Wet floor effect

File:Web20 logo.png

Web 2.0-style logos frequently feature a wet floor effect.

Wet floor effect is a graphic effects technique popular in conjunction Web 2.0 style pages, particularly in logos. The effect can be done manually or an auxiliary tool can be installed to create the effect automatically. Unlike a standard "reflection" (and the Java "water" effect popular in first-generation web graphics), the wet floor effect involves a gradient and often a slant in the reflection, so that the mirrored image appears to be hovering over or resting on a "wet floor".

The term was apparently coined by Nathan Steiner for Twinsparc in October 2005. Initially popularised by Apple Computer in the early 2000s, the style is popular on sites which appeal to a modern young-adult culture such as Flickr and Digg.

External links

• Wet Floor Maker Online tool that generates 3-D wet floor effects
• Twinsparc Article in which the term is coined. Also provides a Photoshop tool to create a wet floor effect automatically.
• Reflection.js: Javascript class for creating wet floor effect on-the-fly
• How to create a wet floor effect Instructions and plugin for Paint.NET.
• 8 Web Design Clichés of 2006 Mentions wet floor effect rather notably.
• Glossy BRDF based wet floor effect Attempt to make the effect more realistic.
• Online wet floor effect generator
• Wet floor effect plugin for Textpattern