From dealing with production limitations to developing an avant-garde approach, no other art movement could be closer to app development in kind than Pop art.

When it comes to Pop art, there’s nobody who embodies the spirit of the movement better than Roy Lichtenstein.

Artwork by Roy Lichtenstein

Lichtenstein was an American artist best known for his paintings and prints which referenced commercial art and popular culture icons like Mickey Mouse.

He composed his works using Ben-Day dots — the method used by newspapers and comic strips of the time to denote gradients and texture.

Why Pop art? Because it’ll teach you to embrace your limits.

Lichtenstein did not so much see the techniques of print production (CMYK colour and Ben-Day dots) as limitations, but celebrated and highlighted these for grand effect.

How does this compare to designing apps? Well, it’s about perspective…

The fractured nature of digital ecosystems can be frustrating, but by focusing on the problem being solved, rather than the lack of ease to solve the problem on a certain platform, the result yielded is better, and in turn, allows for more focus on solving the actual problem.

Pop teaches visual consistency and experience

Great design condenses the organic into their visual essence, while maintaining their form and identity, for a mass — yet singular — experience.

Most apps are essentially single user experiences, but maintaining that experience across many users is what builds traction and mass adoption.

Consistency in both design and functionality are the tools for maintaining this singular experience.

Cubism