The Process

Waylight began as a gut instinct, one of the very first concepts I sketched for my thesis. From the start, I knew I wanted to create something spatial, visual, and rooted in scripture. But getting the visual system to feel right took time and a lot of letting go.

Early Direction: “Ministry Mapper” and 3D Terrain

The initial iterations of this project, originally titled Ministry Mapper, lacked visual cohesion and depth. The interface relied on bright colors, generic icons, and a layout that felt more like a children’s app than a tool for meaningful biblical exploration. While the tone was playful, it didn’t align with the level of complexity or thoughtfulness I intended for the experience.

At the same time, I explored a fully rendered 3D terrain, aiming to create a sense of sophistication and immersion. Using Cinema 4D, I built landscapes with satellite-inspired textures and elevation-based lighting to root the design in realism. However, as the map developed, it began to feel too much like a video game. The environment was visually dense and distracting, making it harder for users to focus on Scripture or follow the narrative. Instead of enhancing the experience, the 3D visuals made it more difficult to engage with the core content.

This turning point led me to reevaluate the project’s foundation.

The Pivot: Letting Go of 3D

The breakthrough came when I stepped away from the 3D concept and returned to the basics. I stripped the interface down and began rebuilding it using clean 2D vector graphics. Inspired by the texture of Bible paper and the tradition of carpentry, I developed a terrain style that resembled layered paper cutouts. This new direction felt tactile, symbolic, and visually calm.

With this shift, everything began to align. The colors became more grounded, the typography gained structure, and the interface finally had room to focus on clarity. Rather than weakening the system, simplifying it made it stronger.

Evolving the Visual Style

Once I let go of the 3D direction, I focused on refining the visual language of the platform. The early designs lacked warmth, depth, and a sense of cohesion. I wanted something that felt more sophisticated but still welcoming and intuitive for users of all ages.

I created a more neutral and natural color palette and paired serif and sans-serif fonts to bring contrast and hierarchy. The updated design drew on tactile references like parchment, printed Bibles, and traditional maps, but remained clean and modern. Iconography and UI elements were softened and simplified to support calm interaction and legibility.

This approach brought a better sense of balance. The platform could now hold the spiritual and educational weight of the content without becoming overwhelming or clinical. It felt both grounded and inviting, and it supported a wide spectrum of users.

Bringing it Together

By the time I designed the journey feature, the system felt cohesive and complete. The user interface now supported spatial exploration, narrative clarity, and thematic learning in a way the early designs could not. What began as a process of experimentation and misalignment ultimately became a focused and thoughtful solution rooted in simplicity and intentional design.

Second Iterations