Top 5 Design Trends of 2022
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Art and design reflect their day and age, and in times as interesting as these, it’s no wonder that we’re seeing design trends that both stand and bend to the test of time.
As we gradually emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, nostalgia remains a comfort in the face of uncertainty, and designers have looked to retro styles to evoke simpler times. Simultaneously, adapting to our “new normal” has kickstarted an age of experimentation, reflected in designs that feature inventive typography and AI-driven parametric patterns. ?
For these design trends, their time is now:
Ukiyo-e Flat Design
In 2022, designers are taking throwback inspirations a step further by reaching back to the Ukiyo-e [yoo-kee-oh-ey] artists of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1867). Ukiyo-e is a style of Japanese woodblock print and painting perhaps most famously seen in Hokusai’s Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
The genre adopts a stylized flatness with bold outlines, flat colors and limited perspective—techniques that readily translate to digital design. This bold, graphic genre can infuse flat vector artwork with a timeless quality. Whether made with woodblocks or laptops, Ukiyo-e-inspired design takes full advantage of color, space and linework to draw in the eye.
90s Nostalgia
Nostalgia hinges upon an idealized gaze back to a comforting and familiar time. After a rush of 80s-inspired designs in recent years, the retro influence making its comeback in 2022 is the 1990s.
The 90s were a distinctive transition period for technology. As anyone with digital burnout can tell you, there are times when the early internet’s relative simplicity seems welcome. For designers channeling 90s nostalgia, this means conjuring up primitive internet frames, grainy 3D visuals and simplified shapes. Think of Memphis design patterns, with their colorful, scattered shapes and lines. When a design project calls for old-school reassurance with a dash of nerve, look no further than a few decades back. ??????
Parametric Patterns
Statement patterns are a longstanding design staple, but parametric geometry has brought them to the forefront with a modern flourish. Typically associated with architecture, parametric patterns have an intricately geometric, 3D style that designers often use to suggest technical complexity. At the same time, the style is also uniquely fluid, with a strong sense of movement.
Rather than creating these patterns manually, designers generate parametric patterns by inputting parameters into computer-aided design (CAD) programs such as Autodesk software or Unity. The program’s algorithms take care of the rest.
Expressive Typography
Typography is itself an artform, and recent trends have designers experimenting with lettering, balancing legibility and utility with playful self-expression. ???
Designing with expressive typography deliberately separates meaning from language. The design itself has an opportunity to convey a message to the viewer before the letters and words even register. Across different languages and turns of phrase, unique typography is a trend that transcends its conventional purpose. ??
Anti-Design
Many creatives have further embraced experimentation with a rebellious style that rejects traditional design aesthetics. Known as anti-design, this style relishes breaking the rules with elements such as asymmetry, clashing colors and crowded elements. ?
Nevertheless, good anti-design is deceptively methodical; it sneakily incorporates some basic design principles while boldly defying others. For instance, an asymmetrical piece may employ spacing to achieve proportion, while a piece with discordant hues may use contrast to create balance. Intentionality is key: well-executed anti-design doesn’t break rules just for the sake of breaking them. Rather, it’s about liberating the work from constraints that stifle creative expression.
We’ve seen these design trends take hold, and with much of the year left ahead of us, we’re excited to see how creatives will continue to push the boundaries of form, function and style. ?