STA Blog

The ChiLDS Lab

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The ChiLDS Lab Site Redesign

Client: Maria Arredondo, The ChiLDS Lab

Task: Complete a site redesign for The ChiLDS Lab. The client wanted to keep most of the content, but wanted a refreshed and “cuter” design overall.

Status: In progress, low fidelity mock-ups created

The Old Site

This was the initial site. The client wanted to move away from the standard university template and make it feel more invited and on theme with her lab. Since her target audience were parents of potential participants, researchers, and students, she wanted the website to be cute and attention grabbing, while still being professional and polished.

Logo Redesign

I started by creating a new logo. I took a lot of inspiration from other child-oriented brands and took note of both their typography and color choices.

A moodboard

Initial designs

Abstract Banner

I also created content dividers as an easy way for the client to add personalization to the website.

Possible Site Mock-Ups

Several options of implementations of the above assets.

Client Feedback

Receiving edits and revising.

The client ended up choosing the “lego block” logo design, with some minor edits. After revising to meet her requests, the logo ended up looking like this:

Low-Fidelity Mock-Ups

Lastly, I used my revised information architecture to mock-up some low fidelity prototypes of what the website could like, before handing it off to the client for implementation.

Summer 2025

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Summer 2025

Summer Marketing

First Day of Classes

Juneteenth

Freshmen Orientation

Transfer Orientation

HIS 315L

⋆｡°✩ Full course package

⋆｡°✩ Prof. wanted to show the continuities between the past and present

⋆｡°✩ Original course imagery –>

v.1

v.2

Sepia, grid lines

Sepia, blurred transition

☆ B&W and color, grid lines ☆

v.3

Fall Postcard

Initial Drafts

⋆｡°✩ Played around with the messaging, “my summer” vs “your summer”

⋆｡°✩ Explored different imagery (graduation, on campus, talking with friends)

Exploring Layouts & Taglines

⋆｡°✩ Collage allows for greater expression of summer (internships, staying on campus, traveling, etc.)

⋆｡°✩ The vertical column layout was a lot more balanced and easier to read

⋆｡°✩ Felt the original tagline didn’t align with our message and research. Needed to focus on the fact that students want to use summer to get ahead and complete course requirements

Final Tagline

⋆｡°✩ After settling on a tagline, we’re now focussing on which text should be the main tagline, our organization or message?

july projects

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✿˖° ⋆ July Projects ⋆˚✿˖°

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Studio Backdrops Redesign Update

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Last time I talked about the studio backdrops redesign, I had created and edited these four designs as well as selecting stock photos that fit the news anchor style! Now it was time to studio test!

After studio testing with De’sha, the main revisions we thought of were:

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  • narrowing down stock images selection
  • repositioning the designs to fit the screen better
  • either blurring or making more designs visible depending on the backdrops
  • incorporating more of the jewel tone colors

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For the next revision, I was intrigued about how the current designs would look in different colors! I gravitated a lot towards topaz blue at first, but maybe some other colors might suit other designs better!

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On July 1st, De’sha and I tested the revised backdrops! The variety of colors was a great addition to the testing as well! Again, we did feel like we can make some more changes for next time which were:

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  • some colors needed to be more saturated
  • replace or remove textures
  • bring up the opacity and blurriness on some designs
  • photo edit some stock images
  • gather more stock images

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On July 9th, De’sha and I went back to studio testing with the updated designs! I found some more stock images that captured the news anchor style but we decided to narrow the selection more for the next studio testing date! However some designs still needed some updates like:

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  • bringing up the opacity of texts
  • revising tints of stock images
  • reformatting the display of designs

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Before my summer shift ended, I updated the background based on our revisions! Until we go studio testing again, this is where we left off! Overall, this project really let me practice my graphic skills and was such a fun project to end summer with!

UT in Context Website Redesign

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UT in Context Website Redesign: Sweatt v. Painter

UT In Context requested a redesign of their existing website (https://utincontext.la.utexas.edu/). By the time the project was handed to me, the site had already been modernized. What the client wanted me to do was to create pages that showcased their physical Sweatt v. Painter gallery in a digital manner.

The site originally looked like this:

I liked the idea of having a separate page for each wall; however, I felt that the navigation buttons laid out in the cardinal directions was a bit clunky. My main goals going forward were to make navigation intuitive and to lay out all the information in a visually appealing and non-overwhelming way.

My next step was to mock up the pages on Figma:

Interact with the mockup here!

I then created a map to help guide visitors to the physical location:

Project status: Waiting for feedback

Summer 2025

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Summer 2025

This summer, I went home (California) and got the chance to work for local government. I helped them add new sections to their website, as well as created some marketing materials!

Check out what I did below:

I added a new section to their website catered towards the older population. This included revamping their 50+ Program’s web presence, as well has adding a resource hub.

Visit the live site here: https://www.losaltosca.gov/660/Aging-Adult-Resources

I also got the chance to do a bunch of graphic design work:

Aside from my local government work, I also did some work for LAITS, pursued some side projects, hiked by the ocean, and ate a lot of ice cream (dairy free, of course).

I also made a cat friend ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

Texas German Phonology (TGDP)

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Texas German Phonology Poster (TGDP)

This banner is part of TGDP’s “linguistics of Texas German” mini-series. I was given the information and photos that go on the poster, as well as a couple of reference posters.

Here was the first draft of the poster:

Project status: Waiting for feedback