Creative and visual trends for 2018

With their collection holding over 170 million images, it’s a very good way of looking at which design concepts are likely to become trends that influence decisions made on the look and feel of all creative processes over the next year.

These include major trends which have been in place for some time, plus the emerging ones which will grow and develop over 2018.

The report is now in its seventh year and looking at the top three you may consider that the state of the world has influenced the themes – there’s definitely an otherworldly/science fiction style occurring!

Let’s have a look at the top ten and how it could work for you in your next video!

1. Fantasy

Not a big surprise with the power of unicorns, Game of Thrones and development of more mythical creatures across all forms of culture. Unicorns seem to be here to stay, but rather than use the more ‘common’ unicorn, go for one of the emerging mythical beings, such as mermaids, or use more of the look and feel of a fantasy landscape.

2. New Minimalism

Stark and simple was the minimalist style in the past, the trend now is more about fluidity, popping colours and strong use of line and shape. Neon, continuous lines and looping sounds can be incorporated into your videos and capture the essence of this trend.

3. Space

With all types of science fiction having a resurgence over television and cinema, it is no surprise that space is so high up the list. It also fits in with so many positivity structures too, with maybe a little bit of dystopia thrown in! For imagery, you could use the endless view of space, or maybe more science fiction based imagery.

4. Natural Luxury

This is not about the luxurious look created on reality tv, this is all about the age of time creating rocks such marble and agate. Buying into both bohemia and new age beliefs, these items have a beauty which can only be formed by nature. Within your video, it could be used as background or a theme and would work brilliantly with movement.

5. Punchy Pastels

Pastel is maybe not quite the right word – these are saturated intense candy coloured pastels – imagine them as popping candy as you have the intense feeling they give.
Use them as a contrast and in combination for an attention-grabbing palette for your next animation.

6. The Global March

The description given by Shutterstock is not really clear enough – this is quite a specific form of activism: women and their rights, and globally. Following on from the results in the US Election and the emergence of the #MeToo campaign, women’s rights, fight for equality and recognition have never been brighter. This is a trend which is much more than just a use of imaginary and could lead your complete video output.

7. Cactus

Another more natural theme, but maybe mixed in with number six too; survival, growth in hard times, resilience. Prickly and green, with bursts of bright colours when they flower, cacti are a vibrant image to use across all media. Tied into this you can use the landscape in which they are normally found as well.

8. Digital Crafts

Handmade, handcrafted, artisan; all words which have been at the forefront over the recent years, but now they’re emerging in more digital formats, tactile yet precise, for example, hand drawn lettering and chalkboard backgrounds. This is a great style to use in animation or as a background in a video.

9. Ancient Geometrics

With spiritual and mathematical patterns and with a deep history, these patterns also tie into the theme of natural luxury with their new age links, and also digital crafts. With a range of patterns, colours and textures they are many ways of using them across all media.

10. Cryptocurrency

What did we know or hear about this 12 months ago? Now everyone knows something about it and that will not dissipate over the next months, in fact, it will continue to grow. Because of its high profile, the imagery of the currency, whether real or imaginary will be required more and more across videos this year, with it featuring in business videos particularly.

This may all change within 6 months, but you now have a point to start at, and potentially develop your video style and ideas to include these trends, and maybe create some of your own too.