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Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF are plagued by several high-severity flaws that, if exploited, could enable remote code execution. View the full article

Like it or loathe it, there's no denying that the design of the Tesla Cybertruck is quite the conversation starter. The vehicle's eccentric, boxy design turned heads when it was launched in November (we still can't decide if it looks futuristic or old-fashioned). And it sounds like Tesla hasn't quite made up its mind about the design either, as new details tweeted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggest tweaks are still being made before the vehicle's release, slated for 2021. Last week, a Twitter user asked Musk what the biggest change to the production version of the Cybertruck (expected to arrive next year) will be. Musk responded that Tesla had “reduced the size by ~3%”, as well as levelling the centre line and lowering the window sill height. Thankfully, concept artists were quick to turn Musks' details into renders (such as Alwinart's, below) to show how these subtle differences could affect the overall look of the vehicle. Spoiler alert: it's not that different, and is still extremely boxy. We'd love to see some pixel art of the thing. Spot the difference: Alwinart's concept based on Musk's Tweets (above) vs the original revealed in November (below) If Alwinart's render is correct, the vehicle could be a little more squat than the version revealed last year, with a less dramatic downward slant. As design changes go, we'd say this is unlikely to change anyone's mind about the Cybertruck – with its boxy edges still very much intact, the many designers who mocked the vehicle back in November probably aren't about to do a U-turn. We can't help but wonder if, instead of a nip here and a tuck there, it would be more pressing for Musk to see to those windows. In what felt like something straight out of a sitcom during the Cybertruck's launch, the "shatterproof" glass broke after a metal ball was thrown at it. Twice. You can relive the smashing moment below. Still, like all controversial moments in branding, the Cybertruck has got us talking. If the vehicle does eventually appear next year, we'll be intrigued to see whether it looks like the render above, or whether, like the Cybertruck's windows, our expectations will be shattered once again. Related articles: BMW gets most radical logo change in over 100 years People drew car logos from memory and the results are hilarious TrueCar rebrand fails to reinvent the wheel View the full article

When lockdown first kicked in, we all thought we'd be watching a lot more TV and movies. But if you rely on free-to-air broadcast channels, you may have been disappointed. With many regular shows cancelled or scaled-down due to the pandemic, and most new programming stalled, we’re getting an increasing diet of repeats, and so many are turning to streaming services to plug the gap. But what if you’re strapped for cash and every penny counts right now? Well the good news is, there are ways to stream TV and movies that are safe, legal and free. In this post, we bring you 10 great options for adding some colour and variety to your televisual diet. Note that whether or not these are free and the content available does vary from country to country (you might also want to consider getting one of the best VPNs). Totally free services We'll start with five places you might not know about, where you can find lots of TV shows and films to watch for free, securely and within the law. From ad-funded television to classic movies that are now out of copyright, there’s plenty of great content to discover on these lesser-known platforms. 01. Rakuten Rakuten features a lot of ad-supported free TV and movies Based in Japan, Rakuten is a streaming service offering movies and TV series for subscription, rental and purchase, but it also features a good selection of ad-supported free content, including movies, kids TV shows and documentaries. Just click the ‘Free’ tab at the top to see what’s on offer. You just need to provide an email address and password, and then you can start watching on a PC or Mac (not Chromebook), smartphone (iOS or Android) or Xbox One. You can also cast to your TV using Chromecast. Watch first: Control 02. Pluto TV Pluto TV has both on-demand and 'live' content on its platform Based in the US and owned by Viacom, Pluto TV is a free, advertiser-supported streaming website that primarily offers a selection of content via ‘channels’ that are designed to replicate the experience of traditional live TV. This means that you can't stop and start a show when you want to; you have to 'tune in' at the right time. However, there’s also a selection of on-demand movies, boxsets and documentaries to enjoy. You can’t watch Pluto TV on a desktop computer, but there’s a free app for your iOS, Android and Amazon devices, and you can cast to your TV via the Amazon Fire Stick. Watch first: 21 Jump Street 03. Plex Plex is available in over 200 countries Launched last December by the software company of the same name, Plex is a US-based, ad-supported streaming service, which distinguishes itself from most of its rivals by operating outside of North America; in over 200 countries worldwide, in fact. It features a wide range of movies, TV shows, podcasts and news shows, which you can watch via the web browser or cast to your TV via Chromecast or Fire Stick. It doesn't always have the best-known TV or movies, to be frank; you'll need to subscribe to the premium version to get that. But have a look around and you'll probably find a few things that pique your interest. Watch first: We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists 04. BFI Player Take a trip back to Britain's past via the archive content on the BFI Player The BFI Player, the website of the British Film Institute, contains a wide range of shorts and features that are free to watch, including short films, classic TV dramas, documentaries, musicals, home movies, and even some classic British adverts from times past. Most of the content is vintage, black-and-white fare, but there are also some short films from modern BFI film festivals. Just click the 'Free' tab at the top to see what's available. There’s no signup required, you can watch in the browser, and there’s a Chromecast option to cast to your TV. Watch first: Self-Conscious Over You 05. Popcorn Flix Popcorn has plenty of TV and movies, and there's no signup needed Popcorn Flix is a website offering free ad-supported streaming video of feature-length, mainly independent, movies and webisodes. There’s no need to sign up, and you can just watch in your browser, your Xbox or Playstation, or cast to your TV via the Amazon Fire Stick. However, note that the service is currently unavailable outside of North America. Watch first: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Free trials While the first five services on our list are all very easy to access for free, you probably won’t find the latest movies and TV on these platforms. For that, you’ll need to sign up to a paid service… but here’s the good news. Many of them are currently offer free trials, ranging for one week to 90 days. Think about what that means. If you try them out one-by-one, taking great care to cancel before you get charged, you’ll end up enjoying around six months of the very latest, blockbuster entertainment, without paying a penny! To help you out, here are the best free trials on offer right now, and what you can get from them, in return for just a little administrative effort. 06. Disney Plus Disney Plus will keep both adults and kids happy Disney Plus brings together classic animated movies, from Snow White to Frozen, all in one place, not to mention all the Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar movies, content from National Geographic and the Disney Channel, and every season of The Simpsons. So if you’ve got little ones around, you won’t certainly won’t be short of things to watch, while adults will want to check out new Star Wars drama The Mandalorian. You can watch in your web browser, or stream to your TV using Chromecast or Amazon Fire Stick. The free trial only lasts seven days, though, so make the most of it! Watch first: Coco 07. Quibi Quibi is a new service with high-quality, deliberately concise content Quibi is a new service launched on 6 April, which provides seven- to 10-minute slices of American drama, reality and news entertainment to your mobile device, to fill in short gaps in your day. All the content has been specially filmed so you can watch it in vertical or horizontal mode, whichever way suits you best. Annoyingly, you can't cast to your TV; a tablet is the biggest screen you'll be able to view it on. There’s still lot of loud and colourful shows to be enjoyed, though, and the best thing is that the trial period is a whopping 90 days. Watch first: Last Night’s Late Night by EW 08. Britbox Britbox brings together classic BBC and ITV shows from the past Ever feel nostalgic for vintage British shows like Fawlty Towers, The Office or 1960s-1980s Doctor Who? Or fancy catching up with more recent hits such as Downton Abbey, Life on Mars, or Gavin and Stacey? Well, Britbox has all of these boxset classics in one place, and many more, from crime dramas to sitcoms, BBC to ITV. For those outside the UK, it's also a great place to catch up on the latest episodes of British shows like EastEnders. You can watch all this content on the web, or via the free iOS and Android apps, and you can cast to your TV via Chromecast or Amazon Fire. And the generous 30-day free trial will let you enjoy plenty of your favourites. Watch first: Broadchurch 09. Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime TV is packed with modern, blockbuster content Amazon Prime Video has one of the most confusing interfaces of all the streaming platforms, but on the plus side there’s a generous 30-day free trial. There’s also a ton of great content, which is mainly geared towards slickly produced, adult-oriented TV and movies. If you don’t have an Amazon Prime TV app on your television already, you can stream this content via the Amazon Fire Stick, but somewhat petulantly, Amazon has not made the service work with Chromecast. Watch first: The Man in the High Castle 10. Hayu Love reality TV? Then Hayu is for you Hayu is a niche streaming service focused on reality TV shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Real Housewives of New Jersey, as well as home and design, cookery and true crime content. It’s currently offering a one-month free trial. There are free iOS and Android apps to let you watch on your mobile or tablet, or you can cast to your TV via Chromecast or Airplay. Watch first: Kim Kardashian-West: The Justice Project Read more: The 20 best shows on Netflix right now 7 downtime activities you might not have thought of Bad logos project is brilliantly awful View the full article

If you're struggling to analyse data on Google Analytics and don't know where to start, you've come to the right place. Designed for complete beginners, the Google Analytics Certification will help you gain an in-depth understanding of the digital platform in as little as two days for only $13.99! Google Analytics, one of the most popular digital analytics platforms in the world, allows you to analyse in-depth details about the visitors on your website and brings valuable insights into what is working and what is not online. These insights can help to shape the success strategy of any business and allows individuals to bridge the gap between data and a plan of action. Growing your business? Here are some stunning examples of letterpress business cards for inspiration. Everything you need to know With lifetime access to 20 lectures and two hours of engaging content, this Google Analytics certification course brings you everything you need to pass the free Google Analytics exam with flying colors. Taught by Daragh Walsh, a Google Certified Marketer who has worked with brands such as Amazon and Hertz and grown his own successful online business, the course contains proven study strategies that are guaranteed to reduce study time by 50 per cent or more. You'll prep for the exam with 200 practice questions and detailed tips and tricks on ensuring you pass the test the first time around. There's even a discussion forum designed to help answer your questions or provide extra explanations. You'll soon be earning your certification and bringing excellent credentials to your online business or your next job opportunity. Access to Google Analytics Certification: Get Certified In two Days will typically cost you $200. For a limited time, you'll be able to get certified for only $13.99 (that's 93% off). Learn how to grow your business online strategically and bring valuable professional and financial growth into 2020. Read more: 16 of Google's best dev and design tools in 2020 SEO tricks: 16 ways to outrank your competitors The best computer for graphic design in 2020 View the full article

It's a testament to the ridiculousness of Apple's newly-released Mac Pro Wheels Kit that, in a world where everything is ridiculous right now, it still seems really, really ridiculous. Sure, the wheels might be made of "custom-designed stainless steel and rubber". Sure, they might "make it easy to move your Mac Pro around." But for $699? ridiculous. The kit, which appeared on Apple's website last week, includes four wheels, an installation guide (which we hope is printed on very high quality paper) and a 1/4-inch to 4 mm hex bit (a tool, we assume – no doubt solid gold). Adding insult to expensive injury, Apple notes that "additional tools are necessary" for the installation of the wheels. Sure, the Mac Pro is an extremely powerful machine (which may well enter our list of the best computers for graphic design) but... $699... for wheels. Wheel not be ordering these in a hurry The wheels were already available as an add-on when purchasing the Mac Pro. We were shocked back then that, at $100 per wheel, they added $400 to the price of an already eye-wateringly expensive machine. But now that the four wheels are available as a separate purchase for an extra $299, we find ourselves compelled to ask: is Apple okay? If anyone is able to explain the extra cost for buying them separately, we're all ears. Apple doesn't even appear to have reinvented the wheels – which means your Mac Pro could still be prone to wandering off thanks to the absence of brakes. It goes without saying that we're not alone in our surprise about the price: We accept, of course, that the Mac Pro isn't aimed at most creatives – it's more likely to be found inside a high-powered production suite than your average apartment, but Apple is definitely on a roll when it comes to expensive accessories. You could bag yourself a new iPad for the same price as the $399 Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, for example. And if you did originally opt for wheels with the Mac Pro and would prefer a set of feet instead, Apple has also released a new Feet Kit for $299. Bargain. The Mac Pro (with feet, not wheels) If the price isn't a barrier, there's no denying that the Mac Pro is one hell of a powerful machine for creatives. But if you're looking for a more portable (and affordable) powerhouse, check out the best MacBook Pro deals below. Related articles: The best MacBook Pro alternatives for designers MacBook Pro 2020: Latest rumour roundup Is this what Apple's new headphones will look like? View the full article

If you want to know how to test React, you're in the right place. Do you really know your code does what it is supposed to do? Have you tested it in the browser? What if you haven’t, or you can’t test everything, and it breaks in production? A testing library is a group of utilities developers use to write individual tests on application components. Some of the principle parts of a test are: Description: describes what the test is about Use/Render: uses the component in an environment where it can be tested Mocking: creates pretend functions, so that you can check your assumptions Over the course of this article, I’m going to explore some examples from the React Testing Library in order to help you get started with this valuable way of improving the robustness of your code output, as well as ensuring your code doesn’t throw up any nasty surprises once it goes into production. Want more useful resources? Here's our rundown of the best web design tools around that'll help you work smarter. Or if you need a new machine, try this roundup of the best laptops for programming. This content originally appeared in net magazine. Read more of our web design articles here. Read more: HTML6: What is it and when is it arriving? Write HTML code faster Mobile app design: A beginner's guide View the full article

Skylum Luminar 4 is a powerful AI photo editor, which offers endless creative possibilities. Capable of spectacular effects for all kinds of photography, Luminar 4’s toolset places a particular focus on portraits. And the recent Luminar 4.2 update adds even more impressive features, including a new Shine Removal tool. Luminar’s dedicated Portrait workspace houses all of its powerful AI enhancement tools, with two key panels: AI Skin Enhancer and AI Portrait Enhancer. Both use Skylum’s AI Neural Network technology to recognise and select human faces and individual facial features, allowing for highly targeted adjustments. Luminar 4’s enhancement tools have been developed to work alongside your portraits, keeping photography true to the subject and always maintaining a level of authenticity. Effective but not overpowering, here are five ways Luminar 4 AI enhancement features can help take your portrait photography to new heights… 01. AI Skin Enhancer A brilliant first step to enhance your portrait if needed. This tool automatically identifies and selects your subject’s face, which you can then apply various effects to. These include skin smoothing and shine removal. 02. AI Skin Defects Removal If the project you’re working on requires clear, flawless skin, then Luminar 4 has the solution. Its AI Skin Defect Removal tool can automatically detect small skin blemishes and remove them seamlessly. 03. Eye whitening and Eye enhancer Two very simple but highly effective tools. The eye whitener and enhancer sliders need little adjusting to achieve great, very natural-looking improvements. 04. Face Light Don’t have a reflector? No problem. This simple Face Light slider brightens faces naturally and subtly, without affecting the rest of the image. 05. Luminar Looks Want to give your image a specific, stylised look? Luminar has a whole library of Looks that can be applied directly to portraits. Plus you can keep them on a totally separate layer so as to not affect any existing enhancements. Get your copy of Skylum Luminar 4 today If you want to give Luminar 4 a go for yourself, you can download a free 14-day trial (for both macOS and Windows) via the Skylum website. If after a couple of weeks you'd like to buy, use discount code CB to get an exclusive $10/£10 discount on the retail price. View the full article

The DHS urged organizations to update their passwords and make sure that a critical Pulse Secure VPN flaw has been patched, as attackers continue to exploit the flaw. View the full article

While the design of Apple's original AirPods was widely mocked when they first appeared in 2016, the tech giant has had the last laugh – the white wireless earbuds are now a staple of the street. Even, perhaps, as recognisable as the original iPod earphones became back in the noughties. It's no surprise, then, that Apple is apparently planning to expand the line-up with a pair of over-ear wireless headphones. According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on two versions of the headphones: a fitness-focussed model, and a more premium edition featuring "leather-like fabrics". Perhaps most excitingly, several elements such as the ear pads will attach magnetically "so they can be replaced by the user" – potentially making the headphones customisable (like the Apple Watch and its many straps, perhaps?). With no images doing the rounds, we can only guess what they'll look like – but we're sure they'll be a great-sounding set of cans for iPhone users (don't forget to check out our best iPhone apps for designers if that's you). While we have no idea how the headphones will look, German company Curved was ahead of the curve (sorry) back in 2018, when it put together this render (above) of what Apple headphones might look like if they took their design cue from the company's HomePod speaker. We love the retro styling – particularly the use of the old Apple rainbow logo. The headphones were first rumoured by Jon Prosser, an established Apple leaker. Prosser's track record is solid – he got this week's April 15th release date of the new iPhone SE spot on in various tweets. Prosser refers to these headphones as 'AirPods X', but if these are headphones and not 'ear pods', wouldn't 'AirPhones' be more appropriate? He also suggests Apple's longterm plan is to "phase out Beats", the company's other headphone brand. Whether Apple's over-ear headphones will become a fashion accessory like their older (but smaller) siblings remains to be seen. But with the sound quality of full-size headphones and the siri-powered wireless functionality of the rest of the AirPods range, we've no doubt they'll become a hugely popular piece of kit. Related articles: Is this what the iPhone 12 Pro will look like? Is this what iOS 14 will look like? (We really hope so) iPad Pro 2020: All there is to know about Apple's new tablet View the full article

Fans of America's most dysfunctional family, The Simpsons, will be familiar with the couch gag that kicks off every episode. From alien invasions to time travel, the famous sofa has been subject to extreme transformations over the course of the animation series. But this quarantine-themed offering, which sees the family fly off on an action-packed adventure around Springfield, is one of the most topical. Don't worry, no lockdown rules have been flouted here, the fast-paced jaunt takes place within the futuristic world of virtual reality, and the offbeat, abstract animation style deployed totally reflects that. This is Springfield as you've never seen it before. We just hope Homer is using one of the best VR headsets for 2020. Want to dive into The Simpsons? Try Disney Plus free for seven days. Bart's line writing punishment doesn't seem so bad here The sequence (below) supercharges the usual events of the opening credits, adding an extreme sport edge to everything the family does. Think Homer skydiving, Bart snowboarding and Marge surfing. Lisa gets to dive in the deep sea, and Maggie's tricycle skills are out of this world. Everything that happens is super-familiar, but not quite as you know it. It's the animation style that makes the piece so invigorating. The usual warm colours and soft lines are gone, replaced by a much edgier design. The colour palette is vibrant yet limited, while the abstract lines and graphic textures rough things up and emphasise that 'extreme' edge. Plus, the quick and often glitchy transitions offer pure adrenalin surges. We're all way too acquainted with our sofas at the moment, which this animation reflects perfectly. With a hard-hitting soundtrack, the sequence is fast, free and dreamlike, smashing that slight feeling of claustrophobia that's settled over the world and opening up new possibilities. We've recommended spicing things up with Google's AR app, but this takes it to another level that we'd love to try out. Read more: 11 top animation tools for digital artists 24 cool CSS animation examples to recreate How to make an animated video: Expert advice View the full article

He may be one of the most famously elusive artists around, but Banksy has welcomed followers into his home (specifically his bathroom) to share a brand new, lockdown-inspired artwork. Published on his official Instagram page this week, five photos show several rats, in what appears to be the artist's signature stencil style, wreaking havoc in the bathroom, along with the caption: "My wife hates it when I work from home". Can't say we blame her. Check out our guide to working from home like a pro if your job is a little more, er, traditional. There are nine rats in total, with one swinging from the light cord and another making a tally of numbers on the wall – possibly counting down the days of lockdown. Another rat appears to be doing something rather unsavoury on the toilet, complete with unidentified brown liquid. We're beginning to sympathise with Banksy's wife even more. It's certainly an entertaining artwork, filled with Banksy's trademark wit. While it's a rare treat to see his work indoors, it does make us realise how perfectly it works on the street – this isn't a piece we could see fitting in our own home. A detail from Banksy's bathroom artwork While pre-lockdown life feels like years ago, Banksy's last public artwork was revealed just a couple of months back, on Valentine's Day. The piece, featuring a stencil of a girl firing red flowers from a catapult, appeared in the artists' home town of Bristol. Sadly, it lasted just a few days before being vandalised and subsequently covered. Hopefully Banksy's bathroom masterpiece is slightly safer – although if his wife isn't keen, perhaps it isn't. Related articles: Street art: 45 incredible examples to inspire you New Banksy artwork discovered in Birmingham 34 top free graffiti fonts View the full article

Best Buy is running some amazing deals right now, perfect for creatives The event sees huge savings across a range of popular devices, but the one we're most excited about drops a brand new iPad down to just $299! The new 10.2-inch iPad is a powerful little device, with Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil support, it's a brilliant companion for busy creatives. There's over one million apps to choose from (don't miss our pick of the best iPad apps for designers), Wi-Fi and comes with iPadOS, which unlocks a whole new world of capability. Need different iPad specs, or looking for a bit more power with the iPad Pro? Be sure to check out our round up of the best iPad deals. Oh, and don't forget to grab yourself a stylus with our pick of best cheap Apple Pencil deals too. Best Buy has some incredible deals on other devices too, including headphones, tablets and TVs. Here's our pick of the best offers for creatives currently available: Outside the US? Here are the best offers on these and similar devices in your area: View the full article

There's nothing we love more than a great piece of design here at Creative Bloq, but that doesn't mean we don't secretly enjoy seeing something truly awful every now and again. That's the spirit behind a new contest asking designers (and non-designers) to create the worst possible logo for a fictional organisation named SMORTS: Simple Marketing Online Responsive Tech Solutions. Catchy. Devised by US creative agency Fuzzco, the contest (ingeniously named How Low Can Your Logo?) invites you to "strap on your mouse, throw away your inhibitions and forget what you learned in art school". The instructions are simple: read the brief ("or don't"), design "the baddest logo ever" and upload it to the contest's website for viewers to vote for the best (worst) entry. We're pleased to announce that none of the entries so far will be entering our best logos list – but many of them are truly hilarious. But while the project is brilliant fun, the aim behind it is to help educate, picking apart exactly what makes a good or bad logo design. The current top-rated entries From clip art to Comic Sans, the contest is both a treasure trove of graphic design faux pas and an often nostalgic look back at some of the early design trends of the nineties and noughties. Most of the designs are extremely busy, no doubt in response to today's abundance of minimalist aesthetics. The winner and runners up will be selected by a panel of six judges, including Pentagram partner Michael Beirut and Google Design's Carly Ayres – find out more about the judges here. The contest closes at 10pm BST on Tuesday 21st April. So, without further ado, below are some of our favourite ghastly takes on SMORTS. Related articles: Iconic logos reimagined for the age of coronavirus 8 fantastic non-profit logos The best logo designer: the best paid-for and free logo designer software View the full article

Cisco stomped out a critical vulnerability in its IP Phone web server that could enable remote code execution by an unauthenticated attacker. View the full article

A portfolio website is the quickest and easiest way of showcasing your work as a designer. Even if you have a physical portfolio, a website is still an expected extra – and it's vital that it makes your work sing. Not everyone has the web design skills to be comfortable creating a website with a stunning, easy-to-use layout. These tips will help to fill those knowledge gaps and have your website online in no time. For more portfolio inspiration, check out these stunning portfolio examples. And our pick of the best free graphic design portfolio themes, and paid-for Wordpress portfolio themes will make yours look super professional. Click on the icon at the top-right to enlarge it Illustration by Simon Middleweek. 01. Be yourself Don’t copy someone else’s site design just because you think it looks good. It’s vitally important that your portfolio website shows off who you are and what you do: by creating an original website you’ll help ensure that it comes to mind when people are searching for your services. 02. Make yourself available This cheeky contact page is part of designer Jo Mor's personality-filled website If your site doesn’t make it clear how visitors can get in touch with you, they won’t try very hard to find out. Devote space on your homepage to telling people how they can reach you. Different people prefer different methods of contact, so supply a couple of ways that they can do so – make it easy for them. 03. Show some personality Jessica Walsh put herself front and centre for her &Walsh website When visitors are looking at your website, they want to know who you are. Add a bit of personality, perhaps with a good headshot of yourself, to let them know you’re a real person with your own style and identity. Creativity is all about originality and sometimes people are put off by faceless, corporate websites. 04. Keep it quick The average person waits less than three seconds for a page to load before abandoning the website altogether. Choosing a suitable hosting package that allows for fast page-load speeds is crucial to the success of your website. Not every web host is the same so choose carefully to avoid a slow site. 05. Create fresh content Google loves fresh content, so a great way to improve the search ranking of your site is to keep it up-to-date through a blog. Always keep your posts relevant and linked to what it is you do, as that’s why people are looking at your site to begin with. Google also loves video, as do visitors – a short, engaging video could help keep people on your site for longer. 06. Show off Tangent's project page is sleek and engaging Your portfolio website is like a living CV: the content on it should be up-to-date and make it clear to people what you can do. It’s a vehicle for demonstrating your professionalism and talents, so make sure that you show off new projects and skills as soon as they’re ready for the world to see. 07. Shout about your clients Designer Julie Bonnemoy has a parallax background showcasing her big-name clients Another way of proving your pedigree is to show off your previous clientele. This tells potential new clients that you have been trusted to do important work before and shows you have a track record. If you have worked with a well-known company or brand, it’ll add more weight to your skills. 08. Get recommended Why should anyone just take your word for how great you are? Direct quotes from your clients act as reviews of your services and can be published on your site. These testimonials add a level of trust, reassurance and authenticity, further proving your experience and ability to produce top quality work. 09. Live examples Linking to existing pieces of work that your previous clients are currently using further demonstrates your prowess as a professional. Showing that other people are invested in your skills and trust your work can help to reassure new clients or employers that you really are as good as you say you are. 10. Target language David McGillivray's site delivers a clear message about the process of hiring a designer Who is your target audience and what is the overall aim of your website? Your portfolio site should showcase your skills and personality, so invest time in thinking about exactly what your message is – and who it’s aimed at – before considering how to best communicate it. You want the message that your site sends out to be consistent with the work you do. This article first appeared in The Portfolio Handbook, created by Computer Arts magazine. Read more: Tweak your portfolio for 2020 The biggest portfolio trends for 2020 How to refine your design portfolio View the full article

Alleged Windows flaw allows for remote code execution and is being flogged for $500,000. View the full article

As well as revealing a brand new iPhone SE, Apple yesterday announced that one of its most anticipated upcoming products is now available to preorder. The Magic Keyboard for the 2020 iPad Pro was unveiled alongside the new tablet last month, and said to be arriving in May. However, it appears to be hitting the shelves sooner than expected. As of yesterday, the keyboard is available to order from the Apple Store, with units set to be delivered next week. Apple has been touting the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement for years now, most (in)famously in its 2018 ads in which a young tablet user asks, "What's a computer?". While the ads were derided at the time, the tech giant has doubled down on the messaging – the message for the 2020 iPad and Magic Keyboard (below) proudly proclaiming: "Your next computer is not a computer." But with the addition of a trackpad, it's the new Magic Keyboard accessory that could make those claims a reality – and make the iPad an even better option for creatives (check out the best iPad apps for designers). There's just one problem: the price. The 11-inch version of the Magic Keyboard is $299, while the 12.9-inch is a whopping $349. To put that in perspective, you could buy an actual iPad for the same price. At $349, the 10.2-inch iPad certainly isn't a 'pro' tablet, but it's still a very capable machine. Still, if the Magic Keyboard is as transformative for the iPad Pro as Apple suggests, perhaps it's worth shelling out for. And there's always the trackpad-less Smart Keyboard Folio if you're after something a little cheaper. Despite the price, the Magic Keyboard was definitely the thing that really got us excited about the 2020 iPad Pro. It magnetically attaches to the iPad, and the tablet sits above the keyboard with what Apple calls a "cantilevered design" (basically, it floats), offering way more flexibility in terms of viewing angles. You can order the new Magic Keyboard now on Apple's website. If you're interested in picking up the 2020 iPad Pro (which definitely isn't a computer) or the Smart Keyboard Folio, check out the latest offers below. Related articles: MacBook Pro 2020: Latest rumour roundup New Apple gadget is not what we were expecting Illustrator for iPad now available in beta View the full article

After months of will-they-won't-they speculation, Apple has finally revealed its budget iPhone for 2020 – and instead of being named the iPhone 9 as rumoured, the new device is called the iPhone SE. It's the second iPhone to take the SE name – the original, released in 2016, was an affordable iPhone for those who preferred a smaller form factor. This new SE is certainly affordable at just $399, but if it's a small phone you want, you might be out of luck. Instead of the pleasingly pocketable 4-inch form factor of the original, the 2020 iPhone SE borrows the exact same 4.7-inch design of the iPhone 8, dashing the hopes of anyone who prefers small phones that are actually, you know, small. We loved the size of the original SE and found it perfect for one-handed use. Still, there's a lot more tech to pack into the device these days, so perhaps we need to suck it up and accept that small phones are now a thing of the past. Still, we can't help but feel the same as the Twitter user below. The iPhone is a great device for creatives – check out the best iPhone apps for designers. Speaking of tech, however, that's one area where the new iPhone SE doesn't disappoint. According to the Apple newsroom, It packs the same A13 Bionic chip as the much more expensive (and yes, bigger) iPhone 11, which should future-proof it for a good few years. Apple also claims that the SE features the “best-ever single-camera system for great photos and videos" – indeed, it's the first 4.7-inch iPhone to feature Apple's popular Portrait Mode. The original iPhone SE (left) vs. the new version (right) While a fast processor and great camera might not make this a bells-and-whistles iPhone release, that's the point of the SE. Not everybody needs Face ID, an LED display and 740 cameras – this is a device for those who want an iPhone that can do the basics, and do them fast. On the design front, the new iPhone SE is available in black, white and (PRODUCT)RED. The white model, however, appears to have the same black front as the other models – so it seems the device marks the end of white-fronted iPhones. Preorders begin tomorrow, and at $399, it's the cheapest iPhone since the original SE. We just can't help but wish the form factor was as small as the price. Want to grab the original iPhone SE while you still can? Check out the best offers below. Related articles: Is this what the iPhone 12 Pro will look like? Is this what iOS 14 will look like? (We really hope so) iPad Pro 2020: All there is to know about Apple's new tablet View the full article

For many creatives it's a strange, uncertain time right now. For most illustrators, though, the current climate of working from home is simply business as usual. That's not to say it's all plain sailing right now; commissions may be harder to come by in these suddenly straitened times, but if you're good at your job then you should find the work. But if you need a little encouragement – and we could all use that from time to time – here it is. There's a lot more to illustration than knowing how to draw, so we've picked out four of the greatest illustrators of all time, along with lessons you could learn from their successful careers to improve your own prospects. Read on for some essential tips from the best in the business. 4 tips for your first year as a freelance illustrator 01. Beatrix Potter Beatrix Potter originally self-published The Tale of Peter Rabbit when publishers weren't interested If you've ever struggled to sell your work and found yourself wondering if you have a future in illustration, remember that even the greatest illustrators have been in that same boat. Beatrix Potter is one of the most beloved illustrators of all time, forever associated with a series of beautifully-realised children's books starting with The Tale of Peter Rabbit, but even she had to deal with publishers who simply weren't interested. By the time Potter wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit she was already an accomplished illustrator, specialising in detailed recreations of fungus; she had also printed her own Christmas cards and sold illustrations to publishers. But when she tried to sell Peter Rabbit in 1900, there were no takers. Rather than give up, Potter had the story printed at her own expense, and this led to interest from Frederick Warne & Co., which finally published The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902. Potter also took a smart approach to merchandising her work; she made and patented the first Peter Rabbit doll in 1903, and followed this up with all manner of merchandise, which provided her – and her publisher – with a welcome secondary income. Lesson learned: Sometimes you just have to take the initiative and do things yourself. Once your work's out there and gaining popularity, you'll become a much more attractive proposition for publishers – although you may still have to be persistent. 02. Quentin Blake Encouragement from an established artist helped Quentin Blake sell his first illustrations There's the most wonderful sense of controlled chaos to the work of Quentin Blake. While his lively illustrations may give the impression that they've been dashed out in seconds, he spends a lot of time preparing and planning his drawings to ensure that they fit the atmosphere of the book he's working on, and that his characters look the same on each page. The spontaneous feel of his work has made him a perfect fit for children's books; he's illustrated over 300 of them since his first book in 1961, working most famously with Roald Dahl, and also with big names such as David Walliams and even Dr Seuss, for whom he illustrated the first book that Seuss didn't illustrate himself. He's also written and illustrated a number of books by himself. Every illustrator needs to start somewhere, and Blake got his first big break thanks to painter and cartoonist Alfred Jackson, who was married to Blake's Latin teacher at school. Jackson encouraged Blake to submit his work to Punch magazine, and the young illustrator saw his first work published at the age of just 16. Lesson learned: Never underestimate the advantages of having a mentor who can help you set your career in the right direction. Getting the right advice from someone who's already been around the block can save you from some serious pitfalls and show you what aspects of your work you need to focus on. 03. Maurice Sendak Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are tells its story with just 338 words and a lot of detailed illustrations Where the Wild Things Are is one of the most celebrated children's books of all time, but at the time of its release things didn't look quite so rosy for it. Reviewers and teachers found Maurice Sendak's tale, of an angry young boy who becomes king of an island of Wild Things, simply too grotesque for young readers, and it was initially banned from libraries until it was discovered that children were finding the book for themselves and reading it over and over, captivated by the subversive themes that the adults were worried about. Sendak had been working as an illustrator for nearly 20 years by the time Where the Wild Things Are was published in 1963. It tells its story in just 338 words, leaving Sendak's beautifully detailed illustrations to do much of the heavy lifting, making it an ideal book for younger readers. And while many found its themes dark, they make perfect sense when you realise that many of Sendak's family died in the Holocaust, and he himself spent some of his childhood confined to bed with health problems. Sendak described his childhood as "a terrible situation"; it also gave him his love of stories, thanks to the books he read when he was unwell, and also to his father, an inveterate storyteller who would embellish tales from the Torah with inappropriately racy details. Lesson learned: Illustration isn't just about the pictures; it's also about telling a story. If you can carry off an entire book with barely any words, with the story mostly conveyed through the illustrations, you're on the right track. 04. Judith Kerr Judith Kerr didn't publish her first book, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, until she was 45 Judith Kerr is another illustrator whose early life was touched by the Holocaust; her family fled Berlin in 1933 just as the Nazis were coming to power. She wrote about this in a trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels starting with When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit in 1971; however her troubled childhood may well have inspired her most famous book, too. The Tiger Who Came to Tea, one of the best-selling children's books of all time, is the story of a little girl and her mother who are visited by a friendly tiger who proceeds to drink everything in the house before going on his way. It's been suggested that the book may have been inspired by a childhood fear of the Nazis turning up to take her father away; throughout her life, though, Kerr insisted that it was simply a story about a tiger coming for tea. Born in 1923, Kerr didn't start writing and illustrating books until she was in her 40s, just when her children were learning to read. She continued working almost up to her death in 2019; in 2015 another of her beloved characters, Mog the forgetful cat, was brought to life in an animated Christmas ad for Sainsbury's, alongside one final Mog book: Mog's Christmas Calamity. Lesson learned: It's never too late to start. Judith Kerr had a career as an artist and worked at the BBC as a scriptwriter, and it wasn't until she was 45 that The Tiger That Came to Tea was published. So if you're approaching 30 and still haven't had your big break, don't be disheartened; there's still plenty of time. Related articles: 10 top illustration trends for 2020 Illustrators depict their perfect self-isolation scenario 6 websites that use illustration brilliantly View the full article

The Chinese ISP has expanded its program via HackerOne. View the full article

Burger King has been forced to stop showing adverts for its new Rebel Whopper burger after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed them misleading. Launched in January to coincide with Veganuary (in which people attempt to eat only vegan food for the whole month), the ads proclaimed the new burger to be the chain's "first plant-based burger”. However, while the Rebel Whopper may not contain any beef, it soon came to light that it is cooked on the same grill as its meat counterpart. Twitter users spotted the smallprint on the ad, with many taking the fast food giant to task. In reply to countless disgruntled tweets, Burger King claimed this was to preserve the Whopper's "signature flame-grilled taste" – something we doubt is as important to vegetarians as the thing being, you know, vegetarian. It's safe to say these won't be making our list of the best poster designs any time soon. As well as describing the product as "100% WHOPPER - NO BEEF", the advertising (above) contained a logo proclaiming, "powered by the vegetarian butcher" (which, er, doesn't scream 'not suitable for vegetarians' to us). "So it’s an absolute waste of time then?" Said one Twitter user on learning that the burger is cooked on the same grill as the original Whopper. "What’s the point in bringing out plant based foods that aren’t suitable for even vegetarians?" The ASA had beef with several elements of the ads "The presence of the “Vegetarian Butcher” logo, the green colour palette and the timing of the ad and product release to coincide with Veganuary" all contributed to the impression that the product is suitable for vegetarians, claimed the ruling. Not suitable for vegetarians Burger King argued that "the small print at the bottom of the ads stated that the Rebel Whopper may not be suitable for vegans or vegetarians as it was cooked alongside other meat products", but this wasn't enough for the ASA. “We concluded that the ads were misleading,” it said. “The ads must not appear again in their current form.” Burger King isn't the only fast food chain to have social media trouble lately. McDonald's recently apologised and deleted a 'socially-distanced' version of its logo after a backlash from those who saw it as an opportunistic response to the coronavirus pandemic. At least Burger King has had more success with its ads elsewhere. We were impressed with its recent campaign featuring a mouldy whopper in a clever swipe at McDonald's. It's ironic that, advertising-wise, the chain's mouldy burger left a better taste than its "plant-based" one. Related articles: McDonald's posters go viral for all the wrong reasons The optical illusion you probably won't want to work out Burger King trolls parliament in cheeky campaign View the full article

Intel fixed nine high- and medium-severity flaws in its April security update, which could enable privilege escalation and denial of service attacks. View the full article

In the last few weeks many cancelled events, from concerts to conferences, have been replaced by virtual ones. And in the process, many are realising that moving events online isn’t just about damage control; it actually brings benefits of its own. “For a start, the reach can be much greater,” notes Olga de Giovanni, global PR and communications manager at marketing and media consultancy Ebiquity. “Our initial webinars, for example, attracted five to 10 times as many participants as we’d typically get, and we reached an international audience too.” Vinda Souza, VP of global communications at Bullhorn, is also enthused by the possibilities of virtual events. “The fact there’s virtually no barrier to attendance, other than internet access, means there’s capacity to invite way more people,” she says. “Those who couldn’t otherwise afford to travel, be away from their computer, leave overnight and be away from their family, or have mobility concerns, can now attend.” So how do you make your event a success? In this article, we gather the best advice from both veterans and those who’ve recently joined the party. 01. Make it relevant With so many virtual events taking place right now, you need to work hard to grab people's attention The first point might be obvious, but it’s worth stating: any event you organise needs to take account of the strange circumstances we all find ourselves in right now. Dan Peden, strategy director of marketing agency Journey Further, offers a typical example. “We had a number of brand-facing events in Manchester, Leeds and London planned in over the next few months but have had to completely rethink them,” he says. “There’s no point offering advice that brands can’t action in the current climate,” he reasons. “So our first online performance marketing masterclass instead focused on how we're helping leading brands navigate the Covid19 crisis. It went down really well, and we have more planned in for the next couple of months.” Neil Davidson, CEO at communications agency HeyHuman, tells a similar story. “People are heading towards ‘peak webinar’,” he says. “So when we organised our latest online event, which replaced a face-to-face event we’d had in the diary since the start of the year, our first question was: 'Is the content applicable right now, and is it future-gazing?' If not, don’t bother; you’re just adding to the pile. So our event focused on how neuroscience can help brands connect with customers, during and after the pandemic. It was something all brands, no matter what position they’re in, could learn from.” That doesn’t mean, of course, that every virtual event has to be about the pandemic and its effects on society; just that it has to take it into account. For example, running an online music festival doesn't address people’s concerns about Covid-19, but it does address their need for entertainment and distraction while under lockdown. 02. Get the timing right People are busy, so don't make your event run any longer than it needs to How long should your event last? Of course, that will depend on the context and the audience, but in general, an hour is a good ballpark to aim for, says Rob Dennis, PPC specialist at Liberty Marketing: “Any longer and people start to lose interest,” he says. If you’re hosting multiple events, you should soon get a feel for how long your audience’s attention will last. “Our first masterclass was 60 minutes long with talks from three different speakers,” says Dan Peden. “However, to keep people engaged we now think it’s best to keep events to around 30 minutes. Moving forward, we’ll be doing more focused events with just one speaker.” Emma Robson is head of events at Ingenuity London, which recently launched Virtual Connect, an online ‘speed dating’ event for brands and agencies. She advises: “Keep individual sessions concise: anything more than an hour could be a bit of a drag. Looking at a computer screen isn’t the same as seeing someone in the flesh, so take attention spans into consideration.” Also think carefully about when your event starts. “For instance, anything too close to lunch could summon the wrath of a small child, so give enough time either side of lunchtime to allow people to be settled into their work,” Emma recommends. 03. Differentiate your event Roger Sanchez was among the DJs taking part in Defected Records' Virtual Festival 3.0 While you want your event to be current, don’t just copy what others are doing. “For example, Coldplay’s Chris Martin live-streamed singing from his living room, and now everyone’s doing living room gigs,” says Alex Wilson, head of content at brand experience agency Amplify. “Instead, think about how you can differentiate from the ‘wall of same’. The way you do that is the same as before: lean into the insights of your audience, look at the best solution to the problem, and be creatively brave, to ensure you’re leading from the front.” James Kirkham, chief business officer at Defected Records, pushes a similar line. "It isn’t enough to merely stream and assume you’ll cut through; there are too many competing events,” he points out. “So consider what it’s unique about you, convey the essence of who you are, and find a way to get super-personal with those viewing. For example, when we put on our virtual music festival, we created a set of ‘House Rules’ for those watching and dancing along at home, intended to help convey the spirit of the brand and add a layer that made it feel like a truly Defected event.” 04. Brief your speakers carefully Panellists at the World Media Group webinar: advertising and the COVID-10 Pandemic If your event involves talks, then don’t think that just picking speakers and topics is all you need do. You still have to brief those speakers carefully; in fact, even more so than you would for a physical event. That’s a lesson recently learned by Belinda Barker, director of the World Media Group, which hosts regular events for the marketing, creative and publishing industries. The Group recently held its first virtual event; a webinar with 10 industry experts discussing whether advertising is appropriate at a time of crisis. “A webinar doesn’t have the natural flow of a live event, so it’s vital to keep speakers brief and on point," she advises. "For Q&A sessions, for instance, I'd suggest scripting some of the questions in advance to make sure that speakers are aware and fully prepped for them. And remember that virtual audiences are far harsher critics, because it’s much easier to turn off an app than it is to walk out of a room full of people.” Also, just because people are good at speaking at physical events, don’t assume those skills are instantly translatable. “Too often there’s a mistaken belief that people will learn how to do live events through osmosis,” says Richard Robinson, managing director of Econsultancy. “This dangerous falsehood is akin to asking an army of stage actors, who normally feed off the audience and energy of the room, to seamlessly step onto a film set and shoot an Oscar-winning movie." Anyone new to speaking at a virtual events needs to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again, he stresses. If that includes you, you'll need to: "Master the tech, make sure you’re fluent on the platform, and the computer it will run from. Find a stable and quiet area to present, and consider the unexpected like other people living in your household, especially children and animals who take no prisoners. Lastly, be aware of the power of your gestures: rolling eyes, eyebrows and other mannerisms that may detract from your delivery.” "Not everyone knows how to use FaceTime and how to frame themselves," adds Jon Pearson, who's recently been running a virtual comedy night called Comedy Virtually LIVE. "So I'd advise people to look directly down the lens of the camera, even if they're on video call, because you look strange on screen." 05. Choose your platform wisely Erica Freas of Specialist Subject Records says Instagram Stories works well for hosting gigs online When it comes to software, you’re spoiled for choice in terms of what to use to host your virtual event, as you’ll see from our sister site’s round-up of the best videoconferencing services. But how do you choose between them? “Before you decide on an off the shelf tech platform for your virtual event, pay close attention to your users and the devices that they are most likely to be using,” advises Jason Anderson, digital director at experience agency Avantgarde. “Not all tech solutions play that well on mobiles, and some are more suitable for informal gatherings amongst friends rather than corporate events. Privacy and data security are important: the recent issues with Zoom and its invisible sharing of data with Facebook and others is a prime example. Make sure your chosen platforms meet your security, GDPR and data requirements.” Aside from formal videoconferencing tools, social media platforms can also offer a great platform for hosting virtual events. Erica Freas of Specialist Subject Records, for example, has been coordinating virtual gigs on Tuesdays for the past month via Instagram Stories. “We've had between 150 and 5,000 viewers depending on the band, and it's been a really nice touchstone for the music community,” she says. The company opted for Instagram Stories because it was the most simple, low barrier way to organise the event at the last minute, she explains. “YouTube Live requires verification, and none of us uses Twitch. We looked at applications that let you stream from multiple sites at once but those cost money. Instagram Live was something we already had access to, and it alerts your followers that you've started a stream, so it catches more people than those who were paying attention to the upcoming event. “Once we clocked that we could let the performers into our account and everyone could stream back-to-back through @specialistsubject, we knew we were done," Erica adds. "It's so fun and seamless to have musician after musician pop up in our stream. A downside is that to watch you have to have an Instagram account, but they are free. I have a handful of friends, some in their 60s and 70s, who downloaded the app just to come to the show.” 06. Consider specialist services Hopin allows you to build in chat functionality that enables meetings and networking during the event While there are many free services, you may find it's worth paying for a platform that will make your event look and feel more professional. Imagen's Plan B, for example, is selling itself as a ready-made solution to deliver content to registered attendees online as a consequence of event cancellations. CMO Helen Aboagye outlines some of the benefits. “For imminent events, many video assets, scripts and presentations will already have been completed,” she says. “Imagen’s Plan B offers the ability to immediately create a branded portal to host video presentations, interviews and clips, enabling you to easily repurposing these assets for your virtual events. Access to this content can be controlled on a very granular level, so VIPs or sponsors can access premium content that is invisible to standard delegates, for example. In addition, the platform is browser-based, so any attendee with a desktop can participate, while any speaker or contributor can upload assets for approval from any computer too.” Hopin, meanwhile, is marketing itself as an online events platform that allows attendees to learn, interact, and connect with each other. “Content is only half of a good event experience, connections are the other half,” says founder Johnny Bourfarhat. “For an online event to replicate an offline event, there needs to be a way to meet new people serendipitously. Hopin does this with an automated one-on-one matching system in the event for networking meetings, like a Facetime chat. “Speakers may have a back and forth with your attendees in a controlled way,” he adds. “We do this through our moderated sessions. And to prevent people from feeling ‘lost in the crowd’ and losing interest, you can create different spaces where they can meet people in the way they prefer, whether that's broadcasting, one on one, or in a group.” 07. Make attendees feel involved Letting attendees hold meetings makes a virtual event feel more like a physical one, says Dave Bradley of Real Steel Presenting the right content is only one part of your event. If all you do is stream content in one direction, there’s no real incentive for people to keep watching, so you need to find ways to make people involved and engaged. Dave Bradley of Steel Media was keen to pursue this when he recently organised Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #1, a virtual event for the games industry that's going to take place again in June. "Our live conferences are well known for being places to meet and do business, so we wanted to continue that into the virtual event as best we could," he explains. "The 'meeting' system we’ve used enables you to search for individuals based on the job they do, or what they are looking for - a games developer in need of a publisher, for instance - send them a message, and automatically schedule a Zoom call. "There’s evidence that this feature has been heavily used," he adds. "We can see that literally hundreds of meetings per day – thousands in total across the week – were arranged. We encourage people to meet at our events through all our marketing shout-outs and this event was no different. One thing the meeting system also includes is a Digital Expo. To replace the exhibition hall, with its booths and tables, we created a space where people can post portfolio pieces, links to game trailers, samples of their work, descriptions of their services and so on. This proved to be very popular, with over 200 display pages published there." Don’t forget about social media, either. “Social can be a major aspect of in-person events and can be just as useful for virtual events too: you just need to adjust your approach accordingly,” says Corie Leaman, director of IT Nation Events at ConnectWise. “So in our case, we still create hashtags and look for ways to communicate with our audiences, but now we’re asking different questions – about participants’ views, locations and lunches – because we know this encourages engagement. It’s also important to find a dedicated moderator and a platform able to support chat and Q&As, so that your moderator can guide the conversation and focus on relaying information between speakers and attendees." Meanwhile, Erica Freas says that encouraging interaction between audience members at virtual gigs has happened naturally on Instagram. “Whenever someone new joins the stream at our online gigs, their Instagram handle pops up in the scrolling comments, so you do get a lot of recognition and chat, just like at a real show,” she explains. “We can't see each others' faces but we can talk to each other, welcome each other, make jokes and ask questions across the platform." 08. Remind people it's happening Given the multiplicity of virtual events happening right now, it’s easy for people to forget they’ve signed up for one. So don’t take anything for granted, says Jason Anderson. “Don’t forget the pre- and post-event communication,” he says. “You still have to engage your audience with pre-event marketing, to ensure they sign up and actually turn up, while post-event analysis through scores such as NPS can provide great feedback and insight.” 09. Expect technical challenges Internet connection issues can play havoc with timing, warns Jon Pearson of Comedy Virtual Live Technical problems are the bane of every virtual event, and they’re only more likely to occur at the current time, with unprecedented demands on the broadband network. “Glitches are always likely to crop up, so be prepared,” says Emma Robson. “For instance, we found out that you can’t host two different events or meetings at the same time on our choice of platform. This meant a frantic call to our agency selection manager was needed so he could move his meeting onto another platform, and we could start our event. Wifi is also famously temperamental, so it’s helpful to have another team member on standby to jump in when your signal falters. When this happened to my colleague, I had to reclaim myself as host and take over temporarily.” Also, don’t assume that attendees are well-versed in using videoconferencing technology: this may be the very first time they’ve used it. “So if there’s a ‘mute all’ option, make sure that’s activated as people join,” adds Emma. “This will help avoid the confusion of people talking over one another, and to help create a more seamless process.” Rob Dennis adds: “If you’re doing a screen share like I had to do, then ensure your laptop is in Do Not Disturb mode, so that you don’t receive any notifications while you’re in screen share!” It’s important to understand the limitations of a virtual event, too. For instance, Jon Pearson of Comedy Virtually LIVE notes that “Timing is essential, and any lag on the internet will ruin punchlines.” Erica, similarly, has learned that “Singers can't duet across a shared stream: the lag is unbearable.” It’s also worth asking yourself: do I actually need video? “For our event, we found it more natural to turn off the video once we got going," says Neil Davidson, CEO at transformative communications agency HeyHuman. “It’s not a physical audience to begin with, so we focused on great slides: they should be well-designed and pointed, rather than animated. I’ve been burnt by too many dodgy home Wi-Fi connections!” 10. Generate a sociable atmosphere Most of these tips have been focused on public-facing events, but what about organising social events for your colleagues online? With all of us stuck home remote working, getting together for drinks and a chat can be an invaluable way of keeping up morale and motivation. But it can be tricky to organise a group chat that feels less like a meeting, and more like a social occasion. “So consider including activities that get everyone involved,” suggests Heather Delaney, founder of Gallium Ventures. “Games for teams can be a good way to keep a fun and consistent flow, keeping staff connected without it feeling like an awkward conference call.” She adds: “It’s great to set a start and finish time for your internal event, in order to allow any late arrivals a window to when they might have missed the boat. Obviously virtual drinks with friends or colleagues has the likelihood of running over any calendar invite, but at least you offer those with prior commitments a way out without scrutiny.” View the full article

Mastering pencil shading techniques will only be achieved through regular practise. This is because different pencils create marks that are noticeably different from one another, which means that understanding which pencil does what is extremely important. My best advice to learn shading is to go out and experiment with multiple pencils and explore different methods, in this article I'll share my insight to help clarify this learning process. My goal is to inspire you to try shading with intent and create drawings by employing a range of shading techniques. Need some new tools? Here's a rundown of the best pencils around. Plus, you can widen your technical expertise further with this guide to pencil drawing techniques. Which pencils should you use? I used HB mechanical pencils for a long time when I changed my focus from digital to traditional art. However, once I started working with regular pencils, there was a clear execution difference that I wasn't able to produce with mechanical pencils alone. Since then I've discovered techniques on how to produce different textures, tones and results that I combine to create my pieces. It wasn't just the different HB hardness pencils that showed me the clear difference, such as shading with a 4B versus a 4H. I learned that the tip of the pencil also gave vastly different results. For example, a more rounded tip gave a larger, softer result and was more efficient to work with. 01. Choose your pencils carefully Having a duller-tipped pencil will produce larger areas while shading. They'll also create more of a textured look the higher you go up the B scale I recommend having a few solid pencils at hand that you can use in your work with full knowledge of the results they'll produce. There's a noticeable difference when working with different pencils on the HB scale and how sharp or dull the tip is. Test and see how some will produce dark texture while others create consistent mid-tone smoothness. Going higher on the H scale will produce lighter yet smoother, buttery looking results. Using a small tip mechanical pencil will create precision, but often will smooth out the paper texture when shading to create a more matte look 02. Create different types of shading The different methods create wildly different results Every artist will find the shading method that works best for them and I tend to use a few while drawing. I primarily work with circling, but I've experimented with all of these methods and more to help me create my best results. Each method produces a distinct result and depending on what type of art you want to create, you'll want to find which is best for you! Hatching and stippling often create an underlying presence of texture and roughness. Circling and using a blending stump creates clean, gradual smoothness. 03. Get to know your values when shading The simple sphere example shows a clear and easy-to-understand separation of values from a singular light source and the shadows it creates Take the time to understand how lighting works and the values it creates to shade properly. Do studies, find references and resources that provide this insight, and then apply that knowledge in your practice pieces. There's a range of value to work with, not just dark and light. Understanding how lighting works will drastically influence your shading execution and consistency in your work 04. Practice helps to provide insight You can see how I build up the values slowly, creating a foundation that I can confidently make darker marks on top of Now that I've been working with a handful of pencils with each drawing, I know when to switch over to another for a particular result. It's traditional and effective to start with a lighter H pencil and then gradually work darker into the B scale, to punch out the values and contrast. Higher B pencils tend to be harder to erase and that's why I normally start with a 2H pencil in my work 05. Discover which shading techniques suit your style While neither method is wrong, in time you’ll find which technique works best for you. This is why I recommended experimenting Here's an example of two different types of shading methods. The left half has a softer realism finish with gradations on the paper texture done with a circling method and a slow build-up of value. The right half was done primarily with hatching and creates a crisp bold finish. This article was originally published in ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists. Subscribe to ImagineFX. Read more: How to draw perspective The 12 best drawing books How to draw: The best drawing tutorials View the full article

Apple is all about augmented reality right now, from touting the power of the new iPad Pro's LiDAR Scanner, to highlighting various AR apps (more on these later). As with any new technology, it can be easy to question what it's actually useful for. But a new concept video has arrived demonstrating how AR could work with the Apple Card to give the user information about their balance and transactions – and it looks pretty darn exciting. Volodymyr Kurbatov's concept video (below) shows the user swiping the Apple Card as one would an iPhone, while information appears alongside it. A few rotations of the card change the date from balance to recent transactions, and even allow the user to set a new credit limit. "This is a future I could look forward to!" says one commenter, and we agree – it's one slick-looking concept. Apple sale: Cheap MacBook Pro deal is not to be missed Something that isn't clear from the video, however, is what AR device is needed to view the information. "How would the device work? Embedded in my eye or my brain?" asks one YouTuber. Kurbatov doesn't elaborate, but there are various possibilities. According to Cult of Mac, iOS 14 might include a built-in augmented reality viewing app, and there are even rumours that Apple is working on a set of AR glasses. Either way, Apple is clearly doubling down on its AR efforts, so something like Kurbatov's concept could very well become a reality. The Ikea Place AR app In a dedicated augmented reality page on its website, Apple extols the virtues of the technology. "Imagine if the line between the virtual and the real simply didn’t exist," it says, which somehow manages to sound both inspiring and terrifying. Fortunately, Apple's current examples on the page are a little less dystopian – such as the IKEA Place app (which lets you see how furniture might look in your room). Apple also claims that the new iPad Pro's LiDAR scanner offers "cutting-edge depth-sensing capabilities" which make the tablet 'the world’s best device for augmented reality". Time will tell what this technology actually allows us to do in the future, but for now, we're happy to sit back and enjoy cool creative concepts like this one. Related articles: New Apple gadget is not what we were expecting New Apple Pencil could get dramatic redesign Is this what iOS 14 will look like? (We really hope so) View the full article