Curating your content this season? As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change, the world of design and aesthetics also undergoes a transformation to capture the essence of autumn.
You’ll notice the rich tapestry of colours, textures, and moods that inspire creatives and the direction they choose to take. Let’s take a stroll reflecting on the visual trends that will infuse your projects with the edge through September, October, and November – cosy knitwear optional.
Tonality
The more steeped the tone, the closer you are to achieving the shades of the season. While Autumn has always been synonymous with earthy hues, a colour wheel of warmth will steer you towards terracotta, mustard yellow, deep forest green, and rich rust. These colours create a sense of comfort and nostalgia, something we explored in our piece on nostalgic marketing, making them perfect for branding, web design, and content curation.
Texture
For visual tactility, textures that get as close to the natural world as possible should be on your radar. Think about incorporating elements like wood grain, knits, and leaf motifs into your designs or mood boards. However you choose to create, from jumper patterns to rustic website backgrounds, there’s much to be said about the inviting appeal of natural depth.
Mood
Mood and atmospherics are at play across photography. We’ve seen an emphasis on soft, diffused lighting and a touch of melancholy to evoke Autumn. Calling on pathetic fallacy, misty mornings, rain-soaked landscapes, or the play of shadows in the fading daylight all create captivating visual narratives that resonate with the spirit of the season. Equally, the dark aesthetic can be implemented to impressive effect: for example, in food photography.
Minimalism
The evolving style proves that you needn’t scrimp with this popular design approach. Designers have been adding warm, autumnal accents to their minimalist compositions: imagine a clean, simple layout with a thematic focal point. Together, minimalism and autumn aesthetics can create visually striking contrasts worth noting. This is especially useful when creating flat lay spreads for a grid or considering product placement.
Vintage
Visuals that take cues from vintage eras are always ripe for a comeback depending on the time of year. For autumn, think about incorporating typography, faded colour palettes, and grainy textures reminiscent of old photographs into your creative projects. For brands looking to connect with their audience on an emotional level, this follows the same principles as nostalgic marketing.
Collage
Collage art is gaining popularity as a form of self-expression and storytelling, as it has done over the decades in different iterations. You can expect to see artistic collages thrive during autumn as many embrace slow living and cosy crafting, whether done traditionally or digitally. Collages allow for creative juxtapositions of autumn elements, offering ample opportunity for expressive compositions.
Sustainable
As awareness of environmental issues and climate change grows, so does the desire for sustainable and eco-friendly designs. This autumn, visuals that incorporate natural materials, eco-friendly icons, and earth-conscious messaging lead the way. There’s a shift towards more brands and designers aligning their aesthetics with sustainability, reflecting a build in momentum toward responsible consumption.
These visual trends provide a roadmap for infusing your creative projects with purpose and direction this autumn. Whether you’re a designer, photographer, or simply someone looking to refresh your social feed, considering this season’s visual language will put you in good stead. Take cues from these themes to enrich your search for visuals this season. Hungry for more? Try our specially curated Autumn lightbox.