If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that change is inevitable. And the graphic design world is no exception. Whether it’s remote work changing how designers create and collaborate, or free design software dominating the marketing space, or artificial intelligence (aka Skynet) taking (over) the world by storm, change is everywhere. And as creatives, we say, “Bring it on!”
So, in the spirit of change (kind of), we’re featuring 5 graphic design trends looking to make their mark on our cozy little corner of the universe. We’ve (mostly) agreed on the trends, but only time will tell who has the best predictive powers (or at least the “trendiest” trend).
We’ll begin with what is hands-down one of the most dynamic changes to hit the design space – Artificial Intelligence (AI), explore the modern marvels of Abstract Geometry and Maximalism, embrace the quirkiness of Hand-Drawn Illustrations, and show some OG love to typography in our Fonts With Flair section.
Future-forward designers are finally bidding farewell to the world of cliche stock photography and embracing the endless possibilities of AI-generated custom imagery and unique illustrations.
In a matter of seconds, a creative designer can use AI to transform ideas to reality, with professional looking images that are both visually appealing and content relevant.
With the increased availability of intelligent retrieval graphic art development tools, you can expect to see an explosion of AI-generated custom design being used in social media, educational tools, corporate branding, promotional materials, print, signage, mood boards, and anything else you can dream up!
So how does it work? Using text-to-image models, designers can imagine any visual scenario and submit a detailed prompt that will generate their mind’s eye into the real world. AI generation will immediately translate provided text into closely matching results. Some platforms also allow further human refinement by adding additional styling and filter options.
As AI continues to revolutionize the graphic design industry, creatives around the world are quickly adopting these shifting technologies. AI can be an amazing tool for enhancing creativity while simultaneously streamlining the professional design processes.
Get excited and embrace the change. AI is here to stay!
Are you ready to try generative AI imagery?
Here are a few great resources to get you started! Adobe Firefly – https://firefly.adobe.com/ Open AI’s Dalle•E 3 – https://openai.com/dall-e-3 Midjourney – https://www.midjourney.com/home DreamStudio by Stability AI – https://beta.dreamstudio.ai Gencraft (Free) – https://gencraft.com/
With roots in the early 1900s, this seemingly “modern” design style is back and ready to make an impact. As 2024 approaches, we’re seeing more designers ready to embrace the chaos, creatively combining geometric forms, confounding expectations, and sparking interest.
The abstract geometry style lends instant recognition to any design using well-known shapes and eye-catching colors to express ideas, create movement, texture, and depth, and even convey emotion. With so many opportunities for unique designs, we can’t wait to start exploring this bold “new” trend!
Zeka
Jeff Yas Paul Bokslag
What do you get when you blend all of the elements of design together in one composition? The “more is more” organized chaos that is maximalism!
Bold colors, repetition, little white space, contrasting patterns and textures, and multiple fonts are the hallmarks of maximalism. With layers upon layers of visuals, this fun style has a depth that’s missing in minimalistic design.
A one-of-a-kind sensory journey, maximalism is bursting with expressive creativity and attention-grabbing extravagance. So, throw out the traditional design rules and take a chance on this adventurous trend. You never know where it might take you!
Boja Jessica Hoffman
OD Design Studio OD Design Studio
Are you on the lookout for a splash of personality and a dash of creativity for your brand?
Hand-drawn illustrations are stealing the spotlight in 2024, and you definitely want to try out this trend!
Illustrations have a magical way of turning your designs into approachable rockstars. Whether you’re embracing quirky hand-drawn icons or cool graphics, or going all out with handmade fonts and illustrations, the hand-drawn vibe is your secret to standing out.
Not just about visuals, this trend is about reconnecting with your audience on a human level. So, if you’re ready to infuse your brand with a touch of fun, creativity, and irresistible charm, hand-drawn is the way to go!
Dieline Under Consideration
Bamff Midday Studio
With hundreds of thousands of fonts at your fingertips, how do you choose? Will sans serif fonts continue to dominate the design space? Or will the beloved serif make a comeback? We think they’ll both have their moment to shine in the coming year, so we’re highlighting a few fonts that are sure to rise above the competition. They have fun, unique glyphs and ligatures that make them true standouts for eye-catching logos and headlines!
A playful, hand-drawn font with plenty of ligatures and stylistic alternatives, Kocha works well for multiple logo styles, posters, and other fun events, and is available in clean and rough versions.
A calligraphy-inspired display font by Margot Lévêque, Romie is clean and elegant. This is a very versatile font, with 910 glyphs available in a variety of styles and weights.
Fook Communications Margot Leveque Sarah Bachman
Created by Storytype, Qureah combines the best of modern and classic typefaces, and is perfect for logos, titles, headlines … anything you want to stand out!
Well, there it is. We’ve covered everything from the not-so-futuristic AI Image Generator that will one day take over the world (just kidding … maybe) to outside-the-box abstract geometry and maximalism design that demands attention, to doodles that steal the show, and our tried-and-true workhorse of the design world – fonts. But wait, there’s more.
Since we still can’t agree on our favorite trend for the new year, we’re taking it up a notch with a new design challenge. So, in the coming month, check out our Design Challenges page to see all the creative ways we feature our 5 Design Trends for 2024 and pick your favorite. And if you missed our 2023 trends, click here to check them out now.
