Most developer portfolios are a dark gradient with a glowing card. I wanted something people would remember, so mine is a newspaper : The Nandan Review .

Underneath it is a small design system I call The Press . This post is about how it works, why the newspaper idea held together, and what it taught me about design systems in general. If you've ever stared at a blank stylesheet wondering what shade of grey to use, this is for you.

The idea: ink on paper

A newspaper press is mechanical, precise and industrial. It stamps ink onto paper with force and intention. I wanted every interaction on the site to feel the same way: deliberate and a little permanent.

That gave me a first principle that I could test every decision against:

Everything should feel printed.

What does that rule out?

Glowing or fluorescent colours. Print is muted and natural.

Rounded, soft borders. Rules in print are hard and sharp.

Floaty blurred shadows.…