Endless Horizon
This media project delves into the impact of infinite scroll, focusing on platforms like Instagram.
Inspired by Abstract: The Art of Design Ian Spalter likens infinite scroll to an endless glass of wine
“You drink, and as soon as you finish, it magically
refills. You’re not in control—it just keeps coming.” - Ian Spalter
Inspired by Ian Spalter's insights in the Netflix documentary series, I began to explore the impact of scrolling UX design in relation to human behavior. As a UI/UX designer, I was particularly intrigued by how platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts leverage endless scrolling to create an experience that feels infinite—compelling users to stay engaged far longer than they might with traditional website designs.
Process 01: Image References
In this section, I gathered screenshots of lifestyle posts commonly uploaded on Instagram as references for my illustrations. These posts highlight the curated beauty and aspirational elements that users often share, such as nature, luxury, and visually pleasing moments.
By incorporating these objects and nature-inspired elements into my own illustrations, I aimed to indirectly reflect how these idealized depictions impact human behavior.
- A. Sketching & Concept Development
- B. Layouts of Design Elements
Process 02: Design Refinement
- A. Visual Interpretation with Colors
I wanted the colors to feel as engaging as the content we see while scrolling, highlighting how these bright, happy visuals draw people in and keep them scrolling. By using these colors, I’m also reflecting on how this carefully curated vibrancy shapes the way we interact with and perceive the endless streams of content online.
To make the vibrant colors of the objects stand out even more, I used the mountain illustration in tones of black and gray. This contrast helps the bright colors pop, drawing the viewer’s attention to the elements that represent the curated and polished moments from Instagram.
By keeping the background simple, it creates a clear contrast that mirrors how people share the most vibrant and exciting parts of their lives online, while the quieter, less polished parts remain in the background. This contrast helps tell the story of how we curate and present our lives to others.
- B. Overall Layout
My goal for this project is to visually
interpret the immersive nature of infinite
scroll from a UI/UX designer’s perspective.
I aim to capture the seamless journey that
keeps users scrolling endlessly. Curating
objects within a familiar UI layout, I reflected
the polished, idealized reality that engages
viewers in a constant flow.
Process 03: Transforming Static Designs into Dynamic Motion
I took the sketches from Adobe Illustrator and imported them into Adobe After Effects, keeping each element as individual layers. I turned these layers into 3D objects and activated the camera feature in After Effects.
I placed each "Instagram frame" at different depths to create a sense of spatial dimension. Then, I directed the camera to move through the posts, replicating the downward scrolling motion that Instagram provides, but in a more dynamic and immersive way.
As the camera moves through the Instagram posts, I added motion to each design element to mimic how certain posts grab attention and lead users to new trends. These subtle animations reflect how content keeps users scrolling and staying engaged.
Outcome
By simulating this endless journey, my project aims to evoke the same sense of immersion and perhaps entrapment that Spalter described.
This exploration invites viewers to consider how infinite scroll affects attention spans, relationship with time,
and even emotional responses to the content they consume.