Thread
What's making web3 visuals look so weird?
Many visuals and UX elements in web3 violate "good design" rules, but are still awesome.
Here's how 90s techno parties made crypto aesthetics so weird—and why that's a good thing:
Many visuals and UX elements in web3 violate "good design" rules, but are still awesome.
Here's how 90s techno parties made crypto aesthetics so weird—and why that's a good thing:
@david_perell asked why so many fashion aesthetics adopt the same minimalist aesthetic.
As soon as I'd tweeted my response, I realized: Crypto is the opposite. Our visuals are weird.
In this thread, we'll explore why that's the case and why it's awesome.
As soon as I'd tweeted my response, I realized: Crypto is the opposite. Our visuals are weird.
In this thread, we'll explore why that's the case and why it's awesome.
@david_perell First, let's take stock of how web3 aesthetics are "weird" and break design rules:
Exhibit 1:
This visual on
@FWBtweets' (awesome) article by @ystrickler repeats the same message 7 times, has no white space and is both grainy and blurry.
Exhibit 1:
This visual on
@FWBtweets' (awesome) article by @ystrickler repeats the same message 7 times, has no white space and is both grainy and blurry.
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler Exhibit 2:
This visual for @jaesmail's piece for @forefront__ has similar vibes:
-grainy
-repeated messages
-words that combine fonts
-words that look like buttons, but aren't
But it's not just content—entire websites, too:
This visual for @jaesmail's piece for @forefront__ has similar vibes:
-grainy
-repeated messages
-words that combine fonts
-words that look like buttons, but aren't
But it's not just content—entire websites, too:
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ Exhibit 3:
@CurveFinance looks like Windows 95, eschewing all modern design elements even though they're readily available.
@CurveFinance looks like Windows 95, eschewing all modern design elements even though they're readily available.
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance Exhibit 4:
@sudoswap's otc solution throws all caution to the wind—you could write an entire article on how this website violates design principles.
You can find MANY more examples, from @ourZORA to @seedclubhq SeedClub, etc.
Why do these odd, rule-breaking aesthetics work?
@sudoswap's otc solution throws all caution to the wind—you could write an entire article on how this website violates design principles.
You can find MANY more examples, from @ourZORA to @seedclubhq SeedClub, etc.
Why do these odd, rule-breaking aesthetics work?
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq To find an answer, let's dig into where these aesthetics come from:
If you dig in, you see that web3 aesthetics resemble 90s/2000s techno rave aesthetics.
tk create image
-grainy
-unruly type & fonts
-computer-generated lines and shapes
-"bad" CGI
But what does that mean?
If you dig in, you see that web3 aesthetics resemble 90s/2000s techno rave aesthetics.
tk create image
-grainy
-unruly type & fonts
-computer-generated lines and shapes
-"bad" CGI
But what does that mean?
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq The 90s and early 2000s were a time of techno-optimism:
People were excited about technology. Web1, before the corporations owned the internet and Instagram made everyone depressed.
We imagined a bright future. With web3, this optimism resurged, which makes us...
People were excited about technology. Web1, before the corporations owned the internet and Instagram made everyone depressed.
We imagined a bright future. With web3, this optimism resurged, which makes us...
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq ...revive an aesthetic which shares that energy.
That's not all:
Techno was the frontier of music in the 90s. Like crypto is on the frontier of tech today.
Being on the frontier means nobody knows it all. Like in early techno, anyone in web3 is winging it to some degree.
That's not all:
Techno was the frontier of music in the 90s. Like crypto is on the frontier of tech today.
Being on the frontier means nobody knows it all. Like in early techno, anyone in web3 is winging it to some degree.
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq This is seeping into crypto aesthetics:
-Grain
-Hard to read fonts and text placement
-Archaic computer visuals when better ones are available
These might be features, not bugs. It's hard to figure these out—because it's hard to figure out the entire industry!
-Grain
-Hard to read fonts and text placement
-Archaic computer visuals when better ones are available
These might be features, not bugs. It's hard to figure these out—because it's hard to figure out the entire industry!
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq Finally, techno was underground. Many raves were illegal, run by local organizers and collectives—not corporations.
In other words: It was decentralized, just like web3 aims to be.
And with techno's recent resurgence into the club scene, crypto had found its inspiration.
In other words: It was decentralized, just like web3 aims to be.
And with techno's recent resurgence into the club scene, crypto had found its inspiration.
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq That's My theory on why crypto aesthetics are so "weird".
-Web3 breaks the rules, so its aesthetic breaks the rules.
-It incorporates 90s/2000s elements because it's techno-optimistic
-It's decentralized, which creates divergent aesthetics.
Aesthetics matter because...
-Web3 breaks the rules, so its aesthetic breaks the rules.
-It incorporates 90s/2000s elements because it's techno-optimistic
-It's decentralized, which creates divergent aesthetics.
Aesthetics matter because...
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq ...an industry's, culture's or company's art style says a lot about how it sees itself, the world and what it aspires to.
While I usually write about copy, aesthetics are an important part about how we as web3 communicate with the world.
Of course...
While I usually write about copy, aesthetics are an important part about how we as web3 communicate with the world.
Of course...
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq ...There are lots of counterexamples here, and perhaps a follow-up thread is due about the more "normal" web3 designs and WHY they're more normal.
If you want to see that follow-up thread, please RT this thread (top tweet linked below), like it and follow me to coerce me :)
If you want to see that follow-up thread, please RT this thread (top tweet linked below), like it and follow me to coerce me :)
@david_perell @FWBtweets @ystrickler @jaesmail @forefront__ @CurveFinance @sudoswap @ourZORA @seedclubhq P.S.: If you liked this thread, you'll love this one:
P.P.S: I'm not a designer, so might be off on some/many/all things here lol
If you want to share or RT the thread, here's the first tweet for your convenience:
If you want to share or RT the thread, here's the first tweet for your convenience:
Aaaaand.... embracing imperfection here—the "tk create image" in the middle was a reminder to me. But I hope you can live with it
