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Design is an industry that thrives on new blood, and this means that the shelf-life for a successful design company can be relatively short. Out of the 30 companies listed in last year's Computer Arts UK studio rankings, 21 were founded in this century, and only one dated back to before the 1990s. Like people, many businesses tend to reach a point where they become middle-aged and a bit conservative. That's absolute poison when it comes to the creative industries, though, which rely on fresh ideas and experimental design that tend to come from younger designers. Some companies, though, have managed to not just stay the distance, but to positively thrive despite their advanced years. Here are six that have stayed relevant and look like continuing to do so for a long time yet. 01. Johnson Banks Whether it's working with non-profits or companies such as Duolingo, Johnson Banks strives to make a difference Founded: 1992 Michael Johnson set up Johnson Banks back in 1992, and 28 years on he's still in charge, overseeing the strategic and creative side of the company, but still relishes the opportunity to get involved with projects. Sometimes having a veteran at the helm who likes to get hands-on can be counter-productive, but this approach seems to pay off well at Johnson Banks. With its focus on non-profits and a mission to create work that makes a difference while demonstrating wit, intelligence and humanity, it's carved out an enviable niche for itself and looks set to remain relevant for a long time. 02. Spin Spin is determined adapt to design's constant flux, as this playlist design for Apple Music demonstrates Founded: 1992 Staying in the design game for any length of time means that you have to adapt to a discipline that's constantly changing. Tastes never stay the same for very long, new trends are turning up all the time, and any agency that doggedly sticks to what it knows is unlikely to last the distance. Spin recognises this, and describes itself as being obsessed with the challenges that this ever-changing discipline throws in its way. Recent clients include Apple, Wallpaper* and MUBI, and its placing at number 7 in the Computer Arts UK studio rankings shows that it's definitely taking the right approach. 03. JKR This branding project brought JKR plenty of attention Founded: 1990 Now in its 30th year, JKR has studios in London, New York, Shanghai and Singapore, and recently came in at number 2 in the Computer Arts UK studio rankings thanks to some stunning work for big brands such as Budweiser, Burger King and Heinz. What's really grabbed the public's attention recently, though, is its controversial rebranding of Dunkin' Donuts as simply Dunkin'. Not everybody approved of the move, but it generated a stack of publicity for the brand and also brought in its fair share of design awards, demonstrating that JKR very much has its finger on the pulse. 04. Graphic Thought Facility Graphic Thought Facility likes to build lasting relationships with clients such as the Frieze Art Fair Founded: 1990 Another studio due to celebrate its 30th birthday this year, Graphic Thought Facility is jointly owned by its three directors, two of whom – Paul Neale and Andrew Stevens – were its original founders, while the third, Huw Morgan, joined in 1996 and became a director in 2003. All three describe themselves as very hands-on, and with a small team of nine designers they maintain their reputation for appropriate, effective and original design solutions. Graphic Thought Facility prides itself on understanding its clients and building long-term relationships with them, and a look through its portfolio reveals a stack of regular clients; a great way to ensure your studio's longevity. 05. Pentagram Pentgram's approaching its 50th birthday but as this Fisher-Price branding demonstrates, it's not showing its age Founded: 1972 Often the driving force behind a studio is its original team of founders; if they move on the studio subsequently loses its way. For Pentagram this hasn't been an issue. All of its original founding partners have long departed the company, but Pentagram keeps going from strength to strength and is now the world's largest independently-owned design studio. Perhaps the secret to its ongoing success is a flat management structure in which all its partners are working designers who are also the primary contact for clients. Even though many of its partners are industry veterans, they're still very much in the game, and this personal commitment to design shines through in Pentagram's portfolio, which most recently has seen stunning work for the likes of Fisher-Price, Warner Bros and Yahoo. 06. Wolff Olins Work for companies such as Uber and Google are proof that Wolff Olins still has a finger on the pulse Founded: 1965 Now well into its sixth decade, Wolff Olins has never lost the ability to surprise – and occasionally outrage. Originally founded by Michael Wolff, who left the company in 1983 and now runs Michael Wolff and Company, and Wally Olins, who stayed until 2001 and died in 2014, Wolff Olins was well into middle age when it attained notoriety for its London 2012 Olympics logo. More recently it's worked with brands including Uber, Tesco and Google, and was named the most innovative design firm in the world in 2018 by Fast Company. Related articles: The design agency survival guide 9 agencies to follow on Instagram How to be the designer every agency wants to hire View the full article

It's one of the most contentious debates of our times, and one that has raged across the internet for years: is the mushroom on Toad's head a hat, or part of his head? The adorable "fictional humanoid mushroom" (thanks, Wikipedia) is a favourite from the Mario game franchise, but fans have butted heads over the contents of said mushroom to the point where Nintendo recently stepped in to clear things up (more on that below). Mushroom-gate has led to many speculative illustrations from artistic fans, and now illustrator Alex Solis has given us perhaps the most nightmarish concept yet. The question is no longer whether the mushroom is a hat (it is, according to Solis' depiction), but whether Toad's eyes are actually... nostrils? (Check out our character design guide for some less terrifying examples.) We're sorry We're filing this one straight under 'wish we could unsee' (where it joins the likes of the glitch that applied Donkey Kong's mouth texture to his feet). Fortunately, Solis' terrifying (and apparently sleep-deprived) interpretation doesn't match up with Nintendo's explanation of the mushroom. "So that, as it turns out, is actually Toad’s head,” Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi recently revealed on the company's official YouTube channel (below). So, there we go. The general reaction on Instagram matches our own ("YOU DID NOT HAVE TO DO THIS," comments anths.art). Perhaps he didn't, but then what's the internet for if not for sharing horrifying concept illustrations of fictional humanoid mushrooms? It got a reaction from us and for that, we take our hat off to him. Solis' Toad concept is part of a series of similar illustrations he calls #UnpopularCultureSeries, which also includes this depiction of an evolving Pikachu: Head over to Solis' Instagram page to see more from the #UnpopularCultureSeries. We can't guarantee, though, that they won't reappear in your dreams tonight. Related articles: The optical illusion you probably won't want to work out Someone found a top-down view of Mickey Mouse, and people are horrified Logo swap is surprisingly disturbing View the full article

HP is on a bit of a roll of late. Even though the company has been one of the biggest laptop and PC makers in the world for a while now (second only to Lenovo when it comes to market share, fact fans), it certainly hasn’t been resting on its laurels, and its recent laptop releases, like the HP Envy 13, are some of the best laptops its ever made. HP’s Envy lineup of laptops are mid-range device that aren’t as premium (or expensive) as its Spectre line of laptops, pitching it against the likes of Dell’s Latitude range of laptops. But don't let that put you off, these computers are still hugely powerful and feature regularly in our round up of the best laptops for video editing. Creating a mid-range laptop that treads that fine balance between offering great value for money, while making sure not to skimp on performance, features and design, can be tricky, but it’s a feat that if any company can achieve, it’s HP. These mid-rangers are ideal for creative professionals as they look good, perform well for many creative tasks, like photo and video editing, while not costing the earth. HP Envy 13 review: Price The cheapest configuration of the HP Envy 13 costs £779. While this isn’t budget laptop territory, it’s certainly very affordable when compared to premium laptops like the MacBook Pro (see our 16-inch MacBook Pro review for more details), or Acer ConceptD 7. For the price, you get an Intel Core i5 8265U processor, 1.3-inch full-HD display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics card. That graphics card is a nice bonus in a laptop of this price (which usually use lower-powered integrated graphics), and while it’s not much use for gaming, it gives the laptop a bit more oomph when it comes to graphic-intensive tasks. As is often the case with HP’s laptops, there are various different configurations, so if you have a bigger budget and want something a bit more powerful, there’s likely a HP Envy 13 for you. For example, the next model up comes with a new Intel Core 15-1035G1 processor for £899. In our opinion, getting the newer processor is worth the extra money, as you’re getting a decent performance boost. You don’t get the discrete Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics card with this model, but that doesn’t really matter as the integrated graphics of the Intel processor are much improved. You can also get a model with an Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor and double the SSD storage space for £999, which again is worth considering if you want more power, and that extra storage space will be welcome for anyone who works with large files (such as photographers). Finally, there’s a version (which is the one we have tested here) which comes with an Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for £1,049. Despite the older processor, this is the best configuration for digital creatives thanks to the additional RAM and storage space. HP Envy 13 review: Power and performance The HP Envy 13 that we got in for review comes with an Intel Core i7-8565U processor. This is an 8th generation Intel processor, which means its showing its age a bit, but it’s still a formidable CPU that offers plenty of power for a laptop. Coupled with the 16GB of RAM, and this configuration is a powerful little laptop that will breeze through day-to-day tasks. That amount of RAM and powerful quad-core processor means multitasking isn’t an issue – you can easily have plenty of apps open at once, and swapping between them all is fast and fluid. The HP Envy 13 comes with Windows 10 Home, and that feels quick and responsive when in use. The only complaint we have with the Intel Core i7-8565U is that the integrated graphics aren’t as good as Intel’s newer 10th generation processors, but that’s been mainly addressed by the GeForce MX250 GPU, which is enough to handle video and photo editing. For the price, we saw performance on par with more expensive laptops, like the Dell XPS 13, which is very impressive, as it means you can save money without compromising on performance if you go for the HP Envy 13. Battery life is also impressive, as we managed to work a whole 6-hour day without needing a charge. Now, during that time we didn’t do anything too intensive, like render 4K videos, but it means you can happily work on this laptop without worrying too much about when you’ll next need to charge it. When the battery does need charging, it does so pretty fast, thanks to fast charging tech that meant it was able to go from empty to 50% in just 45 minutes. Compared to more expensive ultrabooks like the XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360, the HP Envy 13 did really well, beating them all by about an hour. Power-wise, then, we were very impressed with the HP Envy 13, and for most people’s needs, this laptop offers a level of performance that will allow you to work while on the go. HP Envy 13 review: Display As a mid-range laptop, you won’t find any crazy-high 4K resolutions here, but the IPS 1080p display of the HP Envy 13 is bright, vibrant and looks excellent considering the price. The 13.3-inch diagonal display may feel a little cramped for people, but it keeps the overall size of the HP Envy 13 down, which means the laptop is a great portable choice for people who do a lot of travelling. There’s no professional calibration or support for industry colour gamuts, and this might put off people who need colour accuracy with their creative work, but again, due to the price of the laptop, this omission isn’t too surprising, and for many people it won’t be an issue. Certainly using the HP Envy 13 for day to day use will leave you with a positive impression of the display. The thin bezels around the screen again keep the overall size of the laptop down, while also giving the laptop a modern look. The screen is also a touchscreen, and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass technology, to keep it from getting scratched. While the touchscreen doesn’t mean this laptop can be used as a graphic tablet (the screen doesn’t fold all the way back, nor is a stylus included), it gives you an extra way to interact with the laptop, and that’s to be commended. Overall, the display isn’t the most amazing screen we’ve seen in a laptop, but it does the job well, and most people will enjoy the bright and vibrant image quality on offer here. HP Envy 13 review: Key features Even though the HP Envy 13 is on the more affordable spectrum of Ultrabooks (which are classed as thin and light laptops that offer high-end performance), it still comes with some great features that will be especially useful for digital creatives. For a start, it has a decent port selection with two standard USB-size ports and a single newer USB-C. This offers you a decent amount of flexibility when it comes to what peripherals you use. If you have older USB devices, you can easily plug them in to the HP Envy 13, while newer USB-C devices are also supported – though as it is just a single USB-C port, it means if you have more than one USB-C device you may need to buy an adapter to add more ports. The USB-C port is also used for charging the HP Envy 13. This is good as it means you can make use of that fast-charging feature we mentioned earlier, and it also means you can use other USB-C chargers to top up the HP Envy 13 if you forget the one that comes with the laptop, as long as they provide enough power. However, it does mean that you lose that single USB-C port when charging. An interesting feature with the standard USB ports is that they feature mechanisms that close the port when not in use. This helps keep the HP Envy 13 as thin and light as possible while including the full-size USB ports. Another welcome feature is the inclusion of an SD card slot, which will be of interest to photographers in particular, as it means you can insert your camera’s memory card into the HP Envy 13 without the need of an adapter. These ports are in stark contrast to the limited amount Apple includes in its modern MacBooks, where you’re stuck with two (or four in bigger models) USB-C ports – which means anyone with older USB devices need to buy an adapter. The HP Envy 13 also features a physical kill switch for its webcam, which is a great privacy feature for people who are wary of the potential for hackers to gain access to your webcam. There’s also a fingerprint scanner for biometric login to Windows 10, and Bang & Olufsen speakers that provide impressive sound quality that you don’t usually expect from a laptop. HP Envy 13 review: Should you buy it? The HP Envy 13 is a great example of a laptop that manages to offer premium features, performance and design, while keeping things reasonably affordable. This isn’t the cheapest laptop you can buy, and nor is it the most expensive, but it’s a great mid-range laptop that will suit most people’s needs. Crucially, it never feels like a compromise. Build quality is excellent and performance for most day-to-day tasks is excellent. There’s a decent amount of ports available, so if you’re a photographer this is an easily portable – and cheaper – alternative to the MacBook that offers more versatility than Apple’s laptop. There’s certainly a lot to commend the HP Envy 13 for. At this price point, it offers a design and features you’d expect to see on a more expensive laptop. However, it won’t be for everyone. Some models use older hardware, and none of the configurations of the HP Envy 13 are hugely powerful. If you need a workstation laptop that can handle particularly heavy workloads, like 4K video rendering, then you’d be better off spending more money on a more powerful laptop – you’ll only get frustrated. Also, digital artists who are after something to doodle on may be better off getting a 2-in-1 laptop, like the Dell XPS 13, as while the HP Envy 13 comes with a touchscreen, it’s not very suited to use with a stylus. Overall, though, for the price, the HP Envy 13 offers excellent value for money. View the full article

The past 25 years have been rich in terms of graphic design history. We've seen monumental changes, and our sister magazine Computer Arts has been there to bring you the lowdown on everything that's happened in graphic design and illustration. The magazine hit the newsstands in 1995, meaning a quarter of a century has passed, so it seems like the perfect time to take a look at how exactly the industry has evolved in that time. In this article, we look back at some of the biggest moments, milestones, trends and developments over the last 25 years, and to provide a broad perspective, we’ve asked the opinion of some well-known industry names. For further exploration of what's happening in graphic design, see our post on the hottest graphic design trends, and put them to use with our pick of the best tools for graphic designers. What has changed since 1995? "So much has changed since 1995!" says Neville Brody, one of the 20th century's most famous graphic designers. "While the main changes have been technological – fast and large data transmission, video conferencing, actual-time responses, mass storage, processing capabilities and portable computing power – the more invisible changes have come through cultural responses, leading to greater empowerment. We have a major self- publishing world now, on every level, and distribution models that allow greater scaling and fundraising." In his eyes, though, it’s not all been positive. "Brands have increasingly become homogenous storytellers, competing usually for the same demographic and market using the same tools, mechanisms and content," he says. "Media has at the same time become relatively utilitarian and homogenised. Ultimately, creative choices have been reduced to simple patterns and restrictive palettes." (We explore this further in our post has branding become boring?) For these reasons, Brody believes that, "after 25 years, what’s really needed now is some new break-out thinking and creativity – real risk- taking and rule-challenging". 01. Computer Arts launches Computer Arts was launched in 1995 The fashion world had Vogue. Advertising had Campaign. Then in 1995, graphic designers and illustrators got their own, must-read 'Bible', as issue one of Computer Arts hit the shelves. "I was a reader right from the start, as there was nothing else like it," recalls artist and designer Brendan Dawes. Those early issues now provide a snapshot of the time, packed with advice on how to use exotic new tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator. As artist Jon Burgerman puts it: "It was there for professionals and students alike, offering insight and cover discs... like a friendly tutor who’s a bit too cool for college." The print magazine is now more geared towards idea generation, conceptual thinking and design process. As Jamie Ellul, founder of Supple Studio, describes it, "Computer Arts today is a really good resource for reading in-depth project case studies, and hearing opinions from other designers and creatives." Marie Claire, FHM, Loaded and NME have closed, but Computer Arts is still going strong, and as influential as ever. As creative director Kyle Wilkinson says: "The number of young designers that Computer Arts has helped develop through advice, tutorials and exposure must be countless." 02. The web Although the internet had existed in some form since the early 1970s, virtually no-one outside of computer scientists and serious nerds had heard of it. But in the mid-1990s, a program called Netscape came to prominence, and started to turn web browsing from a bafflingly complex task into something that was relatively achievable. "In terms of design moments, there’s been nothing more impactful for me than the birth of Netscape," recalls Laura Jordan Bambach, creative director and former president of D&AD. "It turned playing on MOSAIC and working in Hyper Card and Director into something that had a potentially unlimited audience. A space to create art, and a community in cyberfeminism that’s had a massive impact on my life. It also gave me my career – starting a business at university, designing and coding when it was still all done in Notepad." Bambach was very much ahead of the game here: most graphic designers wouldn't be designing for the web for at least another decade. But Netscape, on which the modern browser Firefox is based, remains a key moment in an internet age that’s changed pretty much everything. 03. UX Design Today, user experience, aka UX, is one of the most in-demand services from graphic designers. But back in the mid-nineties, it was something early pioneers were only just inventing, usually in total isolation from each other. Graphic designer and professor Louise Sandhaus offers a typical example. In the 90s, she was hired as an art director on a project for Taco Bell, which wanted to electronically run all of its store ordering through a single touch-screen system, to make life easier for employees. "But the methodologies didn't really exist," she recalls. "User experience and user interface design had yet to go mainstream. It was the Wild West." User experience and user interface design had yet to go mainstream. It was the Wild West. Louise Sandhaus Initially, the visual design of the interface and the writing of the software were going to be conducted separately, but to Sandhaus, that seemed all wrong. "So I developed a methodology of sketched storyboards running through various tasks that allowed myself and the software engineers to develop the project together," she explains. It might sound obvious now, but at the time it was revolutionary. Similar experiences by other pioneers eventually evolved into commonly accepted best UX practices (to test your own, see our guide to user testing), and today define everything from Android apps to video-streaming interfaces. Most of this work remains invisible to consumers, but we'd find our daily lives extremely time-consuming and frustrating without it. 04. IKEA "In my 25 years as a professional designer," says Taxi founder Spencer Buck, "the thing that's struck me most is the revolution in people's aesthetic awareness and design sensibilities." The influence of Apple is an obvious and much-cited reason for this cultural shift. But Spencer points to another, often overlooked one: the rise of Swedish furniture retailer IKEA. "In 1996 IKEA burst on to our TV screens with its iconic ad: Chuck out your Chintz," he recalls. "It essentially encouraged British housewives – their core demographic then – to throw away their fussy and frilly furnishings in place of cool, minimalist Scandi gathering momentum, it started to transform attitudes to design, by getting people to question why they were accepting of awful home decor, which was usually directly influenced by their parents' tastes." And that, says Buck, was profound. "Up until that point in time, very few people had questioned, 'Why do I live like this?' They just blindly accepted a Laura Ashley way of life. The strategy of ad agency St Luke's was to help IKEA change British design taste for the better and boy, did it succeed." 05. The iMac The iMac changed how designers work John Lloyd, co-founder of Lloyd Northover Limited, puts it simply: "One of the most significant technological events of the past 25 years must be the arrival in 1998 of the iMac. We were early adopters of the Macintosh when it appeared in 1984, but it's the iMac in its various iterations that's completely transformed the practical ways in which designers work." Sawdust co-founder Rob Gonzalez was "overawed" when he first saw one as a design student. "To me it looked like something straight out of Stanley Kubrick's film, 2001: A Space Odyssey," he recalls. "The flat screen, shiny white case with over-the-top bevelled edges felt so futuristic: I was in love." But it wasn't just about good looks, it was about what it could do. "Before the iMac, I painted with real paint on real canvas," says artist and illustrator Stanley Chow. "I wouldn't have remotely entertained the idea of using a computer for my art. But in 1999, my Dad bought me an iMac for my 25th birthday, and it literally changed my life. High-speed macs were revolutionary "Just being able to 'paint' a whole page with a touch of the button was a revelation," he explains. "It was a number of years of self-teaching before I got any good at it, but now I pretty much solely rely on Illustrator. If it wasn't for the iMac, I'd probably still be painting traditionally, and probably still be poor and starving." More broadly, the rise of affordable Macs powerful enough to handle the entire design process has changed the game for the creative industry. As Ellul notes: "You could suddenly be a design agency by buying a laptop, a software licence, a printer, a scanner and a Pantone book. It opened the gateway to smaller agencies setting up and competing with the big boys. Because of this, I was able to set up my first agency [Magpie Studio] in 2008 with two friends and tiny overheads." "From a technical perspective, the advent of low-cost, high-speed Macs has been pretty revolutionary," agrees Michael Johnson. "Consider this: I started Johnson Banks in 1992 and had to take out a substantial bank loan in order to buy three Apple Macs and a crude laser writer. I think they cost nearly 20 grand!" 06. Type creation tools The idea of actually creating your own typeface used to be out of reach for most designers. Then in 1998, FontLab 3 was released for Mac, and things started to change rapidly. Today, sophisticated font creation tools are easy to find and use, enabling designers to add a whole new string to their bow: the ability to create custom type for their clients. "The increase of more accessible software that enables typographic ideation and creation has been one of the biggest things to influence my career," says Pentagram designer Paula Scher. "This has allowed designers to work with type in their day-to-day, which has been really exciting and helpful for me and my team." Wilkinson agrees, and says his life would have been very different without it. "Although the work of Wilkinson Studio has never been about one specific discipline, the rise in typographic commissions and our experimental approach to type has led to us working with some of our dream clients, such as The New York Times, Adobe and TIME Inc.," Wilkinson says. 07. Visceral design Underworld cover by Tomato Many youngsters today would only associate the word 'grunge' with music or fashion. But the late 1990s saw its influence on the worlds of graphic design and illustration. "As a design student at the turn of the century, I came up in a hugely exciting visual era that was, for me at least, dominated by the likes of Tomato, Vaughan Oliver, David Carson and Stefan Sagmeister," recalls Craig Ward. "They all had this very visceral, almost abusive relationship with typography and technology." At the heart of it all, he notes, was the marriage of design and music. "Vaughan's aesthetic in particular was a perfect outfit for the grunge soundtrack of my teenage years while, in the decade of Trainspotting, Tomato's covers for Underworld married the incoherent, mumbled poetry of their music with a push-it-until-it-breaks approach to design and communication. I'd never seen anything like it." Ward's cover for Computer Arts in 2009 When Computer Arts first featured Ward's work on the cover, almost a decade later in June 2009, he was just hitting his stride in terms of his experimental work. "What I was doing was an extension of that 90s approach and, on occasion, pushing legibility and communication until it broke," he recalls. "So that whole period of late 90s design was hugely important for me." 08. Video conferencing Skype's original logo from 2003 When you think of the tech that's influenced design, you naturally think of design tools. But other developments have been just as crucial. Lindon Leader, the graphic designer best known for his iconic FedEx logo, offers an example. "The number one thing that's influenced my practice over the past 25 years has been the advent of superior video teleconferencing technology," he says. "Video conferencing in the late 80s was archaic by comparison, what with chronic resolution, poor colour performance and syncing issues, and it was very expensive," he recalls. But since the launch of Skype in 2003, all that has changed. "Today, economical and sophisticated online services – even FaceTime on my phone – keeps me close to the client." And that's important for environmental reasons, too, Leader stresses. "Today, I'll fly only when absolutely necessary," he explains. "That amounts to a good dozen or so four- to five-hour flights that don't get taken; by my office, at least. And clients today are cool with online presentations, especially as it saves them considerable money." 09. Tate Modern The Tate Modern has put to rest the idea that no one enjoys modern art It's weird to think that before May 2000, there was no Tate Modern. Launched in an era when the Young British Artists (YBAs) such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin were breathing new life into contemporary art, the London gallery has been a huge hit. Last year, for example, it pulled in almost six million visitors, giving the lie to the idea that "nobody likes modern art". "Tate Modern has become for me a much-loved and frequently visited fount of creative stimulation," says John Lloyd. "I've always sought, and encouraged my colleagues to seek creative inspiration away from the computer and the studio. If you're experiencing a creative block, I'd always recommend you pick up a brush or a pencil, go for a walk, look around, visit a gallery." The building itself – a conversion from an old power station – is a stunning inspiration in itself. And that's typical of the past quarter- century, which has brought us countless architectural feats of wonder across the world, from New York's High Line project to Berlin's reconstructed Neues Museum. Michael Wolff, co-founder of Wolff Olins, picks as his personal favourite: "The Biomuseo, Frank Gehry's astonishing natural history museum in Panama City, which opened in 2014. It highlights Panama's natural and cultural history, emphasising the role of humans in the 21st century." 10. Speak Up While books and magazines delve into topics in depth, sometimes you just need a quick burst of more casual inspiration. Hence the rise of the design blog, which has become an integral part of the creative landscape over the past quarter-century. The blog that broke the mould was Speak Up. "Launched by Armin Vit in 2002, within a year it was one of the most read sites on the internet," recalls Debbie Millman, artist, designer, educator and host of the podcast Design Matters. "I was written about in May 2003 and my career was excoriated. I ended up participating, and the path I took after that experience ultimately put me on the path to do everything I'm still doing today. This was a big influence on my career." 11. YouTube YouTube tutorials changed the way designers learn Another technology that isn't a design tool, but has definitely impacted the profession, is YouTube, which was launched in 2005. "I've lost count of how many YouTube tutorials I've watched that have taught me things, from how to construct enclosures in Fusion 360, to learning advanced techniques in Houdini, or simply how to nicely tie a parcel with string," says Dawes. "It's an amazing resource – alongside the web itself – like a modern library of Alexandra. It makes me wonder how many designer careers have been started by having the ability to learn through YouTube." 12. Designer as author Since 1995, Computer Arts has served as a 'journal of record', pulling together the latest design work, trends and technologies into one digestible, monthly volume. But when it comes to deeper study of more complex design theories, you still need a good book. The past 25 years hasn't only brought us a lot of great design books; it's also heralded a new approach to design publishing itself. We can pursue subjects, research them, get them produced and published Stefan Sagmeister "The most influential development of the past 25 years is the new possibilities that the idea of the 'designer as author' has brought to the profession," says graphic designer, educator and studio head Stefan Sagmeister. "The fact that we don't have to wait for clients to commission work, but that we can pursue subjects, research them, get them produced and published. "For us, this was true for the series that made up the book and exhibit Things I've Learned in my Life so Far, The Happy Film and the current exhibition on Beauty." 13. The iPhone The advent of smartphones meant another way to produce content Although there's greater love among designers for the iMac, the iPhone, launched in 2007, has probably changed the industry – along with the world in general – even more. With his device that 'just works', Steve Jobs launched a revolution that means today more people access the web via phones than desktops, and consequently the design of everything from logos to illustrations needs to work perfectly on small screens. Of course, the iPhone, much like the Android imitators that have flocked in its wake, isn't just about consumption, but a means of creative production, too. "I've always wanted to dabble with video, photography, animation and so on, but never really had the headspace to get into the tech to explore those things properly," says Burgerman. "With the advent of smartphones, I suddenly could play with all those things at any time; especially in the lulls during the day, when commuting, idling or just loitering. Making access to those tools so easy, intuitive and casual has really suited me, leading to broaden my practice far beyond just creating 2D images for print." 14. Mad Men Not everyone loved Mad Men While Milton Glaser may decry the influence on commercial mores on design, for many who were born into it, this now-symbiotic relationship seems natural and normal. So it's not surprising that many creatives loved Mad Men, a blockbuster show celebrating the supposed golden age of advertising in the 1950s and 1960s that premiered in 2007. Not everyone was a fan, though. Editorial designer George Lois, who's best known for the Esquire covers he crafted between 1962 and 1972, describes the launch of the show as "a key personal moment in my life as an art director and designer"... but not in a good way. "To this day, I resent being called the 'Original Mad Man'," he complains. "The 1960s was a heroic age in the art of communication, but the show was nothing but a soap, where stylish fools humped their appreciative secretaries, sucked up Martinis, and smoked themselves to death as they produced dumb, lifeless advertising. "The more I think about Mad Men, the more I take the show as a personal insult," he continues. "So, fuck you Mad Men, you phony, 'Gray Flannel Suit,' male-chauvinist, no-talent, WASP, white-shirted, racist, anti- semitic,RepublicanSOBs!" Next page: Graphic design history landmark events 15-25 15. The Obama Hope poster Janoff was a huge Obama fan, and this poster sealed the deal Rob Janoff is best known as the designer of the original Apple logo (one of our best logos of all time). So it's fitting that the biggest influence over his work in the past 25 years is another iconic piece of design: the 'Hope' poster for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. "I was a huge Obama fan from the beginning," says Janoff. "I campaigned for him in several states in the Midwest where I live. And that iconic graphic poster by Shepard Fairey perfectly represented my hometown Chicago hero's message of hope. The strong Obama logo was the thing that sealed the deal for me. He was an icon representing himself with an icon. He was speaking my language." 16. Occupy The worldwide 'Occupy' protests against capitalism in 2011 were a dramatic sign that old political models were breaking down. And they influenced many walks of life, including art and design. "Seeing people in the Occupy movement – not all of them necessarily designers – respond to a moment visually and creatively was incredibly inspiring," recalls designer and creative director Craig Oldham. And the design world has since repaid the favour, becoming increasingly political itself. The role of politics has changed in design, and is so much part of it now Jonathan Barnbrook "The role of politics has changed in design, and is so much part of it now," says graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook, who's best known for his font designs and David Bowie album covers. "When I became interested in 'activist work' it was seen as something quite separate; it's now part of the mainstream. There's a bigger understanding that those seductive tools – which are used to sell us stuff we don't need – could also be used against the same pointless grind to endlessly consume." 17. Marketing takes over Glaser was awarded the National Medal of the Arts award The man who's been called the godfather of graphic design, Milton Glaser is known for everything from the I 'Heart' NY poster to the DC Comics logo, and was awarded the National Medal of the Arts award in 2009 by President Barack Obama. Now 90, he tells us, however, that his career has not been all sweetness and light. "The key elements in my professional life that have had the most influence have been the alarming degree of control over all graphic projects by marketing and advertising companies," Milton complains. "Every idea is dominated by previous historical success, which tends always to protect profitability by creating things that are already familiar. "This is not a great environment for the imagination, in search for meaning," he argues. "People in the graphic arts are thought as technicians to help achieve the already- established goals." 18. Genre blurring Another trend has been a breaking down of boundaries between job titles. This means, happily, that creatives no longer need to be pigeonholed in one specific role, but can cross disciplines and follow their dreams at will. "The blurring of lines between creative genres has been very freeing, creatively," says artist and designer Jeremyville. "Clients and galleries have been much more open to viewing all aspects of the artist's career as a part of the whole, with no one discipline being more important that the other. And that's made it easier for me to pursue a huge variety of approaches, whether that's illustration, painting, publishing, product design, toy design, installations, large-scale sculptures, animations, brand collaborations, or street and community initiatives." 19. Web typography Web typography became a plausible venture In the late 2000s, web typography rose to the fore. "Developments between 2008 and 2011 finally made web typography a plausible venture, both for type users and type makers," recalls type designer Tobias Frere-Jones. "It had been possible for several years before, but that period saw browsers adopting wider font format support, the WOFF spec and the launch of Typekit. Sophisticated web typography quickly went from an exception to an expectation." 20. Creative Bloq In the late 2000s and early 2010s, many publications launched websites, but most simply replicated their print content online. In 2012, however, Computer Arts took a different tack. It teamed up with two sister titles: net magazine, which focused on web development, and 3D World, which covered VFX and animation, to launch a new kind of website called Creative Bloq. The idea was that, with more and more creatives working across different disciplines, one site covering all areas would prove more than the sum of its parts. Later, ImagineFX came on board, and articles about traditional and digital art were added to the mix. Since then, Creative Bloq has become the world's biggest online art and design magazine globally, bar none. 21. Digital drawing "The most memorable tech for me of the past 25 years was getting my first digital pen," says graphic designer, illustrator and artist Noma Bar. "Moving to Wacom from a mouse and the different gripping and hand movement involved wasn't easy. But after a while, it became an extension of the arm, liberating my lines and making everything faster." The iPad had become a tool of creation, rather than just consumption Daniel Stolle Wacom's success spurred other manufacturers to enter the market, and today Lisa Maltby is a big fan of Apple's own drawing tech. "The invention of the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil has changed how I create illustrations," she says. "There are so many options of digital brushes, textures and colour that would otherwise be hard to replicate traditionally. Exploring new technology forces you to try out different things, and rethink how you draw or design. While wary of assigning too much importance to tech, illustrator Daniel Stolle says digital tools have been a big influence on his career, too. "For me, the combined introduction of Procreate, the Apple Pencil and the iPad Pro was a critical moment," he says. "It meant the iPad had become a tool of creation, rather than just consumption." Feeling inspired? Check out our pick of the best drawing tablets on the market right now. 22. 2012 Olympics' logo Wolff Olins' Olympics logo was controversial Wolff Olins' logo for the London Olympics was something you either loved or hated, but everyone certainly had an opinion on it. First launched in 2007, tabloid newspapers campaigned to have it changed and at Adobe Live in London in 2007, Neville Brody argued it resembled Bart Simpson receiving fellatio from Lisa. But the design also drew fans and admirers. Computer Arts gave airtime to both sides of the debate, and incredibly, it's one that reverberates to this day. Radim Malinic, creative director at Brand Nu, selects this logo and identity, perhaps provocatively, as his stand-alone design moment of the past 25 years. "I think Wolff Olins has proven, despite the great controversy, that it's possible to deliver timeless ideas against the magnitude of the event," he says. "It reminds me that going against the grain pays off." 23. Computer Arts redesigns The Computer Arts redesign launch cover By 2013, Computer Arts had reached a watershed. Its original selling point had been its tutorials, which had appealed to amateurs and pros alike. But tutorials in general were now widely available online for free. In response, the magazine slowly transformed itself into an authorative industry title, pitched squarely at professional designers and agencies. This new content wasn't gelling right with the ageing look and structure of the magazine, though, and so a major redesign was in order. And it had to be done right, with no half-measures. It was a radical change for a new era, and somewhat of a gamble. "We knew there'd be some backlash from more entry-level readers who enjoyed the step-by-step tutorials and cover-mounted disc. But we knew this move was necessary to open up exciting new possibilities for the brand," says then-editor Nick Carson. And the gamble paid off. "The corresponding positive feedback at the other end of the readership – particularly agencies – was overwhelmingly positive, heralding Computer Arts as a much-needed champion for design, and applauding its real-world approach to practical content. And the following year, the successful launch of the Brand Impact Awards and the UK Studio Rankings proved that the brand could engage the industry at the very highest level." 24. Design moves outside of major cities In the mid-nineties, British magazines were often accused of being London-centric. But in all honesty, if a UK design agency didn't have a London base back then, it probably wasn't going to be taken all that seriously. Over the years, though, greater connectivity has meant that where you're based matters less. And nowadays some of the biggest British firms are now based outside the capital; in 2019, two even entered the top 10 of the UK Studio Rankings: Universal Everything (Sheffield) and Taxi Studio (Bristol). Freelancers, too, have been moving out of London, New York and other big cities, and that's created a virtuous circle. "A defining moment for me was when I was still a student and discovered the wonderful typographic work of Steven Bonner," recalls graphic designer and typographer Craig Black. "I couldn't believe he was based in Scotland, yet working as an independent designer with some of the world's most exciting brands. Before then, I never knew that was possible. This was the point when I realised what I wanted for my own career, and it provided me with the focus to make that dream become a reality." If you want to check out job opportunities across the UK, head over to our newly-refreshed design jobs board. 25. Design becomes a global language Zac Liberman's code experiments buck the trend towards homogenisation So what's the biggest thing to happen to design over the past 25 years? Perhaps it's less a specific technology or piece of work than a fundamental reimagining of what a designer is. Jessica Helfand, designer, educator and founding editor of Design Observer observes the changes. "Design has become a global language, and here's why that matters. To the degree that technology and automation both amplify and threaten so much of what we do, see and make, our human skills – seeing, observing, listening as the ambassadors of communication we've all been groomed to become – will become even more critical over the next 25 years." While there's a clear trend towards homogenisation, artist and designer Kelli Anderson feels that isn't the whole story. "Right now, it feels like there's new room in design culture for weird, niche, experimental projects," she says. "For instance, as an independent designer, I can now design on my computer, prototype using a Graphtec desktop cutter, and coordinate a print/ production run of thousands of books from my home studio. Perhaps because of this increased access, we're seeing more perspectives, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. "Playful, experimental, weird design work is championed on social media," she continues, "ranging from Zach Lieberman's code experiments to Sight Unseen's championing of new forms of furniture, and in real-life spaces, from the wide variety of experimental books and zines at the NY Art Book Fair to the design objects for sale at SSHH!. It's a very exciting time." This article originally appeared in the 300th celebratory issue of Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 300, or subscribe to CA here. Read more: The best computer for graphic design right now 16 essential tools for graphic designers A complete guide to font licensing for designers View the full article

Spring email newsletters should be a breath of fresh air. They are invigorating, energizing, and inspiring. It is here where you can finally spread your wings after a long cold winter. Subscribers are longing for warm and sunny designs that …View the full article

As part of its International Women's Day celebrations this weekend, Apple has changed its homepage into an interactive, scrollable catalogue of images and biographies celebrating "the women who are changing everything". These include campaigner Malala Yousafzai, Little Women director Greta Gerwig and 12-year-old Ghanaian musician DJ Switch. At the centre of the new website layout is a link to Apple's latest Behind the Mac ad. The video features a montage of the same images of the female creators (and, of course, their Macs), soundtracked by Beyoncé's Flawless – which samples a TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie called We should all be feminists. Previous Behind the Mac ads have featured similarly candid, black and white photos of musicians from Paul McCartney to FKA Twigs using Macs as part of their creative process. The homepage also links to Apple's She Creates series. For the entire month of March, the brand's in-store Today at Apple sessions will be led by inspiring female creators, helping customers make creative use of various Apple products. With its simple photography and monochrome palette, the classy new homepage carries an inspiring message and looks good doing it. We like it, and we hope it inspires other women in creative careers – whether they're an art director or just starting out. Apple has form when it comes to tweaking its homepage. We were big fans of last month's playful Apple Arcade takeover, which saw animated video game characters turn its products into a virtual assault course. Check out the Apple homepage here. Join us this April at GenerateJS Join us at GenerateJS this April to learn all you need to know about JavaScript. Book your tickets now. Related articles: MacBook Pro 2020: Latest rumour roundup Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch review Design's gender problem, and what you can do about it View the full article

Are you at a turning point in your career? Do you want to learn new skills that bring in income? This course may be for you. Learn the fundamentals of project management with Lean Six Sigma and begin your new profession by mastering skills that will help you launch an in-demand path for only $70. GoLeanSixSigma, a web-based company that made the Inc. 5000's list for 2019, brings you a four-course bundle that is jam-packed with over 60 hours of training in the project management realm. Starting a new role? You'll want some new business cards. Here are our pick of the best business card templates around. Get valuable hands-on experience You'll start by getting a comprehensive look into Lean Six Sigma (with courses in roles, wastes, and DMAIC) and then move on to more advanced Sigma terminology such as establishing the current state of a business, developing its future state, and building a Lean culture. Lessons in Six Sigma White and Yellow Belts, how to get your Lean certification, and how to use 20+ Lean tools will all be conquered at the end of the courses. With access to the lessons on web and mobile, you'll be able to learn Lean Six Sigma at home or on the go. Perfect for any level of expertise, these easy to follow tutorials guide you through each step of the project managing ladder and allow for valuable hands-on experience in building high-performance teams, minimising costs, and maximising profits. Perhaps most importantly, you can learn at your own pace and will receive a certificate upon completion, a great skill set booster for your current or next position. The Ultimate Lean Certification Prep Bundle is usually priced at almost $2,000, but, for a limited time, you can kick off a money-making career like a pro for only $70 (that's 95% off). Transform your working life and begin a new job that will help you learn new vital skills, not to mention bring in a prosperous income. Read more: UK design jobs: Find your dream role with Creative Bloq and Design Jobs Board How to get a job as a video games artist How to be a better speaker: presenting and pitching tips View the full article

HDMI vs DVI probably isn't a question that keeps you up at night, but it is important to know the difference. A creative’s workstation is never run of the mill, with drawing tablets, graphic design laptops and multiple monitors all piling up around us as we try to get our work done. All those peripherals littering our desks need to be hooked up somehow – but how exactly should it be done? Not infrequently, that comes down to a simple question: do you need an HDMI or DVI cable? Each looks different, works differently, and supports different outputs. To the untrained eye, it can be a minefield of resolutions, data rates and supported features. So, which should you get? The answer depends on more than just the ports on your best laptop for graphic design or one of the best monitors. But fear not, our no-nonsense guide lays out exactly why you might need each cable, and which is the best option for creatives right now. HDMI vs DVI: Footprint Comparing HDMI and DVI plugs shows the large difference in size between them HDMI and DVI are simple to tell apart thanks to their contrasting footprints. Unlike the myriad forms of USB cables, which often look deceptively similar, HDMI and DVI ports look strikingly different. Being the older standard, it’s perhaps unsurprising that DVI is the larger of the two. Viewed front on, a typical DVI plug is rectangular in shape, with a matrix of (usually) 24 pins three rows deep making up the bulk of its front side. To the right of this matrix is a square consisting of four more pins. The whole arrangement is flanked on either side by screws that fix it in place. The number of pins, combined with the screws, make DVI a relatively large plug. HDMI, in contrast, is much smaller. Its plug consists of a slim rectangle with a sloped lip below it. In the middle is a thin gap surrounded by 19 pins. Despite having close to the same number of pins as DVI, HDMI plugs are much more compact, in part due to their lack of securing screws. Note that it is possible to get Mini and Micro versions of both DVI and HDMI plugs. Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI are only found on older Apple computers such as the original MacBook Air and 2009 Mac mini. Mini-HDMI and Micro-HDMI can be found on a wider variety of devices, including some tablets and phones, but are still uncommon compared to standard HDMI plugs. HDMI vs DVI: Compatibility Need to connect HDMI and DVI devices together? Adapters are simple and won’t break the bank One of the most important questions when it comes to deciding between HDMI and DVI is what each standard works with and whether it’ll work with your devices. The first thing you can do towards answering this is check the ports on your hardware. Some computer motherboards will have ports for both, for example, while your TV or monitor may only support one or the other. These days, HDMI is much more common than DVI. That’s especially true on laptops, where HDMI’s smaller connector is much more likely to make an appearance due to its space-saving design. You’re likely to find it on computers, TVs, monitors, games consoles and a variety of other hardware types. However, even HDMI is not as common as it once was, as both DisplayPort and USB-C have eaten into its market share. As we mentioned earlier, the best thing to do is check your hardware to see what exactly you’ll need. Don’t forget that you can always get an adaptor if you need to connect two mismatched devices. HDMI vs DVI: Quality HDMI plugs are far more compact than their DVI equivalents, allowing them to be used in smaller devices Both DVI and HDMI have certain limitations on what they can display, both in terms of an output device’s resolution and its refresh rate. Given that HDMI is newer than DVI, it’s unsurprising that it works with better specifications in both cases. The latest version of HDMI (2.1) can support a maximum data rate of 42.6 Gbit/sec. That means it can support some truly impressive resolution and refresh rate combinations: up to 4K at 144 Hz natively, or a mind-boggling 8K at 120 Hz using Display Stream Compression. It also works with HDR video output (although its maximum resolutions and refresh rates take a slight hit given the increased bandwidth used by HDR video). DVI, meanwhile, only has a maximum data rate of 9.9 Gbit/sec. Taking that into account, the maximum resolution and refresh rate it can support is 3840x2400 at 30 Hz, or 2560x1600 at 60 Hz. As well as its notable visual advantages, HDMI can transfer audio signals, something DVI is unable to do. That means streaming a video from one device to another only requires one cable with HDMI; with DVI, you also need to account for audio cables. HDMI vs DVI: Price Regardless of whether you need an HDMI or DVI cable, neither is likely to set you back very much. For example, you can pick up an HDMI cable on Amazon for or a DVI cable for around $5/£5. Both standards’ popularity means neither will cost you much. You may sometimes see expensive versions of each cable doing the rounds, with fancy-sounding features and eye-watering price tags. Don’t be fooled. Even the cheapest HDMI or DVI cable will get your signal to its destination just as fast as the most expensive one, without leaving a galling dent in your finances. HDMI vs DVI: Which should you buy? If you’re looking at computer components such as motherboards and must choose between one that supports HDMI and one that supports DVI, we’d advise the former every time. HDMI is a more modern standard and supports much higher resolutions and refresh rates, and will also work with a wider variety of peripheral devices. If you have a DVI device that you need to hook up to another device, you can always use an HDMI to DVI cable or an adapter; neither is likely to cost you much more than a fiver. Given that HDMI cables are more modern, more common and often cheaper than their DVI equivalents, there’s no real reason to stick to DVI unless you really have to. Read more: The best L-shaped computer desks The best mouse right now The best computers for graphic design View the full article

GenerateJS – the conference helping you build better JavaScript – is the place to be if you want to learn how to build better sites and experiences. To learn all about the must-know language, get down to Shoreditch on 2 April 2020. Tempted? Well now is the perfect time to get your ticket. For one week only you can get 50% off the standard ticket price as part of our flash sale. This means you can get a standard ticket to see six top JavaScript experts speak for just £149+VAT. Are you a student? Then it's even cheaper. A standard ticket is just £89.50+VAT. You will be hard-pushed to find a better offer anywhere to see such a fine array of JavaScript speakers. Get your ticket now by heading over to generateconf.com and using the offer code FLASH50. But be quick, you only have until 11pm (GMT) on Sunday 15 March 2020. New panel session added The latest not-to-be-missed addition to the GenerateJS line-up is our brand new end-of-day panel session entitled The Diversity of JavaScript. Speakers Remy Sharp, Jeremy Keith, Charlie Gerard, Phil Hawksworth and Nadieh Bremer will all be primed and ready to answer any questions that come to you as you listen to their inspiring talks. As good as they might be, they won’t be able to tell you everything in their sessions. So make sure you note down any questions you want answered. The speakers will be giving you the lowdown on design systems, data visualisation, gesture recognition, a serverless web, service workers and even good old vanilla JavaScript being wrangled into a 1980s slow and loud loading screens with help of Web Audio, canvas API, cameras and more. Network with GenerateJS speakers Not only can you listen and learn from our JavaScript superstars, but you can hobnob with them throughout the day, and you get to network with fellow developers and designers and talk shop. Plus, you can brush shoulders with brands and associate with agencies and you will get fed throughout the day with breakfast, lunch and snacks. To finish off the day, you can enjoy a few free drinks on us. All this at a price that is hard-to-resist. Don’t forget it’s 50% off until 11pm (GMT) on Sunday 15th March 2020. Get your ticket now at generateconf.com. Hope to see you there. 11 amazing graphical JavaScript frameworks 21 steps to super speedy JavaScript 25 of the best JavaScript APIs View the full article

A Zoho zero day vulnerability and proof of concept (PoC) exploit code was disclosed on Twitter. View the full article

With International Women's Day approaching on Sunday, lubricant brand K-Y Jelly has revealed a rebrand focused on female sexual empowerment. Design Bridge New York's new logo design emphasises the ruby in its centre, turning it into a much prouder celebration of the vulva than before, and a "strong symbol of female sexual power". The ruby was always part of the logo, but diagonalising the 'Y's descender to meet the 'K' creates a new outer diamond, making the effect far more obvious. The old logo (left) compared to the new one (right) "We've loaded it with meaning," says Claire Parker from Design Bridge, "and brought a sensuality and confidence to the brand that was lacking before." If you ask us, the vulvarisation (sorry) of the logo is a stroke of genius. The old logo looks positively prudish, clinical even, compared with this playfully confident rebrand. And if anyone needs help spotting the visual reference, Design Bridge's accompanying video (below) for the rebrand ensures that the new ruby looks, well, nice and inviting. K-Y Jelly was one of the first lubricants aimed specifically at women. Launched in 1904, it entered a marketplace aimed predominantly at men. This new identity is a brilliantly strong statement of the brand's mission to, as K-Y puts it, to "empower women to have the best sex, always". Are you ready for this jelly? As well as the new logo, the rebrand includes bespoke typography and iconography for the product's packaging, as well as a refined colour palette with consistent use of the brand's "deep, ruby red – a colour that universally represents love and passion". We love it. Related articles Durex hits the spot with sexy new rebrand The problem with period product branding Designers react to bizarre Gucci rebrand View the full article

Facing a blank canvas can be daunting, particularly when designing subjects not of this world. Just what and who do you turn to for inspiration when designing mythical creatures? The sixth in its series, Sketching from the Imagination: Creatures & Monsters, by Marisa Lewis is a fantastic place to start. It’s an inspirational paperback (for more great books, see our best drawing books roundup) that gathers artwork from 50 illustrators working in the field of creature design, while throwing in some valuable artist insight for good measure, too. Sketching from the imagination: Format A dinosaur-like design from the imagination of US artist Jordan Walker The book's format quickly becomes apparent from a glance through the book’s 317 pages. Each artist has been allocated a similar amount of space, most of which is crammed full of the most fascinating creature designs. A varied subject selection provides drawings of everything from dragons and fairies to mechanical structures and aliens, in all stages of development. The majority of the artwork is in black and white; however, a number of full colour illustrations pop up randomly, making for a welcome change of pace in among the monochrome. A slight downside to this softcover is that there’s no easy way (unless you’re familiar with every artist) to quickly find a specific subject matter or style of interest. Instead, you’ll need to flick through the book’s hundreds of pages to find those dragon designs you’re looking for. If and when you do, however, artists are detailed in a summary of contributors at the back of the book, should you want to explore their body of work any further. Sketching from the imagination: Layout Jin Yee Tew gives her creatures a backstory that informs the design The image-to-word ratio is, quite rightly, weighted heavily in favour of the former, and the text featured is, for the most part, carefully placed so as not to intrude on valuable illustration space. Page layouts follows the same format for each artist – a short introduction followed by inspiration, materials and techniques sections – which can get a little repetitive. Highlighted boxouts, which feature individuals’ artistic and professional advice are, overall, much more insightful (for a good example, see White Ink is Your Friend on page 17). Sketching from the imagination: Our verdict On the whole there’s very little not to like about this book. The art is accessible and fascinating in its variety, and the artistic insight is a nice added extra. Creature artists are sure to enjoy all the eye candy on view, and at less than £20, it’s a bargain to boot. This article was originally published in ImagineFX. Subscribe here. Read more: The best figure drawing books View the full article

Figma is an awesome design tool. In this video, we’ll look both at some design tips and tricks for when you’re putting a web design together, as well as look at some of the cooler features of Figma.View the full article

Picking fonts can be a frustrating affair. Rather than diving deep into the world of typography, in this video I want to show you two super simple steps to how you can pick fonts for your site, and have them …View the full article

As coronavirus continues to spread, some companies are urging their employees to work from home. Big brands such as the likes of Twitter, Google and Sony have all closed offices and encouraged staff not to come into the office as a means of combatting the spread of the disease. If you find yourself working from home, it's important to be prepared. From your equipment to your wellbeing, there are several factors that can affect your productivity and comfort while out of the office (and it's not all about having the best desk money can buy). Here are our top tips to help you work from home like a pro. 01. Stay disciplined Whoever said you shouldn't bring your work home with you clearly never had to work from home. One of the biggest challenges is keeping your work and home life separate. So, give yourself a dedicated place to work – even if it's a just the end of your kitchen or dinner table. Anyone who has worked from home will understand the temptation to turn on the TV. There's nothing wrong with a little background noise, right? Then before you know it, working from home has turned into Netflix or Disney Plus time. Not only is this bad news for your work, but also for your leisure time. Sitting on the sofa won't feel relaxing in the evening if you've been doing it all day, so try and keep things separate. 02. Make sure your laptop is up to the job Our top laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro In most cases, a laptop is probably the most important piece of kit when it comes to working from home. For the sake of your productivity (and sanity), you'll want to make sure it can handle whatever your job is about to throw at it. If it's time for an upgrade, we've covered options for all budgets elsewhere on the site. Topping our best laptop for graphic designers list is the hugely capable MacBook Pro 16-inch. 03. Get a VPN If you haven’t yet got one, you’ve at least probably heard about VPNs. Standing for Virtual Private Network, this downloadable software lets you change the IP address of your computer or phone to somewhere else entirely differently. Whether that be to a server in another country, back in your office or another location entirely. Perhaps a VPN’s most crucial feature is its encrypted connections. That means the utmost privacy and security for you when you’re working at home, which is particularly handy if you’ll be sending and transferring sensitive information. But it’s not all about work – one of the main reasons VPNs have become so massive over the last few years is because they can help you stream TV shows you wouldn’t normally be able to. The extra versatility of the best VPN services have made them an increasingly popular replacement for standard antivirus software. 04. Make your workspace comfortable Sitting pretty Grabbing a kitchen stool is fine for a few quick emails, but if you're about to spend a lot longer at your desk at home, you need to be sitting comfortably. When it comes to office chairs, our top pick is the iconic and ergonomic Herman Miller Mirra 2, but our list of the best office chairs includes options to suit every budget. 05. Take breaks Even without your boss looking over your shoulder, it's easy to end up tied to your desk – especially when your colleagues can see your green dot coming and going on Slack. But just like in the office, staying in one place can easily lead to cabin fever, and that's not what you want from the place you have to sleep in. So, give yourself a change of scene as often as possible, even if it just means going to another room. One of the great benefits of working from home is being able to cook a decent meal, so don't forget to give yourself a lunch break. 06. Get the right software Do you need Creative Cloud? So you've got the laptop, now it's time to load up on software. Slack will help you to keep your colleagues in the loop, and check out Zoom for conferencing calls. And if you need to share files, see our send large files post. If you're a creative, you'll almost certainly need an Adobe Creative Cloud plan if you want to use any software from Adobe's Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Illustrator (although there are, however, plenty of Photoshop alternatives and Illustrator alternatives available). 07. Leave the house This final tip might seem like counter-productive advice for, you know, working from home, but it's important to get outside, get some fresh air and stay active – providing you're not in quarantine, that is. As much as we all hate commuting to work, it normally involves at least a touch of exercise, whether you cycle in, or even just walk to the station or car. When establishing your work from home routine, make time for at least one trip into the great outdoors. You don't need to go for a full blown hike every day – a trip to the shop can be enough. Not only does this keep you active, but can be good for your mindset. Even with Slack, Twitter, and the tons of other means of communicating online, working from home can become a lonely experience if you're missing out on talking to people in person. Even a quick chat with a shopkeeper or barista might put a smile on your face before you head back to your home office. Related articles: The best office stationery for working from home Artist's illustrations of TV home floor plans are weirdly fascinating 10 productivity tools you can't be without in 2020 View the full article

The high-severity flaws, existing in Webex Player and Webex Network Recording Player, can allow arbitrary code execution. View the full article

Twitter has started testing its own version of Stories – Fleets. These fleeting tweets disappear after 24 hours, bringing Twitter in line with other apps that have a disappearing Story feature – namely Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram. Fleets will be primarily text-based, but can include videos, GIFs or photos. The feature is currently being tested in Brazil and may be rolled out across the rest of the world depending on user feedback. Unlike with normal tweets, users won't be able to retweet, like or comment on a Fleet, although they will be able to send a DM or emoji. Twitter hopes that those who normally feel that tweeting is too public feel more comfortable with Fleeting (we're not sure it's a capitalised verb yet, but we'll go with it). On the day after the announcement, Fleets are already trending on Twitter, but perhaps not in the way Twitter anticipated. The hashtag #RIPTwitter has taken off, with people posting various savage memes about how they don't want Twitter Stories. We can't say yet just how fleeting this anger will be. For a social media trick that's available right now, read our post on how to change the font in your Instagram bio. Do we really need Twitter Stories (sorry, we mean, Fleets)? Well, the answer is of course, no. But that doesn't mean that Fleets won't take off, and we do love the name. However, Fleets may end up being one of those features that most people basically ignore – a bit like Instagram TV or Facebook Watch (yes, we had to look that one up). From a content creator's point of view, Fleets will either be another way to reach your audience, or another way for your audience to ignore you. The addition of Fleets could also mean that people will stop scrolling through other users' Twitter feeds in an attempt to find something racist, or offensive to call them out on. Might there be an increase in screenshots, perhaps? All potentially offensive views – okay, all views – can now have their own disappearing platform, just like they do on other social media networks. We can only imagine what politicians will do with these Fleets if they do eventually roll out across the globe. Just imagine the press briefings. Read more: 10 must-know Instagram tips for creatives Disney character 3D fossils are strangely adorable Everybody hates new Twitter View the full article

Embarking on a freelance career in illustration is an exciting yet nerve-racking move, particularly in the first year. As if learning the art of illustration wasn't enough, you now have to contend with all the challenges that come with managing your own career. Luckily, there's always advice on hand, both in terms of techniques (see our how to draw tutorials) and from within the community. Here, three freelance illustrators reflect on the things they wish they'd known when they were first starting out. This advice comes from AOI's Fresh Eyes event in Bristol, 2020 01. Get organised early Organisation is key The first piece of advice isn't exactly the most exciting, but you'll thank yourself for following it. "Keep your receipts!" says Aleesha Nandhra. "I recently started using an online accounting software, and that really helps." It's also important to keep track of how long you spend on projects, especially if you're being paid for your time. "I wish I'd started early when it came to organisation," she adds. "I wasn't great at tracking my time at first." Ana Jaks agrees. "I wish I'd started sending out contracts earlier," she says. One of the many benefits of contracts is negotiating a kill fee for when a project doesn't work out. "I had a couple of jobs stop halfway through," Jaks adds. "I didn't get paid for them." 02. Do personal projects Ana Jaks' embraces colour, pattern and inclusivity in her work When you're trying to get your foot in the door as a freelance illustrator, you may feel like you haven't got time to work on personal projects. You should be spending every minute of the day trying to get commissions, right? Not only are personal projects a great way to build up your portfolio, but they can also lead to commissions. "I love conceptual, political work," says Thomas Patterson. "A lot of the work I did in my spare time was tech and social stuff that I'd put on Instagram. Now, most of my work is that sort of thing." Patterson's clients now include The New York Times, the Economist and lots more. 03. Don't worry about having another job It can feel like there's a stigma around holding down a job alongside illustration, but in reality it's both normal and a necessity when there are bills to be paid. "It's impossible to go straight into illustration," says Patterson. "But it's easy to put unfair expectations on yourself and think that everyone else is doing really well. Take your time, earn money, survive, have fun." And there can be benefits to having another job. "In terms of mental health, working from home can bring its own challenges," says Jaks. "I sometimes miss the days when I worked in a chip shop in Cornwall. I needed my shit job and my friends. Customer-facing roles can be really sociable." Nandhra used to work as a teacher. "Having a job is nothing to be ashamed of, and you never know what situations it will prepare you for. When you've dealt with a room full of Year 9's, you can deal with anything." 04. Make work you enjoy making Aleesha Nandhra makes work that is both whimsical and evocative While it's good to keep an eye on trends, and the styles or tools that other artists are using, it's important to stay true to your own style. "It’s very easy to see other illustrators pushing their work in a direction that works for them and gets them plenty of work," Patterson says. "But if you do what enjoy and create plenty of work then sooner or later it will get seen." But you don't have to feel pressured to stick to a single style – experimenting can be just as enjoyable. Most of Nandhra's work uses bright colour. "Then I made one thing that was black and white and stuck it in my portfolio. That was the piece that caught one client's attention." Related articles: 10 top illustration trends for 2020 Survey reveals illustrators are still grossly underpaid Adobe Illustrator alternatives: 6 of the best View the full article

Filip Hodas is an artist with a twisted view on popular culture. He's previously attracted attention for his series of pop culture dystopias, in which pop culture icons were transformed into unsettling post-apocalyptic views, and his latest work is no less twisted. This time around he's created a set of cartoon 3D fossils and turned them into virtual museum exhibits. Each render looks like it's been dug up after thousands or millions of years underground and put on display in a museum, accompanied by telltale props associated with each character. The result's a sobering yet fun memento mori, which reflects many of our tips on great character design. Each fossil is set against a colourful flat background to provide a little cartoon flavour. Goofy's fossil is dressed up in his trademark hat Making up the set are much-loved cartoon icons such as Goofy, Popeye, Spongebob Squarepants and Tweety Pie, sitting on little plinths complete with a label providing the Latin name for each specimen, and looking suitably age-worn. We particularly love Hodas' rendition of Scrooge McDuck, wearing a top hat and surrounded by stacks of gold coins. We have to take issue with his representation of Minnie Mouse, though; surely a mouse fossil wouldn't have retained those recognisable ears? Would Minnie's fossil have retained those ears? Hodas created these amazing images in order to improve his sculpting skills and experiment with ZBrush (see our ZBrush review) and Substance Painter, and he notes that there's quite a visible difference between the first image (Canis Goofus) and the final (Anas Scroogius), thanks to his improving his workflow and the way his skills developed over the course of the project. Sponge Bob is totally recognisable You can see the full set of adorable, macabre exhibits over at Filip Hodas' Behance page. Feeling inspired? If you want to explore ZBrush further, we've put together a handy set of ZBrush tips to help you master the software. You can also check out the best 3D modelling software available, for options beyond ZBrush. Read more: Disney characters' homes as Tiny Houses will leave you wanting more 9 character designers you need to know Character sheets for 3D modellers: 15 top tips View the full article

Pixel fonts aren't exactly the sort of type that you're going to need every day. Given the right scenario, however, a well-executed portion of pixel type can give a piece of work just the kind of retro cool you might be looking for, just as long as you choose the right one. Such retro fonts may not be objectively pretty, but their blocky looks evoke memories of ancient technology with horrifically low resolution screens, and that's a powerful nostalgia hit for anyone who grew up with old-school home computers and games consoles. We've collected together 10 of our favourite free pixel fonts; there's stuff here for '80s, '90s and even noughties kids, as well as choices for people who just like the look of big chunky text. And the best thing about them? Most of them are free for commercial as well as personal use. (If you can't get enough of pixels, also see our roundup of the best pixel art.) 01. Windows Command Prompt Happy memories of everything going wrong Long gone from modern versions of Windows (we've just checked), this font is one you're unlikely to have encountered unless you ever had to open the command prompt to sort out a technical problem you couldn't fix through the GUI. There's something reassuring about the Windows Command Prompt font, recreated here by McFood; it's a sensible-looking low-resolution serif (of sorts), suggesting that Stuff is going to get Done. 02. ZX Spectrum Everyone knew how to write this program back in the '80s This one's for the '80s kids. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was one of the most popular home computers of the 1980s, and for anyone who spent hours sitting in front of one typing in programs (or more likely waiting for games to load off a cassette), this font will be indelibly burned into their brains. Each character was just 8x8 pixels in size, so every letter and numeral is a miracle of minimalist design; perfectly readable, with an instantly identifiable look. 03. Abstract A really '90s kind of futuristic Abstract isn't derived from any actual retro fonts, but we reckon it's just the thing if you're looking for a '90s feel in your design. Its super-wide blocky characters put us in mind of '90s games such as WipEout, or thumping trance compilation CDs, and while you'd never put it to use in body text (unless you really wanted to annoy your readers), it'd make an excellent attention-grabbing headline font. 04. Press Start As seen in countless arcades An unmistakable font for anyone who ever hung out in an arcade in the '80s or '90s, Press Start is based on the font used in classic Namco arcade machines such as Pac-Man and Galaxian. Specifically it's based on a lesser-known game, Return of Ishtar, which was the first Namco title to feature a full lower case set; the designer has also made it Unicode-compatible, and added symbol characters not found in the original Namco fonts. 05. Home Sweet Home Cross-stitch: the original pixel art This is a very different kind of pixel font. Home Sweet Home is actually based on cross-stitch, and as soon as we saw it we knew we had to include it in this list. Cross-stitch, after all, is a form of pixel art that predates pixels as we know them. The designer, Raymond Larabie, describes Home Sweet Home as a sentimental, saccharine cross-stitch font; despite that, we love it. 06. Gothic Pixels 10/10 for effort, at least You have to admire the ambition of Gothic Pixels, if nothing else. Executing a gothic script font within the constraints of a 16x16 character block is one hell of a tall order, and Gothic Script isn't always successful in its execution; some of the upper case letters, particularly the 'B', 'K' and 'X', could be frankly anything. Full marks for trying, though, and the fact that it's doubly retro makes it all the more appealing. 07. Subway Ticker Another font that does a lot with not many pixels We mentioned earlier that most of these fonts are free for commercial use; this is one of two exceptions. Subway Ticker by K-Type splendidly recreates the look of those low-resolution electronic displays you'll find on just about any underground line (it's based on an electronic display observed on a New York subway train en route to Coney Island in 2005), and while it's free for personal use, you'll need to buy a licence if you want to use it commercially. 08. Nokia Cellphone FC A smash hit from the days before 3G Back in the days before the iPhone ruled the roost there was basically only one brand of mobile phone to own: Nokia. They weren't much to look at, but they were practically indestructible, they lasted a week or more on a single charge, and you could even play games (well, Snake) on them if you were desperate. And while you might not even remember what the Nokia font was like, one look at Nokia Cellphone FC will bring it all flooding back to you. 09. Blox BRK Create solid-looking text with this smart pixel font Taking a fun angle on pixel fonts is Blox BRK by Ænigma Fonts. It's more of an isometric font, with each (caps-only) letter and numeral carefully crafted out of shaded, cubic pixels. Our favourite feature is that instead of a lower case set, it features a set of alternates with the characters rotated by 90 degrees, enabling you to make gorgeously solid-looking blocks of text. 10. Pxlxxl Font Pxlxxl's amazingly minimal but still readable To finish off, here's a fabulously minimal pixel font from Levi Szekeres. Most of the characters in Pxlxxl Font are just five pixels wide; despite this it's incredibly legible and visually very striking, even at low point sizes. Like Subway Ticker, this font's only free for personal use; the full Pxlxxl set is available through Szekeres' website at $20 per font or $96 for the full family of eight weights. Related articles: Font design: Tips to create your own typeface The 8 best retro gaming consoles How to break into pixel art View the full article

Dozens of routers are patched by Netgear as it snuffs out critical, high and medium severity flaws. View the full article

Loish is a Dutch artist, illustrator and animator based in Utrecht, but it’s probably more accurate to describe her as a phenomenon. Over 15 years working as an artist, she’s steadily built up an immense online following, from sharing her early work on oekaki boards, then Deviant Art and finally Instagram, where she now has 1.8million followers. And a visit to Vertex last Friday showed exactly how passionate that following can be, as hoards of adoring fans queued up to meet her after her talk. Loish remained gracious and smiling throughout, and it’s that generosity of spirit, combined with her amazing talent, that makes Loish a huge draw at events worldwide. She’s recently taken her relationship with her fans to the next level by launching on Patreon, allowing herself to step back from client work and focus more on crafting the personal work, which she describes as "colourful girly art". Yet her career hasn't all been plain sailing, as our interview revealed... For practical tips on creating your own art, see our how to draw tutorials, or our sketching tips. Being funded by Patreon has allowed Loish to focus more on her personal art You said that at school, people told you you couldn’t be an artist. Why do you think they were so discouraging? I had very encouraging art teachers, but they didn’t get overly involved. They really wanted you to figure it out yourself. I think my parents were similar, they wanted me to figure what I liked to do for myself. I come from a family where there aren’t a lot of creative people. I have an aunt who's dabbled in drawing, but that's about it. My parents also didn’t go to college, they went straight into work, so they didn’t know a lot about what that would look like. And I also didn’t know about the industry. You eventually began working as a commercial illustrator. When did you realise that you’d "made it"? There was a point when I realised I’d become financially stable. As a freelancer, your income fluctuates every year. So I always thought when I had a good year financially, this is not going to last. I always thought the bubble would burst. But finally I realised, "Oh wow, my income isn’t going to go down, it’s remained stable". It was a really big thing for me. You've recently launched on Patreon. What took you so long? I’ve known about Patreon for a long time, and so many people have told me to try it. But I didn’t want to go there. I wanted to keep doing what I’m doing, which was to keep using social media to get in touch with clients and do client work. I always felt that client work was a safe path. With Patreon, I felt like I wouldn’t have the time. And also, working with clients is very transactional. I make something, for the fee we agree on, and I get the fee. It's a proper business relationship, which always felt safer to me than asking people, 'Will you support me?' Who knows if they’ll be happy? Patreon is highly personal, which to me felt intimidating. When I decided to take the plunge, it helped that I could ask for a small contribution, $5, so I didn’t have to make an insane amount of stuff. For that small amount, it felt less intrusive on my life, so that worked for me. Also read: How to get more from Patreon Loish says she's her own harshest critic You've now got over 1,200 patrons. What’s the feedback been like so far? I’ve had super-positive feedback. Everyone is super-happy and they say it exceeds their expectations. This has been a pattern for me: I’m always overestimating what’s expected of me, because I’m the hardest on myself. So now I need to recognise that people like it, it’s okay. Visit Loish's Patreon page here What’s the balance in your workload now? I try to schedule my Patreon work in the same way as client work. So every month I have two weeks set aside for Patreon: making art, and I’m also getting into making process videos. And alongside that I speak at events, and do some client work. Patreon allows you to draw or paint whatever you want. How do you decide what to create? I absorb inspiration from around me. So I see drawings, or scenery, I take photos, and I see little things around me that spark an idea for a painting or a drawing. And I have a pictures board where I collect inspirational material. So if I don't have any ideas, I’ll just go look at what’s there. Sometimes I’ll sit down and make a bunch of rough digital paintings in one sitting, get those ideas out. Often, a colour will be an inspirational factor. Like, I saw this colour combination or I saw this sunset and it had an impact, it evoked a mood that I want to recreate. And so I’ll make three or four rough paintings and gradually finish them off. I don’t really come up with stories, I just think about moods, and what I call ‘creative spark bubbles’, where I look at something and it sparks a feeling and I think I want to draw something. The painting may turn out quite different, because I have an intuitive workflow, but that spark is what gets me started. How many of your drawings end up in the trash? I almost always finish them. I feel like everything has value. So even if it’s not my best drawing, I’m not going to completely leave it. Maybe somebody else will, maybe it will resonate with others in a way it doesn’t with me. It’s a step in my process. When I feel frustrated with my art, that’s also a really important part. It’s an opportunity to think: which skill am I missing right now? Why is this frustrating me? What is the way I’m going to get past this? So I always try to finish it and take a lesson out of it. I’m not really someone who wants it to be perfect. And I won’t go and take something out of my portfolio. I want to keep it all there so people can see it. Loish is considering a third art book, and wants it to contain a self-help element Across the last 15 years, how much of your work have you kept? I’ve kept all of my art, well as much as I've been able to, including all the old pixel-ly stuff. I think it’s really important to share that. Because that’s what I was missing when I was in high school. I was looking at all these artists that I admired and thinking: 'Where do they come from? How did they get to that stage?' I drew Powerpuff Girls, I drew really bad fan art, and it’s often kind of embarrassing to look back on, but it needs to be shown. Every artist has that; every artist goes through a stage where they don’t know what they’re doing, and they’re absorbing styles and ideas, and I want people to see that. How do you plan to develop your art in the future? I’m going with the flow in my career. That’s the reason my early stuff works and allowed me to develop; I didn’t know where it was going to lead. If you know that what you’re doing will have an impact 20 years from now, you’ll do it with a lot more anxiety. So I try to keep things as open as I can. For instance, I don’t know what will happen with social media. Are there going to be new platforms? Are we all going to be living in VR? So I always advise artists: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Create a brand, a style, an identity that you can translate into whatever context. We love your books. Any more on the horizon? Yes, I’m thinking about doing a third in the series. In The Art of Loish, I really tried to put my voice in there: you know, 'This is how I think, this is what I’m about.' And people who bought it felt they really connected with me. So it became a really important way for me to connect with my fans. The first one was quite easy because it’s just ‘Art of’. Like, who am I as an artist? But now I’m starting to think what can I add. So I’m having to go deeper. I’m really into the psychology of drawing, so I’m thinking about how do you maintain a positive mindset? How do you make an exciting art blog? What do you do to maintain your mental health? Because drawing is like looking in a mirror: you always see your own flaws, and they can be really tough, and drag you down. So I see it as super-important to maintain your mental health, and keep a positive attitude. Having that healthy balance of forcing yourself to grow but also enjoying it. Because it’s okay. I always felt guilty for enjoying it, and that psychological aspect is something I really want to share. I want to have a self-help theme to the book, while it still being an art book. So that will be a real challenge, to get that balance right. Don't miss out on Vertex 2021: register your interest today Read more: 8 mind-boggling facts about the making of Toy Story 4 How to get a job at ILM Top Marvel concept artist shares 6 tips for success View the full article

An L-shaped computer desk could be the purchase you didn't know you needed. L-shaped desks don't take up much more space than a standard rectangular desk (particularly when tucked into a corner) but give you far more room to work and mean you're never struggling to find room for a sketchbook, laptop and graphics tablet at once. The very best L-shaped desks will help keep everything neat and tidy, with cupboards, drawers and cable storage to ensure your surfaces are as clear as possible. It's also worth looking out for extras like cubbies to store your computer off the ground, and keyboard trays large enough for both your board and a graphics tablet. We've put together this guide to help you make the best possible choice for your workspace, and there's something for every budget. If you're looking to upgrade your desktop computer, then take a look at our best computer for graphic design guide. And for more desks that aren't L-shaped, see our guide to the best desk for designers. An adjustable desk can be a real asset when you're working long hours, making it easy to shift between sitting and standing, and bringing your work to the most comfortable height for you. This L-shaped sit/stand computer desk from IKEA features an electric motor to make changing height effortless (there are no noisy cranks to worry about; just a pair of simple buttons) and there's plenty of space to spread out your work. This desk is available with either a wood veneer or melamine top and a variety of frame colours, so you can choose a finish that suits your working space. The smart Mainstays L-shaped desk with hutch is ideal for smaller work spaces, and is a particularly good choice if you don't have a dedicated study or studio. It's far more affordable than its smart design would suggest too, and comes in a variety of woodgrain finishes. Two cubbies and and a cabinet overhead providing plenty of storage space for documents, files and materials. There's a large keyboard tray for your peripherals, too. Take care to measure your monitor before you buy, though; while this is a generously sized desk, hutch designs mean there's less space for extra-wide and curved displays. Although it's been created with gamers in mind, the Walmart large ergonomic gaming desk is a great choice for designers too, giving you acres of space to spread out your graphics tablet, laptop, papers, desktop computer and much more. If you use a Mac Pro, you'll appreciate the dedicated stand underneath that'll keep the tower nicely ventilated and away from the dusty floor. This desk's industrial-style design won't be to everyone's tastes, and you'll need separate drawers and shelves, but having so much space is a real luxury; you'll wonder how you ever managed with a smaller workspace. If laminated particleboard doesn't take your fancy, take a good, long look at the Z-Line Belaire glass L-shaped computer desk instead. This stunning desk, with its elegant curves, is also super practical thanks to a built-in monitor stand that raises your display to a comfortable height, plus a wide tray for stashing your keyboard and mouse or laptop out of the way for sketching sessions. You can easily install the monitor stand and keyboard tray on the same side, though be careful with your cables; with a glass desk you need to keep them neat or it'll really show. The Better Homes & Gardens Lindon Place L-shaped desk is one of the more expensive desks in this roundup, but still very affordable for a piece of equipment you'll be relying on every day. This is a thoughtfully designed piece of furniture with two slim drawers that are ideal for storing your graphics tablet, Pantone charts and other equipment, plus space for a Mac Pro or PC tower and a cabinet with adjustable shelving. The hutch design means you're sacrificing some arm space for all this storage, but it looks fantastic. We particularly like the wire grid that can serve as a pinboard with assistance from a few bulldog clips. The SHW Vista might look like a regular corner desk, but it actually divides into three sections so it can be assembled in a small space. If you work in an apartment and don't like the thought of heaving a huge piece of furniture up the stairs, this is the L-shaped desk for you. Its smoked tempered glass top is a thing of beauty, and there's even a foot rest bar to help you sit more comfortably. You'll need to dedicate some time to screwing the sections together, but the results are worth the effort. A great-looking desk for designers with limited space. If your everyday design work involves some heavy equipment (a Mac Pro and multiple monitors, for example), you might not feel entirely comfortable trusting a glass desk with the tools of your trade. The Office Hippo Ideal corner desk is built for exactly that kind of weightlifting, and is rated to support loads up to 80kg. It comes with an impressive five-year warranty as well, and the top is heat- and stain-resistant (ideal for coffee addicts). Not the most stylish, perhaps, but it won't let you down. The Walker Edison tempered glass computer desk could have been made specifically with Mac Pro users in mind, with a perfectly sized central CPU stand to keep your computer tower safely off the ground and within easy reach, whichever side of the desk you're using. It's a shame there's nothing to help with cable management; being able to clip wires to the back of the desk's legs would help keep them tidy and avoid a clearly visible tangle. It's an excellent L-shaped desk though, and will serve you well for years to come if you're willing to invest in some cable ties to neaten things up. Read more: The best office chair Infographic: 10 essential desk exercises for designers The best standing desks View the full article

After months of speculation and a beta version that nobody was able to actually sign up for, WhatsApp has finally rolled out its much-requested dark mode on both iPhone and Android. And guess what? Lots of people really hate it. In a blog post to mark dark mode being out of user testing and available now, WhatsApp notes that the new dark mode is designed to reduce eye strain in low light environments, and also hopes that it prevents awkward moments when you're on the phone; in fact it's even made a little video to play on that particular dark mode benefit: Dark mode finally comes to Facebook (kind of) Nice touch; not so sure about that Simon and Garfunkel cover, though. WhatsApp states that it two main priorities when designing the new dark mode: readability, which meant that it wanted to minimise eye fatigue and use colours that are close to iPhone and Android system defaults; and information hierarchy, using colour and other design elements to help important information stand out so that users can more easily focus their attention on each screen. The new dark mode is designed with readability and information hierarchy in mind We've downloaded it on iPhone (pro tip: if it doesn't appear among your updates, swipe down to refresh the page) and we like the look of it. It's not quite as grey-looking as our report on the beta version suggested, and fits well with other dark modes on iPhone. Our main note is that the dark mode accentuates the weird doodle pattern that's always been in the background of your chats; you may not have even noticed it before because it's pretty pale in the standard mode, but in dark mode it really stands out. This might explain the current social media uproar around the WhatsApp dark mode. While we're sure plenty of people are loving it, there's a lot of noise right now from people who are absolutely seething about it being ugly. Harsh, but as with so many other things in life, we're sure they'll get used to it. And if you're dying to get a bit more dark mode in your life, you should be able to download the new WhatsApp now. Android 10 and iOS 13 users can activate dark mode by enabling it in system settings, while anyone on Android 9 or below need to go into WhatsApp's settings > Chats > Theme and select 'Dark'. You can read more about WhatsApp's dark mode here. And if you want a new phone to enjoy all that darkness, then don't miss our best camera phones. Related articles: How to turn on Instagram's Dark Mode Photoshop gets dark(er) mode for 30th birthday How to implement light or dark modes in CSS View the full article

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Coincidentally, that's about how many lines of code it takes to create that picture in a web browser. Fortunately, the browser offers several high-powered drawing APIs and surfaces. Most notable are the canvas element and scalable vector graphics (SVG). Both of these features are now available in almost all desktop and mobile browsers but the APIs required to use them are rather low level and 'low level' typically translates into a lot of tedious and redundant code just to do simple things. Since writing tedious and redundant code is not high on the list of things that developers typically enjoy doing, even with the best code editors, there are thankfully several libraries available to help you with all of your browser drawing requirements. In this article, I'll take a look at some of the options available. We'll explore the most popular JavaScript libraries and talk about what their strengths and weaknesses are. We're also going to do a little spelunking into some of the lesser known projects that fill some very interesting niche needs – the kind that you don't know you need until you need them. 13 of the best JavaScript frameworks to try 01. D3.js D3.js provides boundless possibilities, as Shirley Wu's interactive Hamilton visualisation demonstrates D3.js is the big boss of JavaScript graphics libraries. With over 875K weekly downloads on npm, it is quite possibly the most well known and widely used of all the graphics libraries. It even has its own Wikipedia page. And, let's face it, isn't that when you know you've made it to the big time? D3 enables you to build data visualisations of any kind. You only need to glance through its examples page to see the world of possibilities. Better yet, visit Shirley Wu's interactive visualisation of every line in the musical Hamilton if you really want to have your mind blown. D3 is an all-encompassing tool. It has its own DOM selection, AJAX capabilities and even a proprietary random number generator. Each component of D3 is its own Node module that must be imported. For instance, the selection module is called d3-selection. There are also modules for arrays, shapes, colours, drag-and-drop, time and much more. The power of D3 comes with the trade-off of complexity. The learning curve can be steep and the code can still feel verbose. Building something as simple as a bar chart requires you to manually assemble the axis, scales, ticks and even draw the rectangles that will represent the bars. Developers often complain about the low-level understanding required to be effective with D3. This is largely because creating complex data visualisations requires you to have a low-level understanding of the visualisation you want to create. D3 is not the best option for pre-baked charts. For that, there are several other choices that will find you in the 'pit of success' much faster. D3 is capable of rendering to canvas and SVG. However, the real magic of D3 is in its ability to 'data bind' to the graphics it generates. Think of a chart that changes as the incoming data changes. With SVG, each graphical item is an individual element that can be selected and updated. This is not possible with canvas and, since D3 is fundamentally about powering data visualisations, SVG is usually the preferred output format. 02. Chart.js Chart.js has eight prebuilt chart types, which means users can get up and running quickly Chart.js is an open-source project for building robust charts with JavaScript. The big difference between Chart.js and D3 is that while you can build just about anything with D3, Chart.js limits you to eight pre-built chart types: line, bar, pie, polar, bubble, scatter, area and mixed. While this seems limiting, it's what makes Chart.js simpler to get started with. This is especially true for those who aren't experts in data vis but know their way around a basic chart. The syntax is all built around a chart type. You initialise a new chart on an existing canvas element, set the chart type and then set the chart options. Chart.js only renders to canvas. This is not a problem since all modern browsers support the HTML canvas element but it might be a hangup for developers who have requirements for SVG support. It also means you are limited in the animations that are possible. Out of the box, Chart.js has support for all easing equations and animations are specified with one property setting. While that makes it quick and easy to get an animated chart, not having individual SVG elements prevents you from being able to do complex animations using CSS3 transitions and animations. Unlike D3, Chart.js is not modular, so it only takes one JavaScript include to get support for all functions and chart types. This makes it easier to get started but means your assets can be much larger. This is especially true if you require time axes – Chart.js then requires Moment.js, which is ~51kb minified and zipped. It's far easier to create a bar chart with Chart.js than with D3. However, there is a ceiling that comes with the simplicity. You may find you hit the limit of what it will do out of the box. Often, developers start with a solution like Chart.js and then graduate to D3. If the simplicity of Chart.js appeals to you, you might really like the next option: Chartist. 03. Chartist One big bonus of using Chartist is that it is responsive by default Chartist aims to be a simple, streamlined charting library that is small in size and easy to get started with. It is also designed to be responsive by default. This is a bigger deal than it sounds, as frameworks like D3 do not resize charts automatically but require the developer to tie into events and redraw graphics. Chartist is also tiny in comparison to Chart.js. It weighs in at a mere 10KB with zero dependencies. That might be because it only offers three chart types: line, bar and pie. There are variations within these types (ie scatter plot is a line type in Chartist) but the tiny size and ease of configuration is countered by the lack of out-of-the-box chart types. Chartist renders to SVG instead of canvas, making it much more customisable in terms of look and feel, as well as providing far more control over interactivity and animations. However, not having rendering access to a canvas means that you might have a harder time doing certain actions. For instance, there is an API for rendering a canvas to an image (toDataURI). That option does not exist for SVG, so exporting a chart as an image will prove to be much trickier. In an ideal world, you would have the option to render to both modes. Chartist charts are easier to configure than Chart.js, as there are fewer options available. While it's possible to extend these charts with quite a bit of functionality, their focus on simplicity means that they are, by definition, simple. Chartist is a great solution for those who need a basic charting solution. Charts are inherently hard to configure as they require some sort of knowledge about how to set up the data along certain axis and grouped in certain ways. Chartist makes the charting portion as simple as possible but you may find yourself in need of a more powerful solution as you become more comfortable with generating your charts. Chartist also lists open-source framework support, including React and Angular. There is no mention of a Vue package on its site. 04. Britecharts Britecharts wraps D3, so you can enjoy D3 functionality without having to learn how it works Britecharts is a charting library that wraps D3. It was made by Eventbrite, who then opensourced the project under the permissive Apache V2 license. It offers a very minimal, yet aesthetically pleasing set of charts. While it can be quite a task to create a bar chart with vanilla D3, Britecharts' wrapping makes it as simple as creating a new barChart object and then setting its width and height. Britecharts has support for all of the basic chart types: line, bar, donut, bullet, scatter plot, sparkline and step, which is more than those offered by libraries like Chartist. It also provides basic tooltip and legend functionality. The animations for the charts are built-in and Eventbrite has provided some beautiful colour schemes. Ultimately, Britecharts is a great option for basic charting functionality. The configuration objects are quite simple and you still get the power of D3 under the covers without having to know anything about D3 itself. Many developers will find this a more compelling option than simply building a complete chart from the ground up with D3. It also has a focus on the data-binding aspects of D3, making it quite good for charts that need to change as underlying data changes. While somewhat restrictive in the available types, it also has a base chart type that you can extend to create new chart types of your own. 05. Taucharts Taucharts teaches users about the fundamentals of data visualisation Taucharts is another charting solution that wraps the complexity of D3 in an easy to implement API. It is built on the concepts from The Grammar of Graphics, a book by author Leland Wilkinson. It provides understanding of when and how to use which data visualisations to display different kinds of data. Out of the box, it features line, bar, scatterplot, area and facet charts. However, it implements the concepts from The Grammar of Graphics into 'Taucharts Language', which provides a framework in which to implement your own data visualisations. Taucharts looks quite compelling and the fact that it's built on D3 makes it an attractive and powerful option. There is the feeling, though, that the developer also needs to read The Grammar of Graphics in order to fully leverage its power. So far we've covered only charting and data visualisation. This is because drawing charts is the most common use-case for a graphics library in a browser. But it is by no means the only one. Another quite common scenario for graphics is, of course, animation. 06. Two.js Twos.js comes into its own when handling 2D animation Not to be confused with D3.js, two.js is an open-source JavaScript library for two-dimensional drawing on the web. It is also able to target all three graphics options in modern browsers: SVG, Canvas and WebGL. Two.js is somewhat similar to D3 in that it is strictly focused on drawing and does not have pre-baked charts or interactive structures to choose from. This means that, just like D3, you need an underlying understanding of the type of drawing you are trying to do and how to achieve that with the constructs two.js provides. Drawing a circle is rather straightforward. Building out a detailed animation, on the other hand, is a much more complicated endeavour. Two.js only abstracts the tedium of drawing shapes, not the tedium of the overall drawing. Two.js also keeps track of all of the objects that you create, so you can reference and animate them at any time. This is particularly important if you are doing game development and you have assets that need to be tracked for things like collision detection. It has a built-in animation loop, which relieves you from having to worry about animation frames, and makes it easier to tie in an animation library such as GreenSock. While two.js is powerful, its free-form nature might leave some developers unsure of how to begin and it's more of a niche tool for 2D drawing and animation. Another excellent option is pts.js. 07. Pts.js The predetermined methodology of Pts is good for interactive visualisations, as well as animations Pts is also a two-dimensional drawing library. It is fundamentally different to two.js however, as it uses a predetermined methodology for how drawings and animations should be assembled: space, form and point. The analogy its developers use to explain this is one from the physical world. Space is paper. Form is the pencil. And point is your idea. In terms of its implementation, space is a canvas element. Once the canvas element is created, you can add players to it. These can be either functions or objects. These functions and objects must conform to the predetermined interface that a space has. Pts is built on TypeScript, so there's no need to guess at what those are as the tooling you use will likely suggest those with autocomplete. For instance, a space has a start function that you can specify. This is code that is run when the space is ready. Within these functions, the drawing to the space occurs using the form object. Form objects can draw any sort of shape and the point is where these items are located in the space. Pts seems to be primarily designed for creating interactive visualisations and animations. Its implementation is interesting, albeit quite abstract. Developers may have a hard time understanding the 'space, form, point' model that Pts requires. This is another mental hurdle that will have to be cleared in addition to that of simply drawing and animating shapes. 08. Anime.js Anime.js works on a staggered system, which helps with timing your animations Anime.js is primarily an animation library. It has a built-in stagger system to make it more simple to have complex animations that overlap or are dependent upon the occurrence of another execution. It's common for animations to be timed together or to be triggered by one another. The staggering system makes this easier to implement, as it helps relieve some of the overhead of tracking everything happening on the page and manually configuring the animation timings. Unlike the drawing libraries covered so far, anime.js doesn't have APIs for drawing shapes. Instead, it assumes your shapes already exist and that you want to animate them. This makes it great for use with libraries such as two.js. Anime.js has support for animating CSS properties, SVG, DOM and even JavaScript objects. Anime.js is a good option for animating existing drawings and will likely be combined with another library. It should be considered an alternative to something like GreenSock and not a replacement for other drawing libraries. Anime.js would likely be used for more complex animations that need to happen as part of an interactive web experience. 09. PixiJS PixiJS is a 2D drawing library with an API that was built and used on Adobe Flash, so will be familiar to some PixiJS is another 2D drawing library. Its main purpose is to make it easier to display, animate and manage 2D graphics, so you can focus on building your experience or game without worrying about keeping up with all of the shapes and images you have to draw and animate. If you're building a game, assets (or sprites) can quickly balloon to a number that's hard to manage. A compelling aspect of PixiJS is that it comes from an API that was built and used extensively in Adobe Flash. This is a huge benefit for developers coming from a Flash background, as the experience will feel familiar. It is also similar to Apple's SpriteKit. PixiJS is not a game engine, so if you're using it for games, you won't find any tools or physics to handle things like collision detection. You'll need to wrap it in an actual game engine or one you build yourself, if you're feeling intrepid. PixiJS renders to WebGL. WebGL is an engine for doing GPU-accelerated graphics in the browser. This means it is useful for animations and graphics that use a lot of system resources and would perform best when rendered by a discrete Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). It is based on OpenGL, which is the desktop equivalent for running games and 3D graphics programs. Underneath the hood, WebGL uses the HTML canvas element. Serious graphics developers will appreciate the power of WebGL. However, these experiences may be degraded on lower-powered machines. Even as I was putting this article together, many of the PixiJS demos caused a noticeable slowdown in my system, which does not have the higher-end capabilities required for complex graphics and animations. 10. Zdog Zdog offers the look of 3D using 2D drawings Most of the drawing engines that we have discussed so far are two-dimensional. This is because most of the interacts we have with our screen occur in two dimensions – along the X and Y axis. Three dimensional drawings and animations are usually much more complex. Zdog is a library for building pseudo- 3D experiences that are mostly flat in nature. It's called pseudo-3D because while it conceptualises its drawings in 3D space, it renders them as flat shapes. It uses visual tricks to make 2D objects appear 3D. The effect is really interesting. It looks completely three dimensional when the animation is viewed but when a screenshot is taken, it is clearly a flat image. Here is one example: the rotating Mario demo. Since the renderings are 2D, Zdog can render to either Canvas or SVG. Zdog is a fantastic option for 3D animations on simple objects – especially if those assets incorporate aspects of flat design. Developers who want 3D animation but don't want to get bogged down in the complex world of 3D graphics engines might find Zdog an adequate solution. Additionally, with its focus on flat images, Zdog can afford a much simpler interface and much higher performance than would be required for the 3D rendering of complex graphical images. It does not have the elements of a game engine such as asset management and collision detection, so would need to be wrapped in a game engine or those considerations taken care of manually. This means Zdog is probably best for isolated 3D animations on landing pages. 11. Snap.svg Snap.svg has an API that will select an SVG element for you to then draw elements to it Snap.svg says it makes "working with your SVG assets as easy as jQuery makes working with the DOM". You might be able to tell from the jQuery reference that Snap.svg is a bit older but its API does feel as easy as jQuery and that is quite a powerful thing. Snap.svg has a clean and simple API for selecting your main SVG element and then drawing elements to it. It is most suited to developers looking for a quick solution for animating SVGs. It is a particularly good option if your animations are simple and you don't have a lot of knowledge about animation engines. While it is somewhat dated, it certainly shouldn't be overlooked, as it could be the easiest way to work with your SVGs. Snap.svg is refreshing in its simplicity. It's scoped to the job of selecting and working with SVGs and doesn't try to be more than that. Snap could be combined with other graphics libraries here for drawing and rendering to SVGs. It is also good if you have existing SVGs and you want an easy way to work with them. This article was originally published in issue 326 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 326 or subscribe to net today. Learn how to build better JavaScript at GenerateJS Join us in April 2020 with our lineup of JavaScript superstars at GenerateJS – the conference helping you build better JavaScript. Book now at generateconf.com Related articles: 21 steps to super speedy JavaScript Animate SVG with JavaScript 25 of the best JavaScript APIs View the full article