Why Minimalism In Graphic Design Is A 21st Century Favorite

Minimalism is a graphic design approach that has been around for generations and is today even more popular than ever. The hallmarks of minimalist graphic design are the use of space, exceptionally beautiful typography and simplicity.

One of the reasons that minimalism is so popular is because of the amount of visual imagery that consumers have to process each day. The sheer amount of information is simply overwhelming – and the clean messaging of minimalism in graphic design is just the formula that allows this messaging to break through the clutter.

The functionality of minimalism is what has made it a popular approach to graphic design for over 100 years – today it has been pared down to its absolute essentials. Professionals often use only a single color palette with one hue or shade and only one typeface. The challenge is that because there are so few elements each component has to be in complete harmony with the others – every element is absolutely essential.

The influences on modern minimalism in graphic design are myriad – but there are three that have been widely recognized as foreshadowing the approach that is taken today.

The first of these is the ‘De Stijl’ (‘The ‘Style’) movement which had its origins in Holland in the period 1917 to around 1930. This was characterized by abstract imagery and an emphasis on primary color with geometrical shapes and lines. This approach still has its adherents in the modern era.

The second is the architect Van Der Rohe who valued clean lines and open space in the period after WWI.

The third is Japanese where an almost ‘zen’ like approach to simplicity is one of the guiding principles of the graphic design from this country.

Today we can see elements of minimalism in graphic designs, as well as in web design where a small number of design features appeal to a love for simplicity. In print the modern approach is valued because it is timeless – without the complications of other designs the printed material will not date quickly, an important consideration in a time of shifting consumer behavior.

Even with modern printing methods minimalism is preferred due to the reduced possibility of inadequate reproduction and problems with registration in more complex designs.

Minimalism simply works – it stands out from the crowd and in our ever busier world of both print and electronic media this is a design trait that brands (and consumers) value.