Art Blocks — An Evolving Identity for Generative Art

senior UI/Visual designer for Art Blocks
Overview
Art Blocks is the leading platform for generative art released on the Ethereum blockchain. Each artwork is created with code and minted on-chain, making every piece both unique and verifiably original. As the platform evolved from a grassroots experiment into a category-defining brand, the visual identity had to grow with it—becoming more expressive, more flexible, and more cohesive. My work focused on expanding and applying a system that supported artists, educated collectors, and ensured the Art Blocks brand remained recognizable without ever overshadowing the art on the platform.
My Role
Over the course of three years, I was the sole marketing designer at Art Blocks—owning visual design across communications, brand, and CMS-driven UI assets. I launched and maintained two Webflow marketing sites and led the evolution of our design systems as the company scaled. I collaborated cross-functionally with product, engineering, and community teams, and owned the design and content styling within our CMS to support homepage updates, artist profiles, and journal entries. My work focused on delivering consistent, scalable visuals that amplified generative art while aligning with shifting company goals.
Art Blocks branded letterhead with a sample letter and signature, featuring a colorful logo, address at top and bottom, and a black and white envelope with matching logo.
Person with curly blonde hair wearing a black t-shirt with a colorful Art Blocks logo in front, pulling the shirt slightly.
Stack of business cards for Margaret McNealy, Senior UI/Visual Designer at Art Blocks, showing contact details and a colorful abstract design.
Color palette and typography guide showing primary brand colors with RGB, CMYK, Pantone, and HEX values; secondary gradients; Founders Grotesk and Suisse Works typefaces in various weights; and sample text layouts.
The System
The foundational brand system, created just before I joined, included the Art Blocks logo, type system, and base visual language. My role was to carry it forward, build upon it, and ensure its flexibility across all design needs:
  • ‍Typography & Layout: I applied and extended the brand’s typographic system across digital and print environments, creating grid-based layouts that supported clarity and hierarchy
  • Design Templates: Developed and maintained a full suite of reusable templates for artist releases, email campaigns, product updates, and event promotions—adapting them over time to match shifting business goals
  • ‍Content Systems: Owned all content updates and styling within the platform’s headless CMS (Strapi), helping showcase new artwork, artists, and editorial content in a cohesive, brand-aligned format
  • ‍Design Ops: Introduced scalable, repeatable visual systems that improved efficiency for a small team managing frequent releases and communication updates
The Challenge
Art Blocks needed a design system that could support a growing community of artists and collectors without overpowering the art itself. As the ecosystem matured—from single artist launches to large-scale Curated exhibitions, international events, and partner integrations—the brand required more structure, visual cohesion, and reusable tools to scale.
Responsive website design for Art Blocks shown on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices featuring contemporary generative art and curatorship content.
Illustration of hands typing code on a keyboard connected to customizable and shareable digital art interfaces (Art Blocks' PostParams) with blockchain and security icons on black background.
Abstract digital illustration of colorful 3D cubes and floating geometric shapes in blue and purple hues.
Screenshot collage showcasing curated exhibition newsletters including an emailed invitation, detailed event information, announcements, and reminders.
Flowchart illustrating the auction email notification process from placing a bid, opting in, receiving outbid emails, placing new bids, auction end scenarios, and subsequent emails for winners, alongside examples of automated email templates for bid confirmation, outbid notification, winning notification, secondary market purchase, token mint notification, and claim window eligibility.
In the World
The brand came to life across a wide range of visible and behind-the-scenes touchpoints. I designed assets for:
  • Email Design: Led the redesign and ongoing evolution of Art Blocks’ marketing and automated notification emails—transforming early ad-hoc layouts into clean, brand-aligned templates that progressed in tone and design as the company matured
  • Web Design: Launched and maintained the public-facing B2C Webflow marketing site, and later a second B2B Webflow site for the company’s sister organization, all while ensuring they remained on-brand, responsive, and clear
  • CMS-Driven Features: Worked closely with the Eng and Product teams to create and maintain homepage, artist profiles, and journal features to support Curated release announcements, education, and engagement
  • Event Materials: Created print and digital assets for community events like Art Blocks Marfa Weekend, including signage, maps, and exhibition collateral to support the in-person collector and artist experience
Impact
  • Improved design consistency and brand recognition across all communication channels
  • Homepage and journal updates contributed to ongoing artist visibility and consistent project sellouts
  • Redesigned emails increased readability and open and click-through rates of marketing and notification messages
  • Internal teams benefited from a repeatable system of brand-aligned templates and toolkits that reduced turnaround time and preserved visual standards
Graphic design layouts and social media mockups promoting "Algorithmic Generations," an exhibition on generative art, featuring colorful vertical bars and event details.
Art Blocks Engine website design mockups displayed on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices showcasing a dark-themed interface with text 'Engine powers innovation.'
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