8 Biggest Graphic Design Trends that will Dominate 2019

Lounge Lizard
3 min readFeb 11, 2019

Graphic Design trends are a vital part of the web design and development industry. As most businesses utilize a website to promote their business along with selling products or services, it makes sense to stay abreast of changes and trends that could be utilized for better engagement, marketing, and converting customers. As a top web development company, we have seen a lot in our two decades of crafting award-winning websites, and these are what we feel will be the 8 Biggest Graphic Design Trends that will Dominate in 2019.

8 Graphic Design Trends Dominating 2019

· Gradients and Duotones — Color transitions have grown in popularity since last year, especially in logo designs. Gradients and duotones are both styles of color transitions which often incorporate bright tones for strong contrasts between the outside edges. Where before one color might have been enough, the use of gradients and duotones build an element with a little more pizazz.

· Contrasting Color Schemes — The utilization of contrasting color schemes and minimalism is on the rise. As other trends emerge, such as asymmetrical layouts, ones such as color contrast can then compliment by providing a form of color symmetry. Tech companies especially have utilized more light to dark contrasting schemes. Contrasting color has also been added to minimalist designs by replacing white space with lighter, softer tones of color that serve the same purpose without appearing as stark and barren and instead are warm and inviting.

· Asymmetrical Layouts — As almost a natural response to the grid-based designs which have dominated websites for the past few years, asymmetrical layouts are up and coming. Rather than following a rigid, now expected design, the asymmetrical layout can create curiosity and interest because the design appears more alive especially when combined with other trends listed here.

· 3D Design — 3D design has come quite a way recently, primarily due to the ability of devices to more easily render them properly, which is important when you consider the percentage of mobile internet users. The added levels of depth for both images and typography are being used to create engaging elements that jump off the page and make it hard to look away.

· Typography as a Focal Point — Fonts are being used as a design element by themselves. Similar to creating a custom illustration, designers are now combining fonts to create poster-style elements that are easy to digest no matter the type of device.

· Use of Vivid Color — With a need to engage viewers, vivid color is being used more often in elements to catch the eye. Lighter colors that are bright and intense also promote the concept of energy and youthfulness which makes them very appealing to upbeat, fresh brands looking to make a splash with a young audience. A word of caution; vivid color is best used in moderation as excessive use can be overwhelming and will not allow elements to stand out.

· Custom Illustrations — The use of custom illustrations has quickly replaced stock options. Additionally, the custom illustrations are ranging further and wider in scope and use from delicate and elegant illustrations to artsy or cartoonish images. As they are creative and original, custom illustrations can better fit both a brand and message which makes them a popular choice for an engaging website or marketing element.

· Authentic Photos — Similar to the above point, moving away from generic stock options and towards more authentic photos that someone snapped on their iPhone has become the popular route. The benefit of this toned-down type of photo is that it adds an element of realism to a site making it less polished which can be very important depending on the brand style.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that while we do not own a working crystal ball, it is a good bet that most of the ideas we have outlined in our list of the 8 biggest graphic design trends that will dominate in 2019 will hold true. As we expect most of them to not only flourish in 2019 but into the following year as well, they should be considered to help increase engagement and conversions both on websites and with marketing endeavors.

Be sure to check back every week for great new Lounge Lizard blog articles.

--

--