With the end of the year fast approaching, it’s time for us to refresh our old design. The best thing about graphic design trends is that each year comes with the opportunity to renew. And given the challenging year of 2020, the design trends of 2021 may give us the new fresh air to breathe.
We all know that the graphic design trends are constantly changing every year and we are keeping our marketing strategy to be on a leading trend as much as possible and most marketing designers have difficulty keeping up-to-date with the newest design trends. But thanks to that there are technological advancements happening and the software that graphic designers use daily constantly evolves. As a result, graphic professional designers made their way easy to keep on the latest trends and produce completed and amazing works.
We explore the various graphic design trends this 2021 that the marketing designer can make and enjoy the most of them as predicted by the leading creatives.
1. Muted color palettes
2021 color trends predicted to be more subtle, simple designs with lots of muted and natural colors. Though I believe that vibrant and bold colors are still there but it will be more focused on muted colors. Last year (2020) has been a lot of challenges for us because of the virus that hits the world, many of us spending lots of time looking at the screen. It was a year of online and social distancing and we notice that some colors — muted colors are more comfortable to look at than others. For that reason, in 2021, those comfortable, easy-on-the-eyes colors will be trending.
2. Simple Data Visualization
Data visualization has come a long way. Today (2021) is the age of big data. Since the pandemic pulls up the status of our personal and work lives, a simplified data visualization is more legible and easily interpreted and understood. As an alternative for visual communication, it helps businesses in their decision-making, identify the core aspects affecting business results, and predict future trends and patterns.
3. Geometric shapes everywhere
This design trend is something we’ve noticed already rising during 2020 but the peak of this design will be on this year. The idea of using individual shapes is to create larger, more complex ones. Usually, it’s a large block and solid with strong colors and outlines, mix and united to produce imaginative combinations. There are two common use of geometric shapes in graphic design, the first one is simplified flat geometric elements to create more complex design layouts using them as part of the bigger composition and the other one is the 3D Design as you will see many graphic design projects using 3D Geometric shapes adding depth, shadow, and gradients to simple blocks.
4. Flat Icons and Illustrations
While there’s a lot of different designs, flat icons and illustration will also become a trend this 2021. This is maybe due to the super-simple nature of flat illustration design and the idea that this look can consolidate with a number of other styles quite easily. As mentioned above, the more simplified and minimalist designs are in trend this year. It allows the viewer to focus more on the brand. In short, designs that are all comfy in the eyes of the viewers.
5. Classic Serif Fonts
Serif fonts will never go out of fashion, but this year we’ll see designers demanding a little more warmth, clean, minimal, and classic from their sans serif type. Because it’s readable and easily accessible in web and app designs. Also, making them a good fit for social media images and websites that want to put forward a friendly yet professional face to remote customers.
6. Social Media Slide Decks
Do you remember what social media visuals looked like a decade ago? Whether it’s Instagram’s multiple-image post, Facebook’s carousel post on LinkedIn’s slide deck, what is common in all these formats is the ability to post multiple images (or videos) at once. As you might have noticed, bite-sized slide decks have become extremely popular on social media. They let you relate to the story and share thorough content while keeping readers saturated and engaged.
7. Text Heavy Videos
As people continue working remotely up to this day, video contents are more relatively crucial. It’s not easy to share or talk virtually without a text. At some point, people are somehow getting tired of seeing someone having a talk virtually without a text. So I really believe that video content is going to lean on text and motion graphics a lot more this year.
Designs are made to look and are often changing. Your approach in design in the way you want it is like any other project, but really think about simplicity and minimal. And whatever design you come up with, it is important that it speaks towards your goal. This can have a great influence on your brand.
