Photoline

Top 6 design trends for 2014

2014 has seen a far cleaner and more simplistic graphic design approach than previous years... We take a look at the hottest and most popular design trends forecast for 2014.

SIMPLICITY IS KING

Although technology around us is evolving at such a super speedy rate and the platforms and devices we are now using are a lot more complex and intelligent, it is quite surprising to find that simple designs are far outweighing those of the past.

Simplicity in design has been incredibly popular in the first quarter of the year, as designers believe that communicating a message clearly and with visual clarity allows them to express ideas with more sophistication.

COMPLEX LOGOS

In contrast to simple design, graphic designers are taking the stance that overly simplified logos no longer resonate with their audience. This means that logos are being designed with a lot more depth and complexity to give added style and memorability than that of a simple logo.

Logos that feature many elements are becoming a lot more important; it takes a lot more to stand out against competitors fighting within the same market for the same consumer in today’s saturated market. Therefore in 2014 you may see that designers are thinking a lot more outside of that typical brand logo box and becoming more creative in their graphic design to try and boost brand identity effectiveness.

FLAT DESIGN

3D or ‘skeumorphic’ design is becoming less favourable, with simple flat design becoming more popular in 2014’s graphic design industry. This means that flat shapes and solid colours now create a more updated and clean look and don’t incorporate drop shadows and gradients, which used to be very on trend.

Flat design is arguably the main design trend of 2014, and will probably be seen in many pieces of design work this year.

LARGE IMAGES

Large, impactful images are also an important trend this year, with much less use of overly confusing patterns and exaggeration which creates much more dramatic and compelling visuals.

Using large imagery also means that the quality of the image needs to be of a very high quality to avoid pixilation and fuzziness, which will detract from the overall impact.

VARIED FONTS

Another growing trend this year is for mixing and matching different fonts together, in contrast to the simplicity of flat design. This style is usually seen mostly in headlines so that certain words are highlighted and therefore are increasingly eye-catching.

Not only are mix and match fonts popular this year, but handwritten fonts are also extremely hot this year for graphic designers, as they create a personable and authentic feel.

The experimentation of lots of different styles of typography will be seen throughout 2014 in various media and across many platforms.

COLOURS OF THE MOMENT

As you may know, Pantone, the world renowned authority on colour and provider of colour systems throughout the world, release their own prediction in colour annually, named ‘Colour of the Year’. This trend is based on research that monitors the colours that are being used on a global scale, showing popularity throughout all industries. Interestingly, this year they have chosen their colour of the moment as ‘Radiant Orchid’, which is a subtle shade of lavender. Pantone said of their colour choice,

“Radiant Orchid is an invitation to innovation and its modernity and versatility encourages creativity and originality”.

So, it seems that this modern blend of fuchsia, purple and pink will be the most recognisable choice of colour this year.