Skeuomorph
Description
A skeuomorph (also spelled skiamorph, /ˈskjuːəˌmɔːrf, ˈskjuːoʊ-/) is a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues (attributes) from structures that were necessary in the original. Skeuomorphs are typically used to make something new feel familiar and thus easier to understand and use. They employ elements that, while essential to the original object, serve no pragmatic purpose in the new system, except for identification. Examples include pottery embellished with imitation rivets reminiscent of similar pots made of metal, or a software calendar that imitates the appearance of binding on a paper desk calendar. Read more ↗
Key Artists
Susan Kare
Graphic designer who created the original Macintosh skeuomorphic icons (1984) - the trash can, floppy disk, paintbrush - that made computers accessible to non-technical users.
Scott Forstall
Apple's Senior Vice President of iOS software (2007–2012) and primary champion of skeuomorphic design in iOS; believed photo-illustrative interfaces made technology approachable.
Steve Jobs
Apple co-founder and advocate of skeuomorphism who believed familiar visual cues 'softened' intimidating technology, beginning with the original Macintosh GUI in 1984.
Jony Ive
Apple's Chief Design Officer who championed minimalism; led the transition from skeuomorphism to flat design with iOS 7 (2013), effectively ending the skeuomorphic era at Apple.
Bill Atkinson
Apple engineer who created MacPaint (1984) and QuickDraw, establishing foundational skeuomorphic GUI interactions like scrollbars, buttons, and the desktop metaphor.
Corbin Dunn
Apple developer who helped implement the rich visual textures in iOS apps like Calendar and Contacts, bringing skeuomorphic aesthetics to the mobile era.
Famous Artworks
Fun Facts
The term 'skeuomorph' was first applied to material objects in 1890 by archaeologist H. Colley March, who used it to describe ornamental design elements that mimicked functional features of earlier objects made from different materials.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org
A well-known internal conflict at Apple existed between Scott Forstall (pro-skeuomorphism) and Jony Ive (pro-minimalism); Forstall's departure in 2012 cleared the way for Ive to redesign iOS, resulting in the dramatically flat iOS 7.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org
The floppy disk 'save' icon, designed by Susan Kare in 1984, has outlived the physical object it represents by decades - most users today have never seen an actual floppy disk yet instantly recognize the icon's meaning.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org