PicMonkey Editor
UX DESIGN & DIRECTION · INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE · VISUAL & CONTENT DESIGN
I designed the PicMonkey website and Editor from the beginning, establishing the foundation for its visual language, information architecture, and UX. I also shaped the creative content that made the Editor engaging and distinct. As PicMonkey evolved from a free trial experience into a subscription product, I built a design team to expand the experience across accounts, marketing, sharing, and mobile.
EDITOR MODEL
The Editor was built around a simple model: a single left pane with tabs for creative content, paired with a global floating toolbar that kept the canvas open and maximized space for editing. Effects offered simple one-click options, with more advanced controls available through secondary and floating palettes.
CONTENT CURATION & DESIGN
A big part of the work was designing photo and graphic features, including the UX, curation, licensing, and production of fonts, graphics, and textures. I also collaborated with Engineering to explore new effects and design the UI needed to bring them to life.
SEASONAL HOMEPAGES
In the early days of PicMonkey, the homepage was a launching point for the apps and a way to showcase new features and creative possibilities. We refreshed it with seasonal themes that brought the PicMonkey brand to life in fun and unexpected ways.
PRESTO CHANGE-O
With these seasonal homepages, we added a little playful Easter egg that let users change the background of the site and apps to match the theme, or choose from several other options. It added to the fun of each seasonal update.
WEBSITE EVOLUTION
As PicMonkey grew, we designed the website to communicate an ever-evolving range of offerings in a more efficient and focused way. The new approach was designed to flex and scale, making it easier to update content regularly while supporting marketing and SEO goals.