On this Designer Highlight, we introduce Elena Smirnova, a Prague-based digital designer specializing in initiatives throughout style, design, and way of life. She shares her design insights and talks about initiatives she did prior to now.
Meet Elena Smirnova, a digital designer with a deal with style, design, and way of life initiatives. Specializing in web site experiences, Elena’s mission is to assist shoppers obtain their artistic targets by crafting clear but charming digital options with distinct persona. Recognized for mixing creative strategy with practical readability, her designs constantly goal to interact customers whereas remaining visually subtle. Elena’s experience lies in putting the right stability between minimal strategy and creativity, creating digital experiences that stand out.
From this level, Elena takes us by her artistic journey in her personal phrases, starting with a choice of her standout initiatives.
Featured Work
ETRO Textiles
A mission I undertook as a part of the Dentsu Inventive Italy staff. Most individuals know the ETRO style home, and this web site was designed for his or her homeware textiles line. The primary problem was presenting the in depth assortment in an attractive approach with out overwhelming guests. We tackled this with playful textile playing cards and 3D material animations, which are catching person’s consideration from the second they landed on the web site . I loved collaborating carefully with a movement designer and a artistic developer to deliver this mission to life.
Dolce Vita
I joined this mission as an Artwork Director, collaborating with the Inventive Nights staff for a Czech digital and print journal about way of life, design, style, and wonder. This was my first native mission shortly, and being in the identical metropolis and seeing it in motion impressed me. The aim was to convey the sensation of print in a digital format whereas making certain it functioned seamlessly as a web site. We performed with typography and layouts so as to add a extra creative vibe.
Palette
One in every of my favorites, this mission was for Nicole Mason, a Los Angeles-based photographer and creator. I designed this web site along with Customary Studios, whose proprietor has change into a buddy through the years. We aimed for a easy, participating expertise with creative parts woven all through. Initially created as a studio and prop rental enterprise, it was an elevated e-commerce expertise, which is a mission sort I like. It’s since advanced right into a artistic useful resource financial institution.
Elena Smirnova Portfolio
I feel the toughest initiatives are those you do for your self, proper? I’d wished to replace my portfolio for some time, so it mirrored the extent of initiatives I’m engaged on and my persona. Balancing an fascinating look with a minimal, elegant really feel was difficult. I loved collaborating carefully with a neighborhood Prague developer on this mission. It not solely helped us create an excellent web site but additionally deepened my understanding of the event course of and improved how I hand off designs to builders.
Background
I’m a digital designer primarily based in Prague, however I work worldwide. I began as a graphic designer however quickly transitioned to digital design. I started in product design, primarily specializing in cell apps, however my background in graphic design quickly pulled me towards creating extra creative net experiences. Over my profession, I’ve labored independently, dealing with the complete design course of, and as a part of design groups. My collaborative expertise contains working with creatives and builders alike, which has given me robust communication expertise with each.
Though most of my collaborations are on-line, my profession journey has concerned strikes to a number of cities, permitting me to realize beneficial in-person work expertise. As an illustration, throughout a one-year keep in Milan, I joined the Dentsu Inventive Italy staff, the place I had a chance to work on initiatives for TOD’S, Lamborghini, ETRO, and different world-renowned Italian manufacturers.
Now, I’m again in Prague, specializing in rising my private model, not simply globally but additionally within the metropolis I name dwelling for now.
Design Philosophy
I’d say I’m extra of a “much less is extra” form of designer. I favor a minimalist strategy, avoiding too many parts that compete for consideration on a webpage, whether or not in animation or idea. With my background in app design, I deliver some visible and behavioral patterns from cell apps into my net designs. This strategy is uncommon for the style, artwork, and design initiatives I usually work on, as they often steer away from techy visuals. However I imagine that, executed proper, these parts can improve the expertise and make a design stand out. My aim is to make the cell expertise as participating because the desktop model.
Instruments and Methods
My major design device is Figma — I used to be an early adopter, drawn to Figma even whereas most had been nonetheless utilizing Sketch. For interplay animations and design displays, I exploit Jitter for easier initiatives and After Results for extra elaborate work. ChatGPT helps me discover sources in the course of the analysis part or evaluate copy. I exploit Are.na and Savee to prepare sources for work and inspiration boards. Not too long ago, I’ve been exploring 3D instruments, primarily Cinema 4D and Spline, to see how they can be utilized in net design and mission displays with out overwhelming the expertise.
Inspiration
I usually discover inspiration in music. As a violinist, I feel I’ve a novel relationship with it. For inspiration, I lean towards digital and different fashionable genres, usually discovering a method or observe that units the temper for a mission.
I’m a fan of style pictures, so at any time when I journey, I make it some extent to go to native galleries if there’s an exhibition. Working with initiatives wealthy in visible content material additionally offers a gradual supply of inspiration. The vitality of main European cities evokes me, too — I like to consider what would entice folks’s consideration in every place, realizing the reply varies by metropolis.
Objectives
At present, I’m working to combine extra into Prague’s artistic group, as my focus has principally been on constructing a world status. Alongside this, I goal to stability extra Artwork Director roles with my net initiatives, ideally reaching a 50/50 break up.
Whereas I’m not planning to start out my very own studio, I benefit from the independence of freelancing and the chance to realize expertise as a part of the design groups I collaborate with.
Remaining Ideas
For me, being a designer isn’t only a job title; it’s a lifestyle that regularly evokes me. I hope readers discover related inspiration inside themselves, as success usually follows whenever you do. Don’t hesitate to achieve out — whether or not you have got a mission in thoughts or simply need to seize a espresso, in individual or on-line.
