How This Design Hub Works

Motion and brand design work focused on systems, campaigns, and visual storytelling.

Crafting kinetic identities and motion systems that breathe life into digital brands, blending typography and animation seamlessly.

Motion & Brand Design

Motion and brand design projects focused on identity systems, campaigns, and high-quality visual storytelling.

Design (Motion & Brand) Work

Brand Design

Motion &

Building identities that move and scale across channels.

How This UX/UI Hub Works

UX/UI work with clear architecture, scalable systems, and conversion-focused user flows.

Designing intuitive, accessible, and pixel-perfect interfaces. Focused on human-centered experiences that look stunning and convert.

UX/UI Architecture

UX/UI case studies and product interface work with strong information architecture, usability, and design systems.

UX/UI Architecture Work

Architecture

UX/UI

Translating product complexity into clear user decisions.

How This Development Hub Works

Frontend and creative development with React, Next.js, WebGL, animation, and AI workflows.

Engineering robust, performant web applications. Turning high-end designs into reality using React, Next.js, and generative AI.

Creative Development

Frontend and creative development projects with React, Next.js, WebGL, animation, and AI-assisted workflows.

Creative Development Work

Development

Creative

Performance-first frontend engineering for ambitious digital experiences.


The Eyes and Ears Awards are among the most respected recognitions in European audiovisual design, celebrating strong ideas, thoughtful craft, and collaborative work across motion graphics, broadcast design, and digital media. Being part of this community alone already means a lot.

# The Projects

```small
I was very grateful to see our work nominated across several categories, including **Best programme lead-in: Culture & Documentary**, **Best programme spot: News**, and **Best promotion of election coverage**.


Together with an amazing team, two projects were ultimately awarded: the **EU Election trailer**, recognized for *Best promotion of election coverage*, and **Zeitreise**, which received *Best programme lead-in: Culture & Documentary*. Both projects are very different in tone and purpose, but they share a common foundation – curiosity, trust in the process, and a lot of teamwork.
```

[projects:history-documentary-design, eu-election-trailer]

```small
The EU Election trailer was about translating a complex, political topic into a clear and energetic visual language. *Zeitreise*, on the other hand, was a passion project rooted in storytelling, history, and a strong editorial look. Seeing both approaches appreciated side by side was especially meaningful.
```

# What This Means to Me

Awards are a wonderful moment to pause and reflect. These projects represent many conversations, iterations, late tweaks, shared references, and collective problem-solving. They wouldn’t exist without the trust of colleagues, editors, producers, and everyone involved along the way.

![assets/eaea/eaea.jpg]

```small
I’m genuinely thankful for the recognition—and even more for the people I get to work with. It’s motivating to know that careful design, strong concepts, and collaborative thinking are seen and valued. I’m excited to keep building on this, exploring new ideas, and creating work that feels relevant, thoughtful, and fun to make.
```


Grateful for the Work, the Process, and the People

Multiple Projects won an Eyes and Ears Award 2024


# Building strong brands at scale isn’t just about great visuals anymore. It’s about systems.

```small
For Premium Gruppe I built an automation platform that connects brand design, production and distribution into one coherent workflow.  
The goal is straightforward: make high-quality brand assets for streaming platforms faster, more reliable, and easier to scale.
```

This project lives exactly where my work tends to end up: between **brand design, automation and real-world production pressure**.

## The Challenge

We produce and maintain **hundreds of key visuals** across multiple streaming platforms. Each platform comes with its own reality:

- JOYN  
- Pluto TV  
- Amazon Prime Video  
- KDG / Vodafone  
- client platforms (welt.de, WELT mediathek and apps)

- different aspect ratios  
- different technical specs  
- different deadlines  
- constantly shifting program schedules



```small
None of this is conceptually complex, but at scale, it becomes fragile. Traditionally, a lot of time went into manual checks:  
availability, resizing, gap tracking, deadline coordination across teams.
```

# The bottleneck wasn’t creative quality. It was orchestration.

I designed a workflow that connects data, logic and creative production into a single pipeline, using **n8n as the orchestration layer**.

- **Detect missing assets** automatically per platform and format  
- **Generate structured tasks** with clear ownership and timing  
- **Scale, crop and validate existing key visuals** based on platform rules  
- **Trigger fast-turnaround production** for missing or breaking content  
- **Keep delivery states in sync** across internal tools and endpoints

### Design Meets Automation

```small
This project isn’t about replacing designers.  
It’s about **protecting design quality under scale**. By automating repetitive and error-prone steps, the system creates space for what still requires judgment:
concept, typography, composition and storytelling.
```

Brand systems don’t live in Figma alone.  
They live in **processes**, **decisions** and **tools** that support those decisions.

# What I Learned

- Brand consistency scales best when logic is explicit  
- Designers are well positioned to shape the systems they work with  
- Automation isn’t the opposite of creativity: it can be a multiplier  
- The best systems fade into the background while raising overall quality

Most importantly:  
Strong brands aren’t defined only by how they look, but by **how smoothly they operate**.


Key Visuals for VoD Streaming Services

Automating Production for Brand Assets

# Film Production for Artist Editions
Designing a film that behaves like a moving exhibition - that was the task for the WELT Künstlerausgabe in 2024. Instead of leaning on narration, the piece lets space, light, and composition carry the message. The result is a focused, under-one-minute film that’s effortless to present at events or embed online.

![assets/kunstlerausgaben-2.jpg]
![assets/kunstlerausgaben-2.jpg|assets/kunstlerausgaben-3.jpg]

The visual language places front pages of DIE WELT in minimalist, architectural interiors: illuminated cubes, suspended frames, and open gallery halls. Clean geometry and generous negative space give each edition the presence of a standalone artwork while keeping the environment quiet and unobtrusive.

```palette
Deep-Navy #003a5a rgb(0,58,90) usage=Brand Color rank=1
Gallery-White #F2F2F2 rgb(242,242,242) usage=Background rank=2
Neutral-Gray #A9A9A9 rgb(169,169,169) usage=Accents rank=2
```


# The Trailer
[video](assets/Künstlerausgaben.mp4|assets/kunstlerausgaben-4.jpg)


Film Production

Creating a Trailer for the artist edition of DIE WELT

The starting point for this project wasn’t a tool: it was a **camera idea**. A shot that feels instantly cinematic, a smooth camera move straight through an airport body scanner, revealing the title **“Airport Security USA”**. A shot that would normally be expensive, hard to shoot and to nieche to be found as stock footage - perfect territory to explore what AI can actually contribute to professional trailer production.

# Envisioning an image of the idea

I began the process very traditionally: with a **rough sketch**. Just enough to define perspective, framing and the moment where the title should appear. This sketch then became the basis for my Midjourney prompts.

I generated **lots of variations** – tweaking scanner design, lighting, lens feel and crowd density. The goal wasn’t realism alone, but something that already felt like a frame from a TV production.

Once I had a promising base image, I moved into **Photoshop**. Here I cleaned up the composition, removing unnecessary people and visual noise to make the camera path clearer and the focus more intentional.

![assets/airport-01.avif|assets/airport-02.avif]


# Image to Video in Runway AI.

I defined a **dolly move straight through the scanner**, describing the camera motion, speed and depth in detail. It took a few attempts to get a usable result – some versions felt too floaty, others broke perspective – but eventually I landed on footage that felt grounded enough to work with. With that clip in hand, I switched back to conventional territory: **After Effects**. Even though the footage was AI-generated, I treated it like real camera material:
- tracking the camera move  
- stabilizing and refining the motion  
- placing the title cleanly into the scene  

On top of that, I added small details that sell the realism:
- a **subtle blinking light** on the scanner  
- restrained depth blur  
- cinematic color grading  
- a touch of grain to break the “too perfect” AI look  

All of it aimed at making the shot feel like something that could have been filmed on a real set.

# Why this matters

This project wasn’t about replacing traditional production – it was about **extending it**. AI helped me prototype a complex shot, iterate quickly and arrive at a result that would otherwise require a full location, extras and VFX work.

Used thoughtfully, these tools don’t lower quality – they **unlock ideas** that were previously out of reach.

# The Packshot
[video](assets/airport.mp4|assets/airport-03.jpg)

Using Midjourney, Chat-GPT 4o Image Generation and Runway to create Footage

Generative Video in Trailer Production


For the 2024 EU election campaign, I created a trailer that frames Europe as a vibrant, forward-looking idea. The color palette is rooted in the EU flag: a deep blue with a turquoise twist and that unmistakable golden yellow.
```stats
12::Rotating Stars
20+::European Cities
3::Brand Colors
```

![assets/Europawahl Trailer Frame 182.jpg]

```palette title="EU Color Palette" description="Primäre Trailer-Farben (Blau, Türkis & Gold)"
Deep-Navy #003a5a rgb(0,58,90) usage=Brand Color rank=2
Turquoise #00728f rgb(0,114,143) usage=Brand Color rank=1
EU-Gold #E6A105 rgb(230,161,5) usage=Sterne/Highlight rank=1
White #F5F5F7 rank=2
```

```font name="Mark OT" styles="Medium, SemiBold, Bold" bgColor="#F5F5F7" color="#E6A105" svgAa="assets/fonts/mark-ot-aa.svg" svgTitle="assets/fonts/mark-ot-title.svg"
```

One standout detail: the twelve stars. They rotate in opposition to the overall scene while staying perfectly horizontal within the viewport. It's a subtle effect powered by After Effects expressions – but visually, it makes all the difference.

```javascript title="After Effects Expression"
-thisComp.layer("EU FLAG ROTATION").transform.rotation
```

## The trailer also includes:

- the packshot
- an animated bar chart showing political stats
- visuals of EU buildings in Brussels  
- a ticker of European cities, countries and flags
- stylish split screens for pace and variety
- a cinematic color grade to tie it all together

```mockup type="tv" video="assets/Eu Wahl Loop.mp4" bgColor="#F5F5F7"
```

![assets/Europawahl Trailer Frame 290.jpg]

The result? A motion-driven trailer full of structure, rhythm and European energy – and yes, it got nominated for the **2024 Eyes & Ears Award**.

# The Trailer

[video](https://f33qiggog7gxjoua.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/projects/TR000X5A.mp4|assets/EU_wahl.webp)


My Trailer for the 2024 EU Election

Europe in Motion


Designing for a history format that feels fast, fresh and not like a museum tour? Yes, please. When the production company asked me to take on the show’s visual identity, I knew this would be something fun to dig into.


![assets/Zeitreise Logo.avif|assets/Zeitreise_1.avif]
![assets/Zeitreise_2.avif|assets/Zeitreise_3.avif]

The first idea came from the reference book and "Der Bader-Meinhof-Komplex", paired with those gritty 90s Spiegel TV graphics. Rough textures, Helvetica, punchy cuts – that raw, documentary feel was the core vibe I wanted to channel.

![assets/Zeitreise_7.jpg]

The color palette leans into black and white images and warm rust tones – like old film footage that’s been sitting on a shelf a little too long. There’s nostalgia, but also a sharp digital clarity that keeps it grounded in the now.

![assets/Zeitreise_4.avif|assets/Zeitreise_5.avif]
```palette
Rust-Red #CD412D rgb(205,65,45) usage=Primary rank=1
Off-White #F5F5F5 rgb(245,245,245) usage=Background rank=2
Charcoal #121212 rgb(18,18,18) usage=TextBG rank=2
```

For the typeface, I chose **Berthold Block** – bold, boxy, full of character. It screams “headline” in the best way. And whether it’s in the opener, lower thirds, or on the site, it holds its ground.

![assets/Zeitreise_6.avif]


# The Opener
[video](assets/Zeitreise_Opener.mp4|assets/Zeitreise.webp)


Show Design for a German History Documentation Series

Zeitreise


The project was designed for the business department of the German news media brand WELT, aiming to attract young employees through a magazine ad. The creative brief was to embody the claim "Erfolg beginnt mit neuem Denken" (Success begins with thinking new), integrating a QR-code.

# Discovering Stable Diffusion

Just as this project came to my desk, I started exploring Stable Diffusion and Midjourney.

I delved into its different models, plug-ins, inpainting features, and most notably, ControlNet. This tool revolutionized the way I could integrate images into the generation process, allowing for pixel-perfect inclusion of logos, typography, and even machine-readable QR-Codes.

## Inspiration from TikTok
Sometimes, inspiration comes from unexpected sources. For me, it was while scrolling through TikTok. I stumbled upon a video showcasing Stable Diffusion-generated artworks that seamlessly incorporated QR-codes into their designs. This experience opened my eyes to the full potential of AI in the creative process.

## The Creative Process

My workflow involved generating countless visuals, tweaking and experimenting with the outputs. Not all attempts were successful; some QR-codes were unreadable by my iPhone, while others lacked visual appeal or were distorted.

I focused on refining three core ideas using ControlNet and careful prompting:

- Up in the Sky - A theme that elevates the concept to new heights.
- Micro Chip - Reflecting the intricate, technology-driven aspect of our brand.
- Company Headquarters - Emphasizing our foundation and stability.

![assets/qr-1.jpg::Bits and Bytes|assets/qr-2.jpg::Office Headquarters|assets/qr-3.jpg::Connectivity and Ideas|assets/qr-4.jpg::Micro-Chip 01|assets/qr-5.jpg::Micro-Chip 02|assets/qr-6.jpg::Up in the Sky]

## Final Touches in Photoshop
The last step was to outpaint, upscale, and composite the image using Photoshop. This stage was crucial for placing the campaign claim and brand logo, correcting colors, and preparing a printable PDF that met the specifications of the print company.

![assets/qr-0.jpg]


# Reflections on AI in Creative Design

This project was a pivotal moment for me, demonstrating how AI can serve as a versatile tool in virtually any workflow. The thrill of integrating such cutting-edge technology into a printed magazine campaign continues to inspire my work.

Through this experience, I've seen firsthand the transformative impact AI can have on creative design, making the once-impossible a reality. It's an exciting time to be at the intersection of technology and creativity, and I look forward to pushing these boundaries even further.


Ad-campaign leaveraging Generative AI in Design

Generating QR-Codes with Stable Diffusion

# Strong brands don’t happen by accident: they grow through thousands of decisions.

I started working with WELT in 2019, when I joined Brand Communication as a design intern. Back then, my job was to translate the direction of our Head of Brand into production-ready assets across teams and formats. Over the years, that role shifted: from executing the system to actively shaping it as the Senior Brand Designer. 

By 2023, the brand’s design direction and day-to-day stewardship sat with me.

```mockup type="tv" image="assets/welt-brand/230413_WELT_Brand Manual-_Seite_23.jpg" bgColor="#F5F5F7"
```


That’s what this project really is: not a rebrand, not a flashy makeover: but a clear, practical framework that helps WELT stay unmistakably WELT across print, TV, and digital.

# One brand. Many touchpoints.

WELT shows up everywhere: television studios, apps, websites, print products, social media, and physical merchandise. In a fast-paced news environment, consistency can quickly break (and very often does) not because people don’t care, but because teams need answers that work under pressure.

The goal of the Brand Manual was to reduce ambiguity and speed up confident decision-making. It brings the essentials into one coherent system:
- precise logo usage and edge cases
- color logic across print, screen, and broadcast
- typography rules that scale from headlines to UI
- naming conventions and writing style across products
- a structured product-logo ecosystem

![/assets/welt-brand/BM.jpg]

# From rules to a usable system

The centerpiece is the WELT logo - including the characteristic lowercase “e” - treated as a system, not just a mark. The guide defines when to use the positive, negative, or tile version, and makes the don’ts explicit (no recoloring, distortion, decorative misuse, or improvised tiles). This matters because the logo appears in countless contexts, often produced quickly, often by different teams. Clear guardrails protect recognition.

![/assets/brands/Welt-logo.png] {shadow="false" radius="false" padding="40"}

Color is handled with the same intent. WELT Blue remains the anchor, supported by WELT Orange as an activating accent and a structured set of secondary colors for charts, formats, and thematic content - with values that hold up reliably across media.

```palette
WELT-Blue #003A5A rgb(0,58,90) usage=Primary rank=1
WELT-Orange #F18825 rgb(241,136,37) usage=Accent rank=2
Blue-Light #246EA7 rgb(36,110,167) usage=Secondary rank=2
Greige-Fond #edece8 rgb(237,233,225) usage=Fond rank=3
Türkis #00728f rank=4
Koralle #e8461e rank=4
Sky-Blau #428ce5 rank=4
Lila #8836bf rank=4

```

Typography adds the editorial voice: a modern, clear grotesk for precision paired with a display serif for weight and storytelling - with concrete usage rules so the system works for everything from TV graphics to digital UI and long-form text.

```font name="Mark OT" styles="Medium, SemiBold, Bold" bgColor="#F5F5F7" color="#428ce5"
```

# Naming is part of the brand

One high-impact chapter for a newspaper is language: how we write WELT, how we refer to all the products - and where exceptions exist for readability in business contexts. These details aren’t “nice to have.” For a media brand that lives in words, consistency in naming is as important as consistency in layout.
```mockup type="macbook" image="/assets/welt-brand/230413_WELT_Brand Manual-_Seite_20.jpg" bgColor="#F5F5F7"
```
The manual includes practical downloads (logo packages, templates, email signatures, backgrounds) and clear contact points for approvals, questions, and special cases - designed to support everyday work across departments and external partners. It’s a living system meant to reduce friction, not add it.

Sometimes the most impactful design work isn’t the loudest. It’s the structure that makes everything else work smoothly - and keeps a brand strong, even when production moves fast.

# Motion Guidelines for TV Interfaces
More to share soon!

My Brand Guidelines for WELT

Brand Manual for German News Media Brand


This project is a short 3D book sequence created as part of a promotional trailer for a space-themed book. The goal was not to over-stylize the object, but to give a familiar book a slightly cinematic, almost weightless quality that fits the tone of the subject matter.

The animation appears only briefly in the final trailer, but a lot of care went into making the movement feel calm, physical, and believable.

## Project Overview

The focus of this piece was the page-turning motion. Books are deceptively complex objects: pages bend, overlap, collide, and never move in a perfectly clean way. Capturing that behavior in a controlled but natural-looking animation was the main challenge.

The book was fully modeled and animated in **Blender**, with particular attention paid to scale, proportions, and how light interacts with paper and the cover material.

## Animation & Rigging

Each page was rigged using an **armature setup**, allowing controlled deformation while still being influenced by physics. Subtle simulations were layered on top to avoid overly rigid motion and to introduce small imperfections that make the movement feel more organic.

Rather than aiming for dramatic motion, the animation stays restrained and precise — letting the pages open smoothly and settle into place without drawing attention to the technique itself.

## Pipeline

- **Modeling & Animation**: Blender  
- **Rigging**: Armature-based page setup  
- **Physics**: Subtle simulations for natural movement  
- **Rendering**: Image sequence export  
- **Compositing & Color**: After Effects  

Rendering was done as an image sequence to keep full control in post-production. In **After Effects**, the shots were composited, gently color-corrected, and integrated into the overall look of the trailer.

## Technical Details

- **Frame Count**: 501 frames  
- **Frame Rate**: 24 fps  
- **Output**: Image sequence → final video  
- **Resolution**: High-definition  

## Reflection

Even though the sequence is short, it was a great opportunity to dive deeper into character-like rigging for non-character objects and to combine controlled animation with physical behavior. Projects like this are a reminder that small moments in a trailer often benefit the most from careful detail work.

# The Render
[video](assets/book.mp4|assets/book.avif)


Motion & Brand Design

Core Methods

What I Build

Design Projects