Media Active has done a design trend research to share insights on 2019 - 2020 design trends. It is not necessary to follow the annual design trend report, but it is important whether the designer is aware of the trend. First, we summarized the overall graphic design trends and then went through the recent expansion of the character market. Also, we have researched the avatar design trends started from the Zepeto appand Memoji and analyzed the UX trend for the last.
we would like to share ‘Graphic Design Trends’, the first part of the ISUX design trend report. ‘Graphic Design Trends’ shows the recent branding and motion graphic cases and summarizes some notable trends in overall graphic design.
This is a moving poster design with a kinetic typography concept. Beyond simply placing image and text, three dimensionally moving text over a fixed image conveys a new impression. These graphics are mainly shared through SNS in forms of short looping video.
Uber developed San-Serif brand fonts along with logo redesign and applied them throughout the brand system. Uber's moving posters designed with their brand font delivers Uber’s brand messages more strongly.
Media Active studio often applies kinetic typography to their branding projects. This ’Squarespace’ branding is one of their representative portfolio.
A typography design case which contains event information applied in 3D form as if it were a gift wrapping. A looping gif was applied as a main graphic of the design system.
As Instagram applied colorful gradient for their brand color, color gradient trends have been going on for several years. Recently, bright and strong contrasted colors have been used in all graphics of branding, UI, and package design and this trend is applied not only to graphics but also to photography. The strong color combination, dreamy color tone and colorful gradient are expected to be applied to overall design in 2019–2020..
Recently, a lot of mobile apps apply colorful gradients on their icon design.
Euro Sport’s 2018 Olympic broadcast also applied strong color gradient to all the application designs including logos, graphics and photography. Especially, the contrast of fluorescent graphic and the dark background emphasis the atmosphere of winter sports.
This is a rebranding project of NBA news broadcasting company which reflects the latest trends like using colorful gradients and bold typography. They applied a system which various graphic outputs can be produced by applying various colors, fonts and layouts.
Recently, asymmetric layout which only shows a part of the entire image has been applied a lot compared to the past when it was often designed based on the fixed grid system. Although each application seems to show only a part of the entire image, designers can apply the graphics to each applications that extend infinitely in a large system. By applying asymmetric layout, designer can have more freedom about applying the graphics elements which can convey a strong impression.
Graphic designer Vaszen Katro keep tries experiments with shapes, colors and layouts reflecting recent trends. Especially, there are many graphic outputs using asymmetrical and open layouts which are recent trends.
Leading cosmetics company (Amore)’s independent cosmetic brand ‘easy peasy’ tried to make this color cosmetics brand feel easier and more familiar based on their brand keywords easy, active, fun, bold and chat. In particular, the curves that seem to be drawn freely by hand applied throughout the branding system make all the graphics asymmetrical and express free and friendly brand image.
It is an example of identity that can expand the shape into various graphics and patterns using a simple square as a basic unit. The basic graphic elements are maintained simple, maximizing the effect of interactive image.
SM Entertainment, one of Korea’s largest entertainment agencies has developed a new brand identity that can reflect their expanding business. It is a flexible identity which basic circle changes it’s shape continuously making forms like connected S and M. The flexible symbol and the circular pattern of various colors are the core of SM Entertainment’s visual identity system.
This is an interesting branding case of a movie festival, designed with the images of film reel tangled instead of using a formal logo. It is a complex tangled film form which is not fixed, reflecting various colors and images in a complex way expressing various stories and emotions that movies can share to people which is the main purpose of the festival.
3D trend has been so popular that graphic trends cannot be discussed without it. Nowadays there are many attempts to show more vivid and fresh impression by applying sophisticated texture to 3D images. People are defining a new realism by adding a realistic texture to the geometric 3D forms which creates graphics that cannot exist in reality.
George Stoyanov expressed the beauty of shape by compositing various geometric forms. This kind of visual attempts are interesting because it is difficult to make in reality.
This image was designed with geometric objects of different shapes, textures and colors expressing the identity of Adobe Think Tank which is a forum containing various topics.
By applying various materials and colors on the form of walking people, this advertisement conveys an unrealistic and fresh impression.
The 3D trend reached its peak in 2019 and it certainly won’t fade away so quickly. Thanks to the opportunities of modern technology and software capabilities, in 2020, we will keep seeing more awesome 3D graphic design compositions. Moreover, in order to be more creative, designers will often combine it with other realities, such as photos and 2-dimensional objects.
Using organic shapes is not a new trend that also can be found a lot recently on various graphics. It is sometimes used as a graphic motifs of brand identity, but also applied to short motion graphic videos or designed in 3D forms. This organic shape with strong colors or gradients conveys a sophisticated and dreamy atmosphere.
Organic forms are often applied in 3D, and this trend is widely applied in short video works shared on SNS. Especially for this year, there are many cases which transparent texture is applied to 3D organism form. This transparent material reflects the surrounding color and creates a mysterious atmosphere by applying various colors.
By applying bright and colorful gradient to organic shapes, this graphics express the identity of electronic music festivals in Paris.
Illustrations once had been backed up in trend by various graphics using photographs but now became a strong design trend. Lot of brands are trying to use graphics that can give a new impression to their brands by hiring famous illustrators. In addition to 2D illustrations, 3D character illustrations have become a trend since last year and more cases are being used for branding.
The illustration style applied in Uber’s new identity are the fun elements in the concisely organized brand system.
This is most popular musical illustration video by Spotify.
This is an example of 2D pattern design based on 3D character which is applied on package design and to the brand video.
Isometric is a method to draw 2D graphics in to three dimension which has been a trend widely applied in graphics and motion videos recently. A lot of designers use this technique to give a new impression by showing the whole graphic in one frame, creating a playful and unique atmosphere. It seems that isometric will be also popular this year as last year.
The illustrator Mohamed Samir who often uses isometric techniques and colorful gradients designed a series of interesting posters.
The isometric method can give an impression that objects become like a miniature. Recently, a lot of cases can be seen which have made the screen more special and interesting using this isometric technique.
Combining various type of graphics from different media was a common way to have an interesting effect from the past. Recently, there are lots of graphic cases that gives fresh impression by combining bold colors, realistic photographs or 3D images. Realistic images or videos combined with flat elements are considered to be one of the major trends of 2019–2020.
When 2D and 3D images are combined, three dimensional effect can be more prominent and special. These videos are good cases using this method.
By adding glowing scribble animations to live-action videos, the videos can be more dynamic and interesting. Recently, more videos of dancers and singers in SNS platform apply this kind of effect.
There are a lot of work that is hard to know whether it is 2D or 3D. These videos can convey a new feeling by expressing the motion of the object in three dimensions rather than simply using 2D graphics.
As sharing graphics and images through SNS has become very common, short and repetitive motion graphics can be easily seen. A brand logo, illustration and various graphics are all shared in a short looping animation form.
These short videos convey unique and fun image by repeatedly applying short actions to a simple and flat illustrations.
As 3D become a main trend, short and repetitive images using 3D are also noticeable. Adding the real texture and 3D effects can convey unique atmosphere.
The development of AR/VR technology had a great impact on graphic and multimedia design trends. Recently, these new technologies lead people to have three dimensional brand experience.
Even though it is printed on a paper, this poster allows people to have interactive experience using 3D AR technology. The poster only contains simple geometric graphics and minimal information, but when it is seen through mobile, people can get more information and see three dimensional shapes.
Apple used the memoji to advertise Apple music which is based on AR technology. The famous artists such as Ariana Grande promoted their latest songs, while Apple had advertised Apple Music and memoji together through this ad.
It is Audi’s project that use AR technology to bring the car to its own place and allow the consumers to actively experience driving the car.
New retro, which interprets retro in a modern sense, has become a new trend. New retro is a word that combines ‘New’ and ‘Retro’, a modern interpretation of nostalgia for the past. It has become a new trend not only in design but also in various fields such as fashion, architecture and pop culture.
Retro graphics and videos that reinterpret video games and Hollywood movies that were popular in the 80s and 90s became popular again. A trend does not flow in one direction but can extend to various ways as we see how latest design trend reflects technologies such as 3D and AR/VR but also contains the retro style. I hope that these various graphic design trends will be applied in a new way, so that creative and interesting design outputs can be created.
Lately, we’ve been seeing a tendency of graphic and web designers using a monochromatic color effect on pictures. Remember the duotone craze from graphic design trends 2017? It turns out, the trend has now evolved into an even more simplified version. A monochrome color filter is widely used on photos or partial elements in graphic composition. Have a look.
Using metallic materials in graphic design has established as ultra-trendy for branding identity and product design. By rule, this trend requires a minimalist overall design, since the focus falls on the metallic effect itself. We’re noticing the designers mostly use gold – it conveys luxury, class, and good taste. But the metallic effect can also be achieved by using shiny surfaces over matte surfaces in any color.
To make the effect even more impressive, branding specialists combine this trend with relief engraving for brand identity physical materials such as business cards.
Image and text masking isn’t a new technique to the design world but it still looks quite modern in 2020. As it leaves a big portion of the image behind unrevealed, it helps achieve a mysterious and minimalist look. In 2020, designers will keep creating compositions with image and text masking, of course sticking to maxi typography for the latter in order to achieve the desired effect. Here are a few examples.
The trend of outline typography and elements which have been quite mass during 2018 and 2019 is now evolving into fully illustrated and animated line art patterns and designs. In its essence, line art is a schematic, simplified illustration style. As such, it is great for conveying concepts and ideas. It looks clean, elegant, and unobtrusive. Line art is one of the preferred decoration styles in graphic design trends 2020.
We’ve been witnessing a quite interesting and creative trend in graphic design which reminds us of the drawings we used to make on our notebooks in school, i.e. doodling. Doodling has started as a fun trend in the world of illustration but quickly became such a hit that we see it on designs all over the web. When used in graphic design, doodling helps to achieve a more informal, personalized, handcrafted, and overall fun feeling of the composition.
Typography is constantly an important element in design and is used as a method of delivering strong brand messages. Since last year, a lot of brands applied bold San-serif fonts or used strong typography on their designs
which has made this become a part of graphic design trend. In addition, there are a lot of typography cases that applying motions and can also find cases applying three-dimensional effect
to typography reflecting 3D trends.