Great design work isn’t about starting from a blank canvas every time. The designers who deliver fastest have a reliable stack of assets they reach for on every project, and they know exactly where each one lives. Here is how to build yours.
UI kits: start at 60%, not zero
A good UI kit gives you tested components, sensible spacing and complete user flows. Instead of drawing every button and form field, you begin with a working system and spend your time on what makes the project unique.
- Look for tokens and variables, so you can rebrand the whole kit by changing a few colours and fonts.
- Check for auto-layout in Figma, which keeps components responsive as content changes.
- Prefer kits with full flows, such as onboarding, checkout or dashboards, over a loose collection of screens.
Fonts: two families are usually enough
Most brands need one expressive display face for headlines and one highly readable family for body text. Keep a shortlist of pairings you trust, and always check the font’s licence covers web, app and client use before you ship.
Icons: consistency beats quantity
Mixing icon sets is one of the quickest ways to make an interface feel unfinished. Pick one set with a consistent grid and stroke width, and make sure it covers the actions your product needs. Sets that come in several weights make it easy to match your typography.
A small, consistent icon set always looks more premium than a huge, mismatched one.
Mockups: sell the idea, not the pixels
Clients approve what they can picture. Placing your design on a realistic device, packaging or print mockup helps them see it in the real world, and makes your portfolio far more convincing. Keep a few versatile scenes ready: a laptop, a phone, a stationery set and a social post.
Graphics and 3D: add character quickly
Illustrations, 3D icons and abstract backgrounds can lift a landing page or pitch deck in minutes. Choose packs with a consistent style and editable colours so they match each client’s brand.
How to organise your stack
- One library folder with sub-folders for UI kits, fonts, icons, mockups and graphics.
- Keep the licence or a note of its terms next to each asset.
- Publish team libraries in Figma for the components you use most.
- Review quarterly and archive anything you haven’t used.
Build once, reuse everywhere
The time you invest in a solid asset stack pays back on every project. Start with one great UI kit, a trusted font pairing, a consistent icon set and a handful of mockups, then grow it as your client work evolves.
Stock up your stack. Browse UI templates, fonts & icons, mockups and graphics, or get everything with a membership.
