5 Graphic Design Trends for 2023

by Bailey Timmers | Jan 25, 2023 | Design, Social Media

With every new year, comes new and improved trends for graphic design. So, what does that mean for 2023? Let’s get into it!

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that social media has had a massive impact on the way people consume digital media and present themselves to the world. This also explains why user experience (UX) design is more important than ever. UX design is all about providing the best, most meaningful, enjoyable and accessible experience for users. This is important because these themes are impacting how graphic designers are creating content to be consumed, specifically mobile versions of various platforms, sites and apps.

Now, let’s take a look at the top 5 graphic design trends we can expect to see this year!

Motion Graphics and Animations

If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s how much harder it’s become to grab and hold people’s attention – especially on social media (thanks, TikTok). That’s why we can expect to see more brands steering away from static images and graphics and leaning further into short-form video content, motion graphics and animation. Not only is this form of graphic design more stimulating to viewers, but it also opens the door for more interaction and engagement when shared on social media platforms such as, you guessed it, TikTok.

Check out this example of a motion graphic from the Apple Music product page. Exciting, am I right?

Photo-graphics

Next up is arguably the most important trend for my fellow graphic designers to be aware of and implement into their work this year. One word: PHOTOGRAPHY. Despite the resurgence of illustrations and creative design elements we’ve seen in recent years, nothing moves the needle quite like real people telling a real story. That’s why first-person photography will take center stage, with fewer design elements needed to capture people’s attention.

Oversaturation has trained people to be more particular about the products, brands and ideas they will support or buy into. When real people, real faces and real stories are shown and demonstrated in social media or marketing materials, consumers are more likely to invest themselves in whatever message or product is being pushed. It’s all about trust.

Paypal’s recent decision to refresh their branding is a great example of this form of mixed media in action:

Bold Colors and Abstract Shapes

Gone are the days of minimalist design and neutral color palettes. Color is back, baby! The reasoning behind this trend is pretty obvious. In the fight for people’s attention, loud colors and shapes can make your designs stand out in a crowd (or a social media doom-scroll session). This also adds personality to your design or brand, which the chronically online are desperate for.

Bottom line: Drop some of the “clean” or “professional” design aspects in exchange for fun and dynamic elements. Your audience will thank you.

MTV has always been a tried and true example of the visual impact colors and shapes can have:

Inclusive Visuals

It’s no surprise that people want to see themselves in the media they consume. Representation matters and, in 2023, there is no room for lack of inclusion. If you want your work to reach and influence the largest group of people possible, everyone should be represented and celebrated within it. No further explanation needed. *drops mic*

Sephora has a great example of inclusive graphic design, combined with the photography elements discussed previously:

AI-generated Art

Saving the best (or scariest) for last… AI-generated graphic design. This includes, but is definitely not limited to, OpenAI’s DALL-E 2. This is currently one of the most popular AI-powered image generators that has impacted the design world in a massive way. With so much to learn when it comes to the world of AI, it’s important for graphic designers to keep an open mind and explore how these new tools can work in our favor, rather than against us. I have a feeling it is only going to pick up momentum in the years to come.

Curious about AI generators, but don’t want to feed into the hype just yet? I created a DALL-E 2 account and randomly generated an AI design so you don’t have to (you’re welcome). I am not sure what to make of it, but it is visually interesting nonetheless. Check it out…