This design was one of the most difficult for me to finish (worse than Dive for Lives). However, I did learn something surprising through this process!
Process
I began by starting and ripping apart three different layouts, then decided I sorely needed a break.
Seven days of “designer’s block” passed by. Frustrated, I impulsively decided to try again using a pastel color palette, against the brief’s instructions to be “sleek and innovative”.
But surprisingly, that choice proved to be the breakthrough my brain needed so badly.
The pastel palette from Coolors.co gave me the idea to create a paneled layout. I started with the original five colors side-by-side, then cut it down to four. I added text and a number circle on the first panel, then filled it out with two dropdowns: FROM WHERE? and TO WHERE?.
From there, I was able to fill in the next few panels quickly.
I studied my design for a bit. Although it looked much better than my first few failed attempts, I wasn’t satisfied. Could I figure out a way to make the design look “sleeker”?
The colors. I selected a different palette and changed the design from a light theme to a dark theme, added a footer and some more shapes to the fourth panel, then sat back to admire my work.
I would never have thought that a simple set of colors (pastel, specifically) could be a spark of inspiration and make a huge difference.