Top 5 Graphic Design Trends for 2021

Graphic designers and agencies seeking to shape current graphic design trends for 2021 will want to take a look at these 5 themes.

Photo by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash

Graphic design is a field that constantly absorbs new trends. The year 2021 promises to be a year of hope and change as the world moves towards economic recovery and hopes for a successful Covid vaccine.

This article discusses 5 amazing themes that will shape graphic design trends this coming year.

Outdoor themes

Having experienced months of lockdowns, doing nothing but binge watching Netflix on their tablet, people are craving for the outdoors like never before. From glamping to rooftop gardens, it is obvious that people have realized a new fondness for nature. This is a big cue for graphic designers who want to appeal to their audiences’ hidden desires. Nature-inspired designs on marketing collateral and product packaging gives a soothing feel and helps people feel closer to the natural world. This theme will be particularly useful for designers working with eco-friendly products in 2021.

Social movements

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In recent years, we have witnessed a great movement towards social justice, be it in the form of social media campaigns or protests on the streets. Graphic artists will find new ways of incorporating these messages into their art in 2021. Prejudice against racial minorities, people of color and queer people will find a new voice in graphic design as many companies choose to align themselves with these movements and position themselves as open to diversity.

Sci-Fi Art

For many, it might seem that we have entered the age of science fiction characterized by flying drones, pandemics and tall skyscrapers. Graphic designers will continue to find inspiration in the retro sci-fi art aesthetic which is known for its imaginative quality and a hopeful view towards the future. Sci-Fi art can be a great way of offering audiences in 2021 much-needed optimism about the future with a bright color palette and motifs of social progress. 

Psychedelic design

Psychedelic art was a huge thing in the 1960s and 70s, and is making a big comeback in 2021. Graphic designers seem to love the freedom and chaos that psychedelic art embodies. Bold colors, detailed motifs and absence of white space creates a heady mix of design elements. The result is a visual creation that sucks you in and captures you with its apparent lack of structure and constantly evolving imagery. Visual artists will likely use this form when designing game screens, website interfaces and brand logos.

Pop art

Pop art is another legacy style that is gaining new fans in 2021. The thick line art, textured colors and bold colors are well-suited to the graphic novel format which can be seen everywhere from restaurants to Gen Z workplaces to product packaging. The great thing about this trend is that the current printing technology is well-suited to produce high-quality pop art in a variety of styles and formats.

Conclusion

The year 2021 will be the year when people around the world seek a return to normalcy. People will return to their schools, offices and families. Graphic designers will also seek new ways to embody this hopeful message in their art.