Graphic design is more than just brand identification. It provides benefits that go beyond visual design. Proper design is a chance to educate and inform the audience, as well as to convince them of the usefulness of the brand through color transitions, personalized fonts and illustrations. The world of graphic design is an ever-changing landscape. Here you can come up with tens of thousands of styles, because trends can replace each other year after year. What does this mean for you? You need to constantly improve your skills and align them with the latest trends in order to get the maximum benefit. In this article,  we will discuss all the design trends that will become the foundation of 2021. From the most popular illustrations and layouts to the new approaches used by professionals, we will tell you everything. Look for new design ideas and instill visual consistency into aspects of your business.

Minimalism

Is this obvious to you? Excellent. So your site or product looks attractive. Minimalism is an irreplaceable trend of the last few years. Designers strive to sweep more and more elements and leave maximum “white space”. You must follow minimalism in graphic design. Even if you do not like this direction. Reason: minimalism has become popular in everything from websites and gadgets to banner ads and clothing. Minimalism has penetrated so much into all areas that a person is automatically takes better sites with a similar graphic design. Therefore, your motto for 2021 is – “We are minimalistic”.

Colors

The second element without which no graphic design lives is color. Last year, its choice very much depended on the scope of the company. Today, these boundaries are a little blurred. In 2021 there will be much more freedom for color matching. First of all, designers and many brands draw back from bright colors. 2020 was the year of the color "neo mint". Blue and yellow shades were also popular. However, all the palettes came down to pastel colors. Therefore, the year 2021 will be tied to dimmed colors. What does it mean? No adjustments to brightness and contrast. Black and white will be added to the palette to maximize the appearance of the color. But the entire site, application or product are not always executed in one color.

Combinations must be created to dilute visual perception. Of course, the best combination is black and white. It has existed since the days of newspapers, and most consumers love it at the genetic level. However, black and white are the backbone of most Apple pages. If you choose this combination for your product, some users may blame plagiarism. Therefore, designers highlight such color combinations:

1. sea blue and mint;
2. mustard and beige;
3. black and lime;
4. pink and secret moss;
5. black and red scarlet;
6. soft green and white.

All these color combinations were taken as a basis on most sites that were selected the best by version of Awwwards.

Gradients

The designer knows that there are hundreds of shades for each color. Every year this fact is increasingly used to create a more attractive product design. Gradients are a trend in graphic design over the past three years. As polls and expert comments show, so far no one intends to forget this trend. Why are gradients so popular? Firstly, they provide more space for creativity. Secondly, the user is ambiguous. He loves minimalism, but is inclined to think that they did not try to work on design when he sees just two colors. Thirdly, the gradient creates a sense of movement. This is an analog of motion design, but without animation.

A few tips for creating gradients:

1. Do not choose colors randomly. The gradient is good in that you can choose any color. But it must match the mood of a particular element of the page or product. If you are afraid to make a mistake, use Adobe Color Wheel.

2. Use the colors of nature. It pleases the eye of any person. Seeing similar colors on the product, the user will be pleasantly impressed.

Liquid forms

How many sites and products with sharp outlines have you seen? Most users admit that this appearance of the product scares them away. This is noticeable not only in graphic design. Pay attention to cars: all transitions are smooth (except for Tesla Cybertruck, but it deserves a separate discussion).  martphones that have become an integral part of many people's lives also have round edges. Strictly fixed edges and bends are a relic of the past. They symbolize monotony. At the same time, liquid forms imply creativity, agility, and most importantly - create the effect of movement. The absence of strict bends helps to achieve a smooth, soft appearance. Many designers want to recreate it in each of their products. Thus, they definitely make liquid form one of the main trends for several years.

Animations

If we are talking about posters, banners, logo and clothing design, then there can be no animation here. But today, graphic design is increasingly associated with sites, mobile applications and digital advertising. In all these cases, animation is simply necessary. Companies are devoting more and more time to  eveloping attractive and unique animations. Why? They can hook any user several times stronger than a normal picture. In addition, animation is one of the most powerful ways to revitalize a brand. However, this is now beyond the scope of simple GIFs. Companies develop animations as a plot, including continuous movement, in which each part of the chart is tied to a subsequent scene.

In 2021, continuous animation sequences will enhance the user's immersion in the site and all content. Why? Real-time smooth transitions can create a mini-scene from the elements of a single frame. This is useful for brands. This way they can send users on a trip. In addition, in this way they will give the consumer a sense of life in an ever-changing world. The animation is already magical. Dynamic transitions are a "secret spell" to hold the user.