Blog

In this year’s Adobe Stock 2021 Creative Trends, the Adobe Stock team highlights visual, design, and motion trends. And for the first time also audio trends. Let’s take a look at what to expect in 2021.

Visual Trends

Compassionate Collective

After a challenging year and in turbulent times, team spirit and a sense of community are required. This trend shows a visual imagery that expresses a clear commitment to the collective, to democracy and participation and represents, supports and strengthens all voices and all identities.

“Over the past several years, the collective drive to associate with brands that share and demonstrate our values has continued to gain momentum, and the Compassionate Collective is a visual trend that expresses that craving, along with the desire to connect with strength and empathy.”

Mood-Boosting Color

The rich and bright colour spectrums of this trend not only make grey winter days more colourful and lift the mood. According to Adobe “Color will always communicate playfulness, and through its simplicity, may appeal to everyone of any age.”

“[…] in magazines, on billboards, in shop windows, shoes and clothes, in the digital and analog world: bright, saturated, spectrums of color are everywhere. […] Bright, more saturated colors have the happy psychological effect of making us feel more awake and alive, lifting our mood when we are down and giving us a shot of much-needed energy. Spirited spectrums add a dose of optimism, while primary palettes feel approachable and friendly.”

Comfort Zone

Home is no longer a place where we just live. “Since at least 2018, we have been watching a shift in how people use their home as a hub: a hub for family life, yes, but also for work, hobbies, learning, and play.” Where we feel safe and secure. 2020 accelerated this trend again.

“In 2021, we’ll see much more of this visual trend throughout every type of campaign and creative visuals — and we are calling it Comfort Zone. […] While this means more freedom from commuting for many, it also brings screen fatigue — and the home-based crafts of cooking, baking, gardening, and other DIY activities are being rediscovered and celebrated on an expanding scale as a creative outlet and a respite from technology.”

Breath of Fresh Air

Lockdowns, quarantine and restrictions on indoor living made “[…] our need for immersion in nature and the outdoors to help create balance in our lives […] a high priority, and brands responded, leading to our fourth visual trend, Breath of Fresh Air.” This trend reflects our desire to connect with nature, to take a break from screens and technology as well as to feel the satisfaction of working with our hands and helping something grow.

“For agencies and brands, this means visuals in every shade of green, fresh nature-inspired palettes, and imagery of folks from every demographic group and background, solo or in groups, interacting and reveling in the outdoors.”

Design Trends

Austere Romanticism: “[…] these designs offer a Victorian-tinged take on the beauty of nature with a minimal, modern edge.” A modern update to the aesthetics of the Victorian era.

Vintage Vaporwave: “A visual love letter to the 1990’s internet, Vintage Vaporwave mixes pop art and outlined sticker graphics, bright pastels matched with neutral tones, and lo-fi design elements. Checkers and grids, random tiling of pattern elements, and cheeky cartoons keep these designs full of movement.”

Back to Bauhaus: “This trend includes a return to the fundamentals with clean, geometric shapes, strong yet harmonious elements, and vibrant primary colors.” As well as “[…] balanced layouts and graphics that create powerful, direct messaging.”

Psych Out is inspired by the psychedelic 1970s and the Art Nouveau movement. “Expansive shapes, curvaceous forms and typefaces, and dreamy illustrations are updated with iridescent gradients and unexpectedly earthy color palettes.”

Motion Trends

Handheld: More authenticity through user generated content (UGC), “[…], and the DIY look of content created in the moment.” are dominating this deliberately imperfect trend.

Media Replacement: “[…] the ability to add swappable images and video to motion graphics — has dramatically lowered the barrier to entry for creating complex motion pieces.“ And enables them to create “[…] professional-quality videos by inserting photos and videos into motion templates […]”

Transformation Transitions: “[…] creators are incorporating seamless transitions and graphical elements into videos to bring their stories to life. Colorful transitions draw the eye powerfully from one scene to the next or reveal titles and logos within a commercial.”

Gradient: “The blending of vibrant colors can grab attention and at the same time offer a calming presence in unsettled times. Smooth, multicolor gradients are rising in popularity in major brand campaigns, identity design, and more.”

Audio Trends

Global Rhythms: “[…] video editors and producers are actively seeking audio tracks to help create a global, modern feel to their branded content.” as listeners expect more diversity and inclusion.

Pod Tracks: Podcasting has gone mainstream and the need for suitable music to create podcast stories and ads is increasing.

Electronic Spectrum: “Electronic productions are clean and contemporary, with a huge variety of subgenres to suit any need” and are gaining in popularity.

Discover the full Adobe Stock 2021 Creative Trends at the Adobe blog. What trends you can expect this year in the area of product photography and e-commerce? We’ll tell you in our blog post about the Visual Trends 2021 in Product Photography & E-Commerce.

Be always trendy, with our professional services for your pictures:
Image editing & retouching, colour correction, clipping & alphamasking, composing, CGI and more in highest quality.