Neu constructor
- Color color = lightWhite,
- int depth = defaultDepth,
- double spread = defaultSpread,
- Curvature curvature = Curvature.convex,
- Swell swell = Swell.emboss,
- Alignment lightSource = defaultLightSource,
- NeuTextSpec neuTextSpec = const NeuTextSpec(),
- BorderRadius borderRadius = BorderRadius.zero,
- ShapeBorder shape = defaultShape,
A Neumorphic, or new skeuomorphic, helper class with a variety of static and instance methods for the simple generation of shaded decorations conforming to the neumorphic design concept.
These designs are often solid in terms of color variety: genreally a dominant color is used as a backdrop as well as the color of controls and elements. These items that typically appear on or "above" the surface in standard design systems are intended in neumorphism to extrude from or "rise out" or into the surface.
This extrusion, which can be imagined as clay- or rubber-like, is achieved by a combination of same-color elements and background, contrasting shadows, slight variances in color shading and (potentially) gradients for the impression of natural lighting.
This class may be used to construct new Neu
or new Neu.toggle
objects.
These objects will utilize their constructor arguments to fill static
method arguments as easy storage and access or rapid redeployment.
Getter methods on new Neu
instantiated objects:
Using a Neu
Object
// final neuObject = Neu.toggle(
final neuObject = Neu(
color: Colors.red,
depth: 25,
spread: 10,
/// These parameters (curvature and swell) for `Neu.toggle` are handled
/// dynamically by the below flags.
curvature: Curvature.flat,
swell: Swell.emboss,
/// These flags are only valid for `Neu.toggle` where they drive the
/// curvature and swell based on true or false states.
// isToggled: isToggled,
// isFlat: true,
// isSuper: true,
lightSource: Alignment.topLeft,
shape: RoundedRectangleBorder(
borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(3.0),
// side: BorderSide(width: 0.5, color: color.withWhite(10)),
// side: BorderSide(width: 0.5, color: color),
),
);
This Neu
object may then, for example, be used to generate a
ShapeDecoration like so:
final neuContainer = Container(
decoration: neuObject.buildShapeDecoration,
);
SEE ALSO:
- NeuTextSpec, a container object for a few TextStyle-oriented
properties that a
Neu
object employs when calling buildTextStyle. These are individual parameters when calling textStyle. new Neu.toggle
a named constructor which dynamically controls Curvature and Swell by "flags" or bools that describe state (i.e. either toggled or not toggled).- NeuContainer, a specialized widget that stacks two AnimatedContainers rigged to easily handle Neumorphic design decorations, including the built-in consideration of NeuContainer.insets which creates its own solid-color backdrop for the container in lieu of an existing background.
- Neu static methods that expect to be provided parameters (or allowed to default) with no object instantiation:
NEUMORPHIC DEFINITION
Principal
With all Neu design the basis of these decorations is a color and a
depth. Color should ideally match or be similar to the color of the
background behind the resulting decoration. The depth
is the extent to
which this decoration will appear "extruded" from its surface. A larger
depth
increases the contrast of the shading of colors on either side of
the decoration.
Appearance of Shape
Other customizations include curvature and swell, as well as an overriding lightSource represented as an Alignment.
A Curvature is a description of the appearance of the actual surface of the decoration. A Curvature.flat decoration has no gradient (solid-color Gradient), while Curvature.convex orders a light -> dark gradient in a way that inspires a "bubble"-like appearance.
(Other options make the effect more extreme, such as Curvature.superconvex or reverse the effect: Curvature.concave.)
A Swell is an overall depiction of how the decoration appears in terms of being inset into the surface or extruded from it.
- Combining Swell.emboss with Curvature.convex, the decoration will appear like a bubble lifting out of the background.
- Combining Swell.deboss with Curvature.concave, the decoration will appear like a bubble popped and depressed into the background.
This property, especially when combined with varying Curvature
s can
really "sell" the pressed or unpressed effect.
Override Source of "Light"
The lightSource is always set by default as defaultLightSource
, which
is Alignment.topLeft. This gives the illusion of lighting the entire
neumorphic decoration from the top-left corner. All descriptions of
gradient and shadow directionality and the illusion of being toggled
or not toggled are based on this default light source. An overriding
Alignment may be provided, however, to dynamically "relight" the
decorations.
- Consider this lighting entirely artificial. Aspects of real light physics are not recreated. Simply put, this value is used to offset/shift the light and dark shadows.
Softness of Shadows
In terms of Shadows, the argument spread is responsible for determining how wide an area the effect covers and how blurry the shadows appear.
Not all methods consider spread, notably linearGradient (and buildLinearGradient by extension) create a decoration (a LinearGradient) that does not have shadows. These gradients may be combined with shadows in other situations, where spread will then be considered.
Implementation
const Neu({
this.color = lightWhite,
this.depth = defaultDepth,
this.spread = defaultSpread,
this.curvature = Curvature.convex,
this.swell = Swell.emboss,
this.lightSource = defaultLightSource,
this.neuTextSpec = const NeuTextSpec(),
this.borderRadius = BorderRadius.zero,
this.shape = defaultShape,
}) :
// See [Neu.toggle] named constructor
_isToggled = null,
_isFlat = null,
_isSuper = null,
_depthMultiplier = null,
_spreadMultiplier = null;