Project Overview
Econommi was an early-stage fintech startup. When I joined, they had a rough website prototype but no visual identity — no logo, color palette, typography, or illustrations. My task was to create a complete visual system from scratch and collaborate with the UI/UX team to shape a cohesive product experience.
Challenges
- No existing brand identity or design system
- Website lacked visual hierarchy, accessibility, or personality
- Placeholder imagery did not reflect the product’s value
- Needed to build trust in a complex financial space
Goals
- Create a scalable and cohesive visual identity
- Build illustration and icon systems that support the product
- Help users engage and trust the platform through clear, friendly visuals
- Introduce light animations to add a modern, “tech-forward” feel
Style Exploration & References
I wanted the visuals to feel calm, modern, and trustworthy, avoiding anything too corporate or stiff. I was inspired by abstract animated illustrations used by companies like Wealthsimple.
To explore the style:
- I gathered reference imagery
- Sketched composition ideas in Procreate
- Tested layout balance and storytelling flow before moving to vector work
Illustration Workflow
- Started with loose sketches in Procreate
- Refined illustrations in Adobe Illustrator to create clean, modular vectors
- Reused shapes and elements across scenes for visual consistency
- Designed scenes to be flexible and reusable across different parts of the product
Animation Workflow
To add polish and a bit of magic, I created subtle animations for hero sections:
- Learned Blender and Cinema 4D to experiment with 3D components
- Combined 2D and 3D animation in After Effects
- Worked with developers to export web-ready MP4s for smooth integration
Icon System
- Created a custom icon set that extended the illustration style
- Designed for both desktop and future mobile use
- Used consistent stroke widths and shapes for clarity at small sizes
Outcome & Impact
- Transformed the site from placeholder to a fully branded experience
- Users spent 30% more time on the site
- Product demo requests increased
- Established a scalable foundation for future growth
Reflections
This was one of my first opportunities to apply both 2D and 3D animation to a real product. It helped me grow technically while solidifying my visual storytelling skills.
If I were to revisit the project, I’d:
- Expand into a formal design system with documentation
- Explore more dev-friendly animation export formats (e.g. Lottie)
