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Adobe has set up a two-month discount option for individuals with an already existing Creative Cloud subscription. With the Covid-19 outbreak hitting everyone hard, this will no doubt come as very welcome news to artists and designers reliant on Adobe apps. The news comes just hours after we reported the software giant is offering Creative Cloud free to students and teachers until the end of May 2020, and its Connect web conferencing software free to everyone until July 1 2020. So how do you get two months Adobe CC for free? Well, the offer is not immediately obvious, but was discovered yesterday by photographer Yehju Park, who shared his find on Twitter: Park's video shows him first log on to his Adobe Creative Cloud account, before heading to the Manage Plan section (found on the Plan page). You then need to request to cancel your plan – Park chose 'Too expensive' and suggest you do the same – and hit continue. What follows is an offers page, which has a number of deals set up to convince you to stay. And it's here you should find the two-month payment holiday offer. So far, this has worked for users in both the UK and US, which suggests this is a worldwide offer. However, it's worth noting that some users replying to Park's Twitter thread about the offer have tried to find the offer and not been successful. But Park thinks he has the solution, saying on Twitter: "What I know is that it only works for current Adobe users and it doesn’t work if your next billing date is within the next 48 hrs." However others who have recently been charged have been told they will get a credit on their account. Twitter user Khena7 said: "I still did it. Now it says my account will be credited 60 days and my next payment schedule is in June." So it looks like most people have been successful, but we can't say for sure that you're guaranteed to get the offer option. But if you're an existing Adobe CC user, it's worth a go to potentially save some valuable cash over the new few months. Not already signed up to Creative Cloud? Here are the best Adobe CC deals in your area: Read more: Disney Plus UK deal: Get a year's subscription for less than £50! Social distancing Google doodle is ingeniously simple Apple reveals new iPad Pro (but we're more excited by the Magic Keyboard) View the full article

The easiest way to determine the success of an email marketing campaign is by tracking whether it accomplished its main goal – be it boosting awareness, improving conversions, or generating new leads. Depending on the scale and scope of the …View the full article

An analysis found these web frameworks to be the most-targeted by cybercriminals in 2019. View the full article

Fixes are now available for five critical and high-severity Trend Micro flaws, two of which are being actively targeted by attackers. View the full article

Do you love writing? Have you ever considered making it a career? Creative writing is a skill that many companies always need. The Ultimate Creative Writing Course Bundle brings you everything you need to finesse your skills and become a powerful writing machine. With 10 courses and over 400 lessons, this complete creative writing bundle will teach you all you need to know about the writing industry. Courses including travel writing, novel writing, freelance journalism, writing for children's books, proofreading and editing are easy to follow, helping you bring your best writing hand forward. Collate your writing work for all to see in a brand new portfolio, and make it attention-grabbing with our rundown of the best WordPress portfolio themes. Get valuable guidance on your writing career You will learn hands-on writing techniques and the differences between proofreading and copy editing. The course covers which market you should be catering to, and will guide you through specific ways that you can monetise your writing. You'll even be advised on how to find work and get paid fairly, bringing valuable guidance to your freelance writing career. Easy-to-follow lectures and 24/7 access to the content will enable you to come back and visit top-notch advice from the pros whenever you need it. All hands-on assessments are looked over and graded by a tutor with feedback provided, allowing you to dive deeply into the content. Updates to the courses themselves are also covered, automatically providing you with the latest tips for a successful creative career. These comprehensive courses are even equipped with internationally accredited CPD certification diplomas of completion, allowing for a great résumé booster for your next endeavor. The Ultimate Creative Writing Course Bundle is usually priced at almost $2,000, but, for a limited time, you can start writing like a pro for only $26.50, that's 98% off! Transform your creative writing and help launch an inspirational new career for 2020. Read more: 8 survival secrets for freelance creatives The best business card templates Fantastic free resume templates View the full article

Apple has announced a brand new iPad Pro, in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, available to order today. While they look very similar to 2018's models, there's a lot more going on inside, including a new processor, camera system and a brand new Magic Keyboard accessory. Apple claims the new iPad Pro to be "more powerful than most Windows PC laptops". And boasting a A12Z Bionic Chip and eight-core GPU, it certainly appears to be step up from the previous model (check out our iPad Pro 2018 review). But while the new specs sound great, it's the new Magic Keyboard accessory that's really peaked our interest. The new accessory is backlit, and elevates the iPad into the most amazing-looking floating position, allowing for more comfortable use. Compatible with both the new iPad Pro and the 2018 model, this is the first iPad keyboard to feature a trackpad. In terms of user experience and workflow, easy positioning and not having the disruption of switching from keyboard to screen to navigate around will be a welcome addition for many creatives. The Apple newsroom reports: "Rather than copying the experience from macOS, trackpad support has been completely reimagined for iPad. As users move their finger across the trackpad, the pointer elegantly transforms to highlight user interface elements. Apple has put together a fun video called 'How to use a computer' which shows the new keyboard in action: The new iPad Pro also comes complete a new ultra wide camera, studio quality microphones and a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanner that Apple says delivers 'cutting-edge depth-sensing capabilities, opening up more pro workflows and supporting pro photo and video apps'. Add all of these new features together and the iPad Pro seems to be edging ever further towards MacBook capabilities. But it's not all good news. Not only is the Magic Keyboard not released until May, but it also costs an extra $299 for the 11-inch version, and $349 for the 12-9-inch version. Yikes! Along with the new iPad Pro, Apple also announced an updated MacBook Air. Several more products have been rumoured over the last few months, including a revamped MacBook Pro and budget iPhone 9. When we might see these is anybody's guess – Apple's WWDC conference in June has been moved online in the wake of coronavirus, so they might appear then. Or perhaps we'll get another surprise announcement – who knows? In the meantime, you can get your hands on a shiny new iPad Pro 2020 below. And if you're not bothered about having the latest version, don't miss our round-up of the best cheap iPad deals on all other models. Read more: The best iPad Pro deals iPad Air (2019) review Photoshop for iPad review View the full article

Apple has just announced a brand new MacBook Air that's available to order now, and it's a welcome update to the most lightweight of MacBooks that could make it your new favourite laptop. The Air had, until recently, been feeling a little neglected, languishing behind the standard MacBook and Pro with outdated specs and not enough power to be seriously considered as one of the best laptops for graphic design. Recent updates to the Air have addressed this, but this latest version really puts it back in the game – especially if you're willing to pay extra for upgrades. MacBook Pro 2020: Latest rumour roundup The new Air has a 13-inch Retina screen with True Tone, plus improved graphics performance The new MacBook Air features quad-core processors for the first time, providing up to twice the power of the previous model and giving you the power you need for demanding design tasks. The base models come with Intel Core i3 and i5 processors; however there's an option to go with a punchier Core i7. As well as more CPU power, the new Air also benefits from Intel Iris Plus Graphics that, says Apple, means up to an 80 per cent boost in graphics performance; again, an upgrade that designers are going to find pretty attractive. It features a 13-inch Retina display with True Tone – and can support external displays up to 6K – and anyone who's had an eye on the drama surrounding Apple keyboards over the past couple of years will be pleased to note that it has the Magic Keyboard, first seen on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, with Apple's improved scissor mechanism. The new MacBook Air now comes with 256GB of storage, doubling the 128GB of previous models, and 8GB of memory. It also features Touch ID, a pair of Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, a Force Touch trackpad and all-day battery life. And the price? $999 (£999) for the basic model with i3 processor and 256GB storage, or $1,299 (£1,299) for the i5 and 512GB version. If you're a student based in the US, though, it's worth noting that prices start at $899 if you visit Apple's Education Store. The Air now features Apple's more reliable Magic Keyboard There's no doubt that this represents a massive upgrade to the MacBook Air range, and it's a lovely-looking slimline machine. Our main concern about it is that in its base configurations, it's probably just a little underpowered for a design laptop. If you want to put it to serious use you're going to want to upgrade when you order, and that's where things get interesting. We've looked into the cost of upgrading a new MacBook Air to a more design-friendly spec with a Core i7, 16GB memory and a terabyte of storage; it'll set you back $1,849 (or £1,849), while a similarly-specced 13-inch MacBook Pro would set you back $2,399 (or £2,399). Now, that's not a like-for-like comparison; the Pro has a Touch Bar and a more powerful i7 among other improved features, but we're willing to bet that plenty of designers would be happy to save $550 on a machine that's almost as good as well as being beautifully portable. An added bonus - the MacBook Air connects to your iPhone or iPad so you can copy images, video or text across easily The new MacBook Air is available to order now for delivery next month; we'll take a closer look at it soon as we can get our hands on one; in the meantime you can find out everything you need to know over at Apple. Related articles: 18 creative MacBook decals The best MacBook Pro alternatives for designers iPad Pro vs MacBook Air: which should you buy? View the full article

An out-of-band Adobe security update addressed critical flaws in Photoshop, Acrobat Reader and other products. View the full article

We've seen lots of creative responses to coronavirus and the rise of self-isolation over the past few days, and this Google doodle concept by Reddit user NumericalMiracle is an ingeniously simple addition. "If I were a Designer on the Google team," they say, "this is what my doodle would be for now. Simple, but communicates what needs to happen." While Google doodles have come in all shapes and sizes over the years (check out our list of the best Google Doodle designs) , this is one of the most simple yet effective concepts we've seen. By simply increasing the kerning of the existing 'Google' letters, NumericalMiracle pushes them into their own state of self-isolation. While it might not be blatantly clear at first glance why the letters have been separated, with all the talk of quarantine and isolation right now, it surely wouldn't take long for the penny to drop – and the search box has been autofilled 'social distancing' to drive the message home. "Petition for this to become a real google doodle!" one user comments, while another adds, "Send it please to Google, wait does Google have Gmail address?" The doodle concept has certainly captured Reddit's imagination, and we'd love to see it on the Google homepage – as well as being ingeniously simple, it communicates a useful message about importance of social distancing at this time. The first ever Google doodle from 1998 The first Google doodle appeared in 1998, when founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were going to the Burning Man festival, and wanted to notify users of their absence in case the servers crashed. They added a Burning Man figure to the logo (as a fun out-of-office message) People loved it, and the Google Doodle was born. Read more: Illustrators depict their perfect self-isolation scenario Drawings of mythical Amabie flood social media 13 of the best Google Easter Eggs View the full article

It's fair to say the world is a strange place right now because of the coronavirus outbreak. But while there's a whole lot of uncertainty about what the future holds, what is certain is the amount of love and backing currently circulating among the creative community. Adobe is the latest to offer its support, giving students and teachers who might be stuck at home because of the virus free, temporary remote access to its Creative Cloud suite of apps. Available, at present, until May 2020, this could well be a lifesaver for students currently reliant on Adobe software to complete vital coursework (our Photoshop shortcuts post might help too). While some schools are still operating, this will no doubt come as welcome news to many students and teachers as the likelihood that more will close in the coming days increases. This latest Adobe announcement comes just a week after the software giant also revealed all CC apps now come with a seven-day free trial and its Connect web conferencing software would be free to everyone until July 1 2020. Nice one, Adobe. How students can get free Adobe CC access To qualify for free home Adobe CC access, students need to be from a school or college that is an Adobe education customer. It's worth noting it's not the most straightforward of processes and therefore might not happen immediately. Students will need to go through school IT admins, who can request home access via this application form. It might be worth notifying your school or college of the offer, just incase they're not already aware, to help speed things up. Adobe will evaluate each request, but if you're facility is registered, then you should qualify for the temporary license. Not a student or teacher and want to sign up? Head over to our dedicated Adobe Creative Cloud discounts post for the best deals in your area. Read more: How to try Photoshop free or with Creative Cloud The 6 best laptops for Photoshop in 2020 The 13 best alternatives to Photoshop View the full article

As countless public spaces continue to close in the wake of coronavirus, art galleries across the world have shut their doors – including the Tate galleries, V&A and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Amid the closures, Art Basel is now offering online viewing rooms to replace its cancelled Hong Kong fair, open to VIPs from today and to the public from Friday. More than 230 dealers who planned to bring work to Hong Kong will instead offer over 2,000 pieces through the virtual fair – with an estimated value of $270 million. A price (or price range) will accompany each work, and sales inquiries made through an online form, with a response guaranteed within 24 hours. Art Basel Hong Kong's 2019 fair Online art galleries are nothing new (take a look at our list of the best online art galleries for on-the-go inspiration), but this is the first time a fair of such value has switched from the physical to the virtual realm. “If galleries are closed, how can we sell art?" participating dealer David Zwirner says to the New York Times. "The online platform is something we have envisioned as an important part of what we do. In a funny way, the art world is late to the party if you think about other retail experiences.” Fortunately for Art Basel, the fair had already been exploring online viewing rooms as part of the experience before coronavirus forced them to close. According to Art Basel's global director Marc Spiegler, "the infrastructure was in place". While the move online is completely understandable in this case, we hope virtual art fairs don't end up replacing the real thing. “While nothing can replace the experience of seeing art in person,” said Adeline Ooi, Art Basel’s director Asia, “we hope that this initiative can bring some support and visibility to all the galleries and their artists affected by the cancellation of our March show.” Related articles: Meet the designers disrupting the gallery model Art terms: The ultimate artist's glossary Art techniques: top tutorials for painting and drawing View the full article

Disney Plus UK launches next week, and right now you can get it cheaper than ever before. The streaming service, which is already going down an absolute storm in the US, is set to launch on 24 March (instead of 31 March as initially expected) in the UK. (Want to know more about the service? Check out our Disney Plus guide.) For anyone who may soon be spending more time inside, a Disney Plus subscription will be a brilliant, affordable way to keep all the family entertained. To celebrate Disney Plus' early arrival, Disney is currently running an incredible offer, knocking a further £10 off the subscription cost. While that might not seem like a huge deal, the original annual cost of £59.99 was already a bargain, so to be able to get this now for less than £50 makes it a deal not to be missed! We're even considering upgrading to one of the best 4K monitors for the occasion. Disney Plus' available shows and films will include much-loved classics from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and National Geographic, and there's also previously unseen content, including the aforementioned The Mandalorian, and the catchily named High School Musical, The Musical, The Series. Just some of the exclusive goodies on offer For what you get for your money, Disney+ offers much better value than Netflix. With this offer, Disney Plus UK will cost around £4 per month. Users will be able to stream 4K content on four devices at once, and there are no hidden extras. They'll also be able to download their favourite shows or films, to watch offline. To compare, Netflix costs £5.99 per month, but you have to pay more (either £8.99 or £11.99) if you want ultra-HD content, or to be able to stream on one more than screen at a time. With Netflix UK having recently won the rights to Studio Ghibli's content, it seems competition between the two streaming giants is really heating up, and that's before Disney+ has even fully launched. Which will you choose? You can sign up now on the Disney Plus website for more updates. Read more: Aaron Blaise reveals why he quit his dream job at Disney Is this Chinese city logo a blatant Disney copy? Understand Disney's 12 principles of animation View the full article

COVID-19 is changing how we work. Weigh in on how your organization is securing its remote footprint with our short Threatpost poll. View the full article

Design agency Vault49 has revealed a new packaging design for Sol, elevating the beer brand's sun symbol as "a vibrant beacon for positivity". Designed for global markets, the new packaging design was crafted entirely by hand to create a more authentic, premium aesthetic. The agency was inspired by "the energetic confidence of work handcrafted by Mexican artisans". According to Sam Wilkes, creative director at Vault49, natural pigments and textures were chosen "to elevate the human nature of the designs". Indeed, strong packaging can communicate a lot about a product – evident in our round-up of the best packaging designs. We're fans of Sol's new, handcrafted look, particularly in the painterly texture of the sun's rays. These were made using a hand cut lino print inspired by what the agency learned about "artisanal saddle making". It all sounds very, well, artisanal, but when viewed against Sol's recent US rebrand (by Chicago-based agency Soulsight) in 2018, Vault49's packaging looks pretty similar: Sol's 2018 US rebrand (left) and new packaging by Vault49 (right) Aside from the warmer colours and more textured sun rays, Vault49's packaging doesn't look a whole lot different to Soulsight's. Still, this isn't being touted as a redesign so we can't knock one for looking like the other. Also, a closer look at the new packing reveals a few more differences, such as the design of individual bottles: Sol's US bottle design (left) and the new global design (right) That's more like it – the sun is definitely more emphasised in the newer bottle design as the frame is removed. It just about puts us in the mood for, as Vault49 puts it, some "sunny urban adventures". We're certainly fans of the new, textured look, but hearing how much effort was put into creating the individual assets by hand (saddle-making course, anyone?), we can't help but wish that Vault49 had been able to depart from the pre-existing design a little more adventurously. Related articles: Jumbled beer labels promote Repsnosilbe Dirnking 4 iconic beer logos (and why they're so effective) Subtle K-Y rebrand is a stroke of genius View the full article

Blender for years has been one of the great paradoxes of the 3D creation toolset. It is completely free and has one of the most diverse feature sets of any digital content creation application, and with cutting-edge render options… why would anyone use any other application? The reason was that Blender historically has liked to plough its path in the mechanics of how 3D is created. Blender is developed as an open-source application by developers from around the world. While this, on one hand, is great as it allows the previously mentioned diverse toolset. This way of developing did also lead to an application that, while as stable as many other applications on the market, lacked the refinement in terms of the user experience. This would mean that many 3D artists who came over to Blender would find that its ‘unique’ way of working would get in the way of the vast array of creative possibilities that Blender is capable of. (For an example of what the software can achieve, check out these Blender tutorials.) The core team behind Blender though have grasped this issue with the latest major release, version 2.8. With Blender 2.8, the user interface gets a very professional lick of paint and is infinitely friendlier for a new artist coming to Blender. Explore the best 3D modelling options available today With tooltips along the bottom of the screen, logical toolbars and dialog boxes and finally the left-mouse button now set as default, Blender 2.8 is friendlier than it has ever been – and because of this new friendliness, Blender gives artists the opportunity to really see what the software is capable of, and the answer is, practically anything that an artist would want. Modelling, animation, FX, sculpting, rendering and compositing are all available within Blender, which can be rendered with a variety of GPU-accelerated, real-time and NPR-style render options. With version 2.8, the argument for not using Blender in a 3D pipeline becomes moot, as it is now the best bargain available for 3D artists. Let's take a look at what's new in Blender 2.8, and how you can get the most out of it. 01. More intuitive UI Blender 2.8 will fit into your workflow like a dream Blender 2.8 fixes many of the issues for artists who are embedded with other 3D software and find it challenging to integrate Blender into their workflows. First of all, like in most other 3D applications, the left-mouse button is now the default selection button, whereas in older versions of Blender it was the right-click button. Alongside a new refined dark look, with a logical tabbed interface across the top, Blender 2.8 ‘feels’ like a commercial 3D application. For more UI tips, head on over to this guide to Blender shortcuts. 02. Upgraded render engines Create practically any image with Blender 2.8's render engines The render engines that come with Blender 2.8 are some of the best on the market. Cycles is a PBR-based render engine that can utilise a computer’s CPU and GPU. In Blender 2.8, Cycles is supplemented by the new EEVEE real-time engine, which along with improvements to the main viewport (workbench) and NPR (freestyle) render solutions means that Blender 2.8 can create practically any image. This tutorial even shows you how to create interiors with Blender's EEVEE. Third-party render solutions also exist, such as AMD ProRender. 03. Fully integrated dynamics modifiers Dynamic modifiers are now easier to monitor Blender 2.8 builds on the already impressive toolset that previous releases of Blender had by properly integrating dynamics modifiers with the UI, making it simple to see which of the dynamics modifiers have been added. Blender has a full fluid sim, rigid and soft body dynamics and particle systems. As Blender can export and import common 3D formats such as Alembic, it means that Blender is an excellent addition for simulations if an artist’s existing core 3D app does not support them. 04. Next-level sculpting tools All modelling and animating toolsets are now available in the software Blender has one of the best sculpting engines available, with advanced topology tools such as Dyntopo that sculpts geometry onto a mesh without the need to subdivide the original model. As sculpting is deeply integrated within Blender, if an artist needs to use the other modelling or animation toolsets within the software, they are all available and the sculpt model does not need to be adapted, allowing dynamic creation of all aspects of a scene. This article originally appeared in issue 254 of 3D World, the world's leading magazine for 3D artists. Buy issue 254 or subscribe here. Related articles The 10 best 3D movies of 2020 Disney character 3D fossils are strangely adorable Character sheets for 3D modellers: 15 top tips View the full article

The Pakistani-linked APT has been spotted infecting victims with data exfiltration malware. View the full article

In this tutorial, we’ll be taking an email template created with Postcards and adding it to a WooCommerce email template. We’ll be updating the WooCommerce email template files by adding the Postcards HTML code to them.View the full article

French artists have taken to Twitter to create an incredible collaborative artwork called #CoronaMaison. Using a template of a room with a staircase, each artist has created a depiction of the perfect room in which they'd would be quarantined as a result of coronavirus. It all started when illustrator Pélénope Bagieu asked Twitter if anybody who draws would like to create a cadavre exquis (or 'exquisite corpse') in order to keep busy. An exquisite corpse (in case you're worried) is a collaborative artwork – it usually involves drawing something and then concealing it before passing it to the next artist to continue the artwork. In this case, the #CoronaMaison artworks can be joined together to create an enormous house – with every room created by a different artist. It's great to see so many styles of illustration all under one roof (check out our art techniques for some more inspiration). After Twitter users suggested a house for the cadavre exquis, @acupoftim created a template (below) for artists to fill with their own interior design. It's another heartening display of solidarity in the face of adversity, and we're loving the sheer variety of the designs. Yesterday, we shared that Japanese artists have flooded social media with the mythical Amabie (once thought to ward off epidemics), and #CoronaMaison is another delightfully creative response to Coronavirus. Below are some of our favourite examples. We love this delightfully detailed line drawing by @RaisonPablo: @superalienninja says her illustration resembles her workshop at home: @_ockto_ 's room looks like a lot of fun: @Stunfy's illustration takes isolation to a whole new level: We love this vision of domestic bliss by @dorarickman: @no_gtd's room is a bohemian dream: And finally, we can't get enough of @Mael_Biskotz's adorable dinosaur house: Search #CoronaMaison on Twitter for many more beautiful examples. The #CoronaMaison house looks a pretty fun place to spend isolation. One thing's for sure – we can't wait to see all of these artworks put together. Related articles: 10 top illustration trends for 2020 Artist's illustrations of TV home floor plans are weirdly fascinating This adorable ghost illustration is breaking Twitter View the full article

Great-looking patterns are an often-overlooked part of the designer's tool kit. While it's easy to dismiss patterns as mere decoration, they can often be the vital ingredients that complete your design. Patterns can enhance illustrations and provide the seed for complex graphic design projects. A subtle pattern effect can enliven flat web builds, while more eye-catching designs can stand alone as abstract artwork for when an illustration or stock art just won't cut it. Making seamless patterns that look the part can be a challenge, though, even with Photoshop or Illustrator to do much of the heavy lifting. With these fantastic free tools, however, you'll quickly be able to create gorgeous patterns that are suitable for all manner of creative projects. Product packaging pattern trends for 2020 01. Repper Repper can generate more patterns than you could ever hope to use, and it's enormous fun to play with Repper's a paid app with prices starting at £4.99/month for personal use, but it offers a 14-day trial that anyone with an eye for creating patterns is going to want to try. It makes it astonishingly easy to make beautiful patterns that tile seamlessly; just feed it a source image and play with any of its 28 tiling settings, and you'll quickly be able to generate any number of gloriously abstract patterns. There are also some great effects to experiment with; we're particularly fond of the Metamorphosis tool, which enables you to instantly make fabulous MC Escher-style designs. 02. Patternify Create colourful pixel patterns and deploy them as CSS If you're looking for a simple pattern to use as a background for your website, Patternify by Sacha Greif could be the solution. It's a CSS pattern generator; just paint some pixels on a grid (up to 10x10 in size), and Patternify turns it into either a PNG file that you can download and tile, or Base64 code that you can paste into your site's source. The results aren't hugely sophisticated, but it's an excellent tool if you want to build a background for a retro site. 03. Mazeletter These abstract fonts were designed for building labyrinthine patterns We love this leftfield approach to pattern generation. Mazeletter isn't so much a tool as a collection of nine free fonts that are designed to enable you to build complex, infinitely tiling maze patterns, by simply typing out a bunch of letters. It's the work of Paul Cronan at Fathom Foundry, and it's inspired by his lifelong love of mazes; each of the nine fonts has its own distinctive look, and whether you build your own patterns by hand or simply play around by typing letters into the Mazeletter site, you can swiftly build some incredible-looking labyrinthine designs. 04. Patterninja Patterninja's a fun tool for crafting bold and colourful designs For creating colourful repeat patterns with plenty of control over each element, Sergiy Yavorsky's Patterninja is a brilliant tool. You can build patterns out of ready-made icons that can be scaled, positioned and rotated to create just the right look, and you can also upload your own images to use as pattern elements. Once you've created the perfect pattern, it's the work of seconds to download and share your creation. 05. Patternizer If you've ever fancied making your own tartan, Patternizer should do nicely If you like stripes then you're going to love Patternizer. It's another simple but brilliant tool that's all about building patterns out of stripes or criss-crossing plaid; you can add as many as you like in stacked layers, setting the colour, rotation, opacity, width, gap and offset for each one. With a bit of experimentation you can soon create quite complex patterns out of the most basic elements, and when you're done building, you can export your pattern as CSS, ready to be added to any website. 06. GeoPattern GeoPattern turns text strings into beautiful SVG patterns Similar to Mazeletter, GeoPattern is another tool that enables you to generate abstract tiling patterns by typing a load of random letters. Rather than building maze-like designs, GeoPattern instead creates colourful SVG patterns that can be saved and used on your website. It uses Secure Hash Algorithms to turn text into colours and shapes, and even if you don't understand the process, the results speak for themselves. The JavaScript-powered online version is a fork of the original GeoPattern by Jason Long, which gives you a little more control over what you generate, as long as you're comfortable with a bit of code; you can find it here. Related articles: Create a repeating pattern in Photoshop 19 glorious geometric patterns in design How to create repeat patterns in Illustrator View the full article

Website trends come and go. Some are passing fads that are generally best avoided. While those that show signs of having staying power are worth spending your time and energy on. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area …View the full article

If your social media feed looks anything like ours, it's flooded with posts about coronavirus right now. Fortunately, there are some hopeful and creative responses to be found amid the panic. One such response is the resurfacing of the Amabie, a mythical Japanese spirit once thought to to ward off epidemics. Instagram and Twitter are currently filled with depictions of the three-legged, long-haired, mermaid-like creature. The Amabie is certainly a sight to behold – check out our character design guide for more of our favourite creatures. According to Spoon & Tamago, legend has it that the Amabie appeared off the coast of Kumamoto, Japan. The first known depiction of the Amabie comes from an Edo-era (1603-1868) engraving (below). As well as making several predictions related to bountiful harvests, it told locals: “If an epidemic occurs, draw a picture of me and show it to everyone.” And today, in response to coronavirus, online artists and illustrators are doing just that. An edo-era (1603-1868) engraving featuring the Amabie It's heartening to see such a creative display of solidarity. Below are some of our favourite depictions of the Amabie from social media. We love this colourful, vintage-style illustration by Shunsuke Satake: And this boxing animation by Twitter user @wagahai_is_neko is extremely satisfying: You can even set the Amabie as your mobile wallpaper, thanks to pattern designers Tetetextile: Cartoonist Sensha Yoshida created this colourful depiction of an Amabie: And this drawing by Izumi Sakuan imagines a child dressing up as the mythical Amabie: This Amabie depction by @DiOPPIO on Twitter is particularly adorable: And @tsulala's Amabie certainly looks wise (although we're not sure where it managed to get hold of a bottle of hand sanitiser): You can find many more examples simply by searching 'Amabie' on Instagram or Twitter. Related articles: We can't stop watching these Tokyo 2020 pictograms This adorable ghost illustration is breaking Twitter The best Baby Yoda memes, ranked View the full article

The new version of the Startup app is here and it comes with a few new features that we’ll explain in this post. The important features Startup include new integrations. Data form information can be sent to messengers like Telegram …View the full article

Time Out has rebranded as Time In, in recognition of the amount of people practising social distancing in response to coronavirus. The temporary new branding appears on several of Time Out's regional websites, including London and New York. Many Time Out websites are now promoting stories related to staying in, from takeaway tips to Netflix recommendations. Several regional editors have posted statements on their respective sites explaining the temporary rebrand, and why it has been necessary with so many people staying indoors. Check out our guide to where to find logo design inspiration. The temporary new logo Time Out New York editor Will Gleason says in a statement, "With gatherings of over 500 people in NYC currently banned, it's clear: serious precautions need to be taken to halt the spread of coronavirus. We've changed our logo temporarily to acknowledge this new reality, but rest assured: Time Out New York will continue to help you discover the best of the city, whether it's Time Out or Time In." A similar message was shared by Time Out London editor Joseph Mackertich: "A little bit of London is coming into your living room," he says. "Hopefully it's been sterilised." Both editors acknowledge the difficulties facing small businesses right now. "Quite frankly, right now is a shit time to be a small cafe, niche gallery, indie cinema or specialist shop in London," says Mackertich. "We will continue championing the independent businesses across the capital, that make London the brilliant city that it is." The new logo in action on Time Out New York's homepage For a company based on (and named after) the concept of leaving the house, the current situation presents an obvious challenge. Time Out's temporary rebrand seems a smart move, and a great example of making the best of a bad situation. It's incredibly simple, and manages to maintain a sense of fun. As Mackertich says, "As long as we look to each other for strength, reassurance and humour, nothing can defeat the city. Love each other and stay safe." Read more: Subtle K-Y rebrand is a stroke of genius The 10 best logos of all time Goldman Sachs logo loses its ligature View the full article

The best USB-C cables aren't hugely exciting, but they are hugely useful. Whether you use mostly Android, Apple or Windows devices in your workflow, you’ll need USB-C. This newest USB standard is not only smaller and faster than the famous USB connector that came before it, it also works both ways up (so inexplicably needing to rotate your USB pen three times before it fits in your laptop has finally become a thing of the past). There are many reasons you may need a USB-C cable (see our guide to USB cables if you're still not sure which one is which). Perhaps you need an extra one to charge your devices, or to hook your drawing tablet up to your computer. You may have a mixture of old and new devices that you need to able to transfer files between, and therefore need a cable that pairs USB-C with something older like micro USB. We feel the best USB-C cable on the market right now is the Anker Powerline+. It’s durable and well-built, with fast transfers and quick charging, and comes with a handy pouch that allows you to adjust its length to precisely where you need it. There are plenty more available though, and exactly which one is right for you will depend on what you need to use it for. See our guide to the best laptops for graphic design and the best monitors and the best USB-C monitors for more advice on kit. Best USB-C to USB-C cable The Anker Powerline cables are popular for a reason. With a double-braided nylon exterior for extra protection, the Anker Powerline+ 3ft (0.91m) cables are built with lasting toughness and will stand up to years of frequent use. Anker claims that the PowerLine+ has a bend tolerance up to five times greater than that of other comparable cables, making this a good one to get if you’re someone who perhaps doesn’t take as much care of your electronics as you should. The fast sync and charge functionality means nice quick transfers (up to 480 MB/s), and the package also contains a useful carry-pouch, which can be used to adjust cable length by winding the cable up inside it. The USB-C standard received a boost when Apple announced it would be piggybacking on it for their high-speed Thunderbolt 3, so it’s not surprising to see official Apple-branded USB-C cables available for purchase. This cable doesn’t have any of the useful extra functionality of the Anker Powerline+ such as the adjustable carrying pouch, but it does its job perfectly well, and since it’s available in 1m or 2m lengths, you can choose the precise length that fits your needs (though unfortunately you’re paying for the privilege either way). It offers fast charging and speedy file transfers, and you can be sure it'll get the job done. Best USB-C to USB It’s more than likely that you’ll find you need to pair your sophisticated new USB-C tech with a piece of kit that has a USB 3.0 connection, and for that you’ll need a USB-C to USB cable. We’d definitely recommend the Syncwire USB C Cable to USB 3.0 Charger, a tough aluminium-reinforced cable capable of transfer speeds up to 5GB per second, also equipped with a reinforced connector that is rated for 10,000 plug-ins. With fast sync and charge capabilities, this long-lasting and durable cable is a great buy for the price – the pack as advertised contains two. Best cheap USB-C to USB With three nylon-braided cables inside this package, Utowink cannot be faulted in terms of value for money. A solid set of USB-C to USB cables, Utowink’s nylon-braided cords support fast charging and have been tested to bend more than 5,000 times and still work well, making them good options for packing into a travel bag. There’s also a handy 12-month warranty, so if anything goes wrong you can get in touch with the manufacturer and they’ll give you a hand.The USB connection is USB 2.0 not 3.0, so you won’t get super-fast speeds, but at this price you really can’t go wrong. Great for fast charging and fast data transfer, the BrexLink USB Type C cables come in pairs. The USB-C to USB 3.0 connection makes them perfect for fast-charging newer Android smartphones – simply plug the cable into the plug adapter and you’re away. BrexLink have also done the work of reinforcing the cables, with nylon braiding to prolong their life and usability, but if anything should go wrong then there’s also manufacturer’s lifetime warranty, so you can buy with confidence. Another affordable, well-built USB-C to USB cable, Snowkids’ offering provides a decent 2m of length, a twist-resistant PVC material for the cable, and durable connectors rated to more than 6,000 plug-ins. A nice little extra is a leather tie popper strap that allows you to bundle the cables together when you’re not using them, which is great for keeping everything tidy and orderly (nothing’s worse than tangled cables when you’re in a hurry). The 2m length is also handy, and is impressive given the reasonable price of this two-pack. Best USB-C to Micro USB You may not have been aware that Amazon has its own ‘Basics’ range of cables, adapters and other techy paraphernalia. As you might expect, the hardware on sale tends to be very affordable, as is the case with this USB-C to old-fashioned micro-USB connecting cable. If you have a device from a few generations back and need to connect it to a newer one with USB-C compatibility, this is how you’ll do it, and it’ll cost you less than a fiver. For the money you’ll get a strong nylon-braided cable that’s been thoroughly bend-tested (more than 5,000 times), and you can also pick not only the colour of your cable but also its size, with 0.3, 0.9, 1.8 and 3m versions available (at slightly different price points). Best USB-C to HDMI Want to show off the glorious creations on your tablet on a high-definition monitor? A USB-C to HDMI cable will allow you to do just that, and also opens up loads of new creative possibilities. Want to live stream to a TV without the unreliability of wireless casting? Easily done. This cable from uni is nylon-braided for extra strength, and has a premium aluminium alloy casing that provides improved heat insulation. While it’s more expensive than the others, there are two sizes available, so you can reduce cost fractionally by selecting the smaller if this is an issue. Also read: HDMI vs DVI: A no-nonsense guide Best USB-C to Lightning Another throwback, this USB-C to Lightning cable allows for the quick connection of new devices with older ones, this time in Apple flavour. If you have an older iPhone or iPad with the older Lightning connector, you may want to think about picking up one of these to make transfer between devices easier. It won’t come cheap though – we’d recommend picking up the 1m version rather than the 2m unless you desperately need more length, as the prices difference between the two is significant . Best tough USB-C Cable Though plenty of the cables on this list have been equipped with nylon braiding, the UNBREAKcable USB-C to USB 3.0 cable is a league ahead. It’s been tested to support up to 50kg of weight without breaking, and is housed in a protective multi-layered polyester shell, with connectors tested for more than 10,000 plug-ins. The USB 3.0 connection means that devices will also transfer and charge nice and quickly, and the UNBREAKcable is also offered at a wallet-friendly price. Sick of cables breaking on you? This is your buy. Read more: Wacom One review The best Apple Pencil deals The best iPad Pro apps for use with the Apple Pencil View the full article

As coronavirus continues to spread, some companies are urging their employees to work from home. Big brands such as the likes of Twitter, Google and Sony have all closed offices and encouraged staff not to come into the office as a means of combatting the spread of the disease. This situation is understandably causing many people to feel anxious and uncertain about what lies ahead. One way to help ease anxiety about working from home is to be prepared. From implementing measures to safeguard your mental health, to ensuring you have all the equipment you need, there are several things you can do to enhance your productivity and comfort while out of the office (and it's not all about having the best desk money can buy). Here are our top tips to help you work from home like a pro. 01. Stay disciplined Whoever said you shouldn't bring your work home with you clearly never had to work from home. One of the biggest challenges is keeping your work and home life separate. So, give yourself a dedicated place to work – even if it's a just the end of your kitchen or dinner table. Anyone who has worked from home will understand the temptation to turn on the TV. There's nothing wrong with a little background noise, right? Then before you know it, working from home has turned into Netflix or Disney Plus time. Not only is this bad news for your work, but also for your leisure time. Sitting on the sofa won't feel relaxing in the evening if you've been doing it all day, so try and keep things separate. 02. Make sure your laptop is up to the job Our top laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro In most cases, a laptop is probably the most important piece of kit when it comes to working from home. For the sake of your productivity (and sanity), you'll want to make sure it can handle whatever your job is about to throw at it. If it's time for an upgrade, we've covered options for all budgets elsewhere on the site. Topping our best laptop for graphic designers list is the hugely capable MacBook Pro 16-inch. 03. Get a VPN If you haven’t yet got one, you’ve at least probably heard about VPNs. Standing for Virtual Private Network, this downloadable software lets you change the IP address of your computer or phone to somewhere else entirely differently. Whether that be to a server in another country, back in your office or another location entirely. Perhaps a VPN’s most crucial feature is its encrypted connections. That means the utmost privacy and security for you when you’re working at home, which is particularly handy if you’ll be sending and transferring sensitive information. But it’s not all about work – one of the main reasons VPNs have become so massive over the last few years is because they can help you stream TV shows you wouldn’t normally be able to. The extra versatility of the best VPN services have made them an increasingly popular replacement for standard antivirus software. 04. Make your workspace comfortable Sitting pretty Grabbing a kitchen stool is fine for a few quick emails, but if you're about to spend a lot longer at your desk at home, you need to be sitting comfortably. When it comes to office chairs, our top pick is the iconic and ergonomic Herman Miller Mirra 2, but our list of the best office chairs includes options to suit every budget. 05. Take breaks Even without your boss looking over your shoulder, it's easy to end up tied to your desk – especially when your colleagues can see your green dot coming and going on Slack. But just like in the office, staying in one place can easily lead to cabin fever, and that's not what you want from the place you have to sleep in. So, give yourself a change of scene as often as possible, even if it just means going to another room. One of the great benefits of working from home is being able to cook a decent meal, so don't forget to give yourself a lunch break. 06. Get the right software Do you need Creative Cloud? So you've got the laptop, now it's time to load up on software. Slack will help you to keep your colleagues in the loop, and check out Zoom for conferencing calls. And if you need to share files, see our send large files post. If you're a creative, you'll almost certainly need an Adobe Creative Cloud plan if you want to use any software from Adobe's Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Illustrator (although there are, however, plenty of Photoshop alternatives and Illustrator alternatives available). 07. Leave the house This final tip might seem like counter-productive advice for, you know, working from home, but it's important to get outside, get some fresh air and stay active – providing you're not in quarantine, that is. As much as we all hate commuting to work, it normally involves at least a touch of exercise, whether you cycle in, or even just walk to the station or car. When establishing your work from home routine, make time for at least one trip into the great outdoors. You don't need to go for a full blown hike every day – a trip to the shop can be enough. Not only does this keep you active, but can be good for your mindset. Even with Slack, Twitter, and the tons of other means of communicating online, working from home can become a lonely experience if you're missing out on talking to people in person. Even a quick chat with a shopkeeper or barista might put a smile on your face before you head back to your home office. Related articles: The best office stationery for working from home Artist's illustrations of TV home floor plans are weirdly fascinating 10 productivity tools you can't be without in 2020 View the full article