Background Flat Design

Elements of Design

Watch this quick video to review the elements of design.

If you want more review click here  and here (the second starts to get into some of the Principles of design.)

If you like videos check this site out.

SKEUOMORPHISM and FLAT DESIGN

Flat design is a style of interface design that rejects the 3D elements of skeuomorphism.  A Skeuomorph is an ornament or design on an object copied from a form of the object when made from another material or by other techniques.  Flat Design does not, contrary to popular opinion, abandon skeuomorphism in its entirety but rather focuses on rendering objects in flat minimalist form. It avoids the excessive use of gradients, textures, and drop shadows designed to deliver 3D effects for simpler elements focusing on simple flat elements, typography and flat color schemes.

Some people think that flat design is boring design. However, the truth is that minimalistic design styles are popular and eliminating unnecessary clutter from a design can improve its usability. If a component of a design serves no utility it may hinder the user experience and thus it should be eliminated from the design itself.

Much of the appeal of flat design is found in the implementation. The use of attention grabbing bright (and highly contrasting) color, for example, can help make icons, images, etc. really stand out from backgrounds. Clever use of flat design can also help guide the user’s eyes to where the designer wants them to be in their design.

The good news is that flat designs are pretty easy to create. The designer needs to focus on simple experiences and can then use:

• Strong, contrasting colors to add emphasis on details within icons, illustrations, etc.
• Sans serif typography in large and easy to read fonts that offer straightforward indications of what an icon or illustration is for
• Crisp, clean UI elements that are easy to see and easy to comprehend

Future of Flat Design

Recently, designers have begun to notice the usability issues of flat design. As a result, a more mature and balanced interpretation of flat design has emerged. Designers are finding they can be "authentically digital" and explore the unique opportunities of the medium without compromising usability.

This newer interpretation is sometimes referred to as "semi flat," "almost flat," or "flat 2.0." This design style is mostly flat, but it makes use of subtle shadows, highlights, and layers to create some depth in the UI.

Want to learn more?  Check out this amazing explanation of Flat Design Art.   Many cool examples and larger applications.

Or check out this link to see an entire video game developed using flat design.