… he would love Low Poly Design.
But while these low poly graphics do take some influence from Cubism, they did not develop straight from an early 20th century Picasso painting.
Low poly meshes actually came about in computer graphics for 3D modeling. Basically, the more polygons (especially triangles) in an object, the more detailed it is. However, the higher the detail the larger the file becomes, creating render times that seem to last a lifetime. In order to speed up the process a bit the detail needs to be diminished… resulting in a low poly mesh!
While technology has advanced to the point where these once insane rendering times are no longer as substantial, over the past few years artists and designers have started to appreciate simple design, such as the blocky imagery of low poly graphics, from 
a more artistic viewpoint. Similar to the Flat Design concept that was made popular by companies like Apple, low poly focuses on straightforward colors and geometry rather than on the details and life-like characteristics of modern high-definition graphics. Bringing in influences from Cubism and illustration, this once essential graphics technique has transformed into an extraordinarily eye-catching form of unadorned imagery. Some studios have even brought it into the advertising world in an effort to reach consumers by catching their attention with bold shapes and colors, rather than impressing them with detail. Take for instance BBC Sport’s trailer for the 2013 Rugby World Cup. Not only is this an excellent example of low poly design, it also does an amazing job of integrating two artistic techniques (realism and minimalism) together in one fantastic animation!
(Interested in trying to make your own low poly design? Here’s an excellent Cinema 4D Tutorial.)
Awareness of contemporary design, as well as what sort of content connects with your target audience is exponentially important… whether you’re a graphic designer for an advertising firm, or an artist trying to connect with your community. This is true for us in Milwaukee, and true for us at Mindspike Design! Until people stop appreciating art (NEVER), we will be right there creating incredible designs in order to keep brands at the top of the mind.
Below are a few examples of some low poly environmental graphics created by Mindspike:
