Discover the top 2026 web and graphic design trends from hand-drawn art and custom brand assets to brand characters and human-centered storytelling.
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Ahh, January.
The bustle from the holidays has begun to slow, the weather is cold, and dreams for the new year ahead have taken effect.
While some individuals curate their moodboards for their dream year, and some start waking up at 5 am to hit the gym, others envision what kind of digital footprint they’d like to leave in 2026.
For business owners, freelancers, online personalities (and anyone else whose livelihood depends on their online presence), it is essential to ensure that their website looks top notch.
Which is why many creative agencies (like ourselves) are so busy this time of year!
While the trend to improve one’s personal or business’ online presence has stayed consistent since the release of the world wide web, sometime in the 90s, the trends of website and graphic design styles vary from year to year.
2026 is no different.
With AI-art and design at its height, designers are showcasing the absolute opposite of “machine-made” art. From hand-drawn animation and custom fonts, to emotional photography and bold textures, graphic and web designers are taking back their power through creative maximalism.
In an era where many people feel out of control and insignificant, this is a bold move from designers, which has caused a shift in style preferences across the board.
As a fellow designer here at WD Strategies, these are my top web and graphic design styles for the year of 2026.
First, a brief introduction on where we are in life, and why designers are using the styles that they are.
With AI in full swing, and social media outlets becoming a more prominent source of information and media discourse, society is feeling increasingly more superficial.
In the article Minds in Crisis: How the AI Revolution is Impacting Mental Health written in September, 2025, from the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology, researchers found that the rapid emergence of AI and conversational chatbots has “introduced unprecedented mental health challenges,” leading to an “emerging crisis.”
The article urges mental health professionals to take this crisis more seriously, and “begin developing competencies in assessing and treating AI-induced symptoms and advocating for regulation”(Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology).
On the social media side, a new study from the National Library of Medicine titled, Do you believe social media is good for you? Associations between adolescents' beliefs about social media and mental health, used cross-sectional survey data collected between 2020 and 2021 from adolescents who use social media daily to examine relationships between social media and mental health, socioeconomic status, and beliefs on gender, among other factors.
The study found that although “most adolescents held balanced beliefs about social media's impact,” those who held negative beliefs about use on social media “were associated with higher levels of depression and lower well-being.”
From influencer culture and social media algorithms feeding into our day-to-day brain consumption, to chatbot and LLMs taking the roles of human-form writers and artists, people are feeling insignificant.
This has brought an increase in demand for more in-person experiences, activities that include using your hands rather than a screen, and the demand for more “genuine” craft.
Music artists are sampling songs from the 90s and 80s, filmmakers are using settings from the past, Gen-Z are buying vinyl, and the vintage car market is way up.
So, whether people are choosing to start making pottery, or dig out their iPod nano, everyone is seeking something that feels more handmade and human – and design is no different.
Designers are raging against the machine and appealing to consumers through hand drawn illustrations, custom fonts and iconography, narrative storytelling, and more.
As the AI art “aesthetic” has become easier and easier to point out from the perspective of the average viewer, hand-drawn illustration and animation has become a popular way to signify that a business cares.
When your screen is flooded with AI-created CPC ads and user-generated content, it is extremely refreshing to see illustrated or animated work, even if it is a commercial.
It’s not just me thinking this, either. Alex Andlaw, a creative at FORM Brands Creative has noted that "Brands are leaning into brighter colors, expressive illustration and warm, human-centred visuals to bring back personality," he explains. "It's a way to reintroduce emotion and individuality into a space that can easily feel cold or samey."
It’s expected that this illustrated look will continue to rise in popularity, as brands work harder to stand out from the crowd and resonate with their audiences.
Stemming from the rise in popularity of illustration and animation, custom EVERYTHING is back in web and graphic design in 2026.
From custom icons and fonts, to customized emails and marketing messaging, brand personality and personability are both huge in the year of AI.
When it comes to branding, both iconography and fonts play a huge role in how the branding makes its target audience feel. Customers want to feel like they relate to the business it is shopping from, and imagery is a great way to communicate values and persona.
More and more designers are exploring illustrated, expressive styles that feel homegrown, bringing personable warmth and uniqueness.
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In 2025, we saw the return of brand characters again. Whether Dunkin’s Spidey D. campaign enticed you to make a pit-stop for a pumpkin spice latté, Butter Baby’s cute mascot got you to order some donuts, or Ralph Lauren’s classic Polo bear made you purchase a cable-knit sweater, brand characters certainly tug at customers’ hearts.
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Growing with the rise of other “fun” and “personable” design trends, incorporating a brand character or mascot brings a nostalgic and memorable feeling to audiences. Customers not only think that the character is cute – they mentally form a more personable connection with the business.
In 2026, we are already beginning to see characters used, such as Clutch, Maple, and Zayu, who will be featured mascots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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In 2026, photographers and videographers are leaning into realness, presence, and imperfection.
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To combat against its “machine-made” reputation, ChatGPT’s rollout commercials and campaigns were reminiscent of Indie coming-of-age movies, featuring moments of how people can use the tech in everyday moments, such as planning a roadtrip, or baking a cake.
Gone are the days of limited shadows, model-esque figures, and perfect hair and makeup. In this era, imagery is designed intentionally, from the color scheme and the grain of the film, to the choice of contrast and lighting.
Yet, the energy of the captured individuals remains raw and unfiltered.
For those in e-commerce, consider capturing your products in use in real life. Who is your true target audience, and how can you tell their story through photo and video?
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As the enthusiasm for “human-made,” intentional design continues to evolve, the demand for traditional marketing materials has spiked.
From posters and magazines, to stickers and sweatshirts, handheld branded items strengthen the relationship between a business and its target audience. This, again, solidifies the trend in customers desiring a personable relationship with the stores and organizations they choose to do business with.
A cost-effective and effective way to make your clients and customers feel appreciated is to hire a graphic designer to create some cool-looking stickers and postcards for keepsake. Send them in the mail to your email subscribers, or as a “Thank You” gift for supporting them throughout 2025.
Take notes from one of the top grossing consumer businesses of the last 5 years, Hailey Beiber’s Rhode, and a print advertising legend, Vans.
In 2026, your business needs a website that looks as fun and cool as you are – and your customers deserve it, too.
Contact WD Strategies team today to get your site revamped for the new year!
Our team will:
At WD Strategies, we are committed to creating excellence with all of our client’s projects.
