By now you’ve probably already noticed it in some of the brands you use daily—“hand-drawn” typography or hastily scanned textures layered over otherwise unremarkable photos. Maybe your cleaning product brands use visual references from a time when “things were easier,” like hand-painted signage and retro illustrations. Or they’re using imperfect blobby type that’s supposed to help designs feel “organic.” Ever notice that your favorite new bakery’s identity seems purposely a little ugly?
The use of this kind of “handmade” aesthetic has been debated in the design community for a long time. But, I’d argue that it’s only recently that the trend has drifted into something that feels . . . forced. Panera Bread’s recent incorporation of highly polished swash typography to no doubt recall the hand-painted signage of your favorite local grocer feels at odds with its reputation for mass-produced “quality ingredients.” St. Regis has recently announced a collection of ultra-high-luxury hospitality brands, many of which use hand-drawn elements perhaps at odds with its highly polished luxury properties. Most telling is Claude’s branding, incorporating hand-drawn illustrations and details that attempt to tell the world, “Hey, we’re the more human AI.”
Blame technology. Designers have a tendency to lead with their passions, and with AI feeling both threatening and exploitative to many in the community, there’s a natural impulse to push away from anything digital. But, as with the skeuomorphism of the aughts or the grunge-ification of the ’90s before it, our industry has pushed too far, sparking a trendy style that reflects designers’ uneasy relationship with technology more than it serves a real need.
Hand-drawn, hand-crafted elements have a place in design, to be sure—for the right brand or the right concept. And true craftsmanship is never out of style. But when this hand-rendered patina is used over and over again, it begins to fall flat, and offer neither enough resonance nor substance for a brand to truly stand out. This is creating a real problem for brands in the age of AI, looking to express that their values, offering, or services are more human-centered.
This isn’t the first time a trend like this has taken hold. Skeuomorphic design follows a similar mindset in design thinking—if we need to push a trajectory in a specific direction, go literal. And it worked pretty well in the early days of the iPhone and Blackberry to help bridge the gap between the traditional office environment of the desk and this new glass brick you tap. But it also went too far, and seeped into other applications where it really didn’t make any sense. Same with the “grunge” movement of design in the late 90s, with photocopied type samples and photoshop brushes that aimed to capture the energy and zeitgeist of the Zine movement—but under false pretenses.
This latest fake craft and hand-drawn era is more of the same. And it will take designers being especially mindful to avoid falling into traps. Here’s how:
As with most trends, the fake “handmade” aesthetic has become about blending in rather than standing apart. And that’s not what design is being called to do. The task, especially in terms of brand, is to create distinction and separation in the marketplace. And AI isn’t the only force that’s leading to creative homogeneity. Sometimes, when we react reflexively without considering the consequences, we can do it to ourselves, too.