the challenge Special Olympics Illinois (SOILL) is a storied organization with an incredible legacy. When they came to us with the goal of recruiting more athletes, volunteers and donors of all demographics—we grasped the opportunity to do something extraordinary. We...
the challenge Since 2007, the Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere Foundation (GIVE) has been working tirelessly to improve the lives of Iowa’s military heroes through therapeutic golf instruction, social engagement, community outreach and more. The work they do and...
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the challenge Before America could run on Dunkin’, the Midwest market needed help to turn a Boston import into a hometown hero.the solution For over 20 years as a prolific Dunkin’ partner, we’ve perked up brand loyalty and kept excitement brewing in 53 markets all...
the challenge As economic development hit western Des Moines, investors largely ignored the City of Altoona, just to the east. They perceived it as a “small, sleepy town”, failing to see the potential just beneath the surface. But this wasn’t a boom waiting to happen:...
the challenge Tall order: take a 140 year old hardware brand, and honor its legacy while simultaneously swinging it into the future. Then, we heard a story about a 92 year old piece of hardware made for the Rockefeller family that still works like it’s brand new. the...
the challenge Scientel Solutions is up there with the world’s leading innovators, delivering high-tech solutions like Drone Defense and Smart City Infrastructure. They’re basically the James Bond-meets-MacGyver of tech companies. Unfortunately, when we first met them,...
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the challenge LABS had an awareness & perception problem. The target market perceived them as “intimidating” and “elite,” while their unique location hid them from public view: literally and figuratively.the solution We gave the gym some sick gains with “Chase Your...
the challenge BrownWinick is a law firm headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, home to some of the most respected attorneys in their respective fields. But in law, as in life, you’re only as good as your reputation: BrownWinick needed a new brand that lived up to theirs....
the challenge PAC-MAN Entertainment is an interdimensional realm of 8-bit awesome, boasting an arcade, bowling, full service restaurant, office meeting spaces, sports bar and more. BANDAI-NAMCO, (creators of the iconic ghost-chomping PAC-MAN) needed to broaden the...
the challenge Choose DuPage is the economic development alliance for DuPage County, Illinois. A public/private partnership between business and government leaders, their collective mission is to foster a business-friendly community while growing, attracting, and...
the challenge The Iowa Finance Authority makes life better for Iowans. It’s that simple. However, when we first started working with them in 2015, most people weren’t aware of the organization’s statewide programs or the impact they have on local communities. In order...
the challenge Wannemaker’s Home and Garden is Chicagoland’s best garden and home boutique – but as they looked to expand their customer base, the community pillar needed a fresh brand that was relevant to today’s customers while still honoring their roots.the solution...
A collection of graphic design trends that we’re liking and perspective on balancing inspiration with originality
A trend is defined as a general direction in which something is developing or changing.
Today, the visibility and application of graphic design is only continuing to increase as the internet becomes the hero medium of how we see and experience content. Because such a variety of content is created and released daily from countless artists and creators, graphic design and its trends are constantly shifting. Of course, aesthetic is subjective, as everyone has a different taste in art and style. But because of how easily we can see and share work online, graphic design trends can appear and change very quickly. What I think is unique about trends in graphic design specifically, though, is the visual evolutionof trends in graphic design, and how certain trends can return with clearly visible modifications.
“Anything you do let it come from you, then it will be new. Give us more to see”
There are pros and cons for graphic designers when it comes to the rapid nature of seeing and sharing work online and in our community of creatives. We are encouraged to create original work and set trends, rather than follow them, so that our work stands apart from others and wins the attention of those who consume it. But if we do not seek out inspiration and keep our finger on the pulse of what people are paying attention to, there is risk of a missed opportunity for a viral or at least well-received piece of work. As quoted in “Move On,” a number in the Broadway musical “Sunday in the Park with George,” inspired by the French Pointillist Painter Georges Seurat, “Anything you do let it come from you, then it will be new. Give us more to see” speaks to how we can certainly allow ourselves to be inspired but always filter our inspiration through our own personal touch and it will be new and stronger that way.
Trending Now: 5 Trends We’ve Highlighted from 2021
1. Ownable Brand Illustration & Line Art
Inspiration notes:
Combination of block colors and empty lines
Organic shapes (curves, spheres and rounded rectangles)
In my opinion, colors don’t particularly ever go “out of style.” But certain color combinations can definitely feel representative of a time, mood, place or climate. For instance, it might be tough to give off anything other than a retro 80s vibe if your palette includes hot magenta, Prince-purple, electric blue and bright teal. If the color is right for the brand, then it’s in-style. Below are some unique & trending color combinations to try for your next project:
I asked our Art Directors here at MACLYN to choose a recent piece of inspiration they’ve admired and why. Here’s what they shared:
Mike: “What inspires me is coming across a new artist who is doing something I’ve never seen before with such a high level of jaw-dropping craftsmanship. That’s the case for me with artist Stacey Lee Webber.”
Eddie: “I love watching time-lapse videos of animators working. Dima Tkachev (@dimaphew on IG) is one of my favorites. Here is a fun logo animation he created for Oreo.”
Rebecca: “I think the convention of illustrations and photography working together is always great, and this Soltan sunscreen campaign was so successful with it. It’s a technique that can be executed indefinitely as there are so many photography and illustration styles that therefore allow for many original interpretations of this approach.
Erin: “Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with Disney, and one thing that always inspires me is the community of Disney artists and creators out there who are making such cool work. Whether it’s illustration, content creation, or videos, it’s inspiring to see how different people who all share a similar interest can translate that into being creative in so many different ways.”
Sourcing & Saving Inspiration
I don’t have a lot of space for a large bookshelf at my Lincoln Park apartment. But my bookmarks bar is brimming with tabs (if web pages could get worn the way book pages did, the below pages would be falling apart). Here are some of my favorite go-to online resources for graphic design trends & inspiration: