Gaurav Singh

2000-2004: Where It All Began – HTML and the Discovery of Digital Identity

In 2000, when I first stumbled upon web design, it felt like discovering a new world. HTML was a gateway to creating something entirely my own, and the web was a blank canvas where I could experiment, test ideas, and reflect pieces of myself. Back then, with Microsoft FrontPage, I created crude websites made of a few pages and links. There was no CSS, no JavaScript — just HTML stitched together by a curious beginner trying to find my digital voice.

Reflecting on those early days, I see how deeply I was influenced by the loud, garish aesthetics of the 90s web — bright colors, busy pages, blinking text. But even in that chaos, there was beauty. I often wonder, why did those early designs, however unpolished, feel so alive? Was it their unpredictability? Their unrefined yet authentic attempt at self-expression? The web felt like an uncharted territory, and that excitement was palpable in every page I designed.

Learning wasn’t easy, but it was thrilling. I reverse-engineered websites to understand how they worked, scouring the internet and reading books on web design. I experimented with Macromedia Flash to add movement and animation to my website — making the pages not just read but speak. Even in those early years, I was captivated by the power of branding. BBC, National Geographic — these brands stood out to me with their clean, restrained designs. How could design create such an authoritative, timeless feel? That question would haunt and inspire me for years to come.

2005-2009: Learning the Craft – CSS, JavaScript, and the Online Self

By 2005, I had outgrown the static, table-based websites of my earlier years. The more I learned about CSS and JavaScript, the more I realized the true potential of web design. The separation of content and style — CSS’s gift — was a revelation. Suddenly, the canvas of the web expanded before me, offering not just structure but creative freedom. What is it about design that makes a website resonate? I often asked myself. Is it the choice of colors, the careful balance of text and images, or perhaps the subtlety of white space.

During this time, I started experimenting with Adobe Photoshop to design visual elements for my site, bringing in influences from print media — a world that fascinated me with its precision and order. I wanted my website to be an online version of myself, a space that reflected not just my work but my thoughts, my identity. Yet, I remained wary of the new wave of dynamic websites and social media platforms. I was still more interested in the notion of control — should my website be a static reflection of who I am, or should it evolve as I do?

This was also the time I began to confront deeper questions in web design. What is my responsibility as a designer in shaping the web? It wasn’t just about making things look good anymore — it was about accessibility, privacy, and ensuring that design served everyone. These were questions that would stay with me, shaping my decisions as a designer and creator.

2010-2012: The CMS Experiment – WordPress, Tumblr, and the Art of Letting Go

As I navigated the latter half of this decade, I realized that I needed a platform that could grow with me. Hand-coding every aspect of my website was becoming unmaintainable, especially as my life got busier. This led me to explore content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla. WordPress stood out for its flexibility and a huge support community — is design about control, or is it about collaboration? Platforms like WordPress showed me the power of community — how design could be a shared experience, supported by others’ knowledge and creativity.

But a new moment came when I discovered Tumblr. Tumblr’s simplicity captivated me. It allowed me to focus on content — my thoughts, my work — without getting lost in the endless technicalities. For the first time, I was willing to let go of control. My website became less about rigid structure and more about fluid expression. The question that stayed with me was: What does it mean to create a personal digital space?

Yet even as I loved Tumblr’s minimalism, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The design was still confined to templates. I wanted to create something that was distinctly mine — something that could evolve beyond platforms. How do you find balance between creative expression and the simplicity of a platform? I was caught between the ease of Tumblr and the control I craved from hand-coding. This tension would continue to shape my approach for years to come.

2013-2019: Minimalism and the Rise of the Static Site

This was a time of deeper introspection in my design philosophy. I had grown tired of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for documenting my life — they felt fleeting, and the idea of a personal archive, an unchanging digital space, started to appeal to me more and more. I craved simplicity, control, and timelessness in design.

My website in 2013

In discovering static site generators like Jekyll, I found the perfect balance. These platforms allowed me to create websites that were fast, efficient, and, most importantly, mine. No databases, no dynamic content — just pure design and content. What does simplicity mean in web design? For me, it wasn’t just about reducing elements; it was about clarity, purpose, and focus. Every element on the page had to have meaning. I was heavily inspired by Swiss design — its emphasis on grid systems, clean lines, and functionality resonated deeply with my own values.

My website in 2014

But simplicity also raised new challenges. How do you make something simple yet engaging? How do you design for a deeper emotional connection? These were questions that led me to focus more on typography and layout, aiming for a minimalism that didn’t strip away personality or depth.

2020-2024: Control, Simplicity, and a Personal Digital Space

Entering the 2020s, I finally feel like I’ve come full circle. After two decades of exploring different platforms and tools — WordPress, Tumblr, Medium, Squarespace — I’ve now settled on something that feels authentically me. Using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in the Jamstack framework, I’ve built a site that is both minimalist and highly customizable.

I design directly in the browser now, with no intermediaries. This shift has allowed me to think deeply about what makes a website truly personal? Is it the design, the content, or the balance between the two? For me, it’s about control, simplicity, and the ability to experiment. My current setup — Eleventy, Nunjucks for templating, and Markdown for content — provides a stable yet flexible foundation. Yet I still ask myself: How do you continue to evolve while maintaining simplicity?

This journey hasn’t just been about web design — it’s been about space for documenting my life. Design is anyway much beyond just about aesthetics or code. It might be about asking important questions: What kind of space I'm creating? Is it accessible? Does it reflect the values I hold dear? My website is now a reflection of who I am, and as I continue to grow, so too will my understanding of what it means to design in a world that is constantly changing.

Moving forward, I’m excited by the possibilities. Technologies like AI, AR, and voice interfaces are reshaping the web yet again. But I’m also cautious — how do we integrate these new technologies without losing the human touch? My website, in its minimalist form, is an ongoing answer to that question — a balance between technological innovation and a personal digital archive. It is not just a space for showcasing work, but for expressing ideas, values, and ultimately, myself.