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Who wants a free Nintendo Switch games console or Toshiba 4K HDR TV, as well as a new phone? Yes, you really can get all of this with EE's stunning deal, which just goes to show that the best Black Friday deals are already appearing. The phones you can get are the Samsung Galaxy A80, A70 or A40 or a Huawei P30 Lite, Huawei P30 Pro or Huawei P smart. Sign up for one of these right now through EE and you could be enjoying a nice new shiny games console or a super-sharp pixel perfect screen in your living room very soon. These deals offer some of the best phones around, some of them even made it our best camera phones post. With prices starting from as little as £28 a month these deals are not to be missed. They all include 10GB of data and there's no upfront cost on selected phones. To help you make the right choice quickly and easily we have broken down these must-see Samsung and Huawei deals. Find the one for you below. Huawei phone deals + free Nintendo Switch or 4K TV Samsung phone deals + free Nintendo Switch or 4K TV Not quite what you're after? Check out some more smartphone deals below. Read more: Amazon Black Friday: when to get the best deals The best laptop deals in 2019 How do you use your mobile phone at work? View the full article

Mo.js is a unique motion graphics JavaScript library that not only facilitates full-screen page animation loaders, but also click-to-animate micro-interactions, and tons of shape manipulations. If you have been following the web design scene for a while now, chances are that you will have come across – or perhaps interacted with – a wide array of animation techniques and libraries. Core technologies such as CSS, HTML5 and JavaScript are becoming even more powerful, and browser support is improving with time. The implication is that more sophisticated web animations can be supported across devices. Need some animation inspiration? Here are some awesome examples of top CSS animation to recreate. How can mo.js help? Web animation, as it appears, is here to stay. However, a shortcoming with most popular animation techniques is that they are gravitated towards animating conventional UI/UX elements such as slideshows, tabbed buttons and drop-down menus. As a result, using them can eventually make your site too familiar and non-exciting. Mo.js can help with this. Using the library helps to animate the not-so-ordinary site elements by utilizing its built-in components such as html, shape, swirl, burst and stagger. The library is very easy to use, fast, retina ready, modular and open source. In this tutorial, the basics of working with mo.js are introduced and two techniques demonstrated; blast and bubble. 01. Get started Begin by creating a folder, mo.js, on your desktop to store the tutorial files. Create three additional folders within it: css to store the styling files, img for images and js for the JavaScript files. HTML files will be stored in the root folder. 02. Create page structure Open your code editor and create an index.html document to contain mark up for the main web page. Begin by creating the basic structure and give a suitable title to the page. 03. Structure the page The tutorial is divided into two parts; the first demonstrates the blast technique, whereas the second illustrates the bubble concept. As a result, we prepare two HTML files, one for each technique. To kick-start the blast technique, create a div section to contain the page title. Render the page in your browser where you should observe un-styled text at the top-left corner. 04. Link the CSS Open your code editor and create styles.css file inside the css folder. Create a link to this file in your html document by adding this code in the head section, <link rel=”stylesheet” href =”css/styles.css” >. Since no styles have been added, the page renders as illustrated in step 3. Alternatively, since the styling is minimal, you can opt to use inline styling by combining the HTML and CSS. 05. Style the background Next, we style the background by adding a background image. We have used the free scenic landscape background by Nikolai Ultang from Pexels. You can download it here. Save this (or your own image) inside the img folder. Render the page to show changes to the background. 06. Style the text The text is then styled to render at the centre of the page, as it currently appears at the top left corner. Note that to centralise the text, we select an absolute position and set its exact positioning using the top, left and right margins. The text is also transformed using the text-transform property. The text-align property is also set to centre. 07. Install mo.js As with other libraries, mo.js is installed through multiple options. The simplest approach, which we employ, is accessing it directly from a CDN server. Add the following code in the body section. In case you are developing offline, the library can be downloaded directly from GitHub and installed by using the Bower or NPM packages by using the appropriate commands. Once downloaded, it can be referenced directly. Finally, create a new script.js file and save it in the js folder. We will add JavaScript functionality to this file. Link it in the body section as follows. Place it below the text title as shown below. 08. Create the first blast Before proceeding to develop the code, it wise to highlight what we are creating. To blast something simply means to break it apart into smaller bits in an explosive manner. We will create a simple object (circle) and set it up search that when a user clicks it, it breaks apart in an explosive manner. 09. Create the circle object First, the object to be blasted is created (circle). However, mo.js supports other shapes, including rectangle (rect), cross, equal, zigzag and polygon. Where you fail to specify the shape type, it will default to a circle.To create a simple circle, declare it using the var or const and assign its attributes by calling the shape function. The code creates the default circle object with the given radius. The isShowStart variable is assigned a Boolean value to specify whether you need to show the object or not. Render the code to display a small magenta-coloured circle at the centre of the page. 10. Animate the circle The code snippet specifies that the scale and opacity will change from 1 to 0, indicating that the object disappears. Aduration and delay of the animation are also set. Note that the animation does not play since we are yet to initialise it. To do so, add the function below. 11. Make exploding polygons Now that the circle is animating, we create a blast animation that renders at the same time. The first blast uses the polygon shapes to draw out the explosion. To create a blast, use the mo.js function Burst as shown in the code snippet below. The code assigns seven polygon shapes to the explosion and specifies two radii. The first refers to the overall animation, while the second focuses on the specific polygon objects within the animation. Ensure to add the burst to the event listener function so that it responds to mouse clicks. Note that two new parameters have been added; the tune and generate. Tune makes the blast to render anywhere in the page, whereas generate initialises the burst animation. Render the page. Observe the exploding elements that appear at the same time as the circle. 12. Create the second blast Next, we create the second blast by using different shape options. The code follows the structure of the previous blast and only changes a few parameters. Add the burst to the event listener function. 13. Add circle explosions In order to enhance the animation further, we add circular explosions. Examining the code in steps 11 and 12 reveals a lot of similarities existing between the two type of bursts. In creating the third blast, we avoid rewriting too much code by using the spread operator which is written as three dots (...). However, first, we declare a variable that contains the similar features that we want to reuse. Thereafter, the other two circles can be created by simply using the spread operator. The code specifies the fill type, scale, opacity and whether to display them at the end of the animation. The two circle animations are created as follows. Add the circular shapes. 14. Render a basic bubble Unlike the blast animation, which breaks the object into smaller pieces, the bubble animation, on the other hand, translates the clicked object into a bigger space. The concept adopts the analogy of blowing up a balloon where the object continually expands in size. To do this, we simply create a new variable openBackground and assign attributes that will make the entire background achieve a similar colour to the object. As a result, this creates the nuance of bubbling. Ensure to add the background variable to the event listener function. 15. Add multiple shapes Following the concept in step 14, we now advance the example to include multiple coloured circular objects, which upon clicking expand in a similar manner and display some text. Edit the existing html file and copy the code within the body. It creates the basic structure of the page. 16. Add helper libraries Next, some additional libraries are added in the body section in order to facilitate scrolling and produce sounds when the objects are clicked. 17. Advance the animation Next, we add styles for the individual classes highlighted in the html files. The mo.js functionality is then added. The full code (css and js) is shared with the tutorial files for review. 18. Learn more about mo.js While the tutorial demonstrates the bubble and blast techniques, there are further resources available online that can help you fast-track your learning process. Some of these include mo.js tutorials on Github and demos also on Github. This article was originally published in issue 291 of creative web design magazine Web Designer. Buy issue 291. Read more: CSS art gets brilliantly ruined by old browsers Best pieces of user testing software Great UI designs View the full article

Slack dark mode is here. The new theme was added on a recent update, and brings a less jarring black background to your chats. To find out how to activate Slack dark mode, read on. Dark modes are having a moment right now. Twitter kicked off the trend earlier in the year, and the new Instagram dark mode is proving very popular. It seems like a simple thing, but there are a number of benefits to activating dark mode. It'll help save battery on your phone or tablet, and is less distracting for others if you're working in an area with dimmed lights, such as a design conference. It also seems to be easier on the eyes when compared to a bright white background – if you suffer from migranes, for example, dark mode can help. No matter what type of design you do, chances are if you work with others you have Slack installed on your machine (for more handy apps and software, explore our guides to the best tools for graphic designers and the top web design tools around). Could this be the design move that redeems the tool for designers after the fiasco that surrounded the new Slack logo? How to activate Slack dark mode on desktop To activate Slack dark mode, you just need to follow a couple of very simple steps. On desktop, open the app and go to Slack > Preferences > Themes and then simply select Light or Dark. Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image How to activate Slack dark mode on mobile On mobile, open the app and tap the three dots in the top right of your screen. From the drop-down that appears, select Settings. Scroll down, and under General you'll see an option to select Dark Mode. The process should be the same for iPhone, iPad and Android. If your device is running iOS 13, you'll need to turn on dark mode in Slack from your OS settings. Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Still having trouble? Check out Slack's instruction page. You can go further and change the sidebar shade and accent colour within your dark mode. Choose from a range of excitingly titled options, from Dagobah (blue) to Noctune (also blue) to Monument (orange). Slack also offers a couple of accessible themes catering to different types of colour blindness: there's one for users suffering from protanopia (reduced sensitivity to red light) or deuteranopia (reduced sensitivity to green light) and one for those with tritanopia (where the user cannot distinguish between blue and yellow). Bored of Slack's official options? Try this After something more expressive? Pokéslack is a generator that will create a light and dark theme based on your favourite Pokémon. Read more: How to implement light or dark modes in CSS Slack sparks further outrage with tweak to new logo 18 controversial moments in logo design and branding View the full article

The wait is over – Photoshop for iPad is finally here – at least – in name. Even by Adobe’s own admission, this app has been released with limited capabilities, with the intention of adding more features as users get up to speed with the new way of working. Where are we with iPad apps in general? Developers are forever striving to close the power gap between tablets and desktops, but it’s only with the latest iPad (supported by Apple’s Sidecar) that we’re really beginning to see the potential of portable devices as viable working machines. Advances in technology have made it possible to perform increasingly complex photo edits on the go, with the advent of such apps as Affinity Photo and Pixelmator, but few can boast the same influence and heritage as Adobe Photoshop. Does Photoshop for iPad come anywhere close to its desktop counterpart? Has Adobe shot itself in the foot with unrealistic aspirations and a self-imposed deadline? Read on for our full Photoshop for iPad review. Photoshop for iPad review: Welcome and interface The New Document window looks familiar, but has some notable omissions, such as CMYK and Artboards The opening screen of Photoshop for iPad is encouragingly similar to the desktop app, but there are some notable omissions in the New Document window – no CMYK option, no link to Adobe Stock, no Artboards, no saved presets and no Advanced options – that’s a lot to be missing before even opening a document. Despite the tab for ‘Film and Video’ documents, there is no actual video or GIF capability at this time. Photos can be imported from Camera Roll or directly from the Camera, while PSD projects can be continued directly from the computer, thanks to cloud-based saving. Working offline is no problem and files are re-synced over CC when back online. Cloud Documents is a practical solution for cross-platform sharing and one of this app’s most attractive features. Currently your only options for export are PNG, JPEG, PSD and TIFF. There is no CMYK option After opening a document you are presented with a reimagined Photoshop. This app is a champion of minimalism ahead of functionality – presenting a stark, pared-back interface, with tools hidden behind a veil of icons and menus. Some icons are immediately obvious in their functions, while others require some experimenting to discover their use. Adobe have attempted to design a UI for smaller screens, maximising canvas size without compromising on usability, while optimising for touch and pencil. For any native to iOS, this may come as intuitively as using a mouse, but for a seasoned desktop user it takes some time to reverse years of muscle memory and adapt to new processes. Luckily there is a practical ‘help’ section in the top-right corner, which contains plenty of tips, tutorials and a list of shortcuts. In the same area is the export button, which allows you to save your document as a PNG, JPEG, PSD or TIFF. There is minimal customisation of the workspace and no way to save any personal presets. Photoshop for iPad review: Layers The Layers tab has all the same options you might expect from the standard app – Opacity, Masks and Adjustments The layers tab has two configurations – a panel of smaller squares that take up very little space and a more extensive window that resembles the Layers panel from the standard app. Both offer the same basic layer options like Opacity, Blend Modes, Masks and Groups, but not necessarily where you would expect to find them. It is frustratingly difficult to achieve basic operations, like grouping layers or moving them up or down in the tab. Add an adjustment layer by holding down the New Layer icon, select ‘adjustment layer’ and choosing the one you want Adding an Adjustment layer requires you to hold down the New Layer icon, select ‘adjustment layer’ and choose the one you want. Although a matter of seconds, it feels like an annoyingly slow and cumbersome experience, especially if you want to add multiple adjustments quickly. It does however have all the vital adjustments needed for photo correction – Brightness/Contrast, Levels, Colour Balance, Black and white, Exposure and Hue/Satuation. If you are an advocate of Photoshop filters then you will be disappointed to learn that there are currently only two currently available – Gaussian Blur and Invert. It seems you could spend just as much time talking about what this app is missing as you could one what it currently has. Adobe has previously demonstrated huge file sizes on the iPad, containing up to 500 layers, without displaying any lag. This appears to be a fair reflection of the power of the app, which is fast and responsive – seeming to perform some tasks even better than on a computer. Photoshop for iPad review: Tools Selection is fairly accurate, but cannot replace the precision of the Pen Tool. The standard Photoshop toolbar is located on the left of the screen, with a modest array of tools available, bearing recognizable icons. The image enhancement options are fairly comprehensive, certainly among the best for iPad, achieving great results for general edits. The Clone stamp, Brushes and Healing brush in particular are well suited to Apple Pencil, while Transform lets you resize and distort layers easily. But it is lacking those tools that make it recognisable as a true Photoshop app – Pen Tool, Shapes, Burn, Dodge, Blur and History Brush. The Selection and Marquee tools are fine for rough work, but without a Pen tool or a Refine Edge there is a distinct lack of precision in these selections. There is also a basic text option with the Type tool, but it suffers from the Character and Paragraph windows being combined into one diluted tab. The Clone and Healing tools work just as on the standard app If you own an iPad-friendly keyboard then standard Photoshop shortcuts are possible, as well as some useful additions like the double-finger tap for Undo. The most novel of these is the Touch shortcut, which is displayed as a translucent circle on the canvas, similar to the 'toggle button' used in mobile gaming. It works in the same way as the Shift or Command key, letting you switch between different tools without having to go back to the toolbar. It takes a bit of getting used to and can be awkward to reach for, but could prove to be a big time-saver in the long run. There are some instances where a shortcut would feel natural and logical, such as double-tapping the screen to confirm a transform, but doesn’t work the way you want it to. Perhaps this is indicative of Adobe’s long-term commitment to an evolving system that responds to the feedback of its users. Photoshop for iPad review: Conclusion "Not yet supported on this device" really says it all. Even inside the app there are signs of unfinished development At Adobe Max 2018, Adobe described this app as "not a watered down version of Photoshop, this is real Photoshop". Unfortunately this is not true, it isn’t real Photoshop, but more like a pick-and-mix of some of Photoshop’s most popular features, with the focus on retouching and compositing – Photoshop with stabilisers on. As a basic portable photo editor it certainly ranks among the best, but there are plenty of apps already available on iPad that do a similar job at a cheaper price. If you’re already a CC subscriber then it is well worth the free download, if only to experiment with as an extension of the full desktop app, allowing a smooth transition to pick up projects on the go. The technology on show is impressive and raises the expectations for the possible additions that will come down the line. However in its current state it cannot be considered a replacement for the real thing – and suffers from that inevitable comparison, like a child who can’t live up to their parent’s glory. Ultimately this comes down to your own opinion – you can either view this as a premature release that fails to fulfil on its promise or a brave first step on an undeniably exciting journey. It’s certainly a statement of intent by Adobe and it’s now up to them to follow through on that potential. Read more: Lightroom vs Photoshop: What's the difference? View the full article

If you want to capture an entire screen, a window, or just a selected portion of your desktop, macOS has some quick, easy to remember shortcuts. Here we are going to kick off with the keyboard timesavers that work across all versions of macOS, before looking at the screenshot app that comes with macOS Mojave (v10.14) or later. If you don't have the latest version of the macOS or are simply looking to upgrade to take advantage of its tasty new features then check how to get a great MacBook Black Friday deal. Or, if you just want to tart up your MacBook check our mac decals post to help add a personal touch. 01. How to screenshot on all macOS versions Drag the cursor to capture a selected screen area Capture entire screen - To screenshot the desktop 'as seen' press Shift + Cmd +3. This will add the capture to your desktop. Click once to rename and then move to your chosen folder. Capture a window - To screenshot a specific window press Shift + Cmd + 4 followed by the Space bar. This will turn the cursor into a camera icon. Now click the window that you want to screenshot. A top tip to remove the window's shadow is to hold down the Option key when you click. Capture a selected part of the screen - To screenshot any part of the desktop first press Shift + Cmd + 4 and a cursor will appear. Now hold down the mouse button and drag to select the area of the screen to capture. Capture a menu - The first thing to do is open the menu you want to capture. Now press Shift + Cmd + 4 and drag the cursor over the menu and release the mouse button to capture. Alternatively, press the Space bar to change the cursor to a camera icon and click the menu to capture. 02. How to screenshot on macOS Mojave or later If your Mac has the Mojave OS (or later) installed you can take advantage of the Screenshot app to capture your desktop. You can open Screenshot by pressing Shift + Cmd + 5, or use Spotlight to find the app. Here you will see a collection of icons for capturing. The Screenshot app in the Mojave OS (or later) Capture entire screen - To screenshot everything click the Capture Entire Screen icon (first on the left) and the pointer will change to a camera. Click anywhere to capture. Capture a window - Select the Capture Selected Window icon (second from the left) and the pointer will change to a camera. Click the chosen window to capture. Capture a selected part of the screen - First select the Capture Selected Portion icon (third from the left). Now drag the cursor to select an area of the screen to capture. Capture a menu - The first thing to do is open the menu you want to capture. Now use either of the Capture a window or Capture a selected part of the screen options to capture the menu. 03. How to capture the Touch Bar Capture the Touch Bar with a simple shortcut If you own a MacBook with a Touch Bar, and have macOS Sierra (v10.12.2) or later installed, you can capture the Touch Bar by simply selecting Shift + Cmd + 6. This will add the capture to your desktop. The best mouse for Mac in 2019 Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2: which should you buy? The 100 greatest Apple creations View the full article

Apple is investigating an issue raised by a Mac specialist discovered to be storing emails that are supposed to be S/MIME-encrypted as readable files. View the full article

The American public broadcaster, PBS, has its first new logo in a decade. PBS has over 330 local member stations, and a massive audience of over 146 million people both online and through TV, making it a tricky brand to harness. PBS worked with global creative consultancy Lippincott for two years to create the new logo, which will roll out throughout 2020 to celebrate 50 years of broadcasting. How has the logo changed exactly? In crude terms, it has gone from having three faces on top of each other in a black circle, with the logotype next to it, to a tweaked version of the faces in a blue circle, with an enlarged logotype next to it. And the lettering has also been tweaked, with new custom typeface, PBS Sans. (See more examples of how to rebrand, with our guide to logo design). The old PBS logo, in use since 2009 "The new brand identity also features a new, vibrant signature colour, PBS Blue, designed to convey a sense of trust and integrity," says PBS in a press release. You'll also notice that the nose on the logotype is more rounded than before, which is basically the logo equivalent of a nose job. "We softened the sharp geometric features of the original symbol, with a subtle upward gaze that feels more engaging," explains Lippincott on its PBS project page. You can see how the PBS brand has developed below. "PBS Sans – the brand’s new proprietary typeface – is human, engaging, and highly legible across all platforms," says Lippincott. We can't help but feel that this is yet another example of an all-caps sans serif, the kind that we saw recently with Facebook's rebrand, and countless other rebrands of late. What do we make of the logo? It's quite hard to get excited about it either way. That might be because we're not American. Or it might be because it's just not that exciting. PBS says that over 70 per cent of local PBS member stations will be adopting the new branding next year. So while this new identity will definitely go some way to uniting the disparate brand, there's also a little way to go until it becomes entirely consistent. Read more: New Pandora logo includes some seriously subtle serifs The best free sans serif fonts of 2019 Font licensing: A designer's guide View the full article

There's a couple of weeks to wait until all the best Black Friday deals start appearing. But it looks like Adobe is kicking off the big savings early, now offering artists and designers in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region a whopping 42% discount on its entire collection of creative apps. That means, if you're in Australia, for example, instead of costing $76.99 per month, you'll pay just $43.99! The price reduction applies to the entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite, which encompasses Adobe's 20+ applications, including photo editing favourite Photoshop and digital artists' go-to Illustrator. You'll also find video editing software Premiere Pro, web prototyping tool Adobe XD and motion effects creator After Effects among the impressive toolset. Not in APAC regions? Take a look at our guide to the Adobe Black Friday deals, which we update with all the best offers when they go live. > Get Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps with 42% off As if that wasn't enough, when you buy Adobe's full package you're also getting 100GB of cloud storage (with the option to upgrade to 10TB) and premium features like Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts, and Adobe Spark. And if you'd like to include Adobe Stock too, then you can get Adobe All Apps + Adobe Stock for just $83.58 – reduced from $116.58. The programmes are fully integrated, so you can switch between them (and jump from one device to another) seamlessly – whether you’re out and about or in the studio. Built-in templates help you jump-start your designs, while step-by-step tutorials will help you sharpen your skills and get up to speed quickly. This deal will be available until 17 November 2019, so if you're in APAC regions and want to save big on Adobe's entire suite of creative software, grab it before it's gone. If you're in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, you can currently take advantage of this early Black Friday Photography Plan offer: Related articles: 60 top-class Photoshop tutorials The best 4K monitors for designers The best web hosting services for designers View the full article

Fallout from giants at the top is one of the largest drivers of cyber-impacts on everyday people and companies. View the full article

The latest edition of the bi-annual hacking contest saw creative exploits in new device categories. View the full article

The Google Pixel 4 is one of the best camera phones you can buy, whether you’re big on bright city lit photography or high-impact night shots. It’s a great point and shoot snapper that’s easy to use, after all, and the experience it delivers feels seriously considered, with its clean interface, smart controls and versatile range of shooting modes. That said, if you want to get everything you can out of the Pixel 4, you’ll need to know about its double taps, hidden Astrophotography feature and let’s not forget the Pokemon. We cover all these highlights and more in this ultimate Pixel 4 camera guide. What makes the Pixel camera so great? Google has processed billions of images – it’s a search company after all. That means if anyone knows what makes a good image, and what doesn’t, it’s the big G. Historically, its Pixel phones haven’t been anything special in terms of camera hardware, they’ve all had traditional 12MP sensors. It's the software and image processing where the Pixel 4 excels. That’s how these humbly specced camera phones have delivered better dynamic range, clarity and greater noise handling than pricier phones like the excellent Note 10 Plus and their in-excess of quadruple-camera setups. Google Pixel 4 camera: Boost shadows What specifically makes the Pixel 4 camera so good is its simplicity. Photography pros may balk at the fact it has no manual mode, but there are still some very smart overrides when it comes to fine tuning exposure. The Pixel is one of the only smartphone cameras that lets you boost shadows separately to highlights, for example, so if you’re photographing a black cat, you can pull out detail in its fur that other phones can’t. Adjust shadows via the two bars that appear at the top of the viewfinder To take advantage of this shadow boosting, tap a focus point, and if you’re holding the phone in landscape orientation, you’ll see two bars appear at the top of the viewfinder. The right-hand bar controls exposure, the other controls shadows – genius. Google Pixel 4 camera: Quick adjustments and settings You can make on-the-fly adjustments in quick settings; swipe in from the left of the Pixel to access them. Here, you can toggle motion capture, which takes a short video clip with every photo so you have a moving memento. This is also where you can set a timer, fire up the flash and change the image aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9. Swipe in from the left of the Pixel to access quick settings Tap the cog for advanced settings – overlay framing grids, turn off camera sounds, enable quick sharing options so you can fling your picture straight onto Twitter, toggle RAW shooting on or off, and so much more. Google Pixel 4 camera: Zoom The new Pixel 4 includes a 16MP telephoto camera with a roughly 1.6x zoom. That’s an optical zoom, so it holds onto more detail than digital zoom, and it’s one of the best we’ve used, outperforming the iPhone 11 Pro. How you access it, however, isn’t immediately obvious. Sure, you can pinch in and out to frame your shot, but that’s clumsy and will likely leave you overshooting the second camera’s focal range or fall short of it altogether. The solution? Just double-tap the screen to punch in, double-tap to punch out. Stick with taps over pinches and you’ll guarantee yourself the highest quality photos, whether you’re zoomed in or out. Google Pixel 4 camera: Nightsight When the lights go down, Google’s Nightsight mode comes to the rescue with its handheld long exposure and see-in-the-dark superpowers. To activate it, swipe to the Nightsight option near the shutter release button or just tap it, point your camera at your subject, hold very still and take your shot. Your Pixel 4 will capture multiple pictures for about three seconds, stitch them together and create an almighty, high dynamic range, low light marvel. The steadier your hand, the better your shot, but even if there’s a bit of wobble, the Pixel 4 will still impress. That said, Nightsight takes photos with a long exposure, so if you’re shooting someone else, they need to keep as still as possible too, otherwise, they might end up looking like a blurred spectre against a pin-sharp backdrop. Google Pixel 4 camera: Astrophotography The Pixel 4’s highlight feature, Astrophotography isn’t quite as easy to fire up as we’d have liked it to be, and out of the box, we didn’t get any instructions as to how to go about taking photos of stars and galaxies. That said, once you know what you’re doing, it’s a doddle. First, launch Night Sight. Next, access your phone’s quick settings and turn on the Pixel 4’s self-timer - an optional step, but it will give you time to position our Pixel. Next, steady the phone, either on a tripod or a surface, and when the Pixel detects it’s perfectly still, it will flip to Astrophotography mode. When engaged, Astrophotography can keep the shutter open for around four minutes. While we weren’t able to capture the stratospheric shots Google demoed at the launch of the phone due to light pollution and cloud cover in the city we were shooting in, the results still impress. Google Pixel 4 camera: Pokemon Google’s Pixels are always fun. In the past, the phones have seen augmented reality partnerships with the likes of the Avengers, Childish Gambino, Star Wars and Stranger Things; now, it’s Pikachu’s turn to steal the AR spotlight. Google’s incredibly smart object recognition overlays one of four Pokemon from the Detective Pikachu movie between you and your background if you’re taking a selfie. Alternatively, you can create a Pokemon party by positioning multiple Pokemon over your scene if you’re shooting from the main camera. To access it, tap More within your camera UI, then Playground. Pixel's Playground is lots of fun As you can see from the example above, its object recognition is great and the creatures engage with one another when multiple Pokemon are in position. It’s also a lot of fun for kids too as the Pixel can still grab pictures and shoot videos of the Pokemon in action when in Playground mode, making it a great way to engage their imagination and creativity while still giving them a screen-time treat. Google Pixel 4 camera: Anything else? While we’ve covered the main highlights exclusive to the Pixel 4, there are other features found on most phones that are so good, they’re still worth mentioning. Its portrait mode, for example, works across the main camera, zoom camera and the selfie camera too, blurring out the background brilliantly. The Pixel 4 also shoots Panorama photos, and even 360-degree Photosphere images, which can be used with VR headsets. Slow-motion mode freezes time by up to an eighth and Time Lapse fast forwards it up to 120x. Just like any flagship smartphone worth its salt today, the Pixel 4 also shoots 4K video too with impressive image stabilisation. Thinking about picking up a Pixel 4 if you don’t already have one? To find out everything else you need to know about Google’s impressive camera phone, read our full Pixel 4 review. Read more: The best smartphone in 2019: be more creative on the move Street photography: 11 expert tips 15 top tips to boost your photography skills View the full article

A designer has spotted a nerdy joke hidden in Twitter's UI, and the internet is loving it. Click on the the 'Show more replies' CTA below a Tweet, what do you get? Text saying 'More replies'. It's right up there with 'I'm hungry / Hi hungry, I'm Dad' as groan-worthy parent gags go, and surely the proudest part of one Twitter team member's design portfolio. (Sometimes, of course, you'll actually see more replies to the tweet. It looks like this response is saved for cases where the repliers' accounts have been locked, making their comments unavailable to outsiders.) The man we have to thank for discovering the quirk is Scott Jehl, a designer and developer at Filament Group. You can see the joke in action in his viral GIF below. Jehl calls it "Twitter's best dad joke". We think it's good but in our opinion, not a classic, like these: 'Did you know the first French fries weren't actually cooked in France? They were cooked in Greece.' Or this absolute rib-tickler, 'Why can't your nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot.' (We can only apologise.) Read more: How to change the font in your Instagram bio 28 awesome Tumblr blogs for designers to explore A complete guide to social media for creatives View the full article

If there's one thing that designers hate, it's inconsistency. Surely the minds behind the world's leading creative software wouldn't make such an error? Well it looks like they have: right now the mixture of rounded and square-edged app icons on Adobe's popular tools is driving designers crazy. The apparent error has been a bone of contention for some time, but the recent release of Photoshop 2020 has reignited the rage of designers everywhere. The matter is detracting somewhat from all the exciting updates from Adobe MAX 2019, including the news that Photoshop on the iPad is finally here, and Illustrator on the iPad is in the works too. Want a Creative Cloud discount? Explore our guide to the best Adobe Black Friday deals Wondering why the XD and Photoshop icons in your dock or have rounded corners, while Illustrator and InDesign remain stubbornly square? Stephen Nielson, who leads the Photoshop product management team at Adobe has taken to Twitter to explain that it's actually intentional. He tweeted that "Adobe apps get rounded corners when they become multi-device and cloud-aware". So now you know. While it makes a little more sense now you know the thinking behind the inconsistency, Design Twitter is having none of it. Neil A. Evans summed up the crux of the problem, tweeting: "An icon that has to be explained is rubbish. I don’t care if it’s multi platform, if I install it on my other platforms I’ll already know. Make the icons consistent." An icon should be the purest version of what it represents, with no prior knowledge required (see our roundup of the best iOS app icons for more tips). While the difference between multi-device, cloud-aware apps and standalone apps is a big deal for those working at Adobe, it doesn't make a big difference to the general user – and certainly not the extent of wanting a different type of icon to remind them. If you're really struggling with the non-uniform icons, there is a solution. Go into Finder, and in the app's info panel you can override its icon. Copy in the 2019 icon, and you'll have a beautifully consistent dock once again. Phew. Read more: Adobe MAX Sneaks 2019: The most mind-boggling tech heading your way The 23 best Photoshop plugins Lightroom vs Photoshop: What's the difference? View the full article

Attackers could access Wi-Fi credentials due to a problem in initial configuration of the smart doorbell device. View the full article

You're reading Examples of Great Fall Email Newsletters with Tips and Tricks, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook! Fall is ideal for email marketing campaigns. It is that time of the year to enjoy quality time at home with a cup of warm tea and delicious biscuits while surfing the web. It is a perfect opportunity to catch … View the full article

Did you know IKEA has never released a Christmas advert until today? We found it hard to believe too. But later tonight TV screens will see the first-ever festive IKEA ad, and, well, we love it. The perfect antidote to the usual tear-jerkers offered up in the festive period, this hip-hop themed offering from IKEA and Mother London had us both laughing and cringing (at how relatable it is) at the same time. Encourage the nation to defy ‘home shame’ and open up their homes to guests this festive season, ‘Silence the Critics’ opens with a small flat that has seen better days. The beat drops and a, quite frankly, vulgar-looking cat teapot and various other household ornaments come to life with a brutal rap, voiced by legendary MC D Double E, that ridicules everything from the tired furnishings and cracked walls, to the lack of space. "This place ain't blessed, this place is a mess (disgusting)" – told you it was savage. We particularly like the part where the T-Rex gets chucked into the toy chest as he begins to rap more devastating blows. Not that you'd ever catch us tidying our house in such a fashion, you understand. The couple in the advert become overcome with ‘home shame' (we've been there) when faced with impending guests and the external manifestation of this is offbeat, and very funny. As Christmas adverts go, it's a brilliantly refreshing change from the usual heartwarming, sentimental offerings you see this time of year. And encompasses everything we love about IKEA as a brand, which is the ability to not take itself too seriously (something it demonstrates regularly in its brilliant print ads). Silence the Critics will first air on Friday 8 November, on Channel 4 in the Gogglebox break. But if you can't wait that long, you can watch it in full right here: Read more: 5 ad campaigns that changed the world Billboard advertising: Traffic-stopping examples The best print adverts ever View the full article

Flaws in Das U-Boot affect third-party hardware that uses the universal bootloader as an underlying component. View the full article

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now just a matter of weeks away, meaning soon we'll be practically swimming in top Black Friday deals. And the first pre-Black Friday deals are already starting to appear. So what exactly can we expect from Black Friday 2019, which these days also extends throughout the weekend, all the way until Cyber Monday 2019? And how can you get the best Black Friday deals? Let's find out. When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019? Before we dive head-first into the Black Friday deals we expect to see, let's first make sure you've got the dates marked in your diaries. Black Friday traditionally takes place on the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, meaning this year it falls on 29 November. That means Cyber Monday is 2 December this year, three days after Black Friday. While Black Friday is a frenzied cacophony of high street and online deals, Cyber Monday was originally conceived by savvy marketers as a way to sell more of their wares online, back when online shopping wasn’t as prevalent as it is today. These days, Cyber Monday usually sees a wider range of deals across individual retailers. It's less about one-off discounts, and more about lower prices generally. Saying that, if stores need to shift stock they’ll follow up Black Friday discounts with further reductions on Cyber Monday – so expect one-off deals too. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday happening a little later than normal this year, it may well be a good opportunity to get your Christmas shopping sorted. The best pre-Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for creatives Where will we see the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals? While we can't say for sure where and what the best Black Friday deals will be, we can make educated guesses based on previous years. It's wise to keep an eye on any sought-after items throughout the whole of November, because Black Friday deals surface earlier and earlier each year. However, the best deals have historically happened later in the month, with retailers offering bigger discounts on the most expensive items, as well as accessories that might go with them. And typically, the best bargains are still reserved for Black Friday and Cyber Monday themselves. So what kind of items are we talking about? Below are our top predictions on the creative items you might have on your Christmas list this year. But first, here's the early Black Friday deals we're already seeing, and guess what? They're on the items we predicted. 01. Microsoft Surface range The Microsoft Surface range has become hugely popular among artists and designers in recent years. The Surface Pro and Surface Go lend themselves well to the needs of a creative, so it was no surprise to see them fly off the shelves in some of the best Black Friday deals we saw last year. Microsoft has been busy this year, recently announcing six new devices to its Surface range, all of which are aimed at a creative audience. With the release of these devices so close to Black Friday 2019, it's highly unlikely we'll see any discounts on these newer models. However, with the introduction of the new Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X, we will almost certainly see some great savings on the Surface Pro 6. A fantastic device in its own right, the Surface Pro 6 is currently one of the best tablets with a stylus around, so if you're not bothered about having the shiniest new Microsoft model, this will be a product to watch out for this Black Friday. Bookmark our dedicated Surface Pro Black Friday deals page for all the latest deals and updates on these popular devices. 02. Adobe Creative Cloud subscription Adobe has offered big Black Friday deals in the past Last year, creative software giant Adobe got stuck in all the Black Friday deals action, offering up to a whopping 40 per cent off a subscription to its Creative Suite of apps. That meant new subscribers could snap up Adobe’s entire collection of 20-plus creative desktop and mobile apps, and more, for just £30.34/€36.29/$22.99 a month, instead of £49.94/€60.49/$52.99 a month. And let's be honest, it doesn't get much cheaper than that (unless you're a student, where we have occasionally seen around 70 per cent off). That said, Adobe offers other discounts throughout the year, so it's worth keeping an eye on our Adobe Black Friday deals post. We expect that Adobe will get involved with Black Friday 2019, and the deals usually last a few days, so should be around on Cyber Monday 2019 too. 03. Apple iPad and iPhone We expect to some great savings on various iPad models this Black Friday and Cyber Monday Apple has been busy this year, launching its new iPad Mini and iPad Air, plus the iPad 10.2-inch. With all these models offering Apple Pencil support, they are a great choice for busy creatives on the go. As shiny new additions to Apple's portfolio, we don't expect to see huge savings on these, but if there are any discounts to be had, we'll keep you posted. And if you're after an Apple Pencil, then see our Apple Pencil Black Friday deals. But the best deals will almost certainly be on older – but still very sought-after – iPad models. For example, last year saw the iPad (2018) reduced to the bargain price of just $249 at Walmart, and it, unsurprisingly, flew off the shelves. If you're after a bit more power, the iPad Pro (2017) was reduced to $524.99 (from $649) at Walmart last year too. Whatever iPad model you're after, we have details of all the best iPad Black Friday deals right now and will update as the best Black Friday deals drop. If it's an iPhone XR you're in the market for, the latest iPhone has just dropped, meaning the ever popular 2018 model will likely see some pretty impressive savings. It's worth noting that these discounts will come from retailers, rather than directly from Apple, which tends to only extend its Black Friday involvement to that of extra Apple gift cards when you make a purchase. Which is fine if you're a super-Apple fan, but not so great if you're only likely to buy one or two Apple products per year. 04. Apple MacBook Pro Oh MacBook Pro, how we wish you were cheaper It's a firm favourite among creatives, but the MacBook Pro doesn't come cheap. So it's no surprise that a load of them got snapped up last year when B&H dropped the 2017 15.4-inch model to $2,149 (from $2,799). It may not be the newest version, but the MacBook Pro 2017 is still a highly capable and powerful machine. It's rare to see big savings like this on the latest Apple products, but if you're not worried about having the most up-to-date specs, you can save an absolute packet, and grab a great bit of kit while you're at it. And the place to do so? On our dedicated best Black Friday Macbook deals post, which has all the biggest savings as and when they arrive. 05. Apple Watch We don't know about you but keeping up with what version the Apple Watch is currently on is exhausting. That said, now there are a number of models (at time of writing the most recent model is Series 5), there's quite a high chance we're going to see some good savings on older (but still highly capable) devices. If you really want to find a bargain, Series 1 and Series 2 are almost certainly going to be where it's at. But if you want the option to have GPS and Cellular connections, go for the Series 3. Keep up to date with all the biggest offers over on our best Apple Watch deals post, which will include all Black Friday savings too. See an early Black Friday Apple Watch offer on the Series 3 Watch below. 06. Apple AirPods Hold tight! You could save a packet on Apple AirPods later this year Rounding up our Apple products Black Friday review is the company's controversial AirPods. Some people love them, others think they look weird/want the headphone jack back. And the release of the AirPods Pro has been even more controversial – here's why we were pleasantly surprised by their release. Last year, the biggest discount we saw was around £20/$30, which isn't much to shout about. However, with the new improved Apple AirPods (2019) out now, plus the AirPods Pro, we're hopeful we'll see much better Black Friday AirPod deals in November (although we're not holding our breath for deals on the AirPods Pro). We'll keep you updated with any great offers that land via our dedicated best Apple AirPods deals post, so make sure to bookmark that page and check back regularly. 07. Wacom drawing tablets Will there be any Black Friday deals to be had on the new Wacom Cintiq 16? Here's hoping. It's tricky to find discounted Wacom products, which is why Black Friday 2018 was such a pleasant surprise for designers in the market for one. Various retailers dropped the price of Wacom's sought-after products, with the best Black Friday deals seeing a whopping $200-$500 knocked off the popular Cintiq Pro range. Wacom has recently released its budget Wacom Cintiq 16. It'll be interesting to see if any Black Friday deals crop up on this already affordable creative pen display. In a similar vein to Apple, it's rare for Wacom to offer discounts directly – if you want to make a saving, you're best looking at major retailers such as Amazon or Walmart. Alternatively, if you're on the hunt for a graphics tablet, but don't mind if it's not a Wacom, last year there were some great bargains on XP-Pens, so that could be one to watch out for. Better still, save yourself the hassle, bookmark our Wacom Black Friday deals page and let us do the work for you. 08. External hard drives Black Friday 2019 could help you make big savings on quality external hard drives Okay, so it's not exactly the sexiest of items, but an external hard drive can form a vital part of a designer's toolset. And, as anyone who's bought one will attest, they don't come cheap. Last year, leading manufacturer Western Digital offered some decent savings on its 'My Passport' range, which starts at around £90 for its 4TB option. We'll be keeping you up to date with any offers over on our best Black Friday external hard drives post, where you'll find all the lowest prices now and over the Black Friday period. Look out for more Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019 information and deals coming soon! View the full article

Lego is one of the best creative tools around. Not only can you use it for problem solving and prototyping, you can also free up your mind from the stresses of daily life and get stuck into a themed set of your choice (the Lego Knight Bus is a cracker for any Harry Potter fans out there). The seemingly never-ending styles and shapes that the little brick now comes means you can now build virtually anything your mind can think of, including Christmas decorations. And Lego's latest campaign is asking the world to do just that. The Build to Give initiative encourages people all over the globe to use spare Lego, either at home or in select Lego stores, to build festive ornaments and upload their creations on social media with #BuildtoGive. For every decoration shared, Lego will donate an entire set to a child in need of play. You could create a Christmas tree, a reindeer, cake, ornaments for the tree or Santa, even. Alternatively, you could think a little more outside the box and recreate the town of Bethlehem, maybe? If you're stuck for inspiration, the Build to Give web page has a number of ideas, as well as some downloadable instructions on how to build a MySweetHeart pendant (see below). Download the instructions and start building If you want to get involved, Build to Give events are taking place around the world during November and December 2019, which is free for all to join. Simply check the Lego store locator to see what's happening in your area. Read more: Introducing Lego, as you've never seen it before The Knight Bus Lego review 9 top tips for drawing in black and white View the full article

Vulnerabilities in several PC gaming products offered by Nvidia can lead to escalation of privilege, denial of service and other malicious attacks. View the full article

You're reading React and CI/CD – From 0 to Released, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook! CI/CD has become the beating heart of any software team. A well-refined CI/CD process results in a frictionless path to live. In turn, this results in smaller, simpler releases that enable teams to test out experiments, react to bugs and … View the full article

Mission-critical systems can't just be switched off to apply security updates -- so patching can take weeks if not years. View the full article

After years of unsuccessfully battling malware and bad apps in the Google Play store and on more than 2.5 billion Android devices, Google is finally doing something about it. The tech giant this week unveiled an alliance with three companies with specific expertise in endpoint security to help prevent the spread of malware on its […] View the full article

Recently, the logos of the world’s biggest brands have opted to go character-less, rather than character-full. Pinterest, Google, Uber, eBay and Microsoft have all stripped back, simplified and lost their ooomph. Indistinctive, inoffensive and strictly no fun seems to be the order of the day. But it’s no longer just an issue with logo design (to avoid any issues with yours, see this handy logo design guide). It’s branding in general. Once brands get established, risk aversion seems to drive the once-fun, opinionated and loveable start-ups down a more serious path. So why do our most successful start-ups eventually feel the need to be safe and conform? Are we just biding our time until the likes of Oatly, Monzo and Habito opt for a more buttoned-up approach to attract a global audience? Does growing up mean you have to lose a lot of what made you great in the first place? Why do brands lose their fun? Will Oatly retain its light-hearted branding? When new brands are born they have the flexibility to play. They can take risks, be light-hearted, look different and divide opinion. They’ve got little to lose, so a fresh, alternative approach helps them stand out and engage with consumers. But as brands develop they often find it harder to be fun and show their personality. They worry that it may isolate and deter potential customers. They feel the need to be seen as a safe bet, becoming more serious. And naturally the fun tails off. It’s our role as designers to try and break this predictable pattern. Yes, there are times when we have to be more subtle, but what are we here for if we can’t have fun with our work and push our clients creatively? We need to reassure our clients that they’ve built a powerful brand with that approach – why change as soon as you become successful? The same goes for the more traditionally ‘serious’ sectors. Just because you’re working in financial services and law, for example, doesn’t mean you can’t strive to be different or have fun. Designers can bring back the fun & SMITH learned how to have fun with their design At & SMITH, we’re guilty of it too. Several years ago we partnered with a firm of solicitors on their new identity. We presented what we thought was the perfect brand for a legal team: quiet, trustworthy, reassuring, corporate. It was exactly what they didn’t want. The firm had built their reputation taking on challenging cases and doing things differently and wanted a brand to match. We tried again. And failed. And again. And failed. So, we decided to start from scratch, trying to unsee and unlearn all that we knew visually about the sector. It felt like designing a funeral director’s logo in Comic Sans. It didn’t sit quite right, but we knew we had to get out of our comfort zone and have some fun. We got there in the end. The job resulted in A1-sized screen prints with personalised logos for each member of staff. And although it was difficult to stomach at the time, we realised it was real turning point in & SMITH’s development and approach to branding in general. We learned that it’s possible to have fun in a serious sector. In fact, there are brands out there actively searching for it. When you look more closely there are some brilliant examples where mainstream brands have found joy in the everyday. Take the McCafé ‘Flat what?’ advert, for example. It’s a clever piece of advertising that highlights just how difficult the simple things in life have become (like ordering a cup of coffee) and makes a joke out of it. It’s playful, lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek, but still looks and feels like McDonald’s. Why should brands try to be different? Dr Martens' branding remains opinionated and strong Today, too many brands get drawn into adopting commercially led identities rather than those rich in character. And it’s too easy for designers and brand creators to follow trends with little originality or point of difference. The brands that rise head and shoulders above the competition are those that stand for something. Being decisive makes for compelling brands, but decisive doesn’t have to be dull. It’s our job to open our clients’ eyes to the possibilities of design. There are some great brands out there that have stuck to their guns going through growth and expansion but remaining opinionated, emotional, brave, fun and different. Brands like Marmite, Virgin, Channel 4, Dr Martens. Let’s hope in years to come these brands don’t become a rare species. This article was originally published in issue 296 of Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 296 or subscribe to Computer Arts. Read more: Are trends any good for branding? 8 brands that rule at social media Where to find logo design inspiration View the full article

Art terms are a fundamental part of creating art because they summarise complicated concepts succinctly. And given that the terminology is used by course instructors and educational books across the board, it’s a good idea to get yourself familiar with them if you want to further your skills. After all, even if you’ve picked up the best pencils for artists, they can only take you so far if you don’t know how to get the most out of them. To help you learn the lingo, we’ve compiled this handy glossary which makes important art terms easy to understand. These expressions are designed to be of practical assistance to creators, so if you feel like you’ve plateaued or you need to brush up on the basic theories behind drawing and painting, there’s a good chance they can help you out of a creative rut. For more guidance, see our how to draw tutorials. Abrasion A process whereby paint is removed to reveal layers beneath the surface. Usually done via friction or scratches. Can be accidental or deliberate. Accelerated perspective A deliberate exaggeration of perspective. It is often used to make a shallow surface appear deeper than it actually is. Acrylic paint A type of paint where the pigment is suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylics are a popular medium with artists thanks to their fast drying time, bold colours and flexibility when mixed with water. Get the most out of them with our acrylic painting tips. Ambient light Light that is already present in a scene. This can include either natural or artificial light. Axis lines A straight line, either implied of visible, that runs through an object in its dominant direction. It helps to give structure to an object or composition. Background An area of a painting that appears to be furthest from the viewer. Objects in the middle ground and foreground appear closer, as if they are placed on top. Balance The arrangement of elements in a piece of art that creates a sense of visual equilibrium. Binder A paint substance which holds together the pigment and ensures that it sticks to surfaces. Also gives the paint a uniform consistency. Blending A painting technique where the transition between colours and shades appears smooth or gradual. Blocking in Painting process where the artist roughly establishes the composition and structure of the subject. It’s a popular technique with portrait artists. Body colour An opaque paint that can completely obliterate an underlying colour. Brushwork The way in which an artist applies paint to a support with a brush. Used to refer to the characteristics of the artist in question. Canvas A closely woven cloth that acts as a support for paintings. Get started with them with our beginner's guide to canvas painting. Chiaroscuro From the Italian for ‘light-dark’. Used to refer to a strong contrast between light and dark in drawings and paintings. Often used to create a sense of volume. Cityscape An image where urban scenery and buildings are the main focus. Closed composition A piece of art where everything sits comfortably inside the borders of the image. Collage From the French verb coller, meaning ‘to glue’. Used to refer to the technique and resulting piece of art where materials are fixed to a supporting surface with glue or another substance. Here’s what to consider when creating a collage. Colour The perceived hue of an object or substance. Also used to refer to a dye, pigment, or paint that imparts a hue. Become a master of colours work with our guide to colour theory. Colour wheel A circular diagram of the spectrum of colours. Useful for artists because it shows how the relationships between primary, secondary and tertiary colours. Combine A painting that works various objects into the surface material. Complementary colours A pair of colours which cancel each other out when mixed together. They are situated opposite one another on the colour wheel. Composition The arrangement of visual elements as distinct from the subject in a piece of art. It means ‘putting together’ and can be used in visual arts as well as music, writing and photography. Contour From the French for ‘outline’, this refers to the technique where an artist draws a line that defines a form or edge. As its word origin suggests, it creates an outline of the subject. Convergence Refers to linear perspective in a drawing or painting. It’s the phenomena whereby all parallel lines converge together as they run along to a point at a person’s eye level. Cross-hatching A mark-making process where lines that run in different directions are layered on top of each other to provide the illusion of shade. Depth The apparent distance from the foreground to background, or near to far, in a work of art. Diptych A piece of art, usually a painting, made on two panels that are traditionally attached by a hinge. Doodle A loose, fun drawing that often has little regard for accuracy. Usually completed while the artist’s attention is elsewhere. Check out some of our favourite examples of doodle art. Elevation A drawing of the front, side and rear of a structure. Usually used in architecture and scale drawings. Figure drawing The depiction of the human body in art. Master how to draw the human body with this guide to figure drawing. Focal point The area of a piece of art that is designed to draw the viewer’s attention. Foreground Visual elements in a drawing or painting that are positioned nearest to the viewer in terms of depth. These elements appear on top of the middle ground and background. Foreshortening A technique used in perspective drawing to create the illusion that an object, usually parts of the human body, recede strongly into the distance or background. Frottage A technique where textures are obtained by rubbing pencils, chalk or charcoal over a granular or relieflike surface. Geometric A piece of art made out of geometric shapes. Gesture A quick drawing that captures the most basic elements of the subject. Gouache A water-soluble paint that appears opaque on the support. Dries quickly and can be reactivated when mixed with water. This guide teaches you how to paint with gouache. Hardboard A uniform and stable surface for painting. It doesn’t have a grain which makes it easier to prime. Hard-edge A painting technique where the transitions between colours are abrupt. The opposite of blending. Horizon line A horizontal line that runs across a page or canvas that represents the viewer’s eye-level, or to represent where the sky meets the ground. Hue The actual colour of something. Often referred to as a colour, but hue is more technically correct. Illusion When a piece of art tricks the eye into perceiving a particular effect. For some amazing examples, check out our collection of the best trompe l’oeil art. Impasto A painting technique where paints are laid down on the support in very thick layers. Often, brush marks or palette strokes are still visible. Landscape A piece of art that focuses on natural scenery such as mountains, forests and coasts. Line drawing A fundamental type of mark making made up of a stroke of a pencil, pen or a brush. Consists of straight or curved lines. Used to represent shape and form. Linear perspective A technique where the illusion of depth is created on a flat surface. Medium The materials that are used to create a piece of art. Middle ground The central elements of a painting in terms of depth. Sandwiched between the foreground and background. Mixed media A piece of art made up of multiple mediums. Monochrome A painting created using only one colour or hue. Negative space The empty space between objects and structures in a piece of art. Can be used by artists to more accurately define the form of the subject. See how these brilliant examples of negative space make an impact. Oil paint A paint where the pigment is held in a drying oil binder. Oil paint is usually slow to dry. Paint Coloured substance which is spread over a support with tools including a brush and palette. Made up of pigment and binder. Get the most out of paints by choosing the right brush. Palette A surface on which an artist mixes colours. Palette knife A blunt plastic or metal blade which is used to mix colours and spread them on a support. Pastel Solid art medium in the shape of a stick. Made up of pure powdered pigments and binder. Supplied in soft, pan and hard varieties. Artists can choose from oil and water-soluble pastels. This guide shows you how to get started with pastel art. Perspective A technique for creating the illusion of three dimensions on a two dimensional surface. A crucial method to master for drawing realistic pictures. Start learning perspective basics with this guide to one point perspective. Pigment The colouring component of art mediums such as paint and pastels, as opposed to the binding agent. Plane A flat surface within a painting, picture or sculpture. Also used to refer to the flat surface on which a picture is created. Portrait A piece of art where the facial features of the subject are the focus. Also used to refer to a vertical orientation, as opposed to a landscape picture. These simple steps show you how to draw a face. Pose The position of the subject in a piece of art. Often in reference to the stance of a human model. Profile A side view of a subject, usually the human head. Proportion The harmonious relationship of parts to each other or to the whole. Representation The visual interpretation of a subject. Scale The ratio between the size of the subject and its artistic representation. Sfumato From the Italian for ‘smoke’. A painting technique that softens the transition between two colours and tones in such a way that they appear to melt into one another. Shade In colour theory, shade is a pure colour with black added (and not white or grey). Sketch A rough or unfinished drawing or painting of a subject. Usually completed to aid the creation of a more thorough study. Make your mark with these sketching tips. Soft edge When the boundaries of a subject in a painting appear to fade into the background. The opposite of a hard edge. Still life An artistic study, either a drawing or painting, of either natural or man-made objects, or both. This guide shows you how to paint expressive still life images. Stylised The representation of a subject that conforms to the rules of a certain style, as opposed to a natural depiction. Subject The primary focus of a piece of art, such as a building, human or object. Tempera A paint in which the pigment is held in a water-soluble binder. Also used to refer to a painting completed in this medium. Tint When white is introduced to a colour to make it appear brighter. The opposite of shade. Tone The intensity and strength of colours in a piece of art. Triptych A painting completed on three separate panels, or three paintings on different supports that are thematically linked. Value The relative lightness or darkness of colour. The highest value will be white, and the lowest value will be black. Vantage point The position of the viewer in relation to the subject they are representing. Vanishing point A point of disappearance in perspective drawings. At this point, receding parallel lines appear to converge. Volume The representation of mass in a piece of art. Watercolour Art medium where the pigment is held in a water-soluble solution. Also used to refer to pictures completed with these substances. Read more: The best art easels in 2019 Should I go to art school? How to create pinup art View the full article