Some Graphic Design Trends that Are All Set to Dominate 2021

A lot has changed over the past couple of months. Humankind has faced and is still facing the worst threat to its existence. A virus, an invisible force of nature, was enough to lock us up inside our homes and live in constant fear of death and joblessness.

There has been global economic devastation of epic proportions, and each day, even with a global mass inoculation program in action, things only seem bleak. Most countries were still trying to brave the first wave of the pandemic when the second wave inundated them out of nowhere. Organizations had to shut down their operations and work remotely. This made it incredibly difficult for businesses of every scale to take up risks and branch out in regions that were not explored before.

Speaking of which, one such industry that had to bear the brunt of not being able to take up risks in the last couple of months was that of graphic design. Organizations wanted to play safe, and that is why taking up risks did not go down well with their agenda.

Graphic designing companies opted for safer and more calming designs that would not only grab eyeballs but provide a sense of comfort to their clients. With all the hullabaloo that we have found ourselves in, it is nothing but reassuring to look at brands using designs that invoke a sense of calm, security and positivity. On that note, let us look into some of the graphic designing trends that are all set to dominate the world this year.

A Palette of Muted Colors:

It is really just in the last year that muted color palettes started causing seismic shifts of sorts in the graphic designing world. Graphic Design reviews and articles are all you need to look up to find evidence for the same statement. It is safe to expect that the trend shall continue well into this year, too and get more designers to start using them in their designing endeavors. For the uninitiated and amateur designers, muted colors are incredibly vivid in appearance and have their edge taken off by an infusion of black or any other complementary color. Bold and bright colors have worked pretty well for several years.

However, with people craving for subtlety, especially with the whole world collapsing around our ears, colors that are a little less garish and ostentatious are opted by designers. Muted and understated colors feel safe and even nostalgic. Therefore, it seems like brands are now more inclined towards using muted colors in their designing pursuits for the rest of 2021.

Simple and Minimal Visualizations:

People do not have all the time on their hands to analyze complex and nebulous visualizations. Logos, flyers and advertisements that have designs and graphical representations that people take more time to interpret do not do well in the long term.

Now that the planet is battling something bigger than the entire humankind, simple and minimal designs seem to be on the rise. The goal of visualization must be to break down complex ideas and make them understandable for people. If people take more than a few seconds trying to figure out what the graph of a particular study done by a brand translates to or what point the advertisement was trying to get across, the whole point of the design is lost right there.

Therefore, designers are now looking for designs that shall resonate well with the audience and make it easy for them to understand the motto of a brand or business. Creativity and innovation do not mean that you have to come up with esoteric designs and patterns. Simple and minimal designs—in graphical representations, logos, statistics and images—are what shall stick in the long run.

Geometric Shapes is the Flavor of the Year:

Tons of brands have started incorporating geometric shapes and patterns this year. In 2020, we had seen that graphic designers were keener on using abstract and flowing designs for their clients. However, we have put that way back in the past, and this year, the only thing that seems to work is geometric designs. Abstract, flowing, and softer designs are now replaced with hard-edged and rigid geometric shapes. Also, geometric shapes are much easier and simpler to create, and this is definitely a convenience that most designers are going for this year. In fact, some brands are so much into using geometric designs that you can distinguish them just by the designs.

Geometric designs with the support of muted colors can help grab eyeballs and give brands a distinct flavor. 2021 looks like the year when geometric designs coupled with muted colors shall be preferred by designers. Geometric designs are quite exact and precise. Therefore, when used along with more natural and understated colors, it can create a good contrast.

Flat Icons, Shapes and Illustrations:

Flat icons and illustrations were quite a rage five years ago, and every graphic designer on the block was using them. However, with newer and quirkier designs swamping the domain, flat icons and illustrations quickly went out of vogue.

However, 2021 has brought them back yet again, and it is this year that this design trend shall see a full circle. Flat icons and illustrations are ideal, especially when you have to create a ton of visual content. This is because these icons and illustrations can be used and adapted for graphics across several verticals like social media visuals, infographics and presentations.

Flat icons and illustrations help people understand what the designer wants to say even without any supportive context. Therefore, it is for good enough reason that graphic designers are resorting to the use of flat icons and illustrations this year.

Summing Up:

There are a number of graphic design trends that you might want to keep an eye out for this year. Each of these trends has something unique to bring to the table. Therefore, one cannot say which one is better than the other. Therefore, ensure that you keep a weather-eye on the trends and use them generously in your graphic designing pursuits this year.