sketchbook no. 14Paper before pixels
Every project starts in a sketchbook. It's faster to throw away a drawing than a screen.
I design quiet software that feels alive.
Lisbon, PortugalProduct designer & front-end engineerBooking for early 2027
it has a real menu.
go on, open it
Notes
Today at 9:41 AM
Theo Marsh
Product designer & front-end engineer
I design and build quiet, useful software for small teams. Ten years in, I still start every project with a pencil, and I still get a kick out of the first time something real loads in a browser.
things to try
0 of 6 · click a line if you're shy
A few habits of mine.
Small things that keep the work honest.
- sketchbook no. 14
8:30 · deep workA steady rhythm
Mornings for deep work, afternoons for calls. You'll always know when to hear from me.
shipped · fridaySmall pieces, often
Something real to click every Friday, instead of one big reveal at the very end.
Selected work.
Things I've designed, built, or both.
online shop · 2026Kiln
An online shop for a ceramics studio in Porto, as calm as the work on its shelves.
subscriptions · 2026Northfield
Subscriptions for a small-batch coffee roaster, from the first bag to the monthly box.
ios app · 2025Tidepool
A habit tracker for iPhone that nudges instead of nags.
web app · 2025Fern
A plant care companion that knows when to water, and when to leave it alone.
booking · 2024Harbor
Booking for a sailing school, rebuilt to work on a phone, on a dock, in the wind.
- design system · 2023
Sorts
A type-led design system for an independent publisher, shared across web and print.
- Remote, worldwide
- Fixed quotes, no surprises
- Design and code, one person
Two ways to work together.
A project with a clear finish line, or a steady seat at your table. Either way, you work with me directly.
A project
4–8weeksfixed scope
A website, an app or a design system, from the first sketch to launch day.
Start a projectA retainer
2days a weekongoing
A steady pair of hands for a team that ships something every week.
Book a callEvery project starts with a free 30-minute call.
Just want the résumé?
One page. Everything above, plus references when you need them.
Say hello
replies within a dayTell me a little about what you're making and when you'd like it out in the world. I read every message myself.
I read these with my first coffee
FAQ
Before you ask.
Yes. I'm booking projects from early 2027, and I keep a little room each month for smaller jobs.
All the time. Most of my clients are remote, and I keep a few hours each day that overlap with the Americas.
Both. I design in the browser as much as on the canvas, and I hand over production-ready code, not just mockups.
A fixed quote after a short call, based on scope rather than hours. No surprises halfway through.
A rough idea of the goal, who it's for and a date you'd love to hit. We can figure out the rest together.
Experience
Where I've been.
Next
Your team, maybe.
Independent
2024 — now
- RoleDesigning and building for small teams, studios and the odd brave founder.
- ShippedNine sites and two apps, from Porto to Portland.
- LearnedA short weekly demo beats a long monthly report.
Field Studio
2021 — 2024
- RoleSenior product designer in a team of six.
- LedA booking platform redesign for three hundred venues.
- BuiltA design system shared across web and iOS.
Brightline
2018 — 2021
- RoleFront-end engineer, then designer, then a bit of both.
- ShippedThe first mobile app, from an empty repository to the App Store.
- FixedA checkout that lost one in five orders on mobile.
Design school
2014 — 2018
- StudiedCommunication design, with far too many evenings in the print room.