Flat and minimalism dominated the design trends last year. From logos and websites to architecture and UI, the flat style is everywhere. Will the design trend this 2014 be on the same track? Shutterstock, the popular online resource of commercial digital imagery, has released their annual global design trends infographic. Based on the data from over 350 million all-time image downloads, the infographic revealed the recent and emerging visual design trends across the globe.
This year’s infographic is outlined as follows:
- No two countries design alike. From pastel colors in China to vibrant textures in the Netherlands, unique themes around the world continue to emerge.
- Flat, minimalist design elements replace skeuomorphism. Led by changes in app and software design, downloads of flat design elements increased by 200% over the past year.
- Instagram-esque images were a top visual theme of the year. With the popularity of retro cameras and mobile apps, searches for filtered images soared 661% in 2013, with no signs of abating.
- Search terms with the largest year-on-year growth include “Gatsby”, “3D printing” and “BYOD” (“bring your own device”), with each rising 625%, 583% and 407% respectively
- Video is an increasingly popular medium for visual storytellers and access to new image-capture technology such as 4K is growing. Popular video content topics include education, 3D renderings, transportation and cityscapes.
“The increasing demand for imagery is leading to new and innovative content types,” said Shutterstock VP Content Scott Braut. “Our data reveals how photographers, illustrators, designers and videographers are influencing design trends on a local and global scale.”
“Businesses and storytellers are using images to communicate in more ways and across more channels than ever before,” added VP Global Communications Meagan Kirkpatrick. “From bright geometric patterns in Brazil to deconstructed classics in France, Shutterstock is seeing more diversity in visual communication trends than ever before.”
What design themes and styles do you think would emerge this year? Tell us via the comments below!