Two decades of experience in photography, design, and passion for sharing knowledge with the next generation of designers.
Sergei Chyrkov is a Design Director, Product Design Lead, photographer, and design mentor with 14+ years in UX/UI and 23+ years in photography. Since 2012, he has been a Founder & Creative Director at CHYRKOV studio. Sergei specializes in UX/UI, visual identity and design systems. However, long before that he began his professional career as a photographer in 2004. He worked for Red Bull, Times UK and other magazines. Now it's more of a hobby, but he's always open to interesting projects. His favorite genres are: fashion, portraits and travel.
Also Sergei is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience. He has been teaching web design and Figma since 2018 and helped more than 2500 students find themselves in the design world! Book a mentoring session or explore his design leadership courses.
Trusted by teams at
3× Awwwards Winner — Web Design
8× CSS Design Awards Winner — Web Design
4× Web Awards UA Winner — Web Design
The Dieline Award Winner — Branding
YouTube channel with over 25K+ subscribers — design education, AI tools, and no-code workflows
SpaceXAI (ex Cursor) Ambassador, “Cafe Cursor” host in Bucharest, cursorromania.com curator
Top 1% Mentor Recognition on ADPList.com
Framer Judge, 2025 Hackathon Bucharest
2000–2004 — Studied art and photography in LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City.
2004–2009 — studied in Odessa National University in the Department "International Relations".
2009–2012 — post-graduate study in Odessa National University in the Department "International Relations".
2015–2017 — Masters of "Visual Communication Design", Higher School of Economics, Art and Design School, Moscow.
I began my career when I studied photography in LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City (2000–2004).
In 2003, I received a Gold Key award for photography in New York State and the silver medal at the national level, in the U.S. National competition Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards.
From 2006 I began to engage in commercial photography, specializing in fashion and portraits. In 2007 I became an official member of the Photographic Club of Odessa "FOTON 2", and regularly took part in photo exhibitions, and various projects. In 2012 I became an official member of Odessa Photographic Association.
January 2012 — I've been awarded "Photographer of 2011" according to Odessa Entertainment Awards.
June 2012 — the beginning of my design career. I've opened my first photo and design production studio "KONTORA Production". In 2017 — my studio had a total rebranding and now it's called CHYRKOV studio.
November 2018 — CHYRKOV has been registered as an official trade mark in Ukraine. We received international recognition by getting awards at Awwwards, CSS Design Awards and many more.
January 2017 — I won a Grand Prix at the contest "Best Photography of 2016" for a "Swan series" in Ukraine.
November 2017 — I began to work as a Creative Director in Intourist Thomas Cook.
2018–2022 — I teach web-design and Figma at online school GeekBrains.
On March 15 2023 — I launched my first English educational channel on YouTube. I talk about Figma, Framer, AI design tools and AI workflows. Some of the clients: MagicPath AI, Skillshare, UX Pilot, Relume, Flux Academy.
Since June 7, 2023 — I do mentoring designers at ADPlist.org
June, 2026 — I became Cursor Ambassador
"I ordered a consultation with Sergei on working with top AI tools for design and app development. He gave me a stack that let me build a startup in two weeks. Just one hour-long consultation significantly cut my time-to-market. Sometimes it really pays to talk to a professional instead of just googling it."
Co-founder Paywall.im
"I highly recommend Sergei Chyrkov for his exceptional work as an AI Design and Development Mentor. Sergei brought valuable expertise, practical guidance, and a strong understanding of AI-driven design and development to our company, Ziser Projects Inc. His ability to explain complex concepts clearly and provide thoughtful, actionable solutions made a real difference to our team. Sergei is knowledgeable, professional, and a pleasure to work with. We truly appreciate his contribution and would gladly recommend him to anyone looking for an experienced AI mentor and developer."
Operations Supervisor at Ilobiz Solutions Inc.
"I had the chance to work with Sergei on improving parts of our design process, specifically around integrating AI tools into our UI/UX workflow, and his insight was incredibly helpful. I learned more about how to implement AI into saas design/development in one hour of discussion with Sergei than I had in the prior 3 months of independent research. What stood out most was his ability to make complex AI and design concepts feel approachable. I am not a tech wiz kid or developer and he was able to give me clear guidance on how to immediately implement a variety of AI tools quickly. He brought thoughtful ideas and helped us think through ways AI can genuinely improve design workflows without overcomplicating things. Sergei was great to collaborate with and I’d definitely recommend connecting with him if you’re exploring AI-driven product design or modern UX workflows."
CEO at PINS
"Sergei gave me exactly the clarity I needed on modern design system workflows. In one session, he walked me through Figma variables, how they connect to code via MCP, and where tools like Figma Make help (and where they don't). Practical, honest, no fluff. Would recommend to any designer looking to bridge the gap between design and development."
Lead Product Designer
"Sergei was very helpful, and I learned a lot from his reviews. We also talked about design trends, which was a bonus. I definitely recommend him."
UX/UI Designer, Namadgi
"I had an amazing mentoring session with Sergei. In just one hour, he gave me a clear starting point in Framer, helped me understand the backend fundamentals I was missing, and clarified how to approach freelancing the right way. We also talked about in-person Framer events, training opportunities, and even the whole “vibe coding” mindset. Super practical, super motivating, and exactly what I needed. Highly recommend."
Graphic designer at WAY
"Super friendly and open. Gave honest, thoughtful feedback that really made a difference. I'm feeling inspired and confident about what to do next. Couldn't recommend more!"
Product Designer
"I had an outstanding experience with Sergei! His amazing communication set a positive tone right from the start, as he outlined our session's goals. His subject knowledge is impressive, and he provided me with valuable constructive criticism on my portfolio and practical guidance on Framer. Sergei’s motivation and problem-solving skills are truly 10/10!"
Psychology student looking to start career in UX at Binghamton university
"My meeting with Sergei was really insightful. He gave me really actionable advice and was really encouraging when I shared my project idea, reframing how I thought about the project."
Product Designer at Freelance
"I had an exceptional experience with my mentor, who provided practical advices on the topics we discussed. Their amazing communication and deep subject knowledge truly motivated me. I recommend booking a session"
UX designer at IIM
"I had an outstanding experience with my mentor, who demonstrated amazing communication, motivation, subject knowledge, and problem-solving skills throughout our session. Their ability to guide me through complex topics and inspire my growth was truly invaluable. I highly recommend booking a session with them, especially if you're looking for someone who exceeds"
UX/UI design at Freelance
"Sergei is very approachable and friendly. He listened and understood my problems and gave constructive feedback with a clear plan forward. I highly recommend booking a session with him. Thank you :)"
UX/UI Designer at GretaRain Design
"I had a great session with Sergei Chyrkov where we discussed how to improve my website to attract hiring managers from the EU. He shared plenty of ideas and pointed out some valid issues, along with clear explanations and solutions. I left with a better direction and practical next steps. Highly recommend speaking with him if you’re looking for honest and practical advice."
Product Designer at Easypaisa Digital Bank
"It was my first session with any mentor on ADPList and it was a really good one. Sergei was really open and guided me. He has great knowledge of which anyone can benefit from and he is willing to share it. I'll definitely have another session with him, hopefully Insha' Allah."
UI/UX Designer at o3interfaces
"I had a wonderful session with Sergei. He paid full attention to my work and provided valuable insights that will definitely help me make a lot of progress. I recommend him for anyone seeking advice in his domain"
Founder VCompass
"Sergei is an amazing design mentor! Super motivational and encouraging, he made the design path feel exciting and achievable. His deep experience really showed, and he always had thoughtful answers to all my questions. Highly recommend!"
Graphic Designer
"“If you want to learn from the best: book a session with Sergei. He answered all my questions (and I had a lot) with clear and constructive explanations. He didn't hesitate to provide precise examples, and made sure that I understood everything before moving on the next topic. He is down-to-earth, but still very approachable and positive. It was lovely to learn from you Sergei and I can't wait to book another session with you! Speak soon :D”"
Graphic Designer
"“Sergei is a life saver! I highly recommend him to anyone starting out with Framer.”"
UI/UX Designer at Skyrock Projects
"“Sergei was honest, but very considerate and patient with the presentations review. He shared the resources for enhancing my branding skills and making my portfolio more appealing to recruiters. I 100% recommend it!”"
UX/UI Designer at UNEC
"“Sergey is wonderful mentor! Very tactful, but at the same time honest and constructive. I've learned a lot of details I have noticed before.”"
UXUI Designer, Contented
"“I had a great session with valuable insights and constructive feedback that I'm excited to apply to my future projects. Sergei's positivity made the session enjoyable and motivating. I'm grateful for this wonderful opportunity to learn from someone so experienced.”"
Brand Designer at Ex Grammarly
"“Sergei is an exceptional individual! Love his energy. I enjoyed his narrative-driven approach. He has genuine passion for his craft. Very approachable & the session was marked by mutual knowledge and experience sharing. We delved into the challenges of todays market. It was a dynamic exchange of questions and insights; that could only be described & compared as invigorating sparring match where both of us left with valuable takeaways.”"
Senior Product Designer at Odduse
"“I'm grateful to have met him. Our session was highly productive as he addressed all my questions about interviews and provided valuable perspectives. Sergei's kindness and effortless communication made the experience even more valuable.”"
Product Designer at Toptal
"“Sergei gave me the opportunity to look at my portfolio from a new perspective. It was an enlightening experience and professional advice that will help me build my next career path. Thank you for the detailed analysis and new sources of inspiration.”"
Graphic designer at Freelance
"“Sergei is a very pleasant person, with a clear and structured communication. In our consultation, he shared his wealth of experience, providing insightful answers to every question I asked. I am deeply appreciative of the valuable advice he offered during our session.”"
UI/UX designer, Freelance
"“I had a question about no-code and low-code development. Our consultation turned into a true career consultation. Serhii also discussed new technologies that I should learn and use in practice. I highly recommend Serhii as a qualified specialist.”"
Freelance
"“I'm really thankful for the session! It was a truly transformative experience. His wealth of knowledge, his passion for mentoring, and his genuine interest in my growth as a creative professional were evident throughout our time together. I left the session feeling inspired, motivated, and armed with a clear direction for my creative career. I would highly recommend Sergei as a mentor to anyone looking to excel in the creative industry.”"
UI/UX Designer, D4 Group
"“Thanks a lot to Sergei, got portfolio feedback and development direction. Great communicator, the conversation flowed as if we had known each other for a long time. I got answers to my questions and I am encouraged and motivated to be productive and grow.”"
Junior UX/UI at Rezolution
"“I asked Sergei for feedback on my portfolio and received a lot of truly valuable professional advice. Thank you so much! This session was indeed eye-opening.”"
UX/UI designer at Netrix
"“I wanted to thank you for teaching me Figma. Your expertise and patience have been invaluable in helping me learn this powerful design tool. Thanks to your guidance, I now feel confident using Figma to create beautiful designs. I appreciate all that you have done for me, and I am grateful for the time I spent learning from you.”"
UX/UI designer
"“Thank you for the opportunity to learn from such a wonderful teacher. In a short time, I learned a lot of useful information and improved my skills. Sergey was always in touch, inspired me, supported, helped to cope with difficulties. It was great to watch the process of work of other students: everyone's work turned out to be very different and interesting.”"
UX/UI designer
"“Excellent teacher! Attentive to the smallest detail and very responsive. He always answers all the questions in detail and conducts an excellent analysis of the work in the course of education.”"
UX/UI designer, Freelance
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