This initial iteration explored a single-page website using a dark colour palette with deep plum accents to highlight key interactive elements.

However, consolidating all content onto one page resulted in a dense, cluttered layout that was difficult to scan. The dark background also reduced readability and led to an overuse of the plum accent colour, diminishing its impact and weakening visual hierarchy. These learnings highlighted the need for clearer content separation, improved hierarchy, and a more accessible colour approach in future iterations.

This second iteration retained a similar colour palette to the first, but shifted from a single-page layout to a two-page structure to reduce visual clutter and improve content hierarchy.

Layouts were refined to support easier scanning, and the landing section was updated to introduce motion, adding visual interest and helping the entry point feel more engaging. At this stage, I was still uncertain about the effectiveness of the glassmorphism treatment on imagery and the dark background overall. However, I continued with this direction to align with Alex’s initial preferences, while planning to reassess these choices in later iterations.

This third iteration marked a clear shift in the project, where the colour system began to align more closely with the intended user experience. The background was updated from a dark Noble Grey to a lighter variation, improving readability and reducing visual heaviness.

Plum red was repositioned from a primary background colour to a secondary accent, used selectively for buttons and line work. This strengthened visual hierarchy and allowed key interactions to stand out more effectively. At this stage, the design began to move in a clear and confident direction. After walking Alex through the colour rationale, he responded positively and contributed additional suggestions that further refined the solution.

This iteration marked the point where the core structure of the project was firmly established. The use of plum red was further reduced and reserved primarily for high-impact calls to action, reinforcing its role as a purposeful and attention-driving accent.

The initial “favourite pieces” carousel was also re-evaluated, as both Alex and I felt it limited content visibility and interaction. Through research and ideation, this component evolved into a lookbook-style layout. This approach provided greater spatial clarity, allowing both the page and the individual pieces to breathe, and positioned the work itself as the clear focal point of the experience.

Building on the foundation established in v4, this iteration focused on smaller refinements aimed at improving overall clarity and usability. One key change was the removal of the glassmorphism and text, as it added visual complexity without providing meaningful value, and reduced content clarity.

An additional “Exhibitions” section was introduced on the About page to further showcase Alex and his body of work. At this stage, the lookbook layout was finalised, alongside the selection of higher-quality imagery that more accurately represented and elevated Alex’s pieces.

This final prototype was the version presented to Alex, incorporating only minor refinements. These included the addition of supporting text beneath the landing section, which was later removed, and explanatory text beneath the loading animation on the landing screen.

Overall, this iteration represented a strong convergence of the project’s visual direction, structure, and interaction patterns. While I was highly satisfied with the outcome at this stage, the concept continued to evolve during development, which I expand on in the following section.