A graphic design trend is more than just a fad: it represents an upended version of a year’s worth of constraints and clichés. If that were the case, design would be monotonous. Presenting the 10 latest design trends to watch in 2022.
There’s no denying that trends do matter, and that we do follow them to some degree. It’s just that no one would admit it (the Ultimate “Uncool” Thing Ever Since High School Mentality Said So – we all want to set trends, not follow them, right? ), but there’s no getting around it: Trends matter and we follow them to some degree. Neither is there anything wrong with that, but the opposite is also true: trends are an expression of our collective mindset at a certain point in time, and a reflection of what is occupying, motivating, or moving us. Having a relationship like that is truly beautiful and comforting. This is especially true after what we went through during 2020 and 2021. In this post, we’ll discuss design trends for the year ahead.
The purpose of this article is to lighten your mind by explaining, and more importantly, showing you, the top ten graphic design trends and design trends to watch in 2022 that you’ll notice more, with some that will last for several years.
1. Looking back on the 1990s
A recent trend in popular media, such as Netflix’s Cobra Kai and Stranger Things (among countless others), has brought back memories of the 80s and usher in an era of vaporwaves, neon colors, and Gothic serifs. The 90s are finally making a comeback in 2022!
In many of the trends on this list, we can see the 90s making a comeback. In spite of this, nostalgia trends reflect a nostalgic longing for the past through rose-colored glasses.
With the help of emojis, primitive frames, geometric shapes, and sketchy illustrations, we’ve relived the 90s. Childhood is still filled with the dripping slime and bright color blocks.
2. Design in the Ukiyo-e style: design trends to watch in 2022
The Japanese art form of ukiyo-e flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Their paintings included female beauties, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, scenes from history and folk tales, flora and fauna, and travel scenes. A picture of a floating world is called ukiyo-e in Japanese.
These types of art are characterized by bold outlines, flat colors, and limited perspective. A similar design is used to give ordinary flat vector scenes that extra edge in today’s creative world.
3. Vibrations of candy colors
Nowadays, creating content that stands out amongst the clutter is a challenge in itself. Due to this, graphic designers began using color creatively to capture our attention while scrolling.
Internet users are displaying bright, candy-colored scenes everywhere
4. The escapism
Designers explored the natural world last year to escape stay-at-home orders. They have since descended deeper into ever more fantastical realms. Escapism in its purest form is reflected in the resulting designs.
5. Combining 3D and 2D graphics
As the 3D design trend continues to evolve and expand, it is further establishing itself. Designers have unlimited possibilities to use this technology, so they can create almost anything they can imagine. Visuals that blur the lines between digital and physical, mashups of 2D and paper cutout elements, and hyper-realistic 3D visuals that blur the line between digital and physical. In terms of the latter, 2022 will feature a great marriage of 2D and 3D that will deliver the best of both worlds.
6. Patterns that are parametric
Graphic design relies heavily on patterns. They add visual interest to a background and break up solid colors. With parametric geometry, designers are bringing statement patterns to the fore in 2022.
7. Anti-designers on the rise
As the name implies, an anti-design rejects traditional design principles and aesthetics.
Trends such as asymmetry, color clashes, bare interfaces, and busy patterns is challenging to our senses. Some critics have criticized the style as being ugly for the sake of being ugly. Nonetheless, its supporters believe that it results in the liberation of projects from the conventional standards of beauty.
They plan to break the rules completely in 2022.
8. Adding a twist to fonts
There is a typography trend that defies standards. This print follows a similar philosophy to Riso prints: something is beautifully imperfect and off. But what is that twist? It could be an upside down letter, a bigger letter, a different font, or one that is missing entirely. A few letters in a small text might reveal a different message, following a different pattern than the rest of the letters. You can use it to emphasize something and make it stand out.
9. Riso Print Style
Due to the trend to go bolder and to go back in time, it is not surprising that risograph art is making a comeback both physically and digitally as an aesthetic. Risographs were originally intended for office copying and administrative use. Artisans and designers soon began using this model to create beautiful abstract artwork, posters, and ads that are impossible to ignore. The reason is two-fold. Firstly, our printers can’t reproduce the vivid colors we do. In addition, prints will often have small imperfections such as ink bleed, inconsistent colors, unpredictability in alignment, or rough textures.
10. Design in holograms
Multidimensional pastel highlights and high-gloss surfaces make holographic design unquestionably high-tech and futuristic. These highlights even create a sense of motion in static images. The mesmerizing effects of this trend have particularly attracted 3D motion designers.
In recent years, holographic trends have also appeared in other areas of our lives, such as fashion (remember those holographic bags and jelly shoes from the 90s? ), stationary, and so on. Hence, it is not surprising that this trend has also reached the realms of animation and the web. Applications and logos are no exception.
Conclusion
The graphic design trends of 2022 are quite a ragtag bunch when you look at them all taken together. Graphic design trends 2022 reflect our desire to find meaning and pleasure in hard times and to break the chains that bind us. Creators from around the world come together with an open mind to create mesmerizing designs with vivid colors, motion, perfect imperfections, and futuristic elements. 2022 is definitely something to look forward to.
Also Read: Top 10 Spring Fashion Trends to See Now
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