UI Design — Styles + Composition + Implementation
Complete design intelligence: searchable database (styles, colors, typography) + visual composition theory + stack-specific implementation.
Quick Start
# Generate complete design system for a project python3 skills/ui-design/scripts/search.py "beauty spa wellness" --design-system -p "Serenity Spa" # Search specific domains python3 skills/ui-design/scripts/search.py "glassmorphism dark" --domain style python3 skills/ui-design/scripts/search.py "elegant luxury" --domain typography # Stack-specific guidelines python3 skills/ui-design/scripts/search.py "responsive form" --stack html-tailwind
Part 1: Design System Generator
Workflow
- •Analyze Requirements — Product type, style keywords, industry, stack
- •Generate Design System —
--design-systemflag for comprehensive recommendations - •Supplement with Searches — Domain-specific deep dives
- •Apply Stack Guidelines — Implementation best practices
Available Domains
| Domain | Use For |
|---|---|
product | SaaS, e-commerce, portfolio, healthcare |
style | glassmorphism, minimalism, brutalism |
typography | Font pairings by mood |
color | Palettes by product type |
landing | Page structure, CTA strategies |
chart | Data visualization |
ux | Best practices, anti-patterns |
Available Stacks
html-tailwind (default), react, nextjs, vue, svelte, swiftui, react-native, flutter, shadcn, jetpack-compose
Persist Design System
# Save as Master + page overrides python3 skills/ui-design/scripts/search.py "fintech dashboard" --design-system --persist -p "FinApp"
Creates:
- •
design-system/MASTER.md— Global source of truth - •
design-system/pages/— Page-specific overrides
Part 2: Visual Composition
Core Principles
1. Visual Hierarchy
Guide attention to important elements first.
| Technique | How |
|---|---|
| Scale | Larger = more important |
| Contrast | High contrast draws eye |
| Position | Top/center noticed first |
| Typography | Size + weight create levels |
Example hierarchy:
1. Hero heading (48px, bold) 2. Subheading (24px, medium) 3. Body (16px, regular) 4. CTA button (accent color)
2. Balance
Equally distributed visual weight (not necessarily symmetrical).
- •Symmetrical — Formal, stable (login forms, corporate)
- •Asymmetrical — Dynamic, engaging (modern web apps)
- •Radial — Center focus (loading spinners, logos)
3. Visual Weight
Factors: size, color (warm > cool), saturation, position, isolation, texture.
Heavy (draw attention): Light (supporting): - Large hero images - Body text - Bright CTA buttons - Low-contrast backgrounds - Isolated floating cards - Grouped items
4. Gestalt Principles
| Principle | Application |
|---|---|
| Proximity | Group related fields |
| Similarity | Consistent button styles |
| Closure | Minimal icons, implied shapes |
| Continuity | Timelines, breadcrumbs |
| Figure/Ground | Modal overlays, card elevation |
5. Typography Scale
Display: 60-96px (hero) H1: 48px (page title) H2: 36px (section) H3: 24px (subsection) Body: 16-18px Small: 14px (captions)
- •Line length: 50-75 characters
- •Line height: 1.5-1.75 (body), 1.1-1.3 (headings)
- •Max 2-3 font families
6. Color Strategy
- •Dominant (60%) — Primary color
- •Secondary (30%) — Supporting
- •Accent (10%) — CTAs, highlights
Contrast: WCAG AA minimum 4.5:1 for text.
7. Spacing Rhythm
Use consistent scale: 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64px (multiples of 8).
Part 3: Pre-Delivery Checklist
Visual Quality
- • No emojis as icons (use SVG: Heroicons, Lucide)
- • Consistent icon set
- • Hover states don't cause layout shift
- • Transitions 150-300ms
Hierarchy
- • Obvious where to look first
- • Sizes reflect importance
- • Clear typography levels
Balance
- • Layout feels stable
- • Visual weights distributed
- • Works at all screen sizes
Accessibility
- • 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum
- • Visible focus states
- • Alt text on images
- •
prefers-reduced-motionrespected
Responsive
- • Test 375px, 768px, 1024px, 1440px
- • No horizontal scroll on mobile
- • Touch targets 44x44px minimum
Anti-Patterns
| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|---|---|
| Make everything bold/large | Use de-emphasis for hierarchy |
| 4+ font families | Max 2-3, vary weight instead |
| Random spacing | Consistent 8px scale |
| Center everything | Use asymmetry for interest |
| Borders everywhere | Shadows, backgrounds, space |
| Emojis as icons | SVG icon library |
Common Rules
Icons & Logos
- •Use SVG icons (Heroicons, Lucide, Simple Icons)
- •Research official brand logos
- •Consistent icon sizing (24x24 viewBox)
Interaction
- •
cursor-pointeron all clickable elements - •Hover feedback (color, shadow, border change)
- •Smooth transitions (
transition-colors duration-200)
Light/Dark Mode
- •Light mode:
bg-white/80+, textslate-900, mutedslate-600 - •Dark mode: higher opacity, lower contrast
- •Test both modes before delivery
Layout
- •Floating navbar:
top-4 left-4 right-4spacing - •Account for fixed header height
- •Consistent
max-w-6xlormax-w-7xl
Related Skills
| Skill | When to Use |
|---|---|
ui-patterns | Research first — see real dropdowns, accordions, inputs from Collect UI, Component Gallery, Mobbin |
frontend-design | Execute with distinctive aesthetics, avoid generic AI look |
shadcn-ui | Get accessible component foundations to customize |
Recommended workflow: ui-patterns (research) → ui-design (principles) → frontend-design (execution)