Creativity thrives on experimentation, and Suz Sirunyan put this to the test with a bold 100-day challenge—creating daily web experiments purely for the joy of exploration. What started as a personal project quickly grew into a community-driven journey, inspiring designers and developers alike. In this article, she shares the lessons learned from stepping outside her comfort zone, embracing imperfection, and rediscovering the fun in digital design.
When Comfort Zones Get Too Comfortable
When I started my 100-day challenge in August 2024, I was a digital designer who had found her rhythm—a stable client base, a solid portfolio, and a decent paycheck. Like many in web design, I had my formula down: align with the brand, nail the UX, and keep the client happy. Rinse and repeat.
But something kept nagging at me. Our industry’s obsession with best practices and conversion rates had squeezed the fun out of digital design—that raw, playful energy that drew many of us to the field in the first place. So I decided to break my own rules. Every day for 100 days, I would create something purely experimental, without the safety net of client briefs or user testing.
Breaking the Loop
Armed with my trusted trio—Illustrator, Figma, and After Effects—I dove in. Each day followed a simple rhythm: conceptualize an idea (usually while drinking too much coffee), design the elements, and bring it to life through prototyping and animation. What started as a personal experiment soon turned into something much bigger than I had expected.
What amazed me wasn’t just the designs I created, but the ripple effect they had on our community. As the days went by, developers began picking up these experimental concepts and transforming them into real, functioning websites. What started as a solo journey morphed into a collaborative exploration of what’s possible on the web.
Through blood, sweat, and probably too many energy drinks, here’s what 100 days of pushing creative boundaries taught me:
1. Motivation is a Myth
We’ve all been there—watching David Goggins at midnight, feeling invincible, ready to conquer the world. The next morning? Reality hits differently.
Motivation, I’ve learned, is just the media’s favorite fairy tale. It sells because it feels good, like watching Rocky climb those steps. But real growth? That happens at 5 AM, when your eyes are heavy, and the only thing pushing you forward is a promise you made to yourself.
The truth about extraordinary creators isn’t sexy. They’re not fueled by motivational videos or inspirational quotes. They’re the ones who showed up yesterday, showed up today, and will show up again tomorrow. Simple, consistent action—that’s the secret sauce nobody wants to talk about because it’s too ordinary.
But watch someone do anything consistently for long enough, and suddenly, “ordinary” transforms into something remarkable.
2. The Burnout Antidote
Around day 45, burnout wasn’t just knocking—it was breaking down the door. The temptation to post mediocre work just to maintain the streak was real. But I’d made myself a promise: no settling. Instead of pushing through with depleted creativity, I turned to learning. Every time I felt stuck, I picked up a new technique, played with generative art, and explored animation principles I’d been too busy to study.
It turns out that raw curiosity we all start with never really dies—it just gets buried under deadlines and expectations. Everything shifted the moment I gave myself permission to be a beginner again. My burnout didn’t just fade; it transformed into fuel.
3. Creativity is a Muscle
Everything builds on what came before. I learned to tap into creativity like a kid—collecting ideas that excited me, embracing imperfection, and giving myself space between inspiration and creation. The more I practiced this, the more natural it became. Just like working out, creative muscles grow stronger with use.
The hardest part wasn’t creating something new every day—it was letting go of the pressure to make it perfect. Some days, ideas flowed effortlessly; other days, it felt like squeezing water from a stone. But each attempt, each “rep,” made the next one a little bit easier.
4. Test Ideas, Don’t Cuddle Them
Everything builds on what came before. I learned to tap into creativity like a kid—collecting ideas that excited me, embracing imperfection, and allowing space between inspiration and creation. The more I practiced, the more natural it became. Just like working out, creative muscles grow stronger with use.
The hardest part wasn’t creating something new every day—it was letting go of the pressure to make it perfect. Some days, ideas flowed effortlessly; other days, it felt like squeezing water from a stone. But with each attempt, each ‘rep,’ the next one became a little easier.
5. Community Makes it Worthwhile
The first 20 days felt like shouting into a void. Four hours per design, zero engagement. That’s 80 hours of questioning every life decision. But then, something shifted. A developer recreated one of my interfaces in pure CSS. Another turned a glitchy animation into a React component. Suddenly, my solo experiment became a collaborative playground.
Watching talented developers transform my visual experiments into functional code wasn’t just inspiring—it changed the entire meaning of the project. What started as a personal challenge evolved into a community of creators, each adding their own spin to the story.
The List of Dev Legends
Here’s the list of super-talented, resilient, and a little bit crazy developers who got inspired and brought these designs to life. Without you, this challenge wouldn’t have been this much fun. Thank you!
Ashwin Thomas
Profile: LinkedIn
Demos:
Saurabh Chakradhari
Profile: LinkedIn
Demos:
James Blaskett
Profile: LinkedIn
Demos:
Antoine Wodniack
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: CodePen Demo
Joseph Suberu
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Acesse
Nicola Merici
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: 100 Days Challenge
Joshua Fry
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: SuzBG Webflow
Web Bae (Kleary)
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Clipped Webflow
Philippe Goulliart
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Drop Hover Animation
Anas E.
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Dynamic Words Animation
Joris Hens
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Hero Animation
Rajashri Brahma
Profile: LinkedIn
Demo: Drag & Draw Effect
The End is Just the Beginning
As I write this in early 2025, looking back at those 100 days that ended in 2024, I find myself in a different place than where I started. Not because I became a better designer (though that happened too), but because I rediscovered why I fell in love with digital design in the first place. It’s not about perfect pixels or flawless animations—it’s about pushing boundaries, staying curious, and building connections.
What better way to close a year than with the hundredth experiment? Through this journey, I watched simple design experiments transform into fully functional experiences, saw developers turn visual concepts into open-source libraries, and connected with creators I now consider friends. Each day wasn’t just about posting a new design—it was about contributing to a larger conversation about what’s possible on the web.
For those thinking about starting their own 100-day challenge: don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect idea. Start with what you have and where you are. You might think you’re embarking on a solo journey of skill improvement, but trust me—you’re about to discover something far more valuable along the way.