Framer: When Building a Website Starts to Feel Like Designing

For those of us who come from a graphic design background, taking the leap into building a website can be far more complicated than it might seem. We are used to working with tools that allow us to organise elements visually, experiment with compositions and make adjustments instantly. However, when we try to bring that same approach into web design, we often discover that many platforms require us to learn concepts and processes that feel quite different from what we are familiar with.

That was exactly what happened when I decided to build the website for Beinuma, my personal brand. After exploring different alternatives, I discovered Framer, a tool that allowed me to approach the project in a much more natural way. Not because it removed every challenge, but because its approach to design felt much closer to what I already knew as a graphic designer: composing, adjusting, experimenting and seeing the results directly on the canvas.

A Much More Familiar Way of Working

One of the main reasons Framer caught my attention was its interface. From the very beginning, I found myself in an environment that reminded me of visual design tools, with a canvas to work on, organised layers and properties that could be adjusted directly.

For someone used to programs such as Illustrator, InDesign or Figma, this approach feels particularly comfortable. That does not mean they all work in exactly the same way, but they share a visual logic that makes it easier to understand where elements are and how to modify them. Instead of feeling as though I am configuring a website through an endless series of settings, I feel like I am building a composition that can also adapt to different devices and incorporate interactions.

This matters because it significantly reduces the initial learning curve. I can spend more time working on typography, proportions, spacing and transitions, and less time trying to understand how the tool itself is organised. And when you are developing a personal project, especially without previous web design experience, that difference is incredibly welcome.

My Experience with Webflow: Too Many Barriers to Getting Started

Before working with Framer, I tried building Beinuma using Webflow. On paper, it seemed like an interesting option: a powerful platform with extensive customisation possibilities and tools for creating professional websites without having to code everything from scratch. However, I found the experience quite frustrating.

One of the things I struggled with most was getting used to the way it organises elements through classes, combo classes and structures that require an understanding of concepts closely related to web development. I do not doubt that this system has its advantages, particularly for those who are familiar with CSS or regularly work on complex web projects. But from my perspective as a graphic designer, it introduced an additional layer of complexity that made seemingly simple visual tasks more difficult. Modifying certain elements, understanding how styles affected different parts of the page or keeping track of changes often became a slower process than I had expected.

With Framer, I found a different experience. The way it organises components, manages visual properties and handles different screen sizes felt much more intuitive. Rather than constantly having to adapt my way of thinking to the tool’s logic, I felt I could apply many of the principles I already used in my work much more naturally.

This is not to say that Framer is objectively better than Webflow in every respect. Both platforms serve different needs. But in my particular situation, the difference in their learning curves was decisive.

Design, Test and Refine Without Interrupting the Creative Process

Another aspect I particularly appreciate about Framer is how quickly I can make changes and see the results. When working on a graphic composition, I need the freedom to experiment. Changing proportions, adjusting spacing or rearranging elements is part of a continuous process of testing and refinement.

Framer makes it easier to bring that same approach to building a website. I can modify a section, adjust its responsive behaviour, add an animation or change the arrangement of certain elements without constantly having to rebuild the project’s structure. Being able to work visually across different breakpoints is particularly useful. Although adapting a website for mobiles and tablets still requires careful attention, seeing and adjusting each layout directly makes the whole process much easier to understand.

Of course, that does not mean everything works automatically. While building Beinuma, I have had to solve issues involving videos, responsive behaviour and other details that required more specific solutions. But even in those situations, working within a familiar environment has allowed me to focus on solving the problem itself, rather than simultaneously struggling with an interface I did not yet fully understand.

Artificial Intelligence as a Starting Point

Another feature of Framer that I find particularly interesting is the integration of artificial intelligence tools to speed up certain stages of the process. When starting a website from scratch, one of the most time-consuming tasks can be building its initial structure: deciding how to organise sections, establishing a content hierarchy and preparing a foundation on which to develop the design. AI-assisted generation tools can help at precisely this stage. With a set of instructions, it is possible to obtain an initial proposal containing sections, text and a visual structure that can then be modified and adapted to the project’s needs.

And this is where I see their real potential. It is not about asking artificial intelligence to design an entire website and simply accepting whatever it produces. It is about using it to avoid some of the repetitive work involved in starting from a blank page. Having a sufficiently solid initial structure can save a considerable amount of time, particularly when the goal is to create a personal portfolio or a presentation website.

In certain projects, that starting point could save weeks of work spent building and organising the initial elements. Of course, the generated proposal still needs reviewing. Visual identity, consistency between sections, typographic decisions and content adaptation all require human input. But that is precisely the advantage: being able to spend more time personalising and refining the result, rather than investing it all in building the structure from scratch.

A Tool That Better Suits the Way I Design

After working with Framer on Beinuma, one of the clearest conclusions I have reached is that choosing the right tool can have an enormous impact on our creative experience. We do not always need the program with the most features or the one capable of building the most complex structures. Sometimes, what really makes the difference is finding a tool whose workflow matches our knowledge and needs.

In my case, Framer has made building a website feel much more like designing than learning a system completely unfamiliar to my profession. That does not eliminate the need to research, experiment or deal with technical challenges. Nor does it automatically turn a graphic designer into a web development specialist. But it does reduce some of the barriers that can discourage us when we want to bring our ideas into a digital environment. And I believe that is one of the reasons why tools like Framer are so interesting: they allow professionals from different creative disciplines to take on projects that previously seemed far less accessible.

Less Time Learning the Tool, More Time Creating

If I had to sum up what I have enjoyed most about Framer, it would probably be this: the feeling of being able to make progress without constantly having to stop and learn how to make every small adjustment. Its visual interface, the way it manages elements and the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence all contribute to making the creative process faster and more accessible.

Of course, there are still limitations and situations where external solutions or more specialised knowledge are necessary. My own experience building Beinuma is proof of that. But after trying other alternatives, I am convinced that Framer has been a much better choice for the way I work. Because ultimately, a good creative tool should not force us to constantly think about how to use it, but allow us to focus on what we actually want to create.