Make room for the strange reference
A Figma profile of Aitana Picó celebrates off-putting references, personal archives, and ‘bad’ visual instincts as fuel for original work.
Taste gets interesting when it includes the things you are not supposed to like.
The Story
Figma’s latest maker profile follows graphic designer and artist Aitana Picó’s eclectic mental database: an off-putting tarot deck, a Jockstrap CD, and a recurring dream about aerial silks. The feature is a small but pointed argument for keeping unusual references alive. ([figma.com](https://www.figma.com/blog/?utm_source=openai))
In a culture of polished moodboards and rapidly reproduced aesthetics, private oddness can become a meaningful source of distinction. The reference does not need to be prestigious; it needs to unlock a visual decision that could not have come from the default search results.
Studio Wensday move: keep a ‘bad ideas, good textures’ archive. Add things that are awkward, too loud, too sentimental, or technically unfashionable. Originality often begins as the willingness to look twice at the wrong thing.
Studio Wensday Angle
A personal reference library is one of the few creative assets that cannot be mass-produced on demand.