Another year has flown by, and here we are again looking toward the future and all its possibilities. And since we prefer to leave the endless lists of New Year’s resolutions to all the influencers out there, we’ve decided to dive into something we love – design trends! So, we took a look into our crystal ball and have come up with some really fun trends for the coming year. Join us as we take a blast to the past with Retro Logos, the Jeweled Tones of the 1930s, and organic Folk Botanicals, and fast forward to a more modern design aesthetic with Gradients and Distorted Type.
Nostalgia is a powerful feeling that can carry us to a better time and place. It’s human nature to romanticize the good times of our youth and gloss over the bad. A few years back, logo styles and trends were leaning more toward the modern, sans serif style (see Google, Century 21 rebrand and others). But our love for the past always comes back around.
One of the trends we are looking forward to is the retro line art/illustrative style logos. Minimal, cartoony, and fun, these engaging logos embrace bright, bold colors that never go out of style. Sometimes it’s a brush stroke, sometimes it’s hand lettering, but it’s always fun. Out with the new, in with the old!
Check out these fun retro fonts:
https://www.letterheadfonts.com/
https://creativemarket.com/fonts/vintage-fonts
https://www.fontsquirrel.com/
Where the retro illustrative style is fun and playful, the rich jewel colors trend is moody and elegant. Talk about opposites! This luxurious trend plays off the warmth of deeper tones like golden orange, forest green, and the rich red and purple hues of the 1930s. These deep, saturated colors are excellent for portraying a high-end, luxurious feel that can be a great way to elevate packaging design.
Spice Tree Organics Packaging Coffee Tosside Packaging
With a swing toward these bold colors in design, it’s no surprise that Pantone is jumping on the bandwagon with their Color of the Year – Viva Magenta. This Crimson Red is a bold, fearless color that we can’t wait to try out! These rich jewel colors are perfect when you need to add a little bling to your design.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Folk Botanicals trend. Have you been searching for a way to add an organic flair to your design? This whimsical trend could be just what you need. Botanical graphics will lend the texture and vibrancy to your design that can be lacking in more modern design. By embracing the perfectly imperfect and unexpected color combinations, this trend departs from traditional geometric vector art to give your design a unique, handmade look.
Dieline Jessica Hoffman
Dieline
Gradients are back! Actually, they never left. A modern departure from our earlier design trends, gradients use cool transitions that blend from one color to the next, and they’re incredibly versatile. They can be used in the background, for elements, and even in text. Well-known graphic designer, Beeple, has used gradients in many of his digital designs, and you’ll find them popping up on social media, posters, packaging, logos, and even apparel. This trend can be eye-catching and bold with bright colors or soft, subtle, and luxurious with a lighter color palette. Gradients will continue to be popular with on-trend color pairings and abstract forms in 2023. So, experiment and have fun. We certainly will!
Taras L Mohamed Samir Cuong Nguyen
Jiyoung Kim za lina
And, finally, as we wrap up our favorite trends for the upcoming year, we have arrived at a style that is sure to turn your designs upside down – Distorted Type. As today’s societal trends crush social norms, traditional standards of living are becoming less rigid, and out-of-the-box ideas are fashionable. The world of graphic design is taking notice as well and breaking away from the standards of typography.
Equipped with its own set of rules for legibility, balance, and flow, typography remains a central element of graphic design. When type is implemented correctly, the message it conveys should be clear, concise, and without distraction.
Well, scratch that noise! Designers’ future creations will upset the status quo of type. Expect to see stretching, slanting, squeezing, melting, twisting, fading, and all other forms of movement. The result? Quirky, interesting type, leading to a new way of impacting your target audience. This fun new take on type is guaranteed to get you NOTICED!
Danilo Gusmão Silveira and KNAS
Bashooka Roxanne Kazmierski
As you can see, next year’s trends offer something for everyone. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic and digging the retro look or searching for something a little more edgy and modern, 2023 has so many options for creatives. And we’ve just scratched the surface of all the amazing ideas out there. Do some digging on your own and see what else the design community has in store for the coming year. Or be a true vanguard of design and create your own trend. We can’t wait to see what exciting things happen in the design world next year!
