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Design Trends to Watch for in 2019

Maybe you’re starting a business and considering your future logos and banner ads. Maybe you just like playing around in Photoshop. Whatever your reasons for looking into graphic design trends, here are just a few that you can expect to take over in the coming year.

Vivid Colors 

Gone are the days of monochrome layouts. Graphic design trends for 2019 will center around vibrant splashes of color that take advantage of increasingly high-def screens. It’s already starting, and it’s bound to get bigger as more and more companies treat HD technology as the norm.

Ombre Art 

Ombre art has taken the world by storm. You might be more familiar with the term “gradient” or “color transition,” but you should be prepared for clients to ask for ombre, too. It’s becoming a hot commodity with everything from hair salons to advertising companies, so it’s a trend that you’ll want to be familiar with as a creative professional.

Crisp and Clear Animated Graphics

This is another byproduct of bigger and better technology. People love their GIFs, and as phones and tablets become capable of handling high data loads, they expect these GIFs to be sharp. Pixelated loops aren’t going to cut it anymore. If you’re lagging behind in this area, you might want to contact your local agency to help you bring your animations up to speed.

Negative Space 

Negative space has always been a popular feature in graphic design, but it’s experiencing an even bigger surge as minimalism creeps into trendy aesthetics. Designers are being encouraged not to overload their logos and layouts. It’s okay to let things “breathe” with clever, deliberate uses of blank space.

Unusual Typography 

Designers are getting more imaginative with their fonts. Instead of sticking to tried-and-true typography, they’re experimenting with curves, loops and slopes that give brands a customized look. Expect to see a lot of new and creative fonts in the upcoming year.

Blasts from the Past 

Vintage never goes out of style. However, the colors and motifs might not reach back as far as you think; the retro design trends for 2019 might hail from the 1990s and early 2000s. We’ve entered an era where “vintage” doesn’t automatically mean “black and white photos” anymore.

Illustrated Art 

Stock photos are becoming passe, especially when they’re glossy, overly-perfect JPGs that were obviously pulled from a corporate image gallery somewhere. Consumers want authenticity, which is one of the reasons why illustrated art is making a comeback. It adds a personal, free-spirited touch to an increasingly Photoshopped world.

Duotone Graphics 

Duotone graphics are colorful, high-contrast images that catch immediate attention. They’re gaining a lot of popularity as brands realize their potential for stopping customers in their tracks. As a bonus, duotone graphics look nice and sharp on display devices like smartphones, so they’re expected to make a huge breakthrough any day now.

3D Images 

From 3D printers to 3D movies, people have come to expect a certain lifelike quality from their tools, applications and entertainment devices. This also extends to their graphic designs. Flat, boring images are on their way out; the modern user wants to be fully immersed in their digital experience.

Cosmos Designs

Have you noticed that a lot of brands are using “galaxy” themes with bold colors, wispy gradients and starry backgrounds? This isn’t a coincidence. It’s a highly-requested look for brands all around the globe, and it’s poised to be one of the most popular design trends for 2019.

Unstructured Layouts 

Layout coding used to follow relatively predictable patterns. However, web designers are trying new things to distinguish their clients from the competition, and the result is an explosion of unusual and unconventional layouts. From asymmetrical advertisements to hidden drop-down menus, people aren’t afraid to be different anymore.

These are just a few graphic design trends that you can expect to see in the future. For more information, including how to utilize these trends for your own business, contact Figment Design. We can offer assistance with everything from branding to advertising, and we can help you put your website on the map.