We’re one month into 2023 and we’re already seeing design trends on the rise. As a graphic design agency, we’re sharing our predictions on what we think the biggest graphic design trends will be in 2023. So if you’re thinking about updating your web design, brand, or marketing collateral—take notes.
Foil Printing
Source: Bettea by Alice Macarova
Let’s be real—shiny objects are attractive. And foil printing will make your branded material shine. This print process adds dimension, a level of sophistication and luxury, and offers limitless opportunities on style, colour, and treatment. Used on business cards, brochures, or product tags (to name a few), this gives branded material an elevated look.
Our take? Print is not dead and we’re seeing a rise in demand for more printed material to market brands that want to stand out.
Motion Graphics
Source: Places & Spaces by Rolf Jensen
In the world of digital marketing, if your brand assets are static in 2023, you’re missing out. There’s a reason why social media platforms are putting more focus into reels. Video content captures attention, and adding animated graphics to your web design will do the same. Not only do they visually align with your brand, they engage your readers. Outdoor marketing is also taking a digital approach with animated billboards and ads finding their way onto bus stops, building walls, and more. Be sure to keep your eyes out.
Anti-Design & Monochrome Branding
Source: Monday, Tangent GC photo taken by Array
It sounds counterintuitive, but anti-design is heating up in the graphic design industry. More and more people are searching for authenticity and relatability in the content they consume. Anti-branding strips everything back to give brands a “human touch”. A pillar to this design trend is monochromatic branding. It’s a technique that uses different tones of the same colour to create depth, simplicity, and allure. Varying tones of one colour are gaining popularity and give that barely-there look.
Retro Design
Source: Pizzería della Madonna by FAENA Studio
Rewind the tape—the 70’s and 80’s are making a comeback. Graphic design elements that were commonly used in print advertising in the 70’s and 80’s, are showing up in reimagined ways. The use of simple shapes, bold colours, and freeform typography are characteristic of the 70’s. On the other hand, neons, pastels, and corals are signature styles to the 80’s. With Netflix hits like Stranger Things trending in pop culture, it’s easy to create a sense of nostalgia for the good ol’ days with these graphic design elements.
90’s Inspired Design
Source: Museo del Novecento by Alice Donadoni, Talk Dirty to Me
While we’re on the topic of comebacks, we can’t forget the 90’s. In fact, it deserves its own category. Bucket hats, wide-leg jeans, and fanny packs are hot again. And so are the graphic design elements that come with it. From bright pastels and fat fonts, to grungier patterns and motifs, this is a great way to grab the attention of both a millennial and Gen-Z audience.
Chunky, Distorted, and Flared Fonts
Source: Afrofuturism by Inye Nosegbe, Marla Aaron by Savvy Studio, Giki by Jennifer Wong, Beyond by Lapomps
Let’s talk typography. Type is a root component of any brand identity and helps communicate your message, tone, and the overall feeling of your brand. We’re seeing a rise in chunky, distorted, and flared fonts. Chunky fonts throwback to retro-inspired design trends and help create legibility in a fun and playful way. Distorted type takes traditional font styles and stretches or knots them to create visual interest. Flared fonts are a hybrid between a serif and sans-serif font, where lines of lettering flare at the ends (like those wide-leg pants we mentioned). Each of these types convey a different mood and tone but they all do the same thing—stand out.
Maximalism
Source: NDSM Open by Marta Veludo Studio, Futebol by Thiago Murta Ferreira
With this rising design trend, brands are saying goodbye to clean lines and white space. Properly executed, maximalism is bold, loud, and hard to look away. We’re talking daring colours, conflicting textures and patterns, and no boundaries. If your business is all about turning the volume up, graphic designers could lean on this trend to help establish a brand or website that reflects your expressive creativity.
Brutalism
Source: Furtivo, New York Photo Diary by Anton Shinelin
Coined “béton brut” by the french architecture historian, Reyner Banham in the mid-50s, Brutalism finds its roots in the term “exposed concrete.” It’s a design style that puts emphasis on structural elements to create a raw look and feel. While this trend may not be for everyone, it shows up and dares to go against the grain with unconventional imagery, bold font types, and edgier textures.
What’s your favourite graphic design trend for 2023?
We’re curious. What do you think of our 2023 graphic design trend list? If any of these graphic design trends sound like something you want to explore for your brand or web design, drop us a line. We’d love to get creative with you and who knows? Maybe we’ll start a graphic design trend for 2024.
