Minimalist graphic design is more than an aesthetic. Attract consumers in an oversaturated digital marketplace with techniques for clean and striking design.
Defined by the lack of embellishment in an overall design, minimalism shows up in just about every medium. Its widespread appeal derives from its focus on simplicity, clarity, and functionality.
When applied effectively, the elements or principles that make up minimalist graphic design do more than highlight information clearly and succinctly. They also communicate such information in an aesthetic cohesion, an effect almost unique to minimalist design.
This aesthetic cohesion is the function of minimalist design. And, in a world where we’re constantly on-the-go and our collective consciousness is in dire need of a spring decluttering, you can see why minimalist design has garnered a sort of lure to the masses in modern times.
Not only is minimalist design to be championed for its innate functionality, but it’s also an incredibly versatile design technique. You’ll find it on high fashion and editorial prints, as well at at your neighborhood florist or local boutique (more on that below).
For the non-designer, this meeting of versatility and universal appeal makes this design technique all the more, well, appealing. Heck, it’s a marketer’s (and small/medium business owner’s) dream when employed appropriately in their branding.
But, before I get ahead of myself, let’s draw back and first dive into the principles that come together and define minimalist graphic design. From there, we’ll then get into 15 minimalist design examples (and tips!) that can help you get your creative gears a’churning and inspiration a’flowing.
What’s more, you can recreate all these examples below in Shutterstock’s design tool, Create.
Principles of Minimalist Graphic Design
While these aren’t all the principles of minimalist design, below highlights the most common ones that make up the design technique.
Again, however, for a design to be minimal, these elements must come together to make a design simplistic, clear, and functional. Only then will you have yourself a minimalist graphic design.
- Negative space (a.k.a. white space or the unused area around and between objects) is your best friend—so use it! Allow your designs to be engulfed in the negative. Doing so can help establish a clear and clean aesthetic.
- Limit your color palette to two or three colors. Go bold or muted, whatever your heart desires, as long as the colors lend structure or order from the design to the viewer’s eye.
- Typography, like color, should lend structure or order to the viewer’s eye. When employed appropriately, typography alone can define and/or be the design. Brands like The Ordinary truly kick-started this trend of “typography-branding” or “anti-branding.”
- Eliminate the unnecessary. The opposite of minimalist design is maximalist design, a design concept defined by excess (hey, it’s in its namesake). With that, though, for a design to truly be minimal in aesthetic and function, the unnecessary has got to go. Any elements that don’t contribute to the overall message or purpose of the design get the chop.
- Balance is essential. Along with negative space, balance is key to a minimalist design.
- Always prioritize function. As noted in the introduction, function is key to minimalist design, especially minimalist graphic design.
Pro tip: Use a grid when designing. It’ll help retain the balance and further the sense of structure within your design.
If you’re curious to learn more about the overall principles of design, specifically graphic design, check out “How to Design Your Brand’s Best First Impression.” There we get into the principles of design, including UI design, and how to effectively employ them when designing your branding.
Nevertheless, these above-mentioned principles serve as a general foundation for minimalist design. However, they’re not alone. The principles of design, such as contrast, symmetry, and proportion, can also make a minimalist design.
So, all that sounds good in theory, but what do these look like when applied?
Minimalist Graphic Design Examples & Tips
1. Create Balance in the Space
Balance can be your best friend in minimalist design, especially when incorporated in conjunction with negative space.
Whether you plan to leave plenty of room around your design elements or choose to keep everything tightly placed, balance keeps a design from feeling cluttered, furthering the emphasis of the message or design element of the design.
Design takeaway: Together, balance and negative space establish an emphasis. Therefore, as noted above, always use a grid when designing a minimalist graphic design. This draws the eye in.
Be it center-aligned or two graphics on opposing ends, this sort of “space meets symmetry” pulls the eye in on the designer’s intended focal point in a manner that’s not just aesthetic but effective in its function.
2. Use Negative Space
Negative space, as mentioned above, is the unused area around and between objects in an image. Sometimes designers can find clever ways to maximize negative space by intertwining objects and creating an extra element out of the space.
Design takeaway: A simple visual—be it a word, image, or graphic—can make one heck of an impact. That moment or feeling when the world silences and the image pulls you in—that’s the impact of negative space.
It’s a tantalizing tale of functional immersion.
3. Make It About the Words
Some of my personal favorite minimalist graphic design examples are where the designer lets the words speak for themselves. It’s an approach that, when employed appropriately, creates a minimalist aesthetic that translates across any medium, ad, or product.
Whatever your chosen typeface, a simple background and compelling messaging can go a long way. Not only that, it gives plenty of room for the message to shine and exemplify a minimalist design by optimizing visual clarity.
Design takeaway: Focus on a key phrase that will be compelling to your end users and/or audience. While simple typefaces seem to work the best, if you go the more daring route, make sure the end result of your design remains concise and clear to adhere to the minimalist aesthetic.
4. Do Something Abstract
While minimalism is about creating simplicity in design, it can also capture more abstract elements in a way that can be fun or compelling to a viewer.
For example, consider a logo, wordmark, or icon as the central visual element to jump-start a design.
However, the trick to designing an effective abstract minimalist design is to rid the design of anything unnecessary (in that everything within the graphic must serve a visual purpose to the overall message of the design).
Further, it helps to pair an abstract element with something concrete and recognizable, such as copy or a link that explicitly states whatever the information the design intends to communicate or convey.
Design takeaway: Abstract design elements present an opportunity to create suspense and further intrigue the viewer. Hence, why it’s been a trick in the advertising world for ages—a subtle way to help encourage action.
5. Use an Icon
Like the abstract, simple lines and flat-drawn icons can be ideal additions to top off an aesthetic and minimalist design. These trendy design elements, such as a simple icon, can help focus the eye and draw users into the words displayed.
Moreover, it adds an extra visual element without crowding the canvas.
Design takeaway: Simple, easy-to-understand icons work best. You don’t have to use a company or brand logo (although, you can) to create an interesting visual element. Rather, opt for a no-fill vector icon to maintain that aesthetic, minimalist feel.
6. Create Contrast
As previously noted, contrast is one of the core principles of graphic design, so we shouldn’t ignore it when speaking of minimalist design.
Contrast comes in the form of color, size, scale, or simply trying something different to create a focal point.
In a minimalist design, this is especially important because there aren’t a lot of visual entry points, and some users could be bored easily.
Design takeaway: The beauty of contrast within minimalist graphic design is that it too can be minimal or rather subtle in its execution. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming to be effective, as a simple underline can be enough to draw the eye to the text in the center of the screen.
7. Use Layers or a Soft Gradient
A design doesn’t have to be flat to be minimalist in nature. In fact, when employed with extra consideration and care, layers and gradients can elevate a minimalist design to gorgeous, vivid heights.
Build layers into a minimal design style using a distinct background and foreground. You can do the same when choosing your gradients.
Keep in mind, though, placement is key when working with these two design elements (and, furthermore, it’s best to use either/or, never the two in conjunction).
Design takeaway: When working with layers, opt for a more abstract or texture-based bottom layer rather than an action-based image. For gradients, go for ones with a soft overlay to adhere to the minimalist aesthetic. Anything too sharp could overwhelm the eyes and thus render the image cluttered.
And, always remember, use white text for dark backgrounds or black text for lighter backgrounds. This applies to both layers and gradients.
8. Play with Typography
Many say typography is the unsung hero of graphic design. I’m a part of this camp!
Most of my favorite designs are the designs where the typography is not only the central focal point but is the design itself.
Hey, sometimes all you need for a well-designed piece is beautiful typography.
This technique prevails when the designer either eliminates the other elements in the design or keeps them as ‘”quiet” as possible. This allows the oh-so-gorgeous typeface to speak for itself and the brand.
Design takeaway: Experiment with a single word or phrase using interesting and unique lettering. Remember, fewer words are the key to making this technique work. A cool typeface won’t help the design if it’s not readable.
9. Create Texture
Monochrome color palettes with an added texture can produce some of the most polished minimalist designs. The coupling of the two do something to a design, there’s a je ne sais quoi effect when looking at a design that employs this technique.
Whatever it is, it can be truly mesmerizing.
Born out of letterpress printing, this technique evokes a classic feel with the tactile texture furthering the viewer’s desire to touch or interact with the design.
Design takeaway: Create the appearance of depth with digital embossing or subtle shadows in the design (or, if you’re printing your design for something like business cards, go full letterpress). This technique can be a beautiful way to showcase your unique branding.
However, note that it is best practice to stay away from robust, lengthy messaging.
10. Feature Asymmetry
Whether you opt for a complete off-center visual display or just a few elements that break the centerline, asymmetry is an easy way to create a focal point. The eye is drawn to the point of the design that looks different.
Play with a design that’s not perfectly symmetrical to explore different effects on weight, balance, and spacing.
Design takeaway: Asymmetry does not mean “off-balance.” Even when the design does not mirror from left to right or top to bottom, the weight of elements and space should still feel somewhat centered and easy to read. A design that feels lopsided should probably be shelved or revisited.
11. Consider Color
Like negative space, color is your best friend when it comes to minimalist design. Many times color provides a backdrop for the overall design or can come in the form of an accent. I personally love seeing minimalist graphic design examples that employ a color palette throughout their entire branding—from website to product pages to social media adverts.
Design takeaway: When working with color and minimalism, the trick is to use it as an enhancement or a means to elevate a design. It should almost fall into the background, creating a canvas for the rest of the design—unless, of course, you’re using color as the focal point of your design.
However, if you aren’t a graphic design pro, it’s best to use color in the former, as you don’t want to risk losing your message within your design. And, if you’re uncertain, remember that your design should work with or without the added color.
12. Make It Subtle
Subtlety in a design can look so yummy to the eye. Be it graphic, interior, or print—regardless of the medium—when executed effectively, subtlety can define a brand.
Apple has long been heralded for its minimal design style in its products, packaging, and marketing. Their subtle textures and visual effects blend into the background, taking the minimal design technique to new extremes.
And, their users eat it up (me included!).
Design takeaway: This form of minimalist design is very distinct and can be difficult for designers to pull off successfully. Not only that, but before you jump into the waters of extreme minimalist design, consider your audience. Would they be keen on this approach in aesthetics? If you answered yes and have the skill to pull it off, go for it.
This polished and sophisticated minimalist design can be very rewarding.
13. Go Oversized
Pick an element and make it big. No, really big. An oversized word, icon, or image almost forces users to look at the design. So, get those eyeballs a’looking!
However, as with any minimal aesthetic, you have to balance simplicity with a striking effect. That way users don’t just browse or scroll past the design without ever having looked.
Design takeaway: Oversized elements and typography are simple and effective ways to draw users in. Contrast them neatly with the more stark black or white backgrounds (or simply more muted color palettes). Use bold, active words that are easy to read and understand, with lettering that encompasses the canvas.
Work the design to create a larger-than-life feeling for the viewer.
14. Or Think Tiny
On the flip side, tiny elements can be just as effective at grabbing viewers’ attention.
Small elements in a larger-scale design are visually intriguing and encourage users to stop and take a closer look to truly see what the design is asking of them.
Design takeaway: Small elements need to be positioned in such a way that they are visible and contrast with the rest of the visuals. Small text is just one way to do this. For the most impact, go big with the background. You want it so that while text elements may appear small, there’s plenty of space for the viewer to read with ease.
15. Use an Image
A simple image and white text can have a stunning effect. Plus, it’s an easy combination that almost anyone can create.
Just as you would with layering, simply pair a photo with messaging in white block lettering for a colorful minimal design that’s easy to read and understand.
Pick an image with a consistent amount of color throughout so it’s easy to put text on top and ensure readability.
This style of image can make a great design element for a website, ad, or social media post.
Design takeaway: When using an image in minimalist graphic design, refrain from employing the other above-mentioned design elements or techniques. The image and lettering should be enough on their own. Adding other effects will diminish the minimalist aspect of the design, rendering the image cluttered.
Create with Confidence, Standout with Simplicity
So, there you have it. Fifteen minimalist graphic designs to help kick-start your next creative project. And, if you feel extra inspired, why not give these tips a go in Shutterstock’s Create design tool?
Our online design tool comes ready-made with templates and other powerful tools to help you build minimalist graphic designs perfect for social media, ads, product labels, business cards, and more.
Simply click Create and type “minimalist” in the search bar to get started with a minimalist template . . . or create your design from scratch.
Wherever your creative ventures take you, just remember the keys to any minimalist design are simplicity, clarity, and functionality.
Now, fly, my friend, fly away and set off to design your next minimalist design.
License this cover image via ShotPrime Studio.
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