Graphic design trends dominating 2023 so far

Wonder how first impressions are made? The visual impact of the objects we see helps our minds to form first impression, one’s that are formed with the blink of an eye. It’s the fine art of graphic design that holds significant importance for its outcome helps us to form perceptions. Graphic design is essentially the language of visuals where a combination of typography, images, colours, and other elements help the brands and designers to convey information that evoke emotions and create a captivating visual experience for the viewers/ users.

Also read: Shaping the future of design excellence: Design Ethos at Strate School of Design

With the rise of emerging technologies across sectors, graphic design trends have changed drastically over the past few years and new ones are shaping up. The core essence is still to build an:
a. instant connection
b. offer a strong recall value/ memorable brand visual communication
c. build an emotional/ cultural connect/ evoke emotion/ elicit feeling of excitement, nostalgia, sense of urgency and other emotions.
d. offer information, impart knowledge for the audience to grasp the content.

Let’s explore the top design trends that have so far shaped the year 2023:

AI Design

As a revolutionary technology, AI has a deep impact in design sector. Several AI design tools are now available for designers to create designs that would otherwise not be possible manually to create without the technology.

With the constant improvement in the technology, 2023 designers have been creating designs augmented by AI – using it directly or the generative design tools offered with the help of AI that help to optimize and improve existing designs.

In past year to today we have also witnessed the launch of AI-based design firms and text-to-image AI generators – all speeding up the workflow for designers opening endless opportunities. AI tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion are some examples of AI based design tools that produce images based on text prompts.

Also read: AI’s influence in UX Design: Redefining UX design

Creative typography

Type experimentation has its own journey of evolution. From just the basic and classic Helvetica to major brands like Google, Spotify to Burberry and YSL simplifying their logos with Sans Serif fonts in the past decade, designers today are making use of experimental type. It is all about pushing the boundaries of traditional typography and exploring innovative ways to design visual content that is more text-based.

In 2023, typography is not limited to texts, it has evolved to the increasing use of illustrations, collages, textures, and images amalgamated in type design to create something innovative, new and exciting, that too in 3D design- more adept for the metaverse and web 3.0. A mix and match from sans serif to condensed fonts, upper to lower case and more is creating order in the design to make the visual communication instantly memorable.

Vivid Minimalism

A winning design trend in product design throughout 2022 has now dig its claws into the world of branding, identity design and visual communication. When we speak of vivid minimalism, we have understand how this trend pairs simple design elements like bright, bold colours with a balance of restraint with other elements while maintaining a sense of playfulness.

This trend also brings in juxtaposition of elements and colours to maintain a playful energy in branding design, offering a sense of sophistication to the design process an outcome while playing mindfully between minimalist with maximalist concepts.

Also read: Sustainable branding: Building green identities for ethical businesses

3D style design and the return of Memphis art

3D art concepts are gaining traction by the day and is a sure movement that is here to stay, with it there is also the Memphis art movement from the 80s that is now gaining attention on the design stage with its bright colours, bold combinations and pattern of contrasting hues with abstract geometric shapes.

With prism of 3D reality and based on the 3D geometry, a splash and playful of colours, this mix of 3D design and Memphis art designs is stimulating users’ to interact with the visual communication.

Also read: Sustainable branding: Building green identities for ethical businesses

Clean slates, styles, and white space/ negative space

Clean design slates, minimal design with effective negative space that offer clutter-free clean design style that has a powerful communicative power with its users – bringing in calmness in the design outcome. Being on the rise, not only brands in the premium to luxe sector, but most brands across sectors are exploring the power of clean style when it comes to visual communication.

These clean designs are about staying minimal, getting rid of unnecessary texture, patterns, elements that take away the breathing space from what matters. When you add a touch of 3D to this trend, it gets more realistic and appealing to the audiences. Hues and shades of white, beige, grey are known to be few as popular choices for this growing trend.

As an aspiring or a young designer in the industry, you must stay attuned with the latest tools, design trends and fads of the sector. Understand how to better the user experience and design from human-centric approach. To gain access to all these and more, stay tuned to the Starte.in blog for more updates on the latest in design trends across product, interaction, branding and transportation design.

Also read: Importance of design research for successful product design development