The paper is devoted to the study of the principles of micrographics in the artistic space and graphic design of the twentieth century. The article describes micrographics as an art phenomenon and considers it as an important element for the fi ne arts and graphics. The text studies principles of micrographic, which can be considered as an important component of the contemporary visual system. At the same time, micrographic elements defi ne the specifi cs of modern design. The article notes that micrographic principles are a common phenomenon in the visual systems throughout the 20th century. In addition, the article gives an attention to the typography and visual practice of the “New Wave” — the most important trend of graphic design in the second half of the 20th century. This phenomenon is considered as the central form of modern design whose specifi cs signifi cantly infl uenced the development of graphic design in general. At the same time, we observe the fact that the micrographic methods were important for the creation of the phenomenon of the “New Wave”. They correlate both: the visual system of the “New Wave” and the graphic program of modern graphic design. The article considers the main forms of micrographics, which were widely used in the system of “New Wave”. The author attempts to determine micrographics, and to give the characteristic of the “New Wave”. Micrographics is explored as a form in contemporary art space and as a system that had a signifi cant influence on the formation and development of the design in the twentieth century.