Fellowship Certificate Design

This project taught me one of the most valuable lessons in design: Context is King.

The Proposal

For the FOSSEE Summer Fellowship, I was tasked with designing a certificate for graduates. I wanted it to look expensive. I went for a dark, rich background with gold accents—something that screamed "Premium."

The "Failure" (and the Lesson)

It wasn't selected. Why? Because while it looked "premium," it didn't look celebratory. It was too dark for a joyous academic achievement.

• The takeaway: A "good" design that misses the emotional mark is a bad design.
• The outcome: I uploaded it to the FOCAL library anyway, because hey, maybe someone needs a moody, mysterious certificate?

Technical Specs

• Tool: Inkscape v0.92.
• Style: Serif typography, Gold gradients, Dark mode aesthetic.