Should design always aim for perfection? With the right approach, so-called โflawsโ can give projects character and set them apart from the competition. This is one of the central principles of wabi-sabi philosophy.
You may have seen wabi-sabi mentioned in discussions of design and traditional Japanese aesthetics. The term combines two Japanese words: wabi and sabi. Wabi can be translated as โsubdued beauty.โ The word emphasizes a minimalistic, less-is-more view of beauty.
Sabi, meanwhile, carries with it a sense of age and can be translated as โrustic appearance of age.โ Sabi is a way of expressing the sense we often get of attractive melancholy when looking at an object that shows its age.
Combined, wabi-sabi has come to describe a design philosophy that embraces the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity.
The Foundations of Wabi-Sabi
Wabi-sabi can be traced back to ancient China but first began to influence Japanese culture in the 1500s. A priest modified the traditional tea ceremony in Japan by replacing the gold and jade tea service with a wood and clay service. In place of elegant perfection, flawed, older objects were placed at the forefront. This was a foundational moment for the development of wabi-sabi philosophy. Over several centuries, wabi-sabi continued to evolve and develop over time into the design aethetic it is today.
Key Characteristics of Wabi Sabi In Design
What do these ideas look like when applied to design? These days, wabi-sabi is a broad concept, enveloping a range of design principles and emotional values. However, there are three key concepts that effectively encapsulate wabi-sabi: imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity.
Imperfection
Imperfection is a key component of wabi-sabi philosophy. The key concept here is that perfection is an unattainable goal in the real world. Therefore, it makes more sense to appreciate the flaws and imperfections in designs. Traditionally, this has driven handcrafted pottery, asymmetrical arrangements, and the use of weathered materials.
Imperfect Applied To Digital Design
Wabi-sabi can be applied to digital design as much as any other art medium. Imperfection, for example, can be applied by using hand-drawn elements, asymmetrical layouts, and organic shapes. mperfection can also be applied to animations to make them slightly jittery. This can create a sense of unpredictability, making interactions feel more lively.
Impermanence
Impermanence is about designing in a way that embraces age and the passing of time. Designers that apply the wabi-sabi aesthetic look for natural materials that age gracefully. Woods and fabrics increase in complexity as they age, making them ideal for wabi-sabi design.
Impermanence Applied To Digital Design
Impermanence is about using older materials or creating the appearance of age. In digital design, this can be a achieved a number of different ways. For instance, you can color and add grain to photos and videos to make them look like they were shot on an old film camera. Nostalgic designs and graphics are excellent for this. Impermance is also about embracing change. You can use dynamic content and time-based interactions to create a unique user experience that evolves and responds to temporal changes.
Authenticity
Ultimately, authenticity is about acknowledging what is real and genuine. In physical spaces, this leads to minimalism and a reduction in decor and paint. Instead of relying on decorative elements, designers pursuing wabi-sabi ideals tend to let the natural character of the materials shine through.
Authenticity Applied To Digital Design
Authentic digital designs are honest, clear, and human. Human imperfections are embraced instead of being removed. One way to incorporate authenticity is by using imagery. People recognize the difference between staged scenes by professional photographers and real-life moments captured and shared. Outside of imagery, applying authenticity means emphasizing the human element. Your web copy, graphics, and overall structure should be accessible โ created by humans for humans.
Does This Mean That Unfinished Designs Are Good?
One of the most common misconceptions about wabi-sabi is that it celebrates incompleteness or unfinished work. However, this interpretation completely misses the mark. Instead, wabi-sabi is all about intentional imperfection and appreciating natural processes. Itโs not about leaving things unfinished or taking a haphazard approach to design.
Rookies rely on luck and accidents. Experienced designers are intentional. It’s about taking a careful, intentional approach to design that uses flawed, aged elements in a way that highlights their unique beauty. A brief perusal of wabi-sabi designs demonstrates just how much careful planning is required to create this sense of charm and melancholy.
Looking For A Designer That Understands Wabi-Sabi?
If youโre looking for a designer who understands the wabi-sabi aesthetic, youโve come to the right place. We have years of experience creating custom web design projects for clients in a range of industries with differing aesthetic requirements. Let us build designs that demonstrate your unique values.
Whatever youโre looking for, trust Matcha Design to deliver designs that will help your brand grow.
