Every year brings new graphic design trends, and 2021 is no different. But this year, the pandemic has heavily influenced graphic design. WFH, natural and geometric forms and muted colours are all playing their part in current trends. Looking for great graphic design in Newbury? Our eight graphic design trends for 2021 below will elevate your online presence this year.
Keep it natural
Sterile interiors and a lack of travel have played into an increasing desire to connect with nature. An infusion of natural elements into your graphic design will appeal to those craving the outdoors. But make sure your natural design elements integrate seamlessly with your brand concept.
Muted colour palettes
There’s something nostalgic and comforting about muted colours. They’re a big contrast to the brash and bold palettes we’ve seen in recent years. There’s also something organic and natural about low saturation colours. If your brand has a colour palette that includes more muted tones, now is the time to use them.
Authenticity
During the pandemic, we were bombarded with messages that brands were looking after us. Authenticity in design is part of a broader societal trend for transparency and honesty. In the post-Covid world, we expect brands to make good on their promises instead of bombarding us with cliches.
The challenge for designers will be how authenticity is interpreted through graphic design and content. That should mean less use of stock imagery and photography and more focus on personalised messaging.
Flat design meets realism
The move towards transparency and authenticity bleeds through into the growing trend for flat design and realism. It’s a design approach that looks strong and simple. Flat icons combined with realistic images can be a powerful tool when you want strong visual communication, not stock photos.
Geometry is everywhere
If fluid and organic shapes don’t fit your brand, then the trend towards rigid, geometric shapes that pop against a muted colour palette just might.
As part of the move away from pure minimalism, hard-edged and well-defined shapes add visual appeal and uniqueness to web design. Look out for the use of gradients and duotones to make those simple shapes even more eye-catching.
Text-heavy design
It’s unlikely that social distancing will disappear overnight. And the WFH trend looks set to continue well beyond 2021. Safety guidelines have made capturing live video more complicated. And repurposing pre-pandemic video is increasingly problematic as our lockdown world changes.
Text and graphics-heavy videos and websites are quick and straightforward to produce. That’s why they look set to dominate, at least in the short term.
Social media slide decks
Slide decks hit the sweet spot between videos and single images. Too much content for a single image or message but not enough to justify a full-scale blog post or video? A well put together slide deck is a great way to use visual communication to get the message across.
Slide decks also have the advantage of being interactive and highly engaging. We’ve also noticed that slideshows are prioritised by Instagram and LinkedIn algorithms over single images.
Classic fonts
Serif fonts date as far back as the 15th century. So if you want to give your brand a trustworthy and elegant appeal, think about using these classic fonts when making design choices.
There’s a reason that serif fonts are popular with media and financial services, so if you’re looking for a nostalgic appeal, now’s the time to consider them for your marketing collateral.
Looking for a web design agency in Berkshire that can make the latest graphic design trends work for you? Contact Jennifer Cornish Design to start your creative journey.
