As we begin another revolution around the sun, the graphic design world also evolved quite a bit. Here are some of the hottest graphic design trends 2024, which you’ll see more brands, studios, and designers pick up. 

 

Graphic Design Trends 2024 Edition

This year’s design trends are vibrant, bold, and loud—a response to the minimalism and simplicity of previous eras. 

For one, we’re seeing the presence of more animated logos and typography, as well as the comeback of illustrations in the form of doodles. As a sort of continuation of the aura trend from last year, designers are now gravitating toward a heatmapping-type visual. 

In terms of layout and composition, we still see the influence of nostalgia and memory in brand-building. But rather than focusing on the Y2K aesthetic, designers also explore other eras, such as the retro 70s look. 

Read on below to find out more! 

 

1. Motion in design

The push for creative innovation has led creatives to add motion to design. Whether it’s adding subtle animations to logos or typography, brands are embracing the movement in 2024. Adding small movements to design has long been a way to foster interaction with audiences, especially in design. 

This year, brands are adopting motion in their visual identity to double down on their brand personality. Don’t believe us? Reddit’s recent rebrand has its mascot doing small movements. 

This project made by our very own creative yetis feature an animated social media ad. Adding a range of motion in your social media ads is a great way to capture your audience’s attention and direct their focus to certain messages. 

 

 

2. Neon vibrancy

Move over, muted and pastel color palettes. Continuing the bold (and bright) design trends of late, this year is all about that highlighter-esque look. We’re talking about brands using bright and ultra-vibrant colors to appeal to a younger, more bold audience. 

We’ve seen this trend with the Wise rebrand and YouTube’s updated color palette. 

If you’re wondering what this year’s interpretation of minimalism is, it’s this. Simple, elegant, and yet bold with a pop of neon. This branding work for Bold Avenue, a lifestyle brand, is a visual you’re going to see more of this year. 

 

3. Pixel world

People have designed with tech aesthetics and pixels for a while now, so it’s no surprise to see this timeless classic come back to the mainstream. This 90s nostalgia design staple is being brought back by brands that are using cyber graphics to create an aesthetic that’s both nostalgic and future-forward. 

Data platform company Sisu Data plays with pixels to double down on their tech solutions. We like how clean and vibrant their visual identity is. 

 

4. Hello, doodles

As brands find more ways to connect with their community, doodles (and illustrations) have become a way for corporations to evoke a more personal connection to their users. Freehand doodles are now all the rage in design—from branding to packaging to web design. 

These bold and cartoon doodles are often paired with other colorful elements, which you can see for yourself below. 

Looking to bring a homey vibe to your food business? Illustrations and doodles are a great way to add a little fun (or spice) to your branding. 

 

5. Earth-conscious ethos

The new generations have spoken up, and they want Earth-conscious designs. For 2024, we predict that we’ll be seeing more designers adopt a sustainable packaging philosophy. That means using more packaging made from recycled or recyclable materials with minimal addition of single-use plastic packaging. Yay for the environment!

On the other hand, we also expect brands to add more nature-inspired elements (like botanical illustrations) to their visual identity.

Hello, earth-conscious packaging! We’ll see a lot of brands get creative with their kraft packaging this year. From adding embossed elements to cutouts, the transition to a more sustainable packaging is going to challenge designers to come up with increasingly innovative designs. 

 

 

6. Sticker wonderland

2024 is officially the year where we’re bringing silly back. This era is the definition of nurturing your inner child! 

After doodles, we’re thinking that stickers will be the next big aesthetic. In an era where customization is everything and where brands (see: Clio Cosmetics) offer customers stickers to personalize their items, it’s no surprise that this trend permeated the consumer beauty industry into graphic design. 

In case you haven’t noticed, stickers are so back this year. It’s a great way to connect with younger audiences and bring a unique look to your brand. 

 

7. Magazine collage aesthetic

So last year, we discussed how more and more brands are mixing photography with graphic design. Well, that trend is still present this year but we expect designers and artists to have a broader take on it by mixing different elements a la cut-out magazine style.

Yes, think of this as the natural progression from the Y2K aesthetic. The design philosophy is still raw, edgy, and makes a strong impression. 

For Nike’s 50th anniversary, they wanted to highlight the story of their Swoosh logo using this collage aesthetic that perfectly captures the legacy and history of their company. 

 

8. Geometric patterns

Yesteryear’s geometric trend is coming back—and it’s as colorful and as vibrant as ever. 

You’ll notice that these geometric elements will be seen more in custom brand patterns. Accompanied by bright color palettes, we foresee this trend appearing across a wide variety of artistic sectors, from the music to the book publishing industry. 

Image from Mehman Mammedov

This pictogram design project highlights different tourist spots, nature areas, and places for tourist assistance in Baku, the capital city in Azerbaijan. Recently deemed as Creative City of Design by UNESCO, this design project cleverly uses pictograms to bring together a cohesive and informational tourist campaign. 

 

9. Bento layout

Utilitarian design is having a resurgence this year. But if you’ve been paying attention, then it’s anything but boring. 

One of the more minimalistic ways brands are incorporating this trend in the cycle is through the bento composition style. Inspired by the Japanese bento box—essentially, a lunch box—using the bento composition helps brands organize information in a neat yet artistic way. 

We think that more companies will incorporate the bento layout in their website this year. Not only does this make your website easy to navigate, it’s also a great way to give a lot of information to your viewers without overwhelming them too much.

 

10. Heatmap design

Remember the aura and gradient trend? It’s having an update this year. 

Artists are using heatmap-inspired colors, textures, and styles to add dimension and vibrancy to their work. Yes, from the wavy and liquid patterns to the red, yellow, green, and blue color scheme, we’ll definitely be seeing more of this hypnotic and avant-garde style hit the mainstream soon. 

Yes, you’re seeing it right. gradients are still in. This time though, we’ll be more likely to see heatmap-like colors.

 

Rewind: Graphic Design Trends of 2023

DotYeti has been keeping track of the latest design trends in the world of art and graphic design. Read about our graphic design trend predictions last year. 

With DotYeti’s unlimited graphic design service, you can get the best designer for your brand, no matter what industry you’re in.  And the best part? You can access comprehensive graphic design services for a flat monthly fee! Yes, no hidden costs that can add up per revision. 

Book a demo today and let our team help find the best plan for you!