Art And Design Abilities

Recently, I reviewed several portfolios from Egyptian designers and I noticed a huge gap in visual design fundamentals. If you’re a junior, mid-level or even senior, mastering visual design skills will instantly elevate the quality of your work. Below are resources I often recommend to designers who want to improve their eye for design and build stronger skills: Skip the UI books & kits for now and go back to the fundamentals. Learn these 3 things first: • Typography foundations • Layout systems & grids • Color & composition Must-read books (non-negotiable) these books will train your eyes and your brain to see like a designer: • Thinking with Type: Ellen Lupton • Grid Systems in Graphic Design: Josef Müller-Brockmann • Making & Breaking the Grid: Timothy Samara • Designing Type: Karen Cheng (bonus if you’re curious about type construction) • Interaction of Color: Josef Albers Train your eye with games, play once a day & you’ll start seeing details differently • https://cantunsee.space micro UI spotting • https://type.method.ac kerning challenge Study real-world web layouts, forget Dribbble & Behance. Study how space, type, and grids are used. • https://typewolf.com type in the wild • https://godly.website bold & modern layouts • https://hoverstat.es editorial inspiration • https://awwwards.com top and creative websites • https://mobbin.com collection of real life products Don’t just scroll them and take screenshots, recreate the layouts by hand. Break them down. Rebuild them. Study them. That’s how your brain memorizes structure, spacing, and flow. You’ll see better and design faster. This is how you build taste & skill, not by chasing trends, but by mastering how to do and spot a good design with intention. Save this for later. Revisit it often.

If I were starting as a designer in 2026, here's what I'd do: Most designers are optimizing for the wrong things. Being good at Figma is no longer how you stand out. AI will become better at polishing UI than most designers anyway. What matters now is knowing what to build, recognizing product quality, and articulating intent clearly enough that AI becomes your best sparring partner. That's the new designer skill set worth betting on in 2026. If you have clear thinking, good visual taste, and judgment about what to build, you'll win. When anyone can execute at a baseline level, your product mindset becomes your only differentiator. So here's the thing: developing that mindset is way harder than developing technical skills. But no one is born with it, it all comes through practice. You need to ship and ship and ship until you get really good at it. So if I were starting today, here's what I'd focus on: 1/ Develop your product mindset before pro tool skills Study great products obsessively. Ask why things work. Build your internal quality bar for what good looks like. 2/ Learn to articulate your intent clearly AI execution is only as good as your clarity of thought. Practice describing what you want in specific, unambiguous language. Prompting is the new wireframing. 3/ Ship constantly, not perfectly Excellence comes through repetition. Build 10+ versions of something rather than perfecting one in isolation. 4/ Understand the full stack enough to be effective You don't need to code, but understand how AI systems connect. Take advantage of MCPs, agents, and automations to build end-to-end experiences. 5/ Develop strong opinions Your value isn't speed. It's knowing what's worth building and recognizing quality when you see it. You'll win as a designer by developing clear vision and sharp taste, then using AI to execute at impossible speed. The golden age of the design founder is here. But only if you're developing the right muscles.

Vibrant minimalist packaging. Who said minimalism is dead for Gen’Z? In reality, it has just been colored a bit. Lately, I've seen a mountain of packaging with spectacular designs, with vibrant and super expressive colors, but in reality, they all have an ultra-minimalist layout. Could this be vibrant minimalism perhaps? The term minimalism in art was first used in 1965 by Richard Wolheim in an article in Art Magazine. Minimalism transformed in the sixties the conception of the relationship of the artwork with the space presupposed by classical avant-garde sculpture. Purposeful Simplicity with a twist for GenZ’s. Minimalist design aims not just to reduce elements but to eliminate the unnecessary to highlight the essential. Each element must serve a clear purpose, contributing to both the function and overall aesthetics of the design. This aligns well with sustainability goals, for example. And the twist catches the attention of the younger customer, looking for differentiation, authenticity, and a unique identity. → Bold hues: Move beyond the traditional minimalist monochrome. Embrace bright colors like fiery reds, citrusy yellows, or cool greens. Think of the energy and vibrancy associated with these palettes. → Color blocking: Use large areas of solid, contrasting colors to create a striking visual impact. Imagine a bright yellow statement wall in a minimalist living space. → Limited Color Palette: Careful color selection is fundamental in minimalist design. A reduced palette creates cohesion and reinforces the brand's identity, focusing attention on subtle colors that convey specific emotions. → Accent pops: For a subtler approach, introduce vibrant colors as accents. This could be through throw pillows, artwork, or a single statement piece of furniture. → Clean lines and negative space: Minimalism's core principle remains. Maintain clean lines, uncluttered layouts, and ample negative space to avoid overwhelming the eye. → Geometric shapes: Play with geometric shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. These can be incorporated through furniture, artwork, or even lighting fixtures. → Unexpected materials: Introduce a touch of luxury or surprise with materials like polished metal, textured fabrics, or even natural elements like wood. Concluding. Is your brand seeking the attention of the youngest? Opt for a minimalist design but give it a colorful twist, create the difference, and make it stand out with vibrant, unique combinations that demonstrate authenticity and a unique identity. To finish, I'll leave you with some examples that I've found for you; I hope they serve to motivate you in your next launch. #beauty #beautydesign #beautypackaging #genz #genzpackaging

Light painting is an extraordinary art form that combines creativity and technology to produce stunning visual effects. With the help of technology, artists can take their light painting skills to the next level. What do you think? LED lights with various colors and intensities, long exposure photography, digital editing software, projection mapping, and interactive installations are some of the ways technology enhances the light painting process. Artists can use LED wands, light swords, or programmable light sticks to paint intricate patterns and shapes in the air. Cameras with long exposure capabilities capture the movement of light over time, resulting in ethereal and mesmerizing images. Even smartphones can capture impressive long exposure shots, expanding accessibility to light painting. Digital editing software allows artists to adjust colors, contrast, and add effects to create dynamic and surreal compositions. Projection mapping technology enables artists to project light onto three-dimensional surfaces, turning ordinary objects into dynamic canvases for their light paintings. The possibilities of light painting are endless with technology. Artists can create interactive light painting installations, where viewers can actively participate in shaping the artwork by manipulating light sources or interacting with sensors. Technology expands the boundaries of creativity and allows artists to produce captivating visual experiences that blend artistry with innovation. #LightPainting #ArtAndTechnology #Innovation #Creativity #VisualEffects #innovation #technology

After 14 years in product design, I've noticed key differences in the skillsets needed when: - Building something new - Changing something old Designers creating new products need: - Comfort with ambiguity and rapid iteration - Ability to prototype and test quickly - Skills in market/user research to validate ideas - Storytelling to articulate a vision - Flexibility to pivot as learnings emerge Designers evolving existing products need: - Deep understanding of current users - Stakeholder management and change leadership - Affinity for creating systems that scale - Empathy for legacy constraints and tech debt - Patience for incremental improvements Both require strong core design skills. But the surrounding competencies can differ greatly. The area you spend the most time in can also shape your career trajectory, intentionally or otherwise. What other differences exist?

We're often asked to see AI as a collaborator, not a replacement for creativity. But that can sometimes seem like wishful thinking as generative slop fills our feeds. Being an optimist, I'm keen to keep an eye out for examples of true creative curiosity channeled through AI tools – not just to generate an asset but to create something bigger. Which is why I wanted to point people in the direction of the inspiring art of Refik Anadol Studio, whose Dataland museum is set to open in LA. If you haven't seen Anadol's work, it's very much worth a look. He creates immersive multisensory experiences using data and machine learning, often projecting striking visuals across architecture. The input he uses to train AI is core to his creative approach – glacier data, catalogs of rainforest plants, Frank Gehry architectural designs – and he frequently shares his process in detail so that his audience understands how they're built. It's intentional, insightful, and very human. To me, that's a cocktail marketers can learn from: relevant input and bold conceptual application through an audience-centric lens. Visual beauty aside, the integration into the environment and the emotional connections sparked are what truly set it apart. Anadol may use data as a paintbrush, but connecting with people using datasets is something every marketer should be quite familiar with. Image source: Refik Anadol, Wikimedia

The way colors interact with each other can make or break your brand’s perception. Yet, it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of branding. Many brands fall into the trap of relying on broad, generalized meanings for colors, like red for passion or blue for trust. ↓↓↓ While these are helpful, they aren’t the FULL story. The real power lies in how colors interact with each other within a palette. For instance, vibrant red and green appeal to the holidays, but pair that same red with deeper, muted reds, and you get a luxurious vibe. Hot pink might feel fun or feminine on its own, but combine it with black, and it suddenly exudes confidence and bold energy. The interplay of hues can subtly shift how customers emotionally connect with your brand. But don’t overlook trends either! Take Pantone’s recent Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse. While it might initially seem bland, its ties to sustainability make it a valuable accent for eco-conscious brands. I used it strategically for a high-end chocolate brand, not as the main color, but as an accent. Combined with richer hues, it told a deeper story about sustainable production and high-quality craft, steering away from overused color palettes in the industry. 💡 What’s the key takeaway? Your brand is more than JUST a color. Color is one of the first forms of communication. And how those colors interact, tell a story, and connect emotionally with your audience. Look at how your hues interact across visuals, packaging, and marketing touchpoints. Subtle shifts in contrast or tone can make a big difference in how your audience connects emotionally. Always test your palette as a whole. One approach I love to use when designing brand identities comes from the principles of Joseph Albers, who studied how our brains perceive colors differently depending on their surroundings. For brands, testing how your colors interact with one another is vital. These combinations tell a story about your brand’s tone, energy, and message. Which colors are driving your brand today? Have you considered what story they are telling? #LIpostingdayJune

Dull to Diva. Packaging design often reserves its creative energy for the glamorous—luxury perfumes, gourmet chocolates, or the latest tech gadgets. But what about the mundane, everyday products that quietly hold our lives together? It's time we give them the attention they deserve. Think toilet paper, toothpaste, and canned beans—everyday items that dominate much of a packaging designer's workday. How can designers muster enthusiasm for these seemingly dull products? How can they ignite their creative spark for the essentials? The secret lies in uncovering unexpected inspiration and infusing humour and creativity into the ordinary. Take the "Art Sponge," for instance—quirky packaging that transforms a humble shower accessory into a masterpiece-inspired stunner. Someone sings in the shower—someone else reimagines it! Designer Lesha Limonov posed a bold question—how do I take this product and create a packaging masterpiece? While flipping through famous artworks, she struck gold—or rather, sponge. Inspired by Andy Warhol's vibrant portraits of Marilyn Monroe, she realised that the brightly coloured sponges in her hand bore a striking resemblance to Marilyn's iconic hairstyles. With a dash of humour and a splash of creativity, she turned Monroe's hair into a shower sponge. Her packaging features cut-outs where the hair would be, with the sponge nestled inside. Creating a stunning 3D effect—the "hair" pops out, turning this mundane item into a playful, touchable piece of art. Its a tactile delight—crafted from micro-corrugated board with full-colour printing and a smooth matte finish. Every detail is designed to create an enjoyable interaction, grabbing attention and sparking curiosity. Through clever design she brings pop art to the masses in a cheeky, approachable way. Proof that even the most ordinary products can become extraordinary with a touch of creativity. The concept scales beautifully, with further variations created for other Dubas products, including versions for museum souvenir shops worldwide—portraits by Rembrandt and Jan Adam Kruseman have been reimagined in the same playful manner. While sustainable and zero-waste packaging remains crucial in any new packaging brief, aesthetics and creativity in design still holds immense value. An approach that not only helps products stand out in a crowded market but builds a deeper emotional connection with consumers. So, the next time you're tasked with creating packaging for an everyday item, remember the Art Sponge. Seek inspiration in the unexpected, and let your creativity take over. It's not just about packaging a product—it's about wrapping it with purpose, passion, and a hefty dose of pizzazz. What makes your packaging pop? Thoughts on this design? 📷Lesha Limonov

Quick Creative Exercise: working with a modular grid is a fantastic way to sharpen spatial thinking and explore proportions, visual patterns, hierarchy, and image manipulation techniques. Start by selecting an image and overlaying a simple modular grid with set proportions for width and height. Then, recreate the image using the dimensions of the grid cells. Now for the fun part — play with the grid! Change the cell sizes, proportions, and dimensions as you continue drawing. Distort parts of the image, stretching or compressing them to discover new spatial relationships that feel fresh and familiar. This technique isn’t just for practice — it’s a powerful tool in design. Whether working on a poster, cover, interface, or packaging, breaking the layout into a modular grid can lead to unexpected and exciting compositions. New patterns will be uncovered, object placement refined, and fresh proportional relationships within the format will be experimented with. It’s insightful, rewarding, and fun. Give it a try! https://lnkd.in/dPxnN8Qr

AI is still in its infancy but is poised to amplify human creativity further. Here’s how AI is enhancing the creative process and the challenges it presents: 1/ Enhancing Idea Generation AI can analyse vast datasets to inspire unique concepts, helping artists explore new creative territories. By identifying patterns and trends, AI enables creators to push the boundaries of their imagination and develop innovative ideas. 2/ Generative Art AI tools like Midjourney create stunning visual art, while generative music applications compose melodies across genres. These tools expand artistic possibilities, allowing creators to experiment with new styles and techniques. 3/ Streamlining Processes By automating repetitive tasks, AI frees up time for creatives to focus on innovation and experimentation. This efficiency allows artists to dedicate more energy to refining their craft and exploring new creative directions. 4/ Collaborative Potential AI acts as a "sidekick," complementing human creativity rather than replacing it. By working alongside AI, artists can discover new avenues for collaboration and push the limits of what’s possible in their respective fields. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 1️⃣ Job Displacement Concerns Many artists fear being replaced by AI-driven automation, especially in productivity-focused industries. Although AI can handle certain tasks more efficiently, it is essential to recognise the irreplaceable value of human creativity and ingenuity. 2️⃣ Authenticity vs. Automation The debate continues over whether AI-generated creations qualify as "true" creativity or merely mimic human ingenuity. As AI becomes more sophisticated, questions arise about the authenticity of AI-produced art and its place in the creative world. 3️⃣ Ethical Implications Issues like copyright infringement and the impact of deepfake technologies raise questions about responsible AI use in creative fields. Ensuring that AI is used ethically and transparently is critical to maintaining trust and integrity in the creative community. How do you think AI will shape the future of creativity? Do you see it as a tool for enhancement or a threat to traditional artistic processes? 💬 Let’s discuss the role of AI in creativity and how we can harness its potential responsibly. 🔔 Follow me for more insights on AI, technology, and the future of innovation!