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How I designed composer Ryan Knagg’s website that creates atmosphere before you hear a note
Music creates atmosphere long before it tells a story. I wanted Ryan Knaggs’ website to create that same feeling through colour, typography, and layout.
Music creates atmosphere before people realise why it affects them. Here’s how I used colour, layout, and typography to create a website that feels as cinematic as Ryan Knaggs’ compositions.
Music creates atmosphere before it tells a story
I’ve always believed that websites should help people feel something before they ask them to act. That idea shaped my work for composer Ryan Knaggs. Before visitors hear a note, they should already have a sense of the music they’re about to hear. This atmosphere isn’t created by accident, it grows from countless design decisions working together.
Designing for atmosphere
Ryan Knaggs is an American composer for film, television, and video games whose music is rich in atmosphere and emotion. He wanted a website that reflected both his work and the distinctive mood that runs through his compositions. I wasn’t interested in simply designing another portfolio. I wanted the atmosphere of Ryan’s music to extend into his website’s visual design.
Finding the right visual language
While designing for Ryan, listening became as important as sketching. The more time I spent with his music, the clearer the visual language became. Colour, composition, and typography all influence how people experience a design. I explored them together, gradually building a design that shares the same sense of rhythm and restraint as his compositions.
Developing the design
Colour adds depth and reinforces the cinematic look without overwhelming the content. Typography carries much of the emotional weight throughout the design. The oversized headlines add drama and establish a rhythm, while the generous spacing encourages people to pause before moving on.
What I learned
Sometimes the strongest approach to representing music visually is to express how it feels. This project reminded me that atmosphere is created by many small design decisions coming together. Colour, layout, and typography each contribute something subtle, but together they create an experience that feels unmistakably connected to the person behind the music.
See the finished project
Ryan Knaggs’ design uses colour, layout, and typography to create a portfolio that’s every bit as atmospheric as his music. If you’d like to see how those ideas come together in the finished design, you can explore Ryan Knaggs’ website.
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January 1, 2026 • Andy Clarke • design