Hi! I’m Joey and I’ve been a Product Designer for about 8 years now. I’m humbled to have recently joined the talented team at Webflow, where I work as a designer on Design Systems. Before coming to Webflow, I spent time at Twitter, Figma, and in healthcare with Virta Health.  I truly love helping to make the things that make it easier for others to do their thing and I’m happy to share all I can about the experiences I’ve had as a designer in my career so far.

Get mentored by Joey Banks on ADPList

https://adplist.org/mentors/joey-banks?session=17395-general-mentorship

A photo of Figma with several dark and light gradient mobile wallpapers.

Hello again! 👋 This week’s newsletter is all about working with variables in Figma. Now, having been available for just over a year, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about variables, it’s that nearly every team takes a slightly different approach when it comes to creating and

Baseline #22 – How I Organize Variables in Figma

https://newsletter.baselinedesign.io/baseline-22-tips-for-organizing-variables-in-figma/

…and everything else that’s new from Figma’s Framework event

Baseline #17 – Typography Variables in Figma Are Here

https://buttondown.email/joeyabanks/archive/baseline-17-typography-variables-in-figma-are-here/

Everything to Know About Multi-editing in Figma

https://medium.com/@joeyabanks/everything-to-know-about-multi-editing-in-figma-edd58369fd20

A blank Figma frame on the canvas titled "Frame 1".

This interaction and animation are just fantastic.

I am so sorry to have to be the one to share this with you today.

Ahh, it felt so good to write and share a long-form post again today to try and help explain something that feels like a lot at first. Excited to dive back into creating more of these!

I've been looking everywhere for this since we moved a few years ago, and I'm so relieved that I finally found it. Without a doubt, this was the best iPhone I've owned: iPhone 4S. 😍📱

Excited to be back on ADPList! If there's anything I can help you with, from design systems to portfolios and career help or Figma, I'd love to meet and say hi. 👋😊
https://adplist.org/mentors/joey-banks?session=17395-general-mentorship

Listening to Blade Runner 2049's soundtrack and jamming away on all I can for the upcoming iOS 17 UI kit for Figma. My happy place. 🎧

Good morning, Posts! 👋 Using this morning to plan the week out in Obsidian, and thinking about turning Baseline's newsletter into a weekly newsletter. I really miss writing, and have so much that I want to share!
https://buttondown.com/joeyabanks/

Making a few new wallpapers for fun this afternoon. 🧘‍♂️☕️

Met with a designer earlier this week who had applied to nearly 500 jobs and finally got their first yes back today. Keep hanging in there.

Working on so many iOS UI kits for Figma through the years has been the highlight of my career. So much of myself went into these files, & it's hard to put down something I deeply love, but now the best design team in the world stepped up filled the gap my work was there for. ❤️

Sometimes I think the best design skill I have is being able to make a decent spreadsheet.

spent a little bit of time on a new team training module block this morning. ☕

I really miss hanging out with this community on Posts—going to start sharing more over here this year! 👋😊

It's been six months and I still can't believe I'm independent and have the chance to work on growing my company and working with the best clients each and every day. 🙏

There is nothing more helpful than using a Finder window to make sure elements within a design are correctly aligned.

Had a lot of fun writing about how I (try to) keep my variables organized in Figma in this week's newsletter! Hoping this can help others out there who are building component libraries. 📝

https://newsletter.baselinedesign.io/baseline-22-tips-for-organizing-variables-in-figma/

Two of my absolute favorite icons for the Mac: internal drive & Xserve. 😍

Easy choice! 💛 I love this little space on the internet

Me: I'm not writing all of that.
*Uses AI to write and send an email.*

Recipient: I'm not reading all of that.
*Uses AI to summarize and reply.*

Me: I'm not reading all of that.
*Uses AI to summarize and reply.*

🔁

I think one of the best things about design is how you can go to bed not knowing how to solve a problem you're working on and then wake up with an idea that just may work. ✨

Earlier this week, Figma released a feature I was almost sure we wouldn't see until this year's Config: typography variables! 🎉🔤 Excited to hit publish on this post.

https://buttondown.email/joeyabanks/archive/baseline-17-typography-variables-in-figma-are-here/

Designing and building a few things in Framer for the first time! 🤓

👋 Took a few months to be away from social media to focus on myself, my mental and physical health, and my goals for my company, Baseline (I started working with two new dream clients!), but I'm excited to be back and to see many of you again! Hi!

Going into week two of being an indie! So scary to begin to figure this new world out, but I'm also feeling so much more like myself and couldn't feel more energized about what's ahead!

Multi-edit from @figma is one of those rare features in software design that makes you feel like, at least for a brief moment, you’ve just gained a new superpower. Here's what's new!
https://medium.com/@joeyabanks/everything-to-know-about-multi-editing-in-figma-edd58369fd20

For the past few days, I've been working non-stop within 
Figma to help a large brand create their first component library and eventual design system while listening to podcasts and music. So far, I couldn't be happier with how the independent life is shaping up! 😊🙏

Creating footers is the best part of web design. ✨

Apparently my Saturday nights are for organizing Notion and Obsidian. 🧹✨

Having my third surgery within the last year this week, and I’m sincerely hoping this is the one that finally lets me get back to who I was a year ago. I’m super nervous, but am trying to keep my head and hopes up. 🤞❤️

Feeling all sorts of excited and energized about a few upcoming changes in life. Excited to share more sooooon! ✨

Monday morning, journaling in Obsidian, and planning the week ahead in Notion. 📝☀️ Still feeling sooo fortunate to work as an independent designer and to be able to partner with fantastic clients.

Accidentally sent an email broadcast this morning that contained nothing but lorem ipsum. Life is good. 🥲

Learned a new tool and launched a new site for Baseline today! ✨ Couldn't be more excited for the year ahead of helping teams and companies with design systems and Figma.
http://baselinedesign.io

Excited to be working on something new for Baseline! ✨

It's a small little thing, but this is one of my favorite (and maybe unnecessary) interactions on the new site for Baseline.

This was the first frame from an Apple Vision Pro review that made me believe we’re all going to be using and leaning into spacial computing soon enough. It always comes back to timers.

One of those mornings where I just absolutely love being a designer.

Just noticed that the original iPad wallpaper made its way into iPadOS 17. So great.

SF's Muni logo is easily one of my absolute favorites.

Today it hit me—I’m enjoying my career more than ever. Incredibly grateful to be able to say that and for all that's ahead with Baseline. 🙏

Beginning the first draft for a newsletter post focused on the tools I'm using and what I've learned running Baseline full-time so far. I've been wanting to share this for a while and can't wait to hit publish in the next few weeks! 📝

Finally! Duplicate *and* rotate is now available within Figma. 🙏

The toughest and best moment for any new project: