{"id":11776,"date":"2017-10-18T06:58:36","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T06:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graphicmama.com\/blog\/?p=11776"},"modified":"2024-10-30T07:29:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T07:29:09","slug":"graphic-design-trends-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/graphicmama.com\/blog\/graphic-design-trends-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Graphic Design Trends 2018: The Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Update:<\/em> Graphic Design Trends 2025<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0are officially out. Check them out.<\/p>\n

In the era of digital art, graphic design trends can evaporate as quickly as they emerged. What has been modern for the past few years may\u00a0look\u00a0entirely outdated\u00a0in 2018. While some trends have stood the test of time, others have vanished in the blink of an eye only to make room for new modern looks. So, if you are looking for an antonym for boring, this would be – graphic design trends 2018.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Graphic design trends for 2018 are:
\n<\/strong>1. The \u201cGlitch\u201d Effect
\n2. The \u201cRuined\u201d Effect
\n3. \u201cColor Channels\u201d Effects
\n4. Double Exposure
\n5. Double Exposure Duotone
\n6. Double Light
\n7. Creative typography
\n8. Cropped Typography
\n9. Chaotic Typography
\n10. Typography as Real Life Elements
\n11. Negative Space Designs
\n12. Negative Space Typography
\n13. Colorful 3D Substance
\n14. One Color 3D Design
\n15. Metallic Elements
\n16. Color Transitions \/ Gradients
\n17. Hand-Drawn Illustrations
\n18. Illustrations Over Photos
\n19. Papercut Illustrations<\/p>\n

Let’s dig in and see what each trend offers to the world of graphic design!<\/p>\n

Latest Graphic Crazes<\/h2>\n

This is the year of crazy designs, experiments, and wild imagination. While you may find some of these a huge surprise, you might have seen others coming. So, let’s not waste a minute more. Time to reveal which trends in graphic design will be absolute hits in 2018.<\/p>\n

1. The “Glitch” Effect<\/h3>\n

The corrupted image, i.e. the glitch effect, has been one of the most popular trends in the digital world lately. Apparently, what was once annoying for the\u00a0spectator has now been turned into a truly wanted effect. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Obviously, horror movie fans have been familiar with this one for ages. The year 2018 is the year when corrupted images take over the graphic design world, as well.<\/p>\n\t\t

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2. The “Ruined” Effect<\/h3>\n

As far as we can tell, contemporary graphic designers have been\u00a0obsessed with\u00a0the “art of destroying”. Everything that includes splashing, scratching, ripping off, breaking<\/strong> or any other form of ruining the aesthetics of a composition is considered\u00a0modern in 2018.<\/p>\n\t\t

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3. “Color Channels” Effects<\/h3>\n

Playing with color channels has been widely popular among designers.\u00a0The technique allows designers to create\u00a0great\u00a0illusional effects. A holograph, a\u00a0hallucination, a distorted reality<\/strong>… all of these\u00a0are highly influential on the viewer which makes “Color channels” one of the top graphic design trends 2018.<\/p>\n\t\t

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Holography is falling behind…<\/h3>\n

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The holographic design trend, which has been a huge hit for several years,\u00a0is now falling behind in comparison with the other futuristic trends.<\/p>\n

While it’s still glamorous and mesmerizing, we’ll see less of holographic designs in 2018.<\/p>\n

The year of Double.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We can say with confidence that 2018 will be the year of “double”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

4. Double Exposure<\/h3>\n

Double exposure has been a thing for several years now. Despite the fact that some designers have\u00a0put this technique aside for a while, we definitely see a rise of double exposure designs which amaze the viewer. Here are a few stunning examples:<\/p>\n\t\t

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5. Double Exposure Duotone<\/h3>\n

“I’m seeing double” will be no longer a post-liqueur effect.\u00a0This trend is\u00a0a hybrid from Double Exposure and Duotone, plus using color channels. In short, double exposure duotone is achieved by doubling\u00a0the image\u00a0or using two different overlapping images in\u00a0monochrome colors<\/strong>. This way, designers achieve an\u00a0“ahead-of-its-time”\u00a0effect.<\/p>\n\t\t

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6. Double Light<\/h3>\n

An another major “double” among graphic design trends 2018 is the double color light. This effect transforms simple compositions into new edgy, modern looking ones. Double light is an effect that can be achieved with two actual sources of light, or color channel splitting<\/strong>. Here are a few trending examples.<\/p>\n\t\t

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Wave Classic Duotone Goodbye…<\/h3>\n

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Duotone translated into Double exposure duotone will be a major trend next year. However, we’ll be seeing less of traditional duotone besides being one of the hottest trends for the past year.<\/p>\n

Duotone\u00a0will somehow be left in the shadow of Double exposure duotone. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Design is evolving, after all.<\/p>\n

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Typography still rules!<\/h2>\n

7. Creative typography<\/h3>\n

Creative typography<\/a> is among the leaders for graphic design trends 2018. Actually, this trend has been taking the leading places for several years\u00a0and it’s not going down any time soon.<\/p>\n

When it comes to this technique, imagination is your\u00a0strongest asset<\/strong>. Creative typography can be combined with other techniques or used solely in the design. It impresses in both cases.\u00a0Check out these eye-pleasing examples.<\/p>\n\t\t

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8. Cropped Typography<\/h3>\n

Cropped typography was a hot trend for 2017 and is still hot for 2018. The art of erasing parts of the letters<\/strong> while still keeping their\u00a0readability requires a lot of creativity and professionalism. The effect is 100% worth the effort.<\/p>\n\t\t

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9. Chaotic Typography<\/h3>\n

Chaos was declared one of the top trends for 2017. It seems that for graphic design trends 2018 it will translate into a chaotic typography. In other words, say “No” to aligning and “Yes” to the unconventional order of letters and words<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t

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10. Typography as Real Life Elements<\/h3>\n

A modern graphic design trend is typography tightly interacting with other elements<\/strong> of the composition. The achieved effect is: letters turned into real-life objects. Check out these awesome examples.<\/p>\n\t\t

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Negative space.<\/strong>\u00a0A positive trend.<\/h2>\n

11. Negative Space Designs<\/h3>\n

We named negative space a positive trend not because negative and positive attract each other in physics, but because in graphic aesthetics negative space techniques evoke quite positive emotions.<\/p>\n

In its nature negative space is\u00a0an “empty” space in the design which forms a certain distinctive shape. The technique is one of the most popular ones lately and it still holds the leading positions.<\/p>\n\t\t

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12. Negative Space Typography<\/h3>\n

Ahh… typography. Obviously, the modern trend is a mixture of Negative space and Typography. What is quite popular about\u00a0it,\u00a0is that elements from the back come to the front<\/strong> through the wording. This is another\u00a0form of interaction between typography and composition elements.<\/p>\n\t\t

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Interested to check out\u00a07 Global Design Magazines You Should Definitely Subscribe To<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Bright colors are all in.<\/h2>\n

13. Colorful 3D Substance<\/h3>\n

Bright colors plus a 3D composition is an absolute winning combo for 2018. With so many graphic design trends fighting for the leading positions in 2018, bright colors are certainly\u00a0on the top of the charts. And how can they not be when all the client wants is: “Make it pop!”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. Bright colors can certainly make a design pop. In our opinion this is one of the strongest graphic design trends 2018. We also bet it will be\u00a0among graphic design trends\u00a02019. Check out a few expiring examples.<\/p>\n\t\t

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14. One Color 3D Design<\/h3>\n

Lately, we’ve been seeing more and more product presentations using the same background color<\/strong> as the product presented. The product “pops” thanks to the volume<\/strong> created by the 3D techniques. It actually looks quite eye-pleasing.<\/p>\n\t\t

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15. Metallic Elements<\/h3>\n

As an addition to bright colors, metallic elements enter the world of graphic design<\/strong> to\u00a0create the “Wow” effect. Often combined with other hot trends such as 3D compositions and creative typography, this trend brings the effect of a real-life composition.<\/p>\n\t\t

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16. Color Transitions \/ Gradients<\/h3>\n

When Instagram changed its logo back in 2016 into a colorful gradient, nobody thought this trend was going to become so huge. It was just the beginning of its rise. Despite the fact that the web wasn\u2019t sure about this design technique (everyone was crazy about flat and material back then), here we are, seeing more and more of these colorful gradients.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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Solid Color Flat and Material are out of the spotlight…<\/h3>\n

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Both these trends reigned the digital world for a long time but now they are past their peak. However, we will keep seeing both these trends in web and app designs which bet on functionality and unobtrusive\u00a0interface for better user experience.<\/p>\n

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Artistic Illustrations<\/strong><\/h2>\n

17. Hand-Drawn Illustrations<\/h3>\n

Custom hand-drawn illustrations are always on the wave of popularity. Every design is a piece of art created with a lot of talent and imagination. This is why illustrations can never go out of style<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When it comes to graphic design, illustrations always bring a special unique vibe to\u00a0the piece. In 2018 illustrations are presented in combination with\u00a0other graphic design trends such as negative space, 3d structures, the “double” trend and more.<\/p>\n\t\t

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Take a look at The Best Character Illustration Examples and Ideas<\/a><\/p>\n

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18. Illustrations Over Photos<\/h3>\n

An interesting trend for 2018 is combining photos with digital drawing<\/strong>. This technique boosts the effect of the photo and brings the composition a new edgy look. For the brands which find plain photos way too boring, this is the right trend!<\/p>\n\t\t

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19. Papercut Illustrations<\/h3>\n

One of the latest graphic design trends in 2018 are papercut illustrations. Inspired by actual paper-cutting art, this trend is quickly gaining speed. Papercut illustrations recreate\u00a0compositions made of different layers of paper<\/strong> which means\u00a0depth and specific textures are must-have elements.<\/p>\n\t\t

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If we have to describe graphic design trends 2018 in three words, these would be – anything but boring<\/strong>. The year of digital graphic craziness brings mesmerizing, engaging, out-of-this-world designs that we can only admire. Feel free to share your own digital art creations according to the latest trends, as well as your thoughts in the comments below.<\/p>\n

You may also be interested in some of these related articles:<\/p>\n