Cybermorphism

Cybermorphism (formally known as Fluent Design) is an umbrella term for Glassmorphism, Neumorphism, and Claymorphism. They are closely related design aesthetics that combine elements of Skeuomorphism and Flat Design to create smooth and rounded 3D visuals, glass textures, see-through objects, subtle shading, and gradients. These visual motifs are an amalgamation of multiple trends that have been developing for the last few years. It is often used in UI/UX designs to create a more realistic, natural look and feel.

History[]

Glassmorphism's and Neumorphism's Inception (2017-2020)[]

The first elements of Cybermorphism can be traced back to Microsoft's Fluent Design System design language, released in 2017. Microsoft played a significant role in its inception, introducing translucent backgrounds, subtle transparency effects, rounded corners, soft lighting, and gradients that paved the way for what we now recognize as Glassmorphism. Since its introduction, this design has undergone various transformations and gained broader recognition.

The next pivotal design trend, Neumorphism, started in 2019 by independent Figma community designers in an effort to mix the old Skeuomorphic elements of the 2000s with the new minimalist and flat interfaces found in newer interfaces. Neumorphism was also inspired and owes its existence to Glassmorphism.

Early Implementation and Claymorphism's Origins (2020-2023)[]

The first mainstream example of Cybermorphism would be the app icons from macOS Big Sur, released in late-2020, which had soft forms and subtle shading. In the following year, Microsoft releases Windows 11, that uses Fluent Design for the UI, as well as the introduction of 3D emojis, icons, and abstract wallpapers. Other than that, Cybermorphism remained niched to small to mid-sized companies, startups, and independent creators. Also, in 2021, a similar trend to Neumorphism emerged called Claymorphism, which creates interfaces and illustrations that mimic clay, as the name implies, being a natural progression of Corporate Memphis.

Mainstream Adoption (2023-present)[]

Since 2023, there has been a noticeable decline for Flat Design, most notably with the rebranding of Android and Reddit, with their respective mascots Bugdroid and Snoo. And in the case of Reddit, the app/website also started adopting the aesthetic in their illustrations, like in the 2023 Recap and achievements page. In 2024, Apple released the Apple Vision Pro, which heavily utilizes Glassmorphism throughout the UI, facilitating the visualization of interfaces in Augmented Reality (AR). It's likely that Cybermorphism will fully replace Flat Design as the new major design aesthetic at some point around 2026-2027.

Visuals[]

Cybermorphism's visual motifs are:

Smooth 3D objects
Glass textures (either see-through or frosted)
See-through objects
Skeuomorphism
Rounded corners
Depth
Light and Dark modes
Soft shading, lighting and shadows
Gradients
Pastel colors

Sub-aesthetics[]

Glassmorphism[]

Glassmorphism incorporates elements like glass textures, shiny translucent effects, gentle forms, soft edges, muted lights, and subtle shadows, as well as borrowing some visuals aspects from Flat Design. But unlike the latter's muted and minimalistic tendencies, Glassmorphism adopts a diverse range of colors, a more humanistic interface, and frosted/translucent transparency effects. Wallpaper designs within the Glassmorphic realm tend to be simple, abstract, and colorful, as seen in Xiaomi, Huawei, Samsung and the latest builds of iOS and macOS. The term "Glassmorphism" was coined in 2020 by Michal Malewicz as a portmanteau of "glass" and "skeuomorphism".

Neumorphism[]

Neumorphism is a design style that combines the realistic feel of Skeuomorphism and the simplicity of Flat Design. It retains many of their qualities but is fundamentally different because of its depth and accessibility. Neumorphism's elements blend into the background, makes use of gentle forms and soft edges, sometimes combined with muted lights and subtle shadows. This creates a unique visual experience that is both futuristic and familiar. It's characterized by a sense of depth and accessibility, as well as a focus on simplicity and ease of use. The term "Neumorphism" was coined in 2019 by Jason Kelly as a portmanteau of "neo" and "skeuomorphism", emphasizing the trend as a modern revival of Skeuomorphism.

Claymorphism[]

Claymorphism focus on 3D visuals that attempt to replicate the texture of clay, which is often achieved by using smooth and blob-like shapes, soft shading, and pastel colors, creating something that is welcoming and accessible to general audiences. This style is commonly used in illustrations for advertisement, depicting people's diversity and everyday life, making Claymorphism a natural evolution of Corporate Memphis, by taking it to a new dimension and with a greater level of detail. The term "Claymorphism" was coined in 2021 by Michal Malewicz as a portmanteau of "clay" and "skeuomorphism".