This is a bit hypocritical, as I’ve got my share of design cliches on this very site… but here goes anyways.
Let’s have some new cliches.
- Samuel Goldwyn
Can we come up with some new ideas?
Can more than one style of design be prevalent at any given time?
Does every Web 2.0 app need shiny, glossy, reflecting, drop-shadowed, glowing logos/icons/images?
Is that gradient really necessary? (I love gradients, don’t get me wrong… but… does every design need one?)
Do those corners need to be round? I mean, if all corners are round, it stops being distinctive, doesn’t it?
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Now, all this being said, there are many, stunning examples of creative web design out there. I know it, you know it. And, there is something to be said for a reliable, familiar design. Nobody complains that most newspapers look alike, because the important thing is that the information on the pages is communicated legibly — form follows function.
So, I don’t know. Maybe this is just a rant; there’s nothing new under the sun, everyone’s design will be derivative of something, etc., etc. Maybe so.
Can we at least try to come up with some new cliches?
Yes. it’s all over-used, but this is what people know how to do with a couple clicks in Photoshop. Of course, it makes the bar much easier to raise.