2024 Graphic Design Trends

I wanted to put this article out to highlight some of the most interesting Graphic Design trends that I think will be the hit for 2024.

Calming Rhythms

The Adobe Trend Research identified and named this visual style as "Calming Rhythms", which is a great name for it! Repetition and visual rhythm is something that we often use in graphic design and is something that helps to make more pleasing compositions in general, but there is a noticeable and increasing amount of these type of images where we have an obvious emphasis on these properties. This trend also often relies on ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response), this can be triggered by certain visuals that feel tactile, especially if they are also supported by certain sound effects. (insert bubble wrap sounds). Peach Fuzz, Pantone's Color of the Year also ties in really well with this visual trend, which as they describe is a velvety, gentle Peach tone whose all embracing spirit enriches mind, body and soul. I love this trend because it's very positive. It's calming, relaxing and it's definitely something I'm going to utilize in my designs this year.

3D Gradients

Using gradients in graphic design of course is not new. It's something that has been around for a long time and there were certain trends that appeared and disappeared but this time I feel like 3D gradients are really on the rise, and by that I mean instead of having a 2 dimensional linear or radial gradient we have an irregular gradient, either soft or with edges, which is often produced by using either an aesthetic or animated 3D object or environment. This trend can be applied pretty much to anything from typography to product shots to photography in general and it is something that is already being utilized on the web.

Stretch and Inflate

There are many reasons why this specific visual trend is on the rise. First of all, there is the Inflate feature in Adobe Illustrator which was introduced a couple of months ago and it made it super easy to turn to the vector shapes into inflated 3D looking objects in a click. In terms of typography, this file is supported by the variable font format, and you can ask for a lot of stretching and distortion between the typeface by having various additional attributes next to the type of weight. This trend also have an overall positive vibe and there's just something pleasing about having an object filling up a certain space. And I love extreme examples where the type or the composition completely fills in the frame, or when there is a lot of negative space but still an object is limited to an invisible boundary.

Bento Grids

And talking about boundaries, another amazing visual trend is inspired by the Japanese Bento boxes and I believe Apple was amongst the 1st to use this and utilize it on their website and by now it can be seen all around the internet. However, I'm interested to see that there is a rise of this same principle or structure not only for user interfaces, but also for additional things like showcasing multiple things in the same composition, which can be great for structuring a portfolio or a slide in the presentation, although this style is defined by the distinct separation between these containers or bounding boxes. However, I love it when there is a clever interaction introduced between these elements. Although this time was inspired by boxes in the 1st place, never forget to think outside of the box.

Doodles

Simple doodles and cartoon characters are huge at the moment, and I believe they will become even more popular this year. They can be used independently, or mixing them with photography or even as 3D renders. And one of my favorite designers does this style amazingly. He's Aaron Leah from Frank Actor Studios. Definitely worth checking out his website because like I said, he does this style so well and he has been doing this for a long time. He's probably one of the artists to blame for this visual style to be trending this year. Thank you Aaron!

Pixels and Dots

In harsh contrast to most of the styles that I covered so far there is also a rise in using pixels and dots combined with other elements, and I'm not talking about pixel art, it's more about mixing in pixelated details without a smoother and softer elements. This style mainly relies on contrast and the reason why it works so well is because we are used to looking at extremely high resolution screens and anything that's pixelated, you stand out. One of the most important thing about visual communication is that you grab your viewers attention, so anything that stands out will make your visual work.

Generative AI

There is no doubt that generative AI will continue to have a massive impact and influence in how we interact with images in 2024. It was already a major disruptor last year and honestly, I also felt on edge about what to think of Generative AI. And if you know me, you probably know that I have tried and experimented with this for my work, but it is still not clear where things are going, so it is hard to exactly predict the future. However, I have a couple of predictions that I would like to share with you. First of all I think that is going to be an Anti-AI trend and this could be anything from images, mocking, generated imagery or making a statement by clearly utilizing the non-AI methods. The Content Authenticity Initiative CAI is going to gain traction as well in 2024. The original aim of this initiative was actually not to identify where the AI has been used on an image, just generally whether an image has been edited or not. But since generated images are saturating all the platforms online, from stock site like Adobe Stock and Freepik to social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, there is an increasing need and demand for a way to be able to tell that there's something was generated or not. And with the latest Generative AI like Midjourney V6, it is becoming extremely hard to tell in certain cases whether an image was generated or not, and I believe in 2024 it is just going to become even more difficult. The pace of progress for this technology is just mind blowing and I don't think it's going to slow down, if anything is just going to accelerate. A good example is Magnific AI, which only after a couple of weeks of its original release managed to increase its enhancing capability from the original 2X to 16X up to 10K pixels in a single step. And this almost magical technology I think also will bring another visual direction or visual style, which I think can be called Detail-ism, which is about bringing out as much detail as possible from an image. And don't confuse upscaling and enhancing images because there is a difference between them. Since with tools like Magnific AI you are enhancing the images, meaning that you are replacing the original details while trying to keep them as close as possible to the original source. This revolutionary method is really a milestone in digital imaging and in 2024 it could easily be to the end of an era where we were worried about resolution and pixel count. You heard me right, generated pixels are going to be the new vectors. And not but not least there will also be another sub trend which I like to call Ai-ism, which is embracing the quirks and mistakes or hallucinations of generative AI and instead of trying to hide them, is going to emphasize them in compositions.

These trends are not just about visual appeal, they represent a deeper connection with our evolving cultural and technological landscape.

In summary, the design trends poised to define 2024 present a fascinating mix of aesthetics and technology, from the serene to the surreal. These trends are not just about visual appeal, they represent a deeper connection with our evolving cultural and technological landscape. From the tactile tranquility of "Calming Rhythms" to the boundary-pushing innovations of "Generative AI," each trend offers a window into the future of design—a future that is inclusive, dynamic, and full with possibilities. As we venture deeper into this new year, it's clear that the only limit to how these trends will shape our visual world is our own creativity.

So, let's gear up to experiment, explore, and express, turning these trends into timeless designs that resonate, inspire, and move the world forward. The journey into 2024's design trends is just beginning, and it promises to be an exhilarating ride! Thank you for reading!