Artistic Designer with User-Centric Focus
4+ years of freelance art experience honed my visual storytelling skills and user empathy. This foundation fuels my passion for digital design.
Focus on User Experience: I create interfaces that are both beautiful and functional, using visuals to subtly guide user journeys.
Continuous Improvement: A believer in the Japanese 'kaizen' (continuous improvement); I constantly learn and refine my skills. This includes expanding my knowledge in front-end development to bridge the gap between design and functionality.
Intrigued by Innovation: Emerging technologies like holographic design excite me and fuel my desire to stay ahead of the curve.
Portfolio: Showcases my artistic approach to digital design with a focus on user experience.
Skill Stack
My design approach thrives on a diverse skillset, each element honed through life experiences.
Emotional intelligence, cultivated through real-world interactions, allows me to connect with users on a deeper level, ensuring designs resonate beyond aesthetics. Adaptability, a natural strength, lets me adjust seamlessly based on project needs and user feedback.
Years as a visual artist translate into crafting visually compelling user interfaces. But aesthetics are just one piece. Digital design expertise ensures these interfaces are both beautiful and user-friendly.
Effective leadership skills, developed through life experiences, translate into clear communication and collaborative environments that inspire design excellence. Finally, my intrinsic motivation, evident in my artistic career, fuels a constant drive to improve and push boundaries in both art and design.
This powerful combination allows me to craft more than just interfaces – I create impactful brands, websites, and digital experiences that function, inspire, and connect.
acquisition of skills timeline
My design education is just one chapter in my ongoing learning story. A large part of my skill development comes from personal exploration and the challenges of freelance work. This self-directed approach has been essential in expanding my creative toolkit and pushing my boundaries.
CYBER SECURITY
Completing a course in basic cyber security.
Skills / knowledge gained: trojan horse, worms, trap doors, server security, phishing and general bugs.
Skills / knowledge gained: trojan horse, worms, trap doors, server security, phishing and general bugs.
VIDEOGRAPHY / ART DIRECTION
Completing a course in videography for personal interest & social media editing.
Skills / knowledge gained: Sound, editing, creative direction, set design, angles, lenses, lighting, frame rates.
Skills / knowledge gained: Sound, editing, creative direction, set design, angles, lenses, lighting, frame rates.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Completed a unit in photography, to assist my website design mockups for my art.
Skills / knowledge gained: ISO, Lenses, Shutter speeds, Lightroom (Lr) editing, reflectors, exposure, angles, case studies on the history of photography.
Skills / knowledge gained: ISO, Lenses, Shutter speeds, Lightroom (Lr) editing, reflectors, exposure, angles, case studies on the history of photography.
SCHOOLS OF EARLY LEARNING (SOEL)
Industry graphic design, print media & photography.
Skills / knowledge gained: InDesign, Study guides, deep etching, product design, teamwork, logo design, social media design, pitching.
Skills / knowledge gained: InDesign, Study guides, deep etching, product design, teamwork, logo design, social media design, pitching.
FREELANCE DIGEX
Brand identity design & website design for nootropics retailer business.
Skills / knowledge gained: time management, pitching, contract agreements, google team, handovers, rationalising design choices, user feedback and testing, client management, brand presentation.
Skills / knowledge gained: time management, pitching, contract agreements, google team, handovers, rationalising design choices, user feedback and testing, client management, brand presentation.
RUBY LU STUDIOS
Personal brand design, trademarking & social media.
Skills / knowledge gained: study guides, logo design, market research, competitor research, user research, brand identity design, storytelling, social media adjustments.
Skills / knowledge gained: study guides, logo design, market research, competitor research, user research, brand identity design, storytelling, social media adjustments.
FIGMA PROTOTYPING
Prototyping portfolios and ui/ux designs.
Skills / knowledge gained: user flow/journeys, usability, infographics, wireframing, scroll/text/graphic animations, transitions, high-fidelity prototypes.
Skills / knowledge gained: user flow/journeys, usability, infographics, wireframing, scroll/text/graphic animations, transitions, high-fidelity prototypes.
ANIMATION (AE, PR, ME, AN)
Adobe: After Effects, Animate, Premier Pro, Media Encoder.
Skills / knowledge gained: frame rates, BPM, squish/squeeze, character design, illustration, walk cycles, sound effects, transitions.
Skills / knowledge gained: frame rates, BPM, squish/squeeze, character design, illustration, walk cycles, sound effects, transitions.
RUBY LU ART WEBSITE DESIGN
End-to-end website design.
Skills / knowledge gained: grid systems, scroll animations/effects, SEO, CRM, product display/photography, lightboxes, privacy policies, project management, terms & conditions, website maintenance.
Skills / knowledge gained: grid systems, scroll animations/effects, SEO, CRM, product display/photography, lightboxes, privacy policies, project management, terms & conditions, website maintenance.
UI / UX DESIGN
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: user-centered design, design principles, user journeys, sitemaps, personas, pitch presentations, prototyping, user research, user feedback, user testing, measuring success.
Skills / knowledge gained: user-centered design, design principles, user journeys, sitemaps, personas, pitch presentations, prototyping, user research, user feedback, user testing, measuring success.
TYPOGRAPHY
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: personalised type faces, calligraphy, hierarchy, font families, kerning, type faces, point sizes, history of type, monograms, InDesign, illustrator.
Skills / knowledge gained: personalised type faces, calligraphy, hierarchy, font families, kerning, type faces, point sizes, history of type, monograms, InDesign, illustrator.
RUBY LU ART BRAND IDENTITY
Brand identity design for my personal art.
Skills / knowledge gained: type pairing, golden ratio, user research, prototyping, user feedback / testing, pitch presentations, personas, sitemaps, logo design, brand palettes.
Skills / knowledge gained: type pairing, golden ratio, user research, prototyping, user feedback / testing, pitch presentations, personas, sitemaps, logo design, brand palettes.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: Photoshop, grid systems, print media, legibility, readability, hierarchy, CMYK/RBG/HSL, signage, mockup design, design trends, packaging, dimensions.
Skills / knowledge gained: Photoshop, grid systems, print media, legibility, readability, hierarchy, CMYK/RBG/HSL, signage, mockup design, design trends, packaging, dimensions.
DIGITAL ART
Personal learning to build skills as an artist, keeping up with emerging tech.
Skills / knowledge gained: 3D, procreate, animation, illustration, fine art printing, surrealism, printing paper, test prints.
Skills / knowledge gained: 3D, procreate, animation, illustration, fine art printing, surrealism, printing paper, test prints.
BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: Brand-marks, colour theory, interviews, minimalism, personality, elevator pitch, vectorised sketches, presentation, A/B testing, affinity diagrams, timelessness, perspective, mood boards.
Skills / knowledge gained: Brand-marks, colour theory, interviews, minimalism, personality, elevator pitch, vectorised sketches, presentation, A/B testing, affinity diagrams, timelessness, perspective, mood boards.
FRONT-END & BACK-END PROGRAMMING
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, databases, Github, Shoelace, React, Base CSS, SCSS, Mongo DB, Postman, Visual Studio Code.
Skills / knowledge gained: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, databases, Github, Shoelace, React, Base CSS, SCSS, Mongo DB, Postman, Visual Studio Code.
DESIGN THINKING & PROCESS
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: testing, ideation, user experience, surveys, USP, thumbnails, non-linear process, mnemonics, SMP, 6 Thinking Hats, design process & thinking, double diamond, timelines and time management.
Skills / knowledge gained: testing, ideation, user experience, surveys, USP, thumbnails, non-linear process, mnemonics, SMP, 6 Thinking Hats, design process & thinking, double diamond, timelines and time management.
ILLUSTRATION
Personal learning to build skills as an artist.
Skills / knowledge gained: Loomis method, perspective, fast sketching, wide angles, digitalising, lighting, brushes, colour theory.
Skills / knowledge gained: Loomis method, perspective, fast sketching, wide angles, digitalising, lighting, brushes, colour theory.
ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE
University learning.
Skills / knowledge gained: Photoshop, illustrator, Lightroom, InDesign, Adobe XD.
Skills / knowledge gained: Photoshop, illustrator, Lightroom, InDesign, Adobe XD.
FREELANCE ART COMMISSIONS
Building skills as a freelance artist.
Skills / knowledge gained: Pricing, client management, communication, feedback, packaging, testing, project documentation, timeline planning, aftercare information, social media posting.
Skills / knowledge gained: Pricing, client management, communication, feedback, packaging, testing, project documentation, timeline planning, aftercare information, social media posting.
RUBY LU ART INSTAGRAM
Building an online presence on social media for personal art.
Skills / knowledge gained: Audience engagement, courage to post my work online, find a niche, build following / audience, encourage collectors, share my passion, network.
Skills / knowledge gained: Audience engagement, courage to post my work online, find a niche, build following / audience, encourage collectors, share my passion, network.