Visual distinctiveness comes from leveraging techniques difficult in design tools¶
Insight: Designs stand out by employing techniques that are difficult in tools like Figma—as tool capabilities homogenize outputs, difficult techniques remain rare. Designers gain competitive advantage by accessing previously difficult approaches through AI and emerging tools: shaders/WebGL, 3D assets and effects, isometric illustration, advanced animation, custom video/photography, and front-end effects.
Detail: The 10 strategies span from 3D/animation (Blender, Cinema 4D, Unicorn Studio) to original content (custom photography, illustration, video) to code-based effects (SVG animation, front-end effects, CSS transforms). The broader principle: use AI and specialized tools to access complexity that standard design workflows exclude, creating visual and conceptual distinctiveness.
Sources
- Erik Kennedy — "Do What's Hard to Do in Figma" (2026-03-25)