We’re starting this week off with a blast from the past, the Y2K design aesthetic. This famous design style has its roots in the early naughties, when Photoshop and digital design were becoming more accessible, the design world needed something to stand out, which lead to the bold and bright colours found with this design style.
When did it start?
Well originally the Y2K acted as a response to the dark and grungy graphic aesthetics found throughout the 90s, using bold colours and holographic gradients to create a fluid design that immediately catches the eye. Nostalgia has a lovely habit of giving you a nice warm cosy feeling, that’s why even though the design of Y2K is a bit corny, it invokes a sense of familiarity. Something we’ve seen before and perhaps even reminds us of better days!
How do I design with Y2K in mind?
Y2K is probably (to some) a bit kitsch, however, amongst the endless well of graphic design styles and trends, the real beauty of this trend is that it breaks almost every law in the designer’s big book of rules. Yes! You can use more than 3 fonts, Yes! you can clash colours and you know what…YES! you can go ahead and use Comic Sans or even Times New Roman if you want, after all, we’re back in the early 2000s!
Where can we see it today?
The Y2K trend can still be seen in modern media. With nostalgic advertising and tech-related media, this naughties aesthetic takes you back to the golden days of Windows 95 and the Nintendo 64. Oh and the unavoidable grasp of the Pokeman saga.
Sometimes Y2K can be associated with “anti-design”, and quick plug, we’ve done a super informative post on how anti-design works, click here to read that after this article!
So, if you’re wanting to stand out from the crowd with some Y2K designs, get in touch with us here at Black Tiger Creative. As a full-service digital design and web agency, we’d love to connect your next project with design styles found in the early 2000s.
