Minimalist Black is a Creative Trend to watch for in 2020. Here are 5 ways you can pull it off in your next visual design project.
Feeling gothy? Addicted to dark mode? Do you salivate at each new release of the world’s blackest paint? We have some tips for you on using one of 2020’s creative trends: Minimalist Black.
Contrast is one of the foundational principles of design — to play light off of dark, or black, in order to make things pop.
But, what if you embraced the dark side completely and had no need for the light? Make a bold statement with these five tips for all-black designs. (Okay, we do include some colors because black makes them even cooler.)
But first! How color savvy are you? Take this quiz and find out:
1. Abstract Black Patterns and Backgrounds
To use black for a patterned background, or even a focal design element, we turn to abstract shapes. You can use any geometric arrangement and simply rely on your design skills.
The pattern imposes a classy starkness, which can showcase anything from minimalist abstraction to cubism to representationalism — and all points in between.
Use an abstract black pattern as a background to showcase a title or headline. Or use it as a standalone element to anchor a layout. Make the pattern something that will attract the right audience no matter what you’re designing — such as a concert flyer, an invitation, or any format wherein design for design’s sake can be the focus.
(Pattern via Panimoni; background via oneinchpunch.)
Minimalist designs communicate their messaging with drastic efficiency. Don’t confuse minimalism with laziness or a lack of creativity though — it’s a bit more complicated than just getting away with as little as possible. Minimalism is about removing what’s unnecessary in order to make what remains more important, so you have to make sure what exists is indeed what should exist — and no more. Every element counts that much more when you remove all the fluff.
2. Shades of Black
What we see as black sometimes depends on what accompanies it in a design. We can use shades of very dark gray to establish multiple black tones in a single image. Shades are handy when 100 percent black is too dense or creates too much void.
For blocks of type with a slabby, sans-serif font, like Futura Bold, using a shade of gray works wonders on dark layouts, creating depth and interest. Even with thin-faced type, grays make for easy-reading when paired with a sans-serif copy font.
(Image via Mykolastock.)
Another example of effective shades is using darker shades on a black background. These can create a moody look that’s inviting without being too starkly, or stodgily, “black and white.”
While white-on-black has its place, experiment with percentages of black by adjusting the K value in the color palette. Don’t be afraid to go up to 95 percent — you’ll start seeing drastic contrast as high as 80 percent.
3. Try Rich Black vs. 100% K
In print, most of the time, black isn’t just black. Even though the color mixing system CMYK is specifically for color printing, rarely does a solid coat of black (the K in CMYK) get printed. Instead, printers use rich black.
Rich black is a mix that uses all the CMYK colors to ensure better coverage and opacity using less ink. Instead of using a coat of black (the K in CMYK) thick enough to prevent paper from showing through, we use a mix of all the colors, which doesn’t need to be as thick.
You can use rich black to create different tones of black. For instance, warm black would include more red and yellow in the mix. Cool black has more blue.
This works in digital design as well. Instead of using straight-up black, try using a warm or cool rich black. In Illustrator, open the Color window and set the color space to CMYK in the option menu.
4. Use Minimal Color on Black
I know I said these were going to be tips on only the darkest tones, but adding just a little color can make a bold statement. Setting a small amount of color on black is like turning your Ampeg to 10 and playing the opening bassline to “Fascination Street.” When the little guitar chimes in (the color in this gothy analogy) it’s much bigger.
Smart use of color can have a big impact in a simple design. A little bit of color can look huge — or at least make a big statement — and actually accentuate the details in the darker shades of a layout based on minimalist black.
“Pops” of color can be abstract, too, and they can add depth to the patterns where you see them.
(Image via VAlex.)
5. Depth Effects
Another way you can adhere to the darker side of minimalist black design is to use some effects to create depth. Even on elements that are the same shade or total black, you can use shadows and glows to put them in different positions on the visual plane.
Another way to work with effects is in Adobe Illustrator. Here, we’ll cut some angled, faceted patterns apart and apply gradients to impart a sort of glossy sheen. In the example below I criss-crossed the black background using the Line tool. As-is, the cut-up pattern is bland and flat.
For the image below, I changed the lines to black to make them less distracting, and I added a subtle gradient to each shape. The lightest swatch on the gradient is 96 percent on the grayscale, with the darkest 100 percent. It’s subtle, but we’re not looking to create a 3D spiderweb.
This is just another way to add variation to an abstract pattern. You can use gradients like this or add them to bigger shapes for your own creations.
Looking for more design tips and tricks? Check out these articles.
- History of Protest Art and Resistance in Design
- 15 of the Greatest FREE Art Deco Fonts on the Web
- 7 Design Tips On How To Make An Effective, Beautiful PowerPoint Presentation
License this cover image via Panimoni.
