Marketers like us understand the importance of graphic design. We know that good design can do a lot, from enhancing the identity of brands to providing information, conveying a message, arguing for a point, etc.
And graphic design is still evolving. As people find new ways to work with it, we also unearth new possibilities and functions for it.
Now, it can be hard to keep up with the constant changes in the world of graphic design. Given how important it is, though, we’ll help you today by sharing some of the most worthwhile graphic design trends this year.
1. The Combination of 2D and 3D
There’s been a trend for designers melding 3D with 2D elements lately.
An example of such compositions could be a 2D character holding a 3D ball in the palm of its hand. Of course, you regularly see more complex compositions than that, from logos with 2D and 3D letters to massive illustrations with both flat and 3D figures.
This can be an exciting trend to hop onto if you’re a designer, as it offers so much room for creativity. It’s not entirely new, of course, as it’s just an extension of something we’ve been doing for a while: many logos sport 2D letters with 3D shapes accompanying them, for instance.
Where 2022’s designers are taking it to the next level is in pushing contact between the two elements. Instead of 2D being relegated to just the letters, for instance, today’s designers will mix 2D and 3D letters.
Alternatively, they’ll insert 3D shapes amidst 2D letters and vice versa. You’ll see this fairly often in social media design nowadays, in particular, as it tends to be eye-catching and thus has a better chance of being shared.
2. New Experiments in Typography
Word art is coming back with a vengeance. We’re seeing a lot of expressive and highly experimental typography these days, some that even go against the classic tenet of easy legibility.
And interestingly enough, it can still work.
That’s because these designers realise that letters are just part of what we use to convey meaning. Shape, imagery, colour – all of these things can be used too. In some cases, they can even take the place of legible letters!
Twisted typography is one particularly popular version of today’s typography experiments. Offbeat and deliberate in its disorder, it involves doing things like flipping certain letters upside down, inverting them, or making them different in some other way.
The idea is to draw attention to the design through that which stands out. It can even be used to spell out another message entirely.
3. 3D Characters
3D isn’t going anywhere soon, and we’ve certainly seen even more 3D characters of late all across the board. Mascots, app characters, website graphics, animation, NFTs – they’re everywhere!
This is going to stick throughout 2022, we predict, as people continue to favour the style in their media consumption. As such, no reason to expect designers and marketers to veer away from it yet.
4. 2000s Nostalgia
Popular media like Stranger Things brought 80s nostalgia back into mainstream not too long ago. This year, though, a good deal of it is about the 2000s.
Think: a lot of pastel or baby pink, iridescence, a faint sense of kitschiness, and positivity. There’s bright, almost naive optimism here… and it’s finding purchase in a world that’s had to go through a lot of darkness lately, from pandemics to recessions.
5. Doodle-style Graphics
By this we refer to graphics that have a lot of the shapes you’d typically associate with traditional, free-form sketching.
Doodle-type graphics and even calligraphy have entered today’s trends as a way for designers to inject personality into their work. They’re unique, relaxed, and often more approachable in their human, imperfect lines than other graphics.
This may well be exactly what makes them so appealing in digital marketing design nowadays. With a doodle-style graphic, you get the sense of something made by another person, not just perfected with the aid of a machine.
6. Ukiyo-e Flat Design
This came about as a way to breathe new life into 2D vector artwork. Ukiyo-e is a Japanese art style that involves woodblock printing or painting and is perhaps most popularly represented by Hokusai’s Under the Wave Off Kanagawa.
Today, you can see many vector artists using the ukiyo-e style in their work. This is typified by an emphasis on lines and patterns, as well as the use of unusual vantage points, like aerial ones.
Linework is often emphasised, with outlines being very clear. A high level of detail is also often present, and gradation may be involved as a way of adding depth to the image.
7. Art Deco
This is an upcoming trend that boasts a lot of clean, strong lines and geometry. It’s also a resurrected trend: Art Deco initially appeared in the early 20th century and this is just it coming back into the spotlight.
What drives Art Deco is a sense of modernism and faith in technological progress. This is a style that is all about marvellous craftsmanship and rich materials.
Even at its most understated, Art Deco remains fairly close to its extravagant roots. That may be part of what makes it so appealing right now, especially taken with the way it extols the future technology is building.
8. Parametric Patterns
This comes from parametric design, where things are shaped not by the artist’s immediate direction but by a set of parameters that he specifies. Nowadays, these parameters are usually expressed in algorithms entered into a computer, which generates the resulting shapes.
These new patterns are interestingly performative, as they depend on equations instead of a clear idea of what their shape should be. Hence, the way in which they change is as important as their appearance.
Today’s graphic artists are using such patterns in various ways, including bringing them to the foreground. Often, they do so to express ideas related to complexity.
Get ideas for your own marketing graphic design
As you can see, there are a lot of graphic design trends you can use for your own marketing nowadays. The question is finding which one goes best with your company or branding and what resonates most with your audience.
If you need help in that area, contact us for a chat about your digital marketing needs. Our designers and branding experts can help you figure out what design trends are most apt for your situation!
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