10 Graphic Design Trends to Try Out

Perhaps more than any other creative industry, graphic design is heavily impacted by trends. Art, social media, advances in technology, and pop culture—they all hold the power to influence what the general public finds visually appealing. 

These trends are always evolving, and as a graphic designer, it’s crucial that you stay in the loop. Your audience is constantly exposed to examples of graphic design—both online and in the real world—and they quickly develop a sense of what feels current and modern. If your work doesn’t quite match what they’re seeing everywhere else, it has the potential to negatively impact your (or your client’s) credibility. 

Of course, this is not to say that all graphic design work should look the same. But by acknowledging trends and finding creative ways to incorporate them into your projects, you show your audience that you care about their ever-changing interests and tastes. 

To help you keep your work feeling engaging, relevant and fresh, let’s take a look at the 10 graphic design trends expected to rise in popularity throughout 2024. 

Top 10 Graphic Design Trends to Keep an Eye On

From retro designs reminiscent of early video games to futuristic 3D and AI-generated graphics, 2024 promises lots of room for playful experimentation and juxtaposition of styles. Get ready to flashback to the past, get a glimpse of the future and explore ways to blend it all together. 

1. Mixed Media

Drawing inspiration from the crafting world, designs that incorporate elements of scrapbooking, collage and doodling, bring a warm, hand-crafted feel to the digital medium. Combining cutouts, clippings, textures and drawings can help you create a visually stimulating design while leaning into raw, unrestrained creativity. 

2. Colorful Gradients

Gradients have been around for a while in graphic design, their popularity rising and falling in waves. This year, they’re coming back bigger and bolder than ever before. Get ready to see bright colors, unusual color combinations and eye-catching transitions. They make great backgrounds and fill in shapes, logos, and typography. 

3. Nature-Inspired Design

As more and more consumers express interest in natural, organic and sustainable products, graphic designers recognize the role nature-inspired aesthetics can play in design. Wood tones, muted earthy colors, botanical prints—these and other visual elements borrowed from nature can evoke a sense of calm and make a brand or product come across as clean, healthy, environmentally friendly and down-to-earth. 

4. Experimental Typography 

There was a time when clean, understated, minimalistic fonts were all the rage. Now, designers are letting typography take center stage and pushing creative boundaries with their stylistic choices. Rather than using existing typefaces, they turn letters into works of art. This can help effectively grab people’s attention, evoke emotion and communicate the design’s intent without using any other imagery. 

5. Illustrations

Illustrations have risen in popularity over the last few years, with many companies even creating custom illustrations and characters as part of their branding. This trend is expected to continue into 2024, as designers find more and more creative ways to incorporate them into their designs. 

6. Bold Minimalism

Minimalism remains a go-to style for designers who appreciate simplicity and elegance in their designs. But in 2024, traditional minimalism is getting a makeover—don’t be surprised to see bold texts and bright colors (all still done in a clean, tasteful way, of course, and with plenty of negative space). 

7. Vibrant Color Palettes

Neutrals and pastels have been reigning the design world over the past few years, but in 2024, bright vivid colors are back in style. Brands are using color to stand out from the crowd, grab attention and make a statement. Don’t be afraid to make bold color choices and experiment with unique combinations. 

8. Retro Pixels

In a world with 4K resolution, seeing pixelated graphics is a welcome blast from the past. Designers can use them to evoke nostalgia and add a fun, old-school element to their projects. 

9. 3D Modeling 

As 3D modeling tools become more accessible, designers are trading in illustrations and stock photography for 3D assets. From 3D text to characters, objects and even entire scene renderings, these elements bring a touch of realism (and sometimes, surrealism) to the digital medium. As a graphic designer, you can outsource the creation of 3D assets to a fellow creative or try your hand at it yourself. 

10. AI-enhanced Design

With the rise of AI tools, many have expressed concern that they could completely replace graphic designers and other creative professionals. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, designers can lean on AI to enhance their work and process. Combining AI and real human creativity can take graphic design to a whole new level. 

Ride the Creative Wave with Graphic Design Trends

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just getting started with graphic design, keeping up with trends will help you connect with your audience more effectively and communicate your ideas in an engaging way. 
And remember, following trends doesn’t mean you have to copy what everyone else is doing. It’s all about how you balance adhering to basic graphic design principles, incorporating trends and making them your own. Figuring that out and finding your own unique style is the best part!

Written By

Sayana Lam

Sayana is a musician, writer and graphic designer based in Toronto, Canada.

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