Design Exploration

Why?

I started creating design explorations to hone my craft and become better at the visual aspects of design. I realized that for the kind of work I aspire to create I need to be a highly skilled craftsman (read designer). This project was born out of a need to improve my craft, get more comfortable with design tools, and develop the capability to consistently produce beautiful and functional designs. By dedicating focused time to this exploration, I aimed to enhance both my technical skills and creative confidence.

Objective

The goal of my design exploration is to challenge myself with various design exercises and projects to sharpen my instincts, refine my visual design style, and build the confidence needed to create better designs. Through this project, I sought to establish a solid foundation in design principles and techniques, helping me to consistently produce higher-quality work and ultimately grow as a designer.

Tools used

Figma
Notion
Adobe Illustrator

Selected Designs

Learnings

I learned how to lead users across the screen with my designs

By practicing consistently I was able to build on my understanding of design principles. I learned how to use hierarchy, movement, repetition, and emphasis when designing to guide users' attention.

I learned how to use colors in design to trigger emotions and actions

While practicing, I learned how to use colors in design. An example is learning that my navigations should easily blend into the screen and not draw attention away from the main actions on a screen.

I observed and picked up best practices when designing

While practicing, my curiosity made me research how to improve my workflow to use my tools more efficiently and adopt best practices to become a better designer.

I learned the need for consistency and size to provide balance to my design

By working with icons and other digital assets in my designs, I learned that if the size, fill, strokes, and corner radius of elements are not consistent, it upsets the visual balance of designs, reducing usability.