“Have no fear of perfection — you’ll never reach it.”
Salvador Dali, Surrealist Artist
Pop Quiz
What is Brutalism?
Let’s recall some design history!
90’s Nostalgia: It’s Rewind Time!
From the vibrant ’80s motifs to music-inspired grunge, the ’90s gave us some truly iconic design influences. Today, these nostalgic designs are making a comeback in the digital world.
Design in the 1990s: A Decade of Experimentation
The 90s was all about individualism and experimentation both in design and technology. This was the decade that gave us the World Wide Web and Photoshop 1.0.
With the web and computer software providing new mediums of creativity, designers had a unique opportunity to be experimental and innovative. As a result, design nightmares like Comic Sans were born.
On the other hand, some designers were going for a more minimalist approach. In short, the designscape of the 90s was a reflection of the days gone by and the exciting future ahead.
Hottest 90’s Design Trends for 2022
Novelty Typography
90s designers took typography to dizzying heights with novelty typography that still stands out in movie posters, music albums, and websites.
In 2022, typography from the past decade can teach you how to be expressive, bold, and fearless with your creative work.
Here are some lessons from the most legendary typographers of the ’90s.
Music-Inspired Design
From Nirvana’s grunge aesthetic to the fabulous Spice Girls, there’s nothing more iconic than 90’s music-influenced design.
If you’re looking for 90s design inspiration, look no further than some of the best album covers of the decade.
Minimalism
While messy grunge typography dominated rock album covers, fashion designers like Calvin Klein were creating a minimalist revolution.
Think clean lines, neutral colors, and lots of breathing space. After dominating fashion and interior design, the minimalist philosophy bled into graphic design as well.
Go deeper:
- Design by the Decades, Get Inspired by 90s Graphic Design Trends – Dribbble
- From Raves to Ray Gun: A Walk Through 90s Design Culture – Shutterstock
- 90s Patterns and Backgrounds for Authentic 1990s Designs – Vandelay Design
- Web Design History
Anti-Design and Creative Anarchy
How the Anti-Design Revolution is Transforming Digital Design in 2022.
It’s time to throw those design rules out the window. Enter Anti-Design: an approach that rejects traditional conventions in the favor of innovative layouts.
This form of creative anarchy is characterized by a lack of aesthetics. Anti-designers seek to expand the realm of design and redefine the standards of beauty and usability.
How to Become an Anti-Designer
Whether you agree with the philosophy of anti-design or not, there’s something valuable to learn from the unique artistry of this digital design approach.
Want to implement anti-design into your work? Here are some basic characteristics of anti-design:
- Asymmetry and lack of a grid
- Overlaid and crowded text and images
- Clashing colors
- Mismatched elements
Go deeper:
- Anti-Design: The Anti-Rule Book Redefining Digital Design – 99 Designs
- Anti-Design is Intentionally Loud and Messy – Built In
- Anti-Design: The Return of the 90s Website – Why Now
Pop Quiz: The Answer
Brutalism is a utilitarian design movement that emerged in the 1950s.
Inspired by Brutalist architecture from the 1950s to 1970s, Brutalism is described as bold, honest, and unapologetic. Brutalism has reemerged in digital design in the form of anti-design.
Want to learn more?
Design Fact of the Day
Photoshop was developed by the American brothers Thomas and John Knoll in 1987. Photoshop 1.0 was released in 1990 for the Macintosh platform.
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