We have collected trend reports of creative platforms and authoritative media that are most popular among content creators, marketers and social media managers. Part of them are the bright visual guides for inspiration. Part is the quality fiction that you can return to throughout the year. And we also chose our most favourite trends from them. Happy reading!
99designs
All trends: mysticism, risoprint reimagined, punk revival, retro line art, airbrush surrealism, folk botanical, 90s space psychedelia, mixed dimension, acid graphics, experimental escapism, complex compositions, abstract gradient.
Our choice: complex compositions
Storytelling is at the heart of graphic design — even when it is conveying abstract traits, it uses cohesive visuals to fit those traits into a narrative about a brand. In 2023, visual storytelling is getting both more literal and more abstract through complex compositions. These are illustrations that contain several “scenes” rolled into one. One character might be snapping a photo, another might be paddling a canoe, and yet another might be cresting a mountain — all in the same composition.
Creativeboom
All trends: a revolution in design tools, brands look for human connection, designing for a hyper-reality, retrofuturism, a fallback to the comforting past, emulating Gen Z apps, chaotic maximalism, beyond environmental lip service, keep calm and carry on (with a twist), suspicion of branding.
Our choice: retrofuturism
The strong surge of newly available tech and digital resources have made Web3, AI-generated and 3D art accessible. These advances have also lent to nostalgia-driven typefaces, dynamic retro colour swatches, and the ability to honour previous modes of graphic production with seeming authenticity and ease.
Depositphotos
All trends: anime thrill, back to the wild, a wonderful age, etherial world, eye on sustainability, wellness upgrade, a blast of joy.
Our choice: a wonderful age
In the next decade, a priority topic will be population ageing, given that 1 in 6 people in the world will be 60 years or over by 2030. To address it, businesses are already expanding their target audiences. At the same time, social media trends are revolving around older celebrities, opinion leaders, and content creators more often, outperforming younger generations.
Envato
All trends: anti-branding, creative typography, Y2K evolution, radiant gradients, vivid minimalism, AI design, new freedom, candy pastels, foundational diversity.
Our choice: creative typography
While tech giants like Google and Spotify and fashion houses such as Burberry and YSL have simplified their logos with san serif fonts in recent years, brand designers and digital artists have simultaneously been experimenting with typography.
Looka
All trends: Y2K here to stay, maximalism, experimental fonts, a handmade touch, getting gothic, vintage minimalism, blurs and gradients, touch and feel, down to earth, sci-fi psychedelia, designed by AI.
Our choice: Y2K here to stay
This is likely one of the top graphic design trends you’ll see this year. The nostalgia train has made its way to Y2K, where design rules were as loose as the jeans and as bold as the lip gloss.
Shutterstock
All trends: 3D Elements, Flat Retro Design, Surreal Worlds, Dark Mode, Distorted Typography, Experimental Palettes
Our choice: 3D Elements
3D design has taken front stage in design trends emerging in 2023. The Metaverse is a huge influence for this concept. We see everything from full realistic graphics to a more subtle addition of depth within shading. 3D elements augment the flat design of environments and push the limits of what was once unrealistic.
Talenthouse
All trends: freedom, solar punk, active optimism, soft fascination, chaos of creativity, red.
Our choice: chaos of creativity
Early adopters of AI (both as creatives and as brands who welcome the work generated by AI) will influence the future iterations of the technology and its expressive ability. As the technology advances, it provides random chaos of creativity with a bigger canvas and more freedom to flourish.
