Amidst all the particular trends in design, fashion, architecture, etc, there are overriding themes that guide larger movements. After all, no trends simply appear out of nowhere; everything has a basis in history, in previous movements, and in what is going on in the world somehow.
If you’re interested in exploring design ideas further – regardless of your industry or your individual purpose – you can find free mockups online. These will allow you to think more broadly about any designs that you might need, be it for logos or banners or a website.
So, what are the underlying principles that are guiding the larger design movement these days? Let’s take a look at some of the major ones.
Of course, AI is making its way into the world of design, just as it is in every other sphere of life. And while this idea might sound anathema to people that consider themselves artists, it is something that shouldn’t be ignored.
In fact, precisely because AI does such a good job of analyzing trends, tendencies, and patterns, creative types can actually learn a lot from it.
This doesn’t mean that all original photos should be replaced by AI-created stock photos. Or that designers should simply give up on trying to create things themselves and let AI do all the work for them.
On the contrary, designers should work alongside AI to explore the possibilities of what is out there, and see what suits them for the task at hand.
AI can figure out color combinations that suit particular themes, for example, with even greater precision than humans can. It can help you find inspiration for larger ideas in ways you might never have thought of yourself.
It can rearrange and reshape images to suit different moods, and ultimately come up with designs that marketers might not even know will make a campaign for them.
Vibrancy
We’re now out of the pandemic, and the companies of the world want their audiences to know it. Therefore, boldness is the name of the game for many people. What does that mean in reality? Big, bright colors. Bold shapes. Gradients that go from bright to bright across a given spectrum.
The idea of vibrancy also applies to the messages that groups and manufacturers are trying to send. Diversity requires the use of big, bold colors. Many activist groups require the use of particular bold color combinations to get their messages across.
And – thanks to the use of AI, which many people believe reads psychological moods even better than humans themselves do – designers are becoming better and better at producing images that reach people in the way their clients want. This means goals reached and campaigns accomplished.
Abstractness
More and more, designers are finding that the removal of elements that people once considered essential should actually be removed. It is the absence of imagery that can capture people’s imagination best, if it is done right. So how does this manifest itself?
This is yet another way in which the use of AI and related tools can be instrumental. How much of an image can be removed before it is no longer recognizable? Can you put together only parts of letters, and still have a word mean something to those that read it?
The answer to these questions is often yes, but accomplishing this effectively isn’t simply a matter of experimentation. There are specific directions, proportions, and shapes that are considered aesthetic, and passive viewers might not realize this.
Modern designers are using tools to draw out essential elements, and it is making a big splash with consumers.
You can take it from there
Familiarizing yourself with the larger movements involved in design trends can be a very useful thing. For one thing, it will help you understand where producers, marketers, and artists are going with their ideas. If you are in the business of producing something yourself, you will better understand the current consumer mentality.
And you will gain a better appreciation for what goes into the creation of visual products overall. This will benefit you not only in your professional endeavors, but also in your life in general.
