Top Graphic Design Trends for 2021

1. Muted Colors

Dark colors that are mixed with a hint of back and white form muted colors.

For example, a light muted color for red will be light pink and a dark muted color for red will be maroon.

They have been in the trend for 2020 but will likely continue this year as well.

Muted colors are received well and easy on the eyes.

Moreover, they elicit feelings like safety and nostalgia.

Therefore health and wellness companies prefer to use muted colors.

This is also a reason why muted color palettes were used in graphic design last year and will continue to do so.

You need your brand to be seen as safe and secure amongst these uncertain and chaotic times.

Therefore, use muted colors to appeal to your audience and give them a relaxed, secure feeling.

You can use these designs on your social media pages, your website’s landing pages and as infographics.

2. Symbols and Shapes

For a few years, flowy designs and abstract shapes have been used in designs.

However, that might change this year.

More brands are interested to incorporate proper geometrical shapes in their design rather than abstract ones.

So you will see more circles, triangles and hexagons rather than de-shaped bubbles.

Geometric shapes give a more formal and serious look to your design.

Therefore, companies may use it to look more professional.

You can add depth to your design with shapes and also use them to enhance your main point.

Bright shapes mixed with a muted design can give your design a clean, structured look.

Moreover, it adds more consistency and professionalism to a design.

3. Large Text

Outsized typography will be trendy in 2021.

Don’t get this wrong! This is not your usual large text but a text large enough that it is illegible.

You may think that this will drive your audience away.

Well, that’s not true because this will make your audience read through the text.

The audience will actually focus on the text and scroll through slowly.

The oversized text demands attention and it will work well to engage your audience.

However, it should not occupy all your space. You can use oversized text in different ways.

These include:

• Using it in the background to draw attention
• Use it to divide other elements on the same design such as small text
• Using it to encourage scrolling as the user cannot see all the text at once

Given that, large text does give a sleek, professional and elegant look.

You just need to use the right font and text size combine with the best elements.

More on this below.

4. Serif fonts usage

Serif fonts have small embellishments on the corners of a letter while sans serif fonts do not.

This article uses a Sans-serif font.

While Sans-serif fonts are easier to read, Serif fonts look more classy and professional.

Moreover, they are in use since the 15th century, therefore they elicit a feeling of nostalgia and elegance.

Serif fonts also evoke a feeling of trust. Due to their classic look, people are more likely to trust a brand that uses serif fonts to convey their serious message.

This year more schools, healthcare departments, banks and insurance companies might use serif fonts.

If you have more fun, youth-oriented brand then you can use Sans-serif fonts to attract your audience.

However, if you want to look trustworthy then you should only pick Serif fonts.

Though, you could try to mix things up.

They may look a little uneasy on the eyes but can be your perfect fit if you do not want to look that serious but still trustworthy.

Add a shape on a muted color background and use a Serif font for your text to make your perfect design.

5. Representation of Authentic Individuals

The modeling and photography industry has seen a shift from perfect looking individuals to rather an authentic portrayal of humans.

We see more brands catering to imperfections of the human body, the exact thing that makes them human.

We will keep seeing this in the coming years and we know that it is a very good change.

Though, we will also it in design this year along with the representation of races.

Using real people and showing their unique characteristics, imperfections and identity will be the highlight of design in 2021.

Therefore design will focus on people of different races and with different capabilities.

6. Slide decks on Social Media

Instagram and LinkedIn use social slide decks in their images.

These slide decks get more impressions and clicks than a single visual post.

Therefore more designers will be dividing their content to make slide decks.

As these attract more people then you can use simplistic designs to divide your content.

So not only do they fare better, but they are also easy to create and get shared more.

7. In-text Photography

We already see people using in-text emojis.

They are used as a communication tool now so you usually find them in designs.

However, emojis do not go with every design and give a non-serious look to your design.

Therefore, in-text photography can incorporate the communicative and emotive potential of emojis without sacrificing the seriousness and professionalism of the aesthetic.

It is a more sophisticated approach to using in-text emojis.

You can put custom photographs and graphic design elements within the text to make it more expressive and convey your message precisely.

8. Flat Icons Illustrations

More brands are interested in using flat icons and illustrations.

Flat icons are very versatile and can be used to convey a simple message without any words.

They are very quickly understood and give a lot of context to your visual without needing a caption rather it can elevate the caption.

You can create a visual story using more than one flat icon or you can use one to convey to the audience about an action.

They can be used across mediums like infographics, social media and even presentations.

You can use some free flat icons or flaticon here.

Illustrations work better than stock images.

They give a more personalized look to your content and even give you an edge over your competitors by giving you a unique brand identity.

Moreover, making your own illustrations, using flat icons or otherwise, gives your brand a consistent look.

Therefore, flat icons and illustrations will remain trendy this year as well and may continue to make a usual appearance in designs.

9. Nature-inspired Elements

2020 is over but not the pandemic. Therefore, most of us are still cooped inside our homes away from nature.

Designers will choose to bring nature to their audience’s sight through their designs.

You will see more earth tone color combinations, flowery and leafy patterns and nature-inspired illustrations.

However, they are not limited to natural and organic products.

In fact, they will be used to give a sense of serenity and renewal to our restless worldwide situations.

Therefore associating a sense of care and calmness with the brand.

10. Blur Effect

Over the years, we have seen gradients being popularly used in design.

However, now designers want to try the blur effect combined with a grainy filter to give some grunge to your design.

This may seem a little off-putting but graphic design is all about experimentation.

This combination helps to elevate your foreground elements and gives them more prominence.

For instance, your bold text and image will stand out in front of a blur and grainy textured background.

This may not be the go-to design for all designers but it can be for those who want to make more settled, dull and dark designs rather than bright and cheery.