Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Flat Ain’t All That

by Judd Mercer
4 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

While flat design continues to take mobile and web by storm, designs that introduce users to fictional worlds continue to rely on skeuomorphism to sell the fantasy.

With the rise of “flat” design that has been talked about to death, I’ve been considering whether or not texture, realism and, to use the vernacular of the masses, “skeuomorphism” still has a place in design, and if so, where. Are the pitchforks against realistic details warranted, and should we join the rallying cry to commit widespread texturecide?

What’s the Opposite of Flat?

First, I’d like to define this “anti-flat” style of realism a little bit. What do we typically see? Texture, depth, lighting, and tone are typically concepts associated with this style of design. Lots of detail (some might say illusions, Michael) incorporated into a rich space make users think they’re looking at something else. But why would anyone want to do this? Wouldn’t a white screen with clean type be better? Maybe, but not always.

A Lesson from the Movies

I went to school for industrial design and have an ongoing obsession with props and sets. You know, movie stuff. My dream long ago was to be a production designer on-set, building worlds that appeared real to an audience. In that industry, detail is everything.

In order to maintain an illusion, every little thing must be taken into account or the fantasy will be broken (watch the Lord of the Rings special features to get an idea of the painstaking work this requires). The elements you create as a production designer support a fiction, a short-lived fantasy that people want to believe, but it needs to be complete from end-to-end to work. Audiences want to get lost in these make-believe worlds, if only for a little while.

The video game and film industries make a ton of money using skeuomorphic design almost exclusively

Here’s where I may be losing you. You may be asking, “Ok, but what the hell does this have to do with skeuomorphism?” Well, it’s all about creating an illusion, and although flat is on the upswing, there are two main arenas of marketing where it will never work.

Enter Entertainment Marketing

The video game industry, once a small, niche market, has become the most profitable entertainment industry, overtaking even films in annual revenue. The game industry came in at $67 billion in 2012, while the film industry came in at $34 billion for theatrical releases.

Compare this combined $100+ billion (with a “b”) with the totaled 2013 earnings of Google, Apple, and Microsoft (the apparent champions of flat design) and you get something like $97 billion. Neck and neck, right? For now. The video game industry alone is expected to reach $87 billion dollars a year by 2017, but I’m not trying to make the point that one style of design is more profitable than another.

What I am saying is the video game and film industries make a ton of money and use skeuomorphic design techniques almost exclusively. A dead style of design? I think not.

Why it Works

As I said before, realism and skeuomorphism are about creating a fantasy. When you are selling a movie (typically blockbusters) or a video game, you are selling a fiction, and each fantasy world is unique; it has a story, a feeling, an experience. Like designing the set for that movie, or the interface for that game, every element must exude the feeling of the fantasy and fit the world. You simply can’t do that with flat design the way you can with realistic skeuomorphism. You can’t sell the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 with Helvetica and white space, nor can you sell Infinity Blade with flat icons.

Consider the summer blockbuster The Avengers:

ZURB Quips

Not quite the same punch as the hyper-real look of the official site, huh? Please forigve the comp I hacked together from Google images!

ZURB Quips

The military-tech look of the Call of Duty brand comes through on the site. A flat version doesn’t have that dramatic Tom Clancy future warrior feel, does it?

ZURB Quips

Candy Crush makes you want to eat the icons, not little pieces of paper.

Conclusion

Granted, my poorly hacked examples are an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Flat design may be aesthetically appealing to more minimally inclined designers, but in some instances it won’t do the subject justice—or help sell the product. These are emotional concepts that require visceral, emotional connections. We must feel it to want it.

While flat design is good for frequent, task-based interaction, it’s not a universal design tool that can be used when selling emotion, fantasy and escapism. Different jobs require different tools, so before you trash all your texture folders and sell your Wacom, consider what you are designing for. Are you introducing a user to a fictional world? If so, you might want to dust off those realism techniques—they are far from dead.

 

This article originally appeared on the Elevated Third blog. Lead image copyright Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

post authorJudd Mercer

Judd Mercer

Judd is the Creative Director at Denver-based digital agency Elevated Third, where he joined the company shortly after its inception in 2005. He currently oversees the information architecture and creative processes with a growing interest in messaging and content strategy.

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Related Articles

Unlock the secret to truly innovative UX by looking beyond the screen. This article reveals how inspiration from architecture, nature, and physical design can elevate your digital creations, making them more intuitive, user-centered, and creatively inspired. Step outside the digital world to spark new ideas and transform your UX design process.

Article by Rodolpho Henrique
The Secret to Innovative UX: Look Beyond the Digital World
  • The article explores how UX designers can draw inspiration from the analog world, including architecture, nature, and physical product design, to innovate digital experiences.
  • It highlights key design principles such as ergonomics, affordances, and wayfinding that can enhance digital interfaces.
  • The piece emphasizes the importance of stepping beyond the screen to foster creativity, prevent burnout, and create user-centered designs that feel natural and intuitive.
Share:The Secret to Innovative UX: Look Beyond the Digital World
5 min read

Are we on the brink of an AI-first revolution? As more products are built entirely around AI engines, designers must adapt. From dynamic interfaces and non-linear journeys to helping users optimize prompts, discover how the next generation of AI-driven products will reshape UX design.

Article by Tom Rowson
AI-First: Designing the Next Generation of AI Products
  • The article introduces “AI-first” products, designed around AI engines to offer more than just chat interfaces and improve over time.
  • It highlights key challenges for designers: creating flexible interfaces, helping users with prompts, and managing AI errors like hallucinations.
  • The piece stresses the need to adapt to non-linear, iterative user journeys as AI-first apps evolve.
Share:AI-First: Designing the Next Generation of AI Products
4 min read

Discover how AI-first design principles let you build beautiful, functional UIs in minutes — without ever opening Figma or writing any code.

Article by Adam Judelson, Ryan Brotman
Making Designs Without a Designer
  • AI-first design turns simple text prompts into fully functional, production-ready UIs — no coding or Figma required.
  • Learn how to develop structured AI prototyping workflows to eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure fast, scalable, and consistent UX across projects.
  • This isn’t just faster design — it’s the future of product design, making high-quality UI creation accessible to everyone.
Share:Making Designs Without a Designer
10 min read

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and