Designing for Realism in Interface
Is there a way you imagine the layout and interaction of your Layer Statement?
"Designing for Realism in the Interface" maybe a vague topic for a Layer statement. In a modern era of glassy, polished and chic design aesthetics.. why seek for realism? It's always a huge topic of discussion for a human tendency to seek something "natural". Modern designs seems to drift far away from the physical nature to rather flat design formed by the simplification of those same objects in nature. We have been so used to this polished flat designs that using a real image instead of the flat design feels almost uncomfortable and cheap.
So, when can we add realism to the design? The most obvious one would be simulation. For example lets see UI's for two radio app interface.
We can see in the image below the interface has almost a physical feel to it with the knobs and typography almost blends in not popping out but is in harmony with it. The gives a sense of realness. Other simulation applications like usually in musical instrument simulator have the realistic interface depicting the actual instruments.
Meanwhile following interface shows the radio application in flat form, it's clean and very modern. But while looking modern it doesn't stand out. It's like any other application out there on the market.
So taking the same inspiration from the previous design aesthetics with hint of modern flat UI would really bring inspirational designs that might fulfill certain nostalgia of holding the real thing while holding a distinct personality.
Written by: Sagar Shrestha, This is a Reflection on "Living in the Interface" Workshop March 2021 by Stephanie Marie cedeño in UE Berlin