“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.”
– Robert L. Peters
⚡️Pop Quiz: What does ‘Fukinsei’ mean in Japanese design?
In today’s issue:
- The Essential Elements of Japanese Art and Design
- Interesting Career Paths for Graphic Designers
- Top Design and Color Trends for 2023
Let’s dive in, shall we?
Elements of Design
The Essential Elements of Japanese Art & Design
From traditional ukiyo-e art to modern manga culture, the world of design is full of strong Japanese influences.
Today, designers all over the world are using Japanese design elements in their work. Here are some staples of Japanese design:
Minimalism is all about less is more and the beauty in simplicity. It is characterized by clean lines, design efficiency and austerity.
🟨Learn more about the 4 essential principles of Japanese minimalism
Organic Forms and Nature such as bonsai, cherry blossom and rock gardens are heavily featured in Japanese art and design. There is a deep connection between aesthetics and natural forms within Japanese culture.
🍃Explore the importance of nature in Japanese design
Geometric Patterns and Symbolism are used to represent natural phenomena such as the sun, water, fish and the mountains e.g., The red circle in the Japanese flag represents the sun.
🔴Check out the meaning behind the best-known traditional Japanese design patterns
Custom Typography and Calligraphy is a staple in Japanese art and is highly respected.
🖋️Japanese Graphic Design Artwork and Typography to Check Out
Go deeper:
- Japanese Graphic Design: Why So Many Creatives Love it – Vectornator
- Japanese Graphic Design From A to Z – Pen Online
- 25 Japanese Graphic Design Examples For Your Brand – Creative Market
DESIGN CAREERS
Diversify your Design Career: Interesting Jobs for Graphic Designers
With digital media creating new jobs for designers, the creative industry is brimming with exciting opportunities.
Here are some alternative career options for designers who want to diversify:
🎮Game Designer – Designers who love storytelling, gaming and technology will find game designing to be a rewarding career.
📚Book Cover Designer – Whether it’s an ebook or a hardcover, books are always in demand and so are book cover designers.
📱UX/UI Designer – Venture out into the more technical side of design by becoming a UX/UI designer and create accessible apps, websites and other user experiences.
🎨Muralist – Step into a more artsy profession by creating street art or murals.
Restaurants and establishments are embracing the trend as well so there’s always a demand for beautiful wall art.
Go deeper:
- 11 Types of Graphic Design Jobs to Explore – Indeed
- 8 Types of Graphic Design Careers – Dribble
- 15 Unexpected Career Paths of Graphic Designers – Creative Boom
- Alternative Careers for Graphic Designers: The Complete Guide – Greig
Hottest Graphic Design Trends for 2023
📈What designers are loving this year
- 8 Inspiring Graphic Design Trends for 2023 – Blue Sky Graphics
- The 10 Most Inspiring Graphic Design Trends for 2023 – InDesign Skills
- 2023 Design Trends You Should Know About – Pel Hughes
🌈Colors of the Year
⚡️The Answer: ‘Fukinsei’ means symmetry or irregularity.
Nature is not perfectly symmetrical and the Japanese design principle of ‘Fukinsei’ embraces these irregular imperfections. From the Bonsai tree to the Enso or ‘zen circle’, many popular motifs of Japanese art and design follow this principle.