I Turned My Insecurities into Art with Google AI (And Built This)

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

This submission was created for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge presented by Google AI. I have always felt that I perceive the world differently, and the web often feels static and “unlively.” I wanted to infuse a persona and unique touch that brings a human feel, breathing genuine life into the user interface.

Project Overview

The portfolio is built for experience—every interaction matters. For example, hovering over the banner corners controls the waves and toggles the theme manually.

Note: The embed below may limit features due to screen size. For the full‑fledged, immersive experience, please visit directly: byadhd-dev

This project is more than a portfolio; it is the realization of Artode—the fusion of Art + Code. Over a 15‑day “vibe coding” sprint alongside my full‑time job, I built complex scenes, a custom icons package, and the entire portfolio to bring that vision to life.

Tools & Workflow

• Google AI Studio – Designed the complex themes and living scenes for the banner, iterating until the “feel” was perfect. Directly pushed code to GitHub from the studio, making the transition from idea to local environment seamless.
• Antigravity – Served as the engine for the Next.js application.
• Gemini 3 Pro & Flash models – Handled roughly 95 % of the development (only stopping when rate limits were hit). They assisted with ideating particle effects, implementing complex logic, and understanding the vibe beyond mere syntax.

The workflow allowed me to articulate my vision without getting lost in the chaotic noise of my mind.

Features

Interactive Banner & Theme Switcher

A sun and wave system that functions as a living scene and a functional theme‑switcher, mimicking natural light cycles.

Artode‑Icons Package

A custom icon set created because standard icons felt too rigid for the story I wanted to tell.

“No Guilt” Contribution Graph

A GitHub contribution graph that prioritizes aesthetics over activity streaks, emphasizing the art of contribution rather than pressure.

Gamified Endorsements

Two interactive spheres respond to the cursor; their collision changes content, turning a potential weakness (few endorsements) into a playful, engaging moment.

Life in Posters

A hobby of documenting life through tactile posters, providing a unique sense of interaction—especially on mobile devices.

Story‑Based Scroll

A narrative scrolling experience where text snaps into focus, allowing me to speak my feelings directly in a curated, personal way.

Particle Engagement

From the “Leave a note” section where text disperses into particles, to the projects canvas that morphs on hover, every element encourages the user to play, explore, and engage.

Philosophy & Reflection

I realized that a beautiful brain paired with proper articulation lets everything fall into place. By rejecting mediocrity, I transformed static elements into living experiences that reflect my feelings and overcome insecurities. The development process felt less like coding and more like painting with logic, powered by a toolstack that finally spoke my language.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the DEV Community and the Google Team for organizing these amazing challenges, and a huge thank you to Google for making powerful AI tools affordable and accessible to builders like me.