Google Design published a more detailed explanation of Noto 3D today as it expands beyond Pixel devices.

Google explains that the design process for Noto 3D involved “drawing, sculpting, and debating every single character by hand so that dimension never came at the cost of soul.”

Noto 3D prioritizes “emotional clarity” over “treating emoji as miniature scans of the natural world.”

Our job was to preserve the vibe behind each symbol: using 3D to give the character a body, but illustration to give it a soul.

Research found that “highly anatomical details like irises or nostril depth actually slow down how fast our brains process emotion,” so the aim was to remove “extraneous detail and [keep] facial geometry minimal.” Additionally, “excessive props and texture destroy comprehension,” with “background features and accessories” becoming “visual static” at 18×18 pixels.

The design team ultimately decided that “every emoji gets at most three essential details to communicate what it is.”

In going from flat assets to three dimensions, Google asked: “What does the back of a smiley face look like?” NSFW (truly) joke aside, the team found examples like how the poodle emoji only had three legs.

Meanwhile, the same research found that “people empathize far more with complete silhouettes — especially when it comes to depicting real animals.” As such, Google moved away from floating heads. 

Seeing an animal’s stance, paws, and posture helps communicate intent. Upon learning this last year, we updated a few animal emoji, like the raccoon, to embrace its full mischievous self — and now in 3D.

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