5 Graphic Design Trends to Watch in 2015

Graphic Design trends are fickle friends. As soon as you’ve mastered a medium or style, it becomes unfashionable and your portfolio cliché. But never fear! We’ve compiled a list of five trends that are sure to be big hits this year. So get ahead of the curve and take note of what’s to come in 2015.

1. Temporary Tattoos – Looking for a new market for your design work? Consider temporary body art. Companies like Tattly and Flash Tattoos offer exquisite, artful tattoos that last about six days. Forget those things you used to get in the Cracker Jack box – Tattly offers funky designs beloved by designers and other artists, and Flash sells tattoos that mimic gold and silver jewelry.

2. Co-Creating – Some designers love solitude, but in today’s world the ability to work with others through social media is an important skill. This will only grow as more and more designers work from home rather than in big offices – they still need to collaborate to succeed. 

3. 3D Printed Designs – 3D printing has become a major force in many design disciplines, and some designers are using it as a medium rather than just a tool. 3D Printing allows designers to combine sculpture, digital art, and engineering in one project. And it allows remote collaboration (see previous item).

4. Wide-Format – Inkjet printers that can output images as large as 48 inches have been around for over a decade, but designers are realizing that modern inkjets are simply way better than the bitmappy, slow, sloppy machines of old. Today’s equipment produces giant images that even old school film experts admire. If you have the file size, why go small?

Funky Point of View – Drones are not just for wars anymore! Shots from above, shots from below, shots through goggles, shots through rain…any image can improved if you take a fresh view. Proper framing techniques still matter, but photographers are more apt to use a smartphone camera’s viewfinder as the frame than two trees.