Design Trends of 2023

Whilst good design inevitably requires timeless style intermingled with personality. There is argument for integrating design trends and allowing them to inspire your work: whether it’s a font or this szn’s colour palette. After all, they’re trends for a reason. Let’s break it down, shall we?

1. Experimental Fonts

Ditch the beloved Times New Roman, and let’s get a little more unique. In 2023 so far, we’ve seen designers pushing the boundaries of expression in font design. Bolder typography. Bigger personality. Whilst we encourage you to play around with anything that suits your brand, sometimes these larger fonts tend to tiptoe toward illegibility — which is something to take caution against.

Keep up with our IG, where we share our favourite fonts of the week.

2. Handmade Illustrations & Doodles

Handmade illustrations with natural brushstrokes or marker characteristics are a way for designers to add an artisanal touch to their work. With the digitalisation of art that has already occurred and is likely still ahead, beautiful designs with analog elements have appeared to take the stage. Further, incorporating handmade design elements into a company's branding can be an effectual way to reinforce a commitment to a kind of artistic naturalism — these elements are unique, authentic and convey a sense of slow craftsmanship that aligns with ideals of sustainability.

3. 3D Design

We may see creators retracting into gorgeous analog focuses, as explored above. But (contrastingly) advancements in AI, VR and of course 3D modelling have made a case for realism in the digital space as a prominent art genre. Spanning all areas of design — from illustration to typography — the rising popularity of 3D programs have a huge potential to inform and amplify the work of upcoming artists. One of our favourite explanations for this rise was from the blog ‘It’s Nice That’, which read: “From animation to advertising, contemporary design is being led by artists and designers who are blurring the lines between the solid and the virtual, creating work that models itself on reality.” Definitely one to watch.

4. Maximalism

Ever heard the classic less is more? Well, now — more is less. We’ve seen the integration of more wild colour palettes, repeated shapes, chaotically-placed photography, and (naturally!) our favourite experimental fonts to create creative graphics. They’re sure to grab the eyes.

5. AI Design

And of course, the talk of the town. While it’s quite a controversial design method, this trend is no doubt going to grow with more AI platforms being developed. Creators on reels have been showing off ways to experiment with Canva’s Beta “Magic Edit”, and hosting platforms such as WIX are introducing AI designed websites for your needs. There's even Adobe Firefly, a platform trained in crafting bespoke images from Stock Photos, openly licensed content and public domain content (where copyright is expired). Whilst it's important to explore the ethical confines of AI, specifically in relation to intellectual property — it will nonetheless be interesting to see how the space evolves.

On that note, we’ve been pinning some of our favourite design inspo to this Pinterest board. If you’re keen to peruse. Otherwise, feel free to share your predictions or musings — we’d love to chat about them.