Graphic Design Trends for 2018 – As 2018 took off, leading designers and studio heads were asked to take a look back on 2017, and to identify the biggest trends at the time and give their output on what the upcoming year of 2018 would have in store for new graphic design trends.
10 graphic design trends for 2018 to make a great looking design
1. The ‘Little Big Idea’
The things that were found to be the most appealable were the designs that focused more on something singular and were used to create something with clarity, distinctiveness and beauty – Hence, the ‘Little Big Idea’. 2017 was about simple ideas, executed with intelligence. Let’s hope 2018’s designs are going to be as intelligible as 2017’s were.
2. Braver Colours
2017 was all about big, bold and bright colours, due to 2016 being a year of monochromatic schemes and dull approaches towards designs. Colours that resemble a specific companies brand, is becoming more of a core aspect in advertising approaches. Designs used to have more white spaces and clean layouts, but now the use of vibrant colours and bold imagery is becoming more of the trend. The use of bright colours is a good way to help content stand out from the meme-filled social media.
3. Brutalism is back
Brutalism is a trend in graphic design that has really become more and more popular through 2017. Brutalism is basically minimalism on steroids; it features a more rough, jarring and ragged design layout that captivates the eye and also communicates effectively. It strays from the more elegant, clean and straight-lined modern look.
4. Hyper brand distillation
This is basically the trend of, “How can we fit as much content into as little letters as possible.” A brand often uses this to become more distinct from competitors. It is a way to scale down the entire brand and product to be able to fit into a mere profile picture or application tile. Good examples of this trend would be YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook and Apple.
5. Modern Still Life
This is a look described as contemporary, geometrical and a bit abstract. Still life includes all kinds of man-made or natural objects, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, fish, game, wine and so on, and this is used in the graphic design industry as a good way to advertise a brand that sells a more concrete product, such as a phone or laptop.
6. Flat graphics in packaging
This is a more simplistic way of packaging for brands that has become a trend in 2017, it does not necessarily mean minimalism, but means less detail, layers and colours, in order to create an abstract feel that stands out from other competitors and captivates the eye.
7. 3D modeling in typography
3D modeling is a new and unique trend in the design industry, it makes use of simple backgrounds with volume and depth to help the product or brand itself to stand out and have a 3D effect to it – Almost as if it is jumping off your screen – which really stands out and creates a tone of wonder to your product or service.
8. Geometric type breaks the Helvetica cycle
This is the use of geometry within graphic design and type design; it is a simple method that makes use of more simple fonts but are used in strategic places around advertisements, and not just clumped up underneath each other in one place. The use of two headings with 3 words in each heading using this method can do more for an advertisement than a 40-word paragraph can do.
9. Hand-drawn elements continue
The use of hand-drawn images are a good way to stand out in a world that is dominated by technology and AI, and the man-made/natural aspect of it just adds a bit of a personal finesse which resonates more with a person. This trend has dominated recently in 2017, and is no shocker, as the newer generation is looking for a more gritty and rustic look as the modern look has become something of the norm, and unique is the new cool. If you’re looking for your designs to stand out, this is the trend to follow in 2018.
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