Wise men would tell you not to downplay what graphic design can do for you. In this article, I am that wise man.
The impact of graphic design is, and this is – no hyperbole – era-defining. An entire generation of people and a decade filled with all sorts of shenanigans can be defined by the graphic style that ruled over their years.
From the 70’s psychedelic craze, which ruled fashion and advertising across the globe, to the ’80s, when the synthwave ruled over the dancefloor and music album covers, graphic design had a significant impact on global culture. It can capture the essence in which we choose to live our years.
So yes, graphic design is a big deal. You should be paying attention to the marketing and advertising industries to see how widely-used these visuals are.
You should already treat graphic design the same way as fashion – it’s a mainstay. The graphic design industry ranks 9th of all business activities going into 2023, and 80% of advertisers utilize it in their work.
So it would be good to get some tips and guides to know what will happen in 2023. Here is the list of some of the things to look out for in relation to graphic design.
Even more 2D and 3D integration
As far as design goes, 2D and 3D designs are two different animals. There is so much difference in terms of appeal for these two dimensions, and they represent an entirely different mood and genre.
You can combine the flexibility and potential of 3D illustrations and the simplicity of 2D images and characters. The union of the two can bring out eye-catching visuals that people have not seen before.
3D illustrations are usually utilized in a more adult market. As technology continues to outdo itself, and as we go into 2023, we can only expect designers to be at the peak of their powers or perhaps even surpass limits that they did not even know were there. Furthermore, we are entering the genesis of the Metaverse, which is heavily dependent on 3D functionality, so we can’t ignore the amount of 3D influence that will enter our lives moving forward.
On the other hand, 2D animations and visuals are more popular to younger generations who consider the slick style. Naturally, mixing 2D and 3D designs and doing it right can breathe a new life into stale plans. It will become pervasive to all markets, from app design to character design to marketing videos.
Fonts, old and new!
Fonts are becoming more and more relevant in everyday design. From our homework, the logos we have on our clothes, a good font can make or break a design up to Netflix shows.
In 2023, people are looking for creativity. Awkward sizes in the letters, stretched-out edges, something fresh, and fonts from out of this world can reel audiences in as fast as your hungry uncle on Christmas evening.
For example, look at the hit TV show “Loki” from Marvel Studios. It has a logo that incorporates different elements and objects and a mishmash of colors. Still, it captures the character well enough for it to make sense. The 2021 internet-breaking show “Squid Game” also has a retro design and extended letters that almost allude to a mysterious puzzle or maze that teases the audience for what they are in for.
Surprisingly, it seems that Serif fonts are getting more and more traction.
People are looking for fresh-looking fonts, which Serif doesn’t seem to offer, but it can significantly benefit companies that want to look authentic and professional. Serif fonts date back to the 15th century, and people already associate them with class and elegance. So, if you’re looking to give clean first impressions, you should look into classic Serif fonts. Heck, it’s what the professionals are doing.
New minimalism.
I don’t have to give a long explanation as to why color is important here. After all, colors will be important going into 2023, just like anything else. You do need coffee beans to make coffee.
But what exactly is in store in the color department? Well, we may see more color minimalism this time around.
No, I don’t mean black splattered on a white background. This is not the 1930s. Brands and companies like Apple are already gearing towards cleaner, more inclusive color palettes in their design. They are part of a movement called new minimalism.
New minimalism means combining the elements of two separate designs, keeping only what is necessary, weaving it through smart use of color. By knowing how to invert image, you can seamlessly tie in elements and become a master of this trend yourself.
It works wonders. You can achieve eye-catching detail with not too many components that often make the design overbearing or distracting. This shows that a focus on color can help out a lot.
Banking on nostalgia.
It has been mentioned how past designs dominated global media, which I’ll expound on later, but what relevance does it have today?
There is a lot of influence. Although, it’s not that surprising that the old days were just the best. Or is that just nostalgia talking?
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. A hint of nostalgia can set us back decades, sending us into a phase that leaves us reminiscing and wanting something that is already a thing of the past.
It’s a beautiful irony. As we move into the future, the more we give tribute to stuff from the past, it is evident in the media that is being created and is being consumed now. Some examples are the list of Netflix shows that bank on nostalgia factor such as “Stranger Things,” “Dark,” and “Mindhunter,” as well as movies such as “Licorice Pizza” and “Fear Street Saga.”
Grunge
The last two years have been a rough road, guys. Teenagers and adolescents who are hyper-exposed to social media and have all sorts of expectations for showing off in middle school, partying in college, or traveling for their early 20s have all these dreams and memories stripped from them because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Well, that leads to a lot of angst and pent-up emotions. Now, what does that remind me of exactly? Maybe not a what, but a when.
In the 90s, Grunge was big for teenagers, and made it a typical style for bands and other products in general. Take, for example, Green Day, Foo fighters, or Nirvana. The designs had grit, dynamic imagery, strong colors, and everything from zine collages to smoke. All in all, it was a scary time. But hey, it works for an audience!
So, with emotions at an unusual high right now, and with many social media platforms capitalizing on those emotions (such as TikTok), Grunge designs are all over profile pictures, T-shirts, and product campaigns.
A return to the Psychedelic
What exactly is it about the psychedelic style that just makes us return to it time and time again? Since the ’60s, it has ruled over the music and fashion industries with its spirals, bold color combinations, and creative mix of elements that can give anyone a kaleidoscopic experience.
Who knows, maybe it’s something visceral. Something that speaks to the youth during their puberty, or maybe to adults who feel like the craze of their lives can be captured with the radical designs that psychedelics offer.
Psychedelic is the chaos that’s done with color and symmetry, a mosaic of wackiness that has enough flare to be respectable. Perhaps, psychedelic just does what every design should excel in very well, exuding an aesthetic. We are in a pandemic after all, and our minds can go all sorts of places, so the art that psychedelic designs offer can appeal to a LOT of audiences.
This 2023, do expect an abundance of new and fresh psychedelic designs in most of your shirts, music and book covers because it is simply a trend that does not die.
NFTs
NFTs are the new craze in the graphic designing industry. If you are wondering what is NFT? Then you are way behind the recent happenings. You need to keep yourself updated to know the graphic design market needs. The NFT trend is starting slowly and going to explode anytime soon. In the future, it is predicted that there will be more digitization of artworks in the form of NFT.
Graphic design automation tools
Not all people have the time in the world for graphic design. People are busy with their diets, business plans, emails, and keeping up with gossip. It’s no issue in 2023, though, because graphic design automation tools are becoming more popular for independent artists and big companies.
Some graphic design automation tools you can opt for are :
- Pixelied – graphic design software that caters to both experts and beginners. With a vast interface filled with options such as background removal, invert image, powerful editors, and endless buttons to choose from when editing, you can stretch your creative wings with Pixelied.
- Canva – a software designed especially for beginners who want to know the fundamentals. With its drag-and-drop interface, Canva is easy to navigate and use. Along with many options for stickers, photos, and templates, it’s a flexible tool that you can utilize for schoolwork or even big company proposals and presentations.
- Adobe Creative Cloud – a powerhouse in graphic design automation tools. It has everything from powerful photoshop, a deep storage, invert image, and the complexities to automatically re-fit your designs to any platform you like. That’s a spoil that every designer wants. With everything else that Adobe Creative Cloud offers, it’s a delightful deal.
- DesignStripe – create awesome illustrations for your brand and marketing assets. Explore the largest illustration library that is fully customizable. The best illustration maker tool for non-designers.
Keep your eyes open.
Visuals are consumed by the eyes. Designers and marketers aim to create the best images that they want to be seen, are needed to be seen, or something that people did not know they needed. So, to advertisers and marketers, keep your eyes peeled on what it is that your audiences want, and everything else will come after.
Also Read: 12 Graphic Design Tips Every Marketer Should Know