Design Trend: Long Shadows (Flat) - Examples

designmodo.com

1 point·SmeelBe··3 comments

A new trend is making its way through cyberspace – long shadow design. The concept, which borrows themes from flat design, is popping up in a big way in recent weeks.

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While flat design done right is good design, especially on the web, I find clients immediately think the work looks "cheap," "unfinished," and "missing life." Seems like many clients still want wood grain and candy buttons. I like this shadow effect, it adds a little more to the design so, perhaps, clients may feel like they are getting more for their dollar if they get those drop shadows that "pop." Wow I sound jaded right now. But I'm not :)

I believe flat design is a solid trend (any design trend with roots in Swiss design are good, especially when organizing content), however these shadow effects are more of a fad that should be used sparingly.

Completely agree with you there. I think in the right place it can give a different perspective. One of the above graphics looks like you're looking down onto a monument so to that degree it could be used but I know I wouldn't even get away with 'flat design' with most of my clients as they would say a 5-year-old had done it and it wasn't worth the price tag.

As with most things design it's about getting the appropriateness of technique to task.

This is not so much as a design trend as a designer's in-joke that is getting more attention than it deserves. While more dimensionality vs. texture and gradients for depth is definitely where things are going and this is part of it, it's like saying coughs are the new trend while there's a flu epidemic. If you're stuck emulating little techniques like this to stay current you're doing it wrong.

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