Graphic Design Trends for 2025
We have just entered a new year and with it comes new trends and predictions on how 2025 will impact graphic design and what we will probably see brands -old and new- doing and implementing to keep their target audience engaged and their brands relevant in this fast-changing environment. And I am sorry to tell you this if you are an old-school designer but Generative AI is going to be even more present. However, it’s not all bad news! Here are my graphic design predictions for 2025, including some counter-aesthetics to Artificial Intelligence:
Generative AI
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Generative AI 1 |
Image created with Adobe Firefly
I guess no one is surprised that Generative AI will still have a big impact on design this year. AI software keeps improving and it will continue to have a strong presence in media, especially with the rise of Generative video and motion graphics. We are seeing the creation of a new kind of aesthetics developed by artificial intelligence and algorithms and we are just going to get used to it and we, designers, learn to use it as a tool in our design process.
For example, the way I like to use Generative AI is in the ideation process, asking design AIs such as Adobe Firefly to provide sketches and concepts I can work on and improve according to design standards. Also, sometimes AI is great for creating images that portray a certain vibe to include in mood boards, storyboards and concept pitches to help clients understand the ideas behind the creative direction when it gets difficult to find inspiration on stock sites and websites such as Behance.
So if you are a designer who is still afraid of Artificial Intelligence, just relax and start learning how to benefit from it and develop a new skill before it’s too late because Generative AI is here to stay, my friend.
Childish Abstraction
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Childish Abstraction 2 |
Illustration designed for my upcoming collection PetCore
Moving away from the realism and “perfectionism” of Generative AI I believe we will see a surge in child-like illustrations and abstract shapes combined with bold, script fonts that resemble a kid learning to write. This move towards the opposite style of a major one is very common in art and design so it’s not really a surprise to see this kind of trend, especially in tech companies that are very AI-driven but want to show their “human” side. One example I think fits very well is Notion´s branding -I use it every day for my own project management as a freelancer so I know it quite well!
This design style is a bit controversial as some people think that it takes no skills and a five-year-old kid could do the same thing with a couple of crayons. However, there are way more technical skills in creating abstract designs than in writing an AI prompt in my opinion… And the surge of these types of styles makes sense when there is another tool that creates “perfect” images. It happened in the art world when photography took over realism and it will continue as long as Generative AI tools are available and growing.
It’s the circle of life.
New Minimalism
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New Minimalism 3 |
I know that there are a lot of people who would love to see minimalism out of the picture, but it is not going to disappear any time soon -sorry Gen Zs!-, especially with the rise of Generative AI. New Minimalism will counteract the saturated and weird otherworldly aesthetics of Artificial Intelligence with clean and earthy inspired colours -we all know by now the Pantone Colour of the Year Mocha Mousse-, well-thought compositions and a closer approach to geometric shapes and styles. I think we will probably see a bit more depth in traditional minimalist aesthetics, especially in font pairings with more than just one sans serif and wider colour palettes with more than just black, white and the dreaded Millennial Grey.
This is the style I feel more comfortable applying when designing long-lasting and modern brands that will resist the passing of time and trends, and I believe that’s one of the reasons minimalism is still very much alive and kicking and will stay like that for quite a long time.
Logo design proposal for a ceramic artist
Dynamic Maximalism
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Dynamic Maximalism 4 |
We cannot have minimalism without maximalism, that’s the cool thing about design. Both can coexist because they appeal to different audiences and send different messages. We usually associate maximalism with bold colours and typography, and those will be present this year but with a more dynamic twist. Think weird display typography mixed with bright colours and furry textures, all cramp together in a kind of anti-aesthetics vibe. This style would be especially interesting in video format with the use of mixed media to create chaotic and vibrant compositions and collages full of details and speed.
Movement is something tricky to include in static designs but it will be very present in this new wave of maximalism to represent the rapid changes we are experiencing in this day and age. Art and design don’t see the future, they showcase the present and maximalism is great at doing that when it feels like there is stuff happening all the time.
Also, there is something else to blame for this new trend, the evil social media. Everyone likes to complain that social media platforms have made us stupid and without attention spam. The Fear Of Missing Out -aka FOMO- is still very present and companies need to catch people’s attention quickly if they want to stand out. All these reasons make Dynamic Maximalism a design style that I think will be everywhere in 2025.
Inclusive Design
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Inclusive Design 5 |
2024 was the year of User Experience and User Interface design -aka UX and UI design- and the principles that they stand on will leak to graphic design as a whole. We as a society are ever more conscious about other people and the difficulties they face when navigating the world thanks in part to social media. The realm of UX/UI design is constrained to web and mobile app design however I can see how those well-thought and deeply researched design systems will eventually impact other aspects of graphic design like packaging, social media content and printed materials.
Inclusive design will not only take into consideration the limitations some people in society deal with on a daily basis but also it will be more conscious of the social, cultural and environmental impact those design choices will have on everyone and everything.
Business card design in braille with bright colours for visually-impaired people
And what about you? What do you predict will be a trend in graphic design in 2025?
