Trends in the Graphic Design Field

Current employment trends show that the market is wide open for graphic designers - particularly graphic designers who work on the Internet. Graphic designers who specialize in coding are being employed as website designers and flash designers, a trend within the field itself. In website design alone, designers can create logos, backgrounds, advertisements, site headers, and the little graphics called buttons and banners.

These career options and more allow individuals interested in graphic design the ability to work in house for large or small design firms, or for themselves with their own businesses. With the growth of online designing, there has been a trend for graphic designers to work from home. It's convenient, cost effective, and efficient. In addition, these online designers have more control over what they produce, and how they go about creating their productions.

Here are a few other trends that have emerged in the field of online design:

Textured Designs

Texture adds interest and realism to designs, and for a medium like websites, it is often appropriate and necessary to add texture. Whether the texture actually affects the design's surface or is merely a visual trick on a webpage, texture is becoming a very popular trend and it is requested by many clients. Some website visitors may have a hard time focusing on a page with a textured design, but graphic designers are continually improving these designs to make them easier on the eyes.

Use of Blue

Graphic designers are finding that the color blue has a calming, pleasing effect on people. The trend is now leaning heavily toward using the color blue as it is being shown to attract greater interest in the observer. Many people attribute the popularity of blue to the fact that the color is not associated with things that have negative associations - such as how many people associate green with money. People associate blue with calming things such as the ocean, or the sky. Psychologically, the color blue actually lowers blood pressure in the observer because of this calming effect.

Plaid Designs

In spite of the popular belief that plaid has been out for years, it is making a very trendy comeback in graphic design. When used and combined with specific colors, textures, and a simple layout, graphic designers are coming up with trendy designs that the public is welcoming both online and in print. Black and red and black and white combinations are popular for plaid, and even tri-color designs in black, white, and pink are showing up as the next generation of teens hit the Internet.

Simple Layouts

The latest trend to emerge in graphic design is that less is more - and with good reason. Having simple website layouts keeps the observer focused and stress free. Websites that are simple, streamlined, and not overly cluttered seem to get more repeat visitors on the web. Readers are also more likely to focus on the message they are being given, instead of being distracted by design breaks, outlandish colors, or obtrusive ads.