drop shadows are so easy to implement that it makes me cringe when i see someone who has done a poor job. give it a bit more thought than just hitting the “drop shadow” button in photoshop. honestly, the default setting is WRONG for most applications.
my philosophy is subtlety in design. drop shadows, when used correctly, can give good contrast to their object. it can give it that “pop” that our clients are always asking for (and have no idea what that actually means). however, the object should be the main focus, and not the shadow.
here are 3 ways to subtly implement shadows (click for expanded view):
1 – Subtle Accent. bring the distance way down – maybe 1 or 2 depending on the application. sometimes more is appropriate. use your brain, don’t be a robot – there is no magic number that is always right. you may also have to bring the size down – sometimes 3px or 4px looks better than 5px.
2 – The Float. the shadow that creates the floating object. just blur a black elipse.
3 – The Raised Edges. i’ve started seeing this one more, and i think it’s kinda classy. create your drop shadow, then right click the “fx” on the layer (the styles), and select “create layers.” this will separate the shadow from the object. then transform, warp, arc 10%. move the shadow down a bit, and you’ve got it. for a variation, try the arc at -10%. it gives you that “bulge” look, like it’s coming off the page.
here’s my source file, so you can see my styles directly. included are some text treatments that follow current web design trends.
