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More than 55 percent of medical imaging devices - including MRIs, XRays and ultrasound machines - are powered by outdated Windows versions, researchers warn. View the full article

It's that time of year when there are all manner of bugs going around, and what with Coronavirus hitting the headlines on a daily basis, it's all too tempting to head for the doctor's when you have a bit of a cough. Just to be on the safe side, you know. Assuming you can actually get an appointment, is that the right thing to do? According to a new campaign from the NHS, maybe not. Plenty of minor illnesses can be dealt with just as well by speaking to a pharmacist, and to get the message home the NHS has commissioned a set of fantastic movie-style poster designs from graphic designer and digital illustrator, Doaly. A designer's guide to printing a poster Each of the three posters is based around taking the drama out of minor illnesses by seeing a pharmacist rather than a GP, and covers a typical ailment that you probably shouldn't bother a doctor with, in an unmistakable cinematic style. Think twice before bothering a GP with your gammy eye There's a horror poster – 'The Night of the Itchy Eye' – that instantly recalls George A Romero's iconic zombie movies. 'Sore Throat and the Lost Voice' is an unmistakable nod to the Indiana Jones movies, while 'Earache Strikes Back' has more than a hint of Star Wars to it. There are even animated versions of all three posters; they're not quite as epic as the original films, but we appreciate the effort. As well as the note-perfect illustrations by Doaly, there's another clever layer of information added at the bottom of each poster. What looks like the usual set of credits that nobody ever reads is in fact a helpful list of symptoms that you might encounter from each ailment. It's a fun and useful additional feature. Don't skip the credits If you're impressed by Doaly's confident touch when it comes to movie-style posters, there's a good reason for that. Over the years he's created artwork for plenty of movie studios, including Disney, 20th Century Fox (sorry, we mean 20th Century Studios), Lucasfilm and Warner Bros, so this is definitely a style he's at home with. To see more of Doaly's impressive illustration work, simply head for his site. Related articles: Check out these incredible posters for movies that never happened The 12 best London Underground posters Is this the defining movie poster trend of the decade? View the full article

A new Emotet campaign is spread via SMS messages pretending to be from banks and may have ties to the TrickBot trojan. View the full article

Durex, one of the world's biggest condom manufacturers, has revealed a new brand identity designed by Havas London, in a bid to position itself as an activist championing the "positive reality" of sex. Another new addition to the flat design movement, Durex's new logo does away with the original's convex, reflective style while maintaining the lozenge shape. It's got rid of the light flare so that the 'x' of its name is more prominent, which feels appropriate, given that this only emphasises the X-rated nature of its products. This more modern, simplified mark is another trend we're seeing more and more of (and something you can read all about in our logo design guide). Durex is keeping it clean Havas' rebrand also includes a new bespoke typeface by Colophon Foundry, with an ingeniously simple yet effective name: One Night Sans. This delightful play on the phrase 'one night stand' is certainly Twitter's most appreciated element of the new identity. If you're inspired to switch up your fonts, take a look at our list of the best (but admittedly less pun-tastic) free fonts. But despite the fun typeface name, Durex isn't screwing around. Elliot Harris, RB global executive creative director at Havas says the rebrand, "could be the most important piece of work we ever do", positioning the 91 year-old brand as an activist against sexual stigmas and taboos. A series of posters declaring 'porn's not the norm', and 'STD's are kinda real' (all based on the findings of Durex's 2017 Global Sex Survey) accompany the new look. A sobering message for your morning commute We love the cleaner look. Havas says it "needed a brand mark that behaved like a stamp of authenticity and trust", and the new, less glossy logo looks certainly makes us feel nice and safe (pun intended). That 'x' is hitting the spot for us It's great to see a new sense of brand activism from Durex (we certainly like to think it's possible for design to change the world). "Make no mistake, this is a proper commitment," says Harris. We applaud Durex for its ambition – and for making us laugh with that typeface name. Related articles: The 10 best logos of all time Brewdog gets neutered in sensible rebrand Do people still dislike last year’s most hated rebrands? View the full article

Today is Photoshop's 30th birthday. And to celebrate, Adobe has rolled out a number of updated tools and new dark mode support for the Mac version of its popular image editing software. These updates coincide with Adobe offering an incredible deal on its Photography Plan, with which you get full access to Photoshop, Adobe Spark and Lightroom CC for less. We must, however, admit to being a little confused by the announcement that dark mode had arrived for Photoshop. The UI is pretty dark already, right? But the news actually refers to Photoshop supporting the Catalina Mac OS feature overall. So while the main Photoshop UI hasn't changed, system dialogues such as File > Open and File > Save can now match the settings and look of dark mode on your Mac (get started with our guide on how to download Adobe Photoshop). If you're on Windows or using Photoshop for iPad, then you'll still have to keep the lights on (it seems that like Facebook's dark mode, darkness isn't accessible to all users just yet). Photoshop now has three appearance options The update means Mac users now have three appearance options: Light, dark and Auto. If the dark UI is enabled, systems dialogues will be, well, dark. Other updates to Photoshop rolled out today include an enhanced Content-Aware Fill tool – which Adobe says has been a big customer request. Users can now make multiple selections and apply multiple fills without leaving the workspace, using a new apply button to make changes before committing to a final design. The Lens Blur feature has also seen some love. Now on the GPU, its overall realism is significantly improved, plus it now delivers more colourful bokeh via the specular highlights. For Photoshop for iPad users, the most significant update that'll get creatives excited is the arrival of the Object Selection tool. Using Sensei AI and machine learning to automatically make a great selection, the tool reduces the selection process time on even the most complex of images. Below, Adobe's Russell Preston Brown demonstrates this much-needed new feature: While these aren't huge updates, they are the kind of improvements that will make life easier for creatives working within the software, and show that Adobe is committing to continually updating its tool (after all, it needs to stay ahead of the game with all the Photoshop alternatives biting at its heel). If you don't have Creative Cloud yet, then you can sign up here. Or for full details on all of today's Photoshop updates, visit the Adobe blog. Read more: Photoshop for iPad review The 13 best alternatives to Photoshop How to add fonts in Photoshop View the full article

A common approach to email design (and maybe app design as well) is a mobile-first approach. Since 54.58% of web traffic comes from a handheld device, it makes sense to design for smaller screens first. Responsive email design is one …View the full article

The Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q monitor is one of the first professional screens from Dell with a built-in colorimeter. The firm also claims that this is the world’s first 27-inch panel that combines a colorimeter with a Thunderbolt connection. It’s a mouthful, and the UP2720Q comes with a hefty price of $1,999/£1,330 – so you’re going to have to shell out for this display. Despite that, it’s worth paying the price if the Dell can pair its extensive range of features with image quality that can cope with high-end design work. Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q: Specs Screen size: 27-inches | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Panel technology: IPS | Colour depth: 10-bit | Response time: 8ms | Adjustment: 130mm height, 180° pivot, 25° tilt, 90° swivel, 100mm VESA | Connectivity: 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x USB 3.2, 2 x Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C, 1 x audio | Dimensions: 612 x 212 x 563mm (WxDxH) | Weight: 9.71kg | Warranty: 3yr RTB Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q: Features and design Dell’s display has an enviable range of features. That in-built colorimeter is the headliner, of course, and it’s a key addition: it means that the display can be calibrated to run as accurately as possible with numerous popular colour spaces. It swings out from the bottom of the monitor and runs inside a circle at the bottom of the panel. There's a whole lotta pixels in this monitor The Dell’s 3,840 x 2,160 resolution is crammed into a 27in diagonal. It’s a lot of pixels in a small space, which means you’ve got a huge amount of real-estate for working in expansive apps or in several windows at once – and the 163ppi density level means that images, text and icons are impressively crisp. Underneath all of that is an IPS panel. It’s the best technology to use for a design display because it generally ensures that best colour quality when compared to VA and TN monitors. The Dell has a conventional 16:9 aspect ratio, it’s not curved, and it has a refresh rate and response time of 60Hz and 8ms respectively. Those latter figures are not great – fine for day-to-day use and design tasks, but not ideal if you need a screen to handle fast-paced animation smoothly. Dell pairs this impressive technology with excellent connectivity. The UP2720Q has one DisplayPort 1.4 port and two HDMI 2 connections – and its Thunderbolt 3 port is capable of delivering 90W of power, transferring data and driving second screens. There are four USB 3.2 ports, with two handily installed on the lower bezel and one configured to provide a 2A charge – handy for fast-charging phones. The Dell UP2720Q looks pretty smart The Dell has a solid 130mm of height adjustment, 90°of swivel and 25°of tilt – all conventional allocations. It has 180 degrees of pivot, which means it can swing into portrait mode, and it’s compatible with 100mm VESA mounts. It’s easy to build, too: the stand snaps into the rear of the screen and the base attaches with a single thumbscrew, so no tools are required. Build quality is great throughout – this screen is robust. It looks smart, with slim bezels and a plain metal base. The stand also has a hole for routing cables, and a shading hood is included. The panel can be managed by Dell’s on-screen display or by Dell’s Colour Management application. Both are intuitive and offer a huge number of options. Luminance levels can be adjusted, grids can be placed across the screen, calibrations can be scheduled and the row of navigation keys below the bottom bezel can be customised. The Dell can be configured to use the DCI-P3, BT.709, BT.2020, sRGB, Adobe RGB 65 and Adobe RGB 50 colour spaces and it works with CalMAN software. The Dell supports picture-by-picture for two sources, but no picture-in-picture. Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q: Screen quality and colour accuracy The Dell backs up its huge range of features with tremendous image quality. Each UP2720Q is calibrated at Dell’s factory, which means great quality out of the box: without any modifications the Dell returned a Delta E of 0.27 and a Gamma level of 2.17. They’re both fantastic – good enough to render colours accurately without human eyes being able to detect deviations. The Dell’s default brightness level of 155cd/m2 is modest, but good – high enough to provide clarity but not high enough to make users’ eyes tired. The black point of 0.16cd/m2 is very deep, which means that darker shades have huge depth and subtlety on this display. Those figures create a contrast ratio of 968:1. That’s a little below Dell’s quoted 1,300:1 figure, but it’s still a good result and still good enough for the vast majority of mainstream and professional design tasks. You can ramp up the brightness and still have great colour The panel’s colour temperature of 6,872K is a tad high, and it means that this display’s colours are a little on the cool side. However, the Dell’s result isn’t far enough away from the 6,500K ideal figure to cause noticeable problems, even in professional situations. It’s a great start for the Dell. Happily, the panel’s contrast levels and colour accuracy were maintained when we ramped the brightness up to its maximum value of 255cd/m2. Calibration also saw the display maintain its excellent image quality levels. The Delta E improved to 0.24 in Adobe RGB mode, and the Delta E remained below 2.0 in DCI-P3 mode. Dell’s panel can clearly handle different gamuts, too: it rendered a stunning 99.8% of the sRGB gamut, 96.1% of the Adobe RGB space and 95% of the DCI-P3 gamut. Those figures mean that the Dell can work effectively in all of those colour spaces. Dell also claims an 80% coverage level in the broadcast-centric BT.2020 space. The UP2720Q has excellent uniformity. The Dell lost 6% of its backlight strength in the top-left corner, with its Delta E declining to 2.46. Elsewhere, the screen was far better, with sub-4% backlight loss and Delta Es that remained in line with our benchmarks. While that top-left corner is this display’s weak spot, the Dell’s uniformity results are still excellent and still better than most other screens – so work won’t be hampered at all. Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q monitor: Should you buy it? The Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q is excellent. At its core, it has superb image quality, with fantastic colours and black levels, top-notch gamut coverage and impressive uniformity alongside a versatile selection of screen modes and colour spaces. We only have minor quibbles when it comes to the display itself. The Dell’s contrast level is good, but it could be a bit better – and the colour temperature could be closer to 6,500K. Happily, these issues are small, and quality levels throughout are so good that they don’t hinder design and work tasks. Elsewhere, the Dell has great versatility: loads of connectivity and movement options, good software, a huge resolution and its colorimeter. It may not be perfect, but the Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q isn’t far away thanks to great image quality and loads of features. If you need a high-end design screen, it’s a superb option. Read more: The best ultrawide monitor right now View the full article

The best multilingual fonts can help you communicate with your readers more easily. That’s because these fonts, as their name suggests, can cope with the special characters of multiple languages, meaning that an international audience will be able to read your content. You might have already seen the limitations of single language fonts while reading a translation online, or even while perusing our list of the best free fonts. If your language is not completely catered to by the site’s font, it might display a little box instead of the required character. This box is known as 'tofu' and it can detract from the design and legibility of your site. By using multilingual fonts, you can keep your text in line with the rest of your design without having to waste time designing character alternatives of your own. Multilingual fonts come in many different styles and prices, so we’ve rounded up a range of options to help you find the right one. Alternatively, you might find what you’re looking for in our other font roundups, including our favourite script fonts, brush fonts or the best font pairings. 01. Suisse Will Suisse suit you? Price: From free Download here Suisse is the centrepiece of the Swiss Typefaces library. It’s made up of six collections that include a total of 55 styles. Thanks to its clear-cut design, Suisse is perfect for contemporary projects and lends itself easily to variation. These alternate styles include Suisse Int’l, which supports Latin, Cyrilic and Arabic alphabets. If you like the clean, crisp look of Suisse Int’l but need some variation, Suisse Int’l Mono and Suisse Int’l Condensed are on hand to give different options. You can download them individually, or all in one go. The whole collection of six fonts will set you back nearly £400, but you can trial the whole lot for free to get an idea of whether it’s right for you. 02. Dominicale Get an old-fashioned look with Dominicale Price: £182 Download here With its blunt serifs and jagged, diagonal stems, there’s something of a medieval air to Dominicale. It’s no surprise then to learn that Dominicale's makers were interested in interpreting the rough and ready setting of early printed books. The angular structure of this font would be a perfect fit for projects that pastiche the past, such as the best posters or packaging designs. And with support for English, French and German characters, this trilingual edition can be enjoyed by a huge European audience. 03. Grotte Grotte is an affordable but classy option Price: From $8 Download here Multilingual fonts don’t have to be expensive affairs. Just take Grotte, a simple sans-serif font with geometric outlines and elegant curves. Available in three weights, this handy little font can be yours for just $8. And with support for Spanish, Portuguese, German, Danish and French languages, plus Cyrillic, you’re really getting value for money. Thanks to its clear yet easy-on-the-eye design, Grotte would lend itself easily to posters, packaging, commercials, signs and websites. Just what you need for an international campaign on a tight budget. 04. Omnes Omnes is a refreshing font that packs a punch Price: From $45 Download here Got a sweet tooth? If so, you might recognise Omnes. This playful, rounded font has appeared on condiment sachets and even an advertising campaign for Fanta. It’s bold shapes make it the perfect fit for products that need to appeal to your eyes as well as your taste buds, so you’ll want to bookmark this one if you design for food. As if it wasn’t already appealing enough, Omnes can support dozens of languages, including Afrikaans, Polish, Latin, Sorbian, and many more. The complete set can be yours to enjoy for $253, or you can order à la carte and choose any combination of up to six styles from $45. 05. Helvetica World What's better than Helvetica? Helvetica World Price: From £35 Download here Chance are you might have heard of Helvetica. Thanks to its clear design it’s one of the most popular professional fonts, however it’s so ubiquitous that you might be tempted to pick one of the many inspired alternatives to Helvetica. Hold on though, because Helvetica World could be the solution you’re looking for. Designed by Linotype, this font is an updated version of Helvetica that supports a whopping 102 languages and writing systems from all over the globe. And just like the original Helvetica, this font has almost limitless potential in terms of use. 06. Gill Sans Nova A British font now with international reach Price: From £49 Download here Ever since Monotype’s humanist sans-serif typeface Gill Sans first hit the scene in 1928, it’s been a favourite with designers. Over the years it’s been adapted for every publishing technology while retaining its uniquely British character, but with Gill Sans Nova it now boasts a larger character set. Launched by Monotype in 2015, Gill Sans Nova features 43 fonts that support Latin, Greek and Cryillic characters. The display weight only supports Latin, so keep this in mind as you buy each individual style, especially as prices start from £49. 07. Greta Sans The Greta Sans library is a whopper, but worth it Price: From €72 Download here We’re into the big leagues now. Greta Sans, designed by Peter Bilak and published by Typotheque, is a powerful type family made up of ten weights available in three widths. Capable of dealing with the most complex typographical situations, Greta Sans supports a whopping 217 international languages, meaning that it can cover even Hebrew, Thai and Korean scripts among many others. As you’d expect for such a powerful type tool, Greta Sans comes at a price. A single font in a selected language will set you back at least €72, while the full suite will cost you €1,400. To help spread the cost you only need to pay for whichever language you need, and considering the full suite includes 80 fonts, you’re getting a lot for your money. 08. Google Noto Bye-bye tofu Price: Free Download here Remember how we mentioned at the top of this article that not having multilingual support leads to websites displaying little empty boxes, or tofu? Well, Google Noto is here to remedy that. Taking its name from its goal to see ‘no more tofu’, Google Noto is a font which aims to ‘support all languages with a harmonious look and feel’. The core Noto Sans font supports up to 582 languages across 237 regions, and even comes in 72 styles. What’s more you can download it for free with the click of a button. Not only that but you’ll also get the dozens and dozens of variations to support different scripts and symbols. Related articles: How to add fonts in Photoshop 36 perfect font pairings 35 great free script fonts View the full article

However you might feel about McDonald's, there's no denying its marketing team has some creative flair. At first glance, these new images released last week for McDonald's Thailand could easily be part of yet another seductive aftershave campaign. Soft, low lighting. Two pairs of lips about to kiss. But look a little closer, and they immediately go from from hot to horrifying. Yes, one of their noses is sprinkled with sesame seeds. Yes, their lips are made of beef, Yes, they are a burger. Yes, we wish we could unsee this optical illusion too. The ads, created by TBWA Thailand, were posted to McDonalds Thailand's social media channels to mark Valentines Day last week (which at least means there is some logic to the meat-snog). The words 'i'm lovin' it' are thrown in for good measure – though the ads take the slogan a little too literally for us. Don't expect to see these on our list of the best print ads ever any time soon. Make it stop While most of the comments on reddit fall into the NSFW category, it's fair to say that users over there have beef with the ads too – although a few suggest that the burger is simply in need of some lip balm. Still, these ads got us talking, and they're by no means the only audacious design McDonalds has run with over the last few years. From last month's striking type-only ads to a series of defaced classic paintings, the burger peddlers aren't afraid to take risks in order to bring home the bacon. And hey, at least the smut is deliberate this time – who can forget last year's cup-based epic McFail? Related articles: Minimalist McDonald's ads use fries to guide motorists Netflix brings out the smutty side of brands KFC’s Valentine’s Day card range is unexpected genius View the full article

APT34/OilRig and APT33/Elfin have established a highly developed and persistent infrastructure that could be converted to distribute destructive wiper malware. View the full article

Websites using a vulnerable version of the WordPress plugin, ThemeGrill Demo Importer, are being targeted by attackers. View the full article

Everybody's talking about Neumorphism, a hot new design trend that's appeared out of nowhere over the past couple of months – but is it really all that? Designers love a good trend, and there's much about Neumorphism that suggests this could be a big one (people are already talking about it as a potential look for iOS 14) rather than an exercise in experimental design. Flat design and its Google-sponsored cousin, Material Design, have been a dominant look in interface design for a good few years, ever since iOS 7 came along and unceremoniously booted out the previous trend for skeuomorphism. The top design trends for 2020 Michal Malewicz designed these Neumorphic interfaces, and they look great While the name Neumorphism suggests a similar look, don't panic. Nobody's about to go back to the bad old days of interfaces made out of fake real-world materials. We did the whole thing of apps that made you feel like you were working on an antique Victorian bureau, and it's safe to say that we got it out of our collective system. Instead, Neumorphism combines the best of flat design and skeuomorphism; we're talking about clean interfaces, given a big hit of solidity through clever use of highlights and shadows. The name was coined by UX designer Jason Kelley in a comment on an article by UI designer Michal Malewicz, and it's stuck hard. It's near-impossible to wander through Dribbble without tripping over an assortment of Neumorphic mockups In his article, Malewicz explored how Neumorphism could be used in interfaces, and concluded that while it was a fun trend to play around with, it came with its own accessibility issues that would cause enormous problems if it was rolled out on a large scale. Specifically, buttons. To most viewers, Neumorphic buttons look great; all chunky and solid. But for users with sight problems they're not so hot; there's just not enough contrast for them to be easily spotted. And even for users with 20:20 vision, a Neumorphic button isn't exactly going to leap off the page. If you want to grab your users' attention, then Neumorphism isn't the way to do it. In his latest piece on Neumorphism, Malewicz refers to it as 'the zombie trend'. He notes that plenty of people are talking about Neumorphism, but nobody's making any products with it, and yet it refuses to die. So while Dribbble is absolutely packed with Neumorphic mockups, and Cult of Mac is dreaming of Apple implementing Neumorphic looks for iOS 14, there's very little in the way of real-world examples to give us a feel of whether it really works or not. Malewicz's latest piece on Neumorphism suggests that he might be tiring of it Chris Coyier, who shares much of Malewicz's scepticism, found this handy generator for building Neumorphic buttons in CSS. Have a play with it and you'll quickly see the problem: Neumorphic page furniture only really works with muted colour schemes. Turn up the saturation to any degree and the effect gets lost; this isn't a look for anyone who enjoys working with bold tones. Have a play with Neumorphism.io and you'll quickly spot its limitations So, while there's much to like about the Neumorphic look – and let's face it, flat design's looking a little tired, so it would be lovely to hit a new visual paradigm sometime soon – it does't seem to be ready a full design trend. Maybe smart designers will iron out the problems and turn it into a working design system – and one that's properly accessible. Right now, though, it's a pretty design toy set; fun to play with, but you wouldn't want to build a serious project with its tools. Related articles: The beginner's guide to flat design How to design invisible interfaces 7 golden rules of UX View the full article

Facebook has been fashionably late to the dark mode party, but it seems it's finally ready to dim the lights. For the uninitiated (or the unenlightened), dark mode changes app interfaces and menus from light to dark. Not only does it look cool, but it's also supposedly easier on the eyes. After testing dark mode on desktop for select users, the social media giant has now rolled the feature out on mobile – but there's a catch. Dark mode is now available on Facebook Lite, a smaller version of the main app which, according to Facebook, is "designed for 2G networks and areas with slow or unstable Internet connections". But even if you've already got Facebook Lite, the feature is currently only available on Android, so iOS users are still forced to see the light. Still, we're not sure dark mode is enough to add Facebook Lite to our list of the best Android apps. Hello darkness, my old friend To join the dark side, you just need to head to Settings, where you'll find a new Dark Mode toggle. At present, there are no custom timing options – you can either turn it on or off. So, it isn't a perfect solution (unless you were already using Facebook Lite – anyone?), but at least it's now possible to enjoy a late-night scroll without straining your eyes. We're hoping this means the feature will soon be hitting iOS and the main Facebook app, so everybody can enjoy their first cousin twice removed's holiday photos – even at night. It seems that every app and its dog will soon have dark mode. WhatsApp dark mode is now available in beta and Instagram's is already here. Even Slack has gone dark – even more reason to pull a late one at work. It's nice to see Facebook start to dim the lights – let's hope they switch them off fully soon. Want to enjoy dark mode to the full? Take a look at our list of the best smartphones. Related articles: Facebook's new logo is just about worth a Like How to implement light or dark modes in CSS The ultimate guide to social media for creatives View the full article

Today is an excellent day to be a photographer, and that's because Adobe is offering a fantastic deal on its Photography Plan for users in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The package includes apps such as Photoshop for iPad and desktop and Lightroom, meaning you'll have all the tools you need to create images as rich as your imagination. And for the next few days only, you can get 16% off this comprehensive plan. If you're not sure whether this plan is right for you, take a look at exactly what Adobe's Photography Plan offers: Lightroom CC for desktop and mobile photo editing Lightroom Classic CC for desktop-focused photo editing Photoshop CC on both desktop and iPad to transform your photos Spark Premium to create graphics, web pages and videos Adobe Portfolio to build showcase websites easily Adobe Fonts for all your font needs 20 GB of cloud storage to get you started With all of these tools combined, there'll be no limit to what you can create. Precision editing and compositing tools allow you to combine images into beautiful, multilayered artwork, turn photos into paintings or 3D objects, move or remove objects within your images and play with colour and various effects to transform your images into something extraordinary. Don't miss out – grab this offer today! This deal is available until 27 February in EMEA regions, that's countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. If you're not in those regions, you might want to check out our other Adobe deals post, which we update regularly with all the top offers. Read more: Photoshop 2020 review How to add fonts in Photoshop How to flip a layer in Photoshop View the full article

Logos are the centrepieces of brand identity. The complex range of stories and feelings they convey can become so deeply rooted that many of the best-known brands are hard to imagine with different marks. Would the brand be seen in a different way today if it had adopted a different logo? Would it even have survived? But many well-known brands did almost have different logos. For designers it can be instructive to look at the abandoned proposals and consider the lessons that can be learned from them (for more logo lessons, see our logo design guide). Here are eight logos that could have been, and the stories behind why they were ultimately ruled out. 01. Sony A longstanding logo can become entrenched in the public mind, coming to symbolise a timeless solidity and reliability. Even so, fear of becoming staid can lead established brands to consider something new. Sony has retained its wordmark practically unchanged for more than 50 years, but the company almost ditched it for a very 1980s crowdsourced alternative. To mark the Japanese corporation's 35th anniversary in 1981, barely a year after the launch of the first Walkman, Sony held an international competition to redesign its logo. Almost 30,000 entries were whittled down to three contenders, which included the above designs from a Mr Vilim Vasata, from the Federal Republic of Germany, and Mr Bruno Grasswill from Australia. Finally, Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka saw sense and decided that none of the designs was superior to the original. Sony realised its mistake and fudged the competition by dividing the prize money between its board's three favourite designs without adopting any of them. Clearly products of their time, the logos that could have been lack the readability of the classic Sony logotype and would look much more dated by now, while the existing Sony logo has proved timeless (even if the PS5 logo has proved so controversial). 02. Ford Even the most esteemed designers have created work that never saw the light of day. The carmaker Ford has made few changes to its logo since 1917. The classic Copperplate script in an oval emblem is familiar and instantly recognisable. But it almost had a major redesign in 1966 at the hands of none other than Paul Rand, who designed logos for IBM, ABC and UPS. Rand was brought in by Henry Ford II to modernise the logo and its calligraphy script. Rand's proposal retained key features such as the ligatures between letters and the break in the 'O', but adopted a more modern even-stroked lettering and used the tail of the 'F' to create an elongated oval frame. The design achieved a good balance between retaining the heritage value of the existing logo and creating something fresh and dynamic, but Ford finally decided that the change was too radical. The carmaker has changed its logo several times since, but only tweaking only the oval frame and the colour and shading of the blue background. Perhaps Ford made the right decision – the logo was one of the assets the company used as collateral to obtain a multibillion-dollar credit line in 2006. 03. Star Wars Even films have logos, and they can be hugely important for major franchises that go on to produce a whole range of merchandise. As with any brand, the logo has to communicate a lot of information. It has to tell us about the genre of the film and something of what we can expect to experience on screen. However, early versions of the Star Wars logo suggest a camp space opera that's more Flash Gordon than the menacing threat of the Death Star. This early logo was designed before production began by illustrator Ralph McQuarrie, with text added by effects artist Joe Johnston. But the film's script and even the personalities of the main characters changed significantly during production, so that the figure in the logo, which looks more Ziggy Stardust than Luke Skywalker, had to go. Director George Lucas also sensibly decided that the direction the film was going needed a logo that looked more intimidating. He reportedly told designer Suzy Rice to come up with something "more fascist looking". She gave herself to the dark side and turned to Helvetica Black for inspiration. The logo changed as the product itself evolved to reach its final form. (See our favourite free Star Wars fonts or the best Baby Yoda memes for more Star Wars fun.) 04. Tokyo 2020 The proposed logo for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was abandoned for a very different reason. Designed by Kenjiro Sano, the logo featured a letter 'T' for Tokyo and a red circle that was intended to represent a heart, although many couldn't help see it at the sun of the Japanese flag. But after the logo was made public, Belgian designer Olivier Debie argued that it was a rip-off of a logo that he had designed for the Theatre de Liege in 2013 and mounted a legal challenge. The accusation of plagiarism was denied but the controversy was enough to make the Tokyo Olympic Committee drop the logo and launch a competition to design a replacement. The winning design by Asao Tokolo uses a chequered pattern intended to reference Japanese heritage but also the intercultural aspect of the games. The fact that the original logo had to be dropped showed just how exhaustive designers' research needs to be before submitting a proposal. Olivier Debie's logo for the Théâtre de Liège in Belgium 05. Ghostbusters The Ghostbusters logo was everywhere after the film's release in 1984, but it's another logo that exists because of a legal problem. Originally the team's logo mentioned in the film script was only going to be used on the Ghostbusters' uniforms and the Ghostmobile, so designers hadn't put a lot of work into it. In an effort that's more ghastly than any ghoul in the film, one draft shows what appears to be Thing from the Adams Family in handcuffs. That all changed when Columbia Pictures realised it wasn't going to obtain the rights to the name Ghostbusters in time to launch early teasers for the film. They would need a strong mark that could work alone without the title in promotional posters. The original logo designs that included the word Ghostbusters were dropped, and illustrator Michael Gross stepped in to create the "no ghosts" icon that became so well known, and influenced the way that blockbusters are promoted to this day, with initial teasers often using a mark alone with no title. Funnily, Gross's design ended Columbia in legal problems all the same. The company was sued by Harvey Comics, who claimed that the ghost in the logo resembled Fatso from Casper the Friendly Ghost. The suit failed because Harvey had failed to renew the copyright. 06. Google Google can boast one of the most recognised logos in the world. It's seen by millions of people every time they search online and has inspired thousands of temporary Google Doodles. It's also a lesson in creating a simple, legible logotype. But it could have ended very differently. Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin turned to designer and Stanford professor Ruth Kedar in 1998 to improve their own self-designed logo. Her initial explorations were far busier than the stripped back logotype Google is known for. Kedar settled early on the Catull font and on using a colour scheme that would subvert the usual order of the primary colours to show that Google was about breaking the rules, but she also included illustrative elements to tell a story about what Google did. She incorporated both a magnifying glass to represent the search function and crosshairs to represent the accuracy of Google's algorithm. Larry and Sergey apparently liked the idea, although they were concerned that using both of the elements together meant that there was a lot going on. The final decision to drop both elements was taken less for aesthetic reasons, but because they were already beginning to envision a future in which Google would become more than just a search engine. They decided to avoid adopting a logo that could limit the brand and wouldn't make sense with a wider range of productions. The case shows that when designing a logo, it can serve to gaze into a crystal ball and consider where a company might be several years down the line. 07. Leeds United Sometimes a logo is dropped not because it doesn’t make it past a brand's board or owners, but because it doesn't fly with loyal customers. And there are no brand followers more loyal than football fans, who can be particularly sensitive to changes to their team's identity. Some teams have got away with pushing an unpopular change through, but this redesigned crest to mark Leeds United's centenary in 2019 didn’t even get off the centre mark. The club carried out six months of research and consulted 10,000 people in the process of designing a crest that was intended to serve for the club's next 100 years. It replaced the former blue and yellow insignia with an image that represented a headless fan performing the "Leeds salute", a gesture used by fans in the stadium. But fans weren't saluting the change. "Leeds’ new badge for the next 100 years looks like a bloke trying to elbow his way to the front of the bar," sports journalist Rob Staton quipped. "It looks like something from Pro Evolution Soccer in the early 2000s," a fan tweeted. Others claimed it even looked fascist. The club admitted it had misjudged fans' opinions and the logo was never used, showing that even the biggest research and consultation is not enough if you're not asking the right people. 08. New England Patriots The rejection of a logo concept doesn't necessarily mean it's dead forever. Dropped logos can be brought back to life when the time is right. Back in 1979, The New England Patriots found a simple way to avoid the embarrassing backtracking suffered by Leeds United two decades later. The club wanted to update its logo because the two-decade-old illustration of team mascot Pat Patriot was too detailed to apply easily on different supports. The NFL came up with a simpler logo that showed the face of the soldier with his tricone hat trailing into a flag, but the club took a last-minute decision to let fans decide. At halftime during a home game, the new logo was shown on poster boards in the stadium. It was greeted by overwhelming boos, and the old logo was used for another 14 years. But in a twist to the story, in 1993, a new logo was unveiled that seems to have been influenced by the 1979 reject. This much more streamlined version of the logo is now affectionately known by fans as the Flying Elvis. Its similarity in concept to the logo that was rejected more than a decade earlier suggests that while the original design probably needed a few more iterations, sometimes it can be a case that the timing is wrong and people aren't ready for a proposal. Or perhaps it's just that the designer is ahead of their time. Read more: 8 of the best animated logos The 10 best logos of all time How the world's biggest brands got their names View the full article

A lack of proper code-signing verification and authentication for firmware updates opens the door to information disclosure, remote code execution, denial of service and more. View the full article

On-trend design doesn't always have to mean starting from scratch. Sometimes even the most experienced designers take advantage of up-to-date professionally created assets to speed up their processes. Editable templates, backgrounds and icons can serve as inspiration when you're staring at a blank page as well as saving time so you can concentrate on the finer details. iStock by Getty Images monitors the latest trends and regularly updates curated boards of contemporary templates, backgrounds and icons that can speed up the design process. Here are seven stylish solutions that they have seen trending at the moment and which could just save you a heap of time on your next project. 01. Templates with contrasts Templates with subtle pastel contrasts can offer a starting point for a range of contemporary designs Templates can offer a great starting point when you're stuck for inspiration and need to get designing quickly. A good template can inspire the rest of the project and start other ideas flowing quickly, making them ideal for reacting to last-minute commissions. Templates with a contrast between warm and cool colours are particularly on trend at the moment. Contrasting colours have always been effective, but the trend today is for a subtler and more sophisticated pastel colour palette, for example coral pink on a pale teal background. 02. Retro wave templates Templates can also help designers ride the current retro revival Another trend hitting big in 2020 is the return of retro waves straight from the 80s. They've become big in pop culture and already brands are looking to incorporate a modern take on this retro style. Try bringing in the hot pinks, highlighter yellows, and neon greens from decades past to turn a straightforward template into an eye-catching statement that's very much in vogue. 03. Metallic backgrounds Metallic textured backgrounds can add a touch of class to a design Whether you’re designing for digital or print, a strong background is the foundation to your whole design. It certainly shouldn't be left as an afterthought. The right choice adds depth, texture and supports text and other graphics to create a unified design. It also creates cohesion between different deliverables in a campaign. A major trend in design at the moment is the use of metallic effects. Used as backgrounds, gold, silver, bronze and platinum can communicate elegance and add excellent texture to a background to give a sense of authenticity and realism. Consider using backgrounds that have a metallic glitter or paint effect for textures that really stand out. 04. Liquid backgrounds Liquid shapes also offer eye-catching options for backgrounds The background can be one of the most important parts of any message because the viewer sees it repeated across campaign elements, from a website to social media posts and banner ads, so it's important to ensure it feels contemporary. Liquid shapes have become popular in general to add a modern sense of movement while also creating a warm, rounded feel. Melting patterns and merging objects are being used for decorations and illustrations but can also make for very effective backgrounds. 05. Video backgrounds Video backgrounds can hold the gaze for longer Another option to create fresh, modern backgrounds is to use video. Movement attracts attention, which is why so many brands are opting to embed video backgrounds in the hero area of their websites. Studies have shown that people spend an average 88% more time on websites with video, and there's evidence that video may help increase conversions. Designers can even look to combine trends by using background videos with liquid or metallic elements for a comtemporary look. 06. Icons in flat design 2.0 Icons offer a versatile tool to add information and storytelling to a design Icons can be an outstanding tool for all kinds of deliverables. They can be informative, but can also tell stories and add interest to large blocks of text. The best icons are easy to interpret and usually work across cultural and linguistic barriers, allowing viewers to understand messages more quickly. Since they're instantly recognisable, they also make the message more likely to stick. Icons with flat design have been the rage for some time, but the look is evolving as screen resolutions improve. Icons in flat Design 2.0 look up-to-the-minute fresh as they reincoporate gradient shading and a wider range of colours and textures to add more detail. 07. Isometric icons Isometric icons can be a great way to inject character and personality into a design Icons can also help reinforce brand personality, whether it’s straightforward and serious or bubbly and fun. Isometric icons often help create the latter and can give a brand a friendly and approachable character. This is one of the reasons that isometric projection, or the representation of three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, has made its way from technical drawings into commercial design in such a big way. To stay on trend, try using 3D in 2D icons as navigational elements, within infographics, or to support or simplify web copy. At iStock by Getty, they keep on top of trends and curate boards of templates, background and icons that can be used in any project. To take advantage and gain access to a vast selection of material that can speed up your work, visit iStock by Getty. View the full article

Scottish design studio Tom Pigeon has released six brand new screen prints celebrating Team GB's key sports at the Tokyo 2020 olympics – and we want all six on our wall right now. There's nothing we love more than an eye-catching poster (we've even compiled a list of our favourite poster designs) and these are certainly striking with their minimalist approach and muted palette, along with a graphic nod to the Japanese flag's red rising sun. Can you guess which sports these represent? The designs take inspiration from the movements of athletes in six sports: sailing, cycling, athletics, gymnastics, rowing and swimming. The movement is conveyed through a series of abstract circles and lines, created as a result of studying and sketching over photographs. The Olympics has a particularly strong relationship with graphic design. Just last month, 20 official posters were revealed for Tokyo 2020. Tom Pigeon's Creative Director, told Creative Review they were inspired by classic posters from the 1960s and 1970s, and that this "dream collaboration" with Team GB has been "a really exciting opportunity to explore our amazing athletes through colour, line and shape". We love those curves Visit Tom Pigeon's website to view the full collection. Related articles: Paris 2024 Olympic logo is mercilessly mocked 15 inspiring examples of screen printing Design sheet for the iconic 1964 Olympic logo unearthed View the full article

If you missed a top bargain in last year's Black Friday deals and the January sales, fear not. HP's Presidents' Day sale sees huge price drops on everything from laptops and desktop PCs to printers, monitors, accessories and more. But the one deal that got our attention was this epic $702 saving on the powerful HP Envy 17t. That price cut includes the original $650 discount, plus a cheeky extra 5 per cent off to celebrate Presidents' Day (use code 5PDS2020 at the checkout).That means right now you can get your hands on this impressive piece of kit for just $997.49! This is one of a number of discounts across a range of HP devices, many of which you can use the above code for a further 5 per cent discount. And there's also the chance to get an additional 10 per cent off select PCs and monitors with code 10PDS2020. The HP Envy range has become a popular choice among creatives in recent years, so much so it features prominently in our roundup of the best laptops for video editing. Packing plenty of performance, full HD display and roomy enough to handle the most labour-intensive tasks, it's not hard to see how the HP Envy range has caught many a designer's eye. If the HP Envy 17t's specs don't fit your needs, HP has a lot more to offer. Below are some more of the best HP deals currently running. To see the full range of laptops, and other hardware and accessories on sale, visit the HP website. Not in the US? Here are the top HP laptop models, with the very best prices, in your area: View the full article

Why would creatives need to learn project management concepts? Well, if you have your own business, are thinking of starting one or work in a big team environment, you'll want to know the fundamentals to streamline your work process. Lean Six Sigma helps you push your business to success with project management skills that will help your creative workflow, and, for a limited time only, you'll get an additional 15% off with code PRESIDENT15. If you're growing your business, you might want to update your business cards. If so, check out our pick of the best business card templates out there. Manage team dynamics Working with different people and personalities can sometimes be challenging. Add the stress of project deadlines and chaos can ensue. Discover how to work with different leaders successfully, and manage your team dynamics better, with the help of Lean Six Sigma. You'll learn how to present projects to instructors, peers and managers in an organised way to increase the quality of your work. You'll soon learn how to assist your colleagues better, and more efficiently. Learn how streamline your resources With access to four valuable online courses and over 30 lessons, this master bundle will also teach you ways to eliminate wasted resources and reduce unwanted activities that may be blocking your growth in the workplace. You'll learn how to streamline everything you do. With over 45 hours of content, these lessons will expose you to Lean's concepts, so you can optimise your processes, increase quality and drive maximum value in any business. Explore data-driven results Amp up your content and make sure you're hitting your goals with Minitab, a critical statistical software project managers count on to explore data. Familiarising yourself with the software will allow you to learn how to communicate valuable information to others and analyse what is and isn't working. You'll also earn a certificate at the end of the training, allowing you to boost your résumé and add it to your list of skills, making you stand out. The Lean Six Sigma Expert Training Bundle is usually priced at over $2,000, but, for a limited time, you can start streamlining your creative business like a pro for only $41.65 with code PRESIDENT15. Transform your workplace and begin implementing values that will help you be more productive and efficient in your craft. Hurry, this offer ends on February 18th! Read more: The best project management software for designers 8 sensational side projects to inspire you 8 survival secrets for creative freelancers View the full article

The Sonic saga has been a rollercoaster. A total character redesign, a release date delay and a studio closure plagued the hedgehog's big screen debut before he even got started. But we're pleased to tell you that it's all been worth it as the opening weekend has surpassed expectations, smashing box office records. Sonic has whirled past his closest movie rival, none other than Detective Pikachu, to take the record for the best opening weekend for a video game film adaptation. If you want to create an equally successful character, check out our character design tips. If you'd like to catch up on the Sonic story so far, see our posts on the redesign and studio issues. Plus, you'll definitely want to take a look at Baby Sonic. The redesign was more cartoon-like (right) and less bizarrely human (left) The Blue Blur's first cinematic weekend has seen box office totals of $57 million (£43 million) in the United States. For comparison, the previous record-holder Detective Pikachu amassed just $54 million (£41 million), $3 million less than his spiky counterpart. Given the turbulent reactions to the first incarnation of Sonic, it's clear the final Sonic design needed to be totally on point to ensure the success of the film. Sonic's signature eyes were a major part of the problem for gamers who grew up with him, as were his human-like features (including his naked hands, devoid of white gloves), and pointy nose and mouth. Director Jeff Fowler knew that the reaction of the fans was the most accurate barometer. “It was pretty clear on the day the trailer was released just seeing the feedback and hearing the feedback… that fans were not happy enough with where we were at,” Fowler said in an interview with our sister site Games Radar. When the second trailer was released (see it below), fans were jumping for joy as it became clear that Fowler had ordered a total redesign that solved the issues. As for the reaction to the film itself, it's an across-the-board hit. Fans on Twitter are thanking Paramount and calling the film a masterclass. And some are going even further with their praise. Sonic's success shows the power of social media in communicating fan feedback, and we applaud Fowler for listening. We bet Paramount is applauding him, too, with returns like that. Read more: Disney characters' homes as Tiny Houses will leave you wanting more 9 character designers you need to know How to draw: The best drawing tutorials View the full article

For social media aficionados, screen orientation across platforms is an irritating issue. While TikTok only displays vertically, YouTube videos are best viewed on full-screen mode, which is horizontal. If you're a content creator, this means either filming duplicate videos or cropping the existing video to fit both screen orientations. But a social media/tech genius has come up with a solution that's bound to catch on, if you can handle the dubious glances that might be directed at you. And all that's needed is the humble rubber band and not one but two of the best camera phones. (Although some awesome photo apps for editing wouldn't hurt). A Vox reporter Rebecca Jennings tweeted the above gem, sharing the ridiculous hack this unidentified TikToker came up with to solve the problem. Again, you will need two phones – one for filming for YouTube and the other for TikTok (see our guide to the TikTok app for the uninitiated), but the double outlay seems like a small price to pay. You need to cross them over each other, one sitting vertically and the other horizontally so that the horizontal phone can film horizontally and the vertical one can film, well... vertically. Then hold them in place with a rubber band and voila! We admire this Blue Peter-style initiative and wonder if it will provoke any tech manufacturers into tweaking the smartphone camera somehow to create a similar effect. After all, the Samsung has already tackled the screen rotation issue head on with its invention of a TV that literally spins on its axis to rotate from horizontal to vertical, so its clearly an issue that's on at least one tech giant's radar. Responses on Twitter confirm this. One user claims to have solved the problem already, with his tongue-in-cheek pitch to Apple. All innovation has to start somewhere, right? And heavy social media users are often the ones to invent hacks that fill in the gaps in the tech (as with this nifty Instagram feed hack) until the technology is tweaked. Read more: The ultimate social media guide for creatives The 5 best Instagram font generators 8 best social media platforms for artists and designers View the full article

Last week, Banksy confirmed that a new piece of Bristol graffiti many are associating with Valentine's Day was his by posting images of it on his website and Instagram. But just a few days later, the work has been covered up by a piece of board and cornered off after it was vandalised, according to the Bristol Post. The new Banksy in Barton Hill was defaced by graffiti that says: "BCC wankers", which is perhaps a shot at Bristol City Council, and a shoddily drawn heart. It looks like the perpetrator had not looked at our how to draw tutorials. Nor do they appreciate the best examples of street art. The pink colour doesn't really add anything The artwork on the side of a house in Bristol's Barton Hill shows a young girl firing roses from a slingshot, creating an explosion of petals that looks not unlike a blood splatter, but is actually made up of spray-painted ivy. You can count on Banksy to bring satire to pretty much any holiday (see his comment on homelessness over Christmas here). Before this latest act of vandalism, a plastic sheet had previously been put over the artwork to protect it, but it was soon destroyed. The flowers placed on the Marsh Lane road sign were also stolen. The graffiti was brought to our attention on Thursday morning by James P. Bullock on Twitter, who had noticed people with scaffolding on the same building earlier in the day. It's in Banksy's trademark style, and the line drawing of the young girl is similar to the girl in his famed work, Balloon Girl. The people of Bristol have been crowding round Marsh Lane to get photos of the Banksy over the weekend. If you're in the area and manage to catch the piece when it is eventually uncovered (which we assume it will be), check out our street photography tips in order to get the best shot. And get yourself one of the best camera phones while you're at it. Read more: The best art easels in 2020 Art terms: The ultimate artist's glossary 34 top free graffiti fonts View the full article

Ben the Illustrator's annual illustration survey is here, and the results once again show some positive things about the industry, as well as some areas for improvement. There's some very positive news straight off the bat: the survey shows that 97 per cent of respondents are proud to be illustrators. That same percentage of people also motivated to be better artists, which is good news (especially because we have plenty of how to draw tutorials here on Creative Bloq). However, only 88 per cent are motivated to improve their business. Perhaps the rest are just nailing it already. Money worries Sadly, it seems that money troubles continue to plague illustrators. The survey reports that only 45 per cent of people were confident giving initial estimates to clients, and 46 per cent were confident negotiating. It'd be interesting to know whether those are the same confident people. Ben comments that "nothing has changed in three years, we're still not confident with money, but we need to be. We're asking for deposits and kill-fees more than before, but still not as standard and still not often enough." In terms of money earned overall, it seems that many are not reaching the AOI's minimum salary of £20,000 a year, with 55 per cent of those working full-time as illustrators not earning this amount. There were also concerns around commissioners and their understanding of illustration and areas such as licensing and the importance of a clear brief. Social media Instagram was cited as being the most beneficial social media platform to illustrators – 84 per cent said it was helpful – with Twitter following close behind on 53 per cent. Interestingly, the image-based Pinterest didn't get much of a look-in, with only nine per cent saying it was useful. Forty-six per cent of illustrators also said that Instagram was one of the ways they got most work in 2019, which was beaten only by regular/repeat clients (whether or not those clients were found on Instagram, we don't know). Despite using social media platforms to get so much work, only 20 per cent of respondents said they were confident using the platforms' algorithms to their advantage. (Perhaps they need our Instagram engagement tips.) When citing their top three sources of inspiration, 66 per cent of people said they looked at other illustrators' work online. Of those 66 per cent, 77 per cent look at others' work on social media. Ben says this is a worrying statistic: "Mimicking illustrators on Instagram is not the foundation of a long-term creative life." We're inclined to agree. Diversity Two-thirds of illustrators don't feel that BAME, LBGTQ+ and female professionals are fairly represented within illustration, nor that the industry is doing enough to be more inclusive. Ben has some suggestions as to how we can combat this: "We need to highlight artists who aren’t getting the attention they deserve. We need events to stop filling the stage with successful white men; we need to help people who can't afford to go to university to still find a way into the industry; we need magazines, blogs and books to ensure there is no bias in who they are featuring." There was also a call for more female illustrator podcasts. For the full survey, which is supported by Adobe, Cass Art, The AOI and Survey Monkey, visit the Illustrator's Survey website. Read more: 10 illustration trends for 2020 Artist's illustrations of TV home plans are oddly fascinating Pokémon fans are losing it over Grand Oak View the full article

The creative heart of Games Workshop, the Warhammer studio is inhabited by born storytellers; a diverse group of artists with exceptional abilities and a shared love of the worlds of Warhammer. Every day, their passion and creativity brings complex gaming universes to life – something you could soon be a part of. Right now, Games Workshop is offering talented creatives the chance to join its enthusiastic and inspired team, and forge a long, productive career in a world-class design and manufacturing studio. There are a number of positions available, all of which offer an amazing opportunity to be immersed in an unlimited world of creativity. Read on to discover the roles up for grabs, and, crucially, how to apply. Citadel Miniatures Designer The job of a Citadel miniatures designer is to realise characters, heroes and equipment in three dimensions, as the physical miniatures that the studio produces. Working to a brief, this role requires the creation of amazing models, which will be sold to customers all over the world. “Working as part of the Citadel Miniatures Design team is a fantastic experience," says Citadel Miniatures Designer Darren Latham. "Being in a creative role, surrounded by talented designers is hugely valuable in terms of developing my own creativity. You are constantly learning from others and sharing your knowledge as well. The team is only getting bigger and better because of this, which means our miniatures are always improving.” Citadel Miniatures Conceptualiser The job of a Citadel miniatures conceptualiser is to excite world-class designers with ideas for new models, via sketches and drawings. A successful conceptualiser should be willing to experiment and be radical with designs and ideas, whilst remaining respectful of and informed by the existing backgrounds and stories from the Game Workshop universes. "Being at the starting point of creating a miniature is great fun – you can let your imagination run wild to really explore new ideas," says Citadel Miniatures Conceptualiser David Ferri. "It's also extremely rewarding seeing how other members of the team expand on your sketches and ideas, and watching the direction they take when making the finished product." ‘Eavy Metal Painter The job of an ‘Eavy Metal painter is to amaze Warhammer fans by painting Citadel miniatures in remarkable and inspirational ways. The art is to convey the story of every model through its design, all while remaining faithful to the imagery, colour schemes and iconography of Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000. “Games Workshop allowed me to follow my passion in life and inspired me to be the best version of myself, in the best painting team in the world,” says ‘Eavy Metal Painter Natalie Slinn." If you like the sound of any of these jobs and feel that you have the passion and drive to be part of this world-class studio, apply today! Trainee Citadel Miniatures Designers Talent Programme Whether you are a traditional miniatures sculptor or a 3D artist using up to the minute software, everyone is welcome to apply to become the next generation of Warhammer miniatures designers Once accepted onto the programme, the first assignment is to copy an existing miniature. If successful, the second assignment consists of reimagining an existing model, and showing an understanding of the core elements for that character by creating a unique physical miniature. “The great thing about the Talent Programme was the opportunity to get feedback from the artists that made your favourite miniatures," says Citadel Miniatures Designer Trainee Alessandro Columbo. Fancy joining the Games Workshop Talent Programme and getting feedback from some of the best miniatures designers in the world? Apply here, or stop by our booth at Vertex 2020 to meet the team and find out more. Citadel Miniature Designers FAQs Do I need to be experienced in 3D design software to be considered for the Trainee Citadel Miniatures Designer Talent Programme? And if so, which ones? Not at all. Traditional physical sculpting methods and 3D design methods are both applicable. Do I need to have made any miniatures before I apply to the Trainee Citadel Miniatures Designer Talent Programme? Yes, to be considered, you need to have demonstrated your passion for making miniatures by having a portfolio of your own work. Do I need to be a hobbyist to work in the team? No, not necessarily. Many of the team are hobbyists – painters, collectors, gamers, or all three. It would be hard to love Warhammer without channelling that love into the hobby, but not impossible! Do I need to be an accomplished illustrator to be a successful conceptualiser? No, far from it. We don’t need polished illustrations, it’s more important to be able to quickly communicate your ideas and visions in an inspirational, exciting and clear way. Do I need to have won a Golden Demon to be considered for the ‘Eavy Metal team? No, but it wouldn’t hurt! The ‘Eavy Metal team is the best team of miniatures painters on the planet, and to be considered, you need to be that good. View the full article