Shadow

Shadows play a crucial role in design by adding depth and natural beauty, helping elements to pop from their backgrounds. They also help in:

• Creating design affordances: Shadows act as signals for interactive elements. Raised elements like buttons suggest they can be pressed, while sunken elements imply they can be filled, such as input fields.
• Enhancing scannability: Shadows guide users' attention, making certain elements stand out and aiding in quickly spotting them.
• Emphasizing visual order: Shadows highlight the visual hierarchy of elements. The closer an element is to the viewer, the more important it appears.

However, excessive or improper use of shadows can lead to visual confusion and harm a design's usability. It's important to grasp the principles behind effective shadow usage and apply them appropriately in different design scenarios.^[1]