Design is volatile. Constantly evolving, it incorporates new trends and styles. This is equally true for apparel, graphic design, and other industries.

We analyzed 2016 logos to determine what popular trends will dominate the scene next year.

Minimalism

Minimalism is about removing unnecessary details and leaving only the essentials. Having been around for several years, minimalism is expected to retain its popularity in 2017. With simple forms, minimal colors and effects, and a smart focus, minimalism allows you to create a unique logo and use it across various backgrounds and platforms.
Take a look at how some well-known companies went back to the basics to make their logos more effective.

Letterstacking

Using text is another easy way to create an original, visually appealing logo. Designers use letterstacking to place a large message on a logo in a concise manner. The text can be stacked horizontally or vertically and paired with various graphic elements. Such logos draw customers’ attention and lead them to focus on the text. Developed in 2016, letterstacking is likely to be a top trend in 2017.

Text logos

To this day, a classic text logo remains a relevant and effective tool. You can see this for yourself by looking at such well-known brands as Sony, Coca-Cola, Asus, IBM, and many others. In 2016, designers used various fonts paired with minimalist effects, including text stylization, increased/decreased kerning, and a combination of styles (handwritten ones in particular).

Lettering

Logos that use lettering look elegant and refined. Although hardly an innovative style, lettering is the best choice for certain categories of companies. Hotels, cafes, and restaurants choose lettering to communicate sophistication and professionalism. It’s safe to say that this sure-fire typographic approach will maintain its popularity in 2017.

Flat design

Just like minimalist style, flat design features clean, fine aesthetics without unnecessary refinements. Flat design communicates clarity and comfort.
Austere and neat visual solutions are worthy alternatives to three-dimensional icons with shadows and gradients. With flat design techniques, you can create simple yet highly effective logos.

Gradients

With simplistic trends on the rise, gradients could have become history. However, many companies, including Apple, ensured that gradients made a comeback. Still, the way gradients are used in graphic design has changed significantly. Simplicity is what defines gradients today. Gradients were once all about bright colors and bold combinations that added depth and volume. Today, designers achieve this goal by using muted hues and material design colors.

Line art

Minimalism has multiple facets. In their graphic work, logo designers like to use clean, simple images. Line art is a daring minimalist technique. With line art, one uses a solid, usually dark-colored line to draw images. It’s a great way to bring together text and an image.

Stencil typography

Stencil designs create visually attractive logos. Stencil fonts come in all forms and sizes, so you’re sure to find one that is right for your business. A visual hierarchy makes logos catchy and memorable, meaning that designers are unlikely to drop versatile stencil patterns in 2017.

Black-and-white logos

The use of just two colors – black and white – is one of the most unconventional approaches in graphic design. Such logos feature various fonts paired with geometric patterns.
A color palette has always been a powerful tool at the service of designers. Only recently have black and white become the two dominant colors. Designers are exploring this new trend to create unique graphic solutions. Now you can communicate your brand philosophy without using bright colors.

Overlapping gradients

Overlapping gradients peaked in 2016. Simple geometric forms overlap to create a unique style. Overlapping is a relatively new design technique. At first, it had been used mostly in animal-related logos. As it became popular, overlapping gained recognition among the world’s leading companies. Take MasterCard’s latest logo redesign; designers from Pentagram breathed new life into the logo, removing text from the image and dropping shadows. As a result, the icon is now clean and memorable. With its increasing popularity, overlapping gradients has every chance of becoming a leading graphic design trend in 2017.

Geometric shapes

Although the geometric theme has been around for quite some time, simple geometric shapes are expected to be the highlight of 2017. Geometric shapes are highly effective at creating stylish and unique logos.
At the same time, designers are fascinated by unconventional geometric patterns. For example, 2016 was the year of colorful polygons, both symmetrical and asymmetrical.

Framed text

By placing a message inside a frame (triangular, circular, rectangular, etc.), you can draw customers’ attention to the text part of your logo. It’s a simple yet smart way to create a visually appealing icon.

Hand-made logos

Logos that imitate hand-made images and elements are likely to remain trendy in 2017. A hand-made logo allows for the creation of a wide array of visual effects, including vintage, grunge, and children’s images. Major advantages of this approach include 100-percent uniqueness and wide brand recognition.

Negative space

The full potential of negative space has yet to be unlocked. Design is what you see. However, once design starts to talk to you, you immediately understand the message. To stand out from the crowd, your logo must be more than meets the eye. This is the reason why designers will continue to experiment with negative space to get a deeper understanding of this amazing technique.

These are only predictions based on the 2016 trends. In 2017, designers are sure to surprise us with fresh ideas and improved styles. Let your inspiration guide you to your best logo! Who knows? You may very well launch a brand-new trend in logo design!