Web Design Expert
Expert web designer and brand identity specialist creating distinctive, cohesive visual systems for web applications.
When to Use This Skill
Use for:
- Brand identity development (personality, visual language, guidelines)
- Color palette creation and rationale
- Layout composition and visual hierarchy
- Component visual design (not just code)
- Responsive design strategy
- WCAG accessibility review for visual elements
Do NOT use for:
- Deep typography work → use typography-expert
- Color theory mathematics → use color-theory-palette-harmony-expert
- Design tokens and CSS architecture → use design-system-creator
- Retro Windows 3.1 → use windows-3-1-web-designer
- Native app design → use native-app-designer
Core Design Process
1. Discovery (Critical First Step)
BUSINESS CONTEXT:
- What is the primary goal?
- Who is the target audience?
- What action should users take?
- Who are competitors?
BRAND PERSONALITY:
- If this brand were a person, how would they dress?
- Pick 3 adjectives for user's feeling
- What should brand NEVER be perceived as?
2. Visual Direction (Provide 2-3 Concepts)
Each concept includes:
- Mood board (3-5 references with rationale)
- Color palette (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals) — Always in OKLCH format
- Typography direction (families, hierarchy)
- Layout philosophy (grid vs freeform, density)
- Signature elements (unique visual features)
OKLCH: The Modern Color Standard
⚠️ All color palettes must use OKLCH, not hex or HSL.
OKLCH is the 2024+ standard for professional web design because:
- Perceptual uniformity: Equal L values = equal perceived lightness
- Better accessibility: More accurate contrast calculations than WCAG 2.x hex
- Predictable scaling: Math works (L=50% + 20% = L=70% that looks right)
/* OKLCH format: oklch(Lightness% Chroma Hue) */
--brand-primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265); /* Vibrant blue */
--brand-accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45); /* Warm orange */
--text-primary: oklch(20% 0.02 265); /* Near-black */
--bg-surface: oklch(98% 0.01 265); /* Near-white */
Essential OKLCH Resources:
When presenting color palettes:
Primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265) — Vibrant blue, strong CTA presence
Secondary: oklch(70% 0.08 265) — Muted blue, supporting elements
Accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45) — Warm orange, attention-grabbing
Never present palettes as #3b82f6 — always convert to OKLCH.
3. Design Principles
Hierarchy: Most important element immediately obvious? Eye flows naturally?
Consistency: Same colors mean same things? Spacing follows scale?
Common Anti-Patterns
Design by Committee
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Multiple visual styles on same page |
Destroys brand coherence |
| Instead: Establish principles early, enforce consistency |
|
Decoration Over Function
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Fancy animations without purpose |
Slows performance, distracts |
| Instead: Every element must earn its place |
|
Ignoring the Fold
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Critical info below viewport |
80% attention is above fold |
| Instead: Hero must have value prop + primary CTA |
|
Low Contrast Text
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Light gray on white (#999 on #fff) |
Fails WCAG, excludes users |
| Instead: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio |
|
Mobile as Afterthought
| What it looks like |
Why it's wrong |
| Desktop-first that "shrinks" |
60%+ traffic is mobile |
| Instead: Design mobile-first, enhance for desktop |
|
Design Trend Evolution
| Era |
Trend |
| 2019-2021 |
Subtle shadows, layering, dark mode |
| 2022-2023 |
Oversized typography, variable fonts |
| 2024+ |
Bento grids, claymorphism, grain, AI personalization |
Watch For (dated patterns LLMs may suggest):
- Flat design without depth
- Hero sliders (proven ineffective)
- Carousel galleries (low engagement)
- Desktop hamburger menus
Output Deliverables
- Brand Identity Guide: Colors, typography, voice, do's/don'ts
- Design Specifications: Spacing, radius, shadows, animation timing
- Component Examples: Buttons, forms, cards, navigation (all states)
- Responsive Guidelines: Breakpoints, layout changes, touch targets
MCP Tools
| Tool |
Purpose |
21st_magic_component_inspiration |
Search UI patterns for inspiration |
21st_magic_component_builder |
Generate React/Tailwind components |
21st_magic_component_refiner |
Improve existing component UI |
logo_search |
Get company logos in JSX/TSX/SVG |
Integration with Other Skills
- typography-expert - Deep typography decisions
- color-theory-palette-harmony-expert - Color mathematics
- design-system-creator - Token architecture
- vibe-matcher - Translating feelings to visuals
- design-archivist - Competitive research
Reference Files
| File |
Contents |
references/layout-systems.md |
Grid systems, spacing scales, responsive breakpoints |
references/color-accessibility.md |
Palettes, psychology, dark mode, WCAG compliance |
references/tooling-integration.md |
21st.dev, Figma MCP, component workflows |
The best design is invisible until you notice its excellence.
1---2name: web-design-expert-23description: Creates unique web designs with brand identity, color palettes, typography, and modern UI/UX patterns. Use for brand identity development, visual design systems, layout composition, and responsive web design. Activate on "web design", "brand identity", "color palette", "UI design", "visual design", "layout". NOT for typography details (use typography-expert), color theory deep-dives (use color-theory-expert), design system tokens (use design-system-creator), or code implementation without design direction.4---56# Web Design Expert78Expert web designer and brand identity specialist creating distinctive, cohesive visual systems for web applications.910## When to Use This Skill1112**Use for:**13- Brand identity development (personality, visual language, guidelines)14- Color palette creation and rationale15- Layout composition and visual hierarchy16- Component visual design (not just code)17- Responsive design strategy18- WCAG accessibility review for visual elements1920**Do NOT use for:**21- Deep typography work → use **typography-expert**22- Color theory mathematics → use **color-theory-palette-harmony-expert**23- Design tokens and CSS architecture → use **design-system-creator**24- Retro Windows 3.1 → use **windows-3-1-web-designer**25- Native app design → use **native-app-designer**2627## Core Design Process2829### 1. Discovery (Critical First Step)3031```32BUSINESS CONTEXT:33- What is the primary goal?34- Who is the target audience?35- What action should users take?36- Who are competitors?3738BRAND PERSONALITY:39- If this brand were a person, how would they dress?40- Pick 3 adjectives for user's feeling41- What should brand NEVER be perceived as?42```4344### 2. Visual Direction (Provide 2-3 Concepts)4546Each concept includes:47- **Mood board** (3-5 references with rationale)48- **Color palette** (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals) — **Always in OKLCH format**49- **Typography direction** (families, hierarchy)50- **Layout philosophy** (grid vs freeform, density)51- **Signature elements** (unique visual features)5253## OKLCH: The Modern Color Standard5455**⚠️ All color palettes must use OKLCH, not hex or HSL.**5657OKLCH is the 2024+ standard for professional web design because:58- **Perceptual uniformity**: Equal L values = equal perceived lightness59- **Better accessibility**: More accurate contrast calculations than WCAG 2.x hex60- **Predictable scaling**: Math works (L=50% + 20% = L=70% that looks right)6162```css63/* OKLCH format: oklch(Lightness% Chroma Hue) */64--brand-primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265); /* Vibrant blue */65--brand-accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45); /* Warm orange */66--text-primary: oklch(20% 0.02 265); /* Near-black */67--bg-surface: oklch(98% 0.01 265); /* Near-white */68```6970**Essential OKLCH Resources:**71| Resource | Purpose |72|----------|---------|73| [oklch.com](https://oklch.com/) | Interactive OKLCH color picker |74| [Evil Martians: Why Quit RGB/HSL](https://evilmartians.com/chronicles/oklch-in-css-why-quit-rgb-hsl) | The definitive article |75| [Harmonizer](https://harmonizer.evilmartians.com/) | Generate harmonious OKLCH palettes |7677**When presenting color palettes:**78```79Primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265) — Vibrant blue, strong CTA presence80Secondary: oklch(70% 0.08 265) — Muted blue, supporting elements81Accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45) — Warm orange, attention-grabbing82```8384Never present palettes as `#3b82f6` — always convert to OKLCH.8586### 3. Design Principles8788**Hierarchy**: Most important element immediately obvious? Eye flows naturally?8990**Consistency**: Same colors mean same things? Spacing follows scale?9192## Common Anti-Patterns9394### Design by Committee95| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |96|--------------------|----------------|97| Multiple visual styles on same page | Destroys brand coherence |98| **Instead**: Establish principles early, enforce consistency |99100### Decoration Over Function101| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |102|--------------------|----------------|103| Fancy animations without purpose | Slows performance, distracts |104| **Instead**: Every element must earn its place |105106### Ignoring the Fold107| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |108|--------------------|----------------|109| Critical info below viewport | 80% attention is above fold |110| **Instead**: Hero must have value prop + primary CTA |111112### Low Contrast Text113| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |114|--------------------|----------------|115| Light gray on white (#999 on #fff) | Fails WCAG, excludes users |116| **Instead**: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio |117118### Mobile as Afterthought119| What it looks like | Why it's wrong |120|--------------------|----------------|121| Desktop-first that "shrinks" | 60%+ traffic is mobile |122| **Instead**: Design mobile-first, enhance for desktop |123124## Design Trend Evolution125126| Era | Trend |127|-----|-------|128| 2019-2021 | Subtle shadows, layering, dark mode |129| 2022-2023 | Oversized typography, variable fonts |130| 2024+ | Bento grids, claymorphism, grain, AI personalization |131132**Watch For** (dated patterns LLMs may suggest):133- Flat design without depth134- Hero sliders (proven ineffective)135- Carousel galleries (low engagement)136- Desktop hamburger menus137138## Output Deliverables1391401. **Brand Identity Guide**: Colors, typography, voice, do's/don'ts1412. **Design Specifications**: Spacing, radius, shadows, animation timing1423. **Component Examples**: Buttons, forms, cards, navigation (all states)1434. **Responsive Guidelines**: Breakpoints, layout changes, touch targets144145## MCP Tools146147| Tool | Purpose |148|------|---------|149| `21st_magic_component_inspiration` | Search UI patterns for inspiration |150| `21st_magic_component_builder` | Generate React/Tailwind components |151| `21st_magic_component_refiner` | Improve existing component UI |152| `logo_search` | Get company logos in JSX/TSX/SVG |153154## Integration with Other Skills155156- **typography-expert** - Deep typography decisions157- **color-theory-palette-harmony-expert** - Color mathematics158- **design-system-creator** - Token architecture159- **vibe-matcher** - Translating feelings to visuals160- **design-archivist** - Competitive research161162## Reference Files163164| File | Contents |165|------|----------|166| `references/layout-systems.md` | Grid systems, spacing scales, responsive breakpoints |167| `references/color-accessibility.md` | Palettes, psychology, dark mode, WCAG compliance |168| `references/tooling-integration.md` | 21st.dev, Figma MCP, component workflows |169170---171172*The best design is invisible until you notice its excellence.*
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