7 Graphic Design Trends That Will Dominate 2021
Muted colour palettes
Muted colours are the way to go in 2021. Since their meteoric rise in 2020, their growth shows no sign of slowing down. If you are unaware of what muted colours are, they are vivid colours just without the edge. Bright bold colours are what the majority of brands have used for decades however it seems like people are sick of this and want something more relaxed. Text on muted colour stands out really well and is much easier on the eyes than Vivid colours. Change your colour palette to muted tones now, you don’t even need to do anything drastic just use your existing colours and tone them down.
Simple data visualisation
People relate to graphics more than just plain text, it is more visually appealing for the audience proven by graphic vs text post engagement. Making complex data easier to understand is a tricky task, however, if you get it right you don’t need to explain your data as the audience can understand the graphics. With data it is often the rule that less is more – you don’t want to overwhelm your audience with too much information, keep it simple and only keep the necessary numbers.
Flat icons and illustrations
What is not to love about flat icons – they are versatile, easy to use and simple. The communication power of icons is so powerful, it can bring a lot of context to your text on your social media posts, blog post, infographic or videos. Using your own icons and illustrations is great for branding consistency. Nothing resonates with your audience more than consistent infographics – they will distinctively see your brand straight away from your posts just from the illustrations. You also don’t need to be a graphic design expert to design basic icons – it is an easier way to create amazing visuals.
Serif is back
Make your brand look more professional, trustworthy and established by using serif font (serif means with a flick) You can make your brand evoke these feelings also, just use serif font to change the entire tone of your website. If you are a professional company and need people to trust you (eg bank, school or healthcare) it would be wise to start using a serif font. Serif headers aren’t as easy on the eyes, but can still draw the users attention as it can create contrast from a sans serif body of the text.
Slide decks for Instagram
By having more than one image on a post allows the user to absorb more information in little time as possible. Normally with sliders, they are using the most important content from blogs/ articles which can be condensed down for people who want information quickly. This allows the post to gain more engagement than regular posts/blogs. You can pack a lot of information into a single post using multiple slides. People are far more likely to read the entire slides rather than the caption as its more visually engaging.
7 Graphic Design Trends That Will Dominate 2021
Muted colour palettes
Muted colours are the way to go in 2021. Since their meteoric rise in 2020, their growth shows no sign of slowing down. If you are unaware of what muted colours are, they are vivid colours just without the edge. Bright bold colours are what the majority of brands have used for decades however it seems like people are sick of this and want something more relaxed. Text on muted colour stands out really well and is much easier on the eyes than Vivid colours. Change your colour palette to muted tones now, you don’t even need to do anything drastic just use your existing colours and tone them down.
Simple data visualisation
People relate to graphics more than just plain text, it is more visually appealing for the audience proven by graphic vs text post engagement. Making complex data easier to understand is a tricky task, however, if you get it right you don’t need to explain your data as the audience can understand the graphics. With data it is often the rule that less is more – you don’t want to overwhelm your audience with too much information, keep it simple and only keep the necessary numbers.
Flat icons and illustrations
What is not to love about flat icons – they are versatile, easy to use and simple. The communication power of icons is so powerful, it can bring a lot of context to your text on your social media posts, blog post, infographic or videos. Using your own icons and illustrations is great for branding consistency. Nothing resonates with your audience more than consistent infographics – they will distinctively see your brand straight away from your posts just from the illustrations. You also don’t need to be a graphic design expert to design basic icons – it is an easier way to create amazing visuals.
Serif is back
Make your brand look more professional, trustworthy and established by using serif font (serif means with a flick) You can make your brand evoke these feelings also, just use serif font to change the entire tone of your website. If you are a professional company and need people to trust you (eg bank, school or healthcare) it would be wise to start using a serif font. Serif headers aren’t as easy on the eyes, but can still draw the users attention as it can create contrast from a sans serif body of the text.
Slide decks for Instagram
By having more than one image on a post allows the user to absorb more information in little time as possible. Normally with sliders, they are using the most important content from blogs/ articles which can be condensed down for people who want information quickly. This allows the post to gain more engagement than regular posts/blogs. You can pack a lot of information into a single post using multiple slides. People are far more likely to read the entire slides rather than the caption as its more visually engaging.
