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For anyone wanting to create stunning 3D content without having to pay through the nose for the privilege, Blender long been the perfect option. It's free and open-source, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with sub-standard quality; it's also one of the best 3D modelling software packages available.
And as of now it's substantially better. Blender has been talking for a while about the release of version 2.80, a serious update with lots of new features as well as a less eccentric front end, and now it's available for you to try out.
Blender 2.80's interface is a lot less daunting than in previous versions
It's fair to say that a lot of 3D artists have been put off Blender over the year thanks to a somewhat eccentric user experience, but with version 2.80 it's finally making life easier for anyone who wants to switch to it without having to spend a lot of time banging their head against a desk because of its non-standard ways of doing things.
Blender 2.80 features a completely revamped user interface that's designed to make it far easier to find and use the features you need, with left-click selection by default, a right-click context menu and a Quick Favourites menu for accessing your most-used commands.
It's also introduced an industry compatible keymap so that if you're switching over from another 3D app, you should find that all the keyboard shortcuts you've learned over the years do exactly what you expect, rather than something completely random and unexpected.
New keymaps as well as templates and workspace make it much easier to create in Blender 2.80
The new version gives you a choice between multiple application templates depending on the nature of your project, as well as workspaces providing different screen layouts to accommodate various tasks. Both templates and workspaces can be customised, enabling you to create a desktop environment that works best for you.
There's also a completely rewritten 3D viewport complete with a new toolbar and new Workbench render engine. This has been designed to take full advantage of modern graphics cards and provide you top-quality work-in-progress previews of how your work's coming together.
And while we're talking about rendering, Blender 2.80 has a brand new physically-based real-time renderer, Eevee. It works both as a renderer for final frames and also as the engine for Blender's realtime viewport, and its features include volumetrics, subsurface scattering, soft and contact shadows, depth of field and camera motion blur.
There's plenty more to talk about in Blender 2.80, including Grease Pencil, a full 2D drawing and animation system that enables you to create concept art, storyboards and animations within Blender. But as the whole thing's available now for free, your best bet's probably to download it now and try it for yourself. There are versions available for Mac, Windows and Linux; you can find them all here.
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Today, Samsung announced its brand new Galaxy S6, a top-end, reasonably priced tablet that could be the strongest iPad Pro competitor we've seen.
When it comes to the best tablets for artists and designers, Apple's iPad Pro has long reigned supreme with its winning combination of impressive processing power, a beautiful big screen and Apple Pencil support. But that may all be set to change with Samsung's new, significantly-cheaper-than-the-iPad-Pro, Galaxy S6. It's fair to say the company has gone all out in terms of getting this device at the top of every creative's wishlist.
The S6 is powered by a top-end, 5G-ready Snapdragon 855 chipset, which, in terms of performance, is reportedly snapping at the heals of the iPad Pro's A12X Bionic chip. It will be assisted by either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage, expandable to 512GB via microSD.
Other key features include facial recognition, a 10.5-inch, 2560 x 1600 AMOLED screen, a dual-lens 13 and 5MP rear camera and a massive 7,040mAh battery, promising up to 15 hours of life on one charge.
Unlike with the iPad Pro, here you get a stylus included. The S-Pen stylus comes as standard and charges wirelessly. It can be attached magnetically to the rear of the device, or stored in the built-in concave stylus slot. There’s also an on-screen fingerprint reader, a feature not currently found on the iPad Pro. Samsung's AI assistant, Bixby, also makes a return.
There are plenty of features to tempt designers away from Apple here
While the specs of the new Galaxy S6 aren't quite on par with the iPad Pro, they're really not far off, and the fact that Samsung's new device is a few hundred dollars cheaper may well make this a very attractive iPad alternative for many a creative professional.
Preorders on the Wi-Fi model start on 23 August 23, starting at $649 for a unit with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (although for just another $80 you can get an 8GB RAM model with double the storage). Early preorders will also see the keyboard cover reduced by 50 per cent when bundled with the tablet.
If you're not bothered about having the latest shiny new device, the arrival of the S6 means we're already seeing some great deals on the also very capable Galaxy Tab S4 in the very near future. Voted one of the best Android tablets in our round-up, here are the best S4 prices in your area right now:
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You're reading Email Marketing Campaign Pre-Launch Checklist, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook!
Some say that the key to success lies in meticulous attention to detail. Whether we deal with simple tasks or tricky ones, whether we are building something brand-new and grandiose or just creating a regular blog update. We need to …
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Smartphone photography has improved hugely over the last few years. To make the most of the excellent technology available to us, we need to know how to use our phone camera settings properly. In this article, we'll offer six top tips to help you harness the power of your smartphone for better photographs.
OK, so they’re never going to compete with the dedicated DSLRs or mirrorless cameras marketed for the serious pros, but as a compact alternative that's always on your person, the best camera phones can still capture some impressive images. There are even plenty of good detachable lenses and filters on the market, which complement the phone optics. And you can always complement your smartphone with one of the best cameras for creatives when it comes to more serious photography sessions.
- Store your snaps with one of the best cloud storage solutions
Routinely we use smartphones in less than ideal lighting conditions, using whatever automatic exposure and focusing the device comes with. More often than not, the results are lacklustre, leaving phone users frustrated and confused. But if we take a few steps to learn about our tech, and keep one eye on the lighting, one can avoid some of the common problems associated with smartphone photography.
Read on for some advice that you can use every time you pull the phone from your pocket, wherever you are, to make the most of that sophisticated computer-powered camera you almost always carry with you.
01. Take portraits in shade
Shooting in the shade produces more flattering light
The best way to immediately improve your portraits and selfies is to move into shade. Stand under the shadow of a tree or building and notice the soft, diffused light that wraps around the face. This is the quality of light that we should seek to complement our features most.
If outside, shoot towards open shade by placing your subject at the very edge of the shaded area. If posing inside, place the window to one side of you as you shoot the subject. This will provide similarly diffused light as open shade, but with more directionality. Look for a triangle of light on the subject’s cheek that’s farthest away from the window – this is called Rembrandt lighting, named after the painterly master himself.
02. Tap to meter
Tell your smartphone where to meter the light from so you end up with a clear shot
Smartphones struggle to expose dark, dimly-lit subjects against bright backgrounds (think shaded landscapes in midday sun). There’s no smartphone hardware out there (yet) that can cope with such a wide dynamic range, so we must tell the device where to meter the light from in order to get a clear shot.
It can be useful to manually override the automatic exposure setting by tapping on the dark subject to expose the shadows. By telling the device where to meter from we can make the image brighter and thereby regain detail in the darker areas of the frame.
The reverse is true for shooting subjects brighter than their surroundings. When faced with bright scenes the device can overexpose the image, producing clipping in the highlights – this means the camera reads the area as completely white, and you'll be unable to restore detail during the editing process. If you want to capture detail in the brightest sections of your scene, tap on the bright section to deliberately underexpose your photograph.
You may even want to switch on HDR mode to stop the bright sky from clipping and bleaching out. If you're going to do this, hold the camera still during exposure or it can all get a bit blurry.
03. Know your camera shortcut
Make sure you're able to capture the moment
The ability to react to a fleeting moment is half the battle when it comes to snapping a great shot. To take the photos quickly you should learn your smartphone’s shortcut for accessing the camera.
For some Android phones, such as the Google Pixel 3, this means double-tapping the power button, whereas iPhones might be a quick swipe-up from the corner of the screen or hard press of the camera icon. If you’re shooting iPhone X, swipe down the Control Center, then press and hold the camera icon to display multiple camera options such as ‘Take Selfie’ or ‘Record Video’.
Whatever smartphone you have, make sure you know how to get your camera up quickly, so you can capture the moment.
04. Use portrait mode
This is great for isolating subjects against the background
Smartphones have wide-angle lenses that inherently produce a long depth of field – meaning the images are mostly going to be pin-sharp from foreground to background. This might be good for a huge vista, but it's not so good for isolating your subjects against the background, and can produce unflattering portraits to even the most photogenic of us.
Shooting on a wide aperture, longer focal length lens (such as an 85mm f/1.4) provides a flattering shallow depth of field. Since our in-built smartphone lenses don’t do this naturally, the phone’s software works hard to apply a filter to mimic this. This filter is normally called ‘Portrait mode’.
Engage this mode and you can expect to generate an effect where the environment behind your subject is nicely blurred. But beware busy and cluttered backgrounds, as the filter (try as it might) sometimes can’t keep up. Although named ‘Portrait mode’, this function works well on any subject that benefits from a touch of isolation from the background.
05. Shoot in RAW
The original RAW image (left side) and edited version (right)
RAW files are a compressed lossless image file format that save much more image data than a typical lossy JPEG. More data equals more editing flexibility. That means it’s far easier to adjust exposure levels, check white balance and manipulate colours when editing in apps like Snapseed, VCSO and Halide (take a look at our guide to the best photo editing apps and software).
However, that comes at the cost of a bigger file, which if you’re tight for space on your handset, you might want to avoid for everyday use. Engage RAW shooting mode when you’re aiming for better quality editing controls or if you want to print your photos from that once-in-a-lifetime holiday.
For photo editing in double-quick time, explore our roundup of the best free Photoshop actions.
06. Clean the lens
How often do you clean your phone?
It might sound obvious, but when was the last time you turned your phone over and gave the lens a good clean? A simple wipe with your top will do in a pinch when you’re out and about, but it’s good to use lens cleaning fluid or glasses wipes every so often to lift residual dirt and debris. Natural oils from your hands build up on the lens during use, so they attract dirt and debris. This combination of dirt and oil can produce unsightly flaring, and at worst make your photos appear soft. Give the lens a good clean every few weeks to eliminate flare, improve contrast, and take sharper shots.
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Picture the scene: you wake up late, you don't have time for a coffee, you're rushing to get the train... then you see one of your goofy tweets blown up into a giant billboard on the subway wall.
As bizarre as it sounds, that's what's happened to a handful of Twitter users. The social media platform has recently launched a campaign which turns user statuses into funny ads that are up there with the best pieces of billboard advertising. All of the featured statuses see the user compare how they use Twitter to other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
For Twitter, these statuses are a branding goldmine. They help to define Twitter as a site where people go to unwind, tell a joke, and stop taking themselves so seriously. It's also a place where everybody hated on the new Twitter design, but we don't blame the site for turning a blind eye to those tweets.
The campaign can be seen in San Francisco and New York City subway stations until 9 August. A total of 31 tweets will be turned into billboards, take a look at some of them below.
If Instagram's all about looking good, Twitter's about embracing your funny side
Everyone tries their best to look professional on LinkedIn
...see what we mean
Tough on Twitter, mild on Facebook. Sound familiar?
And their appearance in the wild has got the people who wrote the tweets excited.
If you've been paying close attention to Twitter recently, you might have noticed that something was afoot. Not only had the official Twitter account replaced its banner image with the eyes emoji, but it also decided to unfollow the company's founder and CEO, Jack Dorsey, and start following 27 apparently random people.
Of course, these 27 accounts aren't quite as disconnected as it first appears. They're the lucky people whose tweets will feature in the advertising campaign. All because they posted a witty status that puts Twitter in a good light.
If we overlook how shocking it must be to see your tweet as a billboard, not to mention that displaying user content without permission could be seen as an ethical grey area (whatever the privacy policy says), this is a funny campaign that cleverly gets extra mileage online thanks to people's startled reactions.
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A provocative new campaign for Australia's independent advertising complaints adjudicator, Ad Standards, uses intentionally problematic phrases to highlight social issues in advertising, including sexism, racism, misguided claims and advertising to children.
In our look at the best print ads ever, we've seen how being controversial can be effective, but this campaign by LOUD pushes the offensive angle to the limit. It's not a mindless shock tactic though. Ad Standards wants its campaign to be an advocate for positive social messaging by reminding the nation that offensive advertising is prohibited. It also asks for people to point out progressive ads.
The campaign, called *kinder conditions, started to appear across Australian radio, TV, newspapers and billboards earlier this week. And the ads (below) are unmissable thanks to the use of lines such as "If you're a woman, don't bother reading this ad" and "This ad is for white people only".
It's a risky approach, does it pay off?
It's a volatile piece of copywriting from Ad Standards, the copy above refers to women as "sweetheart" and makes a comment about their "cushioned heels". In its effort to make a point, is Ad Standards sailing too close to the wind?
When you take a closer look at the advert though, you'll see that the provocative headlines lead into a more sincere message, which asks "are these the advertising conditions we want?" It also outlines that "there are codes that set high standards. Together, we can exceed them".
There's one word for this: ballsy
For the CEO of Ad Standards, Fiona Jolly, the *kinder conditions campaign was a way to remind people that advertising codes are in place to "achieve a greater good for everyone".
"Australians may not be aware that certain codes exist, which is why we have set about bringing them to the forefront – it's not because we get a lot of complaints about them," said Jolly in a press release. "If the public has concerns about these issues, they can raise them and Ad Standards will act on behalf of their concerns.
"The fact is, while the advertising Codes set high standards, we can encourage brands to exceed these to create positive change in the world," she adds. "The public should be aware of the standards in place and be encouraged to value socially progressive advertising."
Ad Standards also wants to challenge people to identify and nominate adverts that promote social good, whether that's by breaking stereotypes, increasing social inclusion, or being transparent.
Australia isn't the only place to address harmful practices in its advertising. Only recently the UK finally banned sexist adverts with laws that forbid "gender stereotypes that are likely to cause harm, or serious or widespread offence".
And as for using provocative words and imagery to get a message across, the *kinder campaign isn't alone. The racial double standards surrounding the Cleveland Indians logo was recently demonstrated with these deliberately offensive alternatives.
With such a concerted effort going into tackling harmful representation, we've got our fingers crossed that the world is heading in a more inclusive direction. And if you've seen a kinder ad that you want to nominate, head over to the Ad Standards site.
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The glory of a lot of web projects may go to web designers and developers, but that certainly doesn't mean they're the only ones involved. Getting a project off the ground often involves multiple areas of a business, and a lot of them have nothing to do with code.
So who are the unsung heroes of the web design business? Apart from our list of fantastic web design tools, we mean? Seven experts shine light on some often unappreciated professionals.
01. Account managers
"Coming from a small agency, I really think account managers are the unsung heroes of web design, and not just because it’s part of my role," says Ola Tambor, a digital marketing manager at Fishtank. "It’s usually their job to research, pitch the proposal and do the dreaded follow-ups. Once the project lands, planning and organising the work is no small feat.
"Co-ordinating the work of three to five different departments (UX design, development, copywriting, digital marketing and animation), all the while contributing to every step of the project. They are also the first to communicate delays or chase payments, so appreciate your accounts department."
02. Elika Etemad
"I nominate Elika Etemad – better known as @fantasai," says Bruce Lawson, commissioning editor at Smashing TV. "Elika is a senior spec-writer in the CSS Working Group, who has worked on so many of the specifications that make web design even possible: CSS2.1, Selectors, Grid, Flexbox and loads more.
"Her encyclopaedic knowledge of CSS, patient editing and ability to herd cats have contributed enormously to the arsenal of tools we have. She’s helped developers on Twitter and me countless times. And yet few people know her name. Let statues of her be erected outside every design agency."
03. QAs
"QAs (quality assurers) are the unsung heroes of the internet. If it wasn’t for them, the internet would be broken and we wouldn’t know why," says Jason Dobo, a senior mobile software developer in test at Babylon Health.
"Despite being involved at all stages of the development life cycle, we tend to overlook the contribution of the QA team because the better we are doing the less we hear from them. Ultimately we can trust them to tell us when something has gone wrong or is not working and, more importantly, how the software has gone wrong. They protect us and the end users from buggy software and can always be relied upon to make software better.
04. Web designers from 1990-2001
"Any and every web designer from 1990–2001," says Kosti Marko, designer at 50,000feet. "They used a new toolset to craft websites with no idea of what the medium could be, just asking the question: 'What else can I make?' The answer back then was forever-looping background animations, view counters, animating cursors and walls of text. So let’s raise a glass to the ones who emerged from the pre-world-wide-web darkness without Google or anyone else to light the way – just the hunger to make things that had never been made before."
05. Typographers
"The unsung heroes of the web are typographers. I think typography is bringing a new level of beauty to the web and there are so many innovative uses of type as web technology gets better," says Adam Parry, senior designer at FINE.
He highlights a couple of examples: "A typeface I think is having a positive impact by bringing experimental type to a mainstream environment is Digestive, designed by Jérémy Landes at Studio Triple.
"Grilli Type is making awesome fonts," he adds, "then going a step further and making fantastic microsites for each typeface (such as GT Zirkon). These sites often showcase how type can be used beyond the expected."
06. Arnaud Mercier
Arnaud Mercier and his team at Area 17 probably don’t get the appreciation they deserve for creating website designs years ahead of their time," says Dave Bowers, head of strategy at Likely Story. "As far back as 2008, he was one of the first designing gorgeous websites to logical, attractive grid systems. Sadly, he died in 2011 of leukaemia but his visionary work has filtered through the industry indirectly, which can be seen in almost any well-designed website today."
Meet some more heroes of web design at Generate CSS on 26 September, a bespoke conference for web designers brought to you by Creative Bloq, net and Web Designer. Save £50 with an Early Bird Ticket when you book before 15 August 2019.
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Hackers with physical access to small aircraft can easily hack the plane's CAN bus system and take control of key navigation systems.
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Adobe Creative Cloud is the go-to suite of creative tools for many artists and designers in studios all over the globe, and so being familiar with its tools is a valuable skill to have. If you're looking to get started with Adobe apps, or brush up on your skills within a certain software, these online courses could be just the solution. Plus, right now they're up to 97% off.
From full Adobe CC suite training to specific app coverage, including Illustrator, Premiere Pro and Photoshop tutorials, there's something here for everyone.
The Complete Adobe CC Training Bundle
With over 60 hours of lectures and 200 tutorials, The Complete Adobe CC training Bundle is the perfect way to get more out of the Adobe CC programs you already use day-to-day. The seven-course training is geared toward various levels of experience, so no matter your level, you're likely to get something out of it. Great for work and play, this is a gem for both the budding and seasoned creative.
- MSRP: $673 / Buy Now: $29 (95% OFF)
The Complete Master Photoshop & Adobe CC Bundle
If you're specifically interested in developing your Photoshop skills further, this 75+ hour training comes straight from the minds of creative professionals. Find tutorials on coding, app design, graphic manipulation, plus so much more. It even includes exclusive training on how to build a more productive workflow for yourself.
- MSRP: $1,399 / Buy Now: $31 (97% OFF)
Adobe After Effects: The Complete Motion Graphics Course
This complete course takes the majestic world of video and motion picture graphics and bundles it into comprehensive tutorials to apply in Adobe After Effects. Dive deep into the world of VFX with 100 lectures, exclusive tips and tricks and content you can access 24/7.
- MSRP: $297 / Buy Now: $18 (93% OFF)
Adobe Premiere Pro CC Masterclass: Video Editing Made Easy
If video editing is your summer project, this course certainly can't hurt when it comes to moving your skills along. Learn how to refine your editing techniques in Adobe Premier Pro, and at the very least, get some great practice in with these easy-to-follow tutorials.
- MSRP: $200 / Buy Now: $21 (89% OFF)
Getting Started with InDesign CC
You've got a great portfolio, but maybe you've yet to dive into the world of InDesign. There's no time like the present. Learn the ins and outs of InDesign with a hands-on course that explores layout best practices. Whether it be brochures, lookbooks, or your portfolio itself, this course will help you navigate through the sometimes overwhelming world of organising your artwork.
- MSRP: $49 / Buy Now: $19 (61% OFF)
Adobe Lightroom CC: Photo Editing Master Class
Learn to edit photos or adopt some new editing skills in this Lightroom Photo Editing Master Class. Taught by photographer Phil Ebiner, the comprehensive course will help you organise your photos and navigate through the powerful space that is Lightroom.
- MSRP: $200 / Buy Now: $41 (79% OFF)
Getting Started with Illustrator CC
Illustrator is one of the most-used tools in design, which means there is always more to learn. This course explores best practices and shows you new techniques to navigate the flagship platform better. Logo design, typography, and advanced platform tutorials will help with fine-tuning your career skills.
- MSRP: $99 / Buy Now: $25 (74% OFF)
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Health and beauty retailer Boots has recently launched a new logo (above) and a refreshed visual identity to help it keep up to date with the ever-changing world of well-being. The overhauled branding includes one of the most dramatic changes to the UK retailer's logotype in its 170 years history, as well as an energetic redesign of Boots' stores, apps, social platforms, campaigns, and website.
For readers outside of the UK, the Boots logo might be something of an unknown quantity. But for plenty of shoppers, the pharmacist-cum-beauty shop is a familiar sight. Its previous logo, below, featured the Boots logotype encased in a distinctive blue lozenge. The essence of this design has been going strong since the '60s, while the overall letter shapes can be traced back to 1883.
So tweaking the logo now is a significant move. In our guide to logo design we covered how they're the centrepiece of most branding schemes. By adjusting the shape of such a long-standing design, the rebrand designers at London-based agency Coley Porter Bell are sending out a clear message that Boots is moving forwards.
The lozenge shape first appeared in the '60s, but changed from black to blue in the '80s
Perhaps the most striking difference between the old logo and the new one is that the elongated cross bar on the letter 't' is no more. However the large stroke trailing off from the letter 's' is still present. The latter is a good way of underlining the name and bringing the logotype together, while the old letter 't' now seems a bit clumsy in comparison.
If you're wondering why the cross bar was so long, it's because the original Boots logo (below) used to contain the word 'the'. That's because the company used to be called The Boots Chemists.
Back when Boots was the definitive article
For Coley Porter Bell, the new logo design was just one item on a long shopping list of rebrand updates.
"We liberated and crafted the Boots logotype from the restriction of the 1960's lozenge, re-introduced the classically contrasting master-brand colours, created straightforward, simple type and typography, easy to read, modern in feel and symmetrical in design, built an imagery library that looks great and feels great, bringing to life people and their individual character," Coley Porter Bell explains on its project page.
"And finally, we created a flexible, energetic design system with a true sense of simplicity."
This design system is intended to stop Boots from feeling old-fashioned. "Being healthy is no longer about ‘the absence of illness’, it’s now a way of life," Coley Porter Bell adds. With this in mind, the studio evolved the Boots masterbrand identity from "champion everyone's right to feel good" to a new projected idea that "our confidence inspires your confidence".
Take a look at how this identity takes shape in store and online by clicking left to right in the gallery below.
As far as rebrands go, it's a clean and refreshing look. So points to Coley Porter Bell for modernising Boots and avoiding a sterile approach that could've dulled a pharmaceutical brand.
We like the use of vibrant but not garish colours. Although if we were to criticise one aspect, it would be that the array of fonts look a little jarring. There's sans serifs in both roman and italic styles, not to mention handwriting fonts on the brochures. It's a bit of a mismatch in what is otherwise a uniform and consistent identity.
Nitpicks aside though, this redesign is just what the doctor ordered.
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You're reading Slides 5 Coming Soon, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook!
One year ago, we released Slides 4 and now we’re almost ready for the much-anticipated Slides 5 release. This year we released many fixes and features and they all build into what will be our biggest Slides update yet.
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Have you ever been so hungry that you didn't know where to turn? If so, McDonald's is here to help thanks a set of minimalist posters that sit up there with the best print ads we've ever seen.
Designed by TBWA\Paris for McDonald's France, this series of bright and cheerful out-of-home adverts turns McDonald's French fries into directional arrows that lead motorists to the fast food chain's nearest drive thru.
Each poster displays a message like "straight ahead" or "turn left", with the elongated fries communicating the instruction visually by bending this way and that. The campaign includes 64 variations to stop the message getting stale.
To remind motorists that they're heading to McDonald's and not another fast food outlet, the fries are tucked into a distinctive red sleeve that displays the McDonald's Golden Arches logo.
Watch the campaign in action with the video below.
It's a brilliantly simple but effective campaign that doesn't beat you over the head with its message. These posters are kind of like the reverse of up-selling – McDonald's is luring you in with a low-ticket item safe in the knowledge that your hunger could easily make you add a burger to your order.
This isn't the only creative poster series we've seen from McDonald's and TBWA recently, either. Back in May, McDonald's proved its brand strength with blurry ads that let its famous food speak for itself.
And as for out-there marketing campaigns, we've yet to see the likes of Burger King or KFC compete with the world's smallest MCDonald's that was open exclusively to bees, although the KFC hat-bucket did raise a few eyebrows.
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However hard agencies fight against it, branding has always been subject to stylistic trends. Whether brands embrace or resist the status quo, the fact that some kind of aesthetic benchmark exists remains significant.
Arguably, there’s some value in a new launch sharing certain visual characteristics with the rest of its sector. It helps build familiarity and trust, as a sort of visual shorthand for consumers. There’s no denying that standing out is always easier if you position yourself against the grain of a trend, but you must work a lot harder to do so successfully. Either way, just make sure you outline you ideas clearly, like in these meticulous design style guides.
For Wolff Olins' chief creative officer Chris Moody, it’s clear which route to take. His view is that trends are to be avoided at all costs. “House styles suck, trends suck, looking like your competitors sucks,” he says.
“I rate originality and distinctiveness above craft – sometimes even above practicality,” Moody goes on. “Creative movements are circle jerks that only satisfy those in them. Designers should care less about what other designers think, and more about exciting, surprising and energising the end user.”
It’s a rousing call to arms, and few designers worth their salt would disagree with the notion that the end user should be front and centre for key design decisions. However, trends still have their place in some designers’ creative processes.
For its rebrand of McKinsey & Company, Wolff Olins worked with Signal Noise to visualise data in an illustrative way
“In their early stages, trends can be useful to help align you with a style of work, a movement,” says Rob Coke, an executive creative director based at Output. “The brand benefits from being seen as contemporary, part of the culture. It’s possible to be part of it and yet put a different spin on it.”
Coke points out that branding often reflects wider aesthetic movements in architecture, interiors, art and culture. He acknowledges that this is not a recent phenomenon, although the immediacy of trends – and the speed of their proliferation – has changed considerably.
“In the distant past you’d find out about Modernism and the Swiss Style by trawling through Graphis annuals at college. In the '90s, people were inspired by Postmodernism, Deconstructivism, or a grungier, cut-up ‘end of print’ aesthetic,” he says.
For youth mental health service HeadStart Newham, Output developed a bold, attention-seeking brand that makes use of bright colours and emoji-influenced graphics
“These days, things are more homogenised. Designers aren’t forced to hunt around for obscure inspiration: everyone’s looking at the same references, in real time. There’s a recognisable ‘online look’: a vaguely European, friendly aesthetic, balanced by a sense of craft communicated through hipster symbolism and mid-century colour palettes.”
Coke is quick to assert that once trends become ubiquitous, they descend into cliché and are best avoided at all costs. “That’s how a counter-trend starts, like the rush towards serif typography as a reaction to the ubiquity of geometric sans,” he says. “Smarter agencies know how to give their work a contemporary feel, but to build it around strong ideas. This is always what sets original work apart from the herd.”
Why trends risk homogenisation
Completed in-house, this colourful rebrand of yogurt brand Chobani features beautifully stylised imagery with a retro 1970s tinge, and spawned a host of imitators
Sometimes, a single stand-out piece of work attracts enough attention in a particular sector that it creates an almost immediate spike in ‘me too’ brands, accelerating the formation of a trend. Koto founder James Greenfield believes exactly that happened last year, following the celebrated in-house rebrand of ‘America’s number-one Greek Yogurt’, Chobani.
“Its Matisse-like, cut-out style and reboot of typefaces with a 1970s feel have seen a plethora of similar identities come out in the past six months,” he says. “That being such a stand-out piece of work in 2018 will cause the trend to come and go quicker than it might have otherwise. It also requires a certain amount of talent and flair to carry off, making the distance between the original and the copies even more stark.”
Johnson Banks founder Michael Johnson draws attention to “the preponderance of ‘technology-serif’ brands”, lamenting the fact that tech companies often default to similar geometric sans serifs in their branding.
“There was once a school of thought that all branding should be timeless,” says Johnson. “Now, many rebrands happen within four or five years, rather than every 10 or 15. Branding has become much more tactical, and we’re seeing more designs that are style based.”
Johnson Banks’ work for challenger brand THIS marks a new approach to meat-free foods
Spencer Buck, co-founder and creative partner at Taxi Studio, concurs: “There’s a lot more style-over-substance branding, and worse, seemingly unnecessary rebranding at present,” he says.
This is exactly the mindset that Taxi fought against with its recent global rebrand of Carlsberg. Its pared-back, distinctively Danish aesthetic has been crafted with timelessness and longevity in mind, making it a great example of an ‘anti-trend’ rebrand that doesn’t need to be rehashed every few years.
Buck highlights luxury fashion as another sector losing its individuality. “It’s bizarre,” he shrugs. “By definition fashion is trend-driven, but that doesn’t explain the homogeneity in a sector that exists because people desire visual differentiation and disruption.”
Ironically, disruption can be a trend in itself. It must be done for the right reasons to be a differentiator, rather than a source of confusion. “The alcohol industry has shrugged off most of its dusty old category conventions, starting with the wine category two decades ago,” says Buck.
Designed to be ‘anti-trend’ and timeless, Taxi Studio’s global rebrand of Carlsberg unifies many variants under one carefully crafted masterbrand system.
“Now the baton has been passed from wine to rum, vodka, gin, craft beer and so on. Anything goes branding-wise, which means very little actually sticks. You can plonk any style of illustration, type or photography on a can or bottle of booze and get away with it because it’s ‘trendy’. And that’s the problem.”
If everyone’s shouting at the top of their voice then no one gets heard – which is why the quiet, crafted confidence of Taxi’s Carlsberg rebrand is so effective by comparison. “Chaos breeds the new normal. It becomes wallpaper,” says Buck. “Even if the work is impeccably executed, it gets lost in a different sea of sameness category by category. If everyone is disrupting, nothing is disruptive.”
Trends in different markets
While some markets used to be more reactive to trends than others, Greenfield believes that’s no longer the case. “Finance has as many trends as FMCG, and within that lie many nuances,” he says.
Coke agrees that trends are prevalent in any sector these days, and he expands on the finance example: “Once banks were all about authority and trust, and the colours, imagery and tone of voice reflected that. First Direct stood out by balancing a stark, modernist black-and-white aesthetic with a quirky, friendly voice,” he says.
“Now, open banking regulation has thrown tradition up in the air, with newcomers like Monzo introducing emojis, animation and downto- earth language. This is already becoming a cliché in itself, with several brightly coloured brands popping up.”
Monzo is a much-quoted example of a disruptor kick-starting a trend, and Moody adds Bulb to the list as a comparable challenger in the energy sector. “Every sector has its tropes and clichés,” he points out. “It’s fascinating that whenever someone breaks out of those they are heralded as mavericks.”
Monzo was an early disruptor in the world of financial services, a sector that’s now filled with similar challenger brands
Studio Texture’s strategy director Louise Kyme has particular expertise with charities and not-for-profit organisations. She believes this sector is still getting to grips with the idea of a brand having its own distinctive personality, rather than following trends.
“As the big brands lead the way with chunky budgets and big, ambitious agencies, smaller charities tend to follow diligently in their tracks,” she says. “Rather than taking the opportunity to be risk-taking challengers, we end up with more fighting brands, and more sad advertising.”
Part of the issue, Kyme believes, is that branding is still perceived by much of the public as a waste of charity funds. “As a consequence, charities tread with caution throughout the process, which inevitably results in trend following, rather than trend setting,” she continues. “This is a shame, although I suspect a rebel charity brand will shake us up soon.”
Where are the biggest trends?
One of the most immediately striking trends within any given sector concerns choice of colours – particularly what Coke describes as the ‘Airbnb-ism’ of brand palettes. “It’s not just about the use of pink, but the approach to colour as a whole,” he says. “We now see a lot of range-ambiguous colours, with evocative names, sitting around the colour wheel.”
Much of this comes down to how much harder brand palettes have to work nowadays. “It’s not just about having one or two recognisable brand colours for marketing communications, but about introducing range and tone to digital products and platforms,” adds Coke. “Of course, there’s a danger that every brand can be every colour these days, which can be harmful when you’re trying to create distinctiveness.”
Having overseen the Airbnb rebrand while he was creative director at DesignStudio, James Greenfield admits some responsibility for the trend that Coke identifies. “Bright, poppy palettes have been popular for a good eight years now, and show no signs of abating,” he says.
“Some adventurous brands are trying out some more muted approaches, but this requires talent in deployment,” Greenfield goes on. “The fact of the matter is, there are only 12 to 14 main colours to choose from, and the nuance of how you work with them is the skill. Colour is just one component of a bigger brand world these days, and it’s one of the last things we get locked down on most big branding projects.”
Michael Johnson’s playful ‘graphic mocks the trend for geometric sans serifs
Kyme agrees that bright, flat hues making up multi-colour identity schemes are the order of the day, particularly among digital-first brands. “In the context of this, there’s still equity in owning a single colour or narrow palette,” she points out.
“We’ve also noticed brands making a special effort to steer clear of gender colour-stereotyping or colour-coding, especially in areas where they want to promote and re-establish gender balance, such as in education and skills,” adds Kyme.
Within the field of typography, those ubiquitous geometric sans serifs still abound among digital-first brands in particular. It’s a well-trodden trend that Johnson Banks mischievously emphasised on Twitter in September 2018 by fusing the word marks of Spotify, Airbnb, Google and Uber into the Frankenstein-like creation ‘Spairboober’.
“This style is largely responsible for what people are calling ‘global blanding’,” says Coke. “The use often comes down to practical reasons around legibility and recognition at small sizes, but it’s leading to a world of sameness and provides opportunities to buck the trend.”
As well as quirky serifs and expressive scripts injecting more personality into branding, dynamic variable fonts are another exciting counter-measure. Wolff Olins has worked extensively with Colophon and Face37 on exactly that: “Both get the fact that type should be intelligently powered,” explains Moody. “The work that went into our Lafayette Anticipations typeface was immense. It could recognise when two similar characters sat together, and automatically swap in an alternate.”
Bespoke type is an effective way to differentiate a brand: Wolff Olins worked with Colophon and Face37 on this font for Lafayette Anticipations
Moody also heralds the use of ‘smart’ illustration – which can adapt to cater to local markets and cultural nuances – as a key part of a modern brand’s toolkit. “The work we did with Signal Noise on data visualisation for our recent McKinsey work was a real eye-opener for me as to how data could be used in a truly illustrative, beautiful way,” he says.
“Illustration is the antidote to the stock imagery trend,” says Andy Howell, co-founder and creative director at The Clearing. “More often than not, stock images are an aspirational or unrealistic representation of real life. Unsurprisingly, that fails to build emotional connections with any audience.”
Emotional connection is what illustration does best, says Howell – and The Clearing used it to great effect to appeal to families in its recent Wimbledon rebrand. “It’s not trying to be realistic, and that’s exactly why it’s relatable,” he adds. “We can all imagine ourselves within the story. Stylistic trends within illustration come and go, but using illustration for storytelling is here to stay. Let’s embrace that.”
Coke agrees that illustration can be invaluable for brands to express character and playfulness, and to find that all-important point of distinction in a trend-driven world. “When almost every website leads with a centred headline over a full-bleed image of vaguely trendy, happy people, illustration provides potential for difference,” he adds.
What clients and consumers want
Of course, many of the bigger-picture trends that affect the industry at its core aren’t stylistic at all: they concern the constantly shifting landscape of consumer attitudes, expectations and behaviour.
Consumers expect more of brands than ever before, and the pressure is on to step it up. “If it’s made up, false or inauthentic, people see straight through it,” confirms Johnson. “Our decision is simple: only work with brands – and people – that you can trust or believe in.”
Trust has been a particularly thorny issue in the charity sector in recent years, reveals Kyme, as high-profile failures and public critique of chief executive pay have dragged the worst parts of the sector into the spotlight.
“Audiences are warier of charity marketing techniques, partly because charity marketing has become increasingly commercialised,” she says. “This misses the chance to tell a genuine story. That’s not easy to achieve, but we believe it’s where the real opportunities lie.”
Koto’s branding scheme for creative recruitment firm Talentful combines an on-trend ‘range-ambiguous’ colour palette with quirky type and illustration
According to Howell, it’s all too easy for brands to become blinded by the success of others and lose sight of how they could find a point of difference. “Just look at the domination of Amazon and Google, and the rise of businesses clamouring to be just like them,” he says. “Finding a problem, a gap or a need – that’s where real impact can be had.”
For instance, The Clearing worked with Ownable - a service that bridges the gap between offline and online by making off-the-page purchases in a magazine as smooth and simple as clicking a website link. “While Amazon gives us an overwhelming amount of choice, Ownable helps you buy recommended products in just a couple of clicks,” he explains.
With budgets and time-frames becoming progressively tighter, the pressure is on from clients to deliver more for less. “The need for speed is overwhelming. It’s all about being ‘right now’ compared with ‘being right, now,’” says Buck.
“Quicker. Cheaper. Better. These three things used to be a choice. Now it’s a shopping list,” says Moody. “The brand industry is being disrupted, commoditised and put under pressure.” But he relishes the challenge.
“One way of looking at this is to say: ‘Isn’t it a shame we don’t have time to think about projects anymore?’ But I prefer to say: ‘Great, now we can get more stuff out in the world,’” asserts Moody. “Things are tougher? Good, it’ll get rid of the bullshitters and charlatans that have had too much airspace.”
This article was originally published in issue 292 of Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 292 or subscribe to Computer Arts.
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If you have a killer creative project that you're trying to get off the ground, the rise of Kickstarter and other crowdfunding services has seriously improved your chances of success. It cuts out middlemen such as publishers, who'd need persuading of the merits of your projects before taking a tidy slice of the proceeds, and gives you full control of your creative enterprises – whether they're posters, graphic design books or something entirely different. As long as you can find enough people to back them, that is.
Since it launched in 2009, Kickstarter has seen over 17 million people raise more than $4.4 billion, with 167,372 projects backed – a number that's rising every day. And while those numbers are huge, take a look through our list of 10 of the biggest design-related projects on Kickstarter and you'll see that you don't need to find a massive number of backers for success. If you can convince around 1,000 people to pledge money for your project, you should be good to go.
01. 1975 NASA Graphics Standards Manual
- Backers: 8,798
- Total pledged: $941,966
The 1975 redesign of the NASA logo is one of the most controversial pieces of branding ever, throwing out the almost militaristic seal that had been to the Moon with the Apollo missions and replacing it with minimal, fluid and futuristic wordmark that's come to be known as the Worm. Loved by those who grew up in the age of the Space Shuttle and hated by almost everybody else, the Worm came as part of a detailed design system that's outlined fully in the NASA Graphics Standards Manual. This reprint pulled in record Kickstarter backing and is still available to buy now.
02. A to Z of The Designers Republic
The Designers Republic had a huge impact on design for music and games
- Backers: 1,324
- Total pledged: £135,786
Ian Anderson's The Designers Republic is one of the most iconic design groups of all time. It started out working with the music industry, most notably defining the look of Warp Records, but it's TDR's association with video games that probably had the most impact: its graphics and packaging design for Wipeout on Playstation was instrumental in making video games cool. Written by Anderson himself, An A to Z of The Designers Republic takes you from Age of Chance (a Leeds band that TDR designed record sleeves for) to Zermatt Road (Anderson's Croydon address before he moved north), with plenty of detail, imagery and insight.
03. Munich '72. The Visual Output of Otl Aicher's Dept. XI
Discover the story behind the designs for Munich '72
- Backers: 1,036
- Total pledged: £84,657
Written and designed by Mark Holt of 8vo, Munich '72. The Visual Output of Otl Aicher's Dept. XI is the first book to take an in-depth look at the groundbreaking design work undertaken by the German designer Otl Aicher and his team at Dept. XI for the 1972 Munich Olympics. Dept XI defined the entire look of the 1972 games, from its logo, iconic pictograms and the first Olympic mascot – a dachshund called Waldi – through to apparel, signage and stadium decoration. Due for publication in September, the book also includes the complete standards and guidelines for visual design.
04. The ACME Corporation
If only more of life's problems could be solved by dynamite and anvils
- Backers: 3,042
- Total pledged: $105,083
A name familiar to any lover of cartoons, The ACME Corporation is the fictional company that supplied the hapless Wile E. Coyote with the various items he used in his attempts to catch the Road Runner in 43 cartoon produced between 1949 and 1994. Rob Loukotla has watched every episode and drawn all 126 of them, from anvils and dynamite through to iron bird seed and giant catapults, to create this stunning 24x36" poster. Having smashed its Kickstarter target many times over, it's now available to order here.
05. Philographics: Big ideas in simple shapes
A fantastic visual tool for grappling with life's big questions
- Backers: 1,629
- Total pledged: £65,217
If you've ever wondered what everything's all about, here's a project that can help you find some answers. Philographics is a project by Genis Carreras that hopes to merge the worlds of philosophy and graphic design by explaining big ideas in simple shapes. It started out as a set of posters and grew into a set of 95 designs, each depicting a different philosophical 'ism' using a combination of geometric shapes, colours and a short definition of the theory, and it's available to buy from Carreras in book form and also as a set of postcards.
06. Manuals 2: Design & Identity Guidelines
If you love style guides, here's a whole book full of them
- Backers: 748
- Total pledged: £56,768
Who can resist a good set of corporate identity guidelines? If you love leafing through style guides, Manuals 2: Design & Identity Guidelines from Unit Editions is a monster collection, featuring 20 design manuals created by some of the giants of 20th century design. Originally published in a limited run of 2,000 in 2014, this much-demanded reprint is your chance to get your hands on a set of meticulous and beautifully reproduced design manuals.
07. Clubbed: a visual history of UK club culture
Top one, nice one, sorted
- Backers: 1,403
- Total pledged: £56,640
It's not quite all about the music. From Peter Saville's revolutionary design work for the Haçienda onwards, British club culture has always had a foot in the world of design, and Clubbed aims to celebrate the best graphic design in UK clubs from the last 35 years. It has a vast collection of logos, posters, photography, tickets, menus, cover art, signage, lanyards, fonts and flyers featuring work from some of the biggest names in design including Angus Hyland, The Designers Republic, Trevor Jackson and, of course, Peter Saville himself.
08. Hermann Zapf & the World He Designed
Learn about the man behind the dingbats
- Backers: 504
- Total pledged: $48,915
One of the giants of 20th century typography, Hermann Zapf designed more than 200 typefaces over the course of his career and is almost certainly responsible for a decent chunk of your font library – five of his typefaces come pre-installed on every Mac. Written by Jerry Kelly, Zapf's friend and colleague for nearly 30 years, Hermann Zapf & the World He Designed explores Zapf's life and work and features a wealth of never-before-seen works and photos, as well as definitive lists of his type designs and calligraphic work.
09. Vignelli: From A to Z
Another chance to enjoy the wisdom of a modern design legend
- Backers: 344
- Total pledged: $29,733
Based on a series of lectures delivered by the legendary Massimo Vignelli at Harvard University's School of Design and Architecture, Vignelli: From A to Z was originally published in 2007 but had been out of print for a number of years until this Kickstarter campaign came along to bring it back. Starting with 'A for Ambiguity' and covering everything from book design through to garment design, packaging and typography, it's a wealth of design wisdom from Lella and Massimo Vignelli, and it's available to buy here.
10. The Font Deck: a Playing-Card Guide to Typography
Learn about typography while playing poker! What could possibly go wrong?
- Backers: 720
- Total pledged: CA$ 26,626
To wrap up, here's a fun way to learn the basics of typography. The Font Deck is a set of casino-quality playing cards, and each of its 52 faces contains a mini-lesson about fonts along with a beautiful visual example. With topics including typeface anatomy, kerning and historical typographic subjects such as Gutenberg's press and Chinese movable type, it's basically a pocket-sized textbook in card form that enables you to learn about typography while playing poker. Designed by Ben Barrett-Forrest, it's on sale here.
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A strong studio culture can work wonders. It goes way beyond investing in a fancy coffee machine, finding room for a pool table or scattering some beanbags. Done well, studio culture can motivate and inspire people to create their best work.
Don't be the one that screws it up for everyone. Even as you read this, your co-workers might be grinding their teeth as you blithely break yet another unspoken rule of studio life. Or perhaps your boss is about to call you in for a stern chat, because you're the fly in the ointment once again.
So whether you're a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed new graduate keen to get the best start in studio life, or long-term staffer who needs to shed some bad habits, read on to discover four things you should never do when working in a design studio... and four things you should.
You'll find more advice on how to successfully navigate the industry in our pick of the best books for graphic designers. Not yet snagged your dream role? Take a look at our jobs board for the best new openings.
DON'T trash others' ideas
No, mocking other people's ideas isn't big or clever
As the old adage goes, a great idea can come from anywhere (and anyone). If that philosophy is genuinely encouraged within your studio – and credit is given where it's due, even if the killer concept comes from an intern – then congratulations, you're one step closer to a positive studio culture.
As another old adage goes, there's no such thing as a bad idea. Of course, in practice there really is – there are some terrible ones out there. Some of them get made. But it's not your place to mock or trample on people who are brave enough to put forward something different.
There could be a gem buried deep in there, or it could kick-start a discussion that takes the team in an unexpected direction. Of course, it could just be terrible. But if you're constructive rather than disparaging, the mood will be very different. That person's next idea could be a killer.
DON'T hog the limelight
Despite what your ego tells you, it's not all about you
No one likes a showboater, but if you really have to strut and preen if a project goes well (hint: you don't) then at least make sure your self-loving is proportional to your role in making it happen. In short: if you're part of a team, it's a team effort and the glory should be shared.
Whether it's throwaway boastful comments in the studio, or your credit-hogging takes a more permanent form in your personal design portfolio – stop. People will respect you a lot more if you're honest about what you actually did, and big up everyone around you at the same time.
And yes, creative directors, this can apply to you too. Sure, the buck may stop with you – and you may be steering the team to success. But if you're the only one collecting gongs at awards dos or basking in applause on the speaker circuit, spare a thought for the people who put the graft in.
DON'T try and 'delegate' everything
You may find certain tasks boring, but they still matter
Behind every life-affirming, firework-display moment that fills you with pride and proves why you chose to be a designer, there's a daunting to-do list of mundane, repetitive tasks. Whether it's resizing images in Photoshop, artworking or just mind-numbing admin – someone has to do it.
Once you've made it to a senior level, you may not have to worry about those time-draining tasks that you spent many hours on as a junior, but rest assured there'll be a whole new list of things you'd rather not be doing.
Delegation is a valuable skill, but there's a difference between sharing the load and dumping it on someone else's head. Sometimes you just need to roll up your sleeves and get on with the unglamorous but necessary bits of the job, and not bleat that your talents would be better spent elsewhere.
DON'T be a dead weight
It's not fair to expect your team mates to drag you along
A vibrant, positive work hard/play hard studio culture can yield some amazing results, and build a strong team if everyone's pulling in the same direction. But remember: you do actually need to do some work before playtime starts.
Generally speaking, the smaller the studio the harder it is to get away with not pulling your weight – there are fewer places to hide, after all. But if you are ever tempted to coast along while your studio teammates shoulder the burden, you'll build up resentment against you and may not have a job for long.
That said, finding the right balance is crucial. If 'working hard' includes the occasional late one to hit a crunch deadline or nail a big pitch that's one thing – especially if everyone celebrates together afterwards. But pushing yourself to the limits day in, day out isn't sustainable, and will damage your physical and mental health. If that's happening, say no.
DO bring a positive attitude
If everyone in the studio approaches problems in an open, constructive way, you'll create an environment where great ideas – and great people – thrive.
DO be a humble team-player
Team work makes the dream work, so get busy
Support the people around you. Be generous with your time, and share your skills as well as the credit. If everyone does the same, you'll all be stronger as a result.
DO sweat the small stuff
Pay attention to the smaller details, and take pride in doing them well. They may not seem glamorous, but they keep the project moving.
DO pitch in wherever you can
Whatever your role on a project, make your input count. Be indispensable. Contribute ideas, go the extra mile, help take the work from good to great. Then share in the success.
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Freelancing is a great life, but it's not without its challenges. So whether you're new to freelancing or an old hand, it's always worth seeking out advice and new ideas. Thankfully there's a lot of creatives ready and willing to help via online videos, and these seven channels listed here are the cream of the crop.
They're all presented with honesty and openness, free from jargon and waffle, and most importantly, they're not trying to sell you anything. Instead, the hosts all genuinely want to share the benefit of their experience, so it's well worth taking advantage if you're thinking of making that leap in to freelance life.
01. Best for learning how to make money: Roberto Blake
The title of designer Roberto Blake's most popular video, "FROM BROKE TO $100K/YEAR... THIS IS HOW I CHANGED MY LIFE", sounds like it might be low-grade clickbait. But don't be fooled.
In fact this 27-minute talk by Blake, who's both head of a digital agency and founder of a creative education platform, features some of the best advice on making money as a freelancer we've ever heard.
It's not shouty, or salesy: instead he explains calmly and rationally the principles behind his own successful career, and how you can follow them yourself.
And this high quality continues throughout all the videos on his YouTube channel, which are strongly focused on the business side of freelancing, covering topics including 'Why you're tired all the time, and feeling burnout', 'Passive income: how I earn $7,000/mo with affiliate marketing' and 'How to find freelance clients step by step.'
02. Best for the nuts and bolts of freelance life: Charli Marie
Want some advice and inspiration on the more nuts and bolts issues of freelance life, such as how to create a home office, what computers to use, and how to design an online store?
Then you should check out this YouTube channel from Charli Marie, a web and graphic designer from New Zealand, currently living in London and working remotely for an email marketing company.
In a friendly and approachable manner, Charli walks you through how she does things and offers tips based on the various challenges she faces from day to day. Topics include 'Working from home: Life as a remote designer', 'Designing my blog' and 'My biggest fear as a designer'.
03. Best for business tips: The Skool Rocks
The Skool Rocks is a YouTube channel taking a magazine-like approach towards education for creative entrepreneurs.
Presented by Chris Do, an Emmy award winning director, designer, strategist and educator, and Jose Cabeller, UX design consultant and coach, it tackles a range of topics in a number of ways, including interviews, tips pieces, case studies and more.
What remains consistent, though, is the slickness of the presentation and the usefulness of the advice and analysis. Topics covered include 'A better way to present to clients', '3 ways to reclaim your creativity and productivity', and 'How to get work in ANY city'.
04. Best for freelance coders: John Morris
If you're working independently in web design and development, you'll find a lot of excellent advice on the YouTube channel of John Morris, who's been a freelance web developer for over 14 years.
His videos are aimed at teaching new and aspiring developers learn how to get freelance work, how to get clients and how to earn a living. He explains all these things clearly and succinctly, with useful reference to his real-life experience where relevant, and absolutely no time is wasted in explaining his best tips and advice.
Topics covered include 'Get a freelance job with no experience', 'What keywords should freelancers try to rank for?' and 'How do I get a steady flow of new freelance jobs?'
05. Best for digital nomads: Chris the Freelancer
One of the latest and most exciting developments in the modern freelance lifestyle is becoming a digital nomad: combining working remotely and global travel, as a way of seeing and experiencing the world.
Chris the Freelancer has been doing so since 2015, and he's currently in Brisbane, Australia. His channel is dedicated to documenting his own experiences, as well as the digital nomad movement and how it's influencing the future of work.
Whether or not you're interested in being a digital nomad, it's full of fascinating insights, many of which may be useful in your own life as a remote worker. Topics covered include 'Coming home after travel: 4 things nomads might forget', 'Passive income: what you need to know' and 'Finding your path as a digital nomad girl'.
06. Best for business tips: Emma Mills
Emma Mills is not a designer: she runs a virtual PA and call answering company in the UK called Mi PA. But her YouTube channel is still a must-visit for any freelancer looking for tips and advice on the bread and butter issues of running a day-to-day independent business.
Her channel is full of bite-sized advice videos that look at the day-to-day problems and challenges that might not seem that important in the grand scheme of things. But if you can get a handle on them, you really will notice the difference in terms of your creativity and productivity.
Such topics include ‘3 quick steps to deal with overwhelm’, ‘How to plan for a more productive day’ and ‘How niching down can help grow your business’.
07. Best for motivating yourself: Gary Vee
Sometimes you don't need advice: you just need a blast of raw and energetic motivation to help you get off your backside and start creating amazing work.
And there's no one quite like Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee) for providing it.
A regular on the web design conference circuit in the early 2010s, the serial American entrepreneur is now a best-selling author, media personality and company owner. But his infectious positivity and optimism haven't diminished one bit.
Vaynerchuk's basic position is that we should love what we do, stop watching Netflix, and devote all our time to making a success of our careers. If that sounds dull, then just watch one of his evangelical rants for more than a minute, and you'll soon be feeling differently.
Topics include 'One life, more regrets', 'Think about legacy, not dollars' and 'The advice successful people WON'T give you'.
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Designing in 3D can be a daunting task for anyone used to working solely in two dimensions, but the great potential to open new creative horizons makes it a step well worth taking.
Luckily for beginners, Photoshop CC presents a helpful middle ground that lets you create and edit 3D scenes without needing any real experience in other software.
In this tutorial we will be downloading a 3D model from the Adobe Stock library and using it to create a bespoke advert in Photoshop CC.
01. Select your object model
Search the Adobe Stock website for the 3D object you require
3D models allow you to light, manipulate, and freely reposition objects without the need for a real-life photography studio. This is particularly useful for smaller businesses where editable images can be reused multiple times, over a range of marketing material. In this scenario I have imagined an IT company called ‘Techfixa’, looking to create an advert using a 3D laptop model.
Open a web browser and go to the Adobe Stock website (stock.adobe.com), where you can browse the collection of royalty-free 3D models, lights and materials. Select 3D in the drop-down box and search for ‘laptop’. Then hover over the desired image and choose License & Save to My library. This will download a folder containing the model as an obj. file, as well as .png files for textures (we will get on to these later).
02. Place model into document
Either drag the .obj file into your canvas or select New 3D Layer from File under the 3D taskbar
All great designs begin with a single step; open Photoshop and create a new document. The dimensions will depend on the intended destination of your design – for this project I used an aspect ratio of 16:9 for use in digital.
You can insert the model into your file by simply dragging the .obj file from the downloaded folder onto your canvas. Alternatively you can open it from within Photoshop, by selecting 3D > New 3D Layer From File and opening the .obj file. This should automatically switch your workspace into 3D mode, but you can also do this manually through Window > Workspace (this will be more important when you want to switch back to Essentials).
03. Create a background
Make a simple horizon by duplicating the background layer, adding a multiply blend, masking and drawing a gradient
Adding a horizon will make it easier to realise the structure of your design and where to position your model. While it is possible to create backgrounds in 3D or integrate models into flat images, I used basic 2D Photoshop tools to create a simple coloured background.
Create a new layer and use the fill tool to colour it turquoise. Duplicate the layer, set it to a ‘multiply’ blend mode, add a mask and use the gradient tool to draw a horizon, from halfway up to the bottom. This is a simple method for making a basic horizon.
04. Add text
Use Photoshop's Character panel to select a typeface and use the kerning option to improve the spacing between letters
Adding text at this stage will give you an idea of how much space will be left for your laptop. Use the Type tool to draw text boxes onto the canvas and add your copy. I employed a combination of AgencyFB and Exo typefaces to adopt a ‘future-techno’ style. The introduction of a black strip at the bottom of the frame helps make the contact information stand out.
05. Position your model
Selecting the right tool can take some getting used to, but eventually it becomes second nature
Using 3D in Photoshop can be a fiddly business, requiring you to constantly switch between different panels (3D, Layers and Properties), but with a little practice it can quickly become like second nature.
Once the laptop layer is selected, a perspective grid should appear and you will have access the 3D tools in the Options bar. You can use these to rotate, move and scale the object, as well as changing the floor and camera view. Click on the laptop in the canvas window and you will see its frame, as well as the axis that allows you to move, rotate and scale. Experiment with the controls, moving the object around the canvas until you are happy with its position – it can always be changed later on.
If you intend on having two laptops in the same scene, you can duplicate the layer and combine the two layers. This will render the two objects together, saving you the effort of consistently altering the settings for each.
06. Customise textures
If you are new to 3D, think of the Diffuse material as an unwrapped net, which folds together to form the laptop shape
Click the drop-down arrow on the laptop layer to reveal the textures applied to that object model. Double-clicking on the Diffuse layer ‘plastic_laptop_Mat_baseColor’ will open the texture file in a separate Photoshop document. This is viewed as an unwrapped net, each seam marked by a black line. You can edit the texture in this file and the original document will be updated once saved.
I drew a blue rectangle on a new layer over the area that represents the laptop screen. I then used the shape tool, combined with Select > Modify > Smooth to create a rounded triangle error warning on top of that.
07. Check the lighting
Use the lighting tool to choose direction, while you can control intensity and softness in the Properties panel
Click on the light source, in this case ‘Infinite Light 1’, under the 3D panel. You can alter the lighting settings in the Properties panel, controlling the type, colour and shadow softness. Switching to ‘spot’ or ‘point’ lights can instill a more interesting or dramatic atmosphere to the scene, but in this instance a soft ‘infinite’ lamp suits the purpose. Use the control sphere in the canvas window to adjust the angle of the light source.
08. Render and export
Setting the ray-tracing at 10 will render the image at highest quality, but will take more time
Right click on the 3D layer and render. Don’t be surprised if this takes some time; the longer it takes, the better the final render. You can change the render settings in Preferences > 3D. Finally export the file in whatever format you require, in this case I used RGB jpg for web.
09. Final image
Designing adverts in Photoshop becomes easy with downloaded models from Adobe Stock
Try it yourself with free 3D assets available on Adobe Stock.
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Researchers have uncovered easy-to-exploit bugs that can impact physical safety, utilities, healthcare, critical infrastructure and more, setting the stage for widespread worm attacks.
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Accessibility is a human right, and in some countries, the law. In fact, 2018 saw a huge increase in web accessibility lawsuits. Now designers are starting to realise that web accessibility is a must. With that in mind, here are eight top tips for ensuring your web design is optimised for accessibility and as inclusive as possible.
If you do decide to overhaul the accessible elements of your website and realise that your web design needs a total refresh, here are the hottest web design tools and resources you can use to help.
01. Define accessibility
Inclusive design means more than accessibility
Accessibility and inclusive design are sometimes referenced interchangeably, but failing to recognise the distinction between them can have drastic consequences. Accessibility design is about removing obstacles, so that all users can use the apps and websites we design.
Next, let’s remember that larger font sizes reduce the 'can’t read the text' obstacle, so either we enable certain users to switch over to an alternative 'accessibility mode', or we create an accessible, but separate, version that can be accessed using a link in the navigation. Now, not only does this blur the line between accessible and inaccessible (since visually-impaired users still have to locate this 'accessibility site'), but it’s not at all inclusive, because we’ve alienated these users. They’ve been segregated, made to feel different, and to top it off, we’ve needed to design and develop two versions of our interface, spending additional time and effort.
Instead, we could have simply designed a singular, more inclusive interface, where the font is larger for everybody. After all, even users that aren’t visually-impaired will benefit from being able to read text more easily, and this is why inclusive design is a win for both disabled and non-disabled users. Inclusive design doesn’t abate the experience of those that aren’t disabled. In fact, the vast majority of accessibility rules as defined by the WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, double-up as usability tips that if implemented, all users will benefit from.
02. Simplify language
The written word takes up a vast portion of the web, but if someone can't read it, it's an opportunity missed
When it comes to the written word, there are a huge variety of considerations to bear in mind if we want to design experiences that cater to everybody. There’s the simplicity of the words themselves (which can affect those with reading difficulties), there’s the typography (which can affect visually-impaired users), and there’s the consistency (which can affect those that are cognitively disabled). And of course, suboptimal design affects those who aren’t disabled just as much as those who are.
Take note of these rules
How to improve typography, and therefore readability:
- Align text to the left or right only
- Underline links for added visual contrast
- Enforce line spacing at (at least) 1.5x the font size
- Paragraph spacing: at least 1.5x the line spacing
- Paragraph width: no more than 80 characters
How to reduce cognitive load:
- Use simple language
- Define abbreviations upon first use
- Ensure that link text is described efficiently
- Match identical URLs with identical link text
- Logically structure content using clearly-worded headings
03. Optimise colour contrast
Colour contrast is key – make sure you get it right
Colour contrast is a measurement of how well the colours of two design elements distinguish from one another. The unit of this measurement is a ratio, and there’s a minimum ratio to aim for. Assuming that various design elements meet the minimum colour contrast ratio as defined by the WCAG, not only are we enabling readability for visually-impaired users, but we’re boosting it for those that aren’t visually-impaired too. This is one of the many ways that we design inclusively with virtually zero effort.
So, what is the minimum requirement, and how do we check for it? Firstly, colour contrast analysers like Stark can be used to measure colour contrast ratio. However, the minimum ratio that we need to aim for depends on the element itself, i.e. whether or not it’s an important UI element, such as an icon or form field, or, if the element is textual, whether the font size is small or large, as larger fonts are more readable even before tinkering with contrast.
These are the colour contrast ratio requirements for text over background as defined by the WCAG:
- 14pt bold or 18pt normal: 4.5:1 (7:1 is better)
- 14pt bold or 18pt normal, and above: 3:1 (4.5:1 is better)
These are the requirements for UI elements:
- Graphical objects (like charts): 3:1
- Focus, hover, and active states: 3:1
- Clickable icons and form elements: 3:1
The Stark app mentioned above can also simulate what our design looks like for users with varying types of colour-blindness – 4.5% of the world is a lot of potential users, after all. If you’re finding it difficult to achieve optimum contrast with links in a body of text, underline them to make the links easier to spot, because some colour-blind users don’t see colour contrast at all!
04. Help users fix mistakes
Let people know when they've got it wrong
Mistakes often result in a cloud of confusion, especially when the user doesn’t know what exactly they did, or how to fix it. Mistakes are inevitable, especially for the modern-day user rushing to engage with interfaces, heavily armed with their mental model, and this is why helping users (disabled or otherwise) overcome their mistakes is vital to inclusivity.
Naturally, the most common scenario where the user might make a mistake is when filling out a form, and often as a result of a variety of disabilities, i.e. difficulty understanding as a result of a cognitive disability, incorrect data input as a result of a motor disability, and so on. Firstly, if we can fix the user’s error programatically, then crisis averted. An example of this in action could be adding https:// to their URL submission if it’s not already been added, as opposed to forcing the user to fix it themselves.
Use form labels to describe input fields, and placeholders to describe acceptable input
Consider these other tips for reducing form errors:
- Always use form labels to describe input fields
- …and placeholders to show an example of acceptable input
- Enable autofill and autocomplete to reduce typing requirements
And these tips to help users fix errors:
- Display form errors clearly in realtime
- Let the user verify their input before submission
- Important and often forgotten: don’t make users feel stupid!
05. Take note of 'Skip to Main Content'
This might be an obscure accessibility feature, so take note
Skip-to-main-content is a relatively obscure accessibility feature aimed at those who navigate UIs with screen readers. You’ve most likely never heard of this feature; that’s how inclusive it is. Screen readers, or simply those who mostly navigate UIs using the keyboard, tab through tap targets using the tab key. If you’re not disabled, you would have likely experienced this regardless when tabbing through form fields on a desktop web browser, since it‘s much easier than clicking.
Skip-to-main-content is an accessibility enhancement to help this subset of users escape repetitiveness by bypassing the main navigation – this works by having the first tab item a link that skips to the main content. It’s obscure to those that don’t use screen readers because this link only displayed once tabbed. Try Googling something, then hitting the tab key!
It’s also important to visually indicate which element is currently focused, since the tab index may shift to an unexpected location (tab indexes and therefore screen readers read from top-to-bottom.) When tabbing through tap targets the :focus state is triggered, and the browser then knows to style the element automatically. In terms of CSS code, this often appears as if it’s a blue box-shadow:, but it’s actually outline:, so make sure that you don’t overwrite this style!
06. Don't create pressure
Don't forget the user at the expense of the design
Nobody likes to feel pressured, but for those with motor or cognitive disabilities, pressure can be anxiety-inducing. Interfaces have become vastly more dynamic over the years, as more and more tasks can now be completed using a device. Sadly, far too many dynamic experiences are the result of designers trying to make UIs more imaginative at the cost of usability. A useful snippet of advice would be to simplify the layout and remove unnecessary dynamic elements.
This includes carousels, popups and alerts and distracting animations.
Next, let’s take a look at how we can make these elements, should we need them, accessible to those with disabilities. First of all, we need to add a level of control for autoplaying media that demands attention, as this could add an uncomfortable amount of extra cognitive load for those with cognitive disabilities. The rule is, as defined by the WCAG 2.0, that if media runs for more than three seconds, it should be controllable. Anything else that scrolls, blinks, or otherwise moves automatically without the user having to interact with it (i.e. animations and carousels) should also be controllable if it lasts for more than five seconds.
If media runs for more than three seconds, it should be controllable
Generally, unexpected movement/media is disliked by users and it’s best to avoid it. Note that a similar rule applies to elements that flash more than three times per second, especially if it’s high-contrast and red, as this can induce seizures!
Concerning chat messages, alerts, reminders, newsfeeds, and the like, users should be able limit their frequency to allow themselves more time to read and understand what’s being communicated, and it’s also advisable to let the user easily dismiss any alerts or visible obstructions with the esc key. Pressure to carry out a task is sometimes unavoidable as some interfaces (like banking interfaces) can timeout for security reasons, and naturally these alerts have to be obvious. In this scenario, disabled users that require more time should be offered the chance to do so, letting the interface know that the user hasn’t abandoned it and mistakenly left their data exposed.
07. Relay with developers
It's not just designers who need to be web-friendly
When it comes to making accessibility enhancements, developers should share half of the responsibility, especially when it comes to making user interfaces screen-reader-friendly. Optimising websites for screen readers mostly happens behind the scenes, and doesn’t impact non-disabled users at all, making these websites very inclusive to users of all abilities. For those wondering, a screen reader aids visually-impaired users by audibly reading out what’s on the screen. But what about images? What about icons without text labels? How exactly do screen readers convey design elements with no text description, and how do these assistive technologies quickly switch focus to key landmarks such as search and navigation? Well, this is exactly where the developer comes into it.
Design elements with no text accompanying said element can be described behind the scenes using HTML. Here’s a terrific checklist you’ll want to bookmark.
Let’s go through some of the key aspects:
- Use semantic HTML elements such as <nav> and <header>
- Use ARIA landmark roles to add further context to HTML elements
- Declare the (correct) language (WCAG guidance here)
- Always form elements
- Use “alt text” (Error! Filename not specified.) for text alternatives to images (guidance here)
- Provide no-JS fallbacks and never use inline scripting
08. Choose simple gestures
We use more than just a mouse to navigate – think fingers
Choosing simple gestures over complex ones will win over non-disabled users, while making UIs accessible to disabled users. Gestures tend to differ between apps and websites. Firstly, there’s the matter of user expectation; for example, swiping interactions on touchscreen apps is fairly normal, but users typically wouldn’t think to engage in swiping on a website (not even on a mobile website). That aside, is anything beyond simple tapping and clicking tricky for disabled users?
The answer is yes, but they’re also a bit daunting for non-disabled users as well, with swiping possibly being an exception because it can be done using just the thumb. I mean, have you ever tried rotating a Google Map? It’s a really finicky experience, and for those with some motor disabilities it would be a near-impossible task to carry out. Since Google Maps doesn’t offer an alternative way to rotate using clickable buttons, this functionality is neither accessible or inclusive.
So we need to ask ourselves on a case-by-case basis, 'do we really need this complex gesture?' For example, would a static, vertical stack work just as well as a swiping carousel? In both scenarios we’d have content overflowing the viewport either way, so what does a swiping carousel really achieve? Could the swiping be a progressive enhancement for non-disabled users? Simpler is better in this case.
Meanwhile, ensure that tap targets are at least 44px2 (so that they’re easy to tap and click, and also for visual affordance) and reasonably spaced (to reduce the number of error clicks).
Join us on 26 September for Generate CSS, brought to you by Creative Bloq, net and Web Designer. Save £50 with an Early Bird Ticket when you book before 15 August 2019.
This article was originally published in issue 287 of creative web design magazine Web Designer. Buy issue 287 or subscribe to Web Designer.
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Fears of a WannaCry-level global attack grow as working exploit info starts to go public.
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If you're in the market for Apple's 2019 MacBook Pro, there are currently plenty of amazing deals to be had. This includes all-time low prices on the 2019 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro, which has seen its price slashed to just $1,099.99 for students. This is a dramatic saving of $200. And if you're not a student, there are still some hefty discounts to enjoy.
The 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro isn't the only model on offer either. There are discounts on 15-inch models too, with up to $250 to be saved on selected models. However the 13-inch model, with its quad-core Intel processor, colourful Retina display, and contextual Touch Bar controls, is a total bargain at a little over a grand.
If these devices aren't quite what you're looking for, head on over to our roundup of the best MacBook and MacBook Pro deals for even more bargains.
In the meantime, check out these rock-bottom prices on 2019 Apple MacBook Pro models.
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Disney's weird sort-of live action CG remake of The Lion King might have unsettled plenty of fans by transferring the action from the African plains to the uncanny valley complete with creepy almost-realistic character design, but that doesn't seem to have done it any harm.
Despite decidedly mixed reviews that have criticised it for being a joyless retread of the original – not to mention its typographically-infuriating logo – the remake is absolutely killing it at the box office and looks set to make a lot of money for Disney.
Before you grudgingly head out to watch it, though, here's a little something that could save you approximately 116 minutes of your life, and that's not including the time it'll take you to get to the cinema and back. It's the work of Dutch animator Cas van de Pol, and it crams the entire Lion King story – or at least the salient bits – into a breakneck two minutes of glorious cartoon fun.
Cas has called it The Ultimate "The Lion King" Recap Cartoon – we prefer to think of it as Tiny Lion King – and it does the job absolutely perfectly. Not only does it cover just about every major plot point that you need to know about, it's also fantastically executed.
There's a wonderfully rough and ready look to it that reminds us more of the work of animators such as John Kricfalusi and Butch Hartman than anything Disney has ever put out, and there are some brilliant comic beats along the way.
Get all the traumatic bits out of the way in seconds!
It's a whole lot of fun, and not only is it a great alternative to trudging out to see the remake, it's also the perfect way for anyone who somehow has never actually seen The Lion King – apparently such monsters really exist and actually walk among us – to get up to speed on the story without much effort.
The really impressive thing is that van de Pol animated the whole two minutes of Tiny Lion King single-handedly, with other artists stepping up to provide the music, sound design and stunning voice work.
"Remember, the Force will be with you... always."
You can find more of Cas van de Pol's work on his YouTube channel, and if you want to support his endeavours then there's a Patreon page here that you can sign up to.
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In addition, Google’s latest Chrome version implements 43 new security fixes.
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