Designing with Constraints

The Empty Canvas Problem

Give a designer infinite options and they'll stare at a blank screen for hours. Give them three constraints and they'll have a prototype by lunch.

I've been thinking about this a lot while building this site.

The Constraints I Set

• One font family for display — no substitutes
• One accent colour — gold, or nothing
• No decorations that don't carry meaning

Every ornament you see — the ◆ diamonds, the corner brackets, the dashed borders — earns its place by reinforcing the game-world metaphor.

The Result

A coherent visual language I couldn't have arrived at with total freedom. The constraint was the design direction.

Next time you feel stuck, don't add options. Remove them.