OUGD501 - Research - Interesting Analysis of Trends

2016 is almost upon us and most of us are starting to think about the year ahead. The trends that will most affect our practice aren't just about whatever colour Pantone has picked to symbolise the year ahead - but the cultural, business and technological changes that affect what our work means, what our clients want and what the possibilities are to make, display and let people engage with it.

It’s that time of year when every news source from the Daily Mail to Pigeon Fancier’s Monthly asks prominent people in their field to tell them about what’s to come. But here at Digital Arts, we want to do it slightly differently – and better – than the rest.

Rather than asking the creative industries for clairvoyance about the future, we wanted to know what they hope will happen – and what they fear might – how their own practice will change over the next year, and what the drivers behind these are.

We've asked some of the smartest people across graphic, digital and immersive design, illustration, creative direction, advertising, photography, VFX to tell us what they think - and you can help but be inspired by what they say.

Craig Ward

Designer and art director, wordsarepictures.co.uk

What changes would you like to see happen in 2016?
"I guess the same thing that I’d like to see every year - more original thinking and less reliance on styles and trends."

What from 2015 would you most like to see the back of?
"I’m going to be honest. I kind of try and keep my head down and not really pay attention to what everyone else is up to these days. A little bored of the grid-less, chaotic, cool kid typography that I see so much of around though. And wobbly underlines."

Aesthetically, how will your work in 2016 be different from that in 2015?
"I have literally no idea what’s going to happen next year. This year has finished on such a high - three huge projects back to back - that it’s kind of left me with some thinking to do over Christmas. Not sure how I can top it. I would imagine it will become more abstract. I’ve pushed some personal boundaries this year in that respect and it seems I can’t get away with it so let’s see."

How will it be different in form and function?
"I’m hoping to move into interiors and to see if my process driven approach and love of unusual materials will translate into usable spaces. I’m aware that I can't just announce myself as an interior designer so I’ve actually enrolled in a course starting in January so I can learn from the ground up.

"Also, I’ve been fortunate in that my last two personal projects really resonated with the public and media, I’m feeling a little selfish truth be told, so I’d like to try and work on something more worthy and try and divert that attention to a cause."