Rss Bot

The Threatpost editors break down the top news stories from this week. View the full article

Security teams carefully monitor potential threat activity, but incidents aren’t always black and white. View the full article

Digital photography has completely changed how we deal with our photographs. In the good old days of film cameras you'd send your film off to be developed, get some printed snapshots back and then stick the best ones into a photo album that might take years to fill. Today, though, even if you've got the best camera on the market, you're likely to have a big 'PICTURES' or 'PHOTOS' folder on your computer, stuffed with thousands of shots. And while you might upload a few of them to Facebook or photography websites, the vast majority of them will simply linger on your hard disk forever. If you miss the tactile experience of physically flicking through a photo album, though, it's easy to get your best photos printed in a professional-looking photo book; here are the best options available right now. The best photo books in the US Mixbook isn't the cheapest option, but its software is wonderfully easy to use with simple but fully editable templates that make the whole business of collating your photos into a book an absolute joy. There are plenty of backgrounds and even stickers to work with if you want to customise your finished book, and the end results are great, with a professional finish. Picaboo's print quality isn't the best, but it makes up for this with the options it gives you when you're putting your photo book together. Its software manages to be easy to use while giving you loads of options to play with, including searchable background and clip art to help you nail exactly the look you're after for your finished book, as well as the ability to polish your photos so that they match your backgrounds. For a great all-round option it's hard to go wrong with Shutterfly. It provides simple and more involved tools to help you design your photo book, with loads of templates and backgrounds to choose from. But if you'd rather leave it to the experts, it also provides a Make My Book services. With this option, you choose a size and style and hand over up to 800 photos and any special instructions, and Shutterfly's designers will have your book ready for review in three days. Snapfish won't design your book for you, but its process is almost as easy. It provides over 120 themes with a massive selection of backgrounds to work with, and once you've settled on your chosen style it'll guide you through the design process with a straightforward drag-and-drop interface. The end results aren't quite up to the quality of other services listed here, but you should be able to get a good deal on the price. If you're on a Mac, perhaps the easiest way to turn your photos into a book is to use the Apple Photo book options. It's simple to use and follows Apple's minimal style, which will result in a clean design, but it might all feel a little limiting if you want more control over the end results. At the end of the process, you'll get a great-quality book with decent photo reproduction; not the best, but certainly not to be sniffed at. The best photo books in the UK If you're picky about end results, then you'll find it hard to go wrong with CEWE. It'll guide you through all the options on offer, and there are absolutely loads of them, with plenty of paper stock to choose from and luxury cover options for the perfect finish. For the most demanding print aficionados, there's even the option to add spot varnish and foil treatments. Obviously these extra options don't come cheap, but if you have the means, you'll find they're well worth the effort. For ease of use, Whitewall's online book creator is a godsend; simply upload all your photos and it'll automatically arrange them for you throughout your book (up to 252 pages), leaving you to tweak the final layout if you want. Its default 170gsm paper is a little flimsy; we'd recommend paying a little extra for the 250gsm option, and the print quality's generally good, although skin tones are a little on the cold side. Best of all, you can expect your finished book to turn up in just a few days. To really turn heads with your photo book, head to BobBooks and go for its Lustre Photographic option; it'll cost you more but the results are stunning, with heavyweight 300gsm paper stock and a lustre finish that can't help but show off your photos to best effect. BobBook's print process is similarly top-drawer, boasting vibrant, accurate colour reproduction and beautifully sharp images. The business of actually creating your book is also good and straightforward, with an easy-to-use online interface as well as desktop and iPad apps and even a pro design service. Bonusprint's a venerable name in the photo business dating back to the 1960s, and while you may not go to it any more to get your film developed, it's a great place to get some excellent deals on photo books and much more. Its online and offline book design software is easy to use, and its smart assistant will select your best photos and lay them out for you, allowing you to edit the layouts and add extra images, clip art and text afterwards. As for the print quality, it's not quite up to BobBook's standards, but there's little to complain about. Like Bonusprint, Photobox is another site that's liberal with the discount offers, so you'd have to go out of your way to pay full whack for your photo book. Its online book creation software's pretty slick with lots of layout, background and cropping options, and will give you a 3D preview of your finished book so you can be sure of what you're getting. Photobox's standard 170gsm stock is a little thin; we'd recommend upgrading to its premium 230gsm paper for best results, and even with that you'll find the print quality lacking in sharpness. Related articles: The best monitors for photo editing in 2018 How to prepare a file for print 45 best photo apps and photo editing software View the full article

Layers are what enable you to build a project from the early foundations to the finishing touches. It's hard to believe it now, but they weren't always a feature in Photoshop CC; it was only in the third version that they were added. Get Adobe Creative Cloud now These days though, layers are at the very centre of everything you do, and it's hard to imagine any kind of project without them. They're not just a tool to keep you organised, they help you structure your work, from the background layer up. The key to creating amazing imagery or experimental design isn't necessarily in how skilled you are as an artist: so long as you keep your layers and workflow simple, it's easy to create something incredible. Whether you're embellishing your portraits, creating typography-inspired work or making an isometric composition, layers are key. There's so much to discover from this simple organisational feature, and by learning little tips and tricks to optimise your layer usage, you can improve your understanding and use of Photoshop as a whole. They may not be something you notice when you look at a picture, but it's highly probable that the Layers palette will be behind the best images you'll ever create in Photoshop. To get you inspired, here are 10 amazing things you can do with them. Download the files to accompany these tips. 01. Use Fill/Opacity Blend in a new image using Screen mode and dropping the opacity A good way to blend a new image or an effect into the scene is to work with Fill/Opacity. Place the 'main_texture.jpg' photo, change the blend mode to Screen and to make it softer, go to the Opacity menu and change it to 50%. 02. Convert to Smart Object Converting a pasted image into a Smart Object retains its original resolution Click on the woman layer, ctrl/right-click and choose Convert to Smart Object. This will preserve the original size of the picture, so it's possible to decrease the size and then increase again without losing any image information. 03. Sharpen with merged layers It's easy to apply a High Pass filter across all your layers To quickly apply the High Pass filter to the whole image, select all the layers and merge at the top of your stack (cmd/ctrl+alt+shift+E). Then go to Filter > Other > High Pass, set to 2px and change the blend mode to Soft Light. 04. Add textures With the Overlay blend mode you can bring in a bit of texture To make your artwork even more interesting, add a city texture to the clothes. To do that, add 'city_womans_clothes.jpg' and change blend mode to Overlay. To enhance it, duplicate (cmd/ctrl+J) and change Opacity to 80%. 05. Add atmosphere with filters/adjustments Some lens flare and adjustment layers can add a lot of atmosphere Choose a background, a model and an array of complementary objects. Select and isolate the elements. Place and arrange the pieces in the main PSD. Layer them up and mask where needed. Next merge your layers by selecting the top layer and pressing cmd/ctrl+opt/alt+shift+E. [Photoshop: ctrl/right-click on the layer, choose Convert to Smart Object.] Apply a lens flare via Filter > Render > Lens Flare. In CC, enhance with Filter > Camera Raw Filter. Finally, employ various adjustment layers to both unify the disparate elements and establish and enforce the feeling. Photo Filter, Hue/Saturation and Vibrance (CC) tilt the atmosphere towards warm desolation. Multiple Color Lookup adjustments (CC) tweak the colour and push the look. 06. Layer a fantastical composite Learn to use Photoshop's mask to create impressive blends Masks (both clipping and layer) help you mix anything for incredible blends. This image's foundation is a stock photo of hands interacting with a smartphone showing a blank screen. A clipping mask is a great way to embed something inside a screen like this. Plot a shape layer with the Pen Tool (ensure it's set to Shape in the Options bar to keep it vector) to blanket the screen. If you don't have the Pen Tool, create a selection of the screen using your favourite selection tool(s), add a new layer and fill the selection (any colour will do, as it will be covered). Place an image above the shape. Move, scale, rotate and perform any transforms to get the image to fit the shape. opt/alt-click between the two layers to create a mask. Continue to move and transform the masked image for best placement. The rest of the image is elements that support the theme. Each are selected and isolated or merged with layer masks. These are placed above and below the smartphone layer to push dimension. A battalion of adjustment layers rounds out the look. 07. Create an isometric scene Photoshop's 3D tools are ideal for creating isometric art One of the most fantastic things about Photoshop is that you can recreate something that already exists – the sea and underwater life – but not how you'd expect. Create a new layer, use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), make a square and paint it (alt+del) grey. Go to the 3D menu and choose 'New 3D Extrusion from Selected Layer'. Adjust the perspective, setting the angles around the axis. Finally set the Extrusion Depth to 15.4cm. Next, create a new layer, use the Pen Tool (P) to make a selection around one face of the square, activate it (alt+enter), create a layer group (cmd/ctrl+G) and press Add Layer Mask. Now every image that will be placed inside the folder will follow the mask's shape. To give a realist style, let's use the Filter Gallery. Select all the layers for the square's sides and merge (cmd/ctrl+alt+shift+E), then go to Filter > Filter Gallery, choose the Distort set, then the Glass filter and set Distortion: 10, Smoothness: 14 and Scaling: 66%. 08. Layer up a typographic composition Mix up fonts and vector objects for an inviting typographic image Mixing letterforms, words and images can lead to some engaging and thought-provoking visuals. Not only can your audience admire the end product, but you can have a blast crafting the puzzle-play of the composition. Choose a focal point and a font or two, then start building up the foundation of the composition. If you'd like to create the letterforms yourself, by all means go for it. Scan your lettering in and trace and perfect with the Pen Tool. If you're a Pen Tool maestro, you can certainly try constructing the lettering directly on the canvas. Use the Move Tool and Free Transform to arrange the elements. As you build things up, think of what can be added. Are there fonts that complement what you have going on? Are there images or elements that can be introduced to help drive your theme? As the composition begins to evolve, you'll naturally find that some objects may no longer be needed. Paring down is typically an important part of the process. You can opt to hide a layer (click on the corresponding 'eye' icon) versus permanently trashing if you believe you might reconsider its inclusion at a later time. Adding simple vector objects can be perfect for augmenting your typographic mix. Enlist the Shape Tool for geometric or custom shapes, or use the Pen Tool to plot your own shapes (be sure to set to Shape in the Options bar to keep them vector). Finally, tie everything together with embellishments such as adjustment layers, freehand scribbling and overlaid textures. 09. Digital colouring with layers With multiple layers and blending modes you can add all manner of colour effects Layers are the most basic, yet one of the most powerful features in Photoshop. The best way to describe a layer is to imagine sheets of paper stacked on top of each other. Each sheet can be transparent, opaque or contain all kinds of designs, photos, and text. Over the years, new features have been added to Photoshop, making the layers a complex structure. Today, features like adjustment layers, layer masks and clipping layers are all part of the layer universe. In this image, we used some of these features to create eye-catching digital art. To start, open a photo, then apply a Gradient Fill adjustment layer and change its blend mode to Color, to create a colourful transition over the woman's face. In the next step, duplicate the woman layer four times, placing all the layers on top of the Gradient Fill layer. Then use a Color Balance adjustment layer to alter the colour of each layer, creating four colour variations (red, green, blue and yellow). Now change the blend mode for the layers to Darker Color or Lighter Color, depending on what works best to blend the images. Next, hide the layers using layer masks (go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All). Finally, grab the Brush tool (B), choose a Spatter brush, vary its size, and set the Foreground colour to white. Now paint random strokes across the layer masks to reveal the colours and create this beautiful painted effect. 10. Add depth using layer styles Layer styles are a useful – and non-destructive – way of adding special effects Layer styles are a powerful and versatile feature in Photoshop. They enable you to easily add special effects to a layer. The styles work on a single layer. These layers can be an image, shape or text. They are completely non-destructive, meaning the pixel data from the original image remains intact after applying the effect, letting you edit them whenever you want. Every time you apply a new style to a layer, an 'fx' symbol appears next to the layer's name in the Layers panel. To edit the effect, double-click the 'fx' symbol to access the Layer Style window. You're probably familiar with some of the effects like Drop Shadow, Bevel and Emboss and Strokes – they are commonly used to add shadows and create a sense of depth. There are other styles that can be combined to create more complex effects, such as Color Overlay, Satin, and Inner/Outer Glow. To apply a new style, go to Layer > Layer Style. Select the effect you want and tweak the settings to alter its appearance. Photoshop has some great styles ready to be used in your project. To access them, go to Windows > Style. Click on the Styles button at the top of the panel, then select the desired library from the drop-down menu in the upper-right area. In the Layer Style dialog you can add more styles, customise the effects, delete or save them. This article originally appeared in Photoshop Creative. Buy back issues here. Related articles: 7 top tips for using Photoshop layer masks Working with layers in Photoshop: Layer Styles The 38 best Photoshop plugins View the full article

Introducing a seasonal packaging design gives brands an opportunity to explore a new look for their product, and connect with consumers over a shared holiday spirit. But like any sales-boosting initiative, it demands effective preparation, which is only getting more difficult in today’s heated retail market. So how do you get seasonal packaging right? And, ultimately, will it be good for business? Here are four top tips for getting it right at Christmas and beyond. 01. Think outside the box (or pouch, or hamper…) Design Bridge's packaging for Fortnum & Mason shunned seasonal tropes in favour of something more subtle We hear the word ‘Christmas’ and picture certain classic images: red and white Santa hats, rich green holly leaves, perfect sparkling snowflakes. Big brands have been re-using this kind of imagery for years to tap into consumers’ emotions and stimulate some festive excitement and anticipation. But for smaller businesses that don’t enjoy the same reputation, playing it safe could mean products fail to pique consumers’ interest and pull them away from brands they’re already loyal to. “You could argue that brands should take more risks to engage with the consumer and think about what will look interesting and stand out on a shelf,” comments Hetal Pandit, director of branding and packaging at design agency DCP. At a time when shelves are cluttered with loud prints and colours, minimalist packaging design could be powerful in distinguishing a product from its competition, while signifying quality and extravagance. “By adding a festive element to the packaging with a colour change, glitter or ribbons, you’re adding what people are looking for during this period,” says Mick Clark, managing director at packaging company WePack. “You can add value to the packaging by giving them a touch of luxury.” 02. Keep it on-brand Make sure your product is still recognisable under your limited edition packaging Seasonal packaging should build on your business’ brand identity, not revamp it completely. While it's tempting to try something completely new, go too far and you risk irritating consumers who don’t know what they’re buying or who they’re buying it from. Seasonal packaging should strengthen your brand identity, not confuse it. When designing seasonal packaging, consider how it will maintain your brand’s core values, messages and appearance. “Making changes to packaging for certain times of the year helps keep the design fresh and it’s a good way to increase sales and stay relevant in consumers’ minds,” says Pandit. Instead of entirely overhauling its iconic packaging, Toblerone released a special-edition Christmas pack in 2006 which replaced the brand name with ‘Ho Ho Ho’. Combining recognisable brand features like the classic yellow sleeve with a playful and relevant update, the redesign increased annual sales by a massive 400 per cent. 03. Choose your season wisely Special edition packaging isn't just for Christmas, you know For food and drink companies, it’s relatively easy to adapt product packaging throughout the year ahead of seasons and holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween and, of course, Christmas. But not all industries are so well-suited to seasonal packaging. For them, it might make more commercial sense to focus investments elsewhere on the retail calendar. Health and fitness companies probably wouldn’t see much interest in protein powder with pink hearts all over the packaging, for example. But limited-edition packaging for specific events such as the Super Bowl or Olympics would fit their branding and target market much better, and likely prove more commercially fruitful. “Brands should consider which event or holiday they would most like to be associated with," explains Pandit. "There are plenty of opportunities for seasonal packaging, but some may be more relevant than others. She suggests thinking beyond the most obvious holidays and events, and even considering those that can help raise awareness for a good cause. For example, for Pride 2018, Skittles removed the colour from its packaging, arguing that during Pride, there's only one rainbow that matters. The campaign was hugely successful. Take a look at our article on times brands temporarily changed their packaging for a good cause for more examples. 04. Don't over-stock Hershey's profits were hit in 2011 when its Halloween-themed candy failed to sell as expected Research suggests that more than 60 per cent of consumers still make their purchasing decisions at the shelf. This means that a product’s ‘shelf appeal’ – its ability to attract and persuade its target – makes the crucial last impression before a consumer chooses whether to buy it. Seasonal packaging can contribute significantly to a product's shelf appeal, and renew interest in what you’re selling. On the flip side, remember that seasonal products have a relatively short shelf life, and overestimating consumer demand could hamper revenue. “We’re seeing more and more companies trying not to steer too far away from the original design and only making minor changes during the festive seasons," comments Clark. "The last thing people want is for mountains of stock to be left over and having to sell them for rock-bottom prices once the occasion has been and gone.” Hershey’s experienced this with its selection of Halloween-inspired chocolate in 2011, which failed to engage consumers and ultimately hurt profits. That disappointment prompted the company to design its new autumnal packaging to reflect the season as a whole instead of one specific holiday. Read more: Online packaging archive is a design delight 15 online packaging design resources Biggest trends in product packaging design for 2018 View the full article

The run up to Christmas sees big brands pull out all the stops to produce the best festive advert. This week saw discount supermarket Aldi troll Coca-Cola with a copycat ad, and now Iceland is making the headlines because its Christmas campaign has banned for breaching political advertising rules. Originally created in collaboration between Greenpeace, Mother and Salon Alpin, the animated advert sees Emma Thompson narrate the plight of a lost orangutan called Rang-tan as it explores a girl's bedroom. The 90-second spot aims to educate children and raise awareness of rainforest destruction for palm oil, a substance which Iceland has pledged to remove from all of its own-brand foods. Palm oil production has lead to huge deforestation in Malaysia, which in turn has resulted in the orangutan being classified as an endangered species. Greenpeace agreed to let Iceland use the animated short film along with the hashtag #NoPalmOilChristmas as part of the supermarket's Christmas campaign, however it will now not air as intended. The animation is still up on Iceland's YouTube channel, and you can watch it below. The move by ad vetting agency Clearcast to ban the short film has devastated Iceland, which was convinced that the short film would have blown even the likes of Christmas ad supremos John Lewis out of the water as it is "so emotional". Clearcast decided to prohibit the advert because it breached the broadcast code for advertising practice. In this case, Iceland fell foul because its advert was "directed towards a political end". "Clearcast and the broadcasters have to date been unable to clear this Iceland ad because we concerned that it doesn't comply with the political rules of the BCAP code," said a spokeswoman for Clearcast. "The creative submitted to us is linked to another organisation who have not yet been able to demonstrate compliance in this area." The decision to ban the add has sparked a vitriolic backlash on social media, with users pointing out that adverts promote other, less wholesome messages. A petition to renounce the ban has already attracted 3,000 supporters. Some have also accused Clearcast of stifling free speech. Related articles: The best creative Christmas gifts for kids The best online animation classes in 2018 66 brilliant print adverts View the full article

It should go without saying that knowing how to code is one of the most important skills you can have when it comes to landing a high-paying career, but learning just one or two programming languages is no longer sufficient if you want to be competitive in the field. The Complete Learn to Code Bonus Bundle will teach you how to work with a wide variety of popular programming languages and platforms, and the entire bundle is available for over 95 per cent off at just $54. With twelve courses and over 1,000 lessons, this instruction introduces you to Ruby on Rails, web development essentials, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, AWS, MySQL, and much more. There’s even a module that’s dedicated to cloud computing – arguably one of the most important fields in technology. Get the skills you need to be competitive in the increasingly lucrative fields of programming and development with the Complete Learn to Code Bonus Bundle for just $54 – over 95 per cent off the usual price. Related articles: Coding for kids: 8 top toys Code smarter using universal components 6 best web design tools for coding novices View the full article

In today’s world of fast-paced consumerism and multi-platform media, it takes smart logo design to successfully attract – and retain – people’s attention. This month’s issue of Computer Arts (issue 286) speaks to the creatives, businesses and design elite working to achieve timeless logos design – delving into the techniques the best brands are employing to create logos equipped to communicate their message in 2019 and beyond. Buy Computer Arts issue 286 now We speak to leading creatives about how they deal with mental health problems The issue also sheds light on the pervasive problem of mental health issues in the design industry. We question those affected, and ask what can be done. With so many creatives striving to achieve perfection in their output, it’s vital to highlight the importance of mindfulness, and why sometimes it's okay to not be okay. Today's logos must work across multiple platforms if they are to stand out Save up to 60% on a Computer Arts subscription Elsewhere, Ruth Hamilton speaks to renowned illustrator Yuko Shimizu to learn more about her journey from PR professional to award-winning illustrator; Andy Culbert reveals the best branding practices key to gaining the attention of Gen Z; and design studio The Beautiful Meme talks us through how it built the identity for Twentytwo, a new lifestyle-drive workspace in London. And we’ve barely scratched the surface! Take a closer look at what's inside Computer Arts issue 286 by scrolling left to right through the gallery below. Computer Arts is the world's best-selling design magazine, bursting at the seams with insight, inspiration, interviews and all the best new design projects. For all this delivered direct to your door each month, subscribe to Computer Arts. Right now you can save up to 60%, and receive a free Computer Arts tote bag when you subscribe. Related articles: Discover the hidden flaws in 6 world-famous logos 10 steps to protecting your mental health at work Logo design: everything you need to know View the full article

You're reading Free Black Friday HTML Email Newsletter Template, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! We have a fantastic Black Friday free HTML email newsletter template to inform your subscribers about exclusive deals in a stylish way. Just as shops and malls are getting dressed on the eve of the holiday, digital vendors and online … View the full article

We've seen the first Adobe Black Friday deal of the year – and it's arrived even earlier than we predicted. The software company has cut the price of its Creative Cloud Photography Plan by up to 25 per cent, for a limited time only. It's one of the best Black Friday deals we've seen so far – although it's early days – with worldwide audiences (excluding Europe, the Middle East and Africa) saving a huge 25% on the Photography Plan with 1TB of cloud storage, while audiences in Europe, the Middle East and Africa get a 20% discount on the 20GB plan. Save up to 25% on the CC Photography Plan right now The 25% discount is the best deal we've seen on the Photography Plan this year, while the 20% offer matches the best deal we saw on Amazon Prime Day. We think this could be Adobe's best offer on the Photography Plan this November, so if it's something you've been considering, this is a good opportunity to make a decent saving. Note the expiry date though: this deal from Adobe ends on Friday 16 November, before Black Friday officially starts – so if you're interested, don't leave it too late. Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan: what you get Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography plan includes powerful photo service, Lightroom CC, which lets you edit, organise, store and share your photos from anywhere. It also includes Photoshop CC, and all its powerful editing and compositing tools, so you can transform your images into anything you can imagine. Here’s a full list of the apps you’ll have access to with the Adobe Photography Plan: Lightroom CC for desktop, web and mobile Lightroom Classic CC for desktop workflows Photoshop CC to transform your photos Adobe Spark Premium to create graphics, web pages and videos Adobe Portfolio to easily build showcase websites 1TB of cloud storage to get you started You can read more about Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan over on the Adobe website. Related articles: The best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for designers Apple Black Friday 2018: What to expect View the full article

Cisco revealed that it had "inadvertently" shipped an in-house exploit code that was used in test scripts as part of its TelePresence Video Communication Server and Expressway Series software. View the full article

I've been a huge manga fan since childhood and it's impossible to hide the influence that passion has on my art. In my quest to paint powerful and dynamic images, I've learned a lot about how to draw manga from my favourite artists, through observation, and trial and error. How to make it as a manga artist Yet as illustrators we can also make use of a range of visual techniques – composition, colour, lighting, perspective – to help us achieve such goals. People rarely spend more than a few seconds looking at something before moving on. So in the case of art that also serves a commercial purpose – such as a magazine cover – it's even more important to ensure those techniques are all working to create an eye-catching composition. It may feel overwhelming at times, but the trick is divide up the workflow, focus on one step at a time and solve any problems as they arise. Because it's a static medium, I always try to create dynamism by playing with and exaggerating these techniques. Use of complementary colours, diagonal shapes and forced perspectives are some of the elements I repeatedly use in my work and I'll talk about these and more in this workshop on creating a manga-inspired cover image for ImagineFX. From the initial rough sketches, creating more detailed line art, adding colour and final touches, I'll dive into this neon world to explain you my choices during the process and pass on some tips or observations that hopefully will help you in your own work. Watch my video above and follow the steps below to discover my tips. Download brushes to use in this tutorial. 01. Look for inspiration Start with the classics... Before I begin sketching I always look around for some reference material. Films, photographs or any other media can help me to generate a raft of original ideas. I'm always trying to make something fresh and different in my art. Having said that, this piece is meant to be a tribute to the manga classic Akira, but I'll also include references to some of my other favourite manga series. 02. Produce quick thumbnails Sketch out some thumbnails to find a composition that works for you While the premise is simple – a woman on a motorbike – there's plenty of potential for introducing different points of view. Those sketches work as a brainstorming session, and as well as arranging elements differently, I try to work with different emotions on each one, too. Black, white and a mid-tone are all the colours I need at this point, which make things simple yet readable. Those sketches are like the skeleton of the image, and the composition must work even at this early stage. I place my lighting and cast shadows with the narrative in mind, and if I'm lucky I'll start having some ideas for how to colour the scene later on. 03. Refine the sketch Work in details, paying attention to anatomy and perspective It's time to draw over the sketch and place details, just as if I were using a lightbox. I focus on anatomy and perspective, using a one-point perspective grid that I rotate slightly to add some dynamism to the scene. Then I define muscles and the main lines of the character. I draw her clothes, hair and other details in a different colour, so as not to lose sight of the character's anatomy. 04. Work on background and balance You'll need to add details to the background to give the picture some balance Placing the character on the right can make the image look unbalanced. To fix this I place details in the street behind using some night Japanese street images as reference. I place a huge light source on the store at the left, which creates a key diagonal line going towards the character. The vertical street lines and the motorbike headlight help to balance out the overall composition. 05. Final line art Keep the line art clean for the character and foreground, to get that distinctive manga look When everything's set in place, I draw over the rough sketches lines from before and detail the character and other elements. The background will be detailed using only colour, but line art will remain visible on the character and foreground, so I keep them clean on different layers. This line art will play a huge role in depicting the classic manga look. 06. Don't overwork, simplify Don't go overboard on the detailing; simplify where possible Sometimes it's tempting to start detailing early on in the process. The results are often messy. Instead, try to be straightforward and simplify. Here, the basic structure and anatomy are in place, but it doesn't mean they need to be visible on the line art. The structure lines have done their job and now it's time to build on them. I simplify objects like her nose and hands into just a few lines. 07. Use clothing and colour to define your character Use things like clothing and colour to define your character On a portrait piece like this it's important to define the character. The clothing design, colour scheme and eyes all help to add depth to our young biker. I decide to portray her wearing a leather jacket and trousers with plenty of triangles motifs and diagonals. You can also see these shapes in her hair. Red-coloured elements on her clothes and face convey the impression of strength, despite her friendly expression. 08. Think about lighting The lighting on this picture means paying attention to the placement of highlights and shadows The idea of setting the scene on a neon-lit street at night was decided early on, but now it's necessary to detail the concept and place highlights and shadows more precisely. I pay attention to the position of the ImagineFX logo, too – it's important to keep it readable. I decide to leave that area in dark tones and free from neon lights, enabling the logo to pop out in white. 09. Establish general colour schemes If you don't need a full colour key, Photoshop's colour balance is your friend I now make my first colour decisions. Depending on the complexity of the illustration, I usually create a full colour key in a smaller duplicate of the file. However, because there's just one big character and I've got a clear idea of the image I don't need more than my previous light and tone study. Filters like Image > Adjustment > Color balance help me to keep all the tones as a purple hue. 10. Bring life to the world Bring in more details to increase the visual interest To add realism and life I bring plenty of details into the background: store signs, damp pavements, people… I imagine myself in the scene and try to express on the canvas what I would feel as I walk through that environment. Exaggerated lighting or a sense of weather are always good tools to employ when creating visual interest. 11. Work on volume and rendering Give the colours a random touch with Toni's custom Colour Generator brush in Overlay mode Using my custom Colour Generator brush in Overlay mode I add some randomness to my colours. This helps to enrich the entire image. Then I start on the character. First I put highlight over on the left that will make her stand out, and then I dive into the details. My shading is full of hard edges and flat colours, because I want the image to echo the anime or manga style. 12. Consider materials Merge your layers while you paint My colours are already established so I select the Eyedropper tool (alt+click) and keep working on shades and volumes, bearing in mind that lighting works differently across a range of surfaces. The darkest zones and contrast are reserved for leather and metal, while skin is worked with a low contrast. I try to merge layers while painting, keeping the background and lights separate from the character. 13. Bring in anime-style effects Use simple geometric forms to bring out the motorbike headlights I'm almost there now, so I enhance the overall look and apply my final touches. Inspired by anime I spend a bit of time working up the motorbike headlights, making them big and strong. These geometric forms also help me to fill the composition to the lower-right area of the scene. They're painted with white with some reddish tones on the edges on an Overlay layer mode. 14. Respond to feedback Some final tweaks and you're done! At the request of the ImagineFX team, I change the hair colour and light focus to make the character stand out against the logo. I also do some polishing work and get rid of some details on the background to make the cover text more readable. At any point, it's important to stay focused on the important stuff and not fill everything with unnecessary details that might distract the viewer. To finish off, I apply Filter > Focus > Focus mask to emphasise certain shapes in the scene. This article was originally published in issue 163 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists. Buy issue 163 here or subscribe to ImagineFX here. Related articles: How to create an authentic manga comic strip 15 tips for better manga characters How to colour your manga art like a pro View the full article

Bug opened door for malicious link attack, giving hacker access to stored DJI drone data of commercial and consumer customers. View the full article

As someone who has parented two amazing kids (now grown-ups), I’ve experienced many parental challenges and learned a lot of lessons along the way. Haven’t we all? Over the years, and after consulting with hundreds of creative firms, I had a big 'aha' moment. To put it simply: parenting and running a creative firm are one and the same, or are at least, closely related. How to become an art director Ultimately, if you have kid or even a dog (sorry, cats don’t apply), then you’ll be familiar with where I’m going with this analogy. But even if you don't, you may still find it useful to think about the similarities between raising a child and running a creative agency. Here are 10 ways they're the same... 01. Shit happens, you just have to deal with it Every so often, when you run a studio, you’ll encounter an unexpected bump in the road (or, when it comes to kids or dogs, a big pile of shit). Those experiences – what we’ll call 'fires' – will happen, that’s just life. But the moment those fires become everyday experiences, you've lost control of your business and have allowed your clients, projects, and staff, who are often the cause of these fires, to drive the direction of your business. Ultimately, it is you – not anyone else – who should shape, direct and influence the direction of your business. The kids don’t run your household, you do, although it might not feel like it sometimes. Note that you don't need to panic if you're regularly cleaning up your kids' shit, they'll grow out of it. Dogs, not so much. 02. There are frustrations, and rewards Image by Brilliant Graphics, who printed Emily Cohen's new book As parents, we never give up. Running a business is similar; we will have many different experiences – some good, some bad. But, we should never let those difficult moments get us down. We need to move forward. Always. 03. You will mess it up, and that's okay We all make mistakes, some more than others. That’s simply human nature. It’s only when we recognise them, own up to them, and learn from them that we will truly grow as human beings, as parents and as business owners. 04. You can't do it alone Instead of grandparents, neighbours and babysitters, successful and thriving businesses rely on an extensive network – or community – of colleagues to help them along the way. From business consultants (like me!), to those that refer new business, to strategic partners and vendors, this is our village. Nobody can do it alone. 05. Structure, praise and encouragement really work Image by Jason Varney All aspects of your studio – from your clients to your projects to your staff – run more smoothly and are better behaved when the parameters and expectations are clear. Businesses should reward those with good behaviour as well as push back on and impose consequences to those that misbehave. Believe me, your clients and staff, just like kids and dogs, will still love you, even if you say no to them. 06. Growth = more challenges As your child ages, you continually have to go with the flow, and change some existing practices that they have simply outgrown. The same rule applies in creative businesses. You must always keep your eye on the ball, stay abreast of trends, and continue to change and evolve with each new step in their business’ growth. 07. There is no right way Just like there are many different parenting styles, there are many different ways to manage a business. You just have to pick and choose which styles, strategies and tools work best for you and the needs of your business, and don't be afraid to change them later. 08. People who love you are more likely to forgive Image by Brilliant Graphics, who printed the book Our kids will (hopefully) never stop loving us despite our many flaws and mistakes along the way. Similarly, clients will forgive your mistakes if you’ve spent time building and ensuring a solid, trust-based and mutually beneficial working relationship. They will become your advocates and defend you when you make mistakes, But, when you allow your clients to walk all over you (and make no mistake, this happens), you’ve become a vendor, not a value-added respected partner and they'll no longer be your advocate. It’s that simple. 09. Don't argue in front of the kids Keep your disagreements private and come back to your team with a united front. Enough said. 10. The best laid plans... ...you know that one. Ultimately, as both a parent and business consultant, I’m a big believer in developing a well-defined long term vision and plan for the future. These plans will help you make better decisions along the way and keep you on track toward a final destination. Rambling aimlessly can be confusing for those along the ride, like your clients and staff. Yet, despite your best efforts, life will still throw you some unexpected curveballs along the way. Accept that even with the best plans, you may have to pivot and change along the way. You just have to make sure that life’s little, and not-so-little, surprises still align with your own values and goals, and that you don’t change simply for change's sake, but with a purpose and vision for what happens next. Move forward fearlessly and you’ll reap the rewards. For more of Emily Cohen's business insights, don't miss her new book Brutally Honest: No-bullshit business strategies to evolve your creative business, which is out now. Read more: How to balance life and work How to design a book: the creative's guide 25 top life hacks for designers View the full article

Creating browser-facing applications with Node.JS gets tedious. Express.JS is a JavaScript framework dedicated to single-page and multi-page applications hosted in the Node.JS environment. 29 web design tools to speed up your workflow It provides a thin layer of fundamental web app features that won't obscure the Node.JS features you're already familiar with, so you can be sure that your finished app will be up to scratch performance-wise. And it's also great for creating robust APIs, thanks to a stack of HTTP utility methods and middleware ready to use. Want to get started? Here's what you need to know. 01. Generate a workable structure Introduce the right working options to get started Express.JS prides itself in being 'unopinionated' – that is, the framework allows the developer to mix and match in terms of architectures, templating and markup engines. Sadly, with great power comes great responsibility. The Express developer team seeks to soften the blow by introducing a project generator. It comes to your workstation in the form of an NPM package, and will aid our experiments with the following framework: The generator also contains dozens of project options – the figure accompanying this step shows the full help output. For simplicity's sake, we will limit ourselves to a project based on the default settings. Kick off its generation process with: Warning: the default view engine will not be Jade in future releases. When done, the current working directory contains a new folder called 'futuretest'. It is home to our test project and must be configured using NPM's package download command. At the time of writing, the generator includes the Jade view generator – the project plans to change this in the near future, obligating you to pass in a parameter selecting the view engine intended. Alternatively, request the use of Pug – it is the official successor of the Jade engine: 02. Understand the application structure Now that the project generator has done its thing, let us open App.js in an editor of choice. Its – much abridged – structure presents itself as following: Express.JS is highly modular. App.js serves as an entry point, where one or more 'use()' functions allow the adding of components intended to handle various requests. Invocations of 'set()' let you adjust parameters in the engine – one of which is the installation of the Jade view engine mentioned in the previous step. The actual emission of web content takes place in the router classes. For brevity's sake, let's limit ourselves to Index.js: 'get()' is provided with a matcher string and an event handler which gets invoked whenever a corresponding event occurs. In our case, the render method of the chosen template engine is told to return content to the browser of the user who logged in. 03. Run the web page At this point, we are ready to take the website for a spin for the first time. Return to the terminal containing the Express.JS installation, and call on NPM start with the debug flag set: When done, enter http://localhost:3000/ into a browser of choice to look at the scaffolding created by the project generator. When done, press ctrl+C to close the window and return control to the command line interpreter – keep in mind that this also closes the debugging web server. 04. It's all about routing and endpoints Sort the right entry points, add new routes and introduce regular expression support For the sake of simplicity, let us agree that a web application is usually made up of a sequence of entry points. Express.JS handles these via the router class – think of it as a repository of methods that get called upon in response to an incoming request. Adding a new endpoint to an application is accomplished by adding a new worker into the queue. Our auto-generated example creates two router types, each of which is raised using the 'require' method: In the next step, 'app.use' registers the routers and connects them to the request strings. Our code furthermore adds an error handler that gets invoked if a non-existing URL is entered into the system: 05. Create a new route Open Users.js, and modify its code as below: Adding new routes to Express.JS is a mechanical process. Grab the router object of choice, and invoke the method corresponding to the HTTP verb you seek to handle. Next, pass in a string that will be added to the 'offset' registered with 'app.use'. From that moment onward, both http://localhost:3000/users/user1 and http://localhost:3000/users/ return a valid response. Keep in mind that Express.JS is not limited to handling 'GET' resources. 'post()', 'put()' and 'delete()' handle the traditional four HTTP requests, with dozens of additional verb methods catering to more unusual needs. Finally, the 'req' object provides access to the request header – put it to good use when parsing parameters or client information. 06. Advanced matching Adding routes by hand gets tedious as program complexity grows. Express.JS caters for this problem by introducing both wildcard and regular expression support. For example, look at the following declaration which uses a regular expression to match against various strings containing the character sequence dog. 07. Abnormal routing While handling the four HTTP requests ought to be enough for anyone (hat tip to Bill Gates), Express.JS can also work with additional protocols. Express-WS is an especially tasty candidate for this section – it extends Express.JS's reach to include WebSocket communications. Once the plugin is added to the main Express.JS project, enabling it is accomplished via a 'require' call. It returns a helper object containing all but one method – call it to establish a connection between the router and the plugin: Their prototype differs from normal routes due to the presence of the 'ws' object – it provides access to the underlying WebSocket instance connected to the client responsible for the connection. 08. Integrate databases and templating engines Be sure to employ the power of the rich plugin ecosystem Being based on Node.JS means that the rich plugin ecosystem is at your command when working on web-based applications. For example, accessing SQL and NoSQL databases – usually an extraordinarily tedious task – can be handled using plugins provided by the database vendors. The actual deployment is as easy as installing the needed NPM module – if your code is to access a Redis database, simply add the following: Of course, in-memory SQLite is also supported: Keep in mind that the Node.JS integration is not limited to database plugins. Adventurous developers could go as far as to include products like Tessel, thereby creating web applications which can also interact with Internet of Things devices. 09. Templating in style One area where simple and real programs differ is the creation of views. While a small example project usually uses hand-crafted strings, assembling large swaths of HTML with a string of connected things is highly annoying. Template engines provide a neat workaround. They permit the creation of predefined schema files, which can be populated programmatically in execution. In the case of our example program, the views lay in .jade files. Opening index reveals the following structure: Expressions enclosed in curly brackets act as template fields whose values are to be replaced at runtime. Index.js invokes render with a parameter object, leading to the rendering of the start page shown in the figure accompanying this step: Most templating engines can also parse arrays when provided with an item template. In this case, every line of the array is displayed with one instance of the DOM model – similarities to the list display model found in Android are purely coincidental. Express.JS is not limited to the predefined templating engines. Should you feel like rolling out your own for some reason, simply follow the steps outlined here – in principle, you have to override all but one function. 10. Handle static content Express.JS applications tend to contain CSS files and pictures. Serving these via the Render function is inefficient – a smarter way would involve sending them on their merry way with a traditional HTTP request. This can be achieved via the 'express.static()' function, which can mark entire folders for export: 11. Modify the event flow Finally, allow us to mention the term middleware shortly. In Express.JS parlance, middleware is a set of one or more components which integrate themselves into the flowchart shown opposite. They can, then, be used to modify requests as they pass through the routing system – when implemented correctly, limitless functionality can be achieved. Furthermore, some ready components can be found here – visit this site before embarking on a large-scale development project. 12. How to host an Express.JS app Consider the platforms where you can host your new creation Testing Express.JS-based applications is easy. Problems occur once you want the page to become accessible to third parties – due to it being generated by the Node.JS environment, there is no way to get a static image fit for FTP deployment to web hosting services. In theory, there is nothing against using a Raspberry Pi, an OrangePi, a dedicated server or a virtual machine rented from a cloud service or a web host provider that offers virtual hosting. However, renting a full virtual machine can burden you with the responsibilities of keeping the execution environment and operating system up to date. If this task is not to your taste, a Platform-as-a-Service provider can be a more attractive (albeit, in most cases, pretty pricey) choice. Many developers consider Heroku, with its pricing shown in the figure accompanying this boxout, to be the gold standard for all things that are related to Node.JS hosting. This, however, is a bit unfair in truth – Amazon's Elastic Beanstalk, Google's Cloud Platform and Microsoft's Azure all provide similar support for remote execution of Node.JS-based payloads. In all of these systems, the main issue is handling – while Azure is known for its slow deployments, other providers burden developers with difficult-to-use back-end services of extremely complex configuration systems. Furthermore, the supported version of the Node.JS environment differs from provider to provider. Of course, we don't have enough space to cover the topic in depth. Visit Mozilla's deployment tutorial and Express.JS' performance and reliability and security best practices pages for some of the issues involved. Make sure to look at the provider's documentation to glean more best practices. 13. Future-proof your applications A host of new additions need to be noted Express.JS's development cycle is far from smooth: the developers are well-known for frequent API changes requiring rewrites of client code. The switch from 3.x to 4.x was especially painful, which is why the impending release of 5.x might leave quite a few of you feeling uncomfortable. While Express.JS 5.0 brings along a few breaking changes, their impact is more limited. First of all, a set of already-deprecated functions is removed for real – if code still uses them, upgrading to 5.x requires maintenance. Designers of view engines need to check 'res.render():' rank growth in regards to view renderers, which has led to some synchronous implementations slipping through. Version 5 of the framework enhances performance by enforcing asynchronous rendering. In addition to that, a set of sundry improvements and changes documented here sees the return of some extinct features from previous versions – furthermore, some long-standing bugs will be fixed in the new release. Finally, be aware that you can already try the new version. Simply create a copy of your source code, grab a terminal and enter the following command to download an archive's worth of barely tested bleeding-edge JavaScript. Be safe. This article was originally published in issue 279 of creative web design magazine Web Designer. Buy issue 279 here or subscribe to Web Designer here. Related articles: Everything you need to know about the new Node.js 8 20 Node.js modules you need to know 25 game-changing JavaScript tools View the full article

Thanks to an over-saturation of .com websites, finding a unique and relevant domain name is one of the hardest things for an entrepreneur or start-up company to do. So why not choose a domain that’s far more suited for your tech enterprise with a .tech domain? Radix '.tech' Domain Subscriptions are available for 90 per cent off at just $49.99. The .com domain is becoming increasingly outdated, and more and more tech industry giants, including Consumer Electronics Show (CES.tech) and Viacom (Viacom.tech), are shifting to a .tech extension in order to lock down more relevant and simplified domain names. These Radix subscriptions enable you to register and use a .tech domain name for ten years – allowing you to build your brand while reflecting your passion for technology and start-ups. Get a Radix '.tech' Domain Subscriptions now for just $49.99 – 90 per cent off their usual price. Related articles: How to name your app 6 ways to turn a brand into a household name 13 names every web designer should know View the full article

Artist and print designer Kelly Anna's colourful, abstract figures are full of energy. She's known for creating prints for footwear, sportswear and clothing, and everyone from Beyoncé and Cara Delevingne to Foals and London Grammar have been spotted sporting her work. Recently she's branched out into murals, and it's this skill she'll be showing off later this month at Us By Night – a nocturnal design festival that combines inspirational talks, insight-filled tutorials, a tempting night market and plenty of super-cool extras (find out more in our post here). We caught up with her ahead of the event to hear her tips for making it in the world of fashion print design. 01. Make it work Working under pressure to hard print deadlines can help you produce your best work When Anna first started in the industry, she didn't know how to use Illustrator CC. She's proof that with talent, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, a lack of formal skills doesn't always matter. "If you want something, just make it happen. Chuck yourself in, start learning," she says. When there are factory deadlines to work to there's no time to mess up, but throwing yourself into things when under pressure can actually sometimes be beneficial; you can find a fresh approach. "When you haven’t been taught how to 'create a textile print' there are no rules you are abiding to," she adds. "It's so much more fun. I created my own set of rules." 02. Find the message behind the design Anna's not afraid of using words in her designs While a fashion print needs to link to a collection, it's not just about making things gel stylistically. For a long time, fashion has been used to make a statement, and Anna likes to use hers to address political or social issues. She's also not afraid of using words within a design to pull things together. "When you wear a T-shirt that represents how you feel about a certain situation or political view that you stand for, you feel a part of something," she explains. "That's nice." 04. Explore traditional methods Anna works digitally, but hasn't turned her back on traditional methods. As well as the mural painting skills she'll demonstrate at Us By Night, she also has a soft spot for paper collage. "Paper collage is where I have the most fun. It offers a sense of freedom," she says. "You can move the graphic blocks around and create different pieces until it feels right. Then just stick it down. I work digitally so much that it's nice to have this naive playfulness." Traditional techniques can also help free you from the pressures of creating something 'perfect'. Even when working on digital projects, Anna likes to get herself into the rhythm by sketching in pen first. "The reason I use a pen is so I'm not too scared of making wrong marks," she says. "If I fuck up there is nothing I can do about it, so it frees me up." 04. Focus on print first, not garment Anna works with both digital and traditional methods Anna creates prints for footwear, sportswear and apparel. When designing a print, she says, the instinct is to focus on the item of clothing it's going to end up on – but really, it's the print itself you should be thinking about. "I don’t think any piece of clothing is necessarily challenging to design for, it's more about composition and execution of the artwork," she explains. "So many people get this wrong, especially a lot of 'textile' designers." 05. Respect the power of passion projects Although for many, designing prints for fashion brands sounds like a dream job, with any client (no matter how cool) there will be compromises and restrictions. Passion projects are where Anna feels she can truly express herself – and in turn they can feed into your paid work. "These projects are the ones that truly help me understand who I am as a creative, and that is only good for everyone else," she explains. "If you are creating work that you truly feel passionate about, you will naturally get work from that. Good brands will follow and pick up on authenticity." 06. Try something different Anna created her first seven murals this year Before 2018, Anna hadn't done any murals. The one at Us By Night will be her eighth this year. She's seen a photo of where she'll be painting, and will base her design on the kind of atmosphere she feels the space has. Murals offer Anna a chance to explore something totally different from her print work. "I absolutely love changing up spaces and seeing my work on that scale," she says. Us By Night takes place in Antwerp on 22-24 November. The speaker lineup is comprised of artists, designers, and creatives from around the world. Buy your ticket here. Read more: Explore cute 3D character art at Us By Night 33 beautiful examples of paper art How to network: 19 pro tips View the full article

We've just spotted the first Adobe Black Friday deal of the year – and earlier than we expected. The software company has cut the price of its Creative Cloud Photography Plan (1TB) by up to 25 per cent, for a limited only. It's one of the best Black Friday deals we've seen so far – although it's early days – with worldwide audiences (excluding Europe, the Middle East and Africa) saving a huge 25% on the 1TB Photography Plan; and audiences in Europe, the Middle East and Africa getting a 20% discount on the same 1TB plan. Save up to 25% off the CC Photography Plan right now Both deals beat the best Photography Plan offer we saw on Amazon Prime Day, which gave a 20% discount on the lower 20GB cloud storage option. We think this could be Adobe's best offer on the Photography Plan this November, so if it's something you've been considering, this is a good opportunity to make a decent saving. Note the expiry date though: this deal from Adobe ends on Friday 16 November, before Black Friday officially starts – so if you're interested, don't leave it too late. Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan: key facts Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography plan includes powerful photo service, Lightroom CC, which lets you edit, organise, store and share your photos from anywhere. It also includes Photoshop CC, and all its powerful editing and compositing tools, so you can transform your images into anything you can imagine. Here’s a full list of the apps you’ll have access to with the Adobe Photography Plan: Lightroom CC for desktop, web and mobile Lightroom Classic CC for desktop workflows Photoshop CC to transform your photos Adobe Spark Premium to create graphics, web pages and videos Adobe Portfolio to easily build showcase websites 1TB of cloud storage to get you started You can read more about Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan over on the Adobe website. Related articles: The best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for designers The best Adobe Black Friday deals in 2018 Amazon Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals: what to expect in 2018 View the full article

Unlike the predominantly JPEG world of digital photos, you might be surprised to learn there isn’t a single common standard file format for video. However, the one you’ll most commonly come across is MP4. Why? Because virtually every media player on the market - including VLC, KMPlayer, 5KPlayer and RealPlayer - and every device can read and play can read and play MP4 files. What is MP4 format? MP4 stands for MPEG-4 Part 14 with .mp4 as its file extension. MP4 is a multimedia container format based on Quick Time file format that was created by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). This file format stores different data and it has supports different codecs of images, videos and audios. The fact that MP4 supports so many different codecs means it's very often the file format of choice when it comes to video. So if you have video footage that won’t play on your phone, tablet or TV, chances are you’ll need to convert it to MP4. That’s where Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate comes into its own. How to convert any video format to MP4 To convert any video format to MP4 you need to use a video converter, such as Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate. This media converter supports different input video formats and output formats. Averagely, it supports over 1000 file formats. With that being said let us have a look at a step-by-step guide on how to convert any video format to MP4 using Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate. Step 01. Download and install the software Wondershare Video Converter software is available for download on Wondershare website in Mac and Windows version. You can download the free version and purchase it later and then install it on your computer. Step 02. Launch the software and upload the video Open the software that you have installed on your computer and select “Convert” button on the home screen. Just below it, click on “Add Files” and select the video file/s that you want to convert. Upload the files by clicking “Open” button. Step 03. Choose MP4 as output format Next, you need to define the output format which is MP4 format for our case. The default format will always be MP4 but you can get more settings by clicking on “Convert All Files To” at the top right. Select MP4 format and then choose the desired output resolution. Step 04. Select output folder Next, you need to choose where to save your files. Click on the output Folder at the bottom of the window and choose where to save your file/s. Step 05. Convert video/s to MP4 format You can now head to the bottom right and click on the 'Convert All' button. The video converter will begin immediately. The time it will take depends on the file size, but Wondershare is 90-times faster than any other video converter. Wondershare's hidden talents So you’ve successfully converted your video footage to MP4 with Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate in just a few clicks. But the software’s capabilities don’t end there. Here are some other powerful features Wondershare offers: 01. Other conversions It’s not just video Wondershare can handle. Want to convert audio files into different formats? Wondershare has you covered. It can also convert files to video editing software, to VR, game consoles and mobile devices. 02. Online media downloader With this software, you will be able to download video, audios and images from more than 10,000 web sharing sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube and Spotify, to name a few. 03. Powerful video editor Wondershare Video Editor also allows you to perform basic editing to your files such as trimming, cropping, rotating and applying advanced effects. Moreover, as you edit you will be able to preview the changes in real time. 04. Media transfer tool To add on, Wondershare allows you to move files from your computer to devices like Android phones and iOS devices. The file transfer option just happens within a few clicks. 05. DVD burner In a situation where you have media files and you want to do it via DVD, Wondershare can do that too. Simply upload your media, edit the files and burn them to DVD, Blu-Ray Disc, ISO and DVD folders. 06. Multifunctional toolbox Finally, Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate’s toolbox contains a GIF maker, screen recorder functionality and a VR converter to convert your videos to virtual reality. It also allows you to fix metadata to all of your files, as well as cast to TV functionality. Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate software makes convert any video to MP4 format a synch. It’s easy to use and comes with a number of other powerful features to help streamline your workflow. So what are you waiting for? Get started with Wondershare for free today! View the full article

One of the most difficult aspects of working in digital design is finding quality, affordable graphics that can be used across a wide range of mediums. This StockUnlimited Vector Plan offers unlimited access to an enormous trove of high-quality vector designs, and a lifetime subscription is available for over 90 per cent off at just $34.99. Unlike most graphics subscriptions that either charge hidden fees or offer subpar material, StockUnlimited lets you download an unlimited number of vector designs from a library of over 500,000 graphics. You’ll be able to use royalty free content for commercial and personal use, and fresh designs are added every month. You'll also never have to worry about additional fees, complex licences, or red tape. Supercharge any design project with a lifetime subscription to the StockUnlimited Vector Plan for just $34.99 – over 90 per cent off its usual price. Related articles: Adobe XD plugin makes vector art easier 30 top vector art tutorials 24 eye-catching flyer designs View the full article

A file delete vulnerability in WordPress can be elevated into a remote code execution vulnerability for plugins like WooCommerce. View the full article

A sophisticated proxy code has infected hundreds of thousands of devices already. View the full article

Creating a piece of 3D art with a natural-looking landscape might seem like a challenge, but if you use the right tools then it's possible to generate a realistic environment with the minimum of effort. 11 tips for creating a watery landscape in 3D With Wysilab's Instant Terra tool, world-building becomes almost criminally easy; once you know what you're doing you'll be able to go from nothing to a photorealistic vista in just six steps; here's how it's done. 01. Generate the terrain Modify the node's parameters to start shaping your landscape Start a project by adding one of Instant Terra’s terrain generators. The Viewport displays a visual representation of the terrain and the Graph hosts the procedurally linked nodes that compose the terrain. Double click on the node to open its parameters and modify them to begin shaping the terrain. You can also import terrains from single image files or several image files and modify them. 02. Transform the terrain By linking nodes you can create different geological features Explore different approaches by linking nodes, for example, to constrain the elevation, compress the terrain on the Y axis to achieve a folded structure, and create a natural slope. The individual nodes accumulate procedurally, and can be mixed using composition nodes to form the different geological properties of the terrain. Focus first on global forms and then refine the terrain by adjusting each node’s parameters. 03. Compose the terrain You can combine two terrains in different ways for more varied compositions Compose two terrains and use the multiplier coefficients of each terrain to create a combined result. Full composition gives maximum freedom when composing terrains with translate, scale, and rotate options. You can also compose two terrains with a mask, for example, paint a mask directly in the 3D view and compose it with mountains and a less steep, sandy terrain to define where the river flows. 04. Simulate erosion By combining masks you can simulate the effects of rainfall and river flows Create realistic erosion and deposition effects caused by rainfall and river flows. Combine two masks with different heights, and then use the height values to define the area between the river and the mountains. Edit the mask properties or combine them using mask composition nodes to achieve a final result. Apply global erosion to simulate the sediment that has been washed away by the runoff. 05. Generate masks and export options Generated masks have the same size and resolution as the input terrain Generate masks from the terrain properties, such as slope, height, curvature, or angle, and export them to use them later to achieve an effect. The mask created has the same size and resolution as the input terrain. You can also export a terrain as a grayscale height map or a mesh. If the terrain has a colour map, you can export it as an image file. 06. Create a landscape Render your finished landscape in your preferred 3D package Import the terrain with a rendering engine, combine the exported masks, and apply different materials. The masks are used to define where to apply terrain assets, such as grass, trees, or rocks, etc, in order to create a landscape. The workflow remains approximately the same for all of the rendering engines: here, we use Unreal Engine, but you can alternatively export to other software such as 3ds Max, Unity or Maya. This article was originally published in issue 238 of 3D World, the world's best-selling magazine for CG artists. Buy issue 238 here or subscribe to 3D World here. Related articles: Create stunning landscapes in Houdini Review: Terragen 4 Master large-scale environments in 3ds Max View the full article

Discover where the Boy came from in this new collection Oliver Jeffers isn’t one for looking back. “Usually when I finish a project, I move on,” says the best-selling picture book artist and author. However, for his latest collection, The Boy: His Stories and How They Came To Be, Jeffers has brought together the four books in his Boy series along with work from old sketchbooks to show readers his journey as a maker. 18 watercolour techniques every artist should know Returning to a project can often lead to self-criticism, but for Jeffers delving into material from his archive was a joyful experience. “Whenever I go back and re-read my work it is with a sense of fresh eyes,” he explains. With his life having transformed dramatically since creating these books, including a move from his home in Belfast to Brooklyn and becoming a father, Jeffers' latest release also proved to be an immensely personal one. “It was a little bit like a time machine,” he says, “because I remembered where I was when I was making some of those notes and what I was thinking and the things that were of interest to me. It really was like a little snapshot of time which was fascinating, and it was only at the end that I realised how far I’ve come since then.” Raiding the archive The artwork from his picture books also stood the test of time. “I think I just assumed that I’d keep getting better and better and keep refining my skill, but there was something about the original art that I worked on that was very different to how I work now,” he adds. “It was watercolours, and I’m surprised that it stood up so well.” When it came to sharing concept drawings and layouts from his personal sketchbooks though, Jeffer’s admits that he took a little more convincing. Although fears that he would feel like a magician revealing their tricks were quickly dispelled. “I realised that there is no trick!” “It was my brother’s idea,” he reveals. “He designs most of my picture books and he said it was a good idea. But once it was happening, once it was there, I was glad. I think people are appreciative of the fact that it’s out there. I’m glad that it’s happened. But yeah, I wasn’t a fan of the idea initially because it felt a bit like lifting the curtain and exposing yourself!” Embracing digital tools It’s been fourteen years since the first book in this collection, How To Catch A Star, was released, and in that time the industry and the ways in which artists work have changed a lot. Jeffers is no exception. While the original artwork for these books was scanned in by the publisher, his work since has made more use of digital tools. How To Catch A Star was Jeffers' first picture book “I realised that my art could be more refined using Photoshop CC,” he says. “I used it a little bit but then I rebelled. After that I’d started to notice trends and could see that everything was computer generated and quite controlled and I think a certain amount of charm was lost with that. “But with my last book, Here We Are, the final layer of drawing was done on an iPad for practical reasons because I couldn’t spend all day every day in the studio. I’m always going back and forth though, I don’t want to be tied to a single discipline or way of making, and I realised that these tools are just another way of making. Photoshop is no different a material than oil paint or watercolours, it’s just another medium so I treated it like that.” Digital tools might be more convenient when it comes to creating, but they haven’t rewired Jeffers' artistic outlook. “I think when it comes to making, technology doesn’t change the way you think but the way that you do it,” he says. “I try to not spend too much time on a computer, because for me a computer means email. But I’m using an iPad more and more for drawing and animation.” Creating characters His working methods aren’t the only way Jeffers has pushed back against trends and industry norms. With his debut How To Catch A Star, Jeffers achieved the dream of many an author and artist by releasing a picture book that he had both written and illustrated. Although at the time he didn’t realise that this was an unusual thing. Jeffers' put a lot of care into how he presented his work to publishers “When I came up with the story and created the art for what was effectively a finished book, I didn’t realise that that’s not the way it’s supposed to go,” he explains. With a completed book to his name, Jeffers then set about researching publishers who would suit his work and sent them a sample. “Fortunately people liked what they saw and immediately got back to me and wanted to go forward, so it was a relatively easy experience for me.” Despite making the road to publication sound straightforward, Jeffers is all too aware that his story is an anomaly. He also stresses the importance of making a good impression when sending out samples of work. People say don’t judge a book by a cover but that’s not true, we do that all the time “I put a lot of care into the package of what I was submitting and publishers have said that nothing has really come in like that since,” he says. “I think if you go the extra mile and put in the extra effort you will get noticed. People say don’t judge a book by a cover but that’s not true, we do that all the time.” How To Catch A Star was the first in the series of Boy books. As the other books followed, the Boy and his friends, including a penguin and a Martian, would find a global audience. In the Boy collection, readers get to see how he started out as a deceptively simple drawing in Jeffers’ sketchbooks that was then reiterated and developed. The Boy's simple design lets readers put themselves into the story “It was almost a case of making the characters as simple as possible but then applying a realistic sense light and shadow off very very simple objects,” says Jeffers. “And I think the simplicity and lack of origin for any of the characters helped globally as well because all across the world people think the boy could be where they’re from. And that the geography of the place could be their place. Something I’ve realised since is that the more vague you are, the more people can apply themselves to the story.” Changing audiences Speaking of finding wider audiences, Jeffers’ has noticed that picture books have become much more fashionable since he started out twenty years ago. “I don’t think picture books numbers have improved necessarily but I think they’ve found a way into other genres,” he explains. “I think with Instagram and social media, I think all of these things mean that it’s a good time to be making picture books, there are a lot more eyeballs looking.” And it isn’t just children who are taking notice of his picture books. “I call them picture books rather than children’s books because I’m noticing that adults like to read picture books on their own accord. I think that’s a good thing. I think once adults forgive themselves for reading them they’ll be surprised by the subtlety and find that the subject matters are universal.” The Boy: His Stories And How They Came To Be is out now. Related articles: How to break into children's book illustration How to design a book: the creative's guide How to illustrate a children's book View the full article

Predicting coming web design trends is always tricky. Get it right and you are praised for being ahead of the curve; get it wrong and you are met with a flood of I-told-you-sos. That said, I'm going to push my luck to see if I can provide some insight into the trends that will define web design in 2019 and beyond. We have seen some vast changes in the past decade: the HTML5 revolution, mobile-first app development and now native features in web apps, plus more new web design tools than you could imagine. With the increasing use of machine learning, cross-platform frameworks and a more diverse developer base building everything, there's going to be some exciting changes in our industry. These are my predictions for the biggest web design trends in 2019. 01. AI gets personal Artificial intelligence is too hot to not bring up. While it might not be as flashy as a self-driving car, the web can certainly connect to AI. Machine learning is going to take analytics to the next level. In the past, analytics offered more of a reactive approach: log the data and then use it for your next release. 2019 and onwards is going to be about capturing data about how your app is used and improving the user experience by driving the website to change and adapt to this by itself. This means that, depending on the data available on a user, the application will be able to act like a chameleon and change itself to provide the ideal UX for them. This will create truly personalised sites that behave differently and show different features depending on the individual using it. 02. Voice interfaces take over Soon, voice will start to take over from traditional inputs With the explosion of voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri, conversational interfaces are bound to become a natural part of an application's fabric. As more users become accustomed to interacting with the web using their voice, developers will need to ensure they can offer a seamless experience, even in web applications. Imagine having users sit on their couch and view their social media feed or tell their favourite voice assistant to pull up and read a news article for them – all without traditional inputs. 03. Accessibility becomes a requirement Accessibility is no longer a luxury; it should be an absolute requirement. We're seeing this pop up more and more, and this trend will just continue next year. Something that we have pushed hard with Progress Kendo UI is to follow common accessibility guidelines like WCAG 2.1 and WAI-ARIA, to ensure our web components follow accessibility requirements out of the box. This positive trend in accessibility focus will continue in the web. Whether this comes from development practices naturally emphasising accessibility, or governments and legislature stepping in to enforce adherence, we will have more accessible applications. 04. Web apps get an AR makeover AI will no longer just be for games Augmented reality will take the web by storm in 2019. AR is already commonplace in scenarios like Snapchat filters or Pokémon Go, but its use of AR will only expand to cover not only social media and games, but also everyday applications. The beauty of AR is that it does not require full immersion via a clunky headset, as with VR. Instead, it can be used with the phones that we walk around with in our pockets today. Why should AR be limited to just the native mobile applications on a device? Why not use it on the web? Offering AR services through your web application without needing it to be installed as a native app can have huge benefits from a UX perspective. Imagine being in a grocery store and doing a quick web search for a recipe. AR integration could provide users with turn-by-turn navigation through their mobile device to find all the ingredients within that store – all within a web app. 05. Developers flock to the web In the past, everyone stuck to their favoured programming language. Then along came HTML5 and JavaScript went from being the language only for web to almost a universal programming language. Of course, JavaScript has its own set of choices. While I cannot predict the rise and fall of JavaScript frameworks, I believe that once the dust settles, developers will realise that the basic concepts of these frameworks are completely transferable. This shifts the focus to better programming habits and architecture of web applications, rather than being akin to picking your favourite flavour of ice cream. Frameworks such as NativeScript and React Native will also play a big part in bringing more developers to web technologies, since they provide a single codebase for web and native mobile applications. Additionally, concepts like progressive web applications (PWAs) will continue to blur the line between native mobile apps and web. Developers will then be able to purely focus on the user experience without worrying about specific platform choices. Web Assembly is another technology that is bringing more developers to the web. Thanks to Web Assembly, C++, C#, Rust and other programming languages can now target the web. Projects like Blazor, which leverages .NET in the web, take advantage of the promise of Web Assembly and will help open the web to even more languages. This means that in the future, all developers can be web developers, regardless of programming language. 06. Size matters again We're going to start seeing developers trying attempting to make applications as small as possible. Previously the size of an application would be the biggest focus for web developers. However, recently this has taken a back seat as developers increasingly focus on their new favourite framework. The average application has grown significantly in size, and although bandwidth has increased tremendously, it's important to remember that only certain people and areas will benefit from this. The size of our applications will hit a tipping point and we will see the trend go the other way, with devs once again taking pride in making their applications as small as possible. This not only means app that will feel faster, but it's also important for markets with slow and expensive internet connections, where every byte is precious. 07. The workforce gets more diverse Online courses make training more accessible for more people Beyond the technology, I believe what we see as the average developer and their background will also change. We already see this happening today but code camps will continue to provide us with more diversity in the developer workforce. Although not all coding camps are created equal, the overall concept is a great way of providing programming skills to an audience that would not normally have a chance to learn about development. The emphasis on learning the basic tools and concepts of development and then continuing this education on the job is already proving to be a very good way of creating great developers. This trend will most likely continue and is a big step on the way to create a richer and more diverse community of developers, which is ultimately better for everyone. This article was originally published in net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 311 or subscribe. Read more: Hot new CSS rules to try now 25 game-changing JavaScript tools 29 web design tools to speed up your workflow View the full article