Hello 2024! What about trying to predict some next big things in 2024 graphic design world? Much like any new technology that is always coming every year that has their own impacts on graphic design timeline, we find ourselves now in the middle of profound change in the world of graphic design trends. The use of Artificial Intelligence is at the center of this creative shift, changing both our methods of creation and our visual styles.
Understanding design trends is important for graphic designers, brand owners and global community of creatives who work with thousands of small businesses. Here we predict and summarize this year’s graphic design trends that reveal artistic revolution in the making, from 3D hyper-surrealism to digital destructions.
Rediscovering pixels
Just like any trend in history that repeats itself, pixel art from the early era of computerization already gets some attention last year but gets more spotlight recently. The idea of old days low-resolution graphics leads to a style mix by combining retro pixelated elements with modern high-quality graphics. The result offers vast possibilities for creative endeavors.
Garden Cutouts
A development from natural pattern and textures trend in 2023, garden cutouts trend offers a fresh break from the digital lives -ironically, in a digital look – providing a unique experience that triggers our senses and longing for a connection with the real ones. This charming graphic design trend draws inspiration from the beauty of nature, using shapes and colors inspired from plants, flowers and leaves to create a serene botanical design.
The visible differences from its previous precedents are its more massive composition and more vibrant color schemes; which will related with other points on 2024 trends.
Glass Distortion Effects
While grain and rust textures are still favorites in luxurious and industrial look, glass distortion effects has its own place. Reeded glass and glass distortion effects features a unique play of textures, lights and shadows on distorted glass-like elements; creating a sophisticated, transparent yet mysterious touch as a way to redirect point of interest toward specific elements on a graphic design composition.
The subtle waves and distortion on reeded glass effects paired with the use of animated gradients offer many chances for creative process and will give a much more intriguing visual story for advertisement material, for example.
Line Art Illustrations and Doodles
Handwritten texts and organic lettering on graphic design in 2023 has developing a further interest in hand-drawn sketches (or also known as doodles) and detailed line art that adds a playful touch to any type of visual media. This trend also plays a big part in humanizing brands and making digital interfaces feel a lot more friendly and approachable.
Added with motion design, doodles become a human touch that can react to user interaction in real-time; for example, a visual story telling with the help of expressive animated doodle that responds to a screen tap.
Inflatable 3D graphics
Continuing the exploration of 2023 design trends that embrace 3D visuals and the use of vibrant colors to harness 2000s era of bubblegum pinks and iridescent neon color schemes, we are facing the whimsical world of inflatable 3D designs. From inflatable 3D typography to bubble-like buttons and icons, this design style starts making its appearance in advertisements, UI apps, website layouts and other branding materials.
This kind of exploration creates a general quirkiness and playfulness that allows 3D design to make a comeback not only in a realistic way, but also in an exciting shape; with its playful and bouncy design aesthetic that is simply having fun and leaves memorable impressions.
3D Hyper-surrealism Design
Being standing out with 3D designs in 2024 is not just using 3D vectors and simple 3D elements to add depth. Much with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), designers now can seamlessly blend hyper-realistic and surreal 3D designs that incorporates abstract and organic shapes, vibrant colors and experimental fonts.
The design itself leans into bold self-expression and serves as a form of believable escapism and excitement for what’s possible in the present and in the future. For branding purpose, 3D hyper-surrealism can be applied as brand’s mascot or main character, welcoming the audience to their exciting world while conveying messages (and challenges) we all now facing.
Bento Grids and Visible Borders
In past years we already seen various graphic design composition, playing with basic design principles such as the use of negative space and symmetrical or asymmetrical compositions. The results are vary, and we have also seen pages with mostly negative spaces and just a line of typography, or asymmetrical composition with typography plays.
As the need of information is high and the reading time of audience is shorter nowadays, bento grids and visible borders is gaining its popularity in 2024. It makes order and balance better in the design and improves its readability. Note that with heavy composition rule, use minimum white space between boxes!
Glitch and Digital Destruction / Industrial Grunge
Graphic design deconstruction has made its appearance in recent years, but in 2024 in the midst of high-tech design environment, it becomes more prominent. The industrial grunge -some might call it this way- is a graphic design trend that features distressed textures and surfaces, added with glitch effects, unconventional kinetic typography and other gritty aesthetic choices.
The aim is to create an unconventional online experience, while it’s also a homage to the imperfections and raw life outside the digital world. It also draws inspirations from decaying urban and industrial architecture, the rebellious and counter-cultural movements of the past (for example, old album covers and concert posters).
Cluttercore / Maximalism / Heavy Composition
Along with industrial grunge with it’s rugged-look and rawness, cluttercore is another thing. Cluttercore features an overflow of visual elements, pretty much like maximalism with a more organized aesthetic. Its distinctive characteristics are clashing textures, noisy (not only contrasting) color combinations and excessive layering. Think about collages. The message of this design style signs a culture of abundance and a visually rich language that is crowded and highly curated in the same time. One little more step to brutalism, but cluttercore sure does seizes attention.
Inclusive Design (Diverse and Accessible)
In 2024 not only diversity and inclusion-themed graphics, but it’s more about the solution of the problem. Inclusive design that is both diverse and accessible that features high-contrast graphics, clear typography, alt text for image, and diverse and inclusive brand messaging among other elements. This type of graphic content is representative of all communities and designed to be accessible to all users.
We can tell that the awareness is growing between the socially conscious designers and developers about the need of accessible and inclusive digital world. The growing awareness of making the world web objectively accessible to all trends is going in the right direction. Off we go in 2024!
