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There’s no sugar-coating it: illness sucks, and can dramatically affect your ability to create art. But it doesn’t always make it impossible. In this piece, we look at how various artists have overcome both physical and mental ill health in order to create art, as well as acknowledging that sometimes, you have to stop creating for a while. We also asked our artists for their best tips on how to deal with being unwell, which are below (skip to the tips here). If you're after more art-creation specific advice, then don't miss our piece on the best how to draw tutorials, or our roundup of the best Photoshop tutorials. Dealing with chronic illness “Life isn’t perfect, and I’m frustrated by my limitations, but over time I’m making peace with it,” says Devin Kurtz Devin Kurtz, aka TamberElla, works as an illustrator and background painter at animation production studio Rough Draft in California, despite having suffered from a chronic illness called CVS (cyclic vomiting syndrome) since she was six. “Luckily, I’ve improved a lot over the past five years,” she says. “I hit a low point around 17, and have since prioritised sleep, healthy food and listening to my body. I have good medication, a good specialist and know when I need to get to hospital, so some of the fear element is gone.” Making art remains tough, though. “My condition tends to express itself when I’m under a lot of stress, so all-nighters and pushing myself beyond my limits are out of bounds. To get any personal work done outside of my job, I have to really prioritise the time I feel ‘well’, and use it in a productive way.” It also influences the kind of art she produces. “I think it’s helped me avoid some of the traps people fall into: of feeling they should be creating a certain type of art, rather than what they want to do,” she says. “I make art that makes me happy, full stop.” And her advice to others suffering illness is simple: “Remember that your value as an artist is in no way connected to your productivity. We’re surrounded by influences telling us to ‘put in 110 per cent’, push our limits and encouraging other damaging habits. But remember, you’re taking care of your body not just for the ‘you’ of today, but for the ‘you’ of the future. So take care of yourself first and foremost, and ignore voices telling you you’re being ‘lazy’. You’re being, in fact, incredibly brave.” Experiencing a sudden illness “My employers have all been incredibly understanding with my illness, so I’ve had no complaints there,” says Carmen Sinek Illness came relatively out of the blue for Arizona-based concept artist and illustrator Carmen Sinek. By 2014, she’d carved out a successful career and was working on Magic: The Gathering. But then she suddenly started having seizures caused by a genetic disorder. “It was very jarring,” she recalls. “I couldn’t drive or be at home alone, putting strain on my family. I struggled to recall words. Eventually, it got more difficult to hold multiple concepts together in my head, the way I need to when I’m drawing. My thoughts would sometimes fall apart and disappear while working, and mid-conversation, leaving me suddenly confused.” Sinek increasingly struggled to produce acceptable work and still meet deadlines. “It was thanks to some patient art directors that I hung on as long as I did, but eventually I had to make the call,” she says. And although she considers her career on “pause” rather than “halt”, it’s been tough to get back to creating art. “I can’t imagine a life without making art, but it’s hard to stomach the amount of time it takes to complete a painting now,” she says. “It’s only been a few months since I finally put my nose back to the grindstone, but I’m optimistic I’ll eventually be able to make art that I enjoy and am proud of again.” Like Kurtz, she’s accentuating the positive. “I’d like to eventually return to working in some capacity, but my current goal is to focus on having fun,” she says. “It’s easy to lose passion and wonder for something when you turn it into a career, so this is an opportunity for me to rediscover that.” Being inspired by illness “Self-care, both physical and mental, is one of the best ways to promote mental health,” says Toby Allen For some artists, illness itself can be the inspiration for creating art. Take Toby Allen, a British illustrator at Bear Hug Entertainment, who suffers from anxiety. “It’s manageable on a daily basis,” he says, “but when it heightens it can lead to art block or physical symptoms such as shaky hands, which can make drawing a challenge.” To help himself, and ultimately others, he decided to draw different mental illnesses as fantasy monsters. “The idea originated from a conversation with a friend who wondered what anxiety and bipolar would look like as creatures,” he recalls. “I ran with it and the response was very positive. That gave me the push to create monsters based on other mental illnesses, particularly ones people asked me to represent.” “People from around the world have said my artwork described how they felt when their words couldn’t,” says Shawn Coss Shawn Coss, an Ohio-based artist known for his work on web comic Cyanide and Happiness, took a similar approach. Based on his own experiences with anxiety and depression, as well as his work as an emergency nurse at a mental health hospital, he launched his collection of dark art depictions of mental illnesses, It’s All In Your Head, in 2018, and has just successfully Kickstarted Volume 2. Again, it’s helped both him and others. “I’ve been reached out to by mental health professionals who wanted to use the books in their therapy,” Shawn explains. “Over 100 practices now use my book in their sessions.” His advice to any artist suffering mental health issues is to talk. “Don’t shy away from it, or try to bury it,” he stresses. “Embrace it, understand it, and if it’s too much at times, remember you aren’t weak for seeking help. You’re stronger for reaching out.” Indeed, talking can help with all forms of illness. “Sharing my experiences via social media has been one of the most helpful things I’ve been able to do,” says Carmen. “The support and encouragement I’ve received from the art community has gotten me through a lot of bad days, and made the good ones even better. My fear of being alienated from people I’ve come to know as friends and colleagues has been eased by the amazing people who’ve reached out to me, to make sure I know I’ll always be welcome as a part of the community. Tips for dealing with poor health “I’ve received a lot of fan art and alterations of my ‘monsters’ that fit their own personal experiences,” says Allen 01. Prioritise self-care Put your health above all else, even if that means stepping away from your art. “All humans need to actively engage in self-care, but for those of us with an illness, that need presents itself glaringly and the cost of ignoring it is often devastating,” says Kurtz. 02. Build in breaks If you’re suffering from poor mental health, it’s vital to build some space into your schedule, says Allen. “Taking breaks where possible and allowing yourself time to decompress and not think about art can be beneficial,” he says. “An artistic career, especially freelance, can be a lonely thing, so gathering a support network of friends and fellow artists can counter this.” 03. Seek support “It’s easy to get discouraged in the face of illness and that’s where the support of family and friends really shines,” says Sinek. Social media can be a positive force here, too, especially within the online artist community, which many have found to be very nurturing and supportive. 04. Be realistic “Don’t give up until you’re ready to give up,” says Sinek. “An illness can’t be countered by sheer grit alone. So be kind to yourself if you can’t just fight your way out of it. Do what you need to do, to know that you gave it your best shot. And then forgive yourself if you can’t do more.” 05. See the broader picture If you do have to abandon your art, either temporarily or permanently, don’t see it as the end of your world, but a new beginning. “You’re more than your art,” says Sinek. “It just take you a little while to figure out what else you’ve got in there.” This article originally appeared in issue 186 or ImagineFX, the world's leading magazine for digital artists. Buy issue 186 or subscribe here. View the full article

At first glance, there's nothing particularly unusual about the letter 'g' – you've read it millions of times, and would have no problem writing it from memory, right? There are two standard ways of writing a lowercase 'g', and as a recent study has revealed, hardly anyone is able to spot one version in a lineup, let alone write it down. Most of us are probably used to writing the open tail version (below), but there's also a looped tail version that's more often found in print and digital text. And that's the one that Jon Hopkins University has discovered (in its ingeniously titled study, The Devil is in the g-tails) that only one in 38 people can draw. The other 37 would do well to check out our typography tutorials. The two gs The participants didn't fare much better when it came to identifying the correct 'g' in the lineup below – only seven got it right. It's hardly surprising though, considering just two of the 38 listed it as a letter with multiple lowercase versions at the start of the test. Poor, misunderstood, lowercase 'g'. It's always fun to see people try to draw something from memory (such as these logo memory challenge attempts), so here are some of the incorrect 'g's from the study for your viewing pleasure (below). That said, there's a decent excuse for the inaccuracy. "We learn the shapes of most letters in part because we have to write them in school," cognitive scientist Michael McCloskey explains in the study. "Looptail 'g' is something we're never taught to write, so we may not learn its shape as well." We're not here to judƃe So, as well as offering a fun and fascinating insight into our handwriting habits, the study contributes to our understanding of how letter shapes are learned, and the importance of writing as well as reading. Just because we see something every day, it doesn't mean we're paying super-close attention – as these hilarious car logos drawn from memory will attest. And if you fancy studying various 'g's in more detail, we've got plenty of free fonts for you. Related articles: Kellogg's redesigns Fruit Loops mascot Toucan Sam – and people are NOT happy Sun-Maid tries raisin' its profile with subtle logo tweak This logo contains a delightful hidden surprise View the full article

If you’re looking for ways to make your imagery stand out in the crowd, look no further. Photo editor Luminar 4's revolutionary tools and AI technologies offer unlimited creative options, allowing you to take your photography to new heights. For a start, Luminar 4 removes the often painstaking process of selections and masking, with the software able to automatically identify, mask and blend objects in an image. Then there’s Luminar 4’s amazing AI Sky Replacement and Portrait Enhancer tools, both of which offer the ability to add and create incredible effects with ease. If that wasn’t enough, Luminar 4.2 adds another impressive feature: AI Augmented Sky feature, a tool that can add all manner of objects to an already existing image. From mountains and birds, to clouds and planets, the AI Augmented Sky feature’s tools and capabilities will soon have you hooked. Let’s take a closer look at AI Augmented Sky’s toolset and how it works in practise. AI Augmented Sky controls Click image to enlarge 01. Object selection Here you can pick from a variety of objects for your augmented sky. Want to add a bird or mountain to your backdrop? Simply choose from the drop-down menu and voila! 02. Place Object Once you’ve chosen an object, click here to select and reveal display handles for moving, resizing and rotating as required. 03. Sky effects These controls will help your chosen objects fit your original scene as naturally and effectively as possible. Use Amount to control the transparency of an object, Warmth for the colour balance and Relight to match the object’s lighting to that of the main image. 04. Mask Refinement Luminar 4 does a remarkable job at selecting and fitting images together seamlessly, however the mask refinement tool is available should complex outline masks need any further fine adjustments. 05. Defocus If you’re shooting a close-up that requires the background to be out of focus, the Defocus slider can help ensure the object of interest is super-sharp. 06. Edit Mask Luminar 4 does an amazing job at joining the sky to even the most complex horizon, but if you’ve got some poorly defined detail, this button will allow you to manually mask and tweak the affected areas. 4 simple steps to add objects to a sky Now that you’re accustomed to AI Augmented Sky’s toolset, let’s give them a go. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to add lightning to this nightscape. 01. Open the AI Augmented Sky tool panel Luminar 4 consists of four key workspaces, each of which is displayed via an icon on the right-hand side of the screen. Click the Creative workspace to access the AI Augmented Sky tool. 02. Add lightning Yes, it’s that simple. Choose lightning from Luminar 4’s long drop down list of objects and the AI Augmented Sky tool will add it seamlessly. Luminar 4 also enables you to add your own custom objects – simply choose the ‘Load Custom Image’ option and you’re good to go. 03. Reposition Click image to enlarge If you’re not happy with Luminar 4’s automatic placement of the lightning, you choose a more suitable position using the Place Object button. This allows you to not only reposition as you see fit, but resize, rotate and even adjust brightness and warmth for a more authentic fit. 04. Finishing touches Teaming up Luminar 4 tool’s can create truly show-stopping results. The combined power and feature set of its AI Augmented Sky tool and Smart Contrast can work wonders for adding those extra finishing touches. The Smart Contrast slider can enhance your new sky by preserving details and tones while still giving the final image that ‘edge’. To access this tool you’ll need to head to the Light panel in Luminar 4’s Essentials workspace. How to get a copy of Skylum Luminar 4 Want to give Luminar 4 a try? You can now download a free seven-day trial, for both macOS and Windows, from the Skylum website. And if you decide to go ahead and buy Luminar 4, you can use the exclusive discount code CB to save £10/$10 on the full purchase price. View the full article

2020 has been a strange one, to say the least. But that hasn't stopped Apple releasing all manner of new products, including a new iPad Pro. But right now, the Pro isn't the only iPad on Apple fans' minds. Until recently, iPad Mini fans would be forgiven for thinking that Apple had forgotten about them. The iPad Mini 4 languished without an update for years until 2019 saw the unexpected arrival of a new model – albeit with just a few internal tweaks. But if new leaks are to be believed, the tiny tablet could soon be in line for a much bigger upgrade. According to MacRumours, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed in a note to investors that Apple is currently working on two new iPads: a 10.8-inch model, and an 8.5 to 9-inch model. And while this is the only information currently available, it suggests big change could be afoot for the iPad Mini in particular, and it could be great news for tablet-toting creatives (check out our best drawing apps for iPad if that's you). Apple sale: 13-inch MacBook Pro gets whopping $300 price cut While there may have been five iterations of the iPad Mini so far, the screen size has stayed put at 7.9 inches throughout. But talk of a 8.5 to 9-inch model could suggests a brand new display size for the iPad Mini – the biggest change since the device first appeared in 2012. For digital artists who prefer the portability of the Mini, an extra inch-or-so of screen size could make a huge difference. The iPad Mini received a modest update last year So how will Apple achieve the larger display? We'd say there are two obvious options – either the iPad itself gets bigger (which would seem counterproductive for a 'mini' device), or the bezels around the display are reduced. If that happens, perhaps we'll even see an iPad Mini with a similar edge-to-edge display to the iPad Pro. Now we're talking. The prospect of an iPad Mini Pro (or is that iPad Pro Mini?) could be truly exciting for creatives – if we saw features such as Apple Pencil 2 support and the smooth ProMotion refresh rate inside much more portable package, it could end up being a dream device for digital artists on the go. We love the portability of the current Mini (read our iPad Mini review) but find the display a little small for drawing. A Pro-like design could provide the best of both worlds. And now for the bad news: according to Kuo, this potentially perfect device won't be with us until the first half of 2021. But don't worry, you've still got plenty of iPad options until then. With its Magic Keyboard and trackpad support, the 2020 iPad Pro is practically a MacBook replacement. And if convenience is key, the iPad Mini 5 is still a hugely powerful and portable machine. Check out today's best iPad deals below, or browse the full iPad range at Apple. Related articles: Folding iPhone concept is jaw-droppingly good Is this skateboard with Apple's Mac Pro wheels as ridiculous as it sounds? The 14 best iPad apps for designers View the full article

Memorial Day 2020 is just hours away, but we're already seeing some incredible Memorial Day deals roll in. So if you've been wanting to get some quality creative kit for less, now's the time to buy. Here we've compiled the very best MemorialDay deals on the best hardware, including laptops, tablets and monitors, all available now. If you want to browse around the shops, use the quick links below to head to your favourite retailers. Otherwise, scroll down for our pick of the best pre Memorial Day sales, which we will update as and when new offers arrive. This will be the last big US sale event until Amazon Prime Day 2020, so be sure to make the most of the deals while they last! Memorial Day 2020: the best deals at a glance Lenovo – Massive savings on laptops: up to $800 savings! Dell – up to $250 off its brilliant XPS range of laptops Best Buy – save up to $250 on TVs, laptops, appliances and more HP – weekly deals on laptops, desktops, monitors and more B&H Photo – deals on laptops for creatives, with up to $300 off Tomtops – up to 52% off a huge range of accessories Huion – great entry level graphic tablets for all abilities Adorama – laptops, monitors and more with up to $300 savings Memorial Day 2020: The best deals around When is Memorial Day 2020? As well as being the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day has been an American federal holiday that falls on the last Monday in May since the 19th century. It is a day that honours everyone who died while serving in the US military. This year Memorial Day is on Monday 25 May. When do the Memorial Day 2020 sales start? Many Memorial Day sales begin a whole week before the bank holiday, some won't begin in earnest until the weekend before. However, if you bookmark this page, we will be updating all the sales that we find from now until the end of the sales, usually at midnight on Memorial Day. It is the biggest sales event until Amazon Prime, so it's the perfect time to snap up a great saving if you don't want to wait until later this year. Related articles: Apple sale: 13-inch MacBook Pro gets a HUGE $400 price cut Shocking new iPhone 12 leaks suggest big design changes Create stunning designs with the big design graphic bundle View the full article

On the hunt for some Apple kit? You're in the right place. With Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pro 2020 released earlier this month, we're now seeing some great deals on last year's version of the awesome laptop. The best deal right now is from B&H Photo, where it has the 256GB 13-inch MacBook Pro reduced to $1,199 – an impressive $300 off. A slightly lower priced deal is on 2019's 128GB model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro on sale for $1,149. That's an impressive $150 saving, and currently the lowest price around. The MacBook Pro is one of the most powerful laptops, something that makes it a favourite for creatives. It's 13.3-inch Retina display allows you to see and show off design work in all its glory, and the 8th Gen Intel Core processor can handle even the most complex of creative tasks. Over at B&H Photo there are also some great discounts on iPads. The best deal sees a late 2018 11-inch iPad Pro on sale for just $799 (a $150 saving). These deals are only on until stocks lasts, so don't delay. Also, if you love a good deal, be sure to bookmark our Amazon Prime Day 2020 hub, where we hope to see even more great Apple offers. Browse MacBooks and iPads at Apple.com MacBook deals: iPad deal: Outside the US? Here are the best offers on these and similar devices in your area: View the full article

The fast-moving botnet has added an exploit for an unpatched bug in an unsupported version of the security gateway. View the full article

If you're looking for the best Apple Pencil alternatives, you're in the right place. Perhaps the price of the Apple Pencil is off-putting, or you simply don't want to get another Apple product? Well, whatever your reason, there are plenty of well-designed, technically amazing digital styluses out there at a range of prices. Often, it feels like there are almost too many, and trawling through the internet for different reviews and retailers' sites can be time-consuming and frustrating. Well, we've made it easy for you by doing the legwork and picking the very best Apple Pencil alternatives available. Whether you want the best technical alternative, the best bargain, or the best designed, we've got it all in this buyer's guide. Of course, just because you're looking for an alternative to the Apple Pencil doesn't mean that you won't be interested in any deals that come up on those styluses. We've also got all the best cheap apple pencil deals, and there's bound to be extra deals of all sorts coming up for Amazon Prime Day, so be sure to bookmark that page. But for now, here are the best Apple Pencil alternatives right now. The best Apple Pencil alternatives This is our top Apple Pencil alternative pick. If there's a quality stylus out there that can compete with Apple Pencil's precision and durable build, it's Wacom's Bamboo Sketch. It's beautifully weighted, comfortable to hold for prolonged periods of time, and in its jet black exudes class. But really, it's the pressure sensitivity that makes it stand out. It excels in drawing and sketching, and will capture quick, gestural strokes beautifully. With the two bluetooth-enabled shortcut buttons handily fitted on its side, there are loads of possibilities to customise how you use the pen as well. And, this not being an Apple Pencil, deals are far more likely to come up. This stylus is the only Apple-approved pen in the list, and an affordable option to boot. The grey and orange design suggests a durable, solid stylus, and that's exactly what it is – it'll last up to seven hours of continuous use, and its quick recharge means you'll have 30 minutes of use from just two minutes charge. Of course, as it's Apple-affiliated, it works like a dream on iPads and with all Apple apps. It's especially good for digital artists who dart around the digital page a lot as its palm-rejection tech will ensure no mark mistakes. Combine that with the tilt support that will allow you to use different shading in your work, and you've got a top Apple Pencil alternative. The Adonit Jot Pro 3 is a beautifully designed stylus for a great price. At the cheaper end of the range, Adonit has still put a lot of time into the finer details of the pen – there's a inbuilt clip so you can carry it around safely, a magnetic lid to protect the disk nib, and the quality aluminium build feels good in the hand. This might not be for the artists though, as it's not pressure sensitive. But it will work on any touch screen device, and as it's a passive stylus there's no batteries or charging required. It comes in four colours: silver, black, pink rose and blue, but whatever colour you opt for, it'll look and feel great to use. Another top quality passive pen that doesn't need batteries or bluetooth to work, the Hahakee iPad Stylus actually works for pretty much all tablets, even though it's advertised as iPad-specific. For the $30/£30 asking price, you'll get the stylus and three replaceable thin tips, and with its simple on/off button located on the pen, you'll be good to go straight out the box. Perfect for note taking, and sketching, this stylus also has an inbuilt clip to easily carry it around and will last you 40 hours of drawing time. While Wacom's Fineline stylus is well suited for detailed writing, with its fine tip, responsive pressure sensitivity, and ergonomic design, it's also one for the creatives too. The stylus connects wirelessly via Bluetooth and has a 1.9mm nib that offers 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity in compatible apps. For context, the Fineline's bigger brother, the Bamboo Sketch, has 2,048, but is also considerably more expensive. Like the Sketch, the Fineline is also compatible with palm-rejection apps. The stylus responds quickly and smoothly, and is extremely comfortable in hand. For those that like a little weight to their stylus, this might be right for you as it comes in at 20g. On its clean, sleek shaft there's a single button to switch on and off, and with Wacom’s free Bamboo Paper app, you can customise the button to do different tasks. Read more: The best Memorial Day 2020 deals 5 ways a stylus will boost your productivity The best tablets with a stylus for drawing and note-taking in 2020 View the full article

Spot the difference. The original logo (left), next to the new one (right) Sun-Maid, the raisin brand, has had a refresh. It's a brand tinged with nostalgia for many an adult who remembers it as a key lunchbox staple of their youth. So it's no wonder that this rebrand aimed to build on the well-known packaging and logo, tweaking it to modernise rather than completely overhauling the design. The logo, in fact, has hardly changed at all (perhaps unsurprising given it's arguably as recognisable as some of the best logos of all time). But the packaging redesign is more noticeable, with the well-known but dated graphics streamlined and simplified to appeal to a millennial audience. Click on the icon at the top-right to enlarge the images. What has design agency quench changed with the new logo? Well, Sun-Maid's mascot (who is called Lorraine, FYI) has been given a bit more 'space and depth' on the packages, with more prominence given to the sun rays surrounding the illustration. The way the sun now pushes out makes the image 'pop' (according to the press release). Plus, the rays have been switched from white to yellow, which simplifies the image and draws the eye in better than before. The wordmark has been made a little bigger on the above flat image, but there are more changes on the packaging (below). The previous red box design (left) next to the refreshed version (right) A hint of a drop shadow has been applied to the formerly flat wordmark when viewed on the packaging, to bring it in line with the rest of the lettering. This is an unusual shift in the era of totally flat design, and perhaps an unnecessary one when the rest of the graphics are so clean. When looking at the raisin boxes side-by-side, there's also more depth of colour, with the grapes and sun appearing more vibrant than before, and a supercharged, but still signature, red. The brand's credentials are also now front and centre with new tag lines 'timeless & trusted' and 'since 1912': a statement of heritage amidst modernisation. The old mango packaging (left), next to the new (right) The packaging design has generally been simplified, with elements that were previously muddled together now spaced out. The angled banners, which were slightly confusing for the eye before, are gone, with modern, flat typeface labelling the product next to an updated image. Talking of typeface, we have to note the inclusion of a new, rounded typeface that feels a little off when paired with the Sun-Maid wordmark type and logo (perhaps Sun-Maid should check out these examples of perfect font pairings). The shadowed sun ray pattern across the packet is also no more, leaving a flat red background in its place. See below for the entire range to compare with the best packaging design out there. The entire new range of Sun-Maid products Updating a brand steeped in heritage can provoke different redesign responses, as the Reebok rebrand last year, and the public's response to a logo refresh can be brutal as the LA Rams found out in March... and again this week. So though Sun-Maid's approach has been cautious, we think it is a winner that keeps well-known elements, whilst removing the clutter. Read more: 6 magnificently minimal logos Enter the Brand Impact Awards 2020 The 6 best branding books in 2020 View the full article

Look, we're all making questionable decisions at the moment (most often in our case involving repeat visits to the fridge) – there's just a lot going through everybody's minds right now. At least, that seems to be the only possible explanation for Kellogg's Froot Loops' decision to redesign its beloved mascot, Toucan Sam, into something entirely unrecognisable and, quite frankly, terrifying. The breakfast cereal brand took to Instagram this week (below) to reveal Toucan Sam's new look, and the reception was less than warm. The thousands of comments are all along the general lines of, "NOPE," "NO," "PLEASE," and "STOP". We have a feeling Kellogg's didn't read our guide to character design before going into this. So what exactly has Kellogg's done to its poor, innocent Froot Loops mascot? For a start it has removed an entire dimension. Gone is the 3D design, replaced by a rudimentary 2D cartoon. For some reason, he now has an abnormally large eye. There's also a headache-inducing, psychedelic beak, along with a mouth that simply doesn't fit. The whole nightmare makes us feel a mixture of scared and trippy (and the huge eye suggests Sam's feeling it too). To add insult to injury, we'd say the old Toucan Sam is... fine? He certainly looks more friendly than frightening (which we'd say is important for a children's breakfast cereal mascot). And perhaps the greatest design crime here is that the new Sam is completely unrecognisable. Old Sam has appeared in countless TV adverts and could easily be spotted on a busy supermarket shelf. One positive outcome is that some illustrators have taken it upon themselves to provide their own takes on Toucan Sam (below), which manage to maintain the original, recognisable design while adopting the flatter style it seems Froot Loops' designers were going for. With such a fierce backlash, perhaps we'll see Kellogg's backtrack on the new design (who can forget the infamous movie version of Sonic the Hedgehog and its subsequent redesign?). If it doesn't, only time will tell whether the new Toucan Sam affects Fruit Loops sales – he might look scary, but we'd hate him to see him become a cereal killer. Read more: Spot the dull superheroes in these optical illusion posters Modern tech gets a retro makeover in spoof ads Facebook dark mode for desktop is (properly) here View the full article

The Brand Impact Awards celebrates the very best in branding produced around the world, with the seventh annual show taking place in Fabric, London this September. There's still time to enter, but only if you're quick! Entries close on 29 May at 6pm BST. Presented by Creative Bloq, this year the Brand Impact Awards has a new look yet again, combining acid yellow and pale and dark grey backgrounds for a striking backdrop to frame all the world-class branding that will feature this year. And if this year's entries are anything like last year's – which included Best in Show winner Superunion's BBC 2 branding – there will be a range of industry-leading branding projects spread over the BIA's 24 categories. Submit your best branding now If you missed last year’s celebrations, here’s a brief look at the awards (and drinks) that were dished out. Who should enter the Brand Impact Awards? Entries are welcome from design studios, consultancies, branding agencies, ad agencies, in-house design teams and brand owners, and work can be branding programmes and branded campaigns commissioned nationally or internationally. The list of previous category winners is a who’s who of creative talent, and in previous years best-of-show winners have included Superunion, Johnson Banks and Rose. It doesn’t matter if the work comes from a massive agency or a small studio, just as long as it catches the eyes of the judges. How are the BIAs judged? Entries are judged on their originality, how well they serve their original brief and consistency – specifically consistent quality of idea and execution across two or more brand touchpoints. They are also judged in context of their market sector – product design is not lumped in with sports, just as self-branding is judged exclusively from fashion. And lastly, campaigns that extend or enhance existing brands are accepted, unlike with many other award schemes. To find out more about this year’s Brand Impact Awards and the awards ceremony, plus all the categories, how to enter, and to see last year’s winners, head over to the Brand Impact Awards 2020 website. Read more: Folding iPhone concept is jaw-droppingly good This logo contains a delightful hidden surprise Is this skateboard with Apple's Mac Pro wheels as ridiculous as it sounds? View the full article

With every new generation of gaming, we find ourselves thinking, "Nope, this is it, graphics can't possibly get any better than this." And then, a few years later, along come new consoles with new graphics that somehow look even more real than before. Which, if the new demo of Epic Games' Unreal 5 Engine is anything to go by, is exactly what's about to happen. Again. The demo (below), running on as-yet un-announced Playstation 5 hardware, dropped yesterday, and offers our first glimpse of what the machine will be capable of. Spoiler alert: it looks pretty incredible. From the photo-realistic cliffs to the sweeping, cinematic lighting, it makes the PS4's graphics look positively prehistoric. If you're inspired to create your own 3D worlds, check out our best 3D modelling software. Like us, most YouTubers have been blown away by the visuals. "I‘m literally speechless," one user comments, "This looks so real it could be a movie". We couldn't agree more. Rather than an upcoming game, the demo (catchily titled Lumen in the Land of Nanite) was created specifically to show off Epic's new engine, which will eventually become publicly available for developers to use to create incredible 3D worlds. But if there's one takeaway word from the demo, rather than 'incredible', it appears to be 'triangles'. According to Epic, the new engine allows developers to render 3D objects with literally billions of said triangles, and create "as much geometric detail as the eye can see". Epic calls these triangles Nanites, while its new, reactive lighting system is called Lumen. (So that's why the demo is called Lumen in the Land of Nanite). Nanites will mean that 3D artists can import "film-quality source art" directly into the engine, without worrying about restrictions such as polygon count budgets. And Lumen technology means lighting inside the Unreal Editor looks the same as it will on the console, "erasing the need to wait for lightmap bakes to finish and to author light map UVs", offering a massive time saving. All in all, the new engine represents a quantum leap for 3D artists and game developers as well as gamers. And the good news doesn't end there – not only is Epic working on forward compatibility (so work created on UE4 can jump to UE5 when it's available), but it's also waiving royalties on the first $1 million of in game revenue for developers. The only bad news is that the Unreal 5 engine won't be with developers until late 2021. Until then, we'll be watching Lumen in the Land of Nanite on repeat – because as far as we're concerned, this is it, graphics can't possibly get any better than this. Related articles New PlayStation ad has a gruesome surprise Designer unmasks the secret of the new PS5 logo The PS5 logo we all wanted is here View the full article

Hand exercises often get overlooked. We're all used to the idea that other parts of our body need regular movement to keep them nice and healthy, but we often forget our wrists, hands and fingers when designing exercise routines. But hands that spend all day doing repetitive movements such as typing or drawing can benefit from just a few hand exercises, which only take a few minutes. Just make sure that you wash your hands before and afterwards. For other exercises for those sitting all day, see our desk exercises, and avoid back problems by making sure you've got the best office chair you can afford. To help keep your paws in tip-top shape, comic artist Kaitlin Bruder has put together the infographic below, detailing a number of hand and wrist stretches that she does regularly, especially when she's drawing or has been on her phone of computer for a while. Click the infographic to enlarge it Kaitlin recommends these exercises for before and after heavy or repetitive hand, wrist or arm activity; "As a baseline i usually do ‘em when I wake up and before I sleep and then as needed through the day," she explains. If you find these exercises useful and need a more permanent reminder of them, Kaitlin has put them on Redbubble for you to buy them as a poster or a T-shirt, so there's no excuse for having ruined hands. If this has inspired you to put together your own data visualisation, take a look at our roundup of the best infographic makers around. Related articles: The best desks available now The best mindfulness apps How to make a face mask View the full article

An avalanche of iPhone 12 leaks has got everyone talking this week, and the specs for the new models are pretty exciting, to say the least. But one noticeable omission from Apple's proposed plans is the intention to follow in the footsteps of its rivals and release a foldable phone. YouTube account iOS beta news wondered what that might look like, and created a sleek concept video to give us an idea of a foldable iPhone 12 design. Enter, the iPhone Flip. The concept applies the leaked iPhone 12 design specs (including that super-charged new camera that will definitely make this phone one of the best camera phones) to the real-life Samsung Galaxy Z flip or the rebooted Motorola Razr. Check out the video below. iOS beta news' video shows the handset closing into a tidy little square, with the hinge sitting on the horizontal, just like the Samsung Galaxy Z. But unlike the Z, there is no crease present on the screen. We're not quite sure how that would work, to be honest, but we're happy to glide over it in much the same way the video glides over showing us the screen in a half-folded state. A new camera is on the back of the handset, with a pin-hole mounted lens rather than the usual notch, and below it (or on the front when the phone is folded) is a secondary screen – for notifications, the time and so forth. This means you wouldn't have to flip open your iPhone to find out if you had a new message, for example. The concept iPhone Flip (left) next to the Samsung Galaxy Z (right) Samsung, Motorola and Nokia are a few of the brands that have already brought the flip phone out of the vault. In fact, YouTube user SkullCandy091 points out that Apple is often somewhat late to the party with certain new features, and "it'll take three years before they catch up and make a folding phone. The same thing happened with Face ID and swipe keyboard." But are foldable smartphones here to stay? Some commenters on the video seem to think they're a novelty that don't stand up to current user needs, which may be why Apple hasn't leapt at the idea. It is true that they aren't all that convenient – now that we perform most of our daily tasks on our phones, do we really want to be opening and closing them all the time? And, although the best flip phones certainly have their uses, and do have good capability – especially as a second phone – they come with some inherent design flaws (namely, fragile hinges) that mean the handsets can't yet house all the high-tech features users want from their phones nowadays. Perhaps Apple is waiting for the technology to create something as truly special as this concept model, or maybe it predicts the new rise of the flip phone will swiftly, well, flip away. Read more: Is this skateboard with Apple's Mac Pro wheels as ridiculous as it sounds? The best Apple Watch apps in 2020 The 14 best iPad apps for designers View the full article

When it comes to Apple's recently released Mac Pro wheels, it's fair to say we've made our feelings known – specifically about the price. At $100 each, or $699 for four (which makes perfect sense, right?), they add an eye-watering extra cost to an already eye-wateringly expensive machine. Well, don't dry your eyes just yet – someone has managed to find perhaps the most ridiculous use yet for the wheels, and it doesn't even involve the Mac Pro. (By the way, none of our current best computers for graphic design require wheels. Just saying). Say hello to the world's most expensive skateboard wheels. That's right, Braille Skateboarding has shared a video (below) in which said wheels (of fortune) are attached to a skateboard and then... skated on. With little success. To be fair, the skaters do manage to pull off a kickflip at one point, but other than that, the results are something akin to our first go on Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 – underwhelming. At first, the wheels naturally pivot in various directions (leading to several falls), but even after some extra drilling to hold them in place, their weight ends up bending the rest of the board. In short, it doesn't really work. We have several questions, most of them being: why? Do we really live in a world where YouTubers will happily drop $699 on a set of computer wheels in order to create a below-par skateboard? It seems the answer is yes. But hey, who are we to judge? Braille Skateboarding currently has over 4.6M subscribers, so it clearly understands what its followers want (even if we don't). Believe it or not, the Braille Skateboarding team aren't the first YouTubers to use the wheels to make a skateboard. Unbox Therapy did something similar (above), albeit using part of the Mac Pro's body for the board. Not only was this even more expensive, but it was less successful (thanks again to the multi-directional wheels). What a time to be alive. Perhaps putting the wheels to such ineffective use is an apt, but expensive method of mocking the ridiculousness of Apple's 'invention'. As one YouTuber comments, "biggest waste of $700 for our entertainment". And we can't see Apple changing its ways any time soon – as the recent Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro showed, the company is on a roll when it comes to wildly expensive accessories. Looking for pro power at a more affordable price? Check out our best MacBook Pro deals below. No wheels required. Related articles: Apple's bendable MacBook will blow your mind Have we all been charging our MacBooks wrong? The best MacBook Pro alternatives for designers View the full article

If you're looking for a little distraction during these strange times, it doesn't come much better than a small, furry animal. Everyone has their favourite, but if dachshunds are your thing, you're in luck – there's new lifestyle brand in town dedicated to all things sausage dog, and its logo is bound to raise a smile – even if you're a cat person. Witzig, created by NY-based brand design studio ThoughtMatter and pet care coalition Kinship, is an online community just for dachshund fans. It's essentially a dachshund-themed shop and a dachshund-themed blog in one, but it features some truly adorable design work. Our favourite element has to be the Witzig logo itself (below), which contains a hidden dog. Perhaps we'll have to add that as an essential criteria for entering our best logos list. Spot the dog Along with the lovely logo, Witzig also contains some delightful illustrations. "We used an expressive illustration style that showed dachshund owners as reflections of their pets, including long legs, short legs, odd hair, and more," says ThoughtMatter's design director Sam Barbagiovanni. Whether dog owners actually resemble their pets is a research project we'd love to see, but for now we'll make do with these characterful depictions below. One of ThoughtMatter's delightful illustrations Is it a bit niche? Probably. But hey, fair play to ThoughtMatter and Kinship for spotting a sausage-shaped gap in the market and going for it. Next time we find ourselves in need of a dachshund-shaped vintage Japanese letter holder, we'll know exactly where to go. In fairness, the shop's items intended for the dogs themselves are perhaps a little more useful, such as food and harnesses. Some of the items available from Witzig's shop But even for those without a dog, or (heaven-forbid) a dog that isn't a dachshund, Witzig (which means 'witty' in German) is worth a visit. In the dog-eat-dog world of branding (and rebranding), it's nice to see something that was clearly a lot fun to make from scratch. “This project allowed us to really build a new and exciting brand from nothing,” says managing director Jesse McGuire. It made us smile – and that's exactly what we need right now. Related articles: This Penguin book cover generator is way more fun than it should be How to draw a dog Spot the dull superheroes in these optical illusion posters View the full article

If the flurry of lockdown creativity hasn't resulted in you writing your first novel (after all, we all have one in us), don't worry because you can fake it 'til you make it with this fun (unofficial) Penguin Cover Generator tool. Maybe seeing your finished novel will be all you need to get to writing the contents of the actual book, or perhaps simply seeing that prestigious cover will simply be a well-earned boost to your ego. Either way, it's super-easy to achieve with a few clicks and a minimal amount of imagination (or however much you're willing to dedicate to it, really). If you're in the mood for more book-related inspiration, here's our pick of the best web comics. Simply add your title and author name All you need is Nicholas Love's Penguin Cover Generator tool (which can be found here), an idea for a title (creative plot and character ideas are an optional extra that won't be included) and a picture. Upload the image, enter the title and the 'author' name, then fiddle with the size and dimensions until you're happy. Voila, you're a published author! Sort of. This process is familiar to our very own Daniel Piper, who created his own cover and uploaded it to Instagram recently. Cue much amusement, and some confusion from followers wanting to preorder the fictional book. If you don't fancy adding your own name to a novel, it's also a great way to reframe an existing book, as this Simpson-themed account proves: Or, it can simply be used as a witty meme format: So, whatever purpose you have for using it: personal satisfaction, meme-making or fooling others, this tool is a fun and creative – and perhaps inspirational – way to fill a few minutes. Or if you want to get your teeth into a creative project (here are some more of those), why not create a whole series? Then get to turning those mock-ups into a reality. Or don't. Read more: 4 lessons from the greatest illustrators ever 33 must-read graphic design books Illustrator alternatives: 6 of the best View the full article

We've seen loads of examples of the creative community coming together during these strange times, with online resources popping up left, right and centre to keep people inspired at home. And now, Affinity is offering not one, but 31 creative sessions as part of its Lockdown 2020 series. At 4pm every day in May, a new creative video is being dropped on Affinity's official YouTube channel, featuring insights and tutorials from artists, illustrators, designers, photographers and more. Naturally, they'll all be exploring how Affinity products fit into their creative workflows. And if you're an Adobe user, they might even tempt you to consider jumping ship – Affinity Photo is certainly one of our favourite Photoshop alternatives. The topics covered range from the broad (such as Ash Hewson's overview of the entire Affinity Suite, below) to the specific (How to create a vector skull, anyone?), meaning Affinity users of any ability will probably find a few videos for them. Its lineup of over thirty creatives (below) almost gives Affinity Lockdown 2020 something of a festival feel, and the videos are certainly offering a ray of sunshine to creatives stuck at home. "This is great!" one user comments, "I hope Affinity Creative Sessions continues as a thing past May. Nothing sells design software more than watching other professionals use it." A festival, without the mud or the crowds Affinity Lockdown 2020 isn't the company's only lockdown offering. It recently offered Affinity apps free for 3 months to all, as well as pledging to engage 100 artists with paid work amid the coronavirus pandemic. If you're looking for more inspiration during these strange times, take a look at our guide to the best free resources for creatives stuck at home. Related articles: Illustrator gives free drawing lessons to inspire kids Finesse your designs with this Photoshop Brush bundle The best digital art software for creatives in 2020 View the full article

As designers, we are often searching for that special way to add a finishing touch to a project. If you're a graphic designer, that may mean adding extra texture or a pop of color to your image. This High-Resolution Backgrounds Bundle brings you everything you need to add awesome elements to your latest designs or photos. Powered by creative bundle experts, Eldamar Studio, this extensive background bundle has over 7,500 hi-res HD backgrounds of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. You'll soon be on your way to finding the perfect extra component to add to your current designs or be inspired to create new works of art. If you need other options, see our pick of the best places to find stock art. And for more brilliant resources, here are the best tools for graphic designers around. Creative assets for personal and professional use Add new creative flair into your designs with a massive array of high-quality backgrounds and artistic textures. At 5,000p and 300dpi, each element is compatible with design and photography platforms such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and more. You'll get over 2,000 blurred backgrounds, over 1,000 gradient backgrounds, hundreds of polygon backgrounds, and more. Niche backgrounds in categories such as retro, abstract, vintage, grunge, and galaxy also come with the bundle, giving you endless options for the visual look you are seeking. Plus, each asset is customizable and available for usage on both digital and print mediums. You'll be able to search various themes, color swatches, and textures, allowing for versatile project assets to add to your current image library. Whether your next creative undertaking is personal or professional, you'll be equipped with a collection of elements to help add the finishing touch to your image. With a commercial license included and lifetime access available on all the backgrounds, you will never have to worry about usage rights or time-related issues for any of the assets. Compatible on Mac and PC, you'll be able to use each element over and over again and on any device. The possibilities are endless. While the 7,700+ High-Resolution Backgrounds Bundle is usually priced at $69, you can now add thousands of backgrounds to your collection for only $39. Bring new elements into your work and achieve your ultimate vision with thousands of unique design elements. Read more: Find free vector art online: the 20 best sites The best monitors for photo editing in 2020 31 brilliant vector art tutorials View the full article

Surviving as a freelancer is challenging enough at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. For many of us who've lost work and clients, the focus right now is on pivoting and finding new ways to earn money, but that's by no means easy. And being stuck at home makes things even harder, both practically and emotionally. At times like these, a friendly voice on a podcast can really help guide you, and put things in perspective. So here we've brought together nine recent episodes from our favourite freelance podcasts, all recorded during the lockdown era, and all dealing with the challenges that have come in its wake. You won't find a 'magic bullet' in any of these discussions that will restore your client base and income overnight. But what you will find is some helpful ideas and suggestions for making the best use of your new free time, and planning realistically for an uncertain future. For more helpful resources to help you keep your creative business on track, pandemic or not, see these brilliant ebooks or the best graphic design books. 01. Freelance Party Broadcast: How You Can Use Lockdown To Work On Your Business Alison Grade explains how to do a skills audit during lockdown Release date: 21 April Episode length: 27 minutes 21 seconds Short of time? Skip to 6 minutes 5 seconds Freelance Party Broadcast is a regular podcast brought to you by Freelance Corner, an online platform for UK freelancers. In this episode, hosts Faye and Jess chat with Alison Grade, author of The Freelance Bible, about how out-of-work freelancers can use the lockdown period to work on their businesses. Grade offers some great advice about doing a skills audit so you can reinvent yourself, position yourself differently and find better and more rewarding work when society emerges from lockdown. 02. The Fizzle Show: Locked Down with an Uncertain Future: How Entrepreneurs Are Surviving Release date: 14 April Episode length: 72 minutes 32 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 21 minutes 40 seconds Founded in 2013, Fizzle offers training, community and resources for freelancers, creatives and entrepreneurs. In this episode of its weekly podcast, Corbett Barr chats to Justin Jackson from Transistor.fm about how freelancers and entrepreneurs are surviving the lockdown, and what we can all be doing to make it through, both economically and psychologically. The two discuss how they have each navigated financial crises in the past, and what lessons they can draw from these experiences, at the same time as recognising the ways in which this current crisis offers wholly unique challenges. 03. The Freelancers’ Show: What Do You Do In An Unexpected Downturn? Petra Manos discusses how she's reacted to the loss of clients Release date: April 21 Episode length: 43 minutes 42 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 6 minutes 0 seconds With online retail becoming so much more important under lockdown, you’d think ecommerce specialists would be the last to lose work. But Petra Manos’ clients include hotels, beauty parlours and party suppliers, so she’s been suffering along with everybody else. In this episode of The Freelancers’ Show, a weekly discussion-based podcast, she talks about how she’s refocused her efforts onto content marketing during lockdown, and the panel discuss ideas for dealing with unexpected slowdowns in work. 04. The Daily Creative: Taking Time to Invest in Yourself Release date: 30 March Episode length: 16 minutes 35 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 6 minutes Hosted by Todd Henry, the Daily Creative podcast offers a quick daily idea, tip, or strategy to help you be better at what you do each day. In this episode, he notes that many of us suddenly have more time on our hands, which we could use to, as he puts it, "invest in ourselves and to plant seeds that will produce a harvest later". However, he argues, this is not going to happen unless we’re disciplined and thorough, and he explains how going into "monk mode" can make the difference between squandering our free time and making valuable use of it. 05. Creative Pep Talk: The Powerful Thing You Can Do When All Seems Lost Andy J. Pizza shares his motivational thoughts in this special episode Release date: 25 March Episode length: 1 hour 18 minutes Short of time?: Skip to 52 minutes 47 seconds Feeling down and like you don’t have the energy to be creative? Then maybe you need a motivational pep talk. And Andy J. Pizza, an illustrator for the likes of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Nickelodeon, is ready to give you one in this episode of his weekly inspirational podcast. His lengthy monologue is highly personal, and doesn’t include anything approaching practical information. But it does feature a lot of insightful thoughts about how to find the "inner you" that you may have lost over the years, and light your creative spirit on fire again. 06. Beyond The Status Quo Podcast: How to Handle Losing Clients Release date: 20 April Episode length: 17 minutes 36 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 2 minutes 40 seconds In her weekly Beyond The Status Quo Podcast, Avani Miriyala offers short blasts of cheery, positive thinking for dream-chasing freelancers and entrepreneurs. But she’s not afraid to acknowledge the real challenges of achieving your goals, and in this episode she candidly discusses the impact losing a big client has had on her. She goes on to explain how she turned this around, and outlines four ways you can transform losing a client from a knockback into an opportunity. 07. DIFTK: When You've Just Left Your Job To Go Freelance, In The Middle Of A Global Crisis. Eek! Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland offer helpful advice on pivoting Release date: 1 May Episode length: 19 minutes Short of time?: Skip to 6 minutes 37 seconds Doing It For The Kids is a podcast for freelance parents trying to make flexible working work. In this episode, Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland respond to a question from photographer Hannah Brooke, who left her job to go freelance just as the pandemic was kicking off. They offer some helpful advice about pivoting, sending out the right messages to clients, and being well placed to take on new work when the lockdown ends. Although this is specific advice for a single freelancer in a specific situation, it’s likely you’ll find much wisdom here that applies to your own freelancing challenges. 08. Deliberate Freelancer: Pivoting And Finding Resilience Release date: 30 April Episode length: 33 minutes 48 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 21 minutes 20 seconds If all your usual clients aren’t hiring during lockdown, it’s time to start thinking about pivoting. But how do you actually go about that? In this episode of Deliberate Freelancer, a podcast aimed at helping freelancers build a successful business, Melanie Padgett Powers explains how she recently did so herself. Her process began with answering questions such as 'What new skills can I learn?', 'What am I really good at but haven’t been doing because I don’t love it?' and 'What do my clients need right now?' 09. Freelance Pod: Imposter Syndrome, Social Media and Getting Through A Pandemic Lockdown Suchandrika Chakrabarti discusses the challenge of imposter syndrome Release date: 30 April Episode length: 29 minutes 50 seconds Short of time?: Skip to 2 minutes 29 seconds Freelance Pod is an award-winning podcast sharing stories of news, creativity and the internet. In this episode, host Suchandrika Chakrabarti interviews author and psychologist Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin. The two discuss how imposter syndrome is becoming particularly problematic during the pandemic lockdown, and practical ways to rise above it and build your inner confidence. Read more: 10 free audiobooks to download today 5 ways NOT to be productive 10 brilliant ebooks that won't cost you a penny View the full article

Mindfulness is a proven way to manage anxiety and stress better, and there’s never been a better time to try it. One of the easiest ways to practise mindfulness is digital colouring, and Adobe has teamed up with three amazing creatives to help you get started. Leading artists Hazel Mead, Martina Martian and Octavia Bromell have crafted nine beautiful templates for you to download today, totally free, courtesy of Adobe. Each template is unique and embraces the artist’s individual style. Check them out below, and once you’ve downloaded your favourites, you can open them up in either Adobe Fresco or Photoshop on iPad, and start colouring. (If you’re not sure how to get started, watch the short video at the end of this post to find out how to download the artists’ creations and get them set up in your chosen app.) 3 free colouring templates from Hazel Mead Digital illustrator Hazel Mead uses her playful approach and sense of humour to voice her beliefs and illustrate tough topics. In characteristic style, she’s created three brilliant colouring templates for you to download, each inspired by the theme of boredom. Download Hazel’s templates here 01. Boredom Bingo Summing up the frustration and sense of the surreal we’re all feeling right now, Hazel Mead’s Boredom Bingo is perfect for intricate digital colouring. 02. A Reading List Who wouldn’t love a reading room like this? Hazel Mead’s beguiling bookshelf scene is ideal for a restful session of digital colouring. 03. Greek Gods at Play Even the gods get bored, and this punchy illustration by Hazel Mead offers a fun and original scene for digital colouring enjoyment. 3 free colouring templates from Martina Martian Known for her beautiful and distinctive approach to illustrated quotes, Martina Martian’s art typically explores themes of empowerment and positivity. She’s created three uplifting and inspiring templates for Adobe’s campaign that will fill you with good vibes and an upbeat attitude. Download Martina’s templates here 04. Create for Creation’s Sake Art and creativity aren’t just about the finished product. It’s the process itself that’s most valuable; a sentiment elegantly depicted in this design by Martina Martian. 05. It’s Okay to Slow Down Try to do too much creatively, and you’ll soon burn out. Instead, follow Martina’s advice, as charmingly illustrated in this lovely design. 06. One Day at a Time No one knows what the future holds, least of all right now, so Martina’s artful and uplifting design is right on point. 3 free colouring templates from Octavia Bromell Octavia Bromell is an artist and mental health advocate who’s best known online as Tink. She herself finds release from anxiety through illustration, which combines analogue and digital and often feature houses and plants. Octavia has crafted three charming templates for Adobe’s campaign, which all focus on finding value in the little things. Download Octavia’s templates here 07. Diver This diving scene from Octavia is full of alluring undersea creatures, giving you free rein to play with colours creatively. 08. Cosy House This lovely house and garden scene celebrates the joys of everyday life, in Octavia’s inimitable style. 09. House Plants This funky collection of house plants is appealingly crafted for some mindful and uplifting colouring. How to use the templates Get more colouring templates at Adobe Stock! Once you’re done, you can share your creations with the community via the #colourwithadobe hashtag. And if you’re looking for further inspiration Adobe Stock has you covered, with plenty more great colouring templates to choose from: just search for ‘coloring pages’. Not joined Adobe Stock yet? You can get a 30-day free trial with no commitment needed, and you’ll even get 10 images free! View the full article

Important-rated EoP flaws made up the bulk of the CVEs; SharePoint continued its critical run with four worrying bugs. View the full article

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Adobe patched 36 flaws, including critical vulnerabilities in Acrobat and Reader and its DNG Software Development Kit. View the full article

ESPN has revealed its Monday Night Football schedule for September onwards, and in the process reignited one of the most heated design debates of the year. While the main question on fans' lips is whether the NFL will even go ahead in September, ESPN's new graphic (below) has also reminded some fans just how unhappy they are with LA Rams' new logo. When the new logo was revealed in March, it was met with a barrage of ridicule. Some said it looked like a cheap morning news logo, others thought it resembled the Internet Explorer logo. And while the ESPN graphic features dozens of other team logos, it's LA Rams' that's drawing heat (again). Spoiler alert: it won't be entering our list of the best logos any time soon. Spot the unpopular logo By far the most common complaint is that it could be confused with another logo (thereby breaking one of our golden rules of logo design). And not just another logo, but a logo for another team. While the horn protruding from the 'A' looks silly enough as it is (can anyone else see a croissant?), it also rather resembles a giant 'C'. And with that, it could well be a logo for rival team LA Chargers. Probably not what LA Rams was intending. The previous logo (below) didn't feature the letters 'LA', instead focusing solely on the ram itself. "I'm sure it will be a surprise," LA Rams' chief operating officer Kevin Demoff told ESPN, "but lots of things are and I think it's a change that our fans will come to know and love over time." We won't hold our breath. The previous version of LA Rams' logo It almost goes without saying that a petition to scrap the logo has been set up – and in case you weren't sure how seriously fans take the logo of their beloved team, it describes the rebrand as "a dagger to the heart to a lot of die hard Rams fans". Yikes. At present, over 10,000 people agree. The debacle brings to mind Leeds United's similar logo in 2018 – its updated club crest became one of the most hated redesigns of all time and was duly scrapped. But if ESPN's new schedule graphic is anything to go by, it seems LA Chargers' (sorry, Rams') new logo is here to stay – twisting the "dagger" for many unhappy fans. Related articles: We love the new Cadbury logo – but is there a problem? Leaked Xbox Series X logo has zero personality 6 magnificently minimal logos View the full article