Posted on 2020-12-22
Predicting design trends is always a hard thing to do, but we are here to do our best and give you a head start. It is no question 2020 has been a strange year for us all, but in the world of online, learning, working, lockdowns, forced school closures, and businesses either being shut down or forced to pivot their strategies, the digital world has seen rapid growth. Everyone had to adapt a lot quicker than ever before, and with the rapid change in technology and trends, customers and business owners alike needed to adapt even faster if they wanted to stay ahead.
With 2020 in our rearview let’s take a look at the road ahead. Right now, a big influence in design is video games as they are on the rise now more than ever. The pandemic has forced kids and families inside to spend more time with each other, and what better way to pass the time than family game nights. We are seeing more commercials, shows, movies, and even designs reflect the likes of our favorite games. There are more video game characters on soda cans, in grocery stores or on the packaging we buy.
The first design trend we see making a big statement this upcoming year is 3D design. 3D design is not new, but it’s getting better and better. It’s made some of the most advances in terms of technology and software. With smart phones we can take pictures with some of our favorite characters with augmented reality capabilities. Virtual reality is only increasingly getting better as well, there are more high-performance apps and with internet speeds only getting faster it has allowed 3D designers to pick up their game a little bit. With 3D design we are seeing more lifelike, and hyper real visuals become physical. A simple picture is no longer just a flat thing anymore, animators and designers are bringing them to life in their own unique ways by adding movement or animation to them to really stand out from the crowd. We wouldn’t be surprised if soon you can make these edits with a simple smart phone with the way technology is rising, so be on the lookout for more 3D stuff and maybe pick up some free classes online if you can, or as always, the internet is filled with many tutorials and free lessons.
Another design trend we see coming back is nature inspired designs. We are seeing more organic, softer, and natural tones to designs. A lot more minimalistic designs as well, that are just appealing to the eyes. More neutral color schemes, earthy colors and tones have been a thing for a while but more recently we are seeing it in more and more package designs. Simple is more for a lot of companies, it creates an image that isn’t saturated by colors and over produced images, it becomes a breath of fresh air and something enjoyable to look at. This allows nature to come to you, especially in this pandemic when people are not traveling as much and taking vacations, these designs allow the beautiful scenery and those pop of colors come right to your door.
The last design trend that we’ve been seeing pop up more and more, and I think will be a new standard for design is cartoon illustrations. As mentioned before with people playing video games now more than ever it only makes sense that some of that cartoonish style comes out more in our designs. I’m not one for beer, but If you happen to go to your local grocery store take the time out to actually look at some of the IPA beers, they pop right at you with their unique designs, It's beautiful and very inspirational. We are seeing more and more people turning themselves into cartoon characters to use on their websites, business cards, posters, and even presentations. I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone has enjoyed cartoon in their life. There is this nostalgic quality to cartoons that are done right with design, they bring a nice warm smile to your heart and some of them make you feel young again. Having your own custom cartoon characters are something so magical and cool at any age! They can be playful, imaginative, and the best thing about this style is its most adaptable. They make for excellent branding and creating a memorable product or atmosphere to any website.
Keep on the lookout for these design trends, and maybe start to practice or watch some videos on them now to get a head start on everyone else. We think with these trends are making a rise and will be joined by others as well in 2021. Design is endless and we can't wait to see how technology and design grow from here on out.