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Adobe launched Fresco, its dedicated tablet art app, earlier this year. The first release was for iPad users only, but at Adobe MAX 2019, it has been revealed that a Windows version is now available. At the moment it’s for users of Microsoft Surface Pro X devices and Wacom MobileStudio Pro hardware (read on for a full rundown of supported devices), but Adobe is working to add other devices to the list.
Fresco is a versatile digital art tool that enables users to work with raster, vector and Live brushes – which are powered by Adobe Sensei to offer an impressively realistic digital art experience. Users can also sync in their favourite Photoshop brushes. Read our Adobe Fresco review for more details.
The move is welcome – while iPads remain extremely popular for creatives, the Microsoft Surface is snapping at Apple’s heels (explore our guides to the best Surface Black Friday deals or iPad Black Friday deals if you’ve been convinced to pick one up). It’s about time we had more art apps that made the most of the Surface’s capabilities.
The announcement marks part of a renewed focus on mobile creativity for Adobe. At MAX 2019, the company also launched Photoshop on the iPad, and announced that Illustrator on the iPad is also on its way.
What’s included in Fresco for Windows?
As we hoped, Adobe says that Fresco for Windows will match the experience offered on the iPad. It will similarly offer vector and raster tools, and Adobe has worked closely with Microsoft and Intel to optimise the Photoshop brushes so they perform as well as possible. The features list is not yet complete compared to the iOS version, but Adobe is working on getting the missing features added to Fresco for Windows as quickly as possible.
Fresco also saves documents in Adobe’s new Cloud Documents format, which means designers and digital artists will be able to open and edit their Fresco documents in multiple different applications (including Photoshop and Illustrator).
Artwork created on Fresco for Windows by Jessica Wong
Which devices support Fresco for Windows?
Support is currently for just 10 devices. They are:
- Microsoft Surface Pro 4, 5, 6
- Microsoft Surface Book 1, 2
- Microsoft Surface Studio 1, 2
- Microsoft Surface Go
- Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13", 16"
Adobe is working on expanding that list as it works with more Windows hardware partners. You can find more details on the official Adobe blog.
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Adobe has announced that the long-awaited Photoshop on the iPad is finally here. This is the big news from Adobe's annual conference (read all the updates from Adobe MAX 2019 here), and it's been a long time coming – the tool was first previewed at last year's MAX event.
Photoshop on the iPad is a powerful, intuitive app that has been built from scratch specifically for tablets, and optimised for touch and for use with the Apple Pencil. It's included with all Creative Cloud subscriptions, and also available to download from the app store. However, it's not quite a complete version yet, with this first iteration focusing on core compositing and retouching workflows only.
If you haven't yet signed up but are thinking of becoming a Creative Cloud user, you might want to bookmark our best Adobe Black Friday deals article, which will have all the best offers as they arrive over the next few weeks.
With competitor products such as Serif's Affinity Photo for iPad edging in on Photoshop's hold on the market, it's about time Adobe came up with the goods when it comes to on-the-go creativity. It comes alongside news from MAX that Illustrator on the iPad is also in the works, and digital art app Fresco is now available for Windows too, so it certainly looks like things are moving in the right direction.
So how does Photoshop on the iPad look? Will it be joining the ranks of the best iPad apps for designers? Here's what we know so far...
What tools are included on Photoshop on iPad?
First up, Photoshop on iPad isn't ready to replace desktop photoshop if you're a pro. Adobe describes it as a "complementary desktop companion for professionals" (or a "more accessible introduction to Photoshop for new users").
For the first release, Adobe has focused specifically on compositing and retouching workflows – so things like making selections, masking, blend modes, painting and adjustment layers. The team promise that more capabilities will be introduced with each subsequent release, but for now it seems like this one might be something of a work in progress.
The first iteration of Photoshop on the iPad focuses on the core tools only
That said, there is plenty of good stuff already on offer here. We were especially impressed by how powerful Photoshop on the iPad is. The demo we saw used a 1GB PSD file with 500 layers, so you don't shouldn't need to worry about over-taxing it.
As mentioned, it's optimised for touch and use with the Apple Pencil. There's full PSD compatibility, which means you can switch between desktop and iPad while working on the same docs (there's also full compatibility with new drawing app Adobe Fresco).
Cloud-based saving means you won't even need to import or convert your PSDs; so long as you're connected to the internet, you'll simply be able to pick up where you left off. You'll still be able to work on your docs when you're offline, and automatic syncing will kick in when you're back online to ensure your changes are saved.
The app is designed to be a companion to the desktop app for creative professionals
The UI will be nice and familiar to existing Photoshop users, so the learning curve shouldn't be too steep. Core tools are all available in the toolbar, and you can customise your UI to include how much you want to see, so you don't end up with an overly cluttered workspace – important with a more limited canvas space.
What devices support Adobe Photoshop for the iPad?
To use Photoshop for iPad, you'll need iPadOS 13.1. It also works with first and second-gen Apple Pencils.
Currently, the supported devices are:
- iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi + Cellular)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (and 2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad (5th generation)
- iPad mini 4
- iPad Air 2
Photoshop for iPad is included in any Creative Cloud plan that includes Photoshop. Adobe is using community feedback to shape the product development roadmap, and you'll find places to share your thoughts within the app.
If this is enough to sway you into to picking up an iPad, take a look at our guide to the best iPad Black Friday deals.
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These days, even the most experienced and talented freelancers need some kind of social media presence, to keep their name and work out there, network with existing clients, and find new ones. But how much time and energy are you spending on your posts.
New features are constantly being added to Instagram, Twitter et al, to make your use of them easier, more efficient, and more productive. But the companies involved often fail to publicise them properly, and even when they do, it's difficult to know how to even find them in the app menu.
In this post, then, we round up eight significant changes to social media in recent months that freelancers should be aware of, whether they're available yet, and how to take advantage of them if they are.
01. Instagram: Checkout
Instagram Checkout lets your followers buy products from you, directly within the app
Instagram Checkout is big news for any freelancer who wants to sell their own physical products online.
In short, it makes it easy to sell your books, prints, T-shirts or whatever on Instagram, via what are called "shoppable" posts. That's because you can tag products directly within said posts, allowing your followers to buy them directly within the app.
Not everyone can use shoppable posts, though. You first need a business Instagram account, and you'll need to connect this to a Facebook Page associated with your business. (That might sound weird, but bear in mind that Facebook does own Instagram). You'll find all the details you need to get started in the 'Instagram for Business' section of the Help Pages.
Also bear in mind, that while Instagram Shopping is available to businesses in a wide range of countries, at time of writing, the Checkout service is only available to Instagram users based in the USA.
02. Instagram: Create Mode
Combine GiFs, text and more to create Instagram Stories: no photo required!
Do you create a lot of Instagram Stories as part of your day-to-day? Then you need to be aware of Create Mode.
Launched this month, this enables you to create content for your stories without requiring either photos or videos. Create Mode lets you combine drawings and text to create content instead, while the 'sticker' option also allows you to add interactive stickers, including quizzes, polls and countdowns.
And there's more. Create Mode also offers you the 'On this Day' option, which allows you to resurface old posts, from the same calendar date in a different year, just like you've long been able to do on Facebook. Finally, you can also now choose any GIF from Giphy and set it as the background for your Instagram Story.
03. Twitter: ‘Hide Replies’
In general, Twitter's great for getting your work out there and finding new clients. But trolling and online abuse can be a huge time-suck from a busy freelance day, not to mention being a massive downer.
The new 'Hide Replies' feature, which is currently being tested in the US, Canada and Japan, is its latest attempt to raise the standard of discussion on Twitter. Basically, if you think a reply to your tweet is offensive, it allows you to hide it; not just from yourself and your followers, but from everyone around the world. You can read the full details in this Twitter blog statement.
Censorship, shutting down debate, or a sensible move to restore calm and promote a reasoned exchange of ideas? Either way, 'Hide Replies' is still very much in the testing stages, so we'll have to reserve judgement until Twitter decides to roll it out properly (if indeed they do). Worth keeping an eye on, though...
04. Twitter: add images to RTs
Who needs words, when pictures of cats eating pizza exist?
You know how, when you retweet someone's tweet, you get the choice to retweet with or without a comment? Well, if you're using a smartphone, Twitter now gives you a third option: to add a GIF, image or video instead of a comment.
It's not super-obvious this option exists, because there's no new menu prompt. You just have to choose 'Retweet with comment' and then on the next screen, click the appropriate icon and insert your chosen pic, GIF or clip.
Also note that this new feature is not available on desktop yet, and it's unclear when that will be, if ever.
05. Twitter: add multiple images to tweets
You can now include up to four images per tweet
If there was ever a sign that Instagram and Snapchat were stealing all the oxygen in social media right now, it's Twitter's sudden focus on posting images.
Because not only can you add images to your retweets, as mentioned in number 4, you can also now add up to four images to your own tweets, too. Plus, excitingly, you can even rearrange your photos at will.
To do so, just tap and hold a picture to select it, then drag it forward or back to change the order in which you want the images to be laid out. You can see the new feature in action in the GIF attached to this tweet.
06. Linkedin: Events planning
You can now organise an event directly on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a platform most people either love or hate, but many freelancers make good use of it to generate new contacts, network with existing ones, and to generally hustle for work.
Well, now freelancers who attend events, or organise them, have an extra reason to head to LinkedIn: its new events planning service.
Currently rolling out across English-speaking countries, LinkedIn Events is a free feature that allows you to plan, announce and invite people to meetups and conferences in the "real world". You'll find all the details of what's on offer in this FAQ post.
07. Snapchat: Reddit integration
Love Reddit? Love Snapchat? Then this news will make your day
Do you make regular use of Reddit and Snapchat? Then you'll be overjoyed to discover that the two platforms - somewhat unexpectedly - have teamed up to make it easier for you to work across the two.
Since 14 October, Reddit contributors (known, cutely, as 'redditors') have been able to share their favourite Reddit posts with their Snapchat friends seamlessly.
To do so within the Snapchat app, just tap the Share icon on an image, text or link-based post on Reddit’s iOS app, and then select the Snapchat option.
08. TikTok: Pro accounts
Find out what's happening with your TikTok videos in detail
As we noted in our September article TikTok app: What is it? And why should you care?, the main appeal of TikTok is precisely that's it's silly, fun, chaotic, anarchic, and dominated by youngsters.
However, TikTok's huge audiences mean that it's inevitably going to become as interesting to freelancers - eventually - as the other social media platforms. (If you're struggling to imagine what you might use it for, then marketing guru Gary Vee 's account is well worth checking out).
And TikTok's owners are clearly thinking the same thing, as they've just launched Pro Accounts: "to offer avid creators greater visibility into how their videos are performing and resonating with fans".
Right now, that means you get access to a lot of cool analytics and performance tools. And the best news is, it's free. To set one up from your profile page, open the Privacy and Settings tab, choose 'Manage My Account', tap 'Switch to Pro Account' and follow the steps from there.
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Google Doodles weren't exactly born with the advent of Google. When Google first launched in the late 1990s, one of the things people liked most was the simplicity of its homepage: just a logo and a search bar. But then in 1998, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were going to the Burning Man festival, and wanted to notify users of their absence in case the servers crashed.
So they added a little Burning Man-style stick figure to the logo, as a kind of fun way of setting an out-of-office message. People loved the notion, and the Google Doodle was born.
Subsequent Google Doodles were designed by an outside contractor until 2000, when Page and Brin asked PR guy Dennis Hwang to design a logo for Bastille Day. Since then, a team of employees called ‘Doodlers’ have organised and published Google Doodles on a regular basis.
Over the years, Google Doodles have evolved from simple tweaks to the logo, to full-blown illustrations, animations and beyond. Read on, as we select the very best Google Doodle designs created since 1998...
01. The Great Wave of Kanagawa
Hokusai's most famous painting is brilliantly integrated into the Google logo
Google Doodles often combine iconic art with the Google logo in clever ways, and here’s one of the best examples. Celebrating the birthday of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, this Google Doodle from 2010 remixed his most famous painting, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, to beautiful effect.
02. Moscow Metro
One of the biggest surprises for first-time tourists in Moscow is that its Metro stations are sumptuously ornate: like a cross between a palace and a museum. This Google Doodle from 2015 gives you a taste of what’s in store, with an evocative illustration inspired by vintage Russian posters.
03. International Women’s Day 2017
This inspiring Google Doodle highlights the pioneering work of 13 historical women
In this Google Doodle a little girl’s grandmother tells her a bedtime story about her favourite heroines, from US journalist Ida Wells from Korean activist Lee Tai-young.
04. Birth of hip-hop
There's a ton of stuff going on in this multimedia Google Doodle celebrating the birth of hip-hop
In 2017, Google celebrated hip-hop's 44th anniversary with an ambitious Google Doodle that included a custom logo by graffiti artist Cey Adams, interactive turntables on which you could mix samples from classic tracks, and a serving of hip-hop history, with an emphasis on its founding pioneers.
05. Zaha Hadid
An artful tribute to groundbreaking architect Zaha Hadid
Born in Iraq in 1950, architect Zaha Hadid captured the world's attention and shattered stereotypes with her award-winning buildings. This Google Doodle from 2017 portrays her next to The Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, which draws on many elements of classic Islamic design.
06. Georges Méliès
This VR Google Doodle is a fitting tribute to the French illusionist and film director
In 2018, the first-ever virtual reality Google Doodle, a collaboration with Cinémathèque Française, paid tribute to Georges Méliès, the trailblazing French film director celebrated in the movie Hugo. You can enjoy the full 360-degree experience using Google’s Cardboard or Daydream VR viewers.
07. Virginia Woolf
This minimalist illustration matches the style of Virginia Woolf's narrative style
British author Virginia Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness style established her as both a great novelist and a feminist icon. This 2018 illustration by English illustrator Louise Pomeroy celebrates Woolf’s minimalist approach and incorporates falling leaves, a frequent visual theme in her work.
08. The hole punch
This fun animation paid tribute to the hole punch on its 131st anniversary
Google Doodles don’t just celebrate glamorous topics, but also the humble creations that have changed our lives in subtle ways. A perfect example is this fun animated doodle from 2017 paying tribute to the hole punch, an incredible feat of German engineering that deserves to be marvelled at.
09. Bach
Compose your own melody with this AI-driven Google Doodle
In March 2019, the world got its the first AI-powered Google Doodle. This interactive experience allows you to compose a two measure melody of your choice. With the press of a button, the Doodle then uses machine learning to harmonise the custom melody into Bach’s signature music style.
10. Lygia Clark
This arty Google Doodle pays tribute to a Brazilian art legend
Artist Lygia Clark was a Brazilian painter, sculptor and teacher who co-founded the Neo-Concrete movement, which sought to change art from a passive viewing experience to an engaging interaction. This captivating 3D Google Doodle from 2015 was a fitting tribute to this groundbreaking artist.
11. Sochi Olympics
Google took a stand against Russia's anti-gay laws with this rainbow doodle
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi became the centre of worldwide protests against Russia's homophobic laws, and Google didn't sit on the fence. This rainbow-hued Google Doodle made a simple but powerful statement, while the quote from the Olympic Charter below spelled out exactly where it stood.
12. Robert Moog's 78th birthday
Google loves to give its users something to play with from time to time
One of Google's best-loved interactive doodles celebrated the 78th birthday of Robert Moog, the man who created the eponymous synthesiser, in 2012. His creation featuring heavily in songs by The Beatles, The Doors and others, and this clever Google Doodle lets you try it yourself.
13. Jules Verne
Dive under and celebrate the birthday of Jules Verne with this Google doodle
Google paid homage to sci-fi writer Jules Verne on what would have been his 183rd birthday, with this interactive Google Doodle in 2011. The logo showcases a view of the ocean from a submarine, inspired by his novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and you can explore it using the lever on the right.
14. Claude Debussy
This magical animation gels beautifully with Debussy's Clair de Lune
Popularised by the movie Oceans 11, Clair de Lune is one of the most hauntingly beautiful piano suites of all time. This animated Google Doodle, celebrating the 151st anniversary of its composer in 2013, uses it as the soundtrack to a Parisian riverside scene, and it's quite magical.
15. Saul Bass's 93rd birthday
Google's doodle pays animated tribute to the iconic work of Saul Bass
8 May 2013 would have been graphic designer and filmmaker Saul Bass's 93rd birthday. And this cleverly animated Google Doodle cleverly recreated some of his best-known designs, including his work on Anatomy of a Murder, The Man with the Golden Arm, Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho.
16. Freddie Mercury
In 2011, Queen guitarist Brian May collaborated with the Google Doodle team to pay tribute to his late friend and colleague Freddie Mercury. The result was this animated Google Doodle to celebrate Freddie's 65th birthday, accompanied by classic Queen track Don't Stop Me Now.
17. Charlie Chaplin
From one moustachioed hero to another. This Google Doodle paid tribute to silent film star Charlie Chaplin, with a video for what would have been his 122nd birthday. It shows a Chaplin lookalike read a Google newspaper, interact with a Google logo and try to draw a Google Doodle, in typically shambolic fashion.
18. 8-bit Winter Wonderland
This winter wonderland celebrated the birth of Frank Zamboni
There's nothing like a Google Doodle that you can interact with, and this fun game is one of our faves. Dedicated to Frank Zamboni, the American inventor of the ice resurfacer, it features some pesky ice-skaters that create marks on the ice. It's your job to smooth things over, using the arrow keys.
19. 150 years of the London Underground
A design classic gets the Google Doodle makeover
London's Tube map, created by electric draughtsman Harry Beck in 1931, turned out to be one of the best design ideas in the world, and widely imitated everywhere. The design takes on a new form in this doodle, with 'Google' being spelt out within the rail lines. You need to look closely, but it is there!
20. Winsor McCay's Little Nemo
Google's first interactive comic is a joy to behold
Little Nemo in Slumberland, a comic strip about a small boy's adventures, ran in the New York Herald from 1905-1911. This 2012 Google doodle celebrated artist Winsor McCay's 107th anniversary through an interactive comic strip. You click the tab at the end of each animated section to move on to the next part.
21. The Brothers Grimm
Google told the story of Red Riding Hood through a series of 22 illustrations
Crafted to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the brothers Grimm, this Google Doodle from 2012 tells the tale of Red Riding Hood through 22 lovingly crafted flat-design illustrations. If you spend the time to click through them all, you're rewarded with an alternative ending to the classic story.
22. Halloween 2012
A fun Google Doodle for Halloween
Halloween has seen many great offerings from Google, but it was this interactive Google Doodle from 2012 that we loved the most. With an eerie soundtrack, this fun animation features a spooky street, with a series of friendly monsters to discover behind each of the doors. Explore more Halloween Doodles, including the 2019 version in our dedicated Halloween Doodles post.
23. JFK 50th anniversary
This typographical treat marked the anniversary of John F Kennedy's 1961 inauguration
In 2011, a special Google Doodle marked the 50th anniversary of JFK's inaugural address, which included the famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The team took the words from Kennedy's speech and rearranged them to spell out the Google logo.
24. Will Eisner
This comic book-inspired doodle was created in memory of graphic artist Will Eisner
Graphic artist and comic writer Will Eisner is widely regarded as the father of the graphic novel. In 2011, this stylish Google doodle honoured what would have been his 94th birthday by combining a 3D comic-style rendering of the Google logo with Eisner's character The Spirit; a detective from beyond the grave.
25. Amelia Earhart
Google celebrated pioneering female pilot Ameila Earhart with this lovely illustration
In 2012, Google celebrate the life of pioneering female pilot Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, on what would have been her 115th birthday. This illustrated Google Doodle depicted her standing on an aeroplane, with 'Google' subtly painted on the underside of the wings.
26. Les Paul
In 2011, to honour the late musician and inventor Les Paul, Google created this playable guitar as the day's Google Doodle. In just 48 hours, Americans used it to record 5.1 years worth of music (40 million songs), and those songs were played back 870,000 times. See it in action in the video above.
27. Robert Doisneau
A rare photo-led approach to the Google Doodle
Most Google Doodles have been illustrated or animated, but here's a notable exception. To mark what would have been the 100th birthday of French photographer Robert Doisneau, this Google doodle features four of his famous images: The Tugboat, The Three Children, Dog on Wheels and The Kiss.
28. Gideon Sundbäck
It's not often Google makes you go 'wow', but here's a notable exception from 2012. Clicking the zipper on this special Google Doodle made the page split in two, revealing the doodle's inspiration: Gideon Sundbäck, the Swedish-American credited with developing the zipper. See it in action in the video above.
29. John Lennon
A short music video of Imagine to commemorate what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday, this interactive illustration was created by the Google Doodle team's Mike Dutton, who said: "I hope a moving picture will help me adequately – and simply – thank John for the memories."
30. Live lunar eclipse
Google marked the lunar eclipse by documenting the event (almost) in real-time online
In 2011, an interactive Google Doodle represented the lunar eclipse in (almost) real-time. Astronomy website Slooh provided Google with images from cameras set up in South Africa, Dubai and the Canary Islands, and if you clicked on the slider underneath the Doodle, you could experience the eclipse in all its glory.
31. Martha Graham
This dancing animation is utterly entrancing
This animated Google Doodle is one of the most entrancing we've ever seen. Created to recognise what would have been the 117th birthday of American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, it features five dancing ladies who spell out the world 'Google' with their movements.
32. Pac-Man
Google's first interactive logo celebrated Pac-Man back in 2010
Google unveiled its first interactive doodle in 2010 to mark the 30th anniversary of classic arcade game Pac-Man, remains one of its best. Based on the original game logic, graphics and sounds, and even original bugs from the 1980s masterpiece, it's still an addictive treat to this day.
33. The Wizard of Oz
This Wizard of Oz illustration incorporates the Google logo super-subtly
In 2010, 71 years after Wizard of Oz burst onto cinema screens, Google honoured the classic movie with this loving tribute. Using the landscape to subtly spell out the logo, it depicts Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Toto the dog as they first spot the Emerald City.
34. Lego
Lego's 50th anniversary was celebrated by the Google team with this awesome doodle
This cool Lego doodle was created to mark the little toy brick's 50th anniversary in 2008. Fun fact: Lego art has a special place in Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin's hearts: they used the bricks as the casing for 4GB hard disks, for a server they were making when they were developing the search engine.
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Procreate 5 public beta is almost here, and if you want to be one of the first to test it, you can now sign up to be notified as soon as applications are open. This isn't the first we've heard of Procreate 5. Back in September, Serif revealed the exciting new features that are set to make the latest version of the iPad drawing app the best yet.
And this isn't the only big news we're expecting today, as with Adobe MAX happening in LA, we're also hoping for news about the release of Photoshop for iPad. It seems it's gonna be a good day for iPad apps for designers.
So what does Procreate 5 offer? (See our Procreate 5 post for a full rundown of the features.) Well, it has a new super-speedy graphics engine, named Valkyrie, some big changes to brushes and colours in the app, and even more useful tools. Creatives can also now import their favourite Photoshop brushes directly into Procreate. And you can also combine brushes to make custom Dual Brushes, with over 150 brush settings.
There's now a floating Color Picker, so it's easier to play around with hues, improved Color Dynamics for easier transformation of colours, and a definite plus point is the option to import CMYK and RGB ICC profiles. The new Clone Tool also makes duplicating textures nice and easy, while the introduction of Animation Assist means working with animation is about to become a lot easier with features like instant playback and an animation essential, onion skinning.
We're obviously excited, and we're not the only ones. Here's a snapshot of what Twitter had to say at Procreate's announcement.
As you might expect, not everyone can be a beta tester, but all you need to do to be notified when applications open is sign up with your email address. So, with no time to waste go and get yourself signed up today.
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Creating striking custom images doesn't have to be costly or time-consuming. Canva, a simplified graphic design tool, helps you achieve your goals even if you don't have any design skills under your belt. And this course will show you how to use it.
Taught by Matt Stevenson, a seasoned designer and Creative Director at the U.S. Department of Treasury, this Easy Graphic Design for Your Business with Canva course guides you through the ins and outs of Canva. Get to know the Canva interface and take full advantage of its robust features, such as combining images and text with an easy drag and drop functionality.
You’ll have a look at basic design principles and step-by-step instructions on how to create graphics that are attention-grabbing and effective through the platform. With 17 lectures and guided directions, Canva can be used by non-designers and professionals alike to produce all types of creative content.
Professionally-designed Canva templates include flyers, posters, business cards, invitations, infographics, and so much more. Each template is customisable, so you can edit them to fit your brand needs. There is even a whole section dedicated to social media graphics, easing the process of creating content on the go.
Matt Stevenson will be on hand to offer tips on how you can use Canva-created graphics in business and how your designs can elevate and grow your brand. The lifetime access subscription will allow you to keep coming back whenever projects of any size arise.
While this course is usually valued at $29, but you can currently get it for just $9.99 (that's an impressive 65% off). Get started on the next phase of your professional career with an easy to follow solution for creating beautiful graphics.
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User journeys are vital for understanding a business' customers and the journey they take when interacting with the business/product. In the same way as we use GPS maps to guide us when we travel, customer journey maps or user journeys help businesses to understand the user pain points and identify important things.
This includes understanding various customer touchpoints and business needs at all the different stages in the sales funnel and identifying the logical stages and the gaps between the ideal customer experience and the current experience being offered. It can also help massively improve your landing page and the general user experience of your site.
It could also include prioritising the development priorities and enabling the business to concentrate spending efforts on what features matter the most. Here, I will explain the essential parts of a user journey with the help of an example.
01. Choose the right persona
No two journey maps are the same. They vary from business to business and the design varies depending on the product you are planning to map. The user journey can be designed for a single customer persona or it can be created for a segment of customers. Once a customer journey is designed for a persona, it can be applied to other customers by establishing a common understanding of customer stages, goals, touchpoints, opportunities, and so on.
The two key things that should be focused on are motivations and emotions. Motivations include the actions that help the user to move forward in the experience. Emotions are powerful in determining whether the users love your experience or whether they want to abandon it.
Let us consider the scenario of a potential video game buyer. For the purpose of the article, I will keep the stages simple. The persona we will consider for this journey map is John, who is a financial director. He is 42, living in NYC with a high income and is often super busy. You can go as detailed as possible for the persona.
02. Create the stages of a journey map
Now that we have decided on the persona, let’s move on to the next important step of deciding what stages you want in the user journey. Each stage or phase is used to represent a vital goal your customer is trying to achieve as they progress through the journey.
Stages can be high-level or they can be more detailed. The problem with being more detailed is that the user journey could turn into an internal process diagram, which is not our goal here. Most of the stages are linear but it all depends on the product or service.
For this journey map of a newly launched video game, let’s start creating various stages that John goes through. A simple layout can be as follows:
- Previous experience with the games
- Awareness of our new video game (1st touchpoint)
- Choosing the video game
- Purchasing the video game
- Playing the video game
- Sharing the experience
03. Identify actions, mindsets and emotions
Click the right-hand corner of the image to enlarge
Each stage in the journey contains various key elements. All these are represented in vertical lanes and the stages are represented in horizontal lanes. All elements can be categorised under three zones. The first is actions, mindsets and emotions.
Actions represent what the customer is doing at that particular stage of the journey. Mindsets include all the things going on in the customer’s head about the product or service. Emotions are to capture the predominant mood of the user as they move from one stage to another. This is important because a business can retain its customers and gain more if the user experience they deliver results in more positive emotions.
Let’s look at our example and what these different elements can potentially look like. For the purpose of this journey map, let’s look at one of the six stages: ‘Choosing the videogame’.
- Actions by John include things like checking the rating of the game, checking the artwork, checking the price of the game, looking for deals, reading the description and playing the trailer
- Few thoughts in his mind could be: ‘Mmm, the price seems fair’; ‘Wow! Cool artwork’; ‘Ahh, this reminds me of the XYZ game’; or: ‘The trailer is amazing. I hope the game is too’
- Emotions in this stage could be uncertainty, indecision, deception, surprise
04. Consider touchpoints and channels
Touchpoints are the times when the customer interacts with the business or interface and channels usually refer to the methods of communication or service delivery. This can be anything, including a website, mobile app or physical store. This zone helps uncover any disconnected user experiences or inconsistencies in the brand.
Coming back to the video game example, a few touchpoints and channels in these stages can include digital mediums such as a mobile app, gameplay store on Xbox, game review websites or they could be non-digital touchpoints, such as an advertisement in a gaming magazine or a friend talking to you about the new video game.
05. Look at opportunities and barriers
This zone includes opportunities that will drive growth via investing in UX improvements. The business should always craft a journey map in a way that can be used for action planning, meaning it will uncover various opportunities, assess the potential impact and cost and further guide investing priorities for the business.
A barrier is an optional feature that you can have at each stage. These will include all the pain points for a customer when interacting with the business at a particular stage. This can be used along with opportunities to fix the issues with the interface, business or product. A few opportunities in the case of the video game example are:
- Choosing the video game stage – improve the user experience of the app store, improve the navigation and findability of the game, provide promotional discounts and deals to the new users.
- Sharing the video game stage – offer points when sharing moments of the game, sharing options on level completion, inviting friends to unlock new stages/levels.
These are the key zones and the relevant features you must take care of when designing a user journey. Based on the type of journey, the depth and breadth can be tweaked. For making informed decisions on these, there are few considerations:
- What is the level of detail that is required for telling the complete story to the stakeholders of the business?
- What key elements will be necessary in order to provide the most truthful and meaningful narrative/journey?
- What is the purpose of the journey map? To diagnose the existing issues or create a whole new customer experience?
- What are the issues on the customer side (external) versus business organisation (internal)?
- Who are the primary users of this journey map?
This article was originally published in issue 322 of net, the world's leading web design magazine Buy issue 322 or subscribe to net here.
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The first attacks that exploit the zero-day Windows vulnerability install cryptominers and scan for targets rather than a worm with WannaCry potential.
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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Well if that's true, there's a couple of design teams around the world right now that should be feeling pretty flattered following the unveiling of Microsoft's new Edge browser logo this weekend.
Already under heavy criticism, the logo has been compared to the Firefox logo, and, even more embarrassingly, the swirling blue-and-green design of Tide Pods laundry detergent packs. And when you see them side-by-side (below), it's hard to argue otherwise. Maybe the design team should have referred to our guide to logo design for some pointers?
The new design (above) combines the lowercase 'e' icon that dates back to Microsoft's Internet Explorer years, and morphs it into the shape of a swirling wave, which is presumably representative of surfing the web. Below are some of the early reactions.
It's nothing new to see such harsh reactions in the early days of a logo, and, who knows, maybe in time people will appreciate the freshness of the new design (sorry, we couldn't resist). You can compare it to the old Edge logo below.
Whatever you make of the new Edge logo, one thing is for sure, the ocean wave-inspired design bears precious little resemblance to Microsoft's original IE icon, which the company is so well known for. Moving away from such an iconic design is a brave move, so we'll be interested to read more on why the decision for a much more fluent design was made.
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You're reading SERPStack – Free, Real-Time Google Search API, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook!
It is hard to neglect the importance of search engines. Almost anyone who uses the internet goes to Google and other search engines for what they need. You can’t remember or know all the URLs in the world, hence your …
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Researchers warn XML macros embedded in SYLK files can sidestep Microsoft Office for Mac protections.
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A simple attack on an unpatched server could have been catastrophic for the Utah-based utility.
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Green UX is probably a term you'll hear more and more in the coming years. For all the benefits that technology brings, there is a dark cloud that hangs over all of us. This cloud chases us in newspapers every day and is felt across the entire world. It makes us fear for the future and question our habits – our youth is even skipping school to demand action. This cloud is mostly made up of CO2 and its name is climate change.
Among the many culprits of rising carbon emissions is the IT sector. It embodies the very thing that has defined the 21st century and includes everyone from UX designers to tech giants such as Apple or Google. It connects the entire globe and, unsurprisingly, requires a lot of energy to operate.
Data – and our growing need to send and receive it faster than ever before – are key pieces in understanding this puzzle. Each time we use data, be it by browsing ecommerce websites, using Facebook or sending an email to a coworker, we spark a chain of events that needs electricity to get us that data.
With technologies like 5G being part of a near future for the market, we can no longer ignore the energy consumption linked to IT. More electricity-intensive demands for IT usually means coal burning. Fortunately, UX designers are doing their part to mitigate this trend of consuming more without worrying about the consequences: that's where green UX design comes in.
What's the environmental impact of the internet?
With the consequences of the climate crisis already being felt by many people in the world, global warming is on everyone's mind. It's usual for us to discuss Chinese or American emissions but we often overlook the role of specific industries. In all this, exactly where does the internet fit in?
The internet, as pointed out by a 2017 report by Greenpeace, consumes 7 per cent of world electricity as it stands. That may not seem like much but it's the source of the electricity that raises concerns. Data centres alone are responsible for 2 per cent of carbon emissions – the same amount as the air travel sector, as reported by Adam Vaughan with The Guardian.
As explained by Greenpeace, all this energy can be divided into four categories when it comes to energy consumption: data centres, communication networks, end user devices and the manufacturing that is needed to supply all three.
All this need for energy represents a problem when we take into account the growing human population and the rise of new technologies, such as 5G, which uses up more electricity to deliver data faster.
It is true that not everything is within our power to change. Big and powerful companies are still the ones who call the shots and decide on carbon emissions, with transparency and lack of access to renewable energy being the two main obstacles on this front. But we are not completely powerless in the face of this significant environmental threat.
UX designers from all corners of the world are coming to realise that many things in the IT sector need to change – including the way we design and create. That is what green UX is all about: finding ways to deliver a truly great experience to users while also managing to mitigate energy consumption.
Green UX: accounting for the environment in design
So what is there to do? How can UX designers create products that are smart about their data and electricity consumption? You may be surprised to find that many of the tactics in green UX that work to make products more energy efficient also work to improve the user experience – and are reflected in common web performance indicators.
When it comes to UX design, the main area where most energy is used is also the one with most room for improvement: data usage. This is a factor that is under our control and that we can monitor over time with ease.
The key questions here are: how can we cut back on data usage? How much of the data we send is actually being consumed by our users? Is there a better way to transfer this data?
A simple way to make sure you deliver the same experience while using up less energy is to simply send that data from a closer distance with a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN works, in very broad strokes, as a proxy server that stores a copy of data once users have requested that data once.
This can be a handy tactic, as it tends to ease some of the pressure on your internal servers and results in a faster website for all users. The way CDNs work is that they avoid having to load data repeatedly, which inadvertently results in less data moving around and means less electricity is required to get to user's screens.
Careful optimisation can help users have a better experience while considerably improving the carbon footprint of your product
Another way to aim for efficiency is to consider the actual size of the pages we send to users, along with all the content that is in them. An interesting point made by Tammy Everts in her book Time is Money: The Business Value of Web Performance, is that the weight of pages has been growing over time (at an average of 16 per cent per year), which means more coal is needed to move them.
Historically, the heaviest part of web pages has been images. However, more and more pages use videos, which are even heavier. In a 2016 report by Sandvine (Global Internet Phenomena: Latin American and North America), it was found that real-time entertainment platforms for video and audio streaming are the largest category of traffic on all examined networks.
The takeaway here is that heavy content is becoming the norm – long web pages that require a lot of data to load properly. Careful optimisation can help users have a better experience while considerably improving the carbon footprint of your product.
Performance budgets are a handy tool, so designers can check the maximum weight of each type of content for the pagespeed to reach the target goal. It works in a similar way to how governments try to assess the real impact of taxpayers' money in the budget – and can be a good guide on where optimisation is needed the most.
Green UX won't save the world – we will
Designing with sustainability in mind has an effect on the dirty energy the IT sector consumes but it is only a small part of a large and complex equation. Designers shouldn't assume that by changing the way we think about data and how we send it will, by itself, bring about an end to climate change.
But it works as a positive philosophy to have in your design process: just as we want to design for the inclusion of visually impaired users, we want to account for our planet as we plan what a page will look and feel like.
We depend on powers beyond our control, such as the infrastructure of our general location, but that is not to say we need to stick to our inefficient ways. Energy is a key concern in the climate crisis and we should think of it as a precious resource that cannot go to waste.
Green UX is an invitation for designers to see the many benefits the internet brings us but, above all, to notice all that it requires to keep going. It encourages people to look for ways to use less, in an era when using more has dark omens for us all.
This article was originally published in issue 322 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 322 here or subscribe here.
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Google warns exploits in the wild against a Use After Free vulnerability in Chrome's audio component.
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McDonald's has become one of the world's biggest brands thanks in no small part to its adverts. But while it might be behind some of the best print ads we've seen, a recent poster campaign spotted in its Portugal stores has provoked an online backlash so intense that it's been forced to remove them from display.
The posters in question promote a Halloween-themed two-for-one offer on McDonald's strawberry sundaes with the phrase 'Sundae Bloody Sundae'.
Considering that Bloody Sunday is a term used to refer to one of the worst days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, when 13 people were shot dead by the army, it's an unfortunate choice of words to say the least.
As is the case with these sorts of mistakes, the posters were promptly distributed online for everyone to pick apart and shame. Twitter user @bigmonsterlove shared an image of the posters taken by James Timoney with the caption: "Portugal is cancelled", which soon went viral.
In the replies, Twitter users soon began the back-and-forth debate over whether or not the posters were an honest mistake. We think @bigmonsterlove summed things up well by saying, "I'm not pissed off, but like an ad agency clearly didn't do its homework, or did and maybe knew it would ruffle feathers."
In response to the controversy, a spokeswoman for McDonald's Portugal told the BBC: "We sincerely apologise for any offence or distress this may have caused."
She then explained that the campaign was intended as a celebration of Halloween, not as an insensitive reference to any historical event or to upset or insult anyone.
This isn't the first design fail to strike McDonald's recently. Back in August thirsty patrons in McDonald's Japan spotted an accidentally smutty side to its summer romance themed cups.
At least McDonald's France seems to be getting its posters right. In July it used minimalist ads inspired by French fries to guide motorists to the nearest store.
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Swedish furniture giant IKEA has had a bit of a thing this year for making little tweaks to its logo that you might not notice. Back in April it unveiled a brand new logo that looked almost exactly the same as the previous one, and now it's come up with a version that's surrounded by quotation marks.
What's this new logo design all about? It's to promote IKEA's latest collaboration with top fashion designer Virgil Abloh. The founder of achingly hip label Off-White, and the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection, he's got together with IKEA to create the MARKERAD collection, a range of 15 pieces that, says IKEA, fuses functionality with street cred and high cultural references.
The MARKERAD range is available now, if you're lucky
And what exactly does that have to do with putting quotation marks around the logo? Well, as all the cool kids amongst you will know, Off-White often uses quotes around the names of its collections, and a few of the pieces in the MARKERAD collection do the same, such as the green high pile rug that reads "WET GRASS" in big white letters, and the wall clock with "TEMPORARY" printed across the face. Deep.
Other pieces in the collection include a low pile rug in the form of an IKEA receipt, a pair of carrier bags decorated with the word "SCULPTURE", and a 17-piece tool set; prices start at £12 for the smaller of the carrier bags and for the tool set, while the most expensive item on offer is the solid wood MARKERAD table, a snip at £250.
The collection launches today, and to mark the event, IKEA's Wembley branch boasts a temporary logo upgrade complete with quotation marks, making it look, really, like, ironic, yeah? And to go with the new look, the branch has also installed the world's comfiest queue for all the people clamouring to get their hands on some instant IKEA collector's items, complete with sofas, armchairs, blankets and cushions.
"IKEA" has installed the world's comfiest queue at its Wembley store
It's not going to be there for long, though; the event runs from today until Sunday 3 November at IKEA's Wembley, Croydon and Dublin stores, and if you fancy getting your hands on your own MARKERAD piece then you're almost certainly too late. Anticipating huge demand, IKEA is restricting access through a ticketing system that sold out last month in under five minutes. You snooze, you lose.
If you have deep pockets, though, you can already find MARKERAD pieces on eBay at unsurprisingly massive markups. Happy shopping!
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Instagram is a popular place for artists and designers to share their work and build a following. But it's also a platform where brands can engage audiences in creative ways. Just take the Chewy Channel, a new entertainment network from Haribo where its popular gummy bears are the stars.
Proving that there are more ways to get noticed on the social media site than just playing around with personalised Instagram fonts, the Chewy Channel is the first-of-its-kind gummi-themed entertainment network. And it's made specially for Instagram's streaming platform, IGTV.
Created in collaboration between Haribo and social creative agency Barkley, the Chewy Channel sees gummy bears become characters in a batch of short and quirky series. These include a workplace comedy called Bearly Corporate and a fantasy show named Sour Sorcerers.
A new series is scheduled to drop on the Chewy Channel every month. But if you're still making your way through the top Netflix documentaries for graphic designers, fear not. Each series runs for just five minutes in total, making it incredibly easy to binge-watch the lot. Think of them as suitably snack-sized bites of content.
To discuss the thought process behind the Chewy Channel, Katie Waller, vice president of marketing at Haribo, told Little Black Book that, "we know that when our fans open a bag of Haribo, they’re inspired to play with the gummies before enjoying a sweet treat. It’s part of the fun.
“We’ve been creating moments of childlike happiness for nearly 100 years, and this mission of inspiring joy through treats and listening to our consumers is what fueled the thinking behind the Chewy Channel.”
It's a cute idea, but will it hold the attention of audiences? Older viewers will surely skip it and the younger IGTV users, who we assume the Chewy Channel is targetting, have plenty more engaging online distractions to choose from. That's even before the launch of the behemoth that is Disney+.
And while we can't quite get our head around why exactly the Chewy Channel exists, other than to function as a Haribo advert, although we kind of admire the amount of effort that's gone into the shows.
Each series boasts handmade dioramas, and the cast of sweets are controlled by small wires, magnets and fishing lines. On occasion you can even see these tools in shot to keep the tone light. After all, these are fun little clips that are designed to appeal to your sense of humour as well as your tastebuds.
“We wanted to build on the creativity that is inherent to HARIBO to build must-see content worth following,” adds Katy Hornaday, executive creative director at Barkley. “It seemed only right for the world’s first gummi bears to be the world’s first gummi IGTV stars.”
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For decades, creatives have been using Lego for everything from creating prototypes and amazing Lego art to spending hours engrossed in a themed set to relax. The ultimate creative tool, the humble little bricks can work wonders when it comes to design solutions and offering busy artists and design some creative downtime.
Recent years have seen Lego sets for adults become increasingly intricate, detailed designs. And today the company has taken things up a notch once again, releasing a 5:1 upscaled wooden minifigure Lego set. The premium model (set no 853967) is handcrafted from FSC-certified oak, with adjustable yellow plastic hands, and measures over 7 inches (20cm) tall, 4 inches (11cm) wide and 3.5 inches (9cm) deep.
Lego's wooden figures are larger than you're used to
Those of you familiar with the Lego company will know the bricks weren't originally plastic. Founded in 1932, the first Lego toys were handcrafted from wood by founder and master carpenter Ole Kirk Kristiansen. After the Second World War, wood supplies became sparse, so Kristiansen began supplementing production with plastic, and the rest, as they say, is history. Until today.
The over-sized minifigure model is the first Lego product to combine both wood and plastic since the 1130 Bedford firetruck 60 years ago in 1959 (got one, anyone?). And the thinking Lego's decision to mix the two materials again now is unclear at present. There are no obvious anniversaries or milestones to celebrate, which leaves us pondering the motivation behind the new hybrid set.
We're hoping for more of these wooden creations
Is it simply a case of a creative collaboration with Room Copenhagen, a design agency known for its links with Lego and playful Nordic designs. Or is this a bigger move by Lego as part of its commitment to use more sustainable materials by 2030? The press release for today’s unveiling mentioned 'a range of new products for dedicated Lego fans who love a bit of nostalgia', which suggests the minifigure isn't the only wooden set in the pipeline.
Whatever the case may be, there's no denying the excitement and anticipation around this model, specifically the change of material chosen to create it. What's it like to build wooden Lego? Is it different, better, worse...? We'll let you know.
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Photography in design can be more impactful than graphics or illustration as it communicates the message with a sense of realism, and often packs more of a visual punch, too. However, when your design features photography, some key aspects can get lost in the creation. In this post, eleven top designers share their wisdom of how to maximise the power of photography in design.
If you're still struggling to decide whether you want to use photography or illustration for your project, we've got a handy guide to help you decide over on our 5 reasons to use photography in your designs post. Or check out these photography websites for some killer inspiration.
01. Save bad photography
Food photography by Made by Parent
Chris Harman, founder of Made by Parent advises: "Sometimes you're presented with bad photography for a design project, which is usually a hindrance to your final design. I find that creating monotone/duotone versions of photos can help turn a bad image into something a lot more useable."
"For an interesting visual twist on this, save the image as a one – or two – colour GIF for a really nice dot-matrix effect."
02. Use more than Brightness and Contrast
Harman points out that "the Brightness and Contrast tools are often the only adjustments that designers make when looking to enhance the colours and sharpness of an image. Accompany this with the use of the Smart Sharpen tool to add definition and depth."
03. Let it breathe
James Kape recommends letting your designs breathe with white (or in this case, blue) space
"For me, one of the most important elements to consider when working with photography in design is the appropriate use of white space," says James Kape, director and co-founder of OMSE. "There should always be some room left on the page to avoid your work becoming cluttered.
"Whilst it might seem obvious, sometimes it can be the hardest element to conquer."
04. Don't overthink it
"Selecting which shot you should use can often be the most time-consuming stage within your process, especially when you might have upwards of 100 seemingly identical photos to choose from," Kape advises.
"Try not to spend hours deliberating: often your first thoughts are the ones that make the most sense."
05. Let it go in order to punch it up
Lose details from the background picture, says Guillen
Artist Mauricio Guillen says that when you're using a picture as the background of your layout, you should try to lose details. If you go darker and more blurry, your fonts and design will jump out and have much more impact.
Your image won't suffer if you're subtle, because the reader's brain makes up for the details that are missing.
06. Never assume the basics
Guillen thinks you should always double check the basics. He explains: "Always be sure to check the resolution of your images when working with photography in design. New photographers think that in the digital world everything is done on automatic. It's not."
"If at all possible, try to talk to the photographer in advance to ensure that you're both on the same page as far as the technicalities go."
07. Sketch out, then step away
Seednine designed Poor but Sexy magazine
"When I have layout work to do that involves photography and text, I'll start with a few preliminary sketches of how I envision the page to look with the elements," says Ingrid Jones, multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker, and co-founder of Seednine.
"Then I walk away from the project and go out in search of inspiration. It could be a museum, gallery, book store, or wherever there is visual work that piques my interest. I give myself a chance to get excited about the layout, then begin."
08. Utilise emotion
Jones believes that "photography has an emotional component to it" and advises that you "select images that make you pause – not for shock value necessarily, but because they connect to your theme or story."
"I usually do two or three different versions of a layout before getting to the look and feel I'm after. The trick is not to over-design. Edit yourself, and remember KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid."
09. Know the limits
Johnson Banks digitally removed the hands and feet from the photographs to turn them into stamps for a Great British Fashion set of stamps (for Royal Mail in 2012)
Co-founder of Johnson Banks, Michael Johnson discusses the legality of using photography in design, and explains the restrictions:
"Well, we'd love to be able to crop images more than we can, but sometimes there are copyright restrictions on cropping works of art. When we can we'll look for the best, tightest and most powerful crops. But with a Picasso, you can't crop at all."
10. Don't forget your glue
"When you have multiple images in a single layout, you have to keep searching for a way for them to work together, or you'll have to try and bring in other elements," Johnson says.
"When you're dealing with disparate 'art' style imagery, the other elements (symbols, typefaces, colours and so on) become really important as visual glue."
11. Blow up the images
Photography for Leslie Van Duzer's House Shumiatcher book marketing
Pablo Mandel, book designer, art director and director of Circular Studio offers his perspective on image size: "If the client doesn't have an in-house marketing department, you'll probably need to spend a lot of time looking for right-sized images, helping them search their archives." He suggests investing in software to enlarge images without losing quality.
"I use Genuine Fractals: if the image is great quality, this software will enable you to do huge enlargements with acceptable results."
12. Don't confuse the eye
"When working with architectural images, for example, design-wise it makes sense not to put day and night shots together as it confuses the reader – unless you're comparing the same view of the building during night and day, of course," Mandel advises.
13. Be bold
Bold photography from Six for the Roger Dubois Aventador S
Owner/Creative Director of design studio Six, John Kariolis thinks you should be bold with the way you create designs.
"Be creative with images that are not of a very high-resolution, or have been poorly shot. Edit, crop, manipulate or convert to black-and-white (or duotone) any images that are not of desired quality.
"And print your layouts out at full size: you can't always guarantee that what looks good on-screen will look good on the page."
14. Take your time
"Don't start designing until you have all the imagery you know you'll be using. The quality, size and subject may well dictate the design direction as a whole," says Kariolis.
"Similarly, try to avoid cropping an image in Photoshop before placing it into your design. If you use InDesign to crop the image, it's a lot easier to tailor it on the fly to suit the design as it progresses."
15. Go on shoots
Garavin suggests being at the shoot to make sure you get what you want. (New Graphic's work for Arts & Disability, Ireland)
"Good photographers make the designer's job easy, but if the photos are going to be combined with type later, it's always good to be at the shoot to really get what you need," asserts Dave Garavin, co-founder of strategic design firm New Graphic.
"Why? Great photos with no space for text, or where the text fights with the image, do not generally make for great design."
16. Be flexible
"We often use grids for our designs, but sometimes photos demand their own individual space. Break the grid." says Garavin.
17. Have an opinion
Morgan's photography for Louis Vuitton
"As a photographer," says Jamie Morgan, "I find a really good art director will help me pick the right image – one that has the right form and shape for the design. It might not be the best photograph from my point of view, but it's best for the job.
"It fits their vision. There are always five or six choices, and it's a matter of opinion about which one works best – and a good art director will always have a very strong opinion."
18. Don't skimp on the photographer's brief
"If my art director has a layout in mind, I work my stuff around it. There are lots of practical things to take into consideration, such as the right cropping and so on," suggests Morgan.
"If there's going to be a lot of type, you can't have a busy background, or if it's for a DPS, you have to make sure the subject is on one side of the spread. I need to know all of that in advance."
19. Adapt and overcome
Calderly recommends that you unify press shots by creating a duotone with black and grey
Founder and creative director of Graphic Therapy, David Calderly recommends that you learn to adapt.
"When working for some of the smaller independent record labels, you can be faced with the unexpected introduction of the 'press shots'. Here's a way of unifying said shots: once you've done your surgery and retouching, create a duotone with black and a light PMS grey.
"Take most of the black out of the lighter tones and increase it in darker areas, and then save the preset in case you need any more further down the line. Take your duotone images and convert them to CMYK, finally adding just a small amount of noise to imitate film grain.
"You now have a wonderful four-colour B/W-looking print that complements your other graphics, and can be applied to different shots taken by different photographers, making them seem like they're all from a single shoot."
20. Learn the rules
"You need to know, for example, that monotype fonts are less readable on images than serif or sans-serif typefaces," says Xavier Erni, co-founder of art direction and graphic design studio Neo Neo.
"If you use monotype for long texts your design will be less readable, so if you do it, make sure that's the effect you're going for."
But don't stick to them too tightly, he adds.
"In Swiss graphic design, the rules and grids are often very strict. Trying constantly to comply with these rules can make design a bit monotonous and you don't want that. You must know how to be creative in bypassing the rules sometimes. Like using huge type on an image to make the image unreadable."
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Whatever you're designing - a poster, a brochure, a book cover, a web page - the right image can often be vital in bringing everything together and making your creation come to life.
But we don't all have time spend hours searching for the perfect picture. Luckily, with Adobe Stock, you don't need to.
It's sophisticated interface gives you easy, clear and concise options that help you narrow down your search quickly, helping find what you're looking for, often in seconds.
In this article, we explain how to search on Adobe Stock using text (steps 1-3), or skip to step 4 to learn about performing an image-based search.
01. Pick your search term
Our first search for 'volcano' throws up a ton of results.
The first step is finding the perfect image is to go to Adobe Stock and type your keyword or keywords into the search bar.
Alternatively, if you’re already working within one of the Creative Cloud apps, you can search directly within the app, which is a real time-saver. (To learn about the nuts and bolts of doing that, about how to do that, check out this article).
If you know exactly what you’re looking for - in our case, a picture of a volcano - an Adobe Stock image search couldn’t be easier. Sometimes, though, what you’re looking for may not be an obvious physical thing.
For instance, you may be looking for an image that suggests something more nebulous like ‘determination’. But that’s no problem: just put that exact word into the search box, and Adobe Stock will return a selection of images that fit your brief. Try it, and you’ll soon see what we mean.
02. Refine your search
We narrow our search by adding more words.
Often, your first search on Adobe Stock will return a lot of fantastic images... but simply too many to realistically search through. For example, our ‘Volcano’ search returned a grand total of 351,319 images.
So the next step is to add more words to narrow it down further. Usually, when you glance through the first set of results, it helps you realise exactly what you are and aren’t looking for. In our case, we’ve decided that we’re specifically interesting in volcanos erupting at night, so we’ve added the terms ‘eruption’, ‘night’ and ‘dark’, which narrows things down considerably.
03. Refine your search further with filters
Try searching for illustrations only.
Adobe Stock has a great range of sophisticated filters that can help you narrow things down even further, and find the perfect image for your purposes. Here are the main ones, and how they can help you refine your search appropriately:
- Sort by > Popularity: This filter list images in terms of popularity, which is measured by the ratio of downloads to views. In other words, these are the images which people have historically been more likely to buy once they’ve seen them; although that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily been the ones that have been downloaded the most.
- Sort by > Downloads: Unlike the ‘Popularity’ filter mentioned above, ticking the the ‘Downloads’ filter shows you the images that have been downloaded the most overall.
- Sort by > Undiscovered: The exact opposite to the ‘Downloads’ filter, ticking the ‘Undiscovered’ filter returns the images that have never been downloaded from Adobe Stock. This gives you the images under your keyword(s) that have been downloaded from Adobe Stock.
- Subcategory > All Photos/Illustrations/Vectors: These filters let you choose between illustration, photo and vector files (available in JPEG, AI, EPS, and MOV formats). Unless you specifically tick one of these boxes, you’ll be shown all three image types as the default.
- Orientation: Looking for a particular image shape? Use this filter to choose between Horizontal, Vertical, Square or Panoramic images.
If you only want to see vertical images, just select the appropriate filter.
- Copy space: This is a really useful filter if you need to put words on an image, for example if you’re using it to design a poster, brochure, or magazine article. Tick ‘Images with Copy Space’ and you’ll only see images that have enough space to add words.
- Vivid Color: With this filter you can control whether your results are bright and colorful or darker and more muted.
- People: This filter enables you to see only images with people, or images without people. For example, there are a total of 8,727 images of volcanos that feature people.
- Size: This filter allows you to only view images of a certain size. This is a really good time-saver for designers working on print projects, for example, where only large, very high-res images will do.
- Isolated assets: Isolated assets have subjects that appear alone on a solid background. Tick the ‘Isolated Only’ option and you’ll just see images with isolated subjects on solid backgrounds.
- Color: This allows you to return images with a certain colour palette. Click on the search box and you’ll get a colour chart, from which you can select your perfect hue.
04. Search based on image
Just click the camera icon and then drop in your image
In steps 1-3 we looked at text-based search, but that’s only one way of searching on Adobe Stock.
If you’ve already got an image that’s pretty similar to the one you’re looking for, you could perform an image-based search instead. For example, you might have a photo you took on your phone, but need something that’s more professionally shot.
If that’s the case then just click on the camera icon in the search bar and the box shown above will pop up. Drag your image across, and Adobe Stock will return similar images from its extensive library.
You can choose to ask for images that are similar in terms of content, colour, composition, or just leave it set to the default of all three. And of course, you can use all the same filters that you would use in a text-based search.
Search for similar images in terms of content, colour or composition.
Conclusion
The number of images on Adobe Stock for any one image search can be quite intimidating. But with a combination of easy-to-use filters and Adobe Stock’s in-built AI, you can narrow down your search quickly and easy, and you’ll soon find the perfect image for your design project.
Adobe Stock will save you time and energy, and help bring your designs to life for a very affordable cost. So don't delay. Start using Adobe Stock today!
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The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL have landed; they’re the latest best camera phones in a line once renowned for having iPhone beating cameras, but times have changed. Apple has finally upped the imaging ante with its iPhone 11 Pro. It has an ultra-wide, GoPro-a-like camera, which the Pixel 4 doesn’t, and it’s also catching up when it comes to night photography too.
The competition from other Android phones is also fierce, with the Galaxy Note 10 Plus delivering one of the best on-the-go creative solutions around, and the OnePlus 7T packing in more and costing less. The question is, should you still be considering a phone that’s made by Google in 2020? Let's find out.
Google Pixel 4 review: Price
The Pixel 4 is pricey, starting at $799/£669 for the 64GB model, and climbing up to £769 for the 128GB version. The larger model, the Pixel 4 XL, has better battery life and a bigger screen, and that starts at $899/£829 for 64GB, or £929 for the 128GB version.
We filled up the 64GB Pixel 4 with photos and videos in less than a month. If you’re big on imaging, therefore, 128GB is the way to go.
Google Pixel 4 review: Design and screen
The screens of the Pixel 4 looks very good indoors
We love the playful design of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. Available in three colours, black, white and orange, the latter two have a matte glass finish, while the black one is high-gloss-glass. Not only does the black one look more traditional and less exciting, but it also clings onto fingerprints, so gets grubby very quickly. The other two, by contrast, always look fingerprint-free and their high-contrast aesthetic with the Pixel 4’s black frame pops in just the right way.
The screens of the Pixel 4s look very good indoors, and they’ve got all the acronyms you’ll want from a phone display - 100% of the DCI-P3 colour space is covered and they support HDR video playback too. With their 19:9 aspect ratio, movie watching on both is a treat, with the Pixel 4 screen measuring 5.7 inches (the iPhone 11 Pro is 5.8 inches), while the Pixel 4 XL measures 6.3 inches (the iPhone 11 Pro Max is 6.5 inches).
Whichever Pixel you go for, they’re both sharp, but are not as bright as the best out there, so outdoor viewing isn’t fantastic.
Google Pixel 4 review: Face and motion detection
Above the screen are sensors that detect movement. These can also scan your face just like an iPhone 11 Pro’s Face ID, replacing the fingerprint scanner found on the Pixel 3. This is more secure than traditional Android face unlocking, and Google has added some functionality beyond security: wave your hand over the phone when music’s playing and it skips a track. Shoo a phone call away, and your phone’s ringer is silenced. These features work most of the time, but they’re definitely not a reason to pick up these phones.
Google Pixel 4 review: Camera
What’s most exciting about any Pixel is the camera, and the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are the first to feature two around the back, a regular wide angle and a telephoto module. These are 12.2MP (f/1.7, 28mm) and 16MP (f/2.4, 45mm) respectively, and, unsurprisingly, are excellent performers.
Google’s special sauce of software smarts means that creatives who want an incredibly reliable smartphone camera can pick up a Pixel 4, point, shoot and be confident they’re getting amongst the best images possible from a phone, every time. That Google’s included a zoom lens is handy, and when you punch in on your subject, the Pixel outperforms the new iPhones.
There’s also a clever new UI option to adjust highlights and shadows separately before you take your shot, and this is for challenging subjects like black cats - potentially the difference between a bad photo and a great one.
The Pixel 4's new zoom lens outperforms the new iPhones
As for Night Sight, Google’s night mode, it’s still amongst the best out there. Apple has closed the gap, and for anyone who is a straight-up point and shoot photographer, whichever you go for will deliver. That said, if you like dabbling in astrophotography, Google’s night mode edges ahead with its 4-minute exposure time when held perfectly still.
That’s not the whole story though; Apple has recently updated its iPhone 11 Pro with Deep Fusion. This improves the phone’s ability to grab textures, and clarity from an iPhone camera running this update is sharper than the that captured by Pixel. Graphic designers or anyone who works with fabrics or grains would probably benefit more from an iPhone camera as a result.
Flipping it back to the Pixel, it has a better selfie camera, which clocks in at 8MP and unlike the iPhone, features its own night mode. Finally, for video recording, it’s back to the iPhone 11 Pro, which obliterates the competition with higher framerate capture (60fps versus the Pixel’s 30fps), and better results across lenses and lighting conditions.
Google Pixel 4 review: Additional specs and battery
The Pixel 4s are powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor which is coupled with 6GB RAM, and that’s plenty powerful for everything from mobile gaming to on-the-go video or photo edits.
The phones also support fast charging and wireless charging too, which is handy, and just like the iPhone 11 Pros, are IP68 water and dust resistant. They both run Android 10, the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, so offer excellent app support and a clean look and feel. In turn, Adobe’s range of mobile creative apps all works to perfection on the two flagships, though unlike phones like the Note 10 Plus, neither feature pen support.
The worst thing about the smaller Pixel 4 is its terrible battery life. If you’re thinking about a Pixel, we’d recommend you opt for the Pixel 4 XL for this reason alone.
As we mentioned earlier when running through storage options, we’d also recommend you go for the 128GB version - and an XL with 128GB is a spec that’ll set you back by £929 - that’s a lot of money for a good smartphone with a sensational camera.
Google Pixel 4 review: Should you buy it?
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are decent phones in isolation - they look great, literally have stellar cameras if you’re into astrophotography, and are as powerful as they need to be. In a year when even Apple is upping the ante with its iPhone 11-series and delivering much better imaging and battery performance, this time, Google just hasn’t done enough to retain its camera crown or make its latest handset a no-brainer.
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While it remains difficult to attack critical infrastructure successfully, adversaries aim to use past experience to launch more destructive future attacks, according to analysis.
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Everything moves in cycles. Trends come and trends go in every creative field, and if you want your designs to stay relevant, then it pays to be aware of trends and deploy them when they work for you. Web design, though, is a fast-moving world, and every year you'll find any number of new ways to define a site's look and feel; some ideas stick for a while and others are quickly cast aside.
Other trends, however, hang around for too long, and either lose their impact through over-use or simply get in the way of an effective website layout. Here are six trends that we hope to see a lot less of in the future.
01. Hamburger menus
You want fries with that?
All right, we accept that #NotAllHamburgerMenus are problematic. They exist for a very good reason: providing instantly recognisable navigation on mobile, where small screen sizes aren't any good for traditional nav bars.
The big issue with hamburger menus is that they've leaked onto the desktop, where they're either a redundant secondary navigation option on top of the existing nav, which is irritating, or they've replaced the nab bar altogether, which can be infuriating when you're looking at a big display with plenty of room for providing a way to get to what you want with a single click. We get the need for hamburger menus; they just don't have to be everywhere.
02. '90's styling
We love Britney OS '99, but we don't want to deal with a whole stack of look-alikes
One of the inescapable facts of life is that there's always going to be a revival of a recent decade's style and fashions, and right now there's a bit of a '90's revival going on in web design. Designer Ulrich Schroeder points out to us that he's already sick of '90's and Windows 95-revival typography, gradients and styling. "It's not a renaissance," he says. "Taking giant steps back in design isn't innovative or revolutionary. It's lazy."
He makes a good point; while it's fun for a bit to see sites like Poolside FM, Britney OS '99 and the Geocities-style Captain Marvel site, the retro novelty starts to pall pretty quickly.
03. Infinite scroll
Infinite scrolling is a web design tricks that definitely has its place, and that's on ecommerce websites where you're likely to be presented with a lot of stuff to choose from and you don't want to have to click through a stack of pages to find what you're after. We're all absolutely fine with endless scrolling in that situation, right?
Everywhere else, though, it's not so welcome. News sites that automatically load a related story under the one you've just been reading. Portfolio sites that keep on loading images as you scroll down. We understand the thinking behind each case – the need for retention and for getting that dwell time up – but we've lost count of the number of sites where we've needed to get to the footer for contact information or similar, and been defeated by thoughtlessly-implemented endless scrolling. Stop doing it!
04. Flat cartoon figures
Flat cartoon figures are so ubiquitous now that we've all tuned them out
"Bored of this now!" says Lex Lofthouse of Nottingham agency, JH. And adorable as they are, it's safe to say that we're probably all becoming a little tired of those flat cartoon figures doing their thing all over corporate sites.
It's easy to see why these minimal illustrated people have become so completely ubiquitous; they're the go-to solution for any corporation that wants to give the impression that it's fun and approachable, but also that it's getting stuff done. These figures are never just standing around; they're always full of energy, nailing their KPIs and chasing down the next big lead.
Ubiquity brings its own problems, though: when you see something all the time, you pay less and less attention to it, and we're arguably at the point now where if you use these cartoon humans in your designs they're going to make a lot less impact than you hoped for. It's time to wean yourself off them.
05. Massive hero images
Everybody loves a massive hero image, right? So much visual impact! And if your business is largely based on image, there's a great case for hitting visitors with something big and visual as soon as they land on your site.
However, in a lot of cases your users don't want to be confronted by an enormous image; they want to find whatever products or information that they've come for, and that hero image is getting in the way. Worse, it could be slowing them down if they're on a mobile connection, and let's not even start on full-screen video backdrops. Keeping things minimal isn't just an aesthetic decision; it's a way to ensure your visitors can find what they're after without unnecessary obstacles.
06. Modals
You're already instinctively trying to click on the X, aren't you?
Remember popups? They were the bane of every web user until web browsers started blocking them by default. And it was lovely to be able to browse the web without having to swat unwelcome popups for a while; that is, until someone discovered modals. When we asked on Twitter for opinions on which web design trends had had their day, modals were one of the top answers.
And it's easy to see why; it's near-impossible to visit a site without getting a modal in your face, particularly in the EU where you're constantly harangued by GDPR compliance dialogs. A well-paced modal can be a useful way to drive engagement; yet another appearance of a needy modal if you dare to mouse out of a site's window is just a turn-off, and we've become so used to them that we all dismiss them instantly.
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Threatpost: Critical Remote Code Execution Flaw Found in Open Source rConfig Utility
in Ειδήσεις από τον χώρο του Design και Hosting
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The network configuration management utility has two unpatched critical remote code execution vulnerabilities.
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