For us — the design team in Piktochart — the one thing we’ve learned is how communication and design play a big part in bringing content to life and connecting people across the world.
Despite the range of cultures and backgrounds, we agree that certain designs catch our attention more than the others; or some styles that feel more familiar than others.
We also include some tips on how you can take advantage of these styles to level up your visual communication game. If you’re short on time, you can use the table of contents below to jump to each section.
1. 3D Design
Have you seen any of the following 3D-like avatars on your newsfeed recently?
While minor 3D effects like shadow and overlay have been around since forever, in 2020, designers are taking it to another level, and this style is taking over the internet.
It’s getting a spotlight due to the hyper-realistic effect on a supposedly 2D illustration of characters or scenes. We predict that this will keep getting more popular in 2021.
2. Natural & Organic Shapes
Natural design and organic shapes have been growing in popularity for quite some time; with people moving to healthier and more natural choices in general. Not only do we see designs with bold prints of leaves and colorful fruits, but also plants are being used as decorative elements.
Organic and artistic shapes, which have been dominating retail designs for quite some time, are now bringing social media posts to life. Curvy and fluid-like lines and shapes are often seen on social media feeds as they convey a joyful and light-hearted feeling.
3. Monochrome & Duotone colors
In terms of color style, monochromatic and duotone colors have inspired designers throughout centuries to create minimalist and elegant looks on print designs.
Tip:
Do you know you can easily manipulate the color of your visuals and adjust it to your preferences with our Color Schemes feature.
Monochrome doesn’t always mean black and white, but instead, we use different shades of one color. When monochromatic colors are combined with one accentuated color, it helps to highlight the point and send a clear message to your audience. Your eyes will be redirected to that one different color almost immediately.
4. Geometric Shapes & Patterns
They’re back! Geometric shapes are an all-time favorite design element that gets better and better over time. In fact, we were using them as part of our Business Storyteller Summit 2020 branding too.
Geometric shapes and patterns are very versatile. Reports or employee handbooks, for example, contain a lot of complex information and data. Therefore, we tend to choose a simple design with minimal decorative elements and focus on data visualization.
5. Typographic Contrast
By contrast, we mean combining fonts with very distinctive characteristics or style to create harmony. And to create contrast, you can play with font sizes, font weights, or even pairing two completely different looking fonts.
The trend started in 2019, by 2020, maxi typography–where you play with contrasting font sizes–was commonly used in website and landing page design.
6. Visualized Data
Data visualization plays an important part in reporting and visual communication. It brings your information to life in the shortest amount of time.
Looking Ahead
That’s our prediction on 2021 design trends. We are excited to discover many more innovative and creative designs that will inspire you to communicate your story. Let us know what’s your take on our prediction and which of these trends you will apply in your visuals.
Source: Pikto Chart
