2023 brings with it the emergence of revolutionary approaches to graphic design. What will set 2023 apart from previous years? Gone are the days of flat, subtle designs because in 2023 creativity within graphic design has truly evolved.
These upcoming graphic design trends of 2023 will reshape reality as designers take forward innovative approaches to branding and designs.
With designers seeking futuristic illustrations, voluminous shapes and condensed fonts, the year 2023 won’t disappoint our eyes. Buckle up because the top 15 graphic design trends will be explored in this article.
Trend 1: Mysticism
Mysticism is linked with astrology and divination, involving iconography. Due to this, the mysticism trend is reliant on popular symbolism like astrology. Therefore, these symbols infuse the natural and celestial world with a deeper meaning. Including images of moons and stars, evoking a feeling of peace and nature.
From a visual ideology, there is an obvious gentleness to these graphic designs. The designs are usually made with thinner links and organic curves, feeling delicate and airy. Mixed with calming colours and muted tones. Consequently, the trend appeals to the mass. You don’t have to be spiritual; to appreciate the serenity of mystic graphic designs.
Trend 2: Retro Line Art
The trend allows designers to turn minimal line art to create humorous illustrations, creating drawings with felt-tip markers that offer a nostalgic memory. Almost cartoon-like, the simplicity of the art makes it perfect for laid-back projects looking to embrace fun and humour.
Due to the minimalism of the art, they can hold ultra-bright colouring without overwhelming the design. Designers pair these fun illustrations with bubble fonts to enhance the style and give the vibe of vintage advertisements.
Trend 3: Minimal Vintage
With the direction of graphic design heading back to minimal styling, the minimal vintage trend subtly edges its way back to design styles of the 20th century.
Initially, these designs shouldn’t look vintage, but with a cleverly chosen colour palette, or simply type style, a particular decade can be referenced. This subtly nostalgic minimal vintage graphic design style is set to be a big trend in 2023.
Trend 4: Airbrush Surrealism
Surrealism alone is a popular design due to its weirdness and uniqueness. In 2023, we will see the surrealism trend paired with 80s airbrush techniques. This will demonstrate softer retro filters layered with chimeric images.
Creating the sensation that the viewer is recalling the graphic design from a muddled dream. The blurring colours can create softer glows, making the graphic feel transcendent, and look great on posters.
Airbrush surrealism suggests that the weird has now become ordinary. Stepping back from the 2000s Y2K trend, the airbrush surrealism trend becomes more dominant within the graphic design field. T
Trend 5: Mixed Dimension
Entering 2023, graphic designers are aiming to break the boundaries between digital illusions and real-life photography. Merging the illusion and the real might sound odd, the trend focuses on splashing colour and cartoon-like illustrations to emphasise the contrast between these elements.
The trend shows that the world is a place of discovery and imagination, and when life feels gloomy, it is the power of art which can offer escapism.
Trend 6: Abstract Gradients
Gradients have been on trend for a long time, and in 2023 they will be expressed through abstract shapes and blurs. Gradients tend to create a feeling of calmness due to their soft colours. Abstract gradients create a feeling of weightlessness, adding to this calmness.
Abstract gradients can include vibrant colours and beautiful wave patterns. This type of graphic design is prominent in the graphic design culture of 2023.
Trend 7: Photographic Branding
Photography gives brand identity the ability to offer a human quality in 2023. In the upcoming year, branding trends will steer towards real-life images, as opposed to illustrations. However, in some cases brands will blend illustrations and 3D graphics with photography, creating a surreal outcome.
This type of photography represents a company visually, to fit with its visual identity using colours, props, locations and clothing. Examples may be photos of the team, the products or even a process. These graphics can be used digitally across social media platforms, on websites or in-printing resources, such as brochures, to spread a brand’s message.
Trend 8: Liquid Gradients
Liquid gradients translate seamless images from static to animated. These artful colour illusions offer immediate intrigue to packaging and backgrounds. Gradients are a great way to add colour and depth to designs.
The liquid gradient is set to be very popular in 2023. Liquid gradients put a spin on the running colour gradient trend. They can be glossy or oily, but overall, they feel more liberated than recent gradient trends.
Trend 9: Sci-Fi Logos
More brands are embracing a futuristic approach in 2023, especially for their logo designs. Consumers are now seeking out brands which appear to be ahead of their time.
An example of this is the car brand, Skoda, as they move towards pushing all-electric vehicles, their new sci-fi logo communicates the brand’s future vision. Skoda’s new flat logo is sci-fi-inspired and feels futuristic and exciting.
Trend 10: Foil Printing
The foil printing technique will be a big trend in 2023, to produce print materials which look more luxurious and chicer. A fabulous perk of foil printing are the endless possibilities that come with the technique, from gold foil to multi-coloured, this graphic design can suit all kinds of industries.
There are three different methods of foil printing: hot foiling, cold foiling and digital foiling. All three techniques transfer metallic elements from a film onto paper.
Trend 11: Prominent Photography
It’s no secret that photography is a key element of graphic design, and in 2023 brands will use photography to their advantage to tell stories and evoke feelings.
Graphic designers can play around with these images to create different layouts, and add different details, perhaps even interactive elements or enhance the images to 3D.
Trend 12: The Clay Look
The clay look is achieved by using a digital technique but can also be designed using real plasticine. This design introduces bumpy services that look as if they have been shaped by fingers. This represents the idea that beauty hides in imperfection.
This 2023 graphic design encourages those creatives to seek change and experiment with new techniques. Graphic designers have the power to impact the world with their own hands.
Trend 13: The Clean Style
The clutter-free clean style graphic design brings calmness and purity to designs. This style allows designers to embrace the essence of things. Creating breathing room for what really matters is the aim of the clean-style design. Getting rid of complicated patterns.
The main colour palette of this graphic design style consists of white, cream, light beige, and off-shades of white, all conveying the idea of cleanliness in its purest form. Simple, but effective. Perhaps less really is more.
Trend 14: 70s Retro Flat Style
Vibrant and daring designs are making a comeback, inspired by the art of the 70s. Putting bright and saturated colours on the map. They are bold and over-the-top, but these 70s art combinations are well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing to look at.
Using flat illustrations, modernised and futuristic looking, still tying in with the trend of the 1970’s. This graphic design brings with it a charming nostalgia, and arguably a chaotic feel as every detail is defined by a thin black lining which is used to create contrast and order. This makes the design more comprehensive.
Trend 15: Artistic Serif Fonts
The serif font has been well-known by the graphic design world for a long time, usually setting a formal tone, creating a sense of professionalism. Whilst this is a strong quality of the font, the newest graphic design trends require the, to challenge this.
Designers will add playfulness to the font, intertwining distorted shapes and letters, perhaps liquidising strokes or wrapping letters around different letters. This interactivity of the font will give it a new identity which brands can take advantage of. The possibilities are unlimited.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, these 2023 trends are a thrilling evolution of graphic design and art. Each trend offers a creative outlet which can be communicated to the masses. Infographic designs will also have a big impact on graphic design this upcoming year.
These trends will not be passed by lightly, as they set a standard for creatives to produce designs that feel current and new. There is plenty to look forward to in 2023, from futuristic designs to colourful liquid gradients to prominent photography.
Without a doubt, these trends will push the imagination of designers and enhance the curiosity of the masses, inspiring others whilst sending new messages out into the world. 2023 will be the year of never seen before, unique and exciting graphic designs.