6 Graphic Design Trends To Expect In 2019
Every year, designers from all over the world reflect on rising trends and try to predict which of them will fade and which of them will flourish. This year, we’ve selected 6 of the biggest graphic design trends we think will be most popular in 2019! Here they are:
1. Serif Typefaces
Don’t call it a comeback – they’ve been here for years! Serif typefaces are back and more popular than ever, and we’re going to see a huge trend of serifs in the digital world in 2019. While serif typefaces have typically been associated with print and traditional forms of media, the digital landscape has adopted them as well. It makes sense, too. As consumers are increasingly concerned about privacy, authenticity, and building a relationship with brands, they look for signs of trust, personality, and comfort. Serifs are surprisingly versatile, as they can be used for emphasis in headings, or for easy readability in body copy or fine print. We like this use of a bold serif in a header, paired with a lighter sans serif typeface beneath:
2. Organic Shapes
In past years, we’ve seen a trend towards minimalism, then flat design, then hand-drawn illustration, and now, a colorful combination of all three. Meet 2019’s most popular graphic style: bold, organic shapes in analogous or triadic color schemes. This graphic style is only going to become more popular as more brands strive to convey a sense of simplicity, approachability, and fun. Organic shapes also help to make brands seem more “human” and fluid. This illustration via Airtable conveys excitement and shows that the company values collaboration.
3. Responsive Logos
These days, everything digital must be responsive. Most people are familiar with responsive website design. Having a responsive website ensures that images, text, menus, and all other content or elements on your website are able to adapt to any size screen (i.e. mobile and tablets) whether via scaling, stacking, or condensing. What most businesses don’t know they need, however, is a responsive logo. The same principle applies here – responsive logos are able to adapt to any size or format depending on the medium on which it exists. Take a look at the logos below to see what I mean:
4. Glitch Effect
Glitch art is one trend that will truly stand out in 2019. Its nostalgic, edgy vibe makes it a perfect candidate for use in short headlines, motion graphics, and even logos. Glitch art creates a sense of movement, can be used to heighten tension, add a sense of urgency, and create contrast. While the glitch effect can be applied to anything digital (photos, videos, and motion graphics) we’ll see it most commonly with type, like the example below.
5. 3D Type
Three-dimensional type has made an appearance as the “latest” graphic design trend for the last few years – but it’s not going away anytime soon. Type that appears to jump off the page and grab your attention is popping up everywhere, and we’re going to be seeing a lot more of it in 2019. With the advancement of 3D modeling software like 3Ds Max, Cinema 4D, and Rhino, the digital world is brought to life more realistically than ever. If the typeface itself isn’t 3D, then it will use strategically-placed lighting and shadows to create an exaggerated sense of depth. Check out this 3D logo that seems to have a rounded surface to mimic the bubbles.
6. Coral Hues
Also worth noting is the creative use of PANTONE’s Color of The Year 2019, which we will no doubt see plenty of in 2019. From product and packaging design, to logos, branding, and more, Living Coral has earned its place as a go-to hue next year. This color conveys vibrancy, nourishment, and optimism, and serves as a reminder to reconnect with our human selves. Since its debut late this year, we’ve already seen a huge trend towards using coral hues in all areas of art and design. Here’s the official swatch from PANTONE:
If any of these graphic design trend predictions are true, we’re in for a year of fun, vibrancy, nostalgia, and color. What trends have you seen that you predict will be big in 2019? Let us know in the comments below!
