Rounded Corners: The Design Trend That Just Won’t Quit

Rounded corners are everywhere. From mobile phone screens to website buttons, it seems like the once-trendy design element has become a staple in modern design. But why are rounded corners so popular, and why are they so important in the world of web design?

First, let’s take a step back and understand the basic principles of design. In design, the shapes and lines we use play a crucial role in creating a visual hierarchy and drawing the user’s eye to specific elements on the page. Sharp, angular corners can create a sense of tension, while rounded corners have a more relaxed, approachable feel. This is why rounded corners have become a go-to choice for designers looking to create a user-friendly, approachable interface.

One example of this is the ubiquitous “rounded rectangle” shape used in mobile app design. The rounded corners on app icons and buttons not only make the interface look more polished, but they also make the elements easier to tap with a finger. The same principle applies to website buttons: rounded corners on buttons make them look less intimidating and more inviting for users to click.

But it’s not just about aesthetics – rounded corners also play an important role in creating a seamless user experience. In web design, it’s all about creating a consistent visual language across different elements on the page. By using rounded corners throughout a design, designers can create a cohesive look and feel that guides the user’s eye and makes the website feel like a unified whole.

Let’s not forget about ChatGPT, the large language model trained by OpenAI. ChatGPT can help with WordPress and answer questions about a variety of topics, including web design. By using natural language processing, ChatGPT can understand and respond to user requests, making it an incredibly useful tool for anyone looking for help with their website.

I was interested in adding a “rounded corner” look to andrewggibson.com, because it’s something I see all the time. Twitter automatically adds rounded corners to all image posts, all the images in my Google news feed have rounded edges. As I know a bit about web development, I was sure that this was something I could achieve using custom CSS in WordPress. After a few failed attempts, I looked for a plugin to do this automatically but found nothing. Googling an answer didn’t turn up much information either, so I turned to Chat GPT. Be begin with I gave it a simple prompt of “Act Like an Expert WordPress developer.” in the current iteration, Chat GPT normally writes several paragraphs of information outlining it’s expert credentials.

To cut a long story short, Chat GTP was able to provide all of the custom CSS I needed to apply a rounded look to all of the images on my site.

img {
  border-radius: 10px;
}

In conclusion, rounded corners are an integral part of modern web design. From creating a user-friendly interface to establishing a consistent visual language, rounded corners play a crucial role in creating a seamless user experience. Whether you’re a designer or a website owner, it’s worth taking a closer look at the power of rounded corners in your own designs.

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