Trending Now: Design trends to look out for in 2020

Embrace the emerging trends wholeheartedly, let the creative juices flow and design your best this 2020, writes Anushree Pacheriwal- Co-founder, Gemius Design Studio, as she decoded the design trends that will dominate note just 2020, but the new decade as well. 

As a species – the intelligent one of the lot – we have come very far from where we began, adapting and learning, growing and changing. The process of evolving is ingrained within us and assimilates itself into all parts of our lives. Keeping pace with the changing times is how we enhance and this new decade brings us a horde of transformations in various fields, including design. 

From hues to illustrative techniques, tones to mixed media adaptations, every year we experience a number of emerging concepts, some miss, while others, major hits. Dabbling with these ever-changing advancements is what keeps the work we do interesting and in 2020, we are predicting a few design trends we are sure will be taking the big plunge. 

Bold & Striking Colours 

Colour trends keep shifting from time to time, monochrome to vintage hues, gradients to pastels, and this year, too, the colour trend that has already started to make rounds is the big, bold and beautiful. Brands have started to adapt striking combinations to communicate with their audiences whether it's packaging selections, social media communications or branding. Aesthetically picked bold colours are working well, going against the traditional belief that two colours need to sync well, one being a lighter shade to maintain a balance. Today, the ultimate funda amongst brands to be relatable to their audiences, achieved by keeping their communication fun, playful & approachable, which is extended in their design strategy as well. Bold colours garner attention, making viewers focus on what the material is what it wants to convey. 

Flat Illustrations 

Illustrations have always been one of the most preferred design forms to convey messages, for effective storytelling, to generate viewer interest and to enhance engagement. Over the years, we have seen a number of illustrative styles pop up in design, but the use of flat illustrations has been a rage recently. 2020 looks like the year full of effective illustrations used for various design purposes. The approach is well-known, but flat illustration technique is neat, novel and no longer niche. These artworks have been proven to fit well for all types of communication and brand types - corporates, lifestyle, fashion, food, etc. These types of illustrations can be simmered down with sleek outline work and minimal hues or made to pop out for a playful tone with a bold choice of colours. 

Motion Posters 

Everything is moving, literally and figuratively. And your designs need to be too. Bold colours, typography, all work well in tandem, but not as much as motion anymore. Things that move grab eyeballs, and that's what brands need the most in the sea of content that's being churned out every minute. Simple motions add a whole new dimension to the average poster making it a lot more interactive for the audiences. Illustrative moving lines pops or bursts around the main content, simple movement of the protagonist, these uncomplicated movements are enough to level your designs up, and make them trendy this year. 

Bi-colour 

There’s much that can be said with the least resources at hand if one is creative enough. That strategy of minimalism has made the movement a rage and still standing. Speaking more with less is a strategy that will be trending not only this year, but the decade too. In design, that can be inculcated by using the bi-colour strategy. The use of two contrasting colours and bold fonts this year in your communications can produce some impactful representation and will be something that audiences remember for a long time. One of the best things about this design technique, especially in the printing front is that it is inexpensive and will always deliver the exact results planned on initially. Cost-effective and impressive, now that's a sure-shot gold mine. 

The year 2020 is set to be a rousing one for design as it is the start of a new decade too. A good strategy in today’s time is to level up with the trend of the minute and show the audience how relatable you are. This customer-centric quality can be easily picked up in design too and help you and your brand reach maximum users and potential customers. So, embrace the trends wholeheartedly, let the creative juices flow and design your best this 2020.