Graphic design trends for 2023

As we come to the end of another busy 12 months, it is time to reflect on the past year and how design has evolved, what has been popular and what we will see happen within the graphic design industry over the coming years.

With this in mind, here are some graphic design trends that we believe will likely make an appearance in 2023…

Big and bold sans serif fonts

First is the comeback of sans serif fonts after being in the shadows of serif typefaces for the last two years. They are about to take centre stage in 2023.

We will see this increase not just for stylistic reasons, but visual accessibility. For any brand that wants to contribute to the overall inclusivity of a brand, sans serifs are very well known for their clarity and legibility (they translate well into any size or onto any platform) making them super accessible.

Futuristic typography

As designers look for new ways to use fonts, flared serifs are becoming a popular trend. Flared serifs merge the cleanliness of sans serifs with the quirky character of serif styles, making them a great way of giving shape and character to logo designs and even for headlines on websites, packaging and marketing collateral.

Back to nature

With the growing concern about climate change and sustainability, earthy hues and warm vintage tones will see a huge rise in popularity in the upcoming year.

Companies have great responsibility when it comes to operating sustainably from the offset and this trend is likely to come across visually with warm earthy tones such as burnt oranges browns and deep olive greens.

Overlapping abstract shapes

To get noticed in a world where our attention span is shrinking, the trend that we will likely see is visuals using abstract shapes that are simplified versions of real objects. This style allows companies to be expressive while still giving off a minimal feel. We expect this is going to be very popular in packaging and with brands that want to do things differently.

Dark mode

This is something that has seen a gradual rise over the last couple of years and we only predict it to continue on that path.

It feels like every device, software and even websites will have a dark mode option with most users opting to switch to it as a whopping 81.9% of smartphone users using dark mode now.

With this in mind, designers will likely approach creating graphic elements with a dark mode first mindset especially when it comes to UI. We will likely see websites and apps utilising a single pop of bold colour to ensure they stay on brand while catering towards the user preference for dark mode.

With futuristic design trends likely to make a statement in 2023, there is plenty to get excited about in the year ahead. But remember that trends are meant to be broken – so don’t be afraid to experiment and come up with your unique style!