From becoming engrossed in brainstorming discussions about big picture ideas and complex systems, to getting my hands dirty with pixels, I pour my heart and soul into the design process. I deeply value collaboration and being open to different perspectives. I always fight for user driven decisions.
I am extremely grateful to have graduated with a B.S. in Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington. This program has given me a dedication to putting people's needs and values at the forefront of my design and given me a community of talented peers who motivate me to do good in the world.
songs that power me at the moment
One thing I consider to be central to my identity is my love for music. Every Thursday 9:00 PM (PT) is like Christmas because that is when artists drop new music.
passion projects
single art
Radio Shows
Outreach
Drawings
photos
logo
Single Art
I was inspired by my favorite artist at the moment, SOPHIE, to create some cover art for two of her songs. This proved to be a fun way to practice and experiment with some of my Illustrator and Photoshop skills.
Radio Show Promotion
Two of my friends have a radio show at a college radio station at the University of Washington. I made these graphics so they could advertise their weekly music shows on Instagram stories.
K-12 Design Workshops
In an effort to raise awareness about Human Centered Design at UW and the field of UX, I led design workshops for teenagers at local Seattle high schools and middle schools. In these 80 minute workshops called charrettes, students create storyboards, interaction flows, paper prototypes, and lo-fidelity mock-ups using Marvel, and become immersed in the beautiful world of design.
Expanding the Workshop with Wearables
In an effort to raise awareness about the HCDE major at UW and the field of UX, I often lead design workshops for teenagers at local Seattle high schools and middle schools. In these 80 minute workshops called charrettes, students create storyboards, interaction flows, paper prototypes, and lo-fidelity mock-ups using Marvel, and become immersed in the beautiful world of design.
Occasional Drawing
On the off-chance that I have free time, I sometimes like to draw. Here are some of my proudest creations over the past few years.
Photography
I would by no means describe myself as a photographer but I have dipped my toes into the artform a little bit and enjoyed it thoroughly. This collection is an exploration of design through the lens of photography (and my camera ;)).
personal Logo
1. To create my logo, I began by brainstorming my personal traits and passions and drawing lighting round sketches.
2. To further generate some ideas, I began playing around with the letterforms in my name.
3. From my list of preliminary sketches, I really liked the idea of a Rubik's Cube because I would always carry one around as a kid and spend hours making cool patterns. I also thought that the small squares in a Rubik's Cube could create a fun UI pun by resembling pixels.
4. My initial thought was to create a three-dimensional cube using three sides and the first three letters of my name ("NIK") on each side. I didn't like these iterations because I felt it was a little busy.
5. After revisiting my letterform sketches I realized that the letters "NK" could be manipulated to form the same hexagonal outline that my first attempt did. At this point, I realized I could represent a cube with two sides (and therefore two letters) if I used a two-point perspective.
6. I was much more satisfied with these versions as they were a little more abstract, dynamic, and less intense visually. The top middle design was the most appealing because it had a good balance of negative and positive space. To resolve the sharpness issue, I created a thin and rounded outline around my new design. Enclosing the logo in this manner also added a sense of unity and stability.
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