<p>The other answer provided some good details, but I don’t believe it was what you were looking for.</p>
<p>The art style name that consists of big body parts and a small head which has been trending for the last few years is called “Alegria”.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-04T08:34:54.903Z
Thank you for your contribution! The original design came from [Buck](https://buck.co/work/facebook-alegria) and was designed for Facebook in 2017. It has become ubiquitous since. 'Alegria' is Spanish for joy.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-12T21:23:13.120Z
You can see a write-up on its history here: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/dont-worry-these-gangley-armed-cartoons-are-here-to-protect-you-from-big-tech/
GreenGiant
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-03T20:38:07.147Z
2021-09-03T20:38:07.147Z
Erik Jackson
<p>One (perhaps somewhat satyrical) name for this style is &quot;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Memphis" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Corporate Memphis</a>&quot;</p>
<p>It's in reference both to the similarity to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Group" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Memphis Group</a> designs from the 1980s and the ubiquity of the style in tech company advertisements and media that want to come across as inclusive or friendly:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8EGdb.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8EGdb.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>This lines up specifically with the corporate elements you mention in your question so I think this is what you're looking for.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-11T03:39:29.977Z
2024-01-11T03:39:29.977Z
Emmett Palaima
<p>Apparently, one name for this style is <strong>Alegria</strong>.</p>
<p>You can see a write-up on its history here: <a href="https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/dont-worry-these-gangley-armed-cartoons-are-here-to-protect-you-from-big-tech/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/dont-worry-these-gangley-armed-cartoons-are-here-to-protect-you-from-big-tech/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-09T10:28:46.917Z
Hi, welcome to Arts & Crafts! This answer was already provided.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-12T21:22:57.090Z
Ah, I missed that answer.
GreenGiant
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-08T21:42:28.033Z
2024-01-08T21:42:28.033Z
GreenGiant
<p><strong>The style could be named after its instigating minimalistic 'Flat design', or is simply called '<a href="https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=flat+illustration" rel="noreferrer">flat illustration</a>', but it could also very well be there's no (official) terminology for this specific form of graphic design (yet).</strong></p>
<p>'<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_design" rel="noreferrer"><em>Flat design</em></a>' has become very popular in the last 7 years or so. I think a major influence on this style becoming more common was the increasing popularity of tablets: as they are controlled through touch screens and have relatively large screens, they required a new way of navigating, and large and easy to see tiles were an obvious choice.<br />
As dynamic, coloured tiles organized into grids were used, the need for hierarchical vertical navigation diminished, and so did the need for extensive use of highlights, drop shadows, and other depth simulating effects and '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeuomorph" rel="noreferrer">skeuomorphic</a>' design elements (iOS 7 indeed embraced this need for a renewed design, but I think a better example of these changes is Microsoft Windows 8, which design is called '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_(design_language)" rel="noreferrer">Metro</a>' (a.k.a. '<a href="https://designmodo.com/modern-ui/" rel="noreferrer">Modern UI</a>').</p>
<p>Around five years ago, the need for a more intuitive design became apparent, and innovations on flat design were grouped under the name '<em>Flat design 2.0</em>' (or 'semi-flat' or 'almost flat design') (for more background information, see <a href="https://uxplanet.org/buttons-in-ui-design-the-evolution-of-style-and-best-practices-56536dc5386e" rel="noreferrer">here</a>, <a href="https://slickplan.com/blog/the-flat-design-revolution" rel="noreferrer">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/articles/flat-design/" rel="noreferrer">here</a>).<br />
These innovations include a reintroduction of shadows and other 3-dimensional effects.</p>
<p>As common user interfaces change, graphic design and illustration have to 'evolve' along with them (arguably because users like their digital experiences to be unified), and this is why flat graphics and illustrations have become very popular.</p>
<p>Good design necessitates the need for specific changes within these styles to be compatible with and complement the other, so improvements are made constantly, and these influence naturally occurring preferences (like in all art styles).<br />
The current trend in illustration seems to favour somewhat naive depictions, as in the image you have posted. The increasing presence of humans (of different skin tones) could be a reaction to current political events, or simply to the idea that (web) design ought to be all-inclusive.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-22T13:59:26.173Z
2020-06-22T13:59:26.173Z
Joachim
<p>What's the name for this style of cartooning? Has anyone written about its history? It's been around for a few years and people are using it everywhere.</p>
<p>Some things I've noticed:</p>
<ul>
<li>It's used a lot by corporations for web artwork. The sample below was grabbed from a YouTube newsletter.</li>
<li>It often has pastel colors.</li>
<li>There is never or rarely any shading, colors are completely flat.</li>
<li>No/rare borders around shapes.</li>
<li>It often includes humans.</li>
<li>Humans have &quot;chunky&quot; bodies. In the picture below the man has a gigantic hand and too broad shoulders.</li>
<li>Bodies and especially limbs are drawn with curves. The man below doesn't have a sharp elbow, he has a noodle.</li>
<li>Diverse skin colors.</li>
</ul>
<p>Everyone is doing this so that means everyone's copying off of everyone else. But who came up with the original idea? Is there any relation to Apple's iOS 7 flat design?</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/X3yJK.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X3yJK.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

<style-identification><illustration>
What's the name of this cartoon style?
ldrg
# What's the name of this cartoon style?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-21)

What's the name for this style of cartooning? Has anyone written about its history? It's been around for a few years and people are using it everywhere.

Some things I've noticed:

* It's used a lot by corporations for web artwork. The sample below was grabbed from a YouTube newsletter.
* It often has pastel colors.
* There is never or rarely any shading, colors are completely flat.
* No/rare borders around shapes.
* It often includes humans.
* Humans have "chunky" bodies. In the picture below the man has a gigantic hand and too broad shoulders.
* Bodies and especially limbs are drawn with curves. The man below doesn't have a sharp elbow, he has a noodle.
* Diverse skin colors.

Everyone is doing this so that means everyone's copying off of everyone else. But who came up with the original idea? Is there any relation to Apple's iOS 7 flat design?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/X3yJK.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/X3yJK.png)

**Tags:** style-identification, illustration


---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-22. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

**The style could be named after its instigating minimalistic 'Flat design', or is simply called '[flat illustration](https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=flat+illustration)', but it could also very well be there's no (official) terminology for this specific form of graphic design (yet).**

'[*Flat design*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_design)' has become very popular in the last 7 years or so. I think a major influence on this style becoming more common was the increasing popularity of tablets: as they are controlled through touch screens and have relatively large screens, they required a new way of navigating, and large and easy to see tiles were an obvious choice.  
As dynamic, coloured tiles organized into grids were used, the need for hierarchical vertical navigation diminished, and so did the need for extensive use of highlights, drop shadows, and other depth simulating effects and '[skeuomorphic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeuomorph)' design elements (iOS 7 indeed embraced this need for a renewed design, but I think a better example of these changes is Microsoft Windows 8, which design is called '[Metro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_(design_language))' (a.k.a. '[Modern UI](https://designmodo.com/modern-ui/)').

Around five years ago, the need for a more intuitive design became apparent, and innovations on flat design were grouped under the name '*Flat design 2.0*' (or 'semi-flat' or 'almost flat design') (for more background information, see [here](https://uxplanet.org/buttons-in-ui-design-the-evolution-of-style-and-best-practices-56536dc5386e), [here](https://slickplan.com/blog/the-flat-design-revolution), and [here](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/flat-design/)).  
These innovations include a reintroduction of shadows and other 3-dimensional effects.

As common user interfaces change, graphic design and illustration have to 'evolve' along with them (arguably because users like their digital experiences to be unified), and this is why flat graphics and illustrations have become very popular.

Good design necessitates the need for specific changes within these styles to be compatible with and complement the other, so improvements are made constantly, and these influence naturally occurring preferences (like in all art styles).  
The current trend in illustration seems to favour somewhat naive depictions, as in the image you have posted. The increasing presence of humans (of different skin tones) could be a reaction to current political events, or simply to the idea that (web) design ought to be all-inclusive.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-09-03. Score: 5

The other answer provided some good details, but I don’t believe it was what you were looking for.

The art style name that consists of big body parts and a small head which has been trending for the last few years is called “Alegria”.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Thank you for your contribution! The original design came from [Buck](https://buck.co/work/facebook-alegria) and was designed for Facebook in 2017. It has become ubiquitous since. 'Alegria' is Spanish for joy.  
> **username_3**: You can see a write-up on its history here: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/dont-worry-these-gangley-armed-cartoons-are-here-to-protect-you-from-big-tech/  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-01-11. Score: 1

One (perhaps somewhat satyrical) name for this style is "[Corporate Memphis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Memphis)"

It's in reference both to the similarity to the [Memphis Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Group) designs from the 1980s and the ubiquity of the style in tech company advertisements and media that want to come across as inclusive or friendly:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8EGdb.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/8EGdb.jpg)

This lines up specifically with the corporate elements you mention in your question so I think this is what you're looking for.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-01-08. Score: 0

Apparently, one name for this style is **Alegria**.

You can see a write-up on its history here: <https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/dont-worry-these-gangley-armed-cartoons-are-here-to-protect-you-from-big-tech/>

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Hi, welcome to Arts & Crafts! This answer was already provided.  
> **username_3**: Ah, I missed that answer.  

---

