A Skeuomorph\u00c2\u00a0is a derivative object that retains nonfunctional ornamental\u00c2\u00a0design\u00c2\u00a0cues (attributes) from structures that were inherent to the original.\u00c2\u00a0Examples include\u00c2\u00a0pottery\u00c2\u00a0embellished with imitation\u00c2\u00a0rivets\u00c2\u00a0reminiscent of similar pots made of metal\u00c2\u00a0and a software calendar that imitates the\u00c2\u00a0appearance\u00c2\u00a0of binding on a paper desk calendar.<\/p>\n
Skeuomorphs may be deliberately employed to make a new look more familiar and comfortable, or may be the result of cultural influences and norms on the designer. They may be artistic expression on the part of the designer.\u00c2\u00a0The usability researcher and academic\u00c2\u00a0Don Norman\u00c2\u00a0describes skeuomorphism in terms of cultural constraints: interactions with a system that are learned only through culture. Norman also popularized perceived\u00c2\u00a0affordances, where the user can tell what an object provides or does based on its appearance, which skeuomorphism can make easy.<\/p>\n
The concept of skeuomorphism overlaps with other design concepts.\u00c2\u00a0Mimesis\u00c2\u00a0is an imitation, coming directly from the Greek word.\u00c2\u00a0Archetype\u00c2\u00a0is the original idea or model that is emulated, where the emulations can be skeuomorphic.\u00c2\u00a0Skeuomorphism is parallel to, but different from,\u00c2\u00a0path dependence\u00c2\u00a0in technology, where an element’s functional behavior is maintained even when the original reasons for its design no longer exist.<\/p>\n
Physical Skeuomorphs:<\/span><\/p>\n Many features of wooden buildings were repeated in stone by the\u00c2\u00a0Ancient Greeks\u00c2\u00a0when they transitioned from wood to masonry construction. Decorative stone features in the\u00c2\u00a0Doric order\u00c2\u00a0of\u00c2\u00a0classical architecture\u00c2\u00a0in\u00c2\u00a0Greek temples\u00c2\u00a0such as\u00c2\u00a0triglyphs,\u00c2\u00a0mutules,\u00c2\u00a0guttae, and\u00c2\u00a0modillions\u00c2\u00a0are supposed to be derived from true structural and functional features of the early wooden temples. The\u00c2\u00a0triglyph\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0guttae\u00c2\u00a0are seen as recreating in stone functional features of the wooden temples that preceded them, respectively the carved beam-ends and six wooden pegs driven in to secure the beam in place.<\/p>\n Historically, high-status items such as the\u00c2\u00a0Minoans’ elaborate and expensive silver cups were recreated for a wider market using\u00c2\u00a0pottery, a cheaper material. The exchange of shapes between metalwork and ceramics, often from the former to the latter, is near-constant in the history of the\u00c2\u00a0decorative arts. Sometimes pellets of clay are used to evoke the\u00c2\u00a0rivets\u00c2\u00a0of the metal originals.<\/p>\n There is also evidence of skeuomorphism in material transitions. Leather and pottery often carry over features from the wooden counterparts of previous generations. Clay pottery has also been found bearing rope-shaped protrusions, pointing to craftsmen seeking familiar shapes and processes while working with new materials.\u00c2\u00a0In this context, skeuomorphs exist as traits sought in other objects, either for their social desirability or psychological comforts.<\/p>\n Virtual Skeuomorphs:<\/span><\/p>\n Many computer programs have a skeuomorphic\u00c2\u00a0graphical user interface\u00c2\u00a0that emulates the aesthetics of physical objects. Examples include a digital contact list resembling a\u00c2\u00a0Rolodex,\u00c2\u00a0and IBM’s 1998\u00c2\u00a0RealThings\u00c2\u00a0package.\u00c2\u00a0A more extreme example is found in some music synthesis and audio processing software packages, which closely emulate physical musical instruments and audio equipment complete with buttons and dials.<\/p>\n Apple Inc, while under the direction of\u00c2\u00a0Steve Jobs, was known for its wide usage of skeuomorphic designs in various applications. This changed after Jobs’ death when\u00c2\u00a0Scott Forstall, described as “the most vocal and high-ranking proponent of the visual design style favored by Mr. Jobs”, resigned. Apple designer\u00c2\u00a0Jonathan Ive\u00c2\u00a0took over some of Forstall’s responsibilities and had “made his distaste for the visual ornamentation in Apple’s mobile software known within the company”.\u00c2\u00a0With the announcement of\u00c2\u00a0iOS 7\u00c2\u00a0at\u00c2\u00a0WWDC\u00c2\u00a0in 2013, Apple officially shifted from skeuomorphism to a\u00c2\u00a0more simplified design, thus beginning the so-called “death of skeuomorphism” at Apple.<\/p>\n Other virtual skeuomorphs do not employ literal images of some physical object; but rather allude to ritual human heuristics or heuristic motifs, such as slider bars that emulate\u00c2\u00a0linear potentiometers\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0visual tabs\u00c2\u00a0that behave like physical tabbed file folders. Another example is the swiping hand gesture for turning the “pages” or screens of a tablet display.<\/p>\n Virtual skeuomorphs can also be auditory. The shutter-click sound emitted by most\u00c2\u00a0camera phones\u00c2\u00a0when taking a picture is an auditory skeuomorph.<\/p>\n Retrofuturism\u00c2\u00a0incorporates spatial motifs from previous iterations of the future; especially visions of electro-industrialism.\u00c2\u00a0This is frequently incorporated in retrowave or synthwave illustrations. Skeumorphic time is closely linked with\u00c2\u00a0metamodernism.<\/p>\n Skeuomorphic design seems to be preferred by older recipient groups often referred to as\u00c2\u00a0digital immigrants\u00c2\u00a0while\u00c2\u00a0digital natives\u00c2\u00a0tend to favor flat design over skeuomorphisms. However, younger people are still able to understand the signifiers that skeuomorphic design employs. A better user experience could be measured for each respective design philosophy among digital natives and immigrants.<\/p>\n The above is a brief about\u00c2\u00a0Skeuomorph. Watch this space for more updates on the latest trends in Technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Skeuomorph\u00c2\u00a0is a derivative object<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[893,523,7,895],"tags":[528,527,18,526],"class_list":["post-1610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-physical-skeuomorph","category-skeuomorph","category-techtrends","category-virtual-skeuomorph","tag-physical-skeuomorphs","tag-skeuomorph","tag-technology","tag-virtual-skeuomorphs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1610"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1611,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610\/revisions\/1611"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}