Want to know what’s new in print design for 2025? Main Graphics is happy to help you stay on top of the latest trends and technologies. It’s what we do! Here’s a look at some of the biggest trends forecast from around the web. Whether you’re designing a postcard or a web page, these trends ditch perfection and embrace what it means to be human!

1. Use of Artificial Intelligence

There are more AI image generators out there than ever, and rather than replacing human creativity, they amplify it. Start with free versions and experiment. As you get more confident, consider moving up into paid versions that allow you to adjust details such as lighting. AI generates it, but you “design” it!

2. Mismatch It!

Even as we expect to see more and more AI-generated imagery, we are seeing pushback against slick computer-generated content, too. Think African quilt: different fonts (varying in size, shape and width); bold and unexpected contrasting colors like neon pinks and greens, and layouts that computers can’t create, such as those with asymmetry and irregular spacing.

3. Long Live Retro!

The retro trend has been popular for some time, and this year is no exception. The world is complicated, and retro designs draw us back to a simpler time. Whether it’s the subtle colors of a vintage sneaker or the bright, primary colors and ASCII graphics of the 1980s video games, retro never seems to go out of style.

4. Embrace the Imperfection

Mom told you to clean up your smudges and fingerprints, but this trend embraces them. Thick-edged lines that trail off like a pencil running off the paper, dots and smudges adding texture to backgrounds, expect designs that embrace the marks and imperfections of real human beings.

5. Hand-Drawn Effects

Is that a thick, bold line and expressive color of a child’s crayon? How about the thin, playful line of a doodle on a sheet of paper? Whether you are mimicking a children’s storybook or a master’s watercolor painting, this year’s designs will reflect that hand-created feel. So have some fun this year. Whether you are designing brochures or banners, loosen up! Throw off the confines of flawlessness and perfection. Embrace what it means to be human!    

In the realm of direct mail marketing, variable data emerges as a remarkably potent tool and Main Graphics has the expertise to make these campaigns an easy reality.  By customizing and tailoring your mailings with information pertinent to each recipient, you can achieve significantly enhanced results. Here are five tips to effectively utilize this powerful resource to maximize the potential of your direct mail campaigns and boost response rates.