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Art Source In The Swim

The push for optimism and maximalism and the pull of nostalgia and self-care, joining the weft and weave of our respect for people and the planet are just some of the trends predicted by some leading artists agencies and picture libraries to be reflected in greeting cards over the coming year.

Following on from last month’s edition, PG serves up a second helping of what a trio of experienced aesthetic bellwethers cite as the current cultural drivers of our creative tastes.

Right: The urgency to care of our planet will continue to be reflected in designs such as this coral reef design by New Zealand artist Katherine Quinn who is represented by Jehane.

Above: Jehane Boden Spiers. Left: Things I Intend to Do by Lee Foster-Wilson. Right: Upward Dog by Jade Mosinski.

Jehane Boden Spiers, founder of Jehane

Drivers: “Our on-going lack of movement will undoubtedly encourage our thirst and interest in motion design and animation. The chaos and commotion of our ever-changing situation will impact this trend of life in motion. Chris Algar, a senior designer at Design Bridge London believes the trend for motion design will also influence type. ‘Title sequences viewed across streaming platforms during lockdown will have most certainly inspired designers, from people binge-watching Killing Eve to more recently Squid Game. Both take very different approaches to typography but are linked through their captivating movement and amplified personalities’. The justifiably increasing pressure to use more sustainable materials will be matched with ecoaesthetics. Rising to the challenge of meeting consumer expectations around brand ethos and environmental standards will increase the focus on fusing strong visual impact with sustainability and wellbeing from engaging with Mother Nature.”

Jehane’s trio of trends…

Connection & Contemplation: “Self-care and positive reflection remains a growing trend and will be big in 2022. The connection of the visual to content in this area is perfectly exemplified with the interest in journaling and ‘The Enneagram of Personality’, or simply the Enneagram. A model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types, the Enneagram provides a host of visual and design opportunities. The trend for journaling gives people the opportunity to focus on themselves and move their goals from dreaming to planning. The increased awareness around recognising and playing to our own strengths is a strong driver behind this trend.”

Sense of Balance:

“The work/life balance is a hot topic and a distinct trend for this coming year. We are seeing an ever-increasing importance of prioritising and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. With one in five people working 50+ hours a week, a true balance is harder and harder to come by. Meeting your deadlines while still having time for friends and hobbies; the magical idea of having enough

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time to succeed in your career while still enjoying your life, family, and anything else you love. Google recently reported that the yoga industry is worth over $88bn worldwide and expected to reach $215bn by 2025 - and this doesn’t includes retreats, clothing, mats, and yoga accessories. The growing trend of a fourday work week increases employee satisfaction, company commitment and teamwork. Discovering the charms of yoga and work-life balance is here to stay.

Abundant Opulence: “In a world full of seriousness, it is no wonder we are seeking optimism and positivity. 2022 brings a clear desire for a more opulent approach with a focus on upbeat interpretations of classic themes with joyfulness and abundance. The limiting requirements of our daily lives over the past few years is impacting and this trend provides bright colours and a light at the end of the tunnel. Illustrations and designs with an abundance of texture will be popular, from film grain to lino-cutting. Abundant shapes and figurative celebrations of all shapes and sizes; figures which aren’t necessarily realistic. Expect maximalist statements which are far from frivolous but are rooted in our collective sense of where we seek change the most.”

Above: Abundant Tulips by Kate Heiss.

Kaye Hunter, licensing manager of This Is Iris

Drivers: “When I think about trends, it would be easy to immediately default to ‘Sustainability’. But I decided not to list that as one of my forecasted trends. Why?? Surely this should be the most important thing when designing and creating? Exactly! It should, but it shouldn’t be classed as a ‘trend’, sustainability should be a given, a way of life for us now, not a flash in the pan, box-ticking exercise.

The last two years have heavily influenced the marketplace, and priorities and attitudes have changed. Sustainability, recycling and reusing are all becoming part of everyday life and perceived less as an expensive option for some, but accessible to all.

There has been a very positive shift in both the needs of the consumer and what is being supplied by the retailers, giving us all better choices.

The isolation from family and a hankering for ‘better times’ has also fuelled a hunger for nostalgia.”

Kaye’s trio of trends…

The Nostalgic Pull: “I think we need familiarity and comfort with

Above: Kaye Hunter. Right: A collage of images from the History of Advertising Trust (HAT) archive (of over 10 million items) which This is Iris represents for licensing. Above right: Some foliage rich imagery by Georgia Breeze, who This is Iris represents.

everything going on in the world, and products with imagery that evokes warm, fuzzy childhood memories are growing in popularity. But even with younger generations who don’t necessarily remember the products of our childhoods or nostalgic brands on display at our grandparents’ homes, nostalgic brands seem to be loved because they are just so cool!

We’ve seen a clear uptake in requests for nostalgic artwork over the past year with our licensing and retail partners looking beyond TV brands for something a little different that can work across categories. We couldn’t be happier in sharing the work

of our partners at The History of Advertising Trust. HAT is a charity with an archive dating back to 1800 that holds some of the most influential pieces of advertising of our time. They have quite literally saved multiple brands from skips!”

Eat Your (Emerald) Greens:

“We have heard a lot about trying to reconnect with nature, bringing the outside inside, and this is being

reflected in next year’s big colour… emerald green, and the use of large scale leaves and foliage across a whole gamut of products. The bigger and bolder, the better! The opulence of emerald green works beautifully with rich golds and coppers. It is a colour that really reflect harmony, growth, renewal and a sense of positivity.”

Turning Japandi: “Predominantly seen coming through in interior design, the Scandinavian Japanese mix design style is sure to follow through into different product areas.

Minimalist in style, using simple lines and muted palettes with natural materials. It is contrasted beautifully with the use of oversized greenery and bold, statement elements.”

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Left: Echoes of Japandi from Dominique Vari, who This is Iris represents and shared on Instagram.

Below left: A pared back pure design from Dot Dash. Below right: There are echoes of sunshine in this Dot Dash design.

Christa Mavroudis, design director of Dot Dash Design

Drivers: “2022 brings with it a sense of optimism and renewed enthusiasm with fresh ideas. We are ready to go on adventures and undertake new experiences. The focus will be towards the feelings of happiness and joy. People don’t want to spend 2022 holding back their creative ideas so we will see a rise in travel inspiration and art experiments. The one positive that will be taken forward into 2022 is the rapid growth and adoption of so many new digital creative channels and this will produce some exciting and fresh ideas from new creative personalities.”

Christa’s trio of trends…

Creative expression: “Embracing the new year with optimism using colour, creativity and fun! Abstract and expressive patterns will be strong in 2022. As we try new outdoor activities and start travelling, the prints will be energetic, bold and bright. We will be celebrating positivity and self-expression. Artwork will feature abstract faces, naïve childlike motifs and joyful cut and paste patterns. There will be a combination of florals, fruits and phrases. Colour palettes will be mood boosting and vibrant, using super-sized feelgood motifs and bold quotes on love and togetherness.”

Neutral combinations:

“Earthy neutrals that nourish and uplift the soul will be another key trend. Inspired by ancient rituals and the moon cycles, this holistic trend will have warm sand dune hues and new celestial motifs. Spreading joy and unity through art, there is a sense of tranquillity and calmness.

Peaceful and timeless with organic shapes and traditional wisdom. Neutral combinations with a sense of minimalism. Dried florals and desert landscapes inspire floral prints and texture.”

Celebrating soulful positivity:

“Sun-kissed palettes that promote health and wellness. Ditsy florals, sunflowers and sun motifs will reflect happiness and the simple pleasures of life. Stripes will be hand-painted and teamed with subtle geo prints. Encouraging phrases will be strong as we inspire each other. This story is about light and wellbeing, using colour blocking and zesty palettes to freshen our moods and feel energised.”

Above: Christa Mavroudis. Right: An expressive feelgood image from Dot Dash.