Flat design is the emerging trend of 2014 for both print, and web design. Clean, simple and modern looking layouts may soon outnumber heavy gradients, shadows, three-dimensional effects and images that don't add value to the content.
Although seemingly a "new" fad, as it appeared with the release of Windows 8 Metro, this style, also called "Swiss design," was popular back in the 1950s.
The Swiss Style has been defined as an authentic pursuit for simplicity, devoted to the minimal elements of style such as typography and content layout rather than on textures and illustrations.
As you may have noticed, trends--even in graphic design--are cyclical. Pantone's colour of the year is almost always the opposite of the previous year's colour; for instance, after Sept. 11, the colour of the year was patriotic "True Red," so the following year the colour was "Aqua Sky"--a cool blue meant to restore hope and serenity.
The evolution of flat design may be more of an actual necessity than a trend. As more and more websites become responsive, i.e., able to be viewed on most mobile devices and tablets, the importance of designing websites with more elaborate typography and vector graphics is growing. These files have smaller sizes, and are able to be viewed quickly and resize easily on smaller devices.
With all that said, it's important to keep in mind that visual styles are just tools, and should not be goals in themselves. Knowing which style is appropriate for each project comes with experience.
Bateman Design Group excels at creating logos, websites and marketing material that reflects your business's unique qualities, needs and goals. We are always at the leading edge of technology and trends, and will incorporate this new information into custom designs that are reflective of your brand.
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