Design Movements
Looking for inspiration for your design but not quite sure where to start? We’ve created this handy, informative and historical archive of mainstream art styles and trending designs to help get the creative juices flowing.
Contemporary
The dictionary defines contemporary as (1) living or occurring at the same time, or (2) belonging to or occurring in the present. Simply put, contemporary at its core refers to things “of the moment.” How is Contemporary Design Different from Modern Design? It’s interesting to note that many people use the words “modern” and “contemporary” interchangeably when referring to design; however, this is not quite accurate. Modern design generally refers to design of the mid-1900s. Characteristics such as natural materials, expansive neutrals with pops of color, and clean, low lines are all part of modern design.
Contemporary design, however, refers to design that is much more current. Even designs that were contemporary in the 2000s may no longer be considered contemporary but rather vintage.
Art Deco
The word “Art Deco” comes from the French term and shortened from Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. An exposition of modern decorative and industrial arts was held in Paris, France, in 1925. It became a major design force in the early Twentieth-Century America with stunning architectural designs such as the Empire State and the Chrysler buildings taking center-stage. Characterized by smooth lines, geometric shapes, streamlined forms and bright, sometimes vivid colors. The basis of the art deco style lies in these fixed constants: geometric composition, simplification of form, strong contrast, and subtle gradations of tone.
Pop Art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid-1950s in Britain and the late 1950s in the United States. Among the early artists that shaped the pop art movement were Eduardo Paolozzi and Richard Hamilton in Britain, and Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns in the United States. Artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol made this movement more mainstream. The Pop art movement is defined by themes and techniques drawn from the popular mass culture. Areas like advertising, mundane cultural objects and comic books. The predominant colors used by Pop Art artists are yellow, red and blue. The colors used were vibrant and vivid. The characteristics of Pop Art artworks were clear lines and representations of symbols, people and objects found in the popular culture and sharp paintwork.
Post-Modern
Postmodern art is a body of art movements that sought to contradict some aspects of modernism or some aspects that emerged or developed in its aftermath. In general, movements such as intermedia, installation art, conceptual art and multimedia, particularly involving video are described as postmodern. There are several characteristics which lend art to being postmodern; these include Bricolage, the use of words prominently as the central artistic element, collage, simplification, appropriation, performance art, the recycling of past styles and themes in a modern-day context, as well as the break-up of the barrier between fine and high arts and low art and popular culture
Early Modern
The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation. Modern artists experimented with new ways of seeing and with fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art. Geometrically based, with a minimalist approach, this style is dominated by clean type and photos rather than illustrations.
Digital Grunge
The most recent step in the design evolutionary process, this style emerged only within the last decade and is easily recognized by its extensive use of distressed textures, unrefined edges, and a seemingly nonsensical approach to layout. Dirty stains, torn images, “broken” icons and creased pieces of paper… dirty textures are often used as background images.
Grunge designs don’t always have to a have a dirty look. Sometimes irregular (or dirty) elements are used to achieve a more realistic look. In most cases grunge designs use subdued, dirty and dull colors. Brown, beige, gray and black are dominating colors. Vibrant shades of vivid colors are being replaced with more natural and subtle colors. Popular graffiti artists employ such methods and the two styles are closely related.
Swiss/International
Many of the elements for Swiss International derive from Post Modern art. Some of the core features and central themes are the use of typography as the principal art element. Strong use of sans-face fonts like Helvetica and Frutiger play a prominent role. Best recognized for its complete lack of embellishment, this style employs the use of negative space, or areas lacking content in the layouts and could appropriately be labeled as very “clean”.
Monotone Image with Colorful Insert
This style offers a meaningful background with a razor sharp focus. Attention is drawn to the color that is surrounded by a neutrally faded background image. Usually this is a combination of a B&W image that may be faded or sepia toned for effect and a colorful image, logo, text or symbol. The result can look like fine art that stops the eye. Similar art styles are Vignette’s and even Silhouettes.