Every year, graphic design trends show us how art can mimic life. These trends reflect our ever-changing needs and perspectives as a society.
In 2023, we will see graphic designers move from minimalism and monochromatic designs to bold and varied design styles.
From Y2K nostalgia to touchable textures, handcrafted illustrations, and mind-blowing psychedelic elements. The year 2023 is all about disrupting freedom, restructuring views and directing freedom through creativity.
Why graphic design trends matter
Graphic design trends help you create projects that communicate and connect with your audience in a timely manner. By tracking and understanding trends, you’re communicating to your audience how you’re interested in and interacting with evolving consumer concerns.
Like writer and activist Toni Cade Bambara said: “The role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible” . In other words, graphic design trends are not only signs of the times, sometimes they are catalysts to change themselves!
1. Y2K
This could be one of the top graphic design trends you’ll see this year. The train of nostalgia has come to Y2K, where design rules are as liberal as jeans and bold as lip gloss.
This trend has few limitations. Highlighted with bubble-pink hues, three-dimensional designs, web-inspired visuals, and glittering metallic textures, the Y2K aesthetic features childlike freedom of expression.
2023 is embracing digital design in its first truly creative era. childhood. Play with a sense of nostalgia that can be traced back to your brand or design with a sense of history. With a decade as fun as the early 2000s, you have plenty of options to describe your brand.
The graphic design industry often develops in tandem with the worlds of fashion, beauty and interior design. Keeping up with this trend signals to your audience that you are present and engaged in the latest design styles.
2. Maximalism
Minimalism dominated the design world for years.
But recently, the graphic design world has turned to maximalism as an escape from boring routines and constraints.
We’re seeing bold, explosive typography, matches colors radical and overwhelming visual elements.
For example, a maximal design might include electric blue and supercharged yellow, display fonts, and challenging 3D elements. The idea is to create multiple layers of graphic design elements while still following the rules of visual hierarchy.
The more the merrier in 2023.
Branding by Oddesignstudio.nl
Although a bit overwhelming at first, maximalism is impressive and unforgettable. Make it work by following graphic design rules through a unique lens.
3. Experimental font
Some designs are overcoming language barriers by focusing on visual communication. Regular sans serif fonts will be pushed back in 2023 and fonts will express through shapes and colors rather than words.
Display fonts and serif fonts are taking center stage as we test how far the boundaries of legibility can be pushed while maintaining legibility. Display fonts can vary considerably, but we anticipate the rise of fonts with soft organic shapes as well as playful graffiti-style fonts.
Note: Be wary of this trend, sacrificing clarity for cutting-edge design can backfire.
4. Manual stroke
Handmade doodles and illustrations are the top graphic design trends in 2023. For business owners who want to add a human touch to their projects, this trend is all about connection. back to everyone with attractive hand-drawn strokes.
From quirky patterns to freehand illustrations, all doodles are welcome this year! Add a handmade and handcrafted touch to your product by implementing stamped and cursive fonts as selection elements. It’s an ode to old world craftsmanship and art!
The logos below have logo font handwritten and hand-crafted illustrations their icons. These elements are best suited for craft industries that need to build brands with human touch.
5. Get Started with Gothic Style
We can thank Adams Wednesday for the recent goth craze that is taking center stage on platforms like Tik Tok. The #gothgirl trend has 4.6 billion views at the time of writing this article.
All that being said, the goth revival is one of the latest graphic design trends that will hit the scene in 2023.
Goth and grunge design appears as a counterforce to all the funky, colorful loveliness of the Y2K era we’re seeing in the design world.
Here, black is not optional and is accompanied by torn and torn textures, dark tones of crimson, sapphire, and a hint of purple. The rules of layout, color, and hierarchy are all challenged to create something new in an anti-conformist style.
There are no wrong answers here! In fact, wrong answers are welcome. Do your worst!
6. Classic Minimalism
This year’s rendition of the vintage trend is a classic color palette simple with light color dominating. The designers are adding a twist by removing most of the elements and keeping it minimalist. Think ’70s vibrant color palettes without the tweed and florals.
Keep font pairs to a minimum and use modern font to add a crisp element like the olive oil branding underneath. This trend is great for projects that want to capture the playfulness of the 70s while showing a modern element. It’s a great balance of past and present!
7. Làm mờ và chuyển màu
7. Blur and gradient
Although gradients have been trending for a while, graphic designers are experimenting more with their use.
Equal parts of radiation g modern and psychedelic creates a soft smoke effect that gently transforms colors from one color to another.
Functionally, gradients add focus to your design and improve the look of overlaid text. They’re a great way to incorporate lots of bright colors in a way that’s not overwhelming.
Blurs work similar to gradients in that they distort colors in a visually appealing way. We often see blur effects as standalone decorative elements behind or beside text to draw the eye towards a particular visual element. Blurs and gradients are a great way to make the set brand identity Your brand stands out from the crowd.
8. Touch and feel
People use colors, shapes, and words to communicate and inspire in graphic design. In 2023, however, we’ll be adding real-world textures like bubble gum, glass, textured paper, and flowing silk to give the design a physical feel.
When designing a project, look beyond the digital confines and add layers of physical sensation through texture. From soda foam to soft fabrics, texture stimulates the tactile sensations your audience can associate with – and crave.
9. Down to Earth
With the sustainability conversation growing, designers are embracing climate awareness and infusing their designs with natural elements, textures and earthy color palettes.
This trend is inspired by the solidity of rocks, the oscillating sea, bright fruit and lush forest canopy. Like a breath of fresh air, designers want to convey the feelings of nature through their designs. Ideally, this trend is well suited for branding, website design and product packaging food or products of natural origin.
10. Sci-fi illusion
While some designers are drawing inspiration from our planet, others are inspired by the vast unknowns beyond it. With interest in space travel is at all-time high , designers are using it with ethereal shapes and otherworldly elements.
While this design trend is not suitable for all industries, it is for projects that aim to disrupt our perception of what is possible. Get inspiration from sci-fi or fantasy movies like Dune, Star Wars and The Mandalorian to start your designs.
11. Designed by AI
One of the latest graphic design trends to emerge is the use of AI platforms and tools. While this may seem counter-intuitive, designers are using their creative minds for art-driven AI tools and taking graphic design to the next level.
We are seeing surreal images of storefronts and designs that resemble hand-drawn illustrations created by digital artists.
Text-to-image generator takes a new level of approach to graphic design and visual storytelling.
Want to use an AI design tool for your brand? Try Midjourney , Dall. E.2 or Jasper . Use it to create striking landing pages, data visualizations, branded packaging, app design concepts, and more!
It’s a world of new possibilities with AI design accessible to the masses.
Keeping up with graphic design trends in 2023
Design is everywhere and keeping up with graphic design trends gives you the advantage of being relevant, open and attentive to your projects. So here are the graphic design trends of 2023:
- Y2K
- Maximumism
- Experimental font
- Manual illustrations
- Gothic
- Classic minimalism
- Blurs and gradients
- Real texture
- Natural elements
- Sci-fi Illusion
- Designed by AI
While this year’s graphic design trends are like a bit of everything, they only reflect the changing world around us. With so many trends to try, It makes the playing field of graphic design endless and fun. Try different perspectives and go out there to create meaningful, world-changing work. We are rooting for you!
