Punk is not dead
Punk is a rebellious counterculture with roots as far back as the Dadaist movement of the 1920s. Although since then it has continued to develop on the fringes of societies, in 2023 it began to attract the eyes of more and more people as an outlet for mass discontent against official systems and their inability to cope with a number of economic, social and climate challenges. Aesthetically, punk is usually characterized by do-it-yourself techniques such as scribbled rather than carefully typed letters, varied cutouts, mismatched fonts and chaotic collages. Punk design abhors luxury and rejects decency. It is not afraid to be messy because it reflects life and consumers like its sincerity and boldness.
Utilitarian design
Utilitarian design is all about functionality. This design trend is influenced by the transition to an increasingly digital world. With so much of our lives happening online, it’s becoming increasingly important that websites and apps are easy to use and navigate. Through a utilitarian design that gets rid of all unnecessary elements, you can simplify the user experience. The key words here are minimalism, easy navigation and understandable content.
If you choose a utilitarian design, you can be sure that it will immediately give you some weight and gain trust from the users in your qualities. People can easily recognize its elements as they are used in vehicles, tools and user manuals. It is somewhat reminiscent of skewmorphism, because it places the product in a different environment, but using the same elements.
Flat design
Flat design (translated from English flat) suggests sticking to keeping things simple through straight lines, compositional balance, and a clear message. A minimal amount of shadows, gradients and 3D effects can be used. Flat design is particularly popular in the technology industry, as it allows the rational and efficient to come to the fore.
When it comes to website design, for example, when they have minimal design elements, they can load faster and resize easily – without losing quality on high-resolution screens. If we talk about illustrations or character design, thanks to flat design anatomical rules can be boldly broken at the expense of shadows, small details or other additional effects that give depth.
This year’s flat design is influenced by the color trends of the 70s, when bright and saturated tones reign but in synchronicity. A trademark of flat design is the thin black outline that separates the elements from each other. Typography is also part of the overall artistic composition. Bulky, rounded letters predominate, often accentuated by a thick border with a 3D effect, against which they stand out.
Classic serif fonts
Serif fonts, which were created in the 15th century, are in fashion in 2023. Vintage narrow serif fonts appeal to designers with their majestic height and delicate lack of volume. A large part of them also contain small elements such as slanted letters, descending contours, decorative hooks, etc. This way the design has a certain class and a touch of classic feeling, while surprising with elegant touches of individuality.
Serif fonts are most commonly used for newspapers and books, but now we can also see them in logos, hyped images for social media posts, modern websites and blog posts, and product packaging as they are easy to read.
Back to nature
Many graphic designers are drawing their ideas from nature and its amazing natural elements this year as well. Some depict it literally, while others rely on stylizations with muted earthy tones, natural materials, textures and shapes. Strict geometric shapes with corners are forgotten. They are replaced by soft and rounded lines and especially asymmetric shapes for graphic containers. Designs inspired by nature instill calmness, inner peace and harmony and thus calm our senses. This trend is in tune with the modern theme of sustainable development and is also suitable for organic products and companies that care for the planet. Even here, however, we can find a fictional reality in the form of brightly colored elements and even bulky 3D letters.
Bold minimalism
Bold minimalism is a style in industrial design characterized by clean, simplified lines and shapes. The focus is on functionality at the expense of decorative elements. If you follow minimalism, you will bet on either paring everything down to the bare essentials, or choosing a single central element to draw visual interest. Graphic design often uses industrial elements such as small icons as a standout element or to add extra depth. Usually, the font is among the leading elements. Quality fonts, letterforms and shapes add to the overall effect.
And a little bonus:
Dark Mode
Dark mode, which is increasingly being set as the default, is gaining popularity. It improves contrast, readability and the ability to work with a wide range of finer colors. For those who find the white background already boring, the dark modes offer a good variety. And not only in the phone!
In 2023, we see a variety of trends in graphic design. As a tool in communication with the most diverse circle of users, graphic design can also offer an original, unique and profitable approach to each target group, regardless of whether it will bet on something well-known or challenge with bold innovations.
