A business report, be it sales report, sustainability report or annual growth report, serves many purposes. When you hear the word report, you automatically assume it as something official, formal and uninteresting. There are tons and tons of data thrown at you in a report. However, if you portray it well, you can make it amusing.

The graphic design industry is an ever-changing industry. It brings new revolutionary changes every year. The business report design trends at present are so robust and dynamic that they can really take a report from drab to fab in a jiffy. Let us have a look at some of these trends and see how they will influence the essence of our presentations or formal reports in 2021:

Over lapping and Masking of Images

Reports are not just a chunk of information. Thus, images are used in the same vein as the text. Using the technique of overlapping, layers of images are created. These layers are used to provide more depth to the templates. In any business report design, if graphics carry more depth and weight, the information naturally looks less tedious. These image layouts enhance the effect manifolds and also communicate the tone of your report (whether it is gloomy, sombre, serious or joyful) appropriately.

The other popular trend which has been observed is the use of masked images. Masking means a small portion of a picture is used inside a letter or a geometric shape to emphasize on that particular thing and the rest is hidden.

Three- dimensional and Multidimensional Illustrations

Contrary to the flat illustrations that were trendy in 2020, this year there will be a rage for adding more dimension to the designs. One can expect to see a plethora of three- dimensional or even more-than-three dimensional demonstrations. Abstract illustrations that look otherworldly and divine at the same time can make their way into the graphic world this year.

Subtle Colors

Light pastel colors are the mood this year. Some years back, dark hues were in vogue. The shades of silver, grey and gold look quite chic. In a sustainability report design especially, rusty shades are used in the background so that the text pops out against it. Monochromes and subtle grainy textures have been used extensively last year but they are not too hackneyed yet.

Not- so Bold Typography

Bold typography helps in making a statement. Currently, there has been a shift in the trend. The typography is soft but edgy these days. In some templates, all letters are capitalized and put in a certain shape. Their arrangement represents a lucid illusion of movement. Sometimes, one letter from the word group is colored in a different shade or displayed in a distinct shape to highlight. Also, drop-shadow effects are applied behind or below the letters to provide a realistic look.

Hand-drawn Caricatures

Because of the increasing interest in handicraft and calligraphy, hand-drawn caricatures are being used as icons in the new templates. They are extremely beneficial in the reports that have a theme. Suppose you are to exemplify environment-friendly practices in a sustainability report design. You can show a sketched boy planting a tree in one corner of the report. They are not only entertaining, but also capable of elucidating a serious issue without making the atmosphere too tense.

Geometric Shapes

With geometric shapes, an altogether different look comes out. They can bestow the design with concreteness and rigidity. For a sharp outcome, all the geometric shapes are used exclusively. In fact, a combination of two or three different geometric shapes in a template is very much accepted and appreciated.