Kulture Konnect Blog

It is an exciting time to be a part of... the dawn of a new decade! The year 2020 has already been showing signs of a great new era of graphic design. It is a time where designers are busting through the status quo and creating new and fresh designs. These are the top 5 design trends for 2020.

1. Monochromatic Images
2. Simplified Gradients
3. Muted and Neutral Colors
4. Abstract Illustrations and Line Drawings in conjunction with photography
5. Modernized Art Deco 

1. Monochromatic Images

There was a huge craze of duotone images during 2018/19 that has transitioned to monochromatic imagery for the new decade. Overall, design is moving onto the very edge of fantasy and reality... so, removing the original color from the photograph helps to push the visual imagination past its limits.

Below, you will find a classic example of a purple-toned monochromatic image. 

 

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In the example below, two different monochromatic images were juxtaposed together. The abstract elements help to create depth between all of the pieces.

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Take a look at the cityscape in the image below. The graphic designer converted it to a monochrome image giving the piece a surreal look and feel.

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Apple is leading the monochromatic trend with their grey on black iphone imagery. Event the water splash blends into the black background with its beautiful transparency.

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2. Simplified Gradients

Last year, in 2019, we saw tons of gradients in the background. These gradients were bright with multiple colors blending into eachother. Now, in 2020, we will be seeing much more simplified gradients. The gradients will be used in creative ways inside of an image instead of just as the background. They will be more muted colors as you can see in the examples below.

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Take a look at how the gradient is used as a flowing art element from the two digital screens. The designer used muted colors and only combined a couple of colors together for each gradient.

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This image uses simple gradients throughout the image in the water, the sky and the rocks. It makes a 2d image pop with dimension.

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3. Muted and Neutral Colors

The shift from bright to muted will be in full force for 2020. The goes with the general theme of vintage for the new era 20's. I've even heard mentions of the roaring 20s! The mixing the old with the modern is definitely trending.

In the image below you will see the combination of muted blue with simplistic geometric shapes. This shapes creates a vintage feel that is eye-catching.

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This is an interior of a restaurant. You will notice the muted color palette with the color of the wals, floors and lamps. there is a lot of this muted color palette in Instagram where there are filters that can change any color scheme to something more neutral.

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Apple is always on the edge of what is trending. You can see in their new releases of apple watches that the colors of the bands are muted and earthy. 

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4. Abstract Illustrations and Line Drawings

As AR technology advances more and more by the day, we see this juxtaposition of reality versus fantasy. Abstract illustrations are becoming very simplified in 2020. Line drawings will be seen more and more on packaging, magazines and billboards. It is easy to animate line drawings so they are being used extensively in digital marketing to catch the consumer's attention.

In the illustration below, you can see the muted tones of the over-simplifed image of a woman sitting on the grass, holding a globe. Most all of it is in 2D and the muted color palette goes along with the current trend. 

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The pattern below is a good example of a simplified 2D illustration that shows depth through color and placement.

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Below, is a perfect example of combining the real with the fantasy. For the women to stand out, the designer chose to put them in black and white and used soft, neutral colors to provide shapes that would create depth in the 4 scenes. This example also uses line art to draw the eye's attention to certain elements of the composition.

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Below, you will find a prime example of the use of simplified line art in packaging design. The simplicity of the drawings convey the real fruit that is used to flavor this drink. These elements can also be used in their digital marketing strategy as an animation.

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Again, here is an example of combining the real photography with the illustration. The designer added simplified line drawings to convey the message of the successful students on these two magazine covers. 

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5. Modernized Art Deco

Metallics are back with a vengeance in 2020. They are bold and they are shiny.  Some say this trend is a nod to the art deco era of the 1920's but the mix of the new modernism really brings a new meaning to Art Deco.

The logo below for Coco Mood

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2020 is going to be a great start to a new decade for the branding and digital marketing world. We are lucky to be a part of it!

 

Check out 2019 Trends!

Check out 2018 Trends!

 

 

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5 Leading Web and Graphic Design Trends for 2019

Design trends come and go, but no matter what there is always a new one brewing. When it comes to design you either have to stay on top of these trends or fall behind the pack. This is especially important to graphic designers and agencies who want to stay above current trends for clients who are looking for certain designs. But wait a minute...isn't design about being creative rather than following the crowd? Sure, you can ignore the trends, but that also puts you and your company at risk of not being able to advance in the industry.

While some trends remain each year, there are those that step out of the box and challenge us. We can't wait to see what else is to come.

So, what do you say? Let's dive into how we think the year will go in terms of web and graphic design this year.

Your label is the first impression of your wine. Many of your customers will be influenced not only by the type of wine you sell and taste but also by the overall presentation. According to market research, it was revealed that what’s on the outside of a package is often just as important as what’s inside. Consumer research shows that 1/3 of product decision-making is based on packaging alone. A product with strong branding & packaging isn’t just more likely to grab a customer’s attention, it’s also associated with the quality of the ingredients.

If you are looking for inspiration or ideas to come up with your wine label, look no further. Here are 10 awesome examples of wine label designs that are sure to grab your attention. Analyze and take note.

Has your company come to a stagnant halt, and your brand just isn't doing it for you anymore? It might be time for a rebrand and that can mean a lot of things when it comes to a company but we're going to focus on the aspect of branding. This allows you to benefit of the market audience and yourself as a company.

Companies tend to base their branding on what the audience and target market is when the company opens their doors to the world. But then, time flies by and as the years pass your company develops and changes during that time.  Maybe at the beginning you were a one-stop shop and didn't have anything that you were mainly focused on, and now you have evolved as a company and need to reassess your niche. Typically a company will go through a rebrand every 5-10 years. It is a necessity to keep up with the changing trends. Here iare 5 tips to consider as you contemplate a brand relaunch.

Do you ever have trouble figuring out what file format you need for your images? What about when it comes time to print or putting something online. Below, we are going to get into the differences between the most common file formats, so hopefully you will be saving yourself plenty of time and headaches.

When you don't have the right format for your image it could mean blurry images on your website, or images could be just too big to even upload. Using the right format means your design will come out excellent with no worries at all. First, you need to know the differences so that in the future you know you're using the right file.

Below is a quick and easy guide to navigating you through the most popular file formats.

 

Did you know that people form a first impression in a mere 50 milliseconds? Design is so important because it is the visual face to your company. As a business owner your brand is outward-facing to so many eyes and you want them to have a good impression of your campaign right away. But what goes into designing to help your bottom line? Sometimes design results are so intangible that it difficult to know what is working and what is not. The good news is that there are specific areas that can be explored so when it is time to design, the outcome will be on target and do what it is meant to do. Here are 5 tips for designing successful campaigns. 

We live in a world where simplicity reigns, where we are constantly attempting to update the outdated and push the envelope to begin that next big trend. With technology and the way we receive information, brand design is constantly evolving to take advantage of the newest technology available. In recent years, you have watched your favorite companies such as Pepsi, Stub Hub, Pizza Hut and more make changes to their logo design bringing them up to the next level. This year, back in April, American Express did just that with the help from Pentagram partner, Abbott Miller. At first glance, the American Express logo redesign is not necessarily noticeable. This is because Pentagram made the change so subtle that it's almost hard to tell.

Very quickly, before we go into full force on the logo redesign, let's get into Pentagram and Abbot Miller. Pentagram is the world's largest independently-owned design studio known for their good designs. Their works range from product packaging to exhibitions and installations, and everything in between when it comes to print and web. Built up of 20 partners ranging from London, Berlin, New York and Texas, these wonderful artists are all practicing designers. Abbott Miller, who has been a partner of Pentagram since June 1999, pioneered the concept "designer as author" according to his bio, "undertaking projects in which content and form are developed in a symbiotic relationship." Miller is also a graphic design teacher at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

What questions should be answered before you start new design work for a client? Well, for one its always best to have a small list of questions ready for your client to answer. This way your going into the design understanding what their expectations are and you're not shooting in the dark. This can cause for a lot of frustration on both ends being that A) it's not what the client wanted and/or B) you've already spent a lot of time on the design. It's most likely both A and B, as designers we are eager to just get right into designing before we fully understand what it is the client is asking for.

As a designer, we should always learn to listen and understand first, and allow time for questions. Then design, because if we don't fully understand the idea as to why the client is needed a specific poster or flyer or landing page, then we wont be able to effectively do our job in designing something that solves their issue.

Which leads us to the first question....

How do you choose fonts and colors that fit your restaurant branding? That's a question many people ask when it comes down to starting their company. Colors are what is going to represent your comany visually, it is going to be the first impression of guests before you even get them in your doors to try your amazing food. So, a lot of thought must go into choosing these colors.

For example, in terms of color just think of the following companies and how their color choices work. With Target its known for its red bullseye, Apple is known for its metallic silver apple, and Best Buy with its big yellow tag. Each color conveys a different meaning and you want to be sure that your colors are giving off the right type of emotional meaning for your brand. Below, I share a list of colors and tips on what they represent.

When your company is in need of design work the question begs to be asked, "where do we begin to look?" Well, first you need to know what exactly it is that your company needs as well as what you are looking for. This allows you to really narrow down your search and quite possibly gear you towards the designer and services that will best suit your company's needs not just for that time but possibly for the future as well. You might need print collateral (i.e posters, brochures, business cards, flyers etc) or maybe it's more web based and you need a complete overhaul on your website. Once you determine your exact needs, it is time to start searching.

How do you go about finding a trusted freelance graphic designer? With computers and design programs at everyone's disposal it makes it a lot easier for people to claim that they are designers. Unfortunately, not everyone is a great designer. So, it becomes difficult to find that one person to trust with your company's work. Below I will showcase some different options that are available to you, and if they should be trusted.

Let's get started shall we? Business waits for no one!

 

2018 is here and with the new year comes new ideas to impove your design work. Some of us might be searching for ways to reinvent or update our design whether it's a logo or photography. Maybe you are just looking for new trends to follow to stay current.

In graphic design, the trends come and go quickly. Luckily for you, we will divulge into some graphic design trends that you can look forward to in 2018.