We Reviewed TOP of Design Trends 2024 and found out that…
Every year, the media presents us with hundreds of versions of ‘NEXT YEAR TRENDS.’ I was really curious about which trends really work and which ones fail. That’s how the idea to review top design companies and their predictions on Design Trends for 2024 came about.
Visual Design Trends
Visual Design Trends of 2024, what are they? I have reviewed 26 trends that were presented by Adobe, Behance, Canva, Shutterstock & Depositphotos and found similarities in their predictions! Does it mean that trend prediction is possible or it’s just a trick that everything could be transformed into a trend?
Behance, Canva, and Adobe create their reports and predictions based on their own data, such as search query analytics, types of content on the platform, and the popularity of content. Adobe mentions that their team researches emerging creative styles, consumer patterns, technology advancements, and stock buyer data.
Due to different research methods, content types, and audience segmentation, trends can differ, but they share many commonalities. Let’s explore similarities in trends to see what we can find.
1. Diversity and Creativity
Nowadays, design trends are increasing in diversity, scope, and creativity, with over 25% of them referring to various visual design techniques. Some follow the decentralization pattern.
What does this mean for creatives like you and me? Everything can be a trendy thing! Whether you’re a graphic designer working mostly in 2D, a 3D artist, a motion designer, or an AI enthusiast, you can be trendy. However, design companies offer some advice that they suggest you follow:
Accent Fonts
Behance suggested using curvy, bold typefaces that bring the carefree spirit of the 70’s.
Shutterstock says: «For graphic designers and social media marketers, the type trend to turn to in 2024 is undoubtedly the elegantly understated serif font.»
Depositphotos pushes you to try experimenting with enlarged vintage letters and handwriting and don’t forget contrasting typeface combinations, including readable Sans Serifs paired with themed ones like pixel fonts.
Illustrations and Doodles
Behance trend “Doobled Details” shows that doodle-like illustrations and hand-drawn elements add a light-hearted, human dimension that helps the audience form a warmer connection with the brand.
Pixelart
+179% increase in popularity as a trend on Canva this year. Pixelation as a graphic design trend draws on classic 8-bit videogames and computer animations to evoke comfort and nostalgia. Grids, blocky fonts, and pixel art fit perfectly with this trend.
Geometric Forms
Floral geometric patterns, blob art, or flowing shapes in murals — especially a combination of geometric and organic shapes. Simple, expressive, and abstract, this trend is all about a professional, yet lively vibe.
AI design
AI has already worked its way into most mainstream design apps and software programs. AI can offer valuable insights and inspiration, helping designers explore new concepts and push the boundaries of their creativity.
2. Nostalgia
Sure, some visual techniques might be trendy on their own, but it’s generally better to focus on styling, atmosphere, and the story you want to tell.
Design and fashion trends are often cyclical, and in 2024, content creators are at the forefront of rethinking the past and shaping future concepts. Some artists will look for answers in the vibrant street culture of the 70s-90s and family heritage, while others will dive into emerging online aesthetics.
All of the reviewed companies talk about the main emotion of 2024 — Nostalgia. This trend is taking 24% of all trends that were provided by Adobe, Behance, Canva, Shutterstock & Depositphotos.
Adobe highlights that Gen Z is leading the way. Young creators encapsulate the ways to craft contemporary interpretations of vintage looks and lifestyles.
As an example, the Pixelart trend from Canva refers to nostalgic old-fashioned interfaces with 8-bit graphics aesthetics.
Shutterstock cites the Pantone Trend Report, stating that colors for Spring 2024 are infused with a hint of nostalgia.
Executive Director of the Pantone® Color Institute said: «A harmonious mix of familiar shades infused with a contemporary edge, colors for NYFW Spring 2024 introduce a new interpretation of current times as memories of the past and a glimpse of the future bring hope for the present».
One more Canva trend “Bold is back” brings us “back to the future”. This trend owes a lot to flashy 20th-century art movements, including pop art, art deco, and 80s advertising.
3. Playfulness & Positivity
The “Playfulness & Positivity” trend is taking inspiration from a variety of elements to evoke emotions of joy and optimism. Emerging trends towards playful, organic, and tactile textures are a breath of fresh air. These trends embrace a sense of playfulness and friendliness that attract users.
Search terms like ‘lively’ and ‘vivid’ experiencing a remarkable 32000% growth on platforms like Canva. No wonder that nowadays people are seeking experiences that instill profound and positive emotions.
Bold compositions with vibrant and fluorescent color schemes are becoming popular among artists. The approach that employs minimal visual elements to direct attention and conveys positivity, fun, and optimism, particularly appealing to organizations aiming for changes.
The “Playfulness & Positivity” trend taps into users’ emotions by evoking a sense of warmth, comfort, and nostalgia. The soft and tactile elements of this design trend create a feeling of playfulness, making users feel at ease and emotionally connected to the brand or website.
4. Calmness
The next trend is also emotional and reflects the inner need of society: calmness and tranquility.
Adobe believes that, as people seek to improve their emotional balance, brands and organizations are supporting them by incorporating fluid, flowing, and relaxing visuals that soothe the senses in workplaces, retail spaces, social channels, and more. Visuals can vary from simple abstract and repetitive backgrounds to gently shifting forms that are often set to soothing sounds and music.
Behance mentions that creators are embracing the trend of using “Color that has Aura of calmness and tranquility” — Periwinkle. This soothing color was a popular choice across a wide range of creative disciplines, from 3D art and motion projects to packaging, identity design, and photography.
5. Dimensions & Motion
The “Dimension & Motion” trend for 2024 is a captivating fusion of dynamic visuals and layered dimensions. Drawing inspiration from zine culture and handmade scrapbooks, the motion collage trend creates intricate, shifting vistas that are set to dominate video displays.
Rooted in the experimental animations of the 1800s, the Dynamic Dimensions trend from Adobe embraces a playful mix of 2D and 3D elements, incorporating motion, special effects, and illustrations, resulting in modern and futuristic visuals that evoke a sense of limitless possibility.
The trend encourages the use of collages, multi-layering, and rapid changes in emotion, inviting designers to combine various styles and concepts in a chaotic yet harmonious manner, bridging the gap between disorder and order in visual storytelling.
6. Aether Worlds
Dive into the ‘Aether Worlds’ trend, where fantasy art, ethereal designs, and intriguing subconscious connections take center stage. Embrace the escape from reality and unleash your creativity in crafting surreal scenes.
Canva shared that they see people searching more and more for ‘ethereal’, ‘dreamy’, ‘glossy’, and ‘fantasy’ templates and elements in this trend category.
Whether exploring 3D scenes revealing the intricate wonders of nature or capturing landscapes that blur the line between reality and surrealism, this trend invites graphic designers to infuse vivid color palettes and hyperreal details, offering a mesmerizing and transporting experience for viewers. Channel the fantastical and otherworldly to create a familiar yet supernatural realm that captivates the imagination.
A perfect example of the trend is given by Behance in their report. They cite the 3D designer and director Zachary Corzine talking about his series Unnatural World: «It’s an exploration of the hyperreal, inspired by the real.»
Interested in details? All Trend Reports at one place
Adobe
Adobe team works year-round to research emerging creative styles, consumer patterns, technology advancements, and stock buyer data.
1. Calming Rhythms
The Calming Rhythms trend underscores the importance of mental well-being, featuring serene and fluid visuals, including simple abstract backgrounds and subtly shifting forms often accompanied by soothing sounds. Popular elements include video clips with graphic silhouettes and captivating lighting effects.
#wellness #calm #well-being #abstract #fluid #balance
2. Wonder and Joy
In the contemporary era, individuals seek experiences that evoke deep and positive emotions. Wonder and Joy visuals capture this by reflecting a range of experiences, from everyday pleasures like music and time with pets to luxurious travel, presented through diverse forms, from simple illustrations to AI-generated fantasy environments.
#joy #positivity #fun #pleasure
3. Dynamic Dimensions
The Dynamic Dimensions trend blends the array of content types to produce vibrant, energetic visuals, fueled by the realms of the multiverse, gaming, VR, and AR. In this trend, 2D and 3D elements seamlessly integrate with motion, special effects, and illustrations, creating a modern, futuristic aesthetic that sparks a sense of boundless potential.
#metaverse #dimensions #playfulness #collage #3d #2d #VR #motion
4. The New Nostalgia
No matter how society and cultural changes propel us forward, there’s a growing consumer interest in visuals that harken back to the past, seen as representations of simpler times.
The recent fascination with the 90s and aughts styles of 2000x has expanded into a broader exploration of various eras, especially with Gen Z generation. This trend, known as New Nostalgia, captures the contemporary reinterpretations of vintage aesthetics and lifestyles, often expressed through creative and hyper-realistic renderings produced with generative AI.
#nostalgia #90s #2000s #vintage #retro
Behance
Behance has already reached more than 50 million diverse creatives shared work across every diverse genres. At the end of 2023, they looked at thousands of top Behance projects to identify five visual trends, and here it is:
1. Unearthly Delights
«Between the real and the surreal, fantastical and otherworldly visions of our world» — 3d, graphic, photography experiments that explore the perplexing intricacies of nature.
#nature #futuristic #surreal #fantastical #otherworldly #3d #2d
2. Periwinkle
«Color that has Aura of calmness and tranquility» — The color periwinkle has been popular in diverse areas such as 3D art, motion projects, packaging, identity design, and photography due to its ability to evoke feelings of peace and relaxation.
«It can also call for a sense of innocence and nostalgia, like clear skies or delicate flowers.» — 3D designer Mako Tsereteli said.
#calm #tranquility #relaxation
3. Doodled Details
Graphic, branding, and packaging design increasingly feature doodle-like illustrations, adding a human touch that fosters a warmer connection with the brand. These hand-drawn elements, often paired with bold or elegant fonts, offer an approachable and playful aesthetic, creating engaging visual experiences. The appeal lies in their nostalgic charm, bridging childhood associations with mature and meaningful adult consumption.
#playfulness #friendly #illustration #hand-drawing #doodle
4. Groovy Type
In 2023, design and fashion embraced the cyclical bohemian vibes of Groovy Type, featuring curvy and bold 70s-inspired fonts in branding, packaging, and poster projects. These attention-demanding fonts evoke nostalgia, infusing designs with confidence and playfulness.
#nostalgia #playfulness #70s #fonts
5. Color Block
Color Block is a powerful technique for creating impactful compositions, emphasizing the harmony between colors and shapes. The strategic combination of vibrant colors represents diversity and unity, making color choice a fascinating challenge for designers.
#colorfull #minimalistic #playfulness
Canva
Creative Canva global community counts more than 170 million people, and here is its unique insight into visual communication and design. Insights are based on the growing popularity of elements in the Canva content library, search trends, and emerging patterns among the global user base. So here are the 5 top trends from Canva:
1. Pixelation: precise yet playful
Pixelated typography, intricate artwork, and inventive use of grids make a big part of this trend. Looks like, the popularity of Minecraft and nostalgic old-fashioned interfaces with 8-bit graphics aesthetics did their job.
Pixelation is increasing in popularity for the second year in a row: with 126% growth in searches on Canva in 2022 and a further 179% in 2023.
#playfulness #nostalgia #pixel #8-bit #pixelart #fonts
2. Flow and Form: organic meets geometric
Flow and Form, a blend of geometric and organic shapes, creates a powerful impact with minimal outlines. This playful and abstract trend, characterized by dynamic shapes and vibrant colors, is a captivating tool for visual communication, dominating packaging and brand identities. Its clever use of oversized geometrical elements infuses brands with a contemporary, joyous vibe.
This trend increased by 27% at 2023. Consistently one of your go-to aesthetic categories on Canva, people are searching such terms as blob, minimalist, organic, outline, scribble, and shapes.
#playfulness #minimalist #organic #outline #shapes #geometry #nature
3. Motion Collage: shift your perspective
Attention-grabbing technique- Motion collage, that takes its cues from zine culture, handmade scrapbooks, and photo montages to create intricate, shifting vistas.
Searches for the terms ‘cut out’ and ‘scrapbook’ have ballooned on Canva by 249% and 173% this year.
#animated #collage #maximalism #playfulness #motion
4. Surrealism: Leave the real world behind
Surrealism, inspired by the 20th-century art movement, is making a comeback, inviting individuals to challenge their perception of reality through fantasy art and ethereal designs. Particularly embraced by Gen Z, this trend values the unconventional and bizarre, seen in fashion trends and campaigns, as a form of self-expression and individuality.
Searches on Canva for ‘dreamy’, ‘ethereal’, and ‘fantasy’ have grown by 114%, 60%, and 80% this year.
#absurd #surrealism #fantasy #dreamy #ethereal #otherworldly
5. The Bold Rebrand
In 2024, bold branding is making a comeback with vibrant fluorescent colors and rounded sans-serif fonts, radiating positivity and optimism. The spotlight will be on bold typographic systems and dynamic neon hues like cyber lime, reshaping brand identities with fresh and rhythmic energy.
#positivity #fun #optimism #bold #neon #vibrant #fonts
Shutterstock
Shutterstock predictions for the graphic design trends that will shape 2024, are based on research into current branding projects and the latest social media, cultural, and fashion trends.
1. AI Design
The AI technology is for sure evolving in the coming years, more like a tool rather than a visual trend. From one perspective, it has already created its style of artificiality. From hyper-real images to abstract 3D renders and Metaverse-inspired product mockups, integrating an AI aesthetic into your designs is a quick way to capture the hyper-real mood of 2024.
#ai #artificial #hyperreal #3d #metaverse
2. Quiet Luxury
The “stealth wealth” trend, focusing on minimalistic luxurious aesthetics with high-quality, timeless clothing and accessories, has extended its influence from fashion to graphic design, branding, and website design throughout 2023 and is expected to continue into 2024. This understated approach allows designers to cultivate an exclusive and in-the-know ambiance, emphasizing subtle details over attention-grabbing elements for a sophisticated effect.
#luxury #minimalistic #wealth
3. Hyperreal Photography
High-definition portraits, hyper-real dreamscapes, 3D characters bring a real eye-popping look to full-width landing pages, poster designs, and social media banners. The intentional almost artificial appearance adds to the appeal for viewers, ensuring these images stand out and don’t merely blend into the background.
#artificial #hyperreal #surreal
4. Nostalgic Color Palettes
The fashion industry introduced this trend, further accentuated by the Pantone Trend Report and Pantone Color of the Year (2024). The colors favored on the fashion catwalks and in brand design certainly seem to be moving toward bright pastel hues that make a nod to the optimistic colors of the 1950s.
According to Pantone Color Institute experts, colors for Spring 2024 are infused with a hint of nostalgia yet at the same time speak to transformation as we embrace a more positive way of living.
#nostalgia #50s #pastel #fashion #positivity
5. Condensed Serif Fonts
Embracing the prevailing quiet-luxury trend in branding and packaging, serif typefaces align with the refined ambiance of 2024. Condensed serif fonts introduce a subtle 1970s touch to designs, avoiding an overly retro feel, particularly complementing lifestyle or fashion visuals.
#70s #nostalgia #luxury #fonts
Depositphotos
Depositphotos once again is sharing with us their analytics reports of what would be trendy next year. This year Trend Report is built on data-driven search requests analysis and niche expert opinions. According to Depositphotos search query analytics, some of the latest design trends are following the decentralization pattern. So, let's look at the 7 trends from the Depositphotos:
1.Back to the streets
Amid a renewed global fascination with street culture, simultaneously, creative campaigns are expected to increasingly showcase subculture representatives in do-it-yourself (DIY) settings, incorporating post-production effects that replicate VHS noise or the grainy printing characteristic of late 70s zines.
Global interest in street culture — from hip-hop to skateboarding — integral elements of urban aesthetics will continue to increase next year.
#nostalgia #graffiti #subcultures #70s #streetculture
2.A way with words
The year 2024, predicted an increase in creative experiments involving magnified vintage letters and handwritten elements.
Furthermore, expect contrasting typeface pairings, such as readable Sans Serifs alongside thematic ones like pixel fonts. Additionally, animated fonts are poised for a comeback, featuring glowing, shimmering, and melting letters that transform into mesmerizing messages.
#calligraphy #decorative #fonts #vintage #pixel #animation
3.Core wave
With Gen Z being the most avid social media group, they tend to be at the forefront of making aesthetics a part of their lives and spreading them to wider audiences. Modern aesthetics are based on recognizable visual details peculiar to a certain decade, fictional story, or lifestyle.
The trend of self-expression continues rising with any “-core” hashtag in it, like it was Cottagecore, Animecore, Barbiecore, etc.
#diversity #tribalism #community #lifestyle
4.Retro yet timeless
Among the top trends in 2023 were #oldmoney, with its hashtag surpassing 10 billion views, and “quiet luxury,” which peaked on Google as Gen Y, X, and Z sought solid ground in old, time-honored ideas. The current design trends will include muted palettes, retro fonts, and images depicting models wearing classic clothing.
#retro #luxury #wealth #vintage #nostalgia #minimalism
5.Personality, not gender
Shortly, we’ll spot less gender-attached symbolism in design with more creators generating universal visual solutions based on audience values, psychological portraits, and equality. The 2024 will concern gender-neutral product development. Layouts will be filled with self-care attributes, jewelry, and accessories regardless of the gender projects are targeted.
#gender-neutral #unisex #diversity #self-acceptance
6.The dimensions game
Collages, unexpected multi-layering and multi-dimensionality, rapid changes to viewer emotion, and a combination of styles and concepts are the main characteristics of this trend. To embrace chaos, combine 3D and 2D, illustrations, patterns, and photos to overlap and connect visual stories!
#collage #mix #metamodernism #dimension #layering #3d #2d
7.Life, work, hybrid
Portraying the fusion of work and life aesthetics in 2024, two visual strategies emerge for depicting work/life balance. One focuses on valuing free time outside work, emphasizing productivity in shorter work hours. The second integrates work and life, showcasing mindfulness and coziness in visuals through ideal workplaces or attending to family needs during the day, with visuals conveying mindfulness, coziness, and calmness.
#calm #balance #workstyle #lifestyle #mindfulness
Summary
The design trends for 2024, as predicted by major companies like Adobe, Behance, Canva, Shutterstock, and Depositphotos, reveal a collective emphasis on diverse and creative expressions. The trends span various techniques, including accent fonts, illustrations, pixel art, geometric forms, and AI design, making it inclusive for graphic designers working across different domains.
Nostalgia emerges as a significant theme, representing 24% of all trends. It involves a reinterpretation of vintage looks, popular among Gen Z, and is visible in trends like Pixelart and Street Style vibes.
Playfulness and Positivity trend focus on evoking joy and optimism through vibrant and lively designs.
Calmness is another prevalent theme, reflecting a societal need for tranquility. This is manifested through fluid, relaxing visuals and calming colors like Periwinkle.
The Dimensions & Motion trend encourages a fusion of dynamic visuals, layered dimensions, and experimental animations, bridging disorder and order in visual storytelling.
The Aether Worlds trend invites designers to create surreal scenes using fantasy art and ethereal designs, showcasing a growing interest in this imaginative category.
Overall, the trends for 2024 reflect a dynamic and diverse landscape, where designers can find inspiration across various creative avenues while keeping in mind the individuality and underlying motivations behind these trends.
«Trends are important to be aware of, but don’t let them dictate what you’re actually doing.» — Gabi Robins, brand designer at Webflow.
