tristin.dawson@gmail.com
I'm a designer with an eye for detail and a habit of <overbuilding/> Self-taught, which mostly means I've made every mistake at least twice. Still chasing the layout that finally clicks.
TristinDawson
Self-taught. Well-practiced. Still up at 2am tweaking a shadow.
Websites designed
100+
Figma
Years of exp
6+
Photoshop
Happy clients
200+
Claude
Team accolades
50+
ChatGPT
( 01 ) About
I believe great work isn’t made by talent alone. It’s forged through late nights, bad drafts, and one too many revisions.
I never went to design school. I learned by opening files that were better than mine and refusing to close them until I understood why. Websites, interfaces, the occasional email nobody reads twice: if it needed to look intentional, I was probably the one making it look that way.
Figma by day, Photoshop by obligation, and lately a habit of pairing design with AI-assisted code (vibe coding, if you're being generous about it). When I'm not at a screen I'm fishing, which is its own lesson in patience, or losing hours to a game I'll pretend was research.
Skills
- Graphic design
- UX/UI design
- Web design
- Typography
- HTML & CSS emailers
Tools
- Figma
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Claude Code
Soft skills
- Team collaboration
- Creative problem solving
- Client communication
- Project management
Selected
Work
Identity systems, product interfaces, and editorial work from the last few years.
Web DesignStarbright
2026Marketing site for a Pretoria digital agency
Web DesignStarbright: Google Workspace
2026Landing page for a Google Workspace reseller offer
Web DesignAECI Plant Health
2026Corporate site for an agrochemical division of AECI
Web DesignDotcom
2026Site for a cloud advisory and cybersecurity firm
Web DesignMainline Sportswear
2026Storefront for a corporate and team apparel supplier
Web DesignDeist Breast & Lymph Care
2026Booking site for a post-mastectomy care practice
Web DesignPurrfect Pet & House Sitters
2026Marketplace connecting pet owners with verified sitters
Web DesignVegeworth
2026Editorial site for a fresh food manufacturer
Web DesignOST-Africa
2026Product catalogue for an industrial equipment distributor
Web DesignAdams Doors
2026Site for a garage door and gate specialist
Worked
At
Studios, startups, and the odd cultural institution along the way.
Starbright
Digital Designer
Website and UI design across a rotating cast of clients, plus internal graphics, HTML emailers, and a growing appetite for AI-assisted builds. The credits page for this whole site, basically.
Rocket Studios
Founder
My own studio, run on the side: brand and web work for clients who found me rather than a job board. The proof that the self-taught thing actually held up.
ZKTeco
Graphic / Web Designer
In-house designer running WordPress and Elementor builds, print, social, and whatever web graphics needed making by Friday. Where the self-taught part got tested daily.
DNMK Esports
Freelance Designer
Branding and graphics for a gaming org, done evenings and weekends alongside the day job. Turns out 'gaming' on the CV wasn't just an interest.
Trislo
Social Media Designer
My dad's company. I got the job the way you'd expect, and kept it because the work was actually good. Nepotism opened the door; two seconds per post is still two seconds per post.