Shutterstock trends of the year

Get ready to work on microstocks in the coming year with the guide Shutterstock on the latest trends, derived from analyzing billions of buyer searches and downloads of images, videos, and music on the stock photography site.

Bright colors, cartoonish faces, and deliberately bold animal patterns perfectly demonstrate the vivid tendencies of this year. It’s a treasure trove of wild, playful reflections of our audacious individualism. Echoes of past trends – leopard prints, ornate gold frames, neon signs – simply remind us how loud and alive design can be.

Top stock trends of the year

Our top trends, based on year‑over‑year growth in search volume, are influenced by a design era focused on our boldest, brightest memories. Like a TV program from the past, painted in unbelievable colors.

Zine culture

In the digital age, zine culture lives in the decentralized minds of social media, where independent creators can share their work and form niche communities.
Search growth for the phrase contemporary art collage is +1376%.

enterer>This style is uniquely off‑balance and looks intentionally rough and unpolished, standing out in today’s polished digital world.

enterer>This collage‑driven, photocopier‑inspired style has a number of defining features – such as paper cutouts, noise and heavy grain, and rough‑edged layers.

’80s opulence

The eighties are back and ready to stun with gold chains, animal prints, and their own attitude.
Search growth for the phrases includes:

• +1060% elegant patterns;
• +731% chain print;
• +157% snakeskin pattern;
• +168% leopard print.

We say – forget good taste, it’s about a good time!

enterer>When every element fights for attention, the effect is inexplicably harmonious.

Defiance is the keyword of this trend. Think leopard print, snakeskin, peacock feathers, gold chains, plush furs, and noble metal textures.

Yesterday’s tomorrow

What’s old is new again. This trend lovingly revives vintage tech, spotlighting what yesterday’s tomorrow looked like. Think neon colors, faded landscapes, and the buzz of synthesizers.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +717% synthwave;
• +676% retrowave;
• +230% duotone.

The focus here is on the colors and sounds that defined the dawn of the digital era, like purple, blue, and pink duotone gradients, basic vector graphics, and dreamy synthetic melodies.

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New rising stock trends

Some of the year’s rising trends are a rhapsody to beauty and joy, created as an escape placed center stage. From unique illustrations to urgent calls to action – here’s what to watch this year.

Beyond plastic

With the ever‑increasing use of this material, a world free of plastic looks more enticing than ever.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +729% beyond plastic;
• +676% green tourism;
• +752% hemp.

As the climate changes, so does our approach to consumption.

Conversations about alternative paths are starting now. Eco‑friendly products and cotton and bamboo goods are in high demand, and the guiding mantra for the coming years is the three R’s – reuse, recycle, reduce.

Kawaii

The culture of cuteness, kawaii, originated in Japan, and it’s now sweeping the world as a welcome distraction in times of doubt and uncertainty.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +911% kawaii;
• +182% cute illustrations.

We’re biologically wired to adore and be charmed by cute kawaii characters.

Smiley faces, pastel vector tones, and inanimate objects with adorable expressions are hallmarks of this delightful style.

enterer>It captures attention in ways other cultural forms can’t, offering a sweet mental break from everyday routine.

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Kalamkari

enterer>Kalamkari is a traditional Indian method of hand‑painting and block printing on fabric with stunning results.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +160% kalamkari;
• +974% ceramic decor.

This style is characterized by natural dyes and intricate patterns.

enterer>In this hand‑crafted process of creating elaborate motifs and patterns, only pure, natural dyes are used, such as indigo, mustard, and ivy green. Digital analogs imitate handwork using solid colors and naturalistic floral and animal motifs.

Rococo romance

The Rococo period is known for rich, thoughtful works filled with dramatic vintage patterns, golden floral scrolls, and exuberant botanicals.
Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +160% vintage romantic design;
• +1277% damask.

Romantic half‑tones are based on soft pastels, sensual light and shadow play, and the elegance of curved lines.

Inspired by a distinctly ornamental art period, this new theatrical trend is dedicated to artistic maximalism.

It moves beyond the studio, emerging not only in fine art but across other areas of life – from elegant interior colors and textures to complex lighting schemes, photographic scenography, and carefully considered web design.

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Prism

Color never goes out of style, and this look proves it by showcasing every hue of the rainbow from a bold, geometric perspective.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +7923% disco lights;
• +434% geometric rainbow.

A dazzling rainbow enlists 3D forms and seamless patterns.

This trend can be cheerful, playful, ultra‑saturated, edgy, whimsical, or neon. With seamless patterns and smooth motion graphics, it uses multicolor as a powerful design tool.

Hypnotic

Repeating patterns, twisted spirals, and kaleidoscopic illusions in this trend create truly captivating design tailored for the digital era.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +844% poly art;
• +513% kaleidoscope;
• +741% hypnotic.

Multifaceted, multicolored illusions create a trance‑inducing aesthetic. These elements are the bedrock of psychedelia, offering a mind‑bending experience through surrealism and abstraction.

Look for hints of a new, brain‑melting dynamic called datamoshing within this classic style.

Everyday futurism

Incredible advances that seemed impossible in the early 2000s have now become part of everyday life.

Search growth for the phrase includes:

• +1679% esports;
• +1414% facial recognition;
• +923% robotics.

As new technologies enter daily life, new words and symbols emerge to reflect the ordinary.

From mass esports competitions and countless virtual realities to consumer‑level biometric scanning, including an automation revolution, the tech world is bursting with imagination and excitement, and we can watch it evolve in real time.

Take a closer look!

Get ready to have some fun! This sweet style is the cherry on top of our creative trends.

Tempting typography

Covered in thick cream and powdered sugar or chocolate with sprinkles – this is the first typographic trend in history to claim a seat at the dinner table:

+8389% – letters in glaze.

The rise of augmented reality and immersive design has inspired a plunge into recklessly bold depths of digital typography. This whimsical typographic trend uses almost tangible vector lettering to show just how sweet 3D design can be.

Rendered with shadow, texture, and sometimes splashes, this typeface feels almost edible right through the screen.

Global stock trends

Some of the newest, fastest‑growing global trends tackle weighty topics, while others surprise with their simplicity. To wrap up, here’s the top of the most common searches across 20 countries worldwide:

1. Canada – ice cream pattern;
2. USA – colorful cartoon art;
3. Mexico – fragmented illustration;
4. Brazil – vintage romance;
5. Argentina – fish pattern;
6. UK – intelligent space;
7. France – motorcycle;
8. Spain – chess pattern;
9. Germany – world tourism;
10. Italy – watermelon;
11. Poland – velociraptor;
12. Turkey – geometric watercolors;
13. Egypt – fabric pattern;
14. South Africa – black‑and‑white spiral
15. Russia – golden beast;
16. India – peacock;
17. Malaysia – magnolia;
18. Korea – retro neon;
19. Japan – superhero;
20. Australia – elephants.

Link to the original: www.shutterstock.com/blog/trends/2019-creative-trends

This article is available in the following categories: About Microstocks, Shutterstock