

Generally speaking, humans are attracted to symmetry. Our brains are programmed to try to find patterns and balance in our day to day lives. So incorporating asymmetry and chaos in design is bound to fail, right?

Not necessarily.

A hot trend in the design world today is to fudge the rules of symmetry just a little. The allure of this is that the slight imbalance will catch a viewer’s eye and make them double take. One method to achieve this has been creating asymmetry between text and image, where one side of the scale is just barely tipped in favor of one or the other.

Alongside asymmetry in a rebellion against the ‘rules’ of design is chaos. More and more designers are stepping out of the box and letting their imaginations run wild. The results are an entirely new breed of intriguing and exciting graphic design.

Merge the two and you’ve got an eye-popping visual that can’t be ignored.

Sleek, Bold Typography

Fonts, fonts, and fonts. So hot right now.

Typography has certainly become a top trend in 2017. In-your-face fonts demand viewers attention and can be the most powerful tool in conveying a strong message.

Some of the most popular examples include big, bold fonts used front and center atop a simple yet captivating photo image. A step further is combining the two to stretch the imagination. Marrying loud font with a striking image is undoubtedly a recipe for success.

Of course, this design trend only works if you keep the number of words used to a minimum. Short, sleek, and bold is the key!

Low-Poly Designs

On the other side of the coin from hand drawn images is the increasing popularity of low-poly design. With hard corners and edges, this style can give an image a three-dimensional, video game-inspired feel that fit right in with the age of technology.

A low-poly design is a great way to blend many of the aforementioned trends. Simple and minimalistic geometric shapes can come together with loud colors and typography in a chaotic myriad that just seems to work.

One of the most notable traits of geometric and low-poly designs is the depth of texture it adds to an image. The smooth faces and stark corners rev up the impulse to reach out and touch it. So not only is the graphic stimulating to the eyes, but it can also stimulate our sense of touch.

How’s that for killing two birds with one stone!

Honorable Mentions and Takeaways

Of course, there aren’t simple five catch-all design trends for all of 2017. Here are a few of the other anticipated trends in the industry.

  • Bright colors – Think the Pantone Color of the Year.
  • Vintage and Modern Sheek – the 80’s and 90’s aren’t gone yet.
  • Duotones – Simple design with an established color theme.
  • Geometric Designs and Collages – clean and classy and beyond aesthetically pleasing.

Trends come and go, but we predict these will stick around for a little while. In the meantime, make sure you take advantage of these most attractive design trends of the moment and use them to design the best and most alluring websites, banners, and material this year!

Written by CrazyLeaf Editorial

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