Abstract imagery exists either as an abstraction of an actual object, or it functions on a completely different plane, totally untethered to real world visual references. Both forms of abstract art exist in design and abstract art within the realm of design holds an untold amount of power. By nature, abstract images are more difficult to understand right out of the gate than their more concrete cousins—fortunately, this allows for a tremendous advantage in the world of design. A successful abstract image might be used for a website header, the background for a mobile phone app, the meat of a concert flyer or function in any other way the designer imagines. In this article we’ll discuss the cutting edge nature of abstract imagery in design, its freedom from limitation, the way it appeals to emotion and how it bypasses our distracted human nature.