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Microsoft has revealed a new Windows logo and a total redesign across a huge 100 of its app icons. But the main thing that stands out about the entire project is how little the new Windows logo stands out. You'd think a brand new Windows logo would be big news in the tech/branding world (and might even be a contender for our best logos post), but the new design is just quietly slotted in there amongst the other icons. The new Windows logo actually typifies the overall design strategy – so could have been made into the poster child for the redesign. Colour gradients have replaced the flat blue/white, and softer, rounded edges have taken over the traditional squares that previously made up the window. The new logo (on the left) has been made over with colour gradients and rounded edges The redesign strategy is about the unification and connectedness of all of those icons across the visual library. This may be why the Windows icon is simply popped in the midst of the rest of the icons that share its colour gradients. Has Microsoft not gone big on the Windows logo because it didn't want to hold up just one logo above the rest? Maybe this was a deliberate choice, so as not to confuse the overall visual branding strategy (or enrage the whole of Twitter, who do love to criticise a logo in isolation). The concept does seem to rely heavily on the icons being visually in sync with each other. A full colour palette unifies and organises the app icon library The new icons use a range of colours and are unified under a sleek new aesthetic. This results in a striking overall visual as you can see in the above sample of the 365 range. Before, the app icon library was a bit of a hodge-podge. Some apps have icons dating back decades, whereas some have been updated pretty recently. So the unification of the library was much-needed. Jon Friedman, corporate vice president of design and research at Microsoft explains that, "we introduced rich gradients, broadened our spectrum of colours, and implemented a dynamic motion with ribbon-like qualities". According to Friedman, the Fluent Design System, "promotes building off the familiar," and the finished icon range shows this off, containing mostly tweaks of original designs rather than total overhauls. Those tweaks include gradient colours and rounded edges, as well as a scaling back on detail. The team had to consider innovation and change whilst retaining familiarity Friedman explains that the finished result needed to signal innovation and change while retaining familiarity for users. “We also had to develop a flexible and open design system to span a range of contexts while still being true to Microsoft", he says. As usual, reactions are mixed, although to be fair, there haven't been that many of them. No one seemed to really care too much, particularly about the Windows logo. What little reaction there was seemed to focus on the icons themselves. Some Twitter users think the scaling back may have gone too far: Others preferred the icons before... Whereas some were happy: Combining customer familiarity with a forward thinking design seems to be a winning strategy as we head into the new decade. Reebok recently utilised this approach, tweaking and streamlining an original vector logo. But the scale of Microsoft's overhaul is in a different league. Although the reaction to it has been in a league that Microsoft may not have anticipated. Read more: Where to find logo design inspiration Logo swap is surprisingly disturbing 7 famous logos that pass the silhouette test View the full article

If you’re a photographer, do you choose a conventional laptop, or do you think outside the box? When on the road you need the best gear you can get hold of. And that’s why you need a HP ZBook. There are many benefits with a convertible tablet PC, but chief among them is that you have one device to suit all purposes. If you’re processing photos on the train, you can use it as a conventional laptop. In the hand? With a stylus or your finger you can use it as a tablet thanks to a sensitive touch display. Showing a client content? Just use the screen and fold the keyboard back. And finally, if you’re at a desk, use the separately-available ZBook Dock to connect to an external display, keyboard and mouse all with a single cable thanks to Thunderbolt 3 technology. You can even connect to dual-4K displays should you wish to – the ZBook series is designed to handle high-resolution displays with aplomb. The ZBook series is ideally complemented by the HP DreamColor Z27x G2 QHD Studio Display which offers 98 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space. HP Dreamcolor Studio Display technology means your photo colours will look exactly as they should. The power to do more The HP ZBook x2 is fully worthy of its moniker as the "world’s most powerful detachable tablet". Running Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, the ZBook x2 has a full array of ports including HDMI, USB-C and also, importantly for photographers, an SD card reader. There are also the latest Intel quad-core processors up to Core i7. They won’t let you down, with up to 4.2GHz of Turbo Boost speed. HP’s Z Turbo Drive solid state storage drives (SSDs) are also four times faster than standard SATA SSDs for rapid-fire file access of even your biggest files. Plus, with up to 32GB of dual-channel memory, the ZBook x2 can handle all your intensive work in chunky apps. Fast charge tech will also help you ensure you never run out of charge when on the move. If you want a more traditional laptop but one that still boasts the ultimate in flexibility, check out the HP ZBook Studio X360. The screen can rotate a full 360 degrees, so you can use it in tent or stand modes as well as in standard laptop mode. In addition to all the power of the ZBook X2, it boasts up to Intel Xeon workstation processors for ultimate power and even faster PCIe NVMe storage of up to 4TB. The ZBook x2 has its own integrated stand and full-sized keyboard The ZBook x2 also boasts a full-size keyboard and integrated stand so as well as the powerful specs under the surface there’s little difference between using one in laptop mode and having a traditional clamshell laptop. Unlike some rivals, the Bluetooth-connected keyboard stays active even when it’s detached, meaning you can keep in control even if your display is across the table being used to show your work to colleagues or clients. Nvidia Quadro graphics ensure that your new ZBook will always have the power to perform graphically intensive edits as it powers the 15.6-inch (HP ZBook Studio X360) or 14-inch (HP ZBook x2) 4K IPS anti-glare multi-touch screen, the display also boasts HP Dreamcolor Studio Display technology, so your photo colours will look exactly as they should. The 10-bit colour display is chemically treated to feel like paper when you’re using the stylus and, what’s more, it supports 100 percent of the Adobe RGB colour gamut. Access the features you use most With HP Quick Keys on the ZBook x2, you can keep working in your favourite Adobe Creative Cloud apps without a keyboard; these are 18 handy shortcut keys located on the sides of the display which you can customise using the HP Create Control Panel. Just open the HP Create Control Panel and select Functions from the Tool list to customise them. You can even choose to customise them for a specific app like Photoshop should you wish. You can even select other keys to press to modify the functions you’ve created, too. You’re also able to control other features from the Create Control Panel, such as your HP ZBook x2 Pen’s tilt sensitivity, double-click distance, button action and other settings. We’ve covered the different types of stylus elsewhere, but the HP ZBook x2 Pen is a Wacom EMR model that can be used to quickly apply accurate photo edits thanks to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. When teamed with the HP Quick Keys, you can quickly get into your most-used Photoshop and Lightroom functions, such as levels, filters or Camera Raw. Or you can easily pan and zoom or jump into a full-screen preview. You’ll quickly get used to the precision you’re able to have with tools in Creative Cloud. What’s more, the HP ZBook x2 Pen won’t let you down on the road – it doesn’t have a battery so unlike some digital pens and pencils, it never needs charging. The ZBook 360 comes with a Wacom AES pen for ultimate precision and low latency. But, whichever you choose as a photographer, you’ll get the right results every time. HP’s ZBook series of workstation PCs are designed from the ground-up for power, portability and creativity. Explore the HP ZBook range. View the full article

If you're wondering how to improve Instagram engagement after the platform's controversial decision to start hiding Like counts, you're not alone. There was a cry of outrage among the Instagram community when the news was announced, with many creatives wondering how it would affect their engagement. Well, now that the dust has settled, we've discovered that it's possibly not the disaster it initially seemed to be. Creatives who are clever with their strategy can take advantage of the shift away from Like counts, and make use of the wealth of other features designed to measure and boost user engagement. If you're a creative who is just getting started on Insta, check out our comprehensive post on how to make money using Instagram, or see our Instagram fonts article. Are disappearing Like counts a bad thing? The designers we spoke to are unanimously in favour of Instagram's decision to ban the public view of Like counts. They are all already utilising other ways to engage with followers on Instagram. In fact, some feel relief that the Like stress will be over, and many even feel creatively freer now that they'll be able to be more experimental with posts. Stefan Sagmeister is "unconcerned" about Instagram's decision, and in fact can see some advantages to the decision. A prominent graphic designer, he boasts 394,000 followers and is co-founder of design firm Sagmeister&Walsh. He's not the only designer to see advantages to a life without Like counts, as will become clear throughout the advice given in this article. Sagmeister also points out the changeable nature of social media, asserting that he's "pretty sure that if it proves to be a terrible idea, the Likes will be reinstated". Graphic artist, print maker and designer Anthony Burrill has 90,500 followers and has never focused on Like counts. "For me, it's never been about how many ‘likes’ a post gets, it’s about how it engages with people." "Likes don't pay the bills", he adds. So if it's not Likes, what will create interest and engagement on Instagram? To find out how best to do this, we've spoken to industry pros who are having success on Instagram to discover their tips. 01. Share your process Content truly is king when it comes to engagement on Instagram. In fact, Sagmeister suspects that, "any account that people find helpful will be able to create a fairly large following". But what sort of content resonates with followers? For designers, Instagram shouldn't be used as a substitute for a shop window, so don't be tempted to only show the final product. Although a carefully curated feed of finished projects is beautiful to look at, it may not be the best way to spark engagement with your page – there is more you can do. "My advice is to share more of your creative process... Your sketching process, your display screen when you work on it, until the final result", says logo designer/illustrator Alfrey Davilla, who has 66,100 followers. Take full advantage of the platform's features to give people a unique insight into your design process. This access will inspire, educate and entertain your followers, but also keep them invested in you as a designer – and most importantly, keep them engaged. 02. Give behind the scenes access using Stories Anthony Burrill used a Story to show his work in progress, and displayed the finished design on his Instagram feed As 500 million accounts use Instagram Stories every day, Stories are the best way to show behind the scenes action, without interrupting your carefully curated feed. Their disappearing nature keeps followers checking back for more, and, done well, can make them feel they've experienced something authentic and personalised. Plus, increased consumer desire to understand the entire brand means Stories are a great way to present your backstory. Burrill agrees that "behind the scenes stuff on Stories is good... you can give your followers a glimpse of what’s happening in the studio or workshop and let them in on your working process". For designers, Stories offer a unique opportunity as there is so much work that's gone into a project that your followers can be party to. "It's always fascinating to see how people put their work together, it gives you a real insight into how things get made and the hard work that goes on behind the scenes," says Burrill. But make sure you keep your brand message in mind when you're creating this content. As Burrill advises, "keep it personal and relatable, but always with your slant on things, reinforcing your message constantly, [keeping] it consistent and interesting." Barbara Malagoli was recently featured at the 13rd Brazilian Biennial of Graphic Design, and shared images from the event in her Stories Barbara Malagoli is a graphic designer with 16,500 followers. She embraces the behind the scenes aspect of content posting and even recommends taking it one step further. "I like to mix my personal life with my work life, in a healthy and light dosage", she says. "I love seeing artists' lives beyond 'work content', especially when they don't take themselves that seriously." Allowing followers a glimpse into your personal life allows them to connect with you as a person. No one's advocating those 3am kebab shots, of course, but Stories are the perfect format to share something of the person behind the designer. Also note that tagging your location in a Story presents another way for followers to find and engage with your account. 03. Start a conversation Two recent stories from Kou, one showing what she's currently reading and another highlighting a giveaway on her page The conversation shouldn't be confined to comments and DMs. Lettering artist Belinda Kou has 12,600 followers and she uses her Stories in innovative ways that prompts conversation. "I like to use my Stories to share what I'm working on, what it's like behind the scenes, and what I'm learning", she says. "I also use polls and ask questions to get to know my audience better, and love it when it starts a convo in DMs." Polls and emoji sliders are useful features that have been introduced to Stories to boost engagement, and they can facilitate chat with your followers. Davilla regularly uses comments to ask for opinions, but he also creates Stories using polls and emoji sliders. "I do appreciate every feedback," he says, "even if it comes from non-designers." And the information that comes from polls and sliders tells you so much more than someone simply hitting Like ever would. "I don't do Stories," says Sagmeister. "I did do a poll here and there but only when I really needed the information (never in order to boost engagement), and find the fact that people are commenting super helpful." But Sagmeister innovates in other ways to engage with the design community, starting conversations that are meaningful and keep people invested in the page. As the post above demonstrates, Sagmeister uses his expertise to critique and assist other designers with their own graphic design. Designers are invited to send in their work, then a project is regularly showcased (currently almost every day), with Sagmeister reviewing it and commenting on its successes and could-do-betters. 04. ...and then engage with it "I think one of the easiest things one can do is have a conversation with your followers", says lettering artist Scott Biersacker who has 44,300 followers, and replies to almost every comment left for him (as you can see on his post, above). "Whether that is replying to the comments on an in-feed post, sharing a Story about your day/work, any method to have a dialogue is beneficial. People are following along for a reason – having that connection can establish relationships and even friendships with those that support your work." Kou points out that the dialogue should work both ways – you should be listening to your audience as well as posting content. "My advice to creatives who want to increase Instagram engagement is to try to get to know the people behind the username and figure out what you can do to make your content valuable to others." By listening to your followers, you can personalise your content further, and increase engagement. And pay close attention to your DMs, too. People do use them to reach out, and lack of response will only serve to put people off. 05. Use the right hashtags Since hashtags were introduced in 2007, they've become a stalwart of social media success. They make you more visible in the social media stratosphere, and you can even create branded hashtags. When using them for business engagement they need careful consideration, and there are strategies you can implement. Using the right hashtags transformed social media for Fabian Oberhammer, a 3D artist with 37,600 followers. "Once I started using them correctly," he says, "I boosted from less than 100 followers to over 1,000 within the first week. "I have different sets of 30 hashtags saved on my phone, and I use them depending on what type/style of render I upload," Oberhammer explains. "Look what hashtags similar IG accounts use and adapt your hashtags by that." Then you should use the Instagram search bar to find out how many other accounts are using them, and decide how many to use yourself. "I found that having 10 specific (less than 500 posts), 10 normal (about 10,000 posts) and 10 general (100,000+ posts) hashtags works out quite well," says Oberhammer. Make sure you check out every single hashtag you're going to use, so you know that the content is in line with your values. And hop over to Instagram Insights to check out their impact, so you can focus on the ones that are working best. 06. Consider your upload time Instagram has peak times, so make sure you upload or schedule posts at the right times for you Instagram has peak times of engagement, and it's crucial to success to understand when exactly is the best time to upload your content. According to Sprout Social, global engagement on Instagram is at its highest at Wednesday at 11 am and Friday at 10–11 am. Things go pretty quiet during the days at weekends, too. Oberhammer advises researching similar hashtags to your own to work out when would be the most successful upload times. "My advice is be consistent with posting, also regarding upload times, analyse where the most engagement is from and when they engage, and post around that time (preferably a little earlier)." You can schedule your posts to hit those peak times (you'll need extra software for this), and as you're creating them in advance you can make sure the content is perfect. There are a range of options for Instagram scheduling. Start by checking out Later, the aforementioned Sprout Social and Tailwind , which are all popular choices. If these don't hit the spot there are plenty of others, and all with different features aimed at growing your Instagram presence. 07. Measure your success Measure your engagement, and use the data wisely The strategies covered in this post are all way more measurable than Like counts. Despite the furore that entailed when users started seeing their Like counts disappear, they were never a great measure of true engagement with content because all they really do is tell you someone has seen your post – and there is so much more to measure than that. Instagram Insights is the first place to go to deep dive into your statistics. In order to use Insights, you must have a business page. You can switch your personal profile to a business one easily – just tap the settings wheel icon on your profile and hit 'switch to Professional Account', then tap 'Business'. Once this is done, you'll see a new 'bar chart' icon at the top of your profile. Press this to discover Insights (which are split into three sections: Account, Post and Stories). Instagram Account Insights covers five main areas of data: Impressions (how many screens your ads have appeared on), Reach (how many unique users have seen your posts), website clicks, profile visits and changes in numbers of followers. In Post Insights, you can dive even deeper into the stats generated by your posts by viewing how many Likes, comments and shares your posts have got. And in the Discovery section, you'll find out where your content was seen – on the user's feed, from your profile or if the view originated from a hashtag or location tag. Social Bakers has a multi-faceted data strategy to boost your Instagram account Like counts won't tell you if someone watched to the very end of your video – but Instagram Stories Insights can tell you if someone has watched your whole Story. You do this by scrolling down to the Stories section of Insights. You'll see data on a few areas but the Tap Forwards and Taps Back areas indicate who has skipped through the different parts of your Stories and who has watched the whole thing. Then there's the Swipe Away section – this part tells you who has swiped past your entire story. There are lots of free and paid-for tools that go even further than Insights, such as Stellation Media, with which you'll get a dedicated account manager, or AI-powered SocialBakers. Many of these platforms can manage the data across your many social media accounts, too in unified approach that could boost engagement across all your social media. Read more: 5 steps to an irresistible Instagram bio 9 agencies to follow on Instagram The ultimate guide to social media for creatives View the full article

When was the last time you asked a plumber to re-fit an entire bathroom for free, just to prove they could do it, and so they might get to do the kitchen – despite having clearly run a successful business for years, and having been recommended by several happy customers? Never? Would you expect a restauranteur to give all their customers their first three-course meal and drinks free of charge, to show their team of chefs and waiting staff are worthy of future custom? No? All the best design jobs available right now People in these professions don’t have the time or inclination to do things for free, because their worth – their insight and expertise – is proven, or at the very least, implicit. People come to them with a degree of expectation, but they also expect to pay, unless there's a flood or food poisoning incident, or they completely ignore what they asked for and provide something wholly inappropriate. Infuriatingly, free pitching seems to still be accepted practice So why would any self-respecting creative business jump through hoops for nothing? People do it because it’s 'normal', or because its part of the 'pro bono pitch process'. They say it's all about 'great opportunities' or 'exposure'. Well, you know what? Screw that. Screw being screwed out of your great ideas, and not receiving a penny for their value, or the time, talent and resources that went into them. Why free pitching is still accepted It's easier said than done, though. Infuriatingly, free pitching seems to still be accepted practice. And for some reason it seems more prevalent among larger clients who have plenty of budget to invest in creative talent to further their cause. So many of these clients assume creatives will jump at the ‘opportunity’ and really want to work with them, they might even expect designers to feel privileged that they've even been asked. All of this would be more palatable if the carrot-danglers would just pay a fair price for the time and resources that go into a pitch. But they won’t, unless the design community takes a united stand. It also begs the question of whether playing creative agencies against each other is a good thing in the first place – especially to such lengths without selection. Competition is healthy, but going to such lengths without fair recompense is just wrong. And surely a brand owner’s selection criteria – in a day and age where we can share profiles, experience, portfolios and case studies online, thrash out briefs and ideas face-to-face via Zoom and its equivalents, and collaborate virtually – should consist of ticking just two boxes: Do I like these people and feel I can work with them? Can they do the work? That’s about it. Beyond an adult conversation and perhaps a spot of background research, asking for anything more without paying for it is, at best, disrespectful of people’s time, talent and resources. At worst, it’s a cynical harvesting of other people’s ideas with no regard for their worth, whether it’s ‘right for the project’ or not. And – let’s be brutally honest – it can often amount to a thinly veiled theft of intellectual property. This problem is nothing new. It’s a known issue, and a conversation most of us have had many times. So, what are we going to do about it? What can we do about free pitching? In cases where competitive pitching is still the preferred approach, at Brown&co, we think it’s time for a universal set of simple agency standards regarding payment for speculative work, complete with an industry-recognised qualifying symbol, which clients opt into by default. We also think it’s only fair that anyone opting out and persisting with the pro bono approach should have to make their decision clear and up-front. Let’s shame all those that perpetuate the piss-take! Brown&co has recently pulled out of two creative pitches because we simply weren’t being offered fair value for our creative expertise and intellectual property – and to be honest, even if we’d won the pitch, it would barely have been a financially viable project, taking into account the time and resources we’d already thrown at it. We think it’s time to take a collective stand against this absurd approach to business. If nothing more, it’ll soon tell us which clients really understand the value of what they’re investing in. We’ve been talking at some length with the DBA, and its in full agreement that something’s got to give. It's even asked us to support them in pioneering this much-needed change. Who’s with us? Tweet your support using the hashtags #dontbeapitchbitch #nofeenopitch #wedontfreepitch #notoprobono. Read more: How to be a better speaker: presenting and pitching tips 10 steps to getting a reluctant client to pay The 8 most disruptive apps of all time View the full article

The London Underground symbol is an iconic piece of logo design. The red and blue bar and circle roundel has been around since 1908. But visitors to London's Westminster Underground station can now see a reimagined version of the transit symbol courtesy of British-Ghanaian artist Larry Achiampong. The eight new designs – under the banner Pan African Flag for the Relic Travellers’ Alliance 2019 – were commissioned by Art on the Underground, a visual arts showcase funded by Transport for London. The designs are part of the '2019 – On Edge' series and if you want to get a closer look at the artwork you have until the end of February 2020, when the project comes to an end. Achiampong chose to focus on Pan African colours – green, black, and red – that speak symbolically to various African identities. The colours represent the land, the people and the struggles that the African continent has endured, while gold was chosen to represent a new day and prosperity. Beyond the colour palette, the redesign builds on the artist’s concept of Sanko-time. For those who don't know, Sanko-time is based in the Ashanti word 'sankofa'. This alludes to using the past to prepare for the future. And, the project takes a closer look at African mythologies and their relationship to science fiction. It's an interesting concept, but what do people think of Achiampong's redesigns? Instagram account londonist_com asked, "Artist Larry Achiampong has given the roundels at Westminster a pan-African makeover. What do you make of them?" Some people made positive comments, others thought the designs had a Christmassy feel, while others weren't impressed at all. We think that a few may be missing the point. The redesign is a temporary piece of art. It's not a permanent move to a new look for the iconic design, it's just an interpretation of what it could be. Where to find logo design inspiration 8 of the biggest logo redesigns of 2019 6 of the most iconic drinks logos View the full article

Microsoft Black Friday 2019 saw some hugely impressive deals. From incredible offers on the new Surface Pro 7, right through to the Surface Book 2, the retail event was bigger and better than ever before. This makes us hugely excited for what Microsoft Black Friday 2020 holds in store. Some of the best deals we saw – and are still going – include great Xbox discounts (you can save up to $150 on Xbox in the US, and up to £150 on Xbox in the UK) and a there's a significant price drop on the new Surface Laptop 3. 2019 was a huge year for Microsoft in terms of hardware releases. The Fall hardware event brought us a number of new Surface products – with the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X of particularly interest for designers. Unexpectedly, we've seen a few huge price drops on the new products, including this epic $360 discount on the Surface Pro 7 at Best Buy We've also saw some brilliant Microsoft Cyber Monday deals on the slightly older (but still very good) Surface Pro 6. The very cheapest Microsoft Black Friday deals didn't last long. But there were new ones popping up all the time, so if you missed out on a good saving don't despair. Bookmark this page and keep checking back to make sure you see all the best Microsoft Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals as soon as the start to arrive. In this article, we're going to take a look at some of the best product discounts we saw in 2019, plus make some predictions on what we might see in 2020 and provide details on how to get the very best Microsoft Black Friday deals. The best Surface Pro 2019 deals There's are two new Surface Pros in town: the Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Pro X. In terms of Microsoft Black Friday deals, this meant we saw some great offers on the Pro 6. Interestingly, there were also some pretty awesome savings on the brand new Surface Pro 7 too (in the US in particular). Read our Surface Pro 6 review, or check out our Surface Pro 7 vs Surface Pro 6 comparison for more information. The best Surface Book Black Friday deals In 2019 there were plenty of big discounts on the Surface Book 2, Microsoft's powerful laptop. There's a lot to recommend this device – take a look at our Surface Book 2 review for our thoughts (we awarded it 4.5 stars). So far, there's no news as to when the Surface Book 3 will appear; it wasn't included in the Fall Hardware Event at the start of October. In our original Surface Book review we awarded the device 5 stars, so if you don't mind an older model it might be worth keeping an eye out for any hot deals on that model too. The best Surface laptop Black Friday deals The Surface Laptop 3 was unveiled at Microsoft's Fall Hardware event in early October 2019, and was released on 22 October (see how it compares to the MacBook Air here). This means the Laptop 3 will likely be in line for some hot deals come late November 2020. The best Xbox Black Friday 2019 deals Games consoles traditionally get some mega discounts over Black Friday, and in 2019 Microsoft's Xbox One S and Xbox One X got some big price drops. We saw a lot of bundle deals, with Microsoft games consoles being packaged in with games from Playerunknown's Battlegrounds to Fallout 76 and Minecraft at a range of retailers. If it's a game you actually want, these can be great buys – if not you're looking at a whole lot of false economy. In 2019 we also saw a couple of great console-only deals on the Xbox One X in the US, both in the run-up to the event (from Walmart) and on the day itself (from Amazon). While we predict the best bargains will be appearing on Black Friday itself (and some deals to be had on Cyber Monday, there were bundles cropping up in early Black Friday offers last year, so keep your eyes peeled. The widget below pulls in the best current prices in your territory, including any offers. The best Microsoft Office Black Friday 2019 deals Microsoft Office has never been cheap, but we do usually see some Microsoft Black Friday and Microsoft Cyber Monday Office deals to take the sting out of shelling out for Word, Excel and the like. Here's an example of the best deal we saw in 2019. The best Surface Go Black Friday 2019 deals The Surface Go, Microsoft's reasonably priced 10-inch tablet also got some good discounts in 2019 over Cyber Monday/Black Friday. Take a look at our sister site TechRadar's review for more on this device, and check out the best Surface Go Black Friday 2019 deals below. Microsoft Black Friday sales: quick links US: Microsoft.com US: Walmart US: Amazon.com US: Best Buy UK: Microsoft.co.uk How to get the best Microsoft Black Friday deals in 2020 To start with, bookmark this page. We'll be updating this article with all the best Black Friday Microsoft 2020 deals and Cyber Monday Microsoft deals as soon as we hear about them, so make sure you check back. As well as the Microsoft Store itself, other major retailers are in on the action with some strong offers of their own. And while there'll undoubtedly be plenty of action on Cyber Monday, those aren't the only days you'll be able to snag a deal. We've seen eager retailers rolling out their deals earlier and earlier each year. In 2019, there were competitive deals appearing from early November. To make the most of the offers, it's worth checking for add-ons or gift cards that will make your deal even better. It's also worth considering refurbished models. The very best Black Friday Microsoft deals won't stick around forever (many will sell out on the day). If you're reading this post that means you're already ahead of the game – make the most of the run-up period to figure out which Microsoft products are right for you, so you know what to look out for and don't end up panic-buying the wrong thing. Microsoft Black Friday offers: Insights from 2019 The range everyone's interested in right now is Microsoft Surface, and retailers have been happy to oblige with impressive surface deals at various sales events. Last year's Microsoft Black Friday and Microsoft Cyber Monday saw particularly impressive offers on the Surface Pro 6 (see above) and Surface Laptop 2. Microsoft's Fall Hardware Event on 2 Oct brought with it some exciting hardware news. The tech giant announced several product updates in the Surface range: the Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X (we're still waiting on the Surface Book 3, however). There were also some interesting additions, in the form of dual-screen tablet Surface Neo, foldable phone Surface Duo and true wireless Surface Earbuds. All this is likely to shake things up in terms of this year's Microsoft Black Friday deals. While big deals on new releases are unlikely (although not impossible), older versions of newly updated kit is ripe for discounts as retailers seek to shift stock. Read more: The best laptops for graphic design The best Surface Pro Black Friday deals Hands on: Microsoft Surface Pro X review View the full article

Black Friday 2019 has come and gone, and over the course the retail event we saw some amazing Surface Pro Black Friday deals. One of the best times to make huge savings on these powerful Microsoft devices, it's worth bookmarking this page as we'll be updating it as soon as the Surface Pro Black Friday 2020 deals arrive. It may seem a way off yet, but, trust us, it will come around quickly. So if you want to bag a great deal in the 2020 sales, now's the time to start saving. In this post we will curate all the best deals on every product in the Surface Pro range, which includes the Surface Pro 6, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X. The 2019 saw some jaw-dropping deals on the latest Pro 7 device, which was a bit of a surprise. Below you'll find some of the best Surface Pro Black Friday deals from 2019, predictions on what we might see next year and how to find all the best offers. If you can't wait until next year to get your hands on one of these devices, be sure to take a look at our round up of the best Microsoft Surface deals right now. The best Surface Pro Black Friday deals To give you an idea of what you might expect from the Surface Pro Black Friday 2020 deals, here are the two best offers we saw in the US and UK in 2019 – both of which are still valid! The best Surface Pro 6 Black Friday deals Last year we saw plenty of strong Surface Pro 6 Cyber Monday deals. Retailers involved included Amazon and the Microsoft online store, plus Best Buy, Walmart and Costco in the US, and John Lewis, Very, AO and Currys in the UK. Check the deals and price widget below to see the best prices available right now in your region. The best Surface Book 2 Black Friday deals Okay so it's not exactly a Surface Pro. But the Surface Book 2 is another great machine, and there were some hot deals around in 2019. Which Surface Pro models will be getting a Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 discount? On Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day 2019, we saw a number of strong discounts on the Surface Pro, and we expect this to be the case for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020, too. At its Fall Hardware event on 2 October 2019, Microsoft unveiled two new Pro models: the Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Pro X, which was good news in terms of getting great deals on the Pro 6 in 2019. But we were pleasantly surprised to see the Pro 7 play a big part in Black Friday 2019. Typically retailers focus on slightly older stock for their sales, but the Pro 7 some incredible deals up for grabs. The Pro X, however, was nowhere to be seen, which was not a huge surprise. That said, if it's the X you want, 2020 is almost certainly going to see some discounts on the then 13-month old device. We'll collate all the deals here as soon as they're live. To help you decide which one's right for you, take a look at our Surface Pro 6 review, our Surface Pro review, or our hands-on Surface Pro X review. Is the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 worth the money? The short answer is yes, as our in-depth Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review will attest. Despite the introduction of the Surface Pro 7 in October, the Pro 6 is remains one of the best 2-in-1's around. And the good news is the new device launch will undoubtedly push some brilliant Surface Pro 6 Black Friday deals this year. So if you're in the market for a new tablet and not bothered about having the latest device, the Surface Pro 6 is a stellar option. Want to see how it compares to the newer model? Explore our Surface Pro 6 vs Surface Pro 7 comparison. How to get the best Surface Pro Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 deals If you've landed on this buying guide, you'll no doubt already be aware of some of the specs that make Surface Pros such a sought-after device. They're packed full of features creatives will love: there's a gorgeous screen, super-powerful specs, a stylish design, and they both running the full desktop version of Windows. But there's also a few under-the-radar features that you might not be aware of, including the ability to take screenshots with a Surface Pen, collaborate remotely in real time, and gaze correction. Add all of that up and it's no wonder these clever machines are so popular. It sounds extreme, but to make sure you get the best Surface Pro Black Friday (or Surface Pro Cyber Monday) deal in 2020, you need a game plan. Step one is to bookmark this page. We'll be keeping it updated with a curated list of the best offers from the most reliable retailers, in the run-up to Black Friday and during the event itself. While you'll likely find some good offers on the Microsoft online store itself, a number of other retailers will also be offering great discounts, from Walmart and Best Buy to John Lewis and Very. Keeping on top of all the different Surface Pro Black Friday deals is tricky, which is why we're taking the hard work out by collecting them in one place (you're welcome). Second, remember that while there'll plenty of hot offers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday themselves, those aren't the only days you'll be able to pick up a bargain machine. Eager retailers have been rolling out offers earlier and earlier each year – and with Black Friday falling relatively late this year, we definitely expect some good early deals. In 2019, there were competitive offers popping up from early November. To make the most of the offers, it's worth checking for add-ons such as software, keyboards and covers, or gift cards that will make your deal even better. It's also worth considering refurbished models – there are some great bargains to be had on pre-owned products. The very best deals won't stick around forever (many will sell out on the day). If you're reading this article, you're already ahead of the game – make the most of the weeks running up to the end of November to figure out which Surface Pro product is right for you (how much storage do you need? How powerful should it be?), so you know what to focus on and don't end up panic buying the wrong model. View the full article

Apple Black Friday may be over for the year, but it's never too early to start prepping for next year's event. Well – perhaps it is a little. But here we go anyway. In this article you'll find everything you need to know about the Apple Black Friday 2020 sale, including how to bag the best bargains, and a look back on the discounts we saw in 2019. When it gets to the big day(s) in November, we'll be busy curating the best deals for you so you don't miss out. First let's look at the burning questions everyone is asking. Will Apple have deals on Black Friday? There were a wide range of Apple Black Friday discounts in 2019, and 2020 is likely to look very similar, with impressive Apple Black Friday deals across a whole range of devices. However, unless you're dead set on shopping in the Apple Store itself, you're almost certain to find the best Apple Black Friday deals come from other retailers. In previous years, rather than discounting the products themselves, the tech giant offered money off further Apple spending, with gift cards given on purchases made over the shopping event. Are Apple Cyber Monday deals the same as Black Friday? There are Apple Cyber Monday offers every year, and they're unlikely to be the same as Black Friday. Retailers tend to bring out the highest concentration of bargains on Black Friday itself, and Cyber Monday is slightly less of a big deal. That said, Cyber Monday has historically been the time to bag a tech deal, so who knows? If you're wondering whether to hold off for a hot Apple Cyber Monday Apple deal, we'd probably advise against it. Some will be offering blanket deals across the whole long weekend, while other promotions will be live for a shorter period, and the best offers will likely sell out. That's a slightly frustrating answer, but our general advice is to think ahead on what you want to buy. Do you need particular specs or a specific model, or are you happy with whatever model the biggest Apple Black Friday discount happens to be on? Make a plan and if an offer crops up that matches your plans, snap it up then and there rather than waiting on the off chance something better will come around. Where are the best Apple Black Friday deals? The official Apple Store isn't usually the best place to grab a bargain in the Apple Black Friday sale. Below is a roundup of the retailers with the biggest discounts in the Apple Black Friday 2019 sale. And of course, don't forget to bookmark this page for a curated list of deals. Amazon: Discounts on a range of products, in the US and UK Best Buy: Deals on MacBooks, Apple Watches and AirPods John Lewis: Some strong offers on MacBooks, iPads, iPhones and more Very: Savings on MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, Apple TV and accessories Currys PC World: Offers on various Apple products AO: Some strong deals on iPhones Walmart: Deals across a range of Apple products Laptops Direct: Deals on MacBooks, iPads and iPhones How to get the best Apple Black Friday deal To get the best deal possible, it's best to have a product and a price in mind. You don't want to end up getting overwhelmed by the options and being unable to make a decision (or panicking and making the wrong decision), so start out with a clear plan. Once you've decided on the product you're after, you can start tracking its price on various retailers – or even simpler, bookmark this page and keep checking it. You could also set up a Google Alert for the prices you're after. Here are some more tips here on how to make the most of Black Friday. Apple Store Black Friday 2020 opening hours Will you have to queue up round the block to get the best Apple Black Friday deals? This seems unlikely, because most Apple Stores will operate their usual opening hours across this period. If you're in the US, check your local Apple Store opening times here. As mentioned, however, the Apple Store isn't likely to be the best place to bag yourself the best Apple Black Friday deals – you'll probably be better off going to another retailer or shopping online. Don't forget that we'll be reporting on deals as they come in, so you can keep checking this page to bag yourself an Apple Black Friday bargain. The best Apple Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals from 2019 To help you get a feel for some of the kind of discounts we see over the festive shopping event, here's a roundup of the best Apple Black Friday deals from 2019. And if you're quick, some of them might even still be available... Apple Black Friday: UK iPad deals Apple Black Friday: US MacBook deals Apple Cyber Monday: UK MacBook deals More offers in our guide to the best Cyber Monday MacBook deals. Get more insights in our guide to the Apple AirPods Black Friday sale. Apple Black Friday deals: iPad offers Tablets are always in demand on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and we saw a lot of good Black Friday iPad deals in 2018. Figuring out which is the best offer, taking into account the different models, storage options and features, can be difficult. We've sorted through the best options with this in mind. In terms of where to shop, in 2018 Walmart was the place to head for US shoppers, while in the UK, Very, John Lewis and eglobal central all had good deals. Take a look at the best iPad offers right now in the widget below. The best Cyber Monday MacBook deals MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Black Friday deals are in high demand every year – mainly because, as designers will know, this kind of top-quality kit doesn't come cheap. So how much does a MacBook cost on Cyber Monday? Short answer: it depends where you go and which model and spec you're interested in. As you might expect the best discounts are typically on slightly older machines, so if you don't mind not having the latest, greatest MacBook then that's often a good way to bag a bargain. Another hot tip is to keep an eye out for refurbished models – there can be some hidden gems on pre-owned models. In 2018 in the US, Jet, B&H and Adorama were the places to bag the best Black Friday Apple offers on MacBooks. In the UK, John Lewis, Very and Curry's came through with some good deals, and there was also a standout offer from Laptops Direct. Take a look at the best prices right now in the widget below. Cyber Monday Apple Airpods deals In 2018, everyone was after an Airpod deal. Retailers did not oblige. There were a few little discounts here and there, but nothing that really made a dent in the hefty price tag. Will AirPods go on sale for Black Friday or Cyber Monday 2019? Well, we think so. We're already starting to see some decent discounts on these true wireless earbuds (the price widget below will pull in the best offers in your region). These little devices aren't quite as new and exciting now (and there's a fair bit of competition hitting the market in the form of Amazon's Echo Buds and Microsoft's Surface Earbuds), so here's hoping this November brings some strong Black Friday Apple Airpods deals. Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals There were quite a few good Apple Watch deals on Black Friday 2018, with discounts on the Series 3 as well as older models. The newest model back then – the Apple Watch 4, released September 2018 – didn't get much Black Friday action. Apple has just launched its Apple Watch Series 5, so Black Friday 2019 might be the time to bag a bargain on a Series 4 Apple Watch. In the US, the best 2018 Black Friday Apple Watch deals came from B&H, Macy's and Amazon. In the UK, shoppers were better off heading to John Lewis or Very. Read more: Microsoft Cyber Monday deals Adobe deals: Where to get a Creative Cloud discount Wacom Cyber Monday deals View the full article

The MacBook Pro 16-inch is Apple’s latest professional laptop, and it represents an exciting evolution for the MacBook Pro line, which we feel has seemed a little unambitious lately. While the 15-inch and 13-inch MacBook Pros that Apple launched earlier this year were only minor upgrades over previous models, the new MacBook Pro 16-inch is a far more revolutionary offering, and one which feels almost tailor-made for modern creatives. In fact, Apple has been keen to stress that it has listened to its customers when designing the MacBook Pro 16-inch, and has offered them “more of what they love.” The result is a drastically-improved MacBook Pro with some excellent new features that makes it one of the best laptops for graphic design. So, you get some of the most powerful mobile hardware in the world, as well as a gorgeous new larger screen – and increased resolution as well. While it does still have a few frustrating quirks we’ve come to expect from an Apple laptop – which we’ll get to in a moment – what you’re essentially getting is a larger, more powerful MacBook Pro. More of what you love, indeed, and also one of the best laptops for designers you can buy right now. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch: Price When it comes to the price of the MacBook Pro 16-inch, there’s good news and bad news. First, the bad: as you’d expect from a high-end Apple product, the MacBook Pro 16-inch is a very expensive device, and represents a serious investment. However, the good news is that Apple hasn’t raised the price of the base model of the 16-inch MacBook Pro compared to the base model of the earlier 15-inch model. For £2,399 you get a 6-core Intel Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon Pro 5300M 4GB GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. This is the same price that Apple was asking for the 2019 model of the MacBook Pro 15-inch, which comes with a 6-core 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. That means the larger screen, plus double the storage and better graphics, all comes for effectively free. If you were conflicted about whether to get the 16-inch model or the 15-inch model, the answer is clear: get the 16-inch MacBook Pro. There is also a higher-end model that comes with a 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 processor, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD for £2,799, which is the same price as the high end 15-inch MacBook Pro. Now that the 16-inch MacBook Pro is out, we’ll likely see the price of the 15-inch model drop – though Apple itself has stopped selling the 15-inch model. In Apple’s view, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is now the high-end MacBook Pro offering, with the 13-inch MacBook Pro the more affordable option. For anyone who just bought the 15-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year, however, the news that their new purchase is now outdated, may not be too welcome. Apple also allows you to configure the MacBook Pro 16-inch to add more power if you need it. This is great for building a MacBook Pro that suits your needs (and budget), though it does add to the price quite quickly – the most powerful option for the MacBook Pro 16-inch will cost a huge £5,769! To justify the high price, the MacBook Pro 16-inch needs to be a seriously impressive performer. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch: Power and performance So, how does the MacBook Pro 16-inch perform, and does it make it a good investment considering the price tag? The good news is that it performs brilliantly. The version we tried is the high-end base configuration, which comes with an 8-core Intel Core i9 processor and 16GB of RAM. This makes the laptop an excellent performer when it comes to multitasking. If you often work with lots of different applications open at once – for example if you’re rendering a video and want to fire off a few emails or create a presentation at the same time – then the MacBook Pro 16-inch can do this. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics card is also a very powerful professional-grade GPU. If you’re a video editor who works with high resolution footage, or a 3D designer, then you’ll find the performance of the MacBook Pro 16-inch to be seriously impressive. Apple has managed to fit the kind of performance we’d expect from a big, bulky, desktop PC into the impressively svelte body of the MacBook Pro. If you’re a video editor or a 3D designer, then you’ll find the performance of the MacBook Pro 16-inch to be seriously impressive. Of course, if you don’t need to do that kind of intensive work, then the MacBook Pro 16-inch is probably too overpowered for your needs. In this case, you’re better of buying a regular MacBook or laptop instead. When it comes to battery life, the MacBook Pro 16-inch really shines. Many laptops that offer this kind of power do so at the expense of battery life, which means you need to plug them in while you’re working. However, we’re pleased to say that the MacBook Pro 16-inch offers exceptional battery life. By Apple’s estimates, the MacBook Pro 16-inch gives around an hour more battery life compared to the 15-inch model, and in our tests we found that to be pretty accurate, with it lasting 11 hours and 41 minutes, with a looped 1080p video at 50% screen brightness. In contrast, the Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition managed just 5 hours and 28 minutes in the same test Apple has achieved this by including a 100-watt-hour battery (16 WH larger than the previous models). This is the largest capacity battery the FAA allows on flights, and thanks to the power efficiency of both Apple’s hardware and software, it means you’re unlikely to see better battery life in a powerful laptop. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch: Display Perhaps the most noticeable change with the new MacBook Pro is the increased screen size. Recently, the largest screen you could get on a MacBook Pro was 15-inches, but Apple has bumped that up to 16-inches. The good news is that this hasn’t impacted image quality, as Apple has also increased the resolution as well, which is now 3,072 x 1,920 with a pixel density of 226 pixels per inch. Compared to the 15-inch model’s 2,880 x 1,800 resolution, which offered a pixel density of 220ppi, the new screen of the MacBook Pro 16-inch offers sharper image quality. It features the same P3 colour gamut, which is essential for photographers and video editors who rely on accurate colours, and means the screen of the MacBook Pro 16-inch is one of the most vibrant displays on a laptop. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch: Key features Whilst the larger screen is the most noticeable change, another welcome new feature of the MacBook Pro 16-inch is an overhauled keyboard. The keyboards included in previous models of the MacBook Pro used Butterfly switches for the keys. While the aim of these was to allow the MacBook Pro to be as thin as possible by keeping the depth of the keyboard shallow, it lead to a number of complaints from users who found that the keys would become unresponsive, especially if debris, such as dust, went between the keys. It was enough of a problem that Apple started a returns service where its customers could send in their faulty MacBook Pros. Obviously, this resulted in quite a PR disaster for Apple, so we’re very pleased to see Apple finally replace the problematic Butterfly switch with Scissor switches found in the Magic Keyboard, Apple’s popular keyboard for iMacs. This has also made the keyboard of the MacBook Pro 16-inch feel much more responsive and tactile, offering an overall more pleasant typing experience. The MacBook Pro 16-inch runs macOS Catalina, Apple’s latest operating system. One of the best features of the new OS is Sidecar. This allows you to use an iPad as a second screen. So, you could draw on the iPad with the Apple Pencil stylus, and your doodles will appear on the MacBook Pro 16-inch. There are a number of creative apps that allow you to use the iPad along with the Apple Pencil stylus to control the apps via touch, and it’s one of the best new features for creatives. However, this is a feature that’s not exclusive to the new 16-inch model; any Mac that can run macOS Catalina can make use of this feature. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch: Should you buy it? So, should you buy the MacBook Pro 16-inch? It’s a bit of a complex question, really. There’s no doubt that Apple has made the best MacBook Pro ever with its new device. It’s the most powerful laptop from Apple, and the new larger screen is a real sight to behold. The improved keyboard is a very welcome addition, hopefully eliminating the problems that plagued previous MacBooks, and it feels so much nicer to work on. Apple’s iconic design is also still present and correct, and while some people may have hoped for an all-new look, it’s still a gorgeously-designed laptop. However, it’s also very expensive, and the level of power on offer here won’t be for everyone. If you don’t need to perform heavy-duty graphical tasks like 3D rendering, then your money may be spent elsewhere. It’s also a shame that Apple is sticking to only including four Thunderbolt ports, which means for any creative professional that uses peripherals with a standard USB connection, like a graphics tablet or a memory card reader, then you’ll need to buy an adapter. View the full article

The DevOps lifecycle management said that response to its year-old bug-bounty program has been robust. View the full article

One flaw found in WordPress plugins Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder and Ultimate Addons for Elementor is actively being exploited. View the full article

It's nearly Christmas, in case you hadn't noticed. And in the spirit of festive cheer, Supremo has updated its popular online game, Its Centered That with a seasonal new look. The game challenges users to decide whether dots are in the centre of shapes. Previously, these were the usual standard shapes, triangles and the like. But now, you get to guess whether or not the dot is in the centre of robins, reindeer and Christmas presents (really, still just a square, but there's a bow to liven things up). You even get to click on Rudolf the green-nosed reindeer to say 'yes', the dot is in the centre. Or Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer to say 'no'. The game doesn't state that his name is Rudolf, but we will assume so (see our Christmas vectors if you'd like some more seasonal shapes in your life). Supremo's quiz is harder than it sounds, but it's game over once you get one wrong (expressed in the somewhat upsetting form of a pooh emoji over your screen), so you may end up trying over and over again until you up your score. And even the most experienced among you with the sharpest eyes for proportions may not have finely tuned your skills when it comes to identifying the centre of a reindeer. Unless you've been really concentrating hard on making your Christmas cards, that is. Check out the Its Centered That seasonal game here and let us know how you do on Twitter or Facebook. If you're after more festive fun, then see our review of IKEA's festive advert, or our analysis of this year's John Lewis TV ad. Read more: MPC Vancouver closes doors after Sonic fiasco Controversial 'Cocaine Santa' Christmas jumper becomes this year's hottest seller Burger King trolls banana artwork with a French fry View the full article

Remember all the furore around the original Sonic redesign? It's hard to forget that weird human-like face and those teeth. There were so many complaints that it was back to the drawing board for a new-look Sonic. But, perhaps the damage had already been done, as Moving Picture Company Vancouver – the animation and VFX studio behind the Sonic design – has now closed. In an email (an unverified version has been posted on Imgur), the company says, "This decision has not been taken lightly." And goes on to say that, "increasing external market pressures in Vancouver and more attractive opportunities in other locations have created a challenging environment for us to sustain the studio." MPC, which has offices around the world, has worked on big-time 3D movies including The Lion King and Watchmen and even won an Oscar for its work on 2012’s Life of Pi. Oh, and it also played a part in Cats. Was the Sonic redesign the final nail in coffin for this branch of MPC? Fan reaction to the original Sonic design might have been scathing, but the new-look spiky speedster was well-received and definitely much improved. See the trailer below. But, it seems there was a much bigger problem at MPC Vancouver than just the Sonic redesign. A now deleted post on Reddit entitled: "As a recently let go employee of MPC Van" offers some intriguing insight to some of the problems at the studio. The original post from the disgruntled employee might not be there any more, but you can definitely gauge the feeling from the comments, which include angry commenter MPCdeserter (the name seems a bit of a giveaway), who mentions "horror stories to the point where they have had to settle out of court because of the way they treat artists". It's a sad day for any creative studio to shut one of its branches, but it looks like we can't really blame the loveable blue hedgehog this time. Well, not entirely. Read more: PSD to 3D: Turn Photoshop images into 3D scenes 9 of the best free 3D apps Paramount to redesign Sonic after overwhelming backlash View the full article

The Xbox Series X has been unveiled, and the design is already getting some serious heat on social media. Specs-wise, you can't knock it – this thing is four times more powerful than the Xbox One X – but the design of the console is something else. Microsoft has gone for a mighty, monolithic design that deviates pretty considerably from what we're used to. See it being unveiled below. While we'd expect kickback on any major new tech release, the memes this time are particularly brutal. Comparisons are coming in thick and fast. Is it a fridge-freezer? An aside here: we're not quite sure of the actual size, but we're assuming it's not quite this big. Others are getting more of a Spongebob vibe. Alternatively, if you're looking for an expensive coffee table, today could be your lucky day. Others have wondered if Microsoft got its inspiration from old-school PC towers. Whatever you think of the design of the new Xbox Series X, we think Charleyy Hodson has probably best summed up the situation – because let's face it, if it's really as good as it seems, we're all going to buy one anyway when it comes out (the release date is yet to be announced). This news also means we might be seeing some price drops on the older XBox One X. Check out the best prices in your territory below. Read more: Controversial 'Cocaine Santa' Christmas jumper becomes this year's hottest seller Burger King trolls banana artwork with a French fry This Apple Pencil is the cheapest we've ever seen View the full article

A Christmas jumper depicting Santa Claus holding a straw as he grins over what looks like three lines of cocaine and the tagline 'let it snow' was recently pulled from Walmart's Canadian store, with the company saying it did not represent its values. The jumper is now a top seller on Amazon.com. We've seen many a badly designed Christmas garment in recent years, as the trend for ugly jumpers seems to have taken hold, and the design of this particular Christmas garment is definitely not sophisticated. Although it is perhaps hard to reach sophistication when depicting Santa Claus about to start an (illegal) bender. (If you're after some more family-friendly seasonal cheer, see our Christmas vectors roundup). But if you're looking at the design from a 'does this get the message across?' kind of way, then it seems pretty clear. However, just in case it wasn't totally obvious that this is a Saint-Nick-doing-coke jumper, let's just have a little look at the wording next to Walmart's original description, which was pointed out by @HurrbaSousJohn on Twitter. "We all know how snow works. It's white, powdery and the the best snow comes straight from South America. "That’s bad news for jolly old St. Nick, who lives far away in the North Pole. That’s why Santa really likes to savour the moment when he gets his hands on some quality, grade A, Colombian snow." Wow. Just wow. Amazon has gone for a different approach and just named the jumper: 'Cocaine Santa let it snow Christmas sweater'. However, its description does point out that this jumper is "perfect for cosy days with your family!" Which is... interesting. Walmart had also pulled a number of other jumpers that depicted Santa in "uncompromising and sometimes sexually-suggestive positions", and said that such jumpers are sold by third-party sellers. Amazon doesn't seem so bothered by such matters. And the reviewers all seem pretty pleased with the $31.99 product too, although there are so far only three of them. You can check out the listing on Amazon here, or go to Let It Snow Sweaters website, which is revelling in the jumper's banned status. Read more: The 10 best Christmas ads of all time 8 best new Christmas fonts Reduced Lego sets make the perfect Christmas gifts View the full article

ZBrush retopology, or how to retopologise a model in general, is one thing that all 3D sculptors or 3D modellers have to master. Having a highly detailed model is only part of the process, and if you want to get that model out of ZBrush and over to an animation package, you're going to need a lower-polygon version of your model. That version also has to have topology that is good for rigging and will deform well enough to perform the required action. Even if you are making static items like rocks and trees, you will need good topology and accurate UV mapping to give you good texture maps. For 3D inspiration, see our favourite 3D art, and to keep on top of your workflow in ZBrush, see these ZBrush tips. ZBrush retopology methods Lots of programs have features now that allow you to create good underlying topology from a high-resolution mesh. We are going to look at ZBrush in this tutorial and look at the different ways that you can take your model and ‘retopo’ it. Firstly we will look at a very simple method of auto retopology using something called ZRemesher. It is now in its third iteration and the later version that came with ZBrush 2019 (see our ZBrush 2019 review) is more advanced and better at doing retopology on hard-surface models. Then we will explore how to use the Topology brush, which lets you draw your new mesh on top of your sculpt. Lastly, we will look at retopologising using the ZSphere tool, which gets a bit more complex. All three methods have their uses and you can choose the one you need depending on the type of project you are doing. Use ZRemesher 01. Start with automatic retopology The quickest and most simple way to retopologise a model is to use ZRemesher. It is as simple as telling ZBrush how many polygons you want and clicking the button. Find it in Tool > Geometry > ZRemesher. The input number is in 1,000s, so if you put five you will get roughly 5,000 polygons. It takes a minute to calculate based on how many polygons you are starting with. The results are often great for models that don’t need specific edge loops, like inanimate objects. The edge loops might not be where you need them, so we can address that in the next step. 02. Use ZRemesher guides To control the edge loops a little bit more you can use ZRemesher guides to tell ZBrush where to put specific loops. Type B, Z, R to access the ZRemesher Guide brush. Now with a small brush size draw rings around areas where you would like more accurate loops. Focus on areas like the eyes, the mouth, the ears and anywhere you might want a targeted loop. Once this is done you can change settings in the ZRemesher panel to improve things. The Adaptive sliders give you more regular shaped polygons. The Curve Strength slider makes ZBrush stick more closely to your guides. Use the Topology brush 01. Get started with the Topology brush The Topology brush is accessed using B, T, O. The basic idea is that you can now draw out lines on your mesh. Draw out four lines that intersect and ZBrush gives you a polygon shape. You can then continue to draw out lines by drawing through the ones you have already laid down or by continuing from the green points that are now visible. To clear away any overspill lines use Alt and drag on the model, and if you want to clear one specific line simply Alt-draw over that line. 02. Introduce topology brush detail Continue drawing geometry and building up your new low-poly mesh as needed. You can extract the geometry at any time but if you only want to have a single polygon thickness (which is essential for retopology) you need to keep your draw size to 1. Any higher and you will get geometry with progressively thicker walls based on the size you enter. Once you click on the mesh you will mask off the sculpted model. If you now go to SubTool > Split > Split Masked you can separate out your model from the new low-poly geometry. Use ZSphere 01. Append ZSphere The next method to try is the ZSphere retopology method. Make sure that your model is the active one in the SubTool panel. Use Insert to append a ZSphere (the red ball icon) below your model. Now look at Tool > Topology. You must be in Draw mode for this next step (Q). When you click on Edit Topology, the model changes to a state where you can add topology lines and build up your new low-polygon model. The model we are using is asymmetrical, but you can easily do a symmetrical retopo by hitting X on the keyboard to activate symmetry mode. 02. Move your points This is by far the most accurate way to retopologise your models and as such, it comes with lots of options. To add points simply click. To delete a point Alt-click on it. To begin a new starting point Ctrl-click on an existing point. You may need to move points once you have laid them down. To do this switch to Move mode (W) and then move the point as needed. If you want to move lots of points at the same time increase your Draw Size. Be sure to switch back to Draw mode to continue (Q). 03. Build good edge flow We can now begin to build up a set of geometry with good edge flow. Wherever you can see a need for animation be sure that you are making the correct judgment about laying down edge loops. Make sure to follow muscle rings around the eyes and mouth. If an eye needs to blink then the topology needs to be made to work just as a real eye would. Use Move mode as needed where topology hasn’t been laid down in the correct place. 04. Complete the geometry Work around the entire head and complete the geometry to suit your need. If you intend to project the high-resolution detail onto the new topology make sure you match the entire model. If you just need patches of geometry for other uses (a new face for another model for example) then just finish it as needed (see next step). This process is a great way to create new geometry for all sorts of uses, including making armour that follows the geometry of your character, clothing, straps etc. 05. Finish the topology process Unlike the Topology brush, the ZSphere Topology tool uses the Adaptive Skin panel to finish the process. Once you have gone as far as you need to and the retopology is all complete, go to Tool> Adaptive Skin. Set the Density to 1 and the DynaMesh Resolution to 0. That way the resulting mesh will be exactly as you drew it and not a high resolution. When you click Make Adaptive Skin the new topology is created as a new ZTool and you can click on it in the Tool panel. If you want to learn more about 3D subscribe to 3D World, the magazine for CG artists, today. Read more: 19 tips to master ZBrush ZBrush at the movies Work smart with your Zbrush UI View the full article

William Vaughan is a difficult artist to categorise. He's currently senior 3D production manager at multinational shoe firm New Balance, but he's also a prolific creator of 3D characters – his work has appeared in Hollywood movies, architectural visualisations, and even been turned into vinyl toys. An author and educator – he was previously academic director of The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School in Florida – his published output ranges from guides to 3D modelling to science-fiction novels. For the past decade, the thread uniting this varied career has been Modo: Foundry's creative 3D modelling software, and Vaughan's primary production tool. And what currently excites him about the application is the way that the latest Modo 13 Series of releases harness the power of modern GPUs, both through Radeon ProRender – AMD's powerful physically based render engine – and mPath, Foundry's ground-up redesign of the native Modo renderer. Modo for character modelling Vaughan first used Modo on Pixar's 2009 animated short, Partly Cloudy. He worked as a freelance character modeller on the project, teaching himself to use the software over the course of a single weekend. “I bought Modo on Friday, spent my weekend modelling two characters to get familiar with it, and I was ready to go on Monday,” he recalls. “The crazy thing was that I had two day jobs at the time, but there was no way that I was passing [an opportunity like that] up.” William Vaughan now uses Foundry’s Modo as his principal modelling and rendering software “At the time, what blew me away was how interactive everything was,” he continues. “I wasn't keying in numbers and seeing what happened: I was interacting with my model in real time. That and Modo's selection tools were the biggest selling points to me.” Over time, Modo would gradually replace other 3D software in Vaughan's workflow, both on his personal and professional projects. “It's a complete package: all of the tools are there, they're easy to use, and they're flexible,” he explains. “Although I model 3D characters, I think of myself more as a problem-solver – and Modo has everything I need to solve my problems.” Modo for product design Vaughan has also been instrumental in implementing Modo in the design pipeline at New Balance. Previously, the company's workflow involved creating designs in 2D, having them manufactured physically, then modifying the 2D designs accordingly. Now, New Balance uses Modo to create 3D prototypes. “One of the big driving forces for introducing 3D was to cut down on physical samples,” says Vaughan. “By doing that, we're cutting costs, but also reducing the impact on the environment.” All of New Balance's shoes, like the FuelCore Agility v2, are prototyped in 3D inside Modo New Balance has introduced Foundry software right through its production pipeline, with designers generating concepts in Modo, iterating on looks and generating technical documentation in Colorway (another tool that Vaughan describes as a “game-changer”) then taking the CAD files used for manufacturing and rendering them in Modo to produce marketing images. According to Vaughan, the new workflow enables New Balance to get to an accurate representation of how a shoe will look much earlier on in the production process, enabling the firm to make more informed decisions on new designs. “Whereas before, designers might have showed up [to the first design review] with Post-it notes and sketches, they’re showing up with full 3D models,” he says. Having now trained over 50 of New Balance designers to use Modo, Vaughan praises the software's shallow learning curve. “It's very artist-friendly,” he comments. “Most of New Balance's designers didn't have a background in 3D, but in Modo, you can get to a nice-looking render very quickly.” Modern GPUs for rendering Of all of the changes in this year's Modo 13 Series of updates, Vaughan is most excited about the way the software is taking advantage of the processing power of modern graphics cards; a process that began in Modo 13.0 with the integration of Radeon ProRender. AMD's physically accurate GPU renderer provides artists with fast, interactive, photorealistic previews of 3D models. The Modo 13 Series enables artists to use their GPUs to speed up renders, both for interactive previews and for final-quality output “Modo is known as a great modeller. People know that it produces good renders. But they have been waiting to take advantage of the GPU [to speed up rendering],” he says. “Radeon ProRender was the first taste of that in a Modo pipeline.” Since its introduction, Radeon ProRender has become more tightly integrated into standard Modo workflows with each successive release, with Modo 13.2 adding support for the Modo physical material's Specular and Dissolve properties, and the Film Offset controls of the Modo camera. In some cases, a scene that would normally take 24 minutes to render was done in nine. It's just insane. William Vaughan More recently, Vaughan has been testing mPath, the new path tracer introduced in Modo 13.2. mPath reinvents Modo's native render engine as a modern, hardware-agnostic renderer, able equally to take advantage of the processing power of massively multi-core CPUs like AMD's Ryzen Threadripper chips, and of professional GPUs. This new architecture brings with it a range of benefits, distilling Modo's render settings to a much smaller set of parameters and enabling artists to generate render passes more flexibly. But for New Balance, the main appeal of mPath is sheer, raw speed. In Vaughan's tests, existing New Balance production scenes rendered in mPath in Modo 13.2 in a fraction of the time achieved using the standard renderer in Modo 13.1. “In some cases, a scene that would normally take 24 minutes to render was done in nine,” he says. “It's just insane.” Time-saving new modelling and animation tools Modo 13.2 also brings with it updates to the powerful direct modelling tools that New Balance uses in production every day. The new Edge Chamfer tool creates rounded edges on geometry – essential in hard-surface modelling workflows like product design – generating better geometry and cleaner UVs than the existing Edge Bevel tool, which it is ultimately intended to replace. As well as its rendering features, Modo 13.2 adds new tools for character rigging and animation In addition, the update extends Modo's rigging and animation tools, both for technical visualisations and for the characters Vaughan creates in his personal work. He is particularly impressed with the new Planar IK system, which makes it easier to create soft or stretchy IK setups when rigging limbs. “I'm having to do less work to get nice soft transitions from when a limb is bent to when it is fully extended,” he says. “That affects something as simple as a walk cycle.” Other changes in Modo 13.2 include a new system of Gradient Layers and Gradient Modifiers, reducing the number of deformers required to create complex character rigs, and more streamlined workflow in the Graph Editor, with options to fit the Timeline range automatically to the animation curve selected, and to normalise the vertical ranges of a set of curves. A game-changer for Modo users But for New Balance, the key changes in Modo 13.2 are those new rendering tools. “We’re constantly spitting out renders,” Vaughan points out. “There isn’t a day where we don’t produce hundreds, if not thousands of frames.” Being able to use the GPU for rendering will transform artists’ workflows at companies like New Balance, says William Vaughan For Vaughan, the fact that Modo can now take advantage of the GPU to speed up rendering – whether as interactive previews with AMD's Radeon ProRender, or as final-quality output with mPath – is “one of the biggest pieces of news that Foundry could have for the software”. “I see myself primarily as a modeller, so the fact that it's the thing I'm most excited about speaks volumes to the importance of GPU rendering,” he says. “Modo is already a complete toolset for 3D artists – but if you can make our workflow faster, we'll be very happy.” You can see more of William Vaughan's work in his online gallery. To try the new rendering features in Modo 13.2 for yourself, download the free 30-day trial from Foundry’s website. View the full article

Lego is arguably the perfect Christmas gift. Relaxing, fun and no matter what your interests, there's a set to suit. So if you're struggling with what to buy your loved ones this year, you're in luck. Right now on Amazon and Walmart there's a number of impressive deals on some of the most popular Lego sets. The Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron Super Sports Car definitely falls into that category, topping the wishlists of many a Lego and supercar fan. It takes 3,599 Lego pieces to put this amazing model together, so it's no surprise to learn it doesn't come cheap. But right now you can get it for less, with a whopping £110 knocked off the retail price. That means you could be the proud owner of a new Lego Bugatti Chiron for just £219.99 in time for Christmas. If supercars aren't your thing, never fear, there are plenty more of the best Lego sets for adults on offer, including Harry Potter, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Lego City and much more. And if you can't find the set you're looking for below, John Lewis has a wide variety of sets available and is offering money off Lego vouchers when you spend a certain amount (only until 17 December). Here are the best Lego deals, to suit all interests and every budget, available right now. If you're in the US, you can currently get some great Lego deals at Walmart... Read more: Introducing Lego, as you've never seen it before The Knight Bus Lego review Stranger Things Lego set available now – and it's EPIC! View the full article

Seventeen bugs could be exploited to stop electrical generation and cause malfunctions at power plants. View the full article

With 2.8 million apps in the Google Play store and the Apple app store not far behind, the act of creating an app itself is clearly no longer the challenge it once was. There are plenty of frameworks providing streamlined developing, more developers than ever, and the channels are there to promote new offerings. But while the process of how to make an app has got simpler, it’s harder than ever to find the idea that makes for a real game-changer. Below are eight of the most disruptive apps yet – these apps all turned their industries upside down and spawned myriad imitators. 01. Uber Uber is the epitome of the disruptive app Some of the most successful apps are those that started out trying to solve a single specific problem or common nuisance. In this case, the idea for a ride hailing app reportedly occurred to Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp after they struggled to get a taxi in Paris while attending LeWeb tech conference in 2009. Ten years on, Uber is now responsible for 14 million trips a day and is the single most expensed vendor on business expense sheets in the US according to Certify. The taxi industry was ripe for disruption and Uber got there first with a solution that was easier and more convenient. It provided an estimated final fare and accepted virtual payments – all from a sleek black and white UI that was initially as simple as “push a button, get a ride,” and which later evolved to start at the end of the process by asking “Where to?”. As proof of its disruptiveness, Uber has led to protests from taxi drivers and legal challenges in many cities, but its success despite this has spawned many imitators and forced other taxi and ride services to react and modernise. Its also had some controversial redesigns over the years, the latest of which was in 2018 – read about it here. 02. GrubHub GrubHub meant no more arguments over who would call for pizza GrubHub is another example of an app that saw a chance to make life a little easier – and tidier, since it well and truly rendered obsolete the piles of takeaway menus piled up beside the landline. Restaurants have not always been very good at marketing their food online, often offering unwieldy multi-page pdf menus, while placing orders over the phone used to often involve frustrating calls with rushed workers. GrubHub was founded in 2004 and changed all this with an app that allowed users to browse menus, see photos, enter discount codes and pay for delivery in a few taps. The problem for GrubHub has been that a host of competitors was hot on its tail, from Deliveroo in London to Glovo in Barcelona. These apps offered comparable UX and left GrubHub struggling to find a unique selling point. 03. Google Maps Google Maps helped us find our way to places we didn’t even know we wanted to go to The main use for physical maps and atlases now seems to be as vintage decor, while top-of-the-line GPS sat nav devices such as TomTom and Garmin have been rendered all but obsolete now that free apps such as Google Maps have turned our phones into personal navigators. But Google Maps disrupted more than just the cartographic and GPS industries; it’s also had a huge impact on marketing, revolutionising how businesses can be found by enabling people to discover businesses on their own doorsteps that they might previously have never known existed. There are many maps applications out there including Waze and Apple Maps, but with 1 billion downloads, Google’s is by far the most used. Its integration with other Google products makes it something of a panacea, as it incorporates Google calls, reviews, questions, photos and personal contacts into one map-based interface. 04. Transferwise TransferWise is one of many apps taking on the banks There can be no bigger target for disruption than banks. Loved by few, the financial behemoths have for a long time been able to charge hefty fees for sending money across borders with few other options available other than packing wads of cash in a suitcase. Many startups have identified chances to increase access or reduce fees in financial services, making fintech one of the most disruptive areas of app design, with apps like Robinhood trying to open stock trading to the masses, Square revolutionising the payments sector and Venmo allowing people to more easily split the bill after an evening out. Founded by two Estonian entrepreneurs, Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus, TransferWise provides a very simple function, allowing users to transfer money internationally with much lower fees than those charged by the major banks. Users can do so with only a couple of taps thanks to an effortlessly straightforward UI that makes each step obvious, and simple animations providing for a smooth experience that lets you know exactly when your money’s arriving. It’s no wonder it’s now processing $4 billion a month for more than 4 million customers in 72 countries. 05. Spotify Carry your music collection everywhere without needing a flight case Spotify didn’t invent the wheel, but sometimes a great app comes from improving, simplifying or streamlining what has already been started. Spotify took the post-Napster iTunes Store concept and perfected it, introducing a pay-per-month subscription service for music streaming that could be used across devices to save physical storage space. With millions of tracks and a free version for those who don’t mind ads, it’s become the go-to music service for 248 million active users, convincing even inveterate pirates that streaming was the way forward. The incorporation of some of the best features from other services, like jointly created playlists and tailored suggestions, makes for personalised access to a treasure trove of music at a scale not seen before. The latest redesign put more of an emphasis on podcasts, tapping into yet another blooming market. 06. Instagram Instagram made us all feel like professional photographers Most of us were already taking photos on our phones before Instagram came along. What Instagram did was make us feel like talented photography professionals. With its myriad filters and styling options, the photo sharing app suddenly allowed us to transform the most mundane shot from our everyday routine – everything from breakfast to the bus journey home from work – into something beautiful and share-worthy. It changed the way we take photos and share them with friends, but it also changed the way we interact and experience everything from eating out to exercise classes, making businesses need to think more than ever about presentation. With more than a billion users now, Instagram has provided an easily accessible method of promotion for small businesses, and in the process has created an entire new industry of online influencers promoting products, trips and experiences that has left marketers struggling to catch up. 07. Twitter Twitter allowed the public to break news stories before the traditional media While the internet had already pushed the speed at which news could be communicated, Twitter took things even further by cutting out the middleman – the media. The platform transformed the way news is broken and turned members of the public into citizen journalists, commentators and opinion formers. We no longer need a TV anchorman or embedded reporter to tell us what is happening in the furthest corner of the world; news can be delivered by anyone with a Twitter handle and be found and explored thanks to the trusty hashtag. When a major event occurs many people’s reaction is no longer to turn on the radio, TV, or even to look to online news portals, but to turn to Twitter to see what’s trending. 08. WeChat WeChat is like the Swiss army knife of apps, but Chinese Many of the most disruptive and most successful apps focus on addressing a single problem and doing it well, and when they start getting too bloated with tools and features, spin these off into separate apps such as Uber Eats, and Messenger from Facebook. But in China a single app has disrupted not just one industry, but almost all industries. Initially understood by many in the west as a 'Chinese WhatsApp', WeChat is so much more, offering everything from file sharing to mobile payments, booking and more all within one single app. For most app designers, this would seem like a recipe for disaster with a bloated UI leading to sluggish, if not frustrating user experience, but WeChat cleverly packs things in. It also leaves most apps behind in terms of download numbers. Read more: 9 incredibly useful things you didn't know Gmail could do 6 Christmas card designs that are so bad they're good The best VR apps in 2019 View the full article

It's rare to see Apple deals outside of a major event, and this is especially true for the Apple Pencil. But this new 1st generation Apple Pencil is being sold at just £69.99 on eBay right now – just in time for some last minute gift shopping. That's a price that's even lower than those seen on Black Friday, when we saw it knocked down to £72.46. Given that outside of Black Friday we're usually gushing over deals that knock a fiver off the usual price of £89, there is definitely some fawning to be done over the NINETEEN POUNDS that can be saved with this bargain. The Apple Pencil is perfect for making digital art. It's sensitive to pressure and tilt, making sketching and drawing a breeze. It pairs with the iPad Pro, mini and Air, boasts bluetooth connection, a lightning connector and a magnetically attached cap. And did we mention you can save £19? Once you've snapped up this shiny new toy, you'll want some amazing apps to use with it. Check out our list of iPad Pro apps optimised for use with the Apple Pencil. Not in the UK? Here are some deals where you are. Read more: The best iPad styluses in 2019 The 13 best iPad apps for designers The best iPad Pro deals in 2019 View the full article

Would you buy a banana taped to a wall for $120,000? No? Nor would we, but that's how much one buyer paid for Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's banana piece, titled 'Comedian' at Art Basel Miami. And the artist even sold a second one for the same amount, and a third for $150,000. The story went viral and Burger King decided to get in on the hype with its very own duct-taped banana parody, in the form of a print ad (see more print ads here). The fast-food chain teamed up with advertising agency Buzzman to create a tongue-in-cheek campaign that saw a Burger King French fry taped to a wall with the price tag of €0.01 (next to a very expensive banana taped to a wall). The ad was shared in a tweet (see below) from Burger King France with the caption "N’avalez pas n’importe quoi." Google translates this as "Do not swallow anything". This seems like a dig at the art world, as if the chain is trying to tell us not swallow this BS. And we think they might be. The saga doesn't end there, though – and it gets better. Heinz continued the conversation with a simple but witty response. The ketchup giants recreated the Burger King ad, complete with duct-taped French fry, but added a final flourish – a dollop of sauce on the end of the fry and a bottle of tomato ketchup in the foreground. The price was upped from €0.01 to €0.02, and Heinz US' tweet bore the caption: 'Now, it's a French fry'. And Heinz Brasil's caption was equally as pithy, proclaiming: 'Upgrade Successful'. Heinz stayed totally on-brand here, with an ad that could easily sit amongst its usual offerings – a simple image that puts the condiment firmly centre-stage as the star of the show. And Burger King's pop at the art world is totally in line with its recent exploits, too. That Whopper bus outside of the Houses of Parliament had the same cheeky tone. Creating a topical ad from a subject everyone's talking about is a great way to generate loads of publicity without spending hours creating a standalone campaign. But it has to be witty for it to fly, and we think BK and Heinz have succeeded here. Read more: The 10 best Christmas ads of all time Lego's stunning new ads are a creative force for good British Library ad causes comma controversy View the full article

If you're struggling to think of great Christmas gift ideas, you're in luck. Apple's iPad and iPad Pro are on the wish list of many an artist and designer, and you can make their Xmas dreams come true with these epic deals from Best Buy. Right now, the brand new, 10.2-inch 2019 iPad has been reduced to just $249.99, and the 11-inch iPad Pro to less than $650! That's a huge saving of $80 and $150 respectively. As of this moment, you won't find these items cheaper anywhere in the world. Apple's iPad and iPad Pro have become popular tools among creative professionals in recent years. The Pro in particular, boasting power similar to that of a laptop, a design that easily slots, almost barely noticeable, into most bags and support for both generations of Apple Pencil. The new iPad, recently earlier this year, has also become a highly sought-after product. The price tag before this discount was a huge selling point, so shave another $80 off and this quality device is currently a total bargain. Impressive discounts like this on Apple products don't come along often, so if you're interested, you'll need to be quick. Oh, and don't forget to get an Apple Pencil to go with your shiny new device too! There's also some great deals running in the UK, albeit not quite as impressive as the US, but still a decent savings on all-new iPad. Not in the UK or US? Here are the best same spec iPad Pro prices in your area: View the full article

You might think Christmas is magical enough already. The giving of beautifully wrapped gifts spreads joy and love throughout friends and family. Now, imagine adding the mouth-watering scent of pizza to that transaction. Not something we've ever considered before but it could only make it better... right? Well, turkey will have to take a back seat this year thanks to a festive collaboration between Papa John's and the homeless charity, Crisis. Graphic illustrator Mike Hughes has created a fun and festive pizza-themed range of wrapping paper for the #ChristmasIsBetterShared campaign. (Feeling inspired? Here's our pick of free graphic design software if you fancy making your own themed wrapping paper.) The wrapping paper comes in two designs, both created by Hughes. The first features bright, bold images of pizza oven igloos, pizza DJ decks and characters indulging in general festive cheer – plus the all-important pizza itself, of course. And the second design turns your gift into a pizza. Okay, not an actual pizza, but it features illustrations of giant pepperoni and cheese. And to top it all off, the paper also wafts the scent of pizza at you. With wrapping paper that's being sold for £4.99 online by Papa John's, the campaign aims to raise money for Crisis. The drive is backed up by a video advert (below) in which a trio of lonely creatures (a penguin, yeti and snowman) are saved from their Christmas solitude and sadness by the enticing scent of a Papa John's delivery. They follow the delivery and it leads them to a joyful fairground full of people and fun. Alongside the wrapping paper, Papa John's is selling a range of festive gifts adorned with the characters listed above, and you can even buy a special pizza box when you order a pizza, with all proceeds going to Crisis. “We’re really proud to be working with Crisis, a charity that aims to eradicate homelessness and provides vital services to people in the UK at one of the hardest times of the year," said Papa John's marketing director, Giles Codd. "We hope that the money raised will help toward Crisis continuing the fantastic work they do not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year.” It's a novel idea that's sure to get attention, and an amusing to raise money for a great cause. Hughes has hit just the right mark with his Where's Wally-style illustrations, too. Companies often run successful campaigns when they team up with charities for special projects (like the Cadbury's Donate Your Words campaign). And besides the positivity of the connection with charity, such projects are an opportunity to get an alternative perspective on a brand image through new design. Read more: Has branding become boring? Where to find logo design inspiration The 6 best branding books View the full article

I’ve always strived to develop my personal style, an artistic voice that speaks via tools and media. When I thought I had found it, I got completely lost at the same time. My vector graphics looked crisp and professional, but my hand drawing was stiff. I bought countless markers, gel pens and paints to experiment with. So then I decided it was time to go back to basics and review my approach and started to draw with nothing but a pen. Just sketches with no intention to end up as finished artworks. I also tried to do the same digitally: one single layer and default brush. Surprisingly, it worked! There was a common theme between new works and drawings that looked completed despite being quickly drawn. But curiosity drives me to experiment. I don’t use water with brush pens, I’ve never opened a blender marker, and I don’t apply an eraser to lead pencil. But I’m happy with that – my artistic voice comes through my personal style. Here I go over some of my top tips on creating artwork with brush pens. (See our best pens post if you want to stock up on supplies. Or get more advice with our how to draw tutorials.) 01. Use vertical hatching I draw with a black fineliner and add plenty of detail by applying lots of vertical hatching. I use two 0.8mm fineliners. The first one is new and gives me a thick line. The second one is old: perfect for dry, gritty and less-then-perfect lines. 02. Paint from light to dark Since I use watercolour brush pens, I follow the rules in this piece, going from light to dark and leaving blank spots to create the light. I use two or three similar hues and layer them over each other with thin brush strokes: this helps to define my basic shadow spots. 03. Enhance the shadows In this piece I use dark blue to create shadows on secondary elements. I paint with spots and long brush strokes, repeating the shape of certain elements. These brush pen strokes look darker when wet, just like watercolour. Check your work when the paint dries. 04. Use stylised text This piece has a heavily stylised text element. To create this, I paint the header area with long, bold strokes of a contrast colour combination. I add violet to the corner to support the general composition. Now this picture looks organic, but the text is too crisp. I add a gradient to the text for a more organic feel, using bold and thin strokes instead of smooth blending. You may have noticed that I’m afraid to use water! 05. Don't aim for perfection I like to throw some occasional marks into the finished composition to give it a more natural look. I draw lines and particles with a dry fineliner. In this piece the text doesn’t look sterile anymore and blends well with the rest of the composition. I reduce the tension between lines by adding dry fineliner strokes here and there. This can be compared to the mixing and mastering process in audio production, when you equalise instrument frequencies in order to create a well-balanced arrangement. 06. Sign your work, and leave it To finish, I add a few spots of shadow with a dark grey brush pen and darken the teeth to push the character's fang towards the viewer. My Predator looks uglier and more aggressive – I like it a lot now! I sign my artwork, which means I'll never make any changes to it. The illustration is complete. The finished illustration – click the top right corner to enlarge the image This article was originally published in issue 177 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists. Buy issue 177 or subscribe to ImagineFX. Read more: All the best free Photoshop brushes The best Illustrator brushes: premium and free 27 top free brush fonts View the full article