Latvian design studio Different published on October 26, 2026 a forecast of the directions that will shape graphic design in 2027. The studio singled out six in total, and the first of them is tactile handmade work.
The forecast is based on work from 2025 and 2026. The authors themselves call it an assumption rather than a guarantee.
The first trend is traces of manual labor: grainy risograph prints, paper texture, small shifts during printing, hand-drawn illustrations. The authors see this as a counterweight to the smooth images that AI produces, but warn that texture must not drown out the composition.
Typography is becoming the main image. A short phrase in a large, confident typeface can carry an entire poster or the key visual of a campaign without a photograph. The studio places print ads, packaging and outdoor advertising here. Hierarchy, spacing and contrast have to be flawless. There is nowhere to hide behind the picture.
Surrealism and collage are coming back: cut-out elements, unexpected shifts of scale, uneven edges. The authors see this as a reaction to the sameness of recent years.
Bright digital palettes are giving way to earthy tones: terracotta, ochre, olive, clay, ink and warm white. They are usually paired with one saturated accent. According to the forecast, color will first be chosen for paper and only then for the screen.
Individual posters are being replaced by design systems. A set of rules for fonts, grids, color and imagery has to work on a brochure, packaging, banner and signage at the same time. According to the studio, modular bento-style grids will become more editorial and asymmetrical.
The last trend concerns local roots: regional type foundries, local photographers, materials from local manufacturers. According to the studio, such solutions look more convincing than stock photos.
The studio advises choosing one or two directions rather than using all of them at once. If a category looks monotonous, it is worth adding handmade elements; if photography in a niche keeps repeating, the bet is on typography.
The forecast clearly concerns branding, print, packaging and outdoor advertising. It says nothing about performance creatives for social networks and landing pages.
