Visual Identity

Finding your

personal style

When I was an undergrad studying industrial design,

I struggled with my visual identity, my brand. I was the

minimalist lover, drawn to sans-serif fonts, black and

white, and a whole lot of emptiness. While there are

many designers who embrace this style—as I once did

—it didn’t reflect who I was.

It wasn’t until a few years ago, when I “discovered” my

visual identity. I hestitate to even call it “identity”

because it sounds like I have a clear idea, and frankly,

I don’t want to confine myself to a theme. (This is

probably one of the reasons why I struggled to express

myself through my portfolio.) I couldn’t commit, and it

was most likely a reflection of what I was going through

at the time. Confusion and lack of confidence.

Back then, I didn’t realize that the collection of things

that I liked would naturally form a theme, a pattern that

represents me, and eventually become a visual identity.

Not all things harmonize perfectly, but it is truly in the

process of finding balance amongst the different

elements that ultimately creates a cohesive theme,

what we call a brand.

I leaned into minimalism out of cluelessness. Following

rules was somewhat easy, and that is what minimalism

is. Each design decision has to be precise and intentional

because there aren’t many elements to draw the viewer’s

attention. I’ve never been much of a rule follower. I was,

and I am, stubborn. My soul yearned to make the world

beautiful, despite my parents’ strong wishes for me not

to pursue design. And to me, minimalism isn’t that.

Instead of trying to define myself, I began building my

website by placing elements I thought looked cool or

cute. Even in real life, my home is scattered with random

objects. Some gifted by people I love, others picked up

during my travels or on random antique shopping

sprees. Not everyone finds them charming as I do and

that’s okay. Some people might not love my choice of

Garamond for my website, but I’ll bet some

grandmillenial enthusiasts would approve.

In the same spirit, when building a portfolio and

defining your brand, don’t focus on potential

employers who might “judge” your work. Your vibe

might not vibe with theirs but a good designer will

respect that. Your website, your portfolio is your

playground. It is an opportunity to showcase your

ability to express ideas, your personality, and to

demonstrate your creative confidence. If you’re worried

about pigeonholing yourself to a style, remember you

can illustrate all the different styles you are capable of

mastering through your projects.

Some mentors will encourage you to think about who

you are. Personally, that didn’t help me. There’s been

research showing that excessive self-focus can lead into

a mental rut. If that’s the case, don’t think about

yourself, just create. Treat your website as another

sketchbook.

Go ham and then refine.

February 2025.

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Oh

Sumin