web-design-expert

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from review. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: web-design-expert
description: 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.
allowed-tools: Read,Write,Edit,WebFetch,mcp__magic__21st_magic_component_builder,mcp__magic__21st_magic_component_inspiration,mcp__magic__21st_magic_component_refiner,mcp__magic__logo_search
metadata:
  category: Design & Creative
  pairs-with:
  - skill: typography-expert
    reason: Typography for web designs
  - skill: color-theory-palette-harmony-expert
    reason: Color palettes for web
  tags:
  - web
  - brand
  - ui-ux
  - layout
  - visual-design
---

# 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)

```css
/* 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](https://oklch.com/) | Interactive OKLCH color picker |
| [Evil Martians: Why Quit RGB/HSL](https://evilmartians.com/chronicles/oklch-in-css-why-quit-rgb-hsl) | The definitive article |
| [Harmonizer](https://harmonizer.evilmartians.com/) | 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