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Apple AirPods are an accessory that many Apple lovers would love to get their hands on, but they're not exactly cheap. Today, however, retailers Amazon and Walmart are making them all the more affordable with some early Black Friday deals, which see them reduced to the lowest price we've ever seen. In the US, Walmart his offering standard 2019 AirPods for just $139, knocking $30 off the original price. AirPods with the wireless charging case offer an even bigger saving, reduced from $199 to $164.99. In the UK, Amazon is also offering the lowest prices in the land, with AirPods in the standard charging case just £129, and £169 with the wireless charging case. We probably don't need to tell you discounts on Apple AirPods are rare, so if you want to get hold of these top Apple accessories, you need to snap these deals up now. And if you're looking for more tech to compliment your new Apple headphones, be sure to check out our best Apple Black Friday deals post too. US Apple AirPod deals UK Apple AirPod deals Read more: The best Adobe Black Friday deals in 2019: How to get a Creative Cloud discount Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2: which should you buy? The best cheap Apple laptop deals in 2019 View the full article

The Mandalorian has been released on Disney Plus and while the idea of Star Wars TV show is all very exciting, what has really got people going is that it contains a BABY YODA. And this Baby Yoda just happens to be the most adorable thing anyone's seen. Ever. When Jon Favreau revealed the original Baby Yoda concept art on Twitter yesterday, people went pretty wild. He's obviously been following our character design tips. Love him, we do, yes The true identity of this ridiculously cute character has yet to be revealed. He's so far been referred to as 'the Child' in The Mandalorian. He can't be actual Yoda because Yoda died in The Return of the Jedi, and The Mandalorian is set five years later. Unless The Force is somehow stronger than we thought. The other odd thing about Yoda Baby is that he's actually 50 years old. But that really didn't stop people cooing over his cute little foot or adorable eyes. And the fan art has already begun. We look forward to seeing more. What's the lesson here? If you want to make a cute character, dress it up in an oversized costume, use big eyes, and add in a sneaky peek of a tiny foot or hand. The internet will be yours. No matter that there a lot of other creatures out there that look... well, pretty much the same (did someone say Gremlins?). Just look at that tiny foot! Read more: The Force is strong with this illustrated Star Wars poster 6 free Star Wars fonts Push your character designs further with this workout View the full article

A brand's logo is one of the most important things to get right. How do you distill the entire identity of an organisation into one simple symbol? And then, when things go stale, how do you find a new look that your loyal fans will recognise and embrace? The whole process is a tricky balancing act. Get it wrong and it's a catastrophe. Which is why we were surprised to discover that Microsoft took such a wild misstep in its branding history. It's now one of the world's most popular brands (fans: take a look at our roundup of the best early Microsoft Black Friday deals), with a brand mark that wouldn't be out of place in our ranking of the best logos ever. As a reminder, here's what it looks like now: Microsoft's current, sensible logo However, in 1980, Microsoft took a bold step with a logo redesign that left it looking much more like a wild metal band than a reliable, respectable tech company. Sadly, this look only lasted two years. Microsoft's badass 1980-1982 logo It has more than a whiff of the Metallica logo about it, doesn't it? In fact, during that whole period, Microsoft seems to have been embracing a band logo design aesthetic – the 1975 logo is an impressively 'disco' effort too. Between 1975 and 1980, Microsoft got funky Thanks to Ian Bogost for first bringing this to our attention on Twitter. We will say this for Microsoft though: back in the day, it clearly wasn't afraid of embracing a confident new look. No blink-and-you'll-miss-it redesigns for this software company. For advice on creating a great brand mark, see our logo design tips, or for more recent efforts, explore our roundup of the biggest logo redesigns of 2019. Read more: Reebok tweaks its classic logo IKEA's latest logo tweak is "amazing" Gloriously glitchy logos show the power of a strong brand View the full article

UI design is misunderstood. It's not only about visual design, however it doesn't quite encompass UX in its entirety either. Great UI design is, in fact, a mixture of clarity and efficiency. In this article, we're going to reveal the golden rules of effective UI design, and how to achieve it. These rules relate to typography, colour palettes, CTAs, components, and design systems. Here, we're using InVision Studio. However, the rules apply whatever tool you're using, and often the process is very similar (take a look at our guide to the best UI design tools for some other options, or alternatively our general guide to the leading web design tools). UI design is about usability. While visual design is solely about form, UI design is about how the form aids the function. Let's take a look at some essential rules to guide your UI design process, starting with typography. Rule #1: Good type is all about accessibility Great typography boils down to accessibility. In a design system, font size, line height, paragraph spacing and letter spacing should be designed in a way that enhances readability and legibility. Visual design – i.e. colours and fonts – certainly add to the user's overall experience, but at the end of the day users are using the UI, not looking at it as art. Legible letters result in clarity, and readable words are what help users digest content efficiently. However, well-designed typography can still be aesthetically satisfying. There's a side to the science that we often forget about, and it's the side where form and function become one. In fact, you'd be extremely surprised at how beautiful black-on-white Helvetica (or a similar font) can be after only a few simple typographic enhancements. By enhancements, what we mean is tweaking the font size, line height, letter spacing, and so on. Similarly, 'beautiful' fonts can become ugly when they're unreadable simply because frustration always trumps aesthetics. Simple but clear type systems can be beautiful However, like many aspects of UI design, fine-tuning these individual styles isn't really the challenge. The challenge is maintaining consistency throughout the entire design, since, as humans, we navigate the world (and our user interfaces) based on mental models, patterns, past events, and familiarity. And this is where design systems come into the story. Design systems help us to maintain consistency and establish a clear visual hierarchy between elements of varying importance, which in turn helps users understand our UI faster and even digest our content more efficiently. Now, while design systems can be almost as elaborate as a Bootstrap-like framework, they actually start off more like a style guide, and that's exactly what we're going to create today, starting off with the typography. 01. Font size When it comes to legibility and readability, the minimum acceptable font size as defined by the WCAG 2.0 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is 18pt (or 14pt bold). We couldn't really tell you what font size to use, as this largely depends on the font itself, but it's important to be mindful of visual hierarchy and how this base size distinguishes itself from summarised text such as headings (<h1>, <h2>, <h3> etc.). With your UI design tool of choice (InVision Studio is used here), create a series of text layers (T) and adjust the sizes to correlate with the following template: <h1> 44px <h2> 33px <h3> 22px <p> 18px With Studio (and all other UI design tools), this is done by adjusting the styles using the inspector on the right-hand side. Next, choose the font. Now, what you might notice with some fonts is that 18px <p> and 22px <h3> doesn't look all that different. We have two choices here: tweak the font sizes, or consider using a different font for headings. Consider the latter if you anticipate that your design will be text-heavy. Keep in mind that visual UI design is often a gut-feeling approach, and nothing is fixed – everything is subject to change. 02. Line height Optimal line height ensures that lines of text have enough spacing between them in order to achieve decent levels of readability. This is becoming more recognised as a standard, with even Google's PageSpeed Insights suggesting it as a manual check or a flag if the text contains links too close together as a result of line height. Once again, the WCAG helps us out with this one, declaring that line heights should be 1.5x the font size. So, in your UI design tool under 'Line' (or similar), simply multiply the font size by – at least – 1.5. As an example, if the body text is 18px, then the line height would need to be 27px (18*1.5). Again, though, be mindful of your gut instinct – if 1.6x feels better to you, then go for it. You can execute the maths operation directly by using the inspector. It's way too early to start thinking about using real data in our design, but at the very least, we can use somewhat realistic data (even if it's just lorem ipsum). InVision Studio has a native real data app to help us see what our typography might actually look like. 03. Paragraph spacing Paragraph spacing (or text spacing) isn't a style that we can declare using the inspector. Instead, we'll need to manually align layers using smart guides for exactness. Similar to line height, the magic multiplier is 2x (meaning, double the font size). As an example, if the font size is 18px, then there should be a 36px space before leading into the next text block. In regards to letter spacing, this should be at least 0.12. However, we don't need to worry about this until we begin using these elements to create components, much like a UI kit. 04. Shared styles If your UI design tool supports it (InVision Studio doesn't yet), consider turning these typographic styles into 'Shared Styles' to make them rapidly reusable while ensuring visual consistency. This is usually accomplished via the inspector. Next page: Choosing a colour palette Rule #2: Three colours is enough Colours can have a huge impact on a design – there's no question about it. But it's not necessarily about how beautiful they are. When it comes to UI design, colour is habitually one of the first things that we enjoy dabbling with, but we're taught that diving straight into visual design is a bad thing. This is still true, however, when it comes to creating design systems – colour should be a top concern because it plays many different roles. Colour can be used for visual hierarachy Colour in UI design can be mighty effective, but since some users (many, actually) suffer from various types of visual disabilities, it's not always reliable. That being said, it's not necessarily about the specific colour that's being used, but rather the type of colour. This may not be true when it comes to branding – since colour is used for emotional impact in this regard – but with UIs, colour can also be used for visual hierarchy. 01. Choose your colours Colours hold meaning, so it's important to not have too many of them. Too many means more things that the user has to understand and remember, and for us, more colour combinations to worry about. Generally speaking, this would be the recommended format to use: A call-to-action colour (also the main brand colour) A neutral light colour (ideal for text-heavy content) A neutral dark colour (better for UI elements, and also for dark mode) Then, for all of the above, a slightly lighter and slightly darker variation The final point on the list means that it's easy to achieve the following: Dark mode will be easily possible Our CTA colour will never conflict with other colours In any scenario, we'll can emphasise and de-emphasise as we wish 02. Create a palette With your UI design tool of choice, create one fairly large artboard (tap A) for each colour (named Brand, Neutral / Light, and Neutral / Dark). Then, in each artboard, create additional smaller rectangles displaying the darker and lighter variations of the colour and also the other colours themselves. Generally, consider slightly lighter and darker as 10% extra white and 10% extra black respectively. When you're done, display a copy of the typographic styles on each artboard. The colour of these text layers should be neutral light, except when on the neutral light artboard, where they should be neutral dark. 03. Check contrast levels Ensure your contrast meets accessibility standards Next, we'll need to check our colours for optimal colour contrast. There are a variety of colour tools that can do this, for example the Stark Plugin for Sketch and Adobe XD or Contrast for macOS. However, an online solution such as Contrast Checker or Colour Contrast Checker will do just fine. Check the colour contrast for each combination and tweak the colours accordingly. If you're not sure which colours to use, try using Colorsafe's recommendations. Next page: CTAs Rule #3: CTAs need hierarchy The majority of decisions made about our design lead the user towards an action – but this is only effective if the target looks clickable and communicates the visual hierarchy. Buttons and links, much like typography, should have a few variations. You'll need some different button variations for different situations After all, not all actions are of equal level of importance, and colour is an unreliable method of communication, so it cannot be our main method of influencing visual hierarchy. 01. Size Keep the text size the same when creating bigger buttons We need to think with size. Generally, it is recommended that button text be declared as 18px (same as the body text), but have three variations in size: Normal: 44px in height (rounded corners: 5px) Large: 54px in height (rounded corners: 10px) Extra large: 64px in height (rounded corners: 15px) This allows us to make certain buttons appear to be more important without reliance on colour, and also to nest buttons (for example, use a button inside a minimal-looking form field). 02. Shadows Shadows should be used to increase depth and therefore suggest interactivity. A single shadow style for all variants of buttons and form fields is fine – no need for anything fancy. 03. Interactivity Each button type needs a variation to indicates its hover state. This clarifies to the user that what they've attempted to do is totally fine and ensures that they carry on without delay. This is actually one of the more complex aspects of creating a design system, because the colour is often the favoured style to change when creating a state. Luckily, these state changes can be relatively subtle, so it's fine to change the colour into its slightly lighter or darker variation – that's what they're for. This applies to links as well. Deciding against this will cause us to use a colour that either already has significant meaning, resulting in users becoming confused, or else deciding to come up with another colour. Now, deciding to use a secondary colour is totally fine, but it should be saved for marketing visuals rather than UI elements. Less is more (and easier). Remember to repeat this step for every artboard. Don't include the branded CTA buttons on the brand artboard – later on we'll talk about what happens when certain combinations don't work. Next page: Components Rule #4: Design elements must be consistent Converting design elements into components means we can reuse them, helping us speed up our workflow and maintain consistency across our design. Components are a huge time saver and all UI design tools offer this feature (e.g. in Sketch, they're called Symbols). In Studio, we can create components by selecting all of the layers that should make up the component and using the K shortcut. 01. Using components Speed things up by turning elements into components We can reuse a component by dragging it onto the canvas from Libraries Document on the left-hand side, although bear in mind that this workflow may differ depending on your UI tool. This method of creating design systems (and eventually creating the design itself) works especially well with modular/card-based layouts, although 'common areas' – such as headers, footers, and navigations – will also be excellent candidates for components. Like we've done with our typographic styles, colours, and buttons, we must remember to organise our components carefully. 02. Establish rules It's important not to use branded CTA buttons on top of the brand colour, since branded CTA buttons will obviously need to stand out amongst everything else. So how do we go about creating a branded component while still being able to use a branded CTA button? After all, if we're using neutral dark buttons for, say navigational buttons or simply less important buttons, that just wouldn't be an option, right? This would be an ideal opportunity to go ahead and create a component – specifically, a heading + text + button combination. Notice how we've created a neutral light 'card' backdrop to enable the use of the branded button. Similarly, the neutral light form field (form fields are usually white because of the mental model historically synonymous with paper forms) doesn't look amazing on the neutral light background, so they can only be used on the neutral dark background – either directly, or within a neutral dark component. This is how we make our design flexible, whilst also obeying our rules and maintaining consistency. 03. Stress test The quickest and most effective way of ensuring robustness in our design system is to stress test it. Putting a design system to the test means, unfortunately, needing to be cruel, putting the system through the wringer. Let's say that we have a navigation with [x] amount of nav items, because that was the requirement; in order to really ensure flexibility, try changing these requirements by adding more nav items. To really throw a spanner in the works, try also adding a nav item with a much higher visual hierarchy than the others. Do our size, typography, and colour rules allow for something like this, or, in order to offer optimal usability, do we need another rule? Bear in mind that there's a major difference between adding rules and bending the rules. More edge cases means less consistency, so in most cases, it's much better for usability to rethink the component. Next page: Design systems Rule #5: Design systems must be organised Designing systems means deciding and documenting when and where various styles are allowed to be used. Bold text for example can be used for extra emphasis, but... headings are already bold, so what happens in this case? Can we highlight specific words? When do we need to left-align, and when to center-align? As you create your rules, you need to document them for our own use or for anybody else who might work with the design system. Designers of all types know about design principles, but these rules are unique to our app or website, and even our brand as a whole. Choosing Title Case over sentence case, for instance, can be the difference between formality and informality. But most importantly, these rules help us make meaningful but quick decisions that result in total clarity. Stay flexible and expect to make a number of changes as new elements, colours, and use-cases emerge. A design system is not a one-and-done task — it's normal to be updating it constantly. In order for it to be useful, your design system needs to be well organised. 01. Colours Create swatches of all your scheme's colours Step one is to save all of the colours to the 'Document Colors' swatch if you haven't done so already – this will make them easier to access when we need to apply them in our design. To do this, open the colour chooser widget from the inspector, choose 'Document Colors' from the drop-down, and then simply click the + icon to add the colour to the swatch – this workflow is the same (or very similar) in all UI design tools. 02. Shared libraries Next, we need to convert our document – complete with typographic styles, colours, buttons, common areas, and basic components – into a shared library. Essentially, this means that every element needs to be a component, even if it consists of only one layer. After doing this, it's simply a case of clicking the +‌ button in the left-hand side Libraries sidebar and importing this very document into a new document. The very document we're working on right now is the library itself. Right now, InVision Studio is limited in the sense that it doesn't yet sync with InVision's official Design System Manager tool, but it's easy enough to house the library in Dropbox. When a change is made (either locally or remotely), every Studio file that uses the library will ask if you would like to update the colours and components. This is exactly how the design system is used across teams. 03. Design systems at scale As a design system expands, managing it inevitably becomes harder. There are various adjustments that we might want to make to our design system to make it more efficient, especially since InVision's Design System Manager doesn't work with Studio yet. For instance, we might want to use text layers to annotate our design system as a means of explaining the rules and use-cases of various elements. For the typographic styles, we could even edit the text to be more descriptive (e.g. <h1> / 1.3 / 44px). 04. Design handoff Design handoff tools display the various styles used by every element in the design so that developers can build the app or website. These tools include an overview of styles, and also a copy of the 'document colors' swatch. Developers can copy these styles as code, which is excellent if you've created written documentation for your design system, and like to include code snippet representations of the components. InVision's design handoff tool is called Inspect, and to utilise it, all we need to do is click the 'Publish to InVision' button/icon in InVision Studio, open the resulting URL, and then tap to it switch to 'Inspect Mode'. It's really convenient. This article originally appeared in Web Designer magazine. Read more: Get started with Grav CMS How to animate with the mo.js library Calls to action: How to create successful CTAs View the full article

If you’re a videographer, you’ll know how important it is to get it right when it comes to a new PC. But what are the latest things to be aware of? In this feature, we’ll tell you exactly what you should be looking for (as well as what you shouldn’t). Processor If you’re going to be editing 4K footage – we would now usually opt for an 6 or 8-core Intel or AMD processor or above. However, this isn’t as important as memory and graphics – see below. We’d recommend an 8th generation quad-core Core i5 as an minimum. You don’t need a workstation level machine – running Intel Xeon processors or similar – to edit 4K video. In fact, you need a lot less than that. But to get the best out of your laptop for video, you’ll want a Core i7 or equivalent. Newer Core i9 processors are desirable for out-and-out performance, but you don’t necessarily need to move up from a Core i7. Memory To make things easy, 16GB of DDR4 memory is now our recommended base level of memory for pro video editing. It’s possible to get by on less, but it’s not desirable. 32 or 64GB of memory on a laptop is the reserve of the rich, but more will always help you in the long run. Memory speeds aren’t as important as some make out, but 2,666MHz is a good speed to aim for if you’ve a choice. Often you get what you’re given. If you’re buying a new performance laptop, we doubt you’ll be lacking in terms of RAM speed. Graphics Although you can get by on Intel’s integrated Iris Pro or Iris Plus graphics for, say, Full HD video editing, for anything involving 4K you should have a discrete graphics chip inside your laptop from Nvidia or AMD. Intel’s graphics are getting better all the time, but there’s no current substitute for Nvidia RTX or AMD’s Radeon Pro at the high end. You can’t skimp on graphics power, notably because many video editing suites use GPU acceleration – you’re going to be doing graphically-intensive work, so stands to reason. Check the hardware requirements of the software you’re going to be using as well in case there are any specific graphics requirements. Display Many laptop screens are not yet 4K (4096 x 2160 pixels) although we are seeing more 4K displays hit the streets. In reality, having a sub-4K display is a compromise many are willing to make in favour of portability. Plus it’s also true that most high-end notebooks can drive multiple 4K external displays with DisplayPort across USB-C so you can always plug in to a more capable display when you get to the office. Display size is less important because there isn’t exactly a massive choice when it comes to laptop screen sizes and it really depends on the portability of the laptop you want; if your only consideration is making the most of your projects, then get the biggest display you can. Storage and connectivity The quantity of storage is important, but it depends on where you are going to work. If you’re mostly going to be editing projects at a desk with a laptop and monitor, then you may be happy with an external SSD to store your work on, so you don’t necessarily need to have bucketloads of storage on the laptop itself. Even if you’re not going to store projects on the laptop’s main drive, we recommend an absolute minimum of 256GB for an SSD. In our experience, 128GB drives tend to get maxxed out pretty quickly with apps and files. Obviously if you want to also store projects on the drive, you will need several terabytes. Look also for the type of drive. We recommend NVMe PCIe SSDs. Connected to this is that we always recommend you choose a laptop with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Thunderbolt 3 is being included in the forthcoming USB 4.0 standard, but currently it isn’t a standard part of the USB 3.x spec. Therefore, you’ll need to make sure your new laptop actually supports it. Most new laptops will now use the newer USB-C connector and we always recommend you look for it as it’s the easiest way to power your new notebook as well as transfer data and drive external displays. Premiere Pro in action Warranty It always sounds boring, but an expensive laptop needs a warranty that’s firstly going to cover you if something goes wrong and secondly will repair or replace your laptop in double-quick time. The last thing you need is to be left in the lurch when you need to finish an important project. Read more: The best video editing apps How to design video game cinematics you won't want to skip How to get a job as a video games artist View the full article

If the epic Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon set has always been on your wishlist but its monumental price tag has put it out of bounds, you may well be in luck. A recent Amazon US press release has detailed some early Black Friday deals set to land this Friday 22 November, and it includes a 40% discount on the 7,000+ piece Lego Star Wars Ultimate Millennium Falcon. Usually retailing on Amazon at $999, this incredible saving would take the impressive Star Wars Lego set down to less than $600 – the lowest price we've ever seen. Don't get us wrong, we know $600 is still a lot of money to spend on Lego. But If you're a fan of Lego, Star wars or both, this is the (very aptly named) ultimate in Lego art. The level of detail and sheer number of pieces (7,541 incase you were wondering) it takes to build in its entirety is mind-blowing. The set highlights favourites from the 1977 film, including Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia and C-3PO minifigures. The main hold features a seating area, Dejarik holographic game, combat remote training helmet, and engineering station with turning minifigure seat. The rear compartment features the engine room with hyperdrive and console and two escape Pod hatches. The ultimate Lego Star Wars set could soon become a whole lot more affordable Whether you're a Lego collector, or a creative simply looking to splash out on a treat, if the Lego Falcon has long been on your wishlist, now is the time to buy. A 40% saving is the biggest discount we've ever seen on this Star Wars Lego set, and there's nothing to suggest it will come up again in the near future. The only slight caveat is the press release not detailing the unique Lego set number. It does, however, name the set as Lego Star Wars Ultimate Millennium Falcon, which is an exact match for model no 75192. Here's hoping Amazon isn't playing Yoga-like mind games and the press release does, in fact, refer to this very set. The epic early Black Friday Lego deal is due to go live on Friday 22 November, so stay tuned and we'll update this post as soon as it goes live. In the meantime, here are the best Lego Star Wars Ultimate Millennium Falcon prices in your area: Read more: Introducing Lego, as you've never seen it before The Knight Bus Lego review Stranger Things Lego set available now – and it's EPIC! View the full article

The list of routers that have critical RCE bugs, that have reached end of life and that won’t get fixed has grown. View the full article

Apple AirPods are an accessory that many Apple lovers would love to get their hands on, but they're not exactly cheap. Today, however, retailers Amazon and Walmart are making them all the more affordable with some early Black Friday deals, which see them reduced to the lowest price we've ever seen. In the US, Walmart his offering standard 2019 AirPods for just $139, knocking $30 off the original price. AirPods with the wireless charging case offer an even bigger saving, reduced from $199 to $164.99. In the UK, Amazon is also offering the lowest prices in the land, with AirPods in the standard charging case just £129, and £169 with the wireless charging case. We probably don't need to tell you discounts on Apple AirPods are rare, so if you want to get hold of these top Apple accessories, you need to snap these deals up now. And if you're looking for more tech to compliment your new Apple headphones, be sure to check out our best Apple Black Friday deals post too. US Apple AirPod deals UK Apple AirPod deals Read more: The best Adobe Black Friday deals in 2019: How to get a Creative Cloud discount Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2: which should you buy? The best cheap Apple laptop deals in 2019 View the full article

In many creative projects, photography can be the perfect way of conveying emotion and giving your audience an instant sense of what you're trying to say. But sometimes photography doesn't quite cut it. If you're trying to communicate more complex ideas and emotions, often illustration is the way to go, and current illustration trends mean that there's a vast choice of exciting visual directions in which you can take your work. We spoke to top iStock illustration contributors, Sam Posnick and Andre Jolicoeur, and iStock graphic designer Paul Braga, to get their take on when it's better to use illustration rather than photography in your projects. 01. Web design and UX Clean and simple works best in web design Full-screen photos are a popular and eye-catching choice in web design at the moment, but they can often get in the way of providing a good user experience. To make a website easy for visitors to use, you need a clean and simple design that signposts everything that your users need to know, and that's where vector illustrations and simple icons can help. "When designing for website elements like nav menus or checkout pages, you don't want anything distracting the user from the task at hand," says Braga. "In these cases, a simple, single-colour set of illustrated icons would be a better starting point than a photograph." To create a strong visual message, simplicity can be key, and many of iStock's contributors make a concerted effort to keep things straightforward. "I tend to keep [my stock illustrations] simpler—no detailed backgrounds, lots of copy space, etc.," says Posnick. "I like to give the folks who use them room to play creatively and allow their designs to shine." 02. Unique or large-format print projects Vector illustrations can be used at all sizes Just because a photograph looks good on your monitor, that doesn't mean it'll take well to being enlarged to poster or even billboard size. Not only are you likely to hit resolution issues, you'll also find that in large-scale print applications, flaws such as JPG artefacts in your image become a lot more obvious. "The final size of the printed product will determine how the file should be constructed," says Jolicoeur. "A raster illustration may work well for a smaller application, while vector art is usually ideal when it needs to be able to scale to massive print sizes." Another advantage to using illustrations is that they're often a much better fit for unique print placements such as t-shirts, tote bags or packaging. They're usually more visually inviting than a photo, they're easier to adjust and tweak to fit perfectly, and often use fewer colours than a photo, which makes them a lot more print-friendly. "My illustrations have been featured on a few tote bags from some leading fashion brands," says Posnick. "And one of those totes was actually featured in an episode of a Netflix show!" A photo-based design probably wouldn't have had the same character as Sam's illustration, and might not have been such a good fit for the show. 03. Infographics Stock icons and vectors make it easier to create infographics One area in which illustration almost always works much better than photography is infographics. These need to explain complex subjects in a visually-arresting and easily digestible way; photography is likely to complicate matters, and as a rule you need to take a custom approach, which might be a tall order for all but the most experienced designers. Using stock icons, vectors or diagram can help you make the same impact with a lot less work. "If you start with an icon pack, that set will usually have a specified theme such as finance or e-commerce," says Braga. "So, if you use those icons for an infographic, it will help to lend that piece consistency and a clear message." 04. Video and motion graphics For eye-catching motion, take an illustration into Photoshop and make a simple animation Moving imagery can be a brilliant way to create content that stands out, but the cost of shooting video – not to mention post-production – can be prohibitive, especially if it's just for a single Instagram post. However, taking a creative approach to illustration can provide you with great-looking animation at a fraction of the cost. "Recently, I've been playing around with making animated GIF-style pieces by taking illustrations into Photoshop and animating them frame by frame," says Posnick. "It gives a little life to Instagram posts, I find." Not only does turning illustration into motion graphics save you money, it also gives you a lot more creative latitude and enables you to much better serve your video's needs. "You have a lot more freedom to animate and customize an illustration than you would a photograph," says Braga. "You could change the size, colour, or even shape of the item to match your brand look and feel. That's something that's much more difficult to do effectively with a photo, especially if you're trying to make videos or GIFs" 05. Giving your brand a human touch Avoid stock photography clichés and try illustration as a way of humanising your brand Photography is the go-to tool for giving a flavour of what a company or brand is about, but what does another boardroom shot of a group of handsome executives pointing at a laptop really tell anyone? With illustration, though, you can bring a whole new feel to a project. "Photos have their place, they are used to show real things," says Jolicoeur. "Illustrations…can show things that don't exist, things that are beyond the physical world. They can also emphasise mood and emotion in interesting ways." While the serious photographic look will always be the choice for many businesses, a lot of other companies can benefit from the more organic and welcoming aesthetic that you get from hand-drawn illustration. "I think the hand-drawn look can often serve to warm something up that otherwise appears too chilly or ultra-modern," Posnick says. "It also can serve as a way to transition people towards a new look for a brand." Looking for somewhere to start your image search? Check out a few of our favourite images on iStock. View the full article

As we move from the 2010s to the 2020s, the demand for high-quality video has never been higher. With multiple streaming services launching against each other, the phrase ‘Content is king’ is heard everywhere, and the numbers of video professionals working in the TV and movie industries is growing steadily. There’s also been a parallel explosion in high-quality, shortform video for popular YouTube and Vimeo channels, and to help brands to get their message across on social media. Not to mention the rise of new video technologies like VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality) mixed reality, and beyond. So whether you're editing spots, shorts, or feature-length movies, your services are going to be increasingly in demand in the coming years. But at the same time, no one’s expecting the tight deadlines and time pressures to slack off: quite the reverse. And with picture resolution and video file sixes growing all the time, you’re going to need a powerful system that can store, manage and process all your video within a tight timeframe. But don’t worry: HP has your back. It’s developed an extensive line of powerhouse devices to help you edit, render and more in less time, so you can hit your deadlines effortlessly. Not surprising, then, that HP laptops and computers are now the industry standard for both shortform and feature length video content. Read on, as we look at two killer combinations of HP kit, that will set you up to meet both current needs, and future demands to come. 01. HP Z4 + HP DreamColor Studio Display The HP Z4 is a video editing beast, with high-performance processor options and dual extreme graphics support allowing you to create, render, and visualise video at breakneck speeds. HP's best-selling performance workstation, it features the newest generation Intel Xeon processors with up to 18 cores for powerful performance and productivity, along with 256GB memory and a massive 16TB storage. And it can be configured with up to two NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 48GB 4DP graphics cards. So what does this all mean in practice? Basically, even if you’re working on raw 4K or 8K footage and running the most demanding and resource-hungry software, you’ll be able to playback and edit content smoothly, and meet your tightest deadlines. Its next-generation acoustic design is also super-quiet, which can help enormously when it comes to working on your audio tracks. All this leaves you more time to focus on telling your story, in the most creative and imaginative ways possible. The HP Z4 and HP DreamColor Studio Display offer an irresistible mix of power, performance and colour accuracy With all that power speeding up your workflow, the other thing every video professional needs is a monitor that displays what you’re working on at the highest degree of accuracy. And HP has you covered here, too. The perfect companion to the HP Z4, the HP DreamColor Studio Display features award-winning HP DreamColor Technology, which displays precise, rich colours and intense shadow detail. Its extensive colour spectrum offers more than one billion colours (yes, you read that right; one billion!) with 100% of Adobe sRGB, 99% of Adobe RGB 100% of BT.709 and 98% of DCI-P3 coverage. Plus a pop-up sensor calibrates your display, either on demand or on a regular schedule, ensuring that you always achieve accurate colour. You can choose from eight factory-calibrated color presets or configure your own. For video work in the studio, the HP Z4 with DreamColor display is the perfect set-up, allowing you to work faster and more creatively, without your equipment slowing you down. But maybe you need something lighter, that you can use to work on the move? Then we’d recommend... 02. HP ZBook Studio x360 + HP Dreamcolor Displays The HP Zbook Studio x360 is super-powerful and fantastically flexible HP’s most powerful convertible PC, the ZBook Studio x360 is a workstation laptop for the serious video professional. For starters it’s impressively flexible, coming with a clever 360-degree hinge that allows you to configure it either a laptop or a tablet, to better showcase, review or collaborate on footage. And when it comes to performance, it packs a real punch too. Its six-core Intel Xeon processors allow you to run multiple apps with speed and responsiveness and tackle heavy workloads with aplomb, while NVIDIA Quadro P2000 graphics allow you to edit video and render multi-layered files seamlessly. The x360 also offers blazing fast storage, with up to 4TB local PCIe NVMe storage: that's up to 21 times faster than standard HDD storage and six times faster than SATA SSD2. Experience a billion vibrant colours on the HP DreamColor 4K display And what of the display? Well, you’re in for a real treat here. The HP DreamColor 4K display not only allows you to experience one billion vibrant colours, it’s also HP’s brightest 4K laptop. With an incredible 600 nits brightness, you can see and discern different vivid colours, regardless of the lighting conditions you’re working under. It also comes with anti-glare technology, improving your viewing experience, while the ambient light sensor automatically dims or brightens based on your surroundings, so you can take your work indoors or outdoors. Conclusion Your career is something that’s worth investing in, and superior equipment will help you get your work completed more quickly, keeping clients happy and leaving you with a better work-life balance. So videographers everywhere should consider HP’s kit, as any savings you make on lower powered devices will be the very definition of a false economy. The desktop HP Z4 and the HP ZBook Studio x360, together with the HP DreamColor studio Display, are the perfect combination for the modern-day videographer. Offering a mixture of versatility and pro-grade performance, they allow you to get your work done quickly and efficiently, without the delays and interruptions caused by slow-running kit. However large your files and heavy-duty your software, you’ll have a better experience editing and rendering video, and be able to complete colour accurate work quickly and consistently. View the full article

We've all been there. As you slowly open up the styles.css file of your latest CSS spectacular, you see that it’s 2,000 lines long and the class you need to change is smack in the middle. You’re alone, scared and have no idea if it’s okay to edit that class because it could topple something on a completely different page. As a last resort you go to the end of the file and create a new class to tack onto the element that already has seven other classes on it. This is a common experience for any developer who’s been working with CSS long enough (see our favourite examples of CSS animation for some CSS inspiration). So, let’s talk about what the goal should be when writing good CSS. The goal isn’t to create clever and complex rules. It’s not to engineer a selector string so that it’s as broadly applicable as possible. The goal of good CSS should be to write simple, modular and, most importantly, easily maintainable rules. Here we give you some simple and smart rules to help you create and maintain a healthy codebase. If you're after more web design advice, don't miss our pages on website layout and the best web design tools around. 01. Add order and structure to files Structure files by page for quicker and easier access First, consider breaking up styles into their own CSS files based on an agreed upon structure between developers and then stick to it. Opening a poorly organised styles folder is a horrible experience. You have no idea what styles are in which files and how changing one style will affect another. Remember that your server couldn’t care less if you gave every single style its own file and then linked them all or minified them into one at the end. Your site would load very slowly but the server would handle reading them just fine. File structure is for humans only and if your file structure isn’t providing any value then it should be rethought. One of the least confusing ways to structure files is by page. If you're working on an about page and something needs fixing, you go to the about.css file. This avoids the issue of affecting styles outside the about.css. Then all you need to do is check for changes in the about.css file. This doesn’t fix the problem of file length though. A significantly long page might easily have over 1,000 lines of CSS. Structuring your files internally is a way to mitigate this. Sorting alphabetically inside a file means if you are searching for something beginning with C and it's not there, then you know it's not included. This also works for styles that already exist. By grouping everything alphabetically you can see if a style has been written three or four times throughout a file. 02. Build a base CSS file Not all styles will belong to only a single page and it’s common to have styles that exist on multiple pages. It’s also common to have styles that apply to the business overall and not just the website. This is where you will write very general styles that don’t really belong to anything. For example the different colours you’ll use, fonts, typography, as well as any resets that are specific to your site. You may also want to include basic component-like styles in this section, such as buttons, form elements and alert styles. Think of this section as the style guide for your site. Not only will this give your site an easier way to maintain CSS, it will also ensure that styles are applied uniformly. This is a place where you may want to include styles that belong to sections of the site that repeat themselves on multiple pages, such as a header or a footer. If you have a significant amount of styles in these sections, it can help to break them out into their own files such as header.css and footer.css. Just be careful that you don’t start including styles in those files that don’t actually belong. Remember a messy folder structure is a great way to make maintaining CSS difficult. 03. Separate your layout from other CSS Separate layout styles to make it easier to focus on other CSS Those of you familiar with SMACSS may be familiar with the idea that layout styles can be separated from the more general styles you’ll apply to your site. By separating these styles from the rest of your CSS, it means you can more easily focus on how different sections should look and less on how they should behave relative to sections close to them. This can be accomplished by adding a grid system such as the popular Bootstrap library or by implementing one yourself. It’s a good idea to speak with the designer of the site at this point, as many designers will use a grid system when they’re creating a site and you’ll want to get as close to that as possible. 04. Write your CSS modularly Creating modular CSS is about identifying when something belongs to a group Separating your layout CSS reveals another way of simplifying your CSS. There are many different methodologies related to CSS. There’s SMACSS, BEM, OOCSS to name a few but whether you’re calling them sections, parts, modules, components or blocks they all have one thing in common. That is they attempt to add reusable and specialised parts to your style sheet. In doing so we keep our styles as DRY (don’t repeat yourself) as possible and create encapsulation. Side effects in CSS are a big deal. The browser applies CSS in a true or false manner: if a style matches it’s applied, if not then it’s skipped. This allows for a style that wasn’t meant to be applied by the writer to still match and change how a page looks. When we write CSS more modularly, we reduce these side effects by encapsulating the styles. A component or module is a section of HTML that is grouped together and whose styles affect each other. Creating modular CSS is all about identifying when something belongs to a group and then separating it from its surroundings. It means that there is no need to worry about the outside and likely don’t need to worry about any modules inside it as well. We may write the classes that create this as follows: What actually goes in these styles is unimportant but what it does do is allow for control of what happens in the whole header, the top line of the header and the bottom line. By namespacing them with the .aboutHeader class ensures that no other styles will be applied to them. 05. Avoid long selector chains When you write components it’s easy to keep them relatively shallow, going no more than two to three layers deep in class selectors. However, some components may have you reaching five, six or even more layers down before reaching the element you wish to target. Remember that CSS does not have the ability to abstract problems away like JavaScript; it has no control flow or functional ability. That’s a good thing though, so don’t try to mimic it by creating long selector chains, deeply nested styles or highly generalised styles. Here's an example of how not to do it: Here's how you should write it: Rename subheader classes to be their own component A selector chain like the 'how not to do it' example above indicates you’re targeting the wrong style. It’s not often a chain like that is actually necessary. Instead it likely means you have a component inside of a component and that you should target it directly. Modular CSS encapsulation breaks down if you try to encapsulate too much inside of it, meaning you’ll start seeing side effects again. 06. Don't forget your principles There are many ways to create CSS and each project you work on will be slightly different. Although it’s almost inevitable that any codebase will eventually need an overhaul, you can use these principles in order to slow that from happening. At all times you should be focusing on making sure your styles are dry, encapsulated, readable and searchable. Initiating the principles discussed will help make sure things can be more easily maintained and changed in the future. So remember to keep some order to your file system and your files. Namespace and modularise your styles. Separate basic styles, layout styles and general styles to keep separate concerns. Finally, keep your styles as simple and shallow as possible. The first time you write a new style it shouldn’t be difficult and, if you find it is, consider whether you’re making that section too complicated. Because if it’s hard the first time, just imagine what a headache revisions will be. This article was originally published in issue 323 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 323 or subscribe to net today. Read more: Create animated CSS art CSS art gets brilliantly ruined by old browsers 10 best CSS frameworks in 2019 View the full article

Looking for a way to get loads of people talking about a campaign? If all that matters is awareness, then you could probably do worse than to follow the example of South Dakota's new meth awareness campaign – as long as you don't mind the inevitable backlash. The US state has a meth problem, and its latest approach is, at least, getting people talking, thanks to a campaign centred around a logo featuring the message, 'Meth. We're on it.' It's a clever slogan that's all about the double meaning – you can read it as a statement that it's tackling the meth problem, or an admission that everyone's on meth – and inevitably it's rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way (see our guide to logo design for ideas on getting people's attention without necessarily making them cross). 5 ad campaigns that changed the world The campaign's the work of Minneapolis agency, Broadhead, which has come up with a hard-hitting logo, featuring the outline of South Dakota overlaid with the troublesome slogan, plus a number of ads featuring photos of various ordinary people combined with the same slogan; again, working that double meaning hard. Over on the campaign's Facebook page it's already drawing plenty of ire, with commenters making it very clear that they don't approve, in the strongest possible terms. And of course there's a similar volume of outrage over on Twitter, with many commenters furious at reports that Broadhead was paid just under half a million dollars for the campaign. Given just how much it's got people talking about it, though, it seems to have been money well spent, and South Dakota governor, Kristi Noem, has been quick to point out the campaign's effectiveness; at least from an awareness point of view. This isn't the first time that South Dakota's come up with an awareness campaign that's used a double-meaning to stir up controversy, either. Back in 2014 it ran a road safety campaign with the unforgettable slogan, 'Don't jerk and drive'. Stop sniggering at the back; clearly it was aimed at the widespread problem of people jerking the steering wheel on icy roads and crashing their cars. Wise words, mate Sadly that campaign didn't quite have the impact that South Dakota hoped for, and it was withdrawn a few months later. You can learn more about the more successful meth campaign here. Related articles: Problematic chicken box campaign angers just about everyone The best boozy Christmas ad campaigns 10 killer examples of illustrated ad campaigns View the full article

The recent launch of the new bigger, better 16-inch MacBook Pro brought with it a collection of features that make it look like the ideal choice for designers and creatives. What makes it even better is the fact that the slim and shiny MacBook Pro also supports up to two external 6K monitors simultaneously. More screens provide the ideal opportunity to have more than one program open at a time, and in clear view. This means no time-consuming window swapping to get access to the desired workspace. See our best monitors post to find the right one for you. Or for more creative tech bargains, see our MacBook Black Friday deals or Apple Black Friday deals. So how can the external displays be used? An official Apple support document for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro reveals that the laptop can be used in a number of external display configurations including several 6K and 5K options. You can link up two 6K displays with resolutions of 6016 x 3384 at 60Hz. Or, there is the option to link up two 5K displays with resolutions of 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz. 4K monitor owners haven't been forgotten, they get to double up and can connect up to four 4K displays with resolutions of 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz. An alternative configuration on the four screen option is to connect up one 5K display at 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz and up to three 4K displays at 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz. The new MacBook Pro 16-inch looks pretty sweet too If you're already the owner of an LG UltraFine 4K or 5K display, there are different connection options available. No 6K here, but you can still connect up two LG UltraFine 5K displays configured at 5120 x 2880 10bpc at 60Hz, or four LG UltraFine 4K displays configured at 4096 x 2304 8bpc at 60Hz. That's an impressive set of configurations, but take heed. If you want to avoid any hair-pulling or loud profanities you need to connect the external displays the right way. The official Apple document tells users, "Whenever possible, connect your displays to different busses to maximise performance." Effectively, this means if you are connecting two monitors, connect one on the left and one the right. If you are connecting four monitors connect two each side. Not three on one side and one on the other side. You might do this with a cable splitter if you need to keep a Thunderbolt 3 port free, but don't. You've been warned. Read more: How to avoid the MacBook Pro flight ban 18 creative MacBook decals The best cheap 4K monitor deals in 2019 View the full article

As designers, there's always room to learn new skills and techniques. Right now you can add another string to your creative bow without breaking the bank thanks to this special offer on design bundles. These three design bundles will take your creative techniques to greater heights, all at an additional 15% off already reduced prices. Looking for more top savings on creative kit? Right now there's a great Adobe Black Friday deal on Creative Cloud subscriptions. Alternatively, check out our guide to the best Surface Pro explore our guide to the biggest Surface Pro Black Friday offers. 01. Explore animation It's no secret that motion is quickly becoming a vital medium in the digital realm. Viddyoze is an easy-to-use, animated video cloud-based platform that will add some extra oomph to your projects. With a vast selection of templates designed by a dedicated team of professionals, the Viddyoze Animation Templates: Lifetime Subscription will allow you to customise your animations to reflect your brand in minutes. The best part? Zero experience is needed, making this tool stress-free and handy for last-minute projects. MSRP: $2,000 / Sale Price: $89 (95% OFF) Take an additional 15% off with code BFSAVE15: Buy Now: $75.65 02. Tackle typography Are you spending enough time crafting your copy's look and feel in your design projects? Typography is a lot more than just text. In this six-hour Typography From A to Z masterclass, you'll explore the philosophy behind typography, learn proper font classifications, examine how fonts impact a message, and so much more. The lifetime subscription is catered to all levels, allowing you to come back and get inspired no matter the size of the project, and will allow you to bring a new element into your designs. MSRP: $119 / Sale Price: $26 (78% OFF) Take an additional 15% off with code BFSAVE15: Buy Now: $22.10 03. Improve your lighting For 3D artists, being able to create believable lighting is a vital skill. Learn Photorealistic Lighting & Editing professional photo lighting bundle will help you edit with ease. With 16 lessons and eight hours of content, you'll learn how to create photorealistic edits and master techniques such as how to light an interior daylight scene with V-Ray and 3Ds Max, and how to tweak shaders realistically and beautifully. You'll learn the methodologies that are widely implemented by award-winning visualisation companies and famous film studios worldwide and soon be able to implement them into your work. MSRP: $600 / Sale Price: $19 (96% OFF) Take an additional 15% off with code BFSAVE15 : Buy Now: $16.15 *Prices subject to change Read more: The best running headphones in 2019 Design jobs: find your dream role with Creative Bloq Wacom Black Friday 2019: All the best deals as they go live View the full article

A good logo is instantly recognisable and forever memorable, letting you know exactly what brand you are dealing with. But is good logo design just something that humans can do? What if Twitter bots designed logos, would that change our perception of some of the world's biggest brands?. Darius Kazemi originally launched his bot project, Glitch Logos, over three years ago, and the bot has been redrawing corporate logos ever since. No brand is too big, and several of the world's best logos have had the glitch treatment. Some look like a hammer has been taken to them, some look like they have been put in front of a heater for too long, while some are so malformed you have no idea of what could have possibly happened to them. Check out some of our favourites below. Use the arrows to scroll through to more glitchy logos. Did you recognise them all? Some are easier than others, but even after going through the Glitched Logos Twitter bot, they all still retain an element of the original design. Whether it's a single distinctive shape, an unforgettable colour combination or a font that instantly jogs your memory. While Glitched Logos Twitter bot is fun and amusing and gives a new slant on corporate logos, it does reinforce the power of a well-executed logo. Get it right and people will still recognise it, post-glitch. Check our logo design guide post to find out more about crafting a memorable logo. Like what you see? Then go buy one If you like Kazemi's work, you can get your hands on some merchandise in the shape of a Glitch Logos t-shirt from his online store. The current line-up includes Starbucks, Playstation and the US presidential seal. Read more: Logo memory challenge befuddles participants 10 iconic logos with hidden meanings The 10 best circular logos of all time View the full article

Finding the best running headphones is tricky. You need something that will stay in place as you move, withstand any sweating, and provide great sound quality on top of that. Thankfully, there are some great options on the market – in this article we'll run through our pick of the best running headphones right now. For any creatives out there, running can be the perfect break. Allowing you to clear your mind, really think out that project you've been working on and get you moving and away from your computer – running can help boost creativity with ease. So for those who need a high tempo soundtrack to keep them going, what are the best running headphones? That's the question we're here to answer, with options for everyone, no matter what your priorities are. There are incredibly affordable running headphones for those on a budget; headphones that offer unbeatable sound quality, and even options that allow outside sound in to keep you safe on the road. So for anyone looking to battle creative block and soundtrack their exercise routine, scroll down to find out how to choose the best running headphones for you and see our picks of the top options. Want to explore some more options? We also have guides to the best noise-cancelling headphones, and the best wireless headphones. Choosing the best running headphones With running headphones there are varying factors to consider. Are they sweat-proof? Will they remain comfortable on long runs? Will they stay in when you reach your max pace? These are all crucial questions to consider. And of course, the best running headphones won't just be useful for when you go for a jog, any good pair of running headphones will work for a gym workout, practising football or just generally exercising. As we mentioned above, there are a number of factors to consider when buying a pair of running headphones. Most of the best pairs will be both sweat-proof and have a good fit for when you're moving about a lot. However, past that there are a number of other factors to consider. Would you prefer to have over-ear headphones or in-ear? Would you rather have noise-cancelling or be able to hear what's going on around you? Do you want a light pair that won't drag you down or are you willing to add weight on for increased sound quality. No matter which of the above factors is most crucial for you we've listed options to fit any needs below. And alongside being excellent running headphones, these will all also work great while your working or getting stuck into a creative project. Which are the best running headphones? But what are the absolute best running headphones? The Sennheiser CX Sport blend a level of affordability and excellent sound quality to take our top spot. But for other needs there is a host of other choices that will be right for you. For those on a budget, the Anker SoundBuds will resonate with you or for those who like to be able to hear what's going on around them, the AfterShokz Trekz Air will be perfect. We've listed our absolute top choices for running headphones below: Our number 1 pick for the best running headphones has to be the Sennheiser CX Sport. With the word 'Sport' in the tile you would hope these would be a pair of headphones that can keep up with your active lifestyle - and you would be right. Where these headphones really succeed is in their sound quality. They push a bass heavy performance while still holding up in the mids. Yes, they aren't going to compete with the very top headphones out there but when it comes to a pair of running headphones, the CX Sport will consistently surprise you with their quality. With a battery life of 6 hours, these might not be the ideal choice for marathon runners but for any casual jogger or gym-goer, 6 hours will be plenty. Combine that with the affordable pricing on offer and you've got a number 1 pick. For some people, the most crucial part of a pair of running headphones will be the sound quality. If you're one of those people the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 will be for you. They are quite a simplistic looking pair of headphones and carry a price tag higher than some of the other options on this list but those issues are more than made up for through the excellent sound quality pushed out through these. At this price tag it will be hard to beat sound quality like this. That paired with their light-weight, comfortable design makes these a solid choice for anyone trying to make the ultimate soundtrack for their workout. The KuaiFit Sport Headphones aren't the cheapest headphones on this list or the best sounding but what they are without a doubt is the most feature packed pair of running headphones on this list. Firstly, they are the only pair of running headphones on this list with internal storage meaning you don't even need to bring your phone with you, music can simply be stored on the headphones. But considering these headphones include a fitness tracker, can be paired with a iOS or Android app and include a heart rate monitor, taking your phone with you is a smart choice to release the unbelievable amount of features on board. And of course, they do still sound pretty great, they don't cost too much and they're even sweat proof. There is nothing worse than being midway through a run and then suddenly...your headphones run out of battery. So how do you combat this issue? Wired headphones. Our pick for the best wired headphones for running go to the Bose SoundSport In-Ear Headphones. Coming from one of the biggest names in audio, these headphones can deliver crisp highs, deep lows and will really help immerse you in your exercise. While they do stay in with ease and will rarely fall out, some may find the wires to be an annoying issue while running. If you fear this will cause an issue for you, try one of the other options on this list. Not bothered by cables but charging is a chore for you? These will be the best choice for you. There is a certain comfort in wearing over-ear headphones. For some they stay on better and they provide a better all-round soundscape. If you fall into the category of people who love an over-ear experience, the Bose SoundLink Wireless Headphones II will be an ideal choice. Firstly, they sound great, offering an excellent level of sound quality and although they don't offer ANC, they do a surprisingly good job at blocking out sound. And, due to the over-ear size of these headphones, they are able to pack in more battery power, lasting for around 15 hours. These will be one of the better choices for those looking not just for a pair of running headphones but really, a pair of headphones for every part of life. The Sony WF-1000X have a lot going for them. They offer some excellent sound quality, the carry case doubles as a charger, the battery life has some impressive stretch, lasting up to nine hours and most importantly, they offer noise cancellation to block out the outside world if you like to be alone with your thoughts and music. If you have the funds to spend on these headphones they could well be one of the best pairs of running headphones on the market, especially with the added benefit of Google Assistant or Siri activation. However, they do cost a fair bit more than most other options on this list. For those who want a pair of running headphones but worry about not being able to hear what's going on around them, AfterShokz Trekz Air headphones will be a logical choice. Unlike any other pair of headphones on this list, these do not go over or in your ear and instead they sit just outside of your ears, working through bone conduction. This has a benefit and a drawback. You'll be fully aware of your surroundings and be able to run much safer. However, due to not actually being in your ears, these headphones will feel much quieter than any other option on this list. While they might not be the loudest choice, they are easily one of the most comfortable running headphones on the market and will feel lightweight even when you've been running for a long period of time. If you're looking for a pair of running headphones without breaking the bank, Anker's SoundBuds could well be the way to go. Frequently falling well under £20, these headphones don't require a big investment and yet, they offer a surprising performance. They're Bluetooth enabled, have a comfortable ergonomic fit that won't fall out while running and can be used on a full charge for up to 10 hours. And above all of that, despite its cheap price tag these running headphones sound pretty great. Yes, they can't compete with the more expensive options you'll see above but at this price, they'll certainly be surprising you! Read more: The best VR headsets for 2019 15 ways to stay motivated for longer View the full article

There's a longstanding convention in advertising that you don't tackle rival brands directly. After all, all publicity is good publicity, and you don't want to spend your marketing budget raising a competitor's profile. Plus, your campaign might backfire in some way, or lead to a series of counter-attack ads that inflict lasting damage on your brand. And if you're not careful, you may even lay yourself open to legal action from the company that you're having a dig at. There are, however, some notable exceptions, which show that it is possible to take on a rival brand and win. In this article, we look at five examples of brands that did just that, and the lessons we can learn from them. 01. Wendy’s: Where’s the beef? “Where’s the beef?” was a 1984 campaign for Wendy's fast-food chain, crafted by ad agency Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, which blew up beyond all expectations. The focus was that Wendy's modestly named 'Single' burger had a larger beef patty (and smaller bun) than either McDonald's Big Mac or Burger King's Whopper. In the ad, actress Clara Peller receives a burger with a massive bun, and cries: "Where's the beef?" The offending burger is from a fictional company, but it was obvious to everyone which brands the ad was having a dig at. It was a huge hit, and spawned a successful series of follow-up commercials, all based around the same catchphrase, as well as a spin-off pop song and promotional items including bumper stickers, frisbees, clothing patches and a board game. Meanwhile, the phrase itself took on a life of its own, most famously being used in the Democratic Presidential primaries by Walter Mondale to knock his rival, Gary Hart. Lessons learned: As the saying goes, when you come at the [Burger] King, you’d better not miss. “Where’s the beef?” delivered a knockout punch, by taking an undisputed fact (that Wendy’s burgers contained more actual beef) and boiling it down to a simple, repeatable slogan. There was no need to name McDonald’s or Burger King directly: the point was clear to anyone who likes fast food. 02. Pepsi Challenge First launched in 1975 and continuing to this day, the Pepsi Challenge was based on an idea that was simple, brilliant, and played directly to Pepsi’s strengths compared with market leader Coca-Cola. The challenge revolved around a blind taste test held at malls, shopping centres, and other public places. A Pepsi representative set up a table with two white cups: one containing Pepsi and one with Coca-Cola. Passers-by were encouraged to taste both, and choose their favourite. When the representative revealed which brand they preferred, this often led to a look of surprise on the tester’s face, which formed the basis for the TV commercials. Most significantly, Pepsi claimed that more than 50 per cent of testers preferred Pepsi to Coca-Cola. This exploited the psychological principle of social proof: that people tend to copy the actions of others in social situations. Offering evidence that the majority of people prefer Pepsi is thus a powerful driver for people to make the same, socially-compliant choice. The success of the campaign was instant, winning Pepsi a greater share of the market at Coke’s expense, and leading Coca-Cola to panic. In 1985 Coke even changed their formula to taste more like Pepsi, and launched New Coke, which was a complete disaster. New Coke alienated Coca-Cola's audience and lost the company vast sums of money, before they saw the error of their ways and brought the original recipe back, in the form of Classic Coke. Ultimately, the Pepsi challenge wasn’t successful at displacing Coke from the number one spot, though. And author Malcolm Gladwell points out a possible reason in his 2005 book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking: the ‘sip test’ method is fundamentally flawed. Why? Because on the first sip, tasters will generally prefer the sweeter of two beverages (Pepsi), but that doesn’t mean they’ll prefer it over the course of an entire can. No matter. Overall, it’s undeniable the Pepsi Challenge was a game-changer. It allowed Pepsi to win market share, dominate the conversation, and put their main rival on the back foot, rather than submitting to Coke’s hegemony and going the way of now-defunct brands like Virgin Cola. Lesson learned: The Pepsi Challenge took a point of difference (that Pepsi is sweeter than Coke), and used it to launch a grand and ambitious vision for the brand. It may not have been the giant killer they were hoping for, but it showed that even the mightiest of rivals can be humbled if you’re strategic about it. 03. Get a Mac Whatever you think of Apple, it’s undeniable that it was the first brand ever to make computing equipment seem ‘cool’. This point of difference was brilliantly exploited in a series of ads created by TBWA entitled ‘Get a Mac’, running from 2006 to 2009. In each ad, two people representing a 'Mac' and a 'PC' discuss a variety of failings seen in Windows-running computers, such as their vulnerability to viruses. Later commercials moved away from focusing on the equipment and towards the operating systems, exploiting widely-reported problems with Windows Vista and Windows 7. However, these specific topics were only really secondary to the main thrust of the campaign: to convey that younger, cooler people should see Apple as their natural brand of choice. And in the days when ‘influencer’ meant people who actually had influence, that turned out to be a very smart move indeed. Lessons learned: Sometimes it’s better not to focus too much on the product specs themselves; particularly in the case of computers, where you run the risk of boring and alienating people. By recasting the difference between your products in terms of personality traits and emotional associations, you can build a far more powerful brand. 04. McDonald’s Flat White Like it or loathe it, McDonald's has certainly run some clever advertising campaigns over the years, and this one from 2018 was no exception. Created by Leo Burnett London, it essentially killed two birds with one stone: introducing a new menu item (flat white coffee) and having a dig at more expensive places to buy the same product. The premise is simple. A variety of customers visit a series of hipster-style coffee houses asking “What is a flat white?” and get a series of pretentious, evasive and confusing replies. Eventually, the same question is asked in McDonald’s, and a short and sensible answer is finally received. The subtext: you can buy a flat white anywhere else, but you’ll probably have people talking down to you, whereas McDonald’s sees you as an equal. It’s a clever play on our constant anxiety over social status: a far more powerful motivator than how a drink actually tastes. Indeed, this ad side-steps any discussion about the quality of the product (an area in which McDonald’s has no obvious superiority) and makes you forget that's even an issue. Lesson learned: As in martial arts, so in branding: take your opponent’s weight and strength and use it against them. If McDonald’s had tried to claim their coffee was superior, it would have failed. Instead, this campaign takes its rivals’ sense of superiority and cleverly turns it into a weakness. 05. Lidl trolls John Lewis All the campaigns we’ve looked at so far have been big-budget TV ads. But these days you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get one over on your competitors. With the right message, you can sometimes cut through with a single tweet. Supermarket chain Lidl did just that in 2018, cleverly exploiting rival retailer John Lewis’ Elton John themed Christmas ad (below). The payoff to the expensively produced commercial was that you could buy a keyboard at John Lewis… and Lidl jumped on the fact that this was not an affordable choice for most families. Lidl's tweet pointed out that, rather than shelling out £872 on a keyboard at John Lewis, you could get one from them for just £89.99. And a killer line, “It’s a Lidl bit funny” (playing on the singer’s lyrics) served as the icing on the cake. Lesson learned: Deliberately taking on a rival brand can easily backfire on social media, where any weakness in your argument, or perceived issues with your tone, can provoke a counter-productive Twitterstorm. By keeping it light, and sticking to undisputable facts, Lidl got across a powerful message, which was amplified by the media to a level worth millions in free advertising. Read more: 5 ad campaigns that changed the world Why the John Lewis Christmas advert is fundamentally flawed The best billboard advertising View the full article

There's no such thing as the perfect logo. No matter how good a new logo looks at launch – and today you can guarantee that it's likely to be met with a barrage of online scorn regardless – sooner or later it's going to start to look its age and out of step with the latest design trends. Except in a very few cases – Ford and Coca-Cola spring instantly to mind – a logo design is eventually going to need updating, and in some case, completely replacing. Every year sees an assortment of logo redesigns touching down, some of which simply tweak and refocus a tired design, while others throw everything out and start over. Here are eight of this year's best, each taking a slightly different approach to updating a well-known logo. 7 logos by famous designers and why they work 01. Volkswagen VW's new flat and minimal logo gives it a more contemporary look Volkswagen has such an instantly-recognisable logo that to change it too much is simply unthinkable. The chunky VW monogram has served it well over the years, but its fussy, embossed look was starting to look a little dated, so this year Volkswagen unveiled a redesigned logo that's still cut from the same cloth but a lot more contemporary. This new, flat logo is designed to scale gracefully across all possible use cases, and features thinner strokes as well as friendly rounded corners on the tips of the letters. 02. Slack The old Slack logo was a bit of a mess; enter Pentagram Slack's original hashtag logo was created before the company had even launched, and it was a bit of a mess, with 11 different colours that never looked good if it was placed on any colour other than white, or if it wasn't rotated at exactly 18º, or if the colours were tweaked at all. Its new logo, designed by Pentagram and revealed at the start of the year, is a simpler four-colour pinwheel design built to be easier to use and more cohesive across multiple platforms. 03. Firefox The new Firefox logo manages to be both minimal and colourful 18 months in the making – including a process in which Mozilla invited the public to share their thoughts on potential designs – the new Firefox logo is a swish simplification of the old logo that's part of a larger branding system for the entire Firefox brand. The new branding is based on four key pillars – 'Radical', 'Kind', 'Open' and 'Opinionated' – and features a new and expanded colour palette that makes great use of gradients. 04. Android The Android bot lost its body and turned a different shade of green Previously a lime green colour that, says Google, was hard for people with visual impairments to see, especially when paired with other colours, the new-look Android bot that's key to the mobile brand has had a paint job. It's now a much more soothing minty green shade that's much more accessible. This year's redesign also saw the cute little android lose its body and get reduced to a still-identifiable head; Google also used the opportunity to ditch its weird version naming system in which every release was named after a sweet, and move to a more conventional number-based process. 05. Macy's We don't like the squashed 's', but overall this is a much-improved Macy's logo A small tweak to Macy's logo this year has made a big difference. The previous version used big letterforms, with an incredibly thin stroke width and really narrow kerning that didn't make for great legibility; the new one brings in thicker strokes and looser tracking that's a lot more readable. We're not keen on the lack of overshoots on the lettering's curves, and the squashed 's' on the end of the logo is never going to look good to us, but on the whole these changes have resulted in a vastly improved logo design. 06. BT Yes, it's just some letters in a circle, and yes, it works The current trend for minimal logos that work well at any size is probably most evident in this year's redesigned BT logo. Created by London studio Red&White, the new logo is as simple as it gets: 'BT' in an unobtrusive sans-serif, surrounded by a circle. While its simplicity inevitably drew flak for looking bland, not to mention the standard criticisms that it looks like something knocked up in five minutes with MS Paint, it's a strong and confident look that's a huge step forward from the previous logo with its meaningless globe motif made up of blobs of various colours. 07. Yahoo! Turns out that Yahoo! isn't actually dead The most surprising thing about the announcement of a new, Pentagram-designed Yahoo! logo is that Yahoo! still exists. The go-to starting point on the web back in the 1990s, today it's a mere shadow of its former self; however its new logo suggests that maybe there's life in the old dog yet. Centred around a logotype set in Centra No.2 Extrabold, with the letters subtly altered to be more geometric and compact, the new design has a definite vitality to it that's enhanced by the italicised exclamation mark that tilts at the same angle as the 'y' – suggesting a sense of momentum and excitement, according to Pentagram. The primary 'grape jelly' purple of the brand's palette is guaranteed to stand out on screen, while a simplified 'y!' monogram is a great favicon and social media fit. Will it turn Yahoo!'s fortunes around? It seems unlikely, but it's at least made us pay attention to Yahoo! for the first time in ages. 08. Grolsch This is a great example of how to completely rework a logo while retaining its identity To finish off, here's an excellent example of a redesign that gives a brand a much-needed refresh while remaining true to its DNA. Created by freelance designer Dan Lawrence, this rebrand for Grolsch addresses an issue that many brands come up against eventually: the gradual iterative tweaking of branding over the years, which results in a design that's an unappealing mix of disparate styles. Lawrence approached this redesign by concentrating on the essentials and stripping out everything that served no purpose; the result isn't the bare minimalism that you might expect, but a lean and keenly-focused branding package that retains the Grolsch identity in a much more pleasing way. Related articles: 5 innovative startup logo designs from 2019 Quiz: Spot the errors in these famous logos 10 of the best logos ever View the full article

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[Originally published in May 2019] Twitter has uncovered an official Disney drawing of what Mickey Mouse should look like from above, and it's not pretty. One of the first rules of character design is that your creation needs to look good (or at least make sense) from all angles, but back in 1930 this was apparently not a consideration. Ready to see Mickey in all his bird's-eye view glory? Here you go: Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image [Image: Walt Disney Pictures] It's a blessing that this is not a view often required in cartoons, because there's a whole heap of stuff wrong with this rendering. Why do his hands look like a tutu? Why does his belly stick out so much [update: apparently those are his feet]? And what on earth is going on with his eyes? Explore the best iPad Black Friday deals The original drawing comes from a patent for a Mickey Mouse toy (see it here), but the woman we have to thank for bringing this view of Mickey into our lives is content strategist Chappell Ellison. Responses to the tweet have been more passionate than you might expect for a drawing of a cartoon character. Perhaps because he's so well-known, being faced with this new information feels a little like looking in the mirror and realising your eyes are a different colour than you thought (well, not quite, but similar). Comments range from 'Cursed' to 'Oh hell no!' to 'I HATE THIS SO MUCH'. There's also quite a heated discussion of the famous mouse's ears, with some arguing that they should actually be spherical. Who knows what the discussions were when Mickey was first being penned, but we do know that top-down view of the famous little mouse is something we'll never be able to unsee! Would it be better if it was animated? We'll leave you to ponder that one. Read more: The best Adobe Black Friday deals in 2019: How to get a Creative Cloud discount Why the John Lewis Christmas advert is fundamentally flawed Wacom Black Friday 2019: All the best deals as they go live View the full article

When you look for images on Adobe Stock, you’ll probably notice two things. Firstly, the AI-powered search functionality allows you to find what you’re looking for very quickly. And secondly, that the images themselves are of premium quality. And that’s no accident. Adobe Stock prides itself on gathering the best photography, illustration, graphics, templates and video from leading creators around the world, and that includes Maskot. Sweden's leading producer of royalty-free images, the studio works tirelessly to produce the kind of high-quality images that designers around the world are looking for. In a recent Adobe webinar the co-founders of Maskot, Mattias Drotte and Per Levander, took us behind the scenes and revealed how they consistenly produce superlative images on the subjects of lifestyle and business. Here, we’ve summarised five principles they apply to their process, and you can see some of the stunning results yourselves. 01. Research your subject Low angle view of computer programmers discussing against wall in office, by Maskot The road to the perfect stock photograph begins with careful planning about what and how to shoot. There’s no point in capturing an image if there’s no demand for it, at the same time as designers and art directors are crying out for pictures about specific subject areas. So it’s up to Maskot to bridge the gap between demand and supply. “We do a lot of creative research before we start shooting,” says Mattias. “Obviously we look at the sales stats and stuff like that, to see if there are any content gaps that need to be filled.” But that’s only one side to it: they also need to anticipate future demand, in order that they can meet it in a timely manner. “So we also do a lot of study of social trends, like food, culture, people’s behaviour,” he adds. “This has led us to do shoots on, for example, urban farming, boomerang families and seniorpreneurs.” Sometimes that means they’re ahead of the curve: “Urban farming is a great example. It didn’t sell, for two years. But then it started selling, and became a big seller.” But it’s a risk they’re willing to take, because from the creative’s point of view, too early is far more important than too late. 02. Plan the shoot perfectly Once Maskot has decided on its subject, the shoot itself needs to be planned with military precision. Getting the location right, for example, is very important. “It can lift the entire shoot but it can also ruin it,” says Mattias. “So we’re very careful about where we’re shooting.” Props are also something that need to be managed thoughtfully, from the most important to the most trivial. “You of course need to focus on the main props, such as a beautiful bike if you show people commuting to work,” he says. “But in our eyes, true excellence lies in the rest, in the incidental stuff that lies around the image.” 03. Art direction Cheerful friends using smart phone while resting in hammock at yard, by Maskot Once everything is in place, then as Mattias puts it: “It’s time for execution, time be on set, it’s time for excellence.” And the most important thing on the day is to provide strong art direction, so that the resulting images will tell the story they need to tell. “Good direction encourages the people in the shoot to create the right atmosphere, and make sure they have fun,” he explains. “That’s very important in creating a image that looks unstaged.” 04. Be authentic Authenticity is crucial for all of the images Maskot produces, he says. “We firmly believe there is a big, big need for great looking images with an authentic touch and feel. We want to produce images that are inspired by real people.” To take one example, we’ve all seen images disabled people that are very stereotyped or staged. “So we try to focus more on everyday life situations in an authentic way, and the way to do this is to use real people,” says Matthias. “For example, we wouldn’t put a non-disabled person in a wheelchair, it would need to be someone who actually uses a wheelchair, to make it authentic and real. Similarly, when they were portraying someone living with diabetes, they needed to use someone who really has diabetes. “We followed him throughout his day: on the way to work, at home, shopping,” says Mattias. “It was important we could capture the whole day, because it’s more about their lifestyle than just their illness.” 05. Make diversity matter Cheerful male IT expert showing smart phone to professionals at workplace, by Maskot Right now, here’s a huge demand for images that show diversity, says Mattias, but it’s not just about showing a broader representation of people and lifestyles, but avoiding stereotypes and being patronising. And some attitudes are so ingrained, that can be a constant battle. “On set, for examples. we have to constantly ensure that people do not fall into the old habits of gender,” he explains. “For example, in a business setting, when the viewer’s eye drops into the photos the females should be in focus: that’s very important to us. Similarly, the men in the picture need to be listening to the women. It’s a constant work at directing those things in the shoot.” In short, it’s important to Maskot that their images don’t confirm old habits and negative stereotypes. “This it all comes down to when we cast and when we shoot. We might take traditional gender roles and switch them around. There is a huge demand for these kind of photos. Companies want to use images like this to show they’re a modern company. So we need to think about diversity on all our shoots, rather than making it a specific subject in itself.” Try Adobe Stock for free! With superior quality photos from contributors like Maskot, designers and art directors are everywhere are harnessing the power of Adobe Stock to make imaginative and eye-catching designs. If you haven't started using Adobe Stock, then it's high time you got on board, and here's a great offer to help persuade you. Try Adobe Stock for free for one month and you'll get 10 standard assets with your free 30-day trial! You've nothing to lose, and everything to gain, in terms of making you more efficient, productive and creative. So don't delay, get started with Adobe Stock today! View the full article

Nirvana, the world's biggest band in the early '90s, has been pursuing a copyright case against American fashion designer Marc Jacobs since late 2018 (see our earlier news story on the case). The designer filed a motion to dismiss the complaint in early 2019, but a California federal judge is now allowing the copyright infringement lawsuit to proceed. A good band logo is distinctive, memorable and almost instantly recognisable. Take a look at our beautiful band logos post to see a collection of all-time classics. And, yes, Nirvana is in there. So what's all the fuss about? The band claims a Marc Jacobs shirt – from his Bootleg Redux Grunge collection – copies a design that the late singer Kurt Cobain created in 1991. In Marc Jacobs' original motion he argued that the two designs aren't sufficiently similar. Take a closer look at the two designs side-by-side (see below). We will let you make up your own mind. Are they similar or not? What do you think? It seems that US district judge John A. Kronstadt thinks the designs are similar enough for the case to continue, and has denied Marc Jacobs' motion. He wrote that the only "discernible difference" in the faces is the use of 'M' and 'J' as eyes instead of two 'X's. The judge also wrote, "It is also noteworthy that the Accused Products have combined this protectable artwork with other distinctive elements of the Nirvana T-shirt, including through the use of yellow lines on black background and a similar type and placement for the text above the image on the clothing." In other words, it's all a bit fishy. Perhaps more importantly, judge Kronstadt found that Nirvana's ownership as alleged to be sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss. This means that the case can go ahead unless Marc Jacobs can find another angle. Court case aside, let's be honest, who wants a knock-off Nirvana T-shirt design when you can get your hands on the real deal for a lot less? Read more: Reebok tweaks its classic logo 6 of the most iconic drinks logos Logo swap is surprisingly disturbing View the full article

Black Friday is almost upon us, and the Adobe Black Friday sale has arrived. If you want to pick up a bargain subscription on the industry-leading suite of creative software, now is the time. Adobe is known for making its offers region-specific, but this time it's treats all round: you can get 40% or more off a CC subscription wherever you are in the world. For more deals and advice, take a look at our guide to nailing Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019, or explore our roundup of all the Adobe Black Friday deals. The price reduction applies to the complete Adobe Creative Cloud suite, which encompasses over 20 different apps. That includes all the big players – photo editing favourite Photoshop, digital artists' go-to Illustrator, video editing software Premiere Pro, web prototyping tool Adobe XD and motion effects creator After Effects. You'll also be able to explore the new additions to the Adobe family, tablet-based art app Adobe Fresco, and Photoshop on iPad. If you need any extra encouragement, remember that when you buy Adobe's full All Apps package you're also getting 100GB of cloud storage (with the option to upgrade to 10TB) and premium features like Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts, and Adobe Spark. Created on Illustrator by Karan Singh The programmes are fully integrated, so you can switch between them (and jump from one device to another) seamlessly – whether you’re out and about or in the studio. Built-in templates help you jump-start your designs, while step-by-step tutorials will help you sharpen your skills and get up to speed quickly. This deal will be available until 29 November 2019, so if you want to save big on Adobe's entire suite of creative software, grab it now. Related articles: Top-class Photoshop tutorials to hone your skills The best Apple Black Friday deals The best web hosting services for designers View the full article

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Imagine if the classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover art was redesigned for 2019. What would it look like? What would you want it to look like? Should such a classic cover even be tampered with? A design experiment by freelance platform Fiverr sought to find out, reimagining this album along with 11 other classics. German artist, TrippieSteff, has redesigned the Beatles cover to make it relevant for the 21st century. (If you want to do something similar make sure that you check out our best Illustrator brushes post, or our Photoshop tutorials). Gone are the likes of Oscar Wilde, Marilyn Monroe, Laurel and Hardy, Karl Marx and Lewis Carroll. All have been replaced with modern day influencers, thinkers, politicians and celebrities, including activist Greta Thunberg, ex-president Barack Obama, singer Beyoncé, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver. But, perhaps more controversially the Beatles themselves have been removed. Who have these musical gods been replaced with? Taylor Swift is the new Paul McCartney and Kanye West is a modern day John Lennon. We'll let you make your own mind up on those choices. George Harrison and Ringo Starr have been replaced by Drake and Lil Nas X. The Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Band redesigned for 2019 by TrippieSteff Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is just one in a series of 12 reimagined classic album covers from Fiverr graphic designers and artists. Included in the collection are Blondie’s Parallel Lines, Nirvana’s Nevermind, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures. We're not really into the animated Parallel Lines remake, but we are loving the cutesy nature of the new look Dark Side of the Moon. You can make your own mind up by scrolling down to see the complete reimagined collection, with each individual designer giving their creative reasoning behind the redesign. Let us know which ones you love/hate on Twitter. Nirvana - Nevermind Brought together by gagadesign, the redesign sticks closely to the original in colour and concept, with the artist adding social comment by including a phone. “We have a parent who is not only approving this culture of chasing money, but it also proudly films the baby, with the intention to share it on social media to gain likes which are becoming the new supreme goal,” says the artist. David Bowie - Aladdin Sane Designer jetzon from Chile takes a drastic redirection with no Bowie in this redesign, but keeps the lightning symbol. “The podium reflects the influence that an artist has on a crowd. It is symbolic of their need to feel seen and be heard. The empty podium symbolises the anticipation spectators have waiting for the person to come out.” Bruce Springsteen - Born In the U.S.A Canadian designer boxofwolves says goodbye to this album's bum and focuses on the US flag and national flower. "The red rose is the national flower. I don’t like to have one gender or race represent a group of people, especially a diverse country like the U.S," says boxofwolves. "So I took a dark grey headless figure and had the rose be the face, with the American flag wrapped around it, representing how America has blossomed into the highly diverse society." Prince - Purple Rain Influenced by the artist formerly known as Prince, designer dvincentgomez from Brazil was keen on adding energy. We're not so sure about the flower pattern edge. "I love the space tones used a lot in his songs, and it's something that has always been very present in my work. So I wanted to make this mix of the original concept, mixing with elements of my work that have the same rhythm of the songs.” Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley Designer lizardsalt adds colour, soul and energy to a classic, but it hardly says 2019. “The inspiration for this design was for it to be a Pablo Picasso style meets a colourful psychedelic vintage comic book aesthetic," says the designer. "Elvis in this cover has such a powerful, passionate expression, and I wanted to display his emotions in colour and shape.” Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground Reimagined by designer Georgefairbairn, this really does take an album from the '60s into the present day. “I wanted to modernise his (Andy Warhol) iconic work whilst keeping it true to its original self. Bringing movement to it and adding complementary colours is something Warhol started doing himself and something I draw inspiration from.” Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon Argentinian designer melinarobledo wanted to add context to Pink Floyd's classic. We're not so sure they did but we still love its cute aesthetic. “I think my greatest challenge here was to add some sort of context to that iconic picture of the prism. So, I started thinking outside the frame and came up with this idea where the prism itself could be playing around with lights and hallucinating with the results." Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures This redesign is by Indonesian designer tonymidi, and has us wondering whether some covers should simply be left alone. "Listening to this album, you feel a deeper understanding for Ian Curtis’ life and the struggles he went through over the course of his career," says tonymidi. "When I look at this album cover, I see how it captures beauty and mystery, but I also see how this can represent a heartbeat and vision, where the heartbeat and eye become one.” Supertramp - Breakfast in America Redesigned by Leonardo_araujo, the new look to Supertramp's album adds a little humour with breakfast cereal. “I read that the original album cover was originally supposed to include Cheerios in the Grand Canyon. In order to honour that concept, I decided to put that in my version of the cover as well.” Blondie - Parallel Lines Designer viz_a_viz wanted a contemporary feel for this album. “We added the rainbow colours to the Blondie cover, with each member of the band wearing an individual colour. The rainbow often represents diversity and we wanted to make a statement that the world is more fluid today.” NWA - Straight Outta Compton This is a rap classic redesigned by lannyhoang, and is perhaps lacking real intensity. “N.W.A’s stance and history with police brutality reminded me of what’s happening to black men, women and children today. I wanted to visualise what it’s like to stand up against the police, which often seems like a very large shadow that must be overcome," says the artist. Read more: 15 essential tools for graphic designers in 2019 Where to find free graphic design templates 8 amazing new graphic design tutorials View the full article