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Vast majority of Apple iOS users haven't updated to iOS 12.4, leaving themselves wide open to a public exploit. View the full article

The Nike Swoosh is one of the world's most recognisable logos. To celebrate the legacy of this iconic piece of branding, Nike recently released a trio of new footwear ranges that feature different versions of the tick-shaped design. It's also worked with nine animators to pay homage to the Swoosh. The shoes have been released alongside Foot Locker Inc as part of a collection called The Evolution of the Swoosh. In our guide to logo design we looked at how the Swoosh's simplicity is the secret to its enduring success, so it makes sense to revisit classic iterations for this range. And when you consider that the designer of the Swoosh, graphic design student Carolyn Davidson, was only paid $35 for her logo idea back in 1971, it looks like Nike has made a significant return on her work. As for the shoes in the new range, they include the Script Swoosh, Sunburst, and Swoosh Chain 'packs'. As its name suggest, the script pack features Davidson's hand-drawn Swoosh. Meanwhile the Sunburst shoes sport a circular variation of the Swoosh that appeared on apparel. Finally, the Swoosh Chain sneakers are decked out with little interlinking Swooshes. Take a look at them in the gallery below. Nine animators at the Portland-based agency One Hundred were also called upon to promote the impact of the Swoosh in their own distinctive art styles. These include cult animators such as Mason London (aka Joe Pyrtherch), as well as Tiago Majuelos, Julian Glander, and Drew Tyndell. Take a look at how they interpreted the Swoosh in the looping animations below. It's worth noting that these clips interpret popular trainers such as the Air Max 97, the React Element 55, and the Nike Air Force 1, all of which are part of the Evolution of the Swoosh collection. The Swoosh isn't the only successful piece of Nike branding, either. Earlier this year its tagline, 'just do it', was voted the most memorable brand slogan. So clearly Nike knows how to make a lasting impression with customers. Related articles: 45 free retro fonts How to reawaken a brand's heritage 5 brands that hit nostalgia hard View the full article

Creating CSS images is a fun way to practise your skills and create a neat piece of artwork. It's a nice break from the usual day-to-day styling of web components. All you'll need to get started is a blank document and a CSS file; we recommend using Sass, which will enable you to reuse your styles and write simpler selectors (see our guide to what is Sass? to learn more about this preprocessor). We'll start with some top tips for mastering CSS art, then show you how to recreate this animated balloon Pikachu using only CSS. For more inspiration, explore our roundup of amazing CSS animation examples. After something more basic? Start by learning how to create an ice lolly using CSS. Reduce the design to simple shapes When creating CSS art, it can help to look at a few reference images for inspiration and then create a simplified cartoon variation as you go along, envisioning the subject using primitive shapes, which make better CSS shapes. Use a bright background to help with positioning When overlapping shapes of similar colours, it’s difficult to see where they’re being placed or what they look like. It’s useful to have the shape you’re working on stand out by changing the background-color to something bright and cheery, like magenta. This enables you to easily see the exact position and shape of your element. Use fluid sizes When it comes to defining a px value for properties, we would recommend using the rem unit. In the event you decide that you want your overall piece to be larger or smaller, by using rem units you only have to change the base html { font-size: …px } in your Sass to scale the whole artwork up or down. When defining the heights and widths of child elements that should have relative sizing to the parent, percentages come in handy. Since these values are always relative to their parent, they should also scale with the html font-size. Generate CSS is a bespoke conference brought to you by Creative Bloq, net and Web Designer. Click to book your Early Bird ticket! 01. Start with containers A wrapper container to hold the artwork's pieces is a good place to start. Within the container, we can place three inner containers – the head, the body and the balloons. The container should usually be position: relative to allow for other elements to be placed relatively inside it using position: absolute and have a well-defined height and width, otherwise positioning child elements becomes difficult. In your styles, add your base colours as Sass variables for reusability. The Sass lighten() and darken() functions will create tints and shades of your colours, which can be used as highlights or shadows for your character. 02. Style the head With the structure figured out, let's style the head first. In this case, the head makes a nice centre point for the artwork, so rather than setting its position to absolute, it can be set to relative. This enables the container to have a stable element inside of it, giving the other floating absolute elements an anchor point and thus more control over their position. The facial features will need a container for positioning, so create a <div> inside the head container for the yellow shape with a width, height and background colour – now let's make this rectangle look more like a head shape. One of the most common and useful properties in CSS art is the border-radius property, which changes the curve of the X or Y of a box's corners and can be used to create more organic shapes. Using this technique with a rem and percentage combo, you can make blob-like shapes rather than just plain ellipses, which scale naturally with the html { font-size: …px }: After perfecting the head's border-radius, position the rest of the facial features as child elements of the head, such as the eyes, cheeks, nose and ears. Like the head, the border-radius trick will come in handy since border-radius: 50% may not look appealing. 03. Move on to the body A body <div> can be placed within the body container behind the head and shaped with the same border-radius technique, as well as the arms, legs and tail. To allow for proper overlapping, the actual body should be its own element, as certain inner elements like the back stripes will need to be cut off with overflow: hidden. To give the body more depth, the transform: skew() property can sheer the body slightly. The lightning bolt tail can be built using three separate rectangles rather than trying to form this shape from one element. The rectangles can be rotated and positioned over the top of one another to form a bolt. The arms and legs can use the darker primary colour we created using Sass darken() so they stand out. 04. Add balloons Now that the electric mouse is completed, let's tie balloons to its back. Add some <div>s with shared styles with a child string <div> and position them bunched above the head. The string is invisible except a border-left, which help make it look more string-like. To tie the string around the character's waist, a <div> can be placed within the body to allow for proper positioning. The string needs a slight curve to appear as though it's tied around the body, so it can have a small height, border-bottom and a border-bottom left and right radius, which makes a thin curved line: 05. Animate the CSS We can give the character life by adding @keyframes animations. The arms, legs, ears and tail can be animated with transform: rotate(). Ensure the transform-origin is set to the ‘joint' (i.e. top center for a leg) and adjust the rotation. This animation type can be used several times in a Sass mixin: Finally, adding a slow 5s transform: translateY() keyframe animation will animate the character up and down as though it's floating. For a touch of realism, a blinking animation using transform: scaleY(0.1) property can be used to make it appear as though the eyes are closing. This article was originally published in creative web design magazine net. Buy issue 283 or subscribe. Read more: 5 things you never knew about CSS Add SVG filters with CSS How to code smart text effects with CSS View the full article

Can you remember your biggest creative inspirations? Do you have a clutch of artists whose work made you grab your best pencils and say "I want to do that"? This is what illustration agency Handsome Frank asked its followers on Twitter. And the responses have descended into a bit of a love-in as illustrators share the artists who originally made them want to break into the industry. It all started with an innocent-looking tweet from Handsome Frank to its 28 thousand followers. But over the course of the day it's drawn dozens and dozens of responses, including big names from the world of illustration. Some of the people who responded were even lucky enough to hear back from the artists they mentioned. Making your own personal artistic hero blush with gratitude isn't something that happens every day, but that's exactly what's happening to illustrators right now thanks to Twitter. Perhaps the social media site sin't such a bad place after all? The responses to Handsome Frank's tweet are also a fantastic place to pick up some new artistic inspirations. There are plenty of popular and well-deserved names in the replies, but there are some illustrators you might not have heard of before. For example, are you familiar with the work of Greg Manchess? His work meant a lot to Twitter user Sidharth Chaturvedi... Of course, narrowing down your influences to one illustrator can be a tall order. So some people, like Erin Hunting, decided to choose four. Although if you want to follow-up her selection, maybe save Googling Robert Crumb's raunchy 'Fritz the Cat' until you're outside of work. A trip down memory lane usually involves some charming revelations. Just take Andy Paciorek's reply, which explains that it took him "many years" to find out the name of his illustration hero, Ken Reid. When it comes to being able to find information, you kids and your search engines don't know how lucky you have it. One creator who has definitely embraced the art of illustration is Ben O'Brien, or to use his popular online moniker, Ben The Illustrator. But who set him on the path to become an online illustration sensation? None other than the bold and brilliant Brian Cook. What's so nice about this Twitter thread is that everyone is being so sincere. Graphic designer and illustrator Scott Duffey originally replied with a jokey response where he credits children's cartoon character Penny Crayon as his inspiration, but even he back-pedals to reveal that Albert Uderzo's drawings in the Asterix comics are his serious choice. Sadly the names of some great illustrators are lost to time. And that's who visual artist Edêle Watters salutes in her response, as she recognises some of the nameless illustrators behind the Bunty comics. These replies are just the tip of the iceberg. Illustrators are still chipping in with their heroes, and there are plenty more artists to discover. So if this thread has made you remember a long-lost illustration inspiration, head on over to the Handsome Frank Twitter thread and share their name with the world. Related articles: The making of Oliver Jeffers' best-selling picture books 6 steps to getting your children's picture book published The best children's books of all time View the full article

Researchers are warning that unpatched flaws found in the Hickory Smart BlueTooth Enabled Deadbolt allow an attacker with access to a victim's phone to break into their houses. View the full article

The complaint claims the networking giant knowingly sold bug-riddled software to federal and state governments, that would allow complete network compromise. View the full article

As far as rival businesses go, companies don't get much more competitive than Microsoft and Apple. The two have form when it comes to making fun of each other in their marketing, remember those "I'm a Mac, he's a PC" ads? But Microsoft is making things personal in its latest advert, which sees someone called Mac Book explain why the Surface Laptop 2 is superior to the MacBook Air. To be fair, choosing between the two devices is difficult. If you're in the market for a new laptop, why not check out the best Microsoft Surface deals, or our guide to the best MacBook Pro alternatives. These will help you to make your mind up, and you might even grab a bargain. As for the campaign, it's a cheeky move on Microsoft's part. In the advert (below), the computer company has enlisted the promotional skills of an Australian man whose actual, real name is Mackenzie Book to help sell the strengths of the Surface Laptop 2. A snarky voice over asks Mac Book a series of questions about which device performs better. Unsurprisingly, he points out that the Surface Laptop 2 lasts longer and performs better than the MacBook Air. If you look carefully, you'll also see that he barely even interacts with the Apple device. It's a clever campaign, and we can only imagine Microsoft's excitement when they discovered that Mackenzie Book was happy to get involved. It's also handy that he apparently seems to prefer the Microsoft device. It would be pretty awkward if he mouthed off about how much he admires the strength of Apple and the way it works with photo editing apps. We'd forgive you for thinking that Microsoft could've just made up this Mackenzie Book character for its promotional needs. But given the stilted delivery of lines like "you should get a surface. Trust me, I'm Mac Book", we're willing to bet that this a real guy who happens to have an on-brand Apple name. Related articles: The best laptops for graphic design The best laptops for video editing The best drawing tablet for illustrators and artists View the full article

A good font collection is one that has you covered for all eventualities. While you doubtless have your own set of dependable serifs and sans serifs that you can rely on for most design projects, some commissions are going to require you to pull out something just a little bit different for that added visual impact. You're unlikely to need comic fonts very often, but when you do – say if you're working on children's books or an illustration project – you'll be glad of a good selection to experiment with, and thankfully there are thousands of free fonts out there that will do nicely. Here are 12 of the best free comic fonts that have turned up this year; they're all free for personal use so that you can try them out, and most of them can be used on commercial projects for a very low price. 15 top typography resources 01. Happy Markers Who needs Comic Sans? For big, friendly and rounded lettering that doesn't carry the stigma of Comic Sans, Joseph Dawson's Happy Markers could be just the thing you need. Its all-caps characters look like they've been drawn using a chunky round-tipped marker pen, and for emphasis there's an italic version too. Both are free for personal use; a commercial licence will cost you $10. 02. Nias Bird Nias Bird's art deco-ish lower case is a delight Created by Indonesian designer Ryal Docallisme, Nias Bird is a fun and distinctive comic font with some fantastically top-heavy characters. It's probably best suited to titles and maybe headlines, and it comes with a special trick up its sleeve: rather than a lower-case set it features a slightly heavier weight with more of an art deco look. It's free for personal use; contact the author for commercial use. 03. Reality Check Boom! In your face! Hand-drawn by font designer Hanoded at his kitchen table, Reality Check is a big and chunky comic display font, and uses the lower-case set for subtle variants on the all-caps characters to keep things interesting. This is a demo version of Reality Check for personal use; head to Hanoded's site for the commercial version which includes kerning, embedding rights and all glyphs. 04. The Labothings Here's a lovely playful script font with comic energy For a quirky, handwritten look, The Labothings by Kotak Kuning Studio could be a great choice. It's a playful script font with plenty of energy and both upper and lower-case characters; the only drawback is a lack of punctuation and other special characters, but you could easily substitute in suitable-looking characters from another typeface. It's free for personal use only. 05. Tootle Play Who can resist a font called Tootle Play? Perfect for lettering comics, Midfont Studio's Tootle Play also has one of the most adorable names we've come across. Free for personal use, it's a simple but lively hand-drawn caps-only affair, complete with numbers and all the punctuation you're likely to need. 06. Comic Comoc Comic Comoc's fat strokes are thoroughly adorable Inspired by comics and designed by Dumadi Studios, Comic Comoc is a cute and fun display font with some quite wonderfully fat strokes going on. Its designers say that it'll put an adorable twist on any design project, and we're inclined to agree. It features both upper and lower-case sets, plus symbols and accented characters, and while the free version is for personal use only, a full licence will set you back just $5. 07. Comic Marker Deluxe Another great font for lettering comics Another font that perfectly recreates the look of hand-drawn letters done with a fat round-tipped marker pen, Comic Marker Deluxe by Darrell Flood is just the thing for all your comic lettering needs. It's free for personal use, while a licence will cost you $20, and it comes in both standard and italic weights. 08. FishFingers Outline Mix FishFingers Outline's upper and lower-case characters for a quirky look Fishfingers Outline by Brittney Murphy is part of her larger FishFingers font family, a set of tall and top-heavy hand-drawn fonts that also includes a standard and light weight. It features both upper and lower-case characters, and they look their best when you mix them up, giving any text a delightfully quirky look. Personal use is free; you can find licensing options on Murphy's site. 09. Super Bad Font So Super Bad it's super good We love the wonderfully blobby style of Eli Shore Productions' Super Bad Font, not to mention its name. Comic-inspired with a weighty, handwritten stroke, it's another font that's caps-only but with the lower-case set at a different level so you can combine upper and lower for a bouncy, unlevelled effect. A basic licence covering most uses is just $8, but the free version is good for personal use. 10. Go Speeds Put your foot to the floor with this swift font Feeling the need for speed? You'll be wanting to avail yourself of Go Speeds, another free (for personal use) font from Kotak Kuning Studio. Ever so tall and top heavy, and slightly italicised, it's a comic font with a real sense of urgency to it. 11. Kids Magazine This one's a perfect attention-grabber If you're designing for a younger audience, here's a headline font that's just the ticket. Big, bold and packed with energy, Kids Magazine by Imagex is the ideal font for grabbing people's attention, with fat, lively strokes and plenty of definition. It's free for personal use; contact Imagex about licensing for commercial projects. 12. La Gilda La Gilda's designed to literally stand out Want that little bit of extra depth? Get a load of La Gilda from Woodcutter Manero. It's a fantastically tall and skinny comic font, but with a dirty great extruded edge to it, so it's guaranteed to stand out in any setting. And yes, you've guessed, it's free for personal use only. Related articles: The 8 biggest typography mistakes designers make 10 unusual free fonts to make your work stand out Font vs typeface: the ultimate guide View the full article

Advances in computer hardware have had a huge effect on the world of CG, bringing improvements across the board in visual quality, interactivity and accessibility. Here, we take a look at the innovations that have transformed the way we work with CG, and contributed to some of our favourite 3D movies. We've also linked to our fantastic buying guides for much of the hardware listed here, so you can compare different options and make an informed choice about your next upgrade. 01. Graphics cards Today's graphics cards are incredibly powerful There was a time when a graphics card’s only purpose was connecting to a 2D display, leaving 3D processing to compete for CPU resources with everything else that was running on the computer. That all changed in 1996 with the 3DFX Voodoo accelerator card, which gave rise to today’s powerful graphics cards. If you need a shiny new graphics card in your life, check out our post on the best graphics cards around right now. 02. USB Ubiquity The simple USB storage device is still an invaluable tool It’s a testament to the ubiquity of USB that you may not consider its importance in the 3D industry. But the ability to plug any peripheral, storage device or accessory into any port on any computer in the world and know it will work makes computers more simple to use, and it is a hardware feature no artist could live without today. Run out of space on your USB and in need of an upgrade? You can compare USB storage options on our rundown of the best USB storage for creatives. 03. GPU Compute GPU had a huge impact on CG processing There were big ramifications for the CG industry when someone realised the growing power of graphics card hardware could be used for more than just real-time 3D acceleration. Cuda and OpenCL run specific general processing tasks across a GPU’s parallel hardware, which is great for plugins and filters in all kinds of design apps. 04. High definition displays HD screens transformed how we present our creations The HD revolution ushered in three innovations in display hardware: flat screens; widescreen aspect ratios; and much higher pixel counts. Each boost in resolution, from 1080p to 4K and soon 8K, improves image quality and precipitates a rethink of how our work is rendered and presented. We've found the best 4K monitor deals of 2019 for you with our guide to the best monitors. 05. Multi-core CPUs Parallel processing streamlined the necessary equipment for CG Parallel processing – running two computing tasks simultaneously – once required a computer with two separate physical processors inside it, which was messy and expensive. In 2005, Intel and AMD introduced processors for general PCs with two processor cores in a single chip, and later increased this to four, six or more cores, improving rendering times. If you are finding your current laptop is lacking the necessary punch, head over to our guide to 2019's most powerful laptops. 06. Solid-state storage Editing is smoother and quicker with an SSD The shift to using fast flash memory rather than hard disks for an operating system and applications has made a huge difference to overall computer performance, with considerably faster load times. If you store your 3D project and all its assets on an SSD, editing will be much smoother and quicker too. We have selected the best SSDs and external hard drives around right now in our comprehensive guide to the options available for Mac and PC users. 07. Virtual reality We no longer have to rely on a 2D screen when working in 3D A killer app for VR may be yet to arrive, but the availability of high-quality, affordable VR headsets such as Oculus Rift is still a breakthrough for 3D. No longer are we restricted to seeing a 3D world via a 2D window on our desks, but that world can come alive and interactive in a way that truly does feel magical. Want to see what your options are? Head over to our choice of the best VR headsets. 08. 3D input devices Is 2D pointing and clicking on its way out? The 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse is a pointing device that attempts to work in 3D – a concept that hasn’t taken off yet but still has potential. The PlayStation Move controller and even Microsoft Kinect could fit into this category – a reminder that 2D pointing and clicking may lose its monopoly on interaction. 09. G-Sync/Freesync Animation playback is smoother thanks to adaptive sync displays Adaptive sync technology is a hardware solution to a problem most of us are unaware of. A computer renders frames at a variety of frame rates, but displays are traditionally fixed to 60fps. The result is an ugly ‘tearing effect’. Adaptive sync displays match the display refresh rate to the computer, so animation becomes smooth. If you're in the market for a new display, you can check out our selections of the best ultrawide monitors, and the best monitors for video editing in our posts. 10. The internet The power of the internet is humbling, and who knows what the future holds? The internet counts as a hardware innovation, as it has made a huge impact on the evolution of computer design and continues to transform how we use them. It’s humbling how we can send work around the world in microseconds, and that the potential of internet technologies has still to be fully realised. This article was originally published in issue 130 of 3D Artist. Buy issue 130 or subscribe to 3D Artist. Read more: Free 3D models How to add animation to SVG with CSS Cinema 4D tutorials to up your skills View the full article

Learning how to clean paintbrushes properly is an important skill. Someone very wise once told me, 'If you look after your tools, your tools will look after you'. Good brushes are some of the best and sometimes most costly investments you'll make when kitting yourself out, so they deserve a bit of TLC. The golden rule when it comes to paint brushes is keep them wet whilst in use and give them a good clean when they’re not. There are different methods of brush care depending on the medium you're using so we'll go through the main process and then explain the variations, showing you how get the most from your investment. Let’s start with the medium with the most options, oil paint. You can skip to the other sections using the links on the right. For more painting and drawing tutorials, see our posts on art techniques and how to draw. How to clean oil paintbrushes There may be more steps to cleaning oil from paintbrushes than there are other types of paint, but it's still a fairly simple process. 01. Remove paint from the bristles Wipe upwards when cleaning with a cloth or paper towel Remove as much paint from the bristles as possible by folding a clean cloth or paper towel around the ferrule of the brush (the bit just below the bristles) and wipe upwards – always moving the cloth from the ferrule to the end of the bristles. You don’t want paint down the ferrule as this will ruin the brush. Continue until very little paint is left showing on your cloth. 02. Ditch the white spirit For some the go-to cleaning solution for oil paint is white spirit, but there are much better and safer alternatives, both for the user and the environment. The next best alternatives to white spirits are ‘clean' spirits like Bartoline Clean Spirit. Use this just as you would traditional white spirit, but please don't pour it down the drain afterwards. Take it to your local recycling centre, or even better, recycle it yourself. Decant the dirty 'wash' spirit into an empty clean spirit container and over time the pigment sinks to the bottom leaving reusable clean spirit above. The best solution for cleaning oil paint off brushes is pure oil itself, but it does take a bit more work. Linseed oil dries quicker than other oils so a better alternative is walnut oil or safflower oil. 03. Place brush in pot Brush washers are great if you're going to be cleaning paintbrushes often Next you’ll need to use your spirit or oil. Here, I’ve got my large metal brush-washer filled with Bartoline Clean Spirit (you can also use a smaller version). These brush washers make light-work of brush-cleaning and are a great investment. Holding your brush almost vertically, gently run the bristles back and forth across the perforated metal insert submerged in your spirit or oil. This knocks off pigment from the bristles without swilling up the sediment at the bottom of the pot. The sediment can be periodically dredged and disposed of responsibly. If you’re using oil instead of clean spirit you may need to repeat this step, wiping as described in step #1 with a clean cloth each time. 04. Use a brush preserver A brush preserver, as the name suggests, will make your brushes last longer For a final clean I like to use The Master’s’ Brush Cleaner and Preserver. Using a little water work up a lather with your brush in the centre of the soap. As you can see, my pot is industrial-sized and very well-worn, but the soap is also available in handy 2.4oz pots. Then work the lather through the bristles with your thumb and forefingers, always working from the ferrule out towards the ends of the bristles. Continue until no pigment can be seen in the lather. Note that some pigments will stain bristles. 05. Prepare to store A pencil pot or cutlery holder can double up as a brush holder Finally, you can rinse in clean water, reshape with your fingers and allow to dry in a holder or pot. If you’re storing for a little while you can add a final dose of clean soap lather and reshape with your fingers. Leave your brush suspended to dry. Once dry, the soap will hold the shape of the bristles hard until the brush is needed again. How to clean acrylic paintbrushes Acrylic paint can be used thick like oils or it can be diluted with water for watercolour-like effects. For the former, use the following process, for diluted acrylics, see the method for watercolour paintbrushes below. Cleaning undiluted acrylic paint from brushes is similar to oil paint (see above) but instead of using spirit or oils, you just use water. 01. Use a cloth to wipe clean An initial clean with a cloth will make the next steps easier First clean off as much paint as you can using a clean cloth or paper towel. Wrap the cloth around the ferrule of the brush and, squeezing the cloth with your thumb and forefinger, work up towards the end of the bristles. Repeat as many times as necessary. 02. Clean paintbrushes in water Water is all that's needed to clean acrylics from brushes Using water in a jar or brush-washer, clean as much paint as you can from your bristles. Use a clean cloth to make sure you’ve cleaned out the paint. Repeat if necessary. 03. Final clean and store Work your preserver into a lather to protect your brushes For a thorough clean, use The Masters’ Brush Cleaner & Preserver as instructed in the Oil Paint section above (step #4). How to clean watercolour paintbrushes Watercolour brushes are more delicate than brushes designed for acrylic and oils and should be treated accordingly. 01. Clean with water as you go As a lot of watercolour paint is used in highly diluted ‘washes’, it should take less work to remove the pigment from the bristles. Instead of cleaning with a cloth, keep a vessel of water close to hand at all times, swilling the brushes between washes. I like to use a brush washer with a holder so I can suspend the bristles in water when not in use. 02. Dry with a cloth and store Dry with a cloth or paper towel, as with acrylics, and air-dry in a pot or holder. You can use a pot such as this to clean as you go and then dry your paintbrushes 03. Reshape the bristles As with oils and acrylics, use The Masters’ Cleaner & Preserver and reshape the bristles as described in the previous sections. Dirty ‘wash’ water should be collected and disposed off responsibly. It is also possible to allow dirty wash water from watercolour and acrylic paint to settle naturally in larger containers as you can with oil paint in clean spirit. The golden rule is: never chuck it down the sink! How to clean other paintbrushes When it comes to using other paints for murals or other projects, all paints will fall into two basic categories: water-based and oil-based. The only exceptions are some specialised paints that are thinned using mentholated spirits, but these tend to be more for trade use. Always read the side of the tin and follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. It’s best to clean brushes ASAP, but if you get caught short, a clean plastic bag can make a temporary brush-saver – just put your brushes in the bag until you can clean them properly. Soak rollers used with water-based paints in a sink and wring with your hands to loosen off most of the paint or you’ll be there forever. Read more: Isometric drawing: a designer's guide How to find your art style How to draw an arm View the full article

In addition, Google’s latest Chrome version implements 43 new security fixes. View the full article

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 tutorials: 28 ways to upgrade your 3D skills 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. Related articles: How to model a complex 3D city scene in Blender Become a better 3D artist How to land your dream job in 3D View the full article

Anyone can listen to the camera's audio over the internet. View the full article

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: View the full article

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 … View the full article

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. Read more: The most Instagrammable places in the world Photoshop colour change: 2 tools you need to know The best budget camera phones in 2019 View the full article

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. Related articles: Twitter goes no-logo How to change the font in your Twitter bio Crediting artists on Twitter destroys the medium, says Elon Musk View the full article

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. Related articles: 5 ads that tried to be cool, but failed 5 ad campaigns that changed the world Cancer Research UK ads slammed for fat shaming View the full article

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. Read more: 11 steps to perfect solo UX design Top upcoming web conferences in 2019 50 new tools for developers in 2019 View the full article

Hackers with physical access to small aircraft can easily hack the plane's CAN bus system and take control of key navigation systems. View the full article

Remote exploitation can be achieved with no user interaction. View the full article

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) View the full article

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. Related articles: 18 controversial moments in logo design and branding 5 logo design terms you should know 8 Insta feeds to follow for logo design inspiration View the full article

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. View the full article

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. Related articles: Are trends any good for branding? The 12 best London Underground posters New Spider-Man poster is a Photoshop nightmare View the full article