What Will Define Visual Design in 2017? Key Trends and Insights

Hello everyone, last year the HJUED team completed the 2016 Design Trend Report and, through a year of practice, validated several predicted keywords that have seen broad application. In mid‑last month the Hujiang UX design team launched a new research cycle for interaction and visual design trends, involving the entire team in gathering and refining high‑quality material. Building on last year's experience, we refined every step: we set stricter time‑range criteria for material collection, paid closer attention to each dimension's characteristics, deliberately defined each keyword and its scope, and studied the evolution of existing trend terms. After two weeks of final definition, we produced a 2017 design trend analysis report to inspire and assist designers.

2017 Visual Design Trends

Our analysis process this year is divided into “Review” and “Explore”. The “Review” part tracks and verifies last year’s keywords, noting confirmed trends and new variations. The “Explore” part examines five dimensions—typography, material, shape, layout, and motion—through material collection, group discussion, and synthesis. By analyzing recent assets from the web, print media, fashion, and related fields, we identify popular directions in each dimension, merge and deduplicate them, and derive the style keywords that define 2017 visual design.

Multicolor Wheel Gradient

COLOR NEPHRITE GRADIENT

Concept Overview The use of gradients adds detailed visual elements and creates dynamic compositions. Since 2016, gradients have shifted from single‑color schemes to multi‑color palettes, breaking the conservative two‑color rule. Combining colors of similar saturation across the color wheel with organic, rounded shapes yields a luminous, moist texture that feels gentle, rich, and not garish.

Use Case More interfaces now incorporate multicolor gradients, awakening users' visual nerves with soft, vibrant hues. The translucent, moist texture conveys friendliness and warmth, making screens feel more inviting and user‑centric.

Translucent Overlap

Overlapping Translucence

Concept Overview Light is increasingly vital in visual design. Using colored translucent elements stacked together creates a glass‑like, light‑permeable effect. Designers employ this technique to convey luminosity while reducing visual weight, resulting in brighter, more lively compositions.

Use Case Translucent overlays are emerging in tech‑focused interfaces and logo designs, where adjusting color brightness and saturation conveys different product attributes.

Multi‑Sectional Perspective

Multi‑Sectional Perspective

Concept Overview Designers are moving beyond flat layouts toward three‑dimensional space. Inspired by sci‑fi concepts like “time warp” and “overlap,” they repeat and fade elements to create depth, layering, and stronger visual impact.

Use Case The strong visual tension of sectional perspective is often used in standalone pages or posters. In interfaces, it enhances depth perception, such as stacked card layouts.

Dislocated Shadow

Dislocated shadow

Concept Overview Spatial perception is crucial in visual design. By arranging text front‑to‑back and tightening element spacing, designers create layered shadows that emphasize depth and order.

Use Case Dislocated shadows are commonly applied to titles and hero images, enriching text detail, highlighting foreground‑background relationships, and boosting visual impact.

Natural Rhythm Graphic

natural rhythm graphic

Concept Overview Design draws from nature; organic curves impart softness and diffusion. Geometric elements are increasingly used to guide visual focus, creating flowing, rhythmic visuals with bright colors that feel lively and dynamic.

Use Case Natural rhythmic graphics are widely used in posters, key visuals, and operational pages, enriching themes and creating lively backgrounds.

OP Art Refactoring

OP Art refactoring

Concept Overview Op Art, originating in 1960s France, uses high‑contrast colors to create dazzling vibration effects. By weakening pure Op Art elements and mixing them with other graphics, designers break traditional limits, producing illusionary, vibrant, and playful compositions.

Use Case Recent large‑scale marketing webpages and banners frequently feature OP Art‑inspired mixed elements, creating dynamic visual effects and mesmerizing spatial illusions that capture user attention.