web-design-expert

Design

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.

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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:

Resource	Purpose
oklch.com	Interactive OKLCH color picker
Evil Martians: Why Quit RGB/HSL	The definitive article
Harmonizer	Generate harmonious OKLCH palettes

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.