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A year can feel like a lifetime in the world of tech. In 2018 alone, traditional desktop PCs saw their dominance tested by the superlative power of tablet computers, while second-generation input devices took interaction with digital canvases to a new level. Monitors reached connectivity and resolution heights to accommodate surges in graphics power and innovations in the AR and VR space opened up novel yet CPU-intensive avenues for creativity. But with all this going on, what has been the standout tech for creative professionals in the last 12 months? Whether you want to upgrade your set-up with a game-changing accessory, or aim to take your creativity in a new direction entirely with a new workstation, keep reading to find out what got our attention on the market in 2018. Apple's latest 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models have adopted the signature slim-bezel design of the company's flagship smartphones, with stunning results. Both tablets feature crisp edge-to-edge displays twinned with an integrated TrueDepth camera, enabling Face ID authentication in lieu of a home button (plus there's no notch). But that's not all. Thanks to Apple's A12X Bionic processor, these models are also stunningly fast, able to reach speeds that would leave many PCs behind. Additionally, Apple has had the foresight to replace the Lightning Port with USB-C, which opens the device to a world of creative connectivity, including 4K/5K displays, cameras, and more. Also read: The best cheap iPad deals in 2018 If Thunderbolt 3 is the future of connectivity, OWC has ensured that its new dock for Windows and Mac won't be beaten when it comes to the sheer number of connections a single cable can carry. The slim box weighs only 1.2 pounds, but somehow OWC has packed in 2x Thunderbolt 3 ports, 5x USB-A ports (2x faster charging), 1x USB-C Gen 2 port, a microSD card slot, an SD card slot, digital audio output, 1x Mini DisplayPort, S/PDIF output, 3.5mm audio ports, and Gigabit Ethernet. It's capable of connecting up to five additional Thunderbolt devices, including two 4K displays or one 5K display, and with 85 watts of output, it can even power a 15-inch MacBook Pro. Also read: The 8 best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac and PC users Curved TVs have a dubious rationale, but curved monitors like this one from Samsung are a different matter entirely, in the way they envelope the viewer in their workspace. Samsung's C34J791 is also the first curved monitor to include Thunderbolt 3 connectivity alongside the usual USB 3.0, DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, so you can plug just about anything into it. The monitor's 3440 x 1440 resolution and 16:9 aspect is a boon for productivity and creative tasks that require several windows open at the same time, while the 3,000:1 contrast ratio and 300 cd/m² brightness rating ensure crisp consistency across the Vertical Alignment (VA) panel. Combine that with a 100Hz refresh rate and a 4ms response time, and it's also ready for demanding motion graphics applications. Apple's latest stylus is smaller and lighter than the original Apple Pencil, but not without new features. The redesign is partly thanks to the decision to drop the Lightning connector in favour a magnetic function that allows the Pencil to snap smartly onto the top of new the iPad Pro models for pairing, charging, and storage. Another advantage of the new snap-on function is that the Pencil now has a flat side where it connects, so the stylus is less likely to roll off the table. Lastly, new gestures have also been added – for example, users can now switch between app tools with a quick double tap. The original Surface Studio raised the eyebrows of many Mac-using creative professionals in 2016, and Microsoft looks bent on converting as many Apple fans as it can with this follow-up model of its all-in-one creative PC. It looks the same on the outside, but updated internal components and a brighter, higher contrast 28-inch display make for a much better overall experience. The Studio 2 can be configured to include up to GeForce GTX 1070 graphics with 8GB GDDR5 memory, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and as much as 2TB of solid-state storage. The only disappointment is the slightly underwhelming seventh-generation Intel Core i7 mobile processor. The best Microsoft Surface deals right now Wacom has super-sized its popular Cintiq Pro for creatives looking for the largest possible high-definition pen display. This new 32-inch version recently received the prestigious Red Dot Award for product design, and with the scale of the workspace on offer, it's easy to see why. The display's 4K resolution boasts 98 percent Adobe RGB colour accuracy and support for a billion colours to deliver a true-to-life experience, while the etched glass surface – combined with new Pro Pen 2 technology – ensures the pen-on-screen experience has also been improved. Also read: The best drawing tablets right now With the introduction of Thunderbolt 3, Apple opened up the Mac to a new world of connectivity, including the ability to accelerate graphics performance with powerful external GPUs. Designed in collaboration with Apple, this second-generation Blackmagic eGPU unit promises to provide the extra oomph needed to boost pro creative software like DaVinci Resolve and VR editing apps. The case houses an AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics card offering 22 times the graphics performance of a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and is well protected by a unique thermal cooling system that's designed to perfectly balance the airflow and dissipate heat efficiently. It also boasts its own veritable hub of outputs, including 2x TB3 ports, 1x HDMI 2.0 port, 1x DisplayPort with support for 5K displays, and four USB 3.1 connections. While creative tools like Gravity Sketch are helping to open up the world of virtual reality to designers, VR headsets like the Vive Pro are allowing them to access their creations in even richer detail. The premium Vive not only has built-in headphones and outputs a better picture than the standard model, its motion-tracking base station sensors have a wider field of vision, letting users create up to a 20-by-20 foot VR space in which to experience their projects. This Thunderbolt 3 display may not be a true 5K display (it only has 5K resolution on the horizontal x-axis), but coming from a 4K or lesser resolution display, it's still a fantastic upgrade. The LG 34WK95U boasts a crystal clear nano IPS panel and a wide 21:9 aspect ratio with a native resolution of 5120 by 2160. It also features enhanced wide colour support, thanks to 98 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space, and a maximum brightness of 450 nits. Microsoft has built on its dominance of the two-in-one PC market with this sixth-generation Surface, which features a slick black finish and a big boost in battery life over the previous model to ensure it can handle a full day's work. The Intel 8th-gen quad-core processor inside provides plenty of horsepower for demanding design work, and its vivid 12.3-inch 2,736 x 1,824 resolution display make colours look great. It might not be a revolutionary update, but the Surface Pro 6 is still the best 2-in-1 PC you can buy. Blackmagic specialises in portable cinema cameras, and while you'd struggle to get this one in your pocket, it's still an extremely compact unit, being no bigger than a standard SLR. It's capable of shooting both RAW and ProRes HQ in 4K DCI 60P, and the body features several useful connections including headphone and 3.5mm audio jacks, USB-C for an SSD, a HDMI 1.4 port, and a Mini XLR with Phantom power. The camera doesn't have a viewfinder, but there's a five-inch 1080p touchscreen on the back for sizing up your video, which can be captured at up to an impressive 120 frames per second. You also get the full version of DaVinci Resolve Studio 15 included in the price. If repetitive strain injury has blighted your creative projects, Logitech's latest mouse could be the solution. It sits at a 57-degree angle off the desk for an almost vertical mouse orientation. The ergonomic design of the MX Vertical is meant to reduce muscular activity and strain by up to 10 percent compared to a typical mouse, while its sensor supports up to 4,000 DPI, making small movements more accurate. A button on top of the MX Vertical lets you adjust DPI on the fly, and the mouse also supports Logitech’s Flow software, making it simple to use it with multiple devices. Creatives looking for a well-designed workstation-class laptop will find lots to appreciate in the P1, Lenovo's thinnest-and-lightest ever ThinkPad. The sleek dark oil-resistant chassis houses Thunderbolt 3 ports, a large glass trackpad and a 4K touchscreen display with 10-bit colour and 100 percent Adobe RGB output. The internals are just as impressive, with options including Intel Xeon quad- and six-core processors and up to 64GB of RAM. Despite that power under the hood, the P1 runs at a quiet 40dB, so you should be able to hear the built-in Alexa voice assistant just fine. The Surface Pro 4 was introduced back in October 2015 and has been superseded by the Surface Pro, which offers support for the Surface Dial right out of the box. Microsoft has long promised the earlier tablet PC would eventually support the Surface Dial. That was almost a year ago, so this update is definitely worth shouting about. For £76, now SP4 owners can finally dial into the onscreen creative action, controlling radial menus and selecting functions more intuitively. Looking to marry a monitor or two to a brand new Apple Mac? Then consider one of StarTech's freshly launched bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 Mini Docking Stations with additional Ethernet and USB connectivity. The dual HDMI dock supports two HDMI monitors running in 4K resolution, whereas the DisplayPort version can power two 4K DisplayPort monitors or one 5K monitor. Best of all, there's no need for a separate power cord because the included Thunderbolt 3 cable supplies all the charge your monitors need. HP has announced the highest spec tablet PC on the market to run Google's Chrome OS, which now supports Android versions of several Adobe creative apps. For $600, the Chromebook x2 comes with a 12.3-inch 2400x1600 display and a bundled keyboard cover and pen stylus. That pits it squarely against Apple's iPad Pro, but at a price point that's more forgiving on the wallet. The Chromebook x2 offers 10.5 hours of battery life, sports a Kaby Lake Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM (upgradeable to 8GB), 32GB of storage, stereo speakers and both front and rear cameras. There's also two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and a microSD slot thrown in. Another entry for Wacom, after it refreshed its Intuos Pen tablet range, intended for beginners pursuing digital illustration before they move on to the company's more expensive Intuos Pro and Cintiq models (see above). The new small- ($99) and medium-sized ($199) Wacom tablets are lighter to carry and feature a smaller footprint than their predecessors, but the active tablet area hasn't changed, measuring 6 by 3.7 inches and 8.5 by 5.3 inches, respectively. The pressure sensitivity also boasts an improved 4,096 levels when used with the new Wacom Pen 4K stylus, which is said to have a more ergonomic design, a slightly increased weight and a better grip than the earlier model. Also read: The best laptops for graphic design Top 4K monitors for creatives The best computer for video editing View the full article

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This great Boxing Day deal at Amazon slashes a third from the price of Wacom’s popular 2018 Intuos pen tablet. That means that right now you can grab a medium-sized new Intuos for just £109.99, instead of the usual £167.35 – that’s a healthy saving of £57.36. The Intuos 2018 is the newest model in Wacom’s entry-level lineup of pen tablets. It’s best-suited to beginner-level digital artists, or pro users who don't want to lug around their Intuos Pro and are looking for a travel-friendly additional model for on the move. The best drawing tablets right now This Boxing Day deal matches the best price on the Intuos 2018 we saw over Black Friday, and we don’t expect the price to drop any lower in the foreseeable future. It’s one of the best drawing tablets for beginners you can get – and at this price it's excellent value. This Intuos tablet is equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity and compatible with Windows 7 (or higher) and OS X 10.11 (or higher). You’ll get a medium Wacom Intuos Pen Tablet tablet in the box with a a 4K battery-free pen and USB cable. And you can choose one free downloadable software option: Corel Painter Essentials 6, Corel Aftershot or Clip Studio Paint Pro. Also read: The best drawing tablets right now The best drawing tablet for kids View the full article

If you’re the owner of a brand new Windows PC – or a new MacOS, iOS or Android device – this brilliant Boxing day deal on antivirus software will be of interest. Right now, you can save 50% on Bitdefender’s antivirus software packages. That means you can buy a year’s worth of protection from Bitdefender – our best antivirus software provider – for just $29.99 (usually $59.99), or £19.99 (usually £39.99) in the UK. Bargain. As you'll see below, there are three products on offer: Bitdefender Antivirus Plus (basic); Bitdefender Total Security (complete); and Bitdefender Internet Security (advanced. 8 best external hard drives and SSDs for PC and Mac Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019 is our top pick – it's the basic option, but it’s crammed with high-end features and functionality. In fact, you get more than some of the competition offer in their full security suites, from accurate antivirus, a password manager and web filtering through to multi-layered ransomware protection and a lot more. But it’s also very easy to use, and for the most part you can leave it to handle everything itself. It’s only for Windows devices, though. If you need Mac OS, iOS or Android protection – or you have more than three devices to – Bitdefender Total Security is worth looking into. Either way, with a massive 50% off right now, these antivirus software deals are worth taking a look at this Boxing Day. Also read: The best antivirus software for 2019 The best free graphic design software The best USB flash storage for creatives View the full article

Are you a social media guru? Do you post, tweet, and stream like nobody's business? With the right training, you could be the perfect candidate to enter the social media marketing field. This lucrative field is growing every day, and whether you want to build your own brand or help a company build theirs, The Social Media Marketing Master Class Bundle can give you the coaching you need. Learn how to turn followers into revenue, and find out how to navigate different social media platforms in the most effective way. You'll also earn certifications of completion to prove your skills to employers. Check out The Social Media Marketing Master Class Bundle for just $29. Related articles: 5 ways (not) to lose followers on social media Social media for artists: A lifeline or a curse? 5 golden rules for social media strategy View the full article

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The best iPad accessories for your favourite tablet are here to help you make the experience even better. From keyboard cases that protect your iPad and make it a mobile workstation to speakers and headphones to help make your tablet experience even more immersive – we've got the lot. This guide has picked the best options from all the iPad accessory categories you can think of and has them laid out clearly below. With all the work done, all you need to do is decide which iPad accessory will get you the best out of your iPad this year. Being the official Apple stylus, the Pencil is near perfect for the job. It magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro and charges wirelessly while there. The Pencil features a double tap sensor that allows you to switch pen styles easily. This is also both pressure and tilt sensitive so can be used more like a real pen. So increase pressure for thicker lines or tilt for shading, all while leaning your hand on the screen without marking your work. The Adonit Jot Pro is a great stylus to save you some money while still keeping enough style to look good even when paired with the design perfection that is Apple's iPad. A magnetic core allows this to clip to your iPad while the precision head with clear plastic jot dot allows for super levels of accuracy where you see exactly what you're pressing against. Of course at this price you sacrifice all the smart extras like pressure sensitivity and tilt support. This is a super budget stylus option that works on all iPad devices. The Griffin Balanced Stylus Pointer, as the name suggests, is a simple way to get more control over drawing, writing and annotating on an iPad. Since its passive, it'll work on most touchscreens, doesn't require charging or connecting and even comes with a handy clip so you don't lose it. Griffin is a well known brand that is able to offer this quality stylus for a silly cheap price. If you want most of the features of the Apple Pencil but can't justify the expense then the Logitech Crayon is a good alternative. This still offers the tilt sensor and palm recognition of the Pencil. This pairs instantly when turned on and features an anti-roll shape so can be left down easily. You lose the pressure sensing and tap features of the Pencil but then you save a lot of money too. The official Apple Smart Keyboard for 10.5-inch iPad Pro is one of the best ways to turn your iPad into a laptop. You get Apple quality design and build meaning top quality keys for typing as well as a luxurious finish to the case itself. Everything attaches easily thanks to the Apple Smart Connector and the case is both thick enough to offer protection but slim enough to stay mobile. When it comes to keyboards, Logitech has been in the game for nearly as long as it has existed. That's just one of the reasons this Logitech Slim Folio Case with Keyboard is sold officially on the Apple Store. Bluetooth LE connectivity, complete iPad protection, dedicated iOS shortcut buttons, a stand mode plus a staggering four year battery life make this a winner at that low price. The Brydge 9.7 is aptly named as it aims to bridge the gap between tablet and laptop. Using its Bluetooth connected keyboard it offers a MacBook style experience with an iPad. You get a full QWERTY keyboard with dedicated iOS shortcuts, high-grade aluminium build, 3-level backlit keys and a lifetime warranty. The iPad Smart Cover is the original and accessory defining product which made tablet cases such a necessity. This not only protects the tablet display with a thin yet strong polyurethane and microfibre build, but it also acts as a stand when folded back. The case also features a magnetic connection to hold to the iPad which allows for smart awakening and sleep when opened and closed. The Griffin Survivor is a superb way to make sure your iPad stays protected. Yes this isn't the most sleek or attractive case but then it can go all the places a pretty case would be left dishevelled and your iPad broken. This is great for those with children or who lead hectic lives where the iPad is thrown in and out of bags travelling all over. This is US Department of Defense level safe too. The MoKo Case Fit for iPad 9.7 is a truly astonishing balance of super low price and multiple features combined. This offers the auto wake and sleep magnetic flip case of the official Flip Cover but also adds rear side protection with heat dissipating materials to avoid overheating. There is also shock absorption for drops and a screen protector to evade scratches. A superb feature set for the low price. The official Apple AirPods have been designed from scratch to offer the ultimate wireless audio experience with an Apple device. That means a simple tap to connect and then automatic recognition when you pop them in your ears. A tap gets you Siri for voice controls without the need to touch your iPad. You get a 24-hour battery with charges from the case plus decent audio for music and voice. The Bose QuietComfort 35 ii headphones offer a fantastic way to drown out the world around you with active noise cancellation while giving wireless connectivity and decent battery life. These are ideal for travelling or at home where background noise can affect concentration. The comfort levels are high meaning they can be worn for a long time without being noticed – the perfect flight companion. If you want to go for more subtle in-earphones but wish to stay wireless and on a budget then the Soundcore Spirit Sports are a great option. These sweat and rain resistant buds offer up to eight hours of listening before they need a charge. That makes them not only useful at home with your iPad but also great to head out the door for a run with your iPhone, getting you even more for that affordable price. The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ is a powerful yet portable Bluetooth speaker that offers 360-degree sound to fill most rooms. This even comes with Siri support allowing for easy voice controls via your connected iPad. The battery should keep going for 16-hours while the IPX4 rating means splash and dust resistance to set your mind at ease as you enjoy the high-quality sound. Sonos started the multi-room speaker revolution and is still leading the way with quality products like the Sonos One. This allows you to connect using your iPad to control the speaker, or any other Sonos speaker in the home, using AirPlay for super simple access. It also supports Siri voice controls and allows you to use two speakers for stereo sound. Sony quality sound on a budget. This Sony SRS XB-10 portable and affordable Bluetooth speaker will work with any iPad to offer decent bass for the size and enough audio punch fill most rooms. The battery life is an impressive 16-hours and with IPX5 water and dust resistance you can take it pretty much anywhere you need to go. Despite the name, the Joby GripTight GorillaPod Stand Pro actually fits lots of different iPad types. Thanks to its malleable legs it can be manipulated to hold the tablet at varying heights and angles, ideal for watching video or thanks to side-on tilting, FaceTime chatting. The rubber feet hold the unit in place and you can even wrap it around a chair back or pole, for example, to get it in place where you need. The Logi Base Charging Stand for iPad is a typical Apple style design that uses metallic minimalism at its best. The slither of a stand not only looks good and solid but also uses the Smart Connector for easy attachment and charging of the iPad Pro. The iPad can be placed in portrait or landscape mode for use as a video player, work station or even FaceTime video chat interface. The Anker Portable Multi-Angle Stand works with most iPads as well as a host of smartphones including the iPhone. This stand offers support for portrait and landscape viewing and can be titled to offer the perfect viewing angle. While this is great for videos and FaceTime, you won't have any cable hiding or charging support, but at this price would you expect to? Read more: The best laptop bags for 2019: top laptop backpacks, sleeves and cases The best cheap iPad deals in 2018 The best iPad stylus in 2018: top iPad styluses for drawing and note-taking View the full article

For this workshop I’m going to create an interior background featuring line art and a textured paint style. I want to set myself up for success by doing lots of planning in the early stages of the painting process. I start by seeking out plenty of reference and inspiration. Once I have a simple idea of the story, I’ll do a drawing of the environment, featuring as many props and details as I can bring to mind. The goal during this stage is to be able to imagine what kind of person lives in this room. I then create several black and white compositions that explore different ways of lighting the image. At the same time, I’ll create various colour keys of the image. Even though I spend a good deal of time preparing and planning the piece, I want to keep my options open. I know that I have the chance to change my mind and improvise my approach as I go. This enables me to keep the energy high throughout the entire painting process, means I can switch up my painting techniques and ensures that I won’t get bored and quit halfway through! You can watch the video above, and continue on to read the step-by-step process. Download your custom brushes here. Not quite what you were looking for? You might want to check out our other Photoshop tutorials. 01. Start from nothing Try to stick to one clear idea at the start of your process When I start a painting, I try and pick one simple idea. This takes the pressure off me to think of something amazing right from the start. I want to paint an interior shot of an office with lots of props. At this point, I’ll spend lots of time researching and quickly sketching ideas in Photoshop to spark my imagination. 02. Establish a story Think about what subject interests you most, and don't be afraid to reflect elements of yourself in your work I start to hone in on what makes the subject matter interesting to me. I decide to turn the office into an artist’s studio because – perhaps unsurprisingly – I can relate more to that subject matter. At this stage I’m focusing on large shapes and the overall feel of the drawing, rather than getting bogged down in the details. 03. Experiment with lighting Decide on lighting ideas early on if you can I tend to do lots of prep work for a painting. These lighting options provide a safety net so that I won’t get stuck later on in the process. Composition, lighting and colour are so intertwined that I like to make these decisions early, knowing that I’ll change things up as I go. 04. Refine the composition Expanding your frame and thinking about key framing devices can help improve your work At this point the image feels as though it lacks depth, so I expand the frame to show more of the room. I try adding a large window before ruling that out, and eventually settling on a staircase as a framing device. There’s lots of experimentation in the early stages of a painting – but that’s all part of the fun. 05. Consider the perspective of the scene Drawing lines and cubes on your work can help you 'get perspective' on your piece Perspective can be a daunting task, but with practice it can become second nature. For this image the perspective is relatively simple: it’s one-point perspective with a horizon line in the middle of the image. To avoid becoming overwhelmed by the complexity of this image, I lay in main shapes as cubes and then build around them. 06. Create lighting and colour keys Force yourself to stick to key ideas by using opaque brushes When creating my colour comps I like to infuse them with energy, making as many as I need in five minutes. I avoid using transparency when painting colour comps, opting instead for a hard Round 100 per cent Opacity brush, so I’m not tempted to start painting details. 07. Produce a clean line drawing I transfer my Photoshop file to my iPad and open it in Procreate. At this stage I like to take a step back and have fun. Time to really let loose and allow my personality to shine through the drawing! I make sure not to trace the sketch, but to improve on it, fix perspective errors, and add more personality and detail. 08. Lay down a base An energetic base will help the final painting have more energy I want to create a base to paint on so I don’t have to stare at a white canvas. It doesn’t matter what kind of brush or texture at this point, I’m just trying to start the final painting process with lots of energy, to make sure I don’t end up with a stale-looking image. 09. Block in major shapes Adding the main shapes at this point helps with the next steps I block in my shapes with what I consider would be their local colour and value without any lighting effects added. I can paint those in later. What I need now is for the main shapes to be there so I can paint into them later. This little bit of prep work will enable me to jump around different parts of the image with ease. 10. Take in Color Dynamics The Color Dynamics tool speeds things up One great tool in Photoshop is Color Dynamics. I like to have this turned on with most of my brushes, although I rarely turn any of the sliders past 10 per cent because it can get garish. It generates a subtle colour variation that would take too long to paint by hand. 11. Paint with light and colour Once the main shapes are laid in, I can start to light the image. Using my colour key as a guide I make my way around the painting, adding a light and shadow side to all objects, I consider the local colour of the object, as well as the temperature and colour of the light that’s affecting it. 12. Keep your value groups consistent Always check you're not straying too far from your original idea I create a layer filled with black and set the blend mode to Color. This enables me to check that I’m not straying from my initial value comp as I add colours. It can be easy for an image with this much complexity to lose focus if I allow the colours to take precedence over the value. 13. Colour the lines Coloured lines add depth to a piece To give my image an extra bit of depth at the end I go through and colour the lines, My goal is to integrate the lines into the image so that it feels like they belong. In my experience, having an all-black line drawing on top of a colourful painting will flatten it out. Bonus tip: take lots of breaks One thing that demos can’t convey is time. Generally, when I’m painting I’ll work in small chunks – 20 minutes to an hour, say. I find that when I stare at the image for too long I can become blind to the mistakes I may have made. Overall, I spend about 13 hours on this interior scene. This article originally appeared in issue 165 of ImagineFX, the world's leading magazine for digital artists; subscribe here. Read more: How to remove a background in Photoshop Designers are NOT happy with this Photoshop update A comprehensive guide to Photoshop blend modes View the full article

Want to become an animator? Animation is a powerful storytelling tool – just take a look at the much-loved films from Pixar and DreamWorks. To launch a career in this creative field, check out The Complete Beginner's Guide to Animation Bundle. You'll learn to use crucial software from Adobe Creative Cloud – Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere Pro – that every animator worth his or her salt needs to know how to utilise. Discover the tricks of the trade, and you'll be well on your way to creating animated stories. For just $24.99, you can get The Complete Beginner's Guide to Animation Bundle. That's 95% off the regular price! Related articles: 17 expert storyboard tips for TV animation The best online animation classes in 2018 Perfect your animation portfolio with these tips View the full article

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The explosion of AR, VR and AI has certainly opened new doors for UX and UI designers. These technological developments encourage designers to develop more lush, engaging experiences while at the same time challenging them to rethink their creative approach. However, while these innovations have given designers exciting new spaces in which to hone and showcase their craft, successful UX/UI design at its core continues to be driven by a compelling narrative. In this article, we'll consider the UI themes that dominated in 2018, and what will be key for designers to focus on as we move into the new year. 01. Colourful, effervescent design A vibrant colour palette brings this Adobe experience to life The strongest, most appealing way in which UX/UI storytelling is being rendered is through the use of bold, vibrant colour. High saturation and use of neon-like colour palettes create so much positive energy, which you can truly feel in digital efforts like Running on Experience. In this simple but striking, scrolling journey, Adobe uses video to tell a linear story about digital transformation. The whole thing is beautifully handled, but what’s really captivating is strong use of typography and the gorgeous colour spectrum on display. 02. Less flat design Orano combines 3D, parallax and subtle micro-interactions in this captivating experience Along with a focus on vibrance, flat UX/UI design is once again trending down and giving way to a renewed interest in the creation of more layered, immersive web experiences, from the use of drop-shadows to image depth of field. To promote its gamma radiation-detecting NanoPix camera, for example, the renewable energy specialists at Orano unveiled a multi-tiered experience complete with a mix of clean graphic design and 3D, parallax scrolling and subtle, intuitive micro-interactions that all seamlessly combine to create a wonderful storytelling experience. 03. Heightened hi-fidelity prototyping Tools like Cinemagraph Pro streamline the path to proof of concept The UX/UI design tools of digital storytelling are now being amplified by apps like Cinemagraph Pro, Pixaloop, VSCO and Canva, which streamline the path to proof-of-concept, compared to more complex traditional design tools such as Photoshop or After Effects. But as we head into 2019, we're exploring more tools like InVision Studio, which can be used to develop more high-fidelity prototypes to better sell a user experience to our clients. One of the main purposes of prototyping is to do with validating the proposed user experience. These tools can help designers create something high-fidelity in a similar amount of time as standard UX/UI development, and ultimately provide a more effective way to walk clients through an interactive experience. 04. Increased adaptability Shifts such as the rise of voice interfaces have transformed the role of the designer Like any other industry, be it music, film or fashion, cycles in UX/UI design happen because of oversaturation. At some point everything begins to look and sound the same. The downward trend of flat design, for instance, is just part of the cyclical nature of the field. Because of this consistent ebb and flow, UX/UI designers need to acknowledge that the key for the industry’s survival is adaptability – especially with the emergence of AR, VR and AI. The latter, in fact, has already made a noticeable impact on society, from controlling and managing our smart homes and driving our cars to making financial recommendations – not to mention the effect that the technology has had on the work of UX/UI designers. Though AI has yet to completely take over our responsibilities in UX/UI, what this tool and other innovations should teach designers is that they need to learn to adapt and adjust their skill sets as new tech emerges and design styles shift. While the fundamentals of graphic design will still apply to UX/UI, the tools will certainly advance. And as more companies develop specific tools for designers and developers, we need to be open to leveraging them appropriately – before of course, we eventually move onto something else entirely. Liked this? Try these... 7 hot web trends for 2019 How to build an AR app Build cross-platform apps with React Native View the full article

Alaska is famous for the Northern Lights, and a favoured destination for anyone looking for the aurora borealis in North America. However, Alaska is wild. It’s remote. It’s hard to get to. And it's hard to get around – especially in winter. Weather can be unpredictable, and transport too, so make sure you have travel insurance for all trips you book during the winter in Alaska. Although you can rent a car, conditions are best described as extreme, and many companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven to the far north; check the conditions before signing any rental agreement. It’s also very cold in winter (as low as -30°F/-34°C). The best astrophotography camera and equipment So should you visit Alaska to see the Northern Lights? Alaska is often visited on cruises, though unless you’re going at the end of the cruise season, around September (when Northern Lights season kicks-off), you’re probably not going to see them from the water. So wrap up well, be prepared to get up in the middle of the night, and get yourself to northern inland Alaska in September or March. That’s when the aurora can be at their strongest, but means you'll miss the extreme conditions of midwinter. You'll also get a better chance to see wildlife. Make sure you avoid full moon, too – plus a week either side. And plan to be in Alaska for a week or two, if you really want a decent chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Here’s where to go. Situated at 64° N about 180 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the Northern Lights are common in Fairbanks, though less so than in Alaska’s far north. A former gold rush boomtown, Fairbanks may not be the absolute best place in Alaska to see aurora frequently, but it’s so easy to get here by plane, and there are dozens of places to stay. Good observations spots nearby include Cleary Summit, Chena Lakes Recreation Area (see below), Haystack Mountain, Ester, Wickersham and Murphy Domes. You can get to some of those places on guided tours at night operated by local companies, or rent a 4x4. How to get there Alaska Airlines fly from Anchorage, which is by far the easiest way of getting to Fairbanks. However, you can also get there by train; the Alaska Railroad operates its Aurora Winter Trains on weekends. It travels north from Anchorage for 12 hours on Saturday and returns on Sunday. It also operates during mid-week in December, January, February and March. The drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks takes about seven hours. Where to stay Out in the wilderness but spitting distance from Fairbanks, Chena Lake Recreation Area is a popular place to come looking for the Northern Lights. A common tactic is to drive round the lake to the jetty, park your car, and view the Northern Lights from the lake shore. By day you can rent ice-fishing houses and fish for Rainbow Trout, Silver Salmon, and Arctic Char through pre-drilled ice holes. There are also cross-country ski trails here. How to get there Chena Lakes is only 55 miles east of Fairbanks. It can be driven in 30 minutes, though the only accommodation option near the lake – Chena Hot Springs Resort – runs a shuttle from Fairbanks International Airport. Where to stay If you want to find somewhere beautiful to photograph the Northern Lights, consider Denali National Park. Although it's some distance south of Fairbanks, this wilderness of six million acres is northerly enough for the Northern Lights to be spotted (though it’s not a nightly occurrence). However, the lodges on the outskirts of this national park are well set up for aurora viewing, and many of them will ring an alarm or arrange a wake-up call when the aurora do appear. Most easily reached by train, Denali National Park is home to sheep, grizzly bear, caribou, moose and the tallest mountain in North America, Mt. Denali. That’s one for the backdrop to your aurora photos. This area is best visited in September, when the aurora season has started, but the extreme conditions have not set-in. How to get there You can get here by train; it’s an eight-hour journey north from Anchorage, and only four hours south of Fairbanks. It is possible to drive here, and it's easy to rent a car at Anchorage Airport, though most people do take the train (most hotels here offer shuttle services between the railway station, the visitor centre, and the hotels). You cannot drive your car very far into the national park, so again, shuttle buses take most people in and out. There is no airport at Denali National Park. Where to stay Here at almost 68° N is the beginning of a vast Arctic tundra landscape. It’s wild, so wild, that to get here and immerse yourself in the wilderness is an expensive affair. Protecting the Brooks Range, the Gates of the Arctic National Park is the northernmost national park in the US, situated entirely north of the Arctic Circle. Coldfoot is the point of entry, either by plane to its small airport, or by road up the Dalton Highway. How to get there The ex-mining camp of Coldfoot is very often reached by air as part of a luxury wilderness package that involves a stay at either Coldfoot Camp or Iniakuk Wilderness Lodge. Some packages will put you in a van to drive up the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot; it takes about six hours from Fairbanks. Coldfoot is 250 miles north of Fairbanks, and 60 miles above the Arctic Circle. Where to stay Ever wondered where the Ice Road Truckers are going? The answer is Prudhoe Bay (also called Sagavanirktok), a region on the coast of the Arctic Ocean that’s also the centre of the Alaskan oil industry. The main town, Deadhorse, is home to around 2,000 people – mostly transient oil workers – and the town is more industrial work camp than tourist destination. There are only a few (trucker accommodation) places to stay in Deadhorse – the Prudhoe Bay Hotel and The Aurora Hotel – though access is restricted to oilfield workers and tour groups with special permits. How to get there Getting to Deadhorse on the edge of Prudhoe Bay Oilfield is not easy. If you do want to come here, call one of the hotels listed below (or the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau) and they will advise you. Some Fairbanks-based tour companies often bus tours north to Coldfoot and Deadhorse, or fly drive combination tours. Deadhorse lies at the end of Alaska's famous Dalton Highway, Alaska's most remote and challenging road and a 414-mile journey from Fairbanks. By far the easiest way to get here is by air; Alaska Airlines and Frontier Aviation offer daily services to Deadhorse from Fairbanks. However, if you just want to see the Northern Lights from somewhere beautiful, go elsewhere. Where to stay Barrow is at the extreme northern edge of Alaska, and is a much more beautiful place than Prudhoe Bay. About 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Barrow (also called Utqiagvik) is the most northerly settlement in the US; only the adventurous make it this far. However, there is a good reason for making Barrow your destination of choice when looking for the Northern Lights, and that's because of its traditional Alaskan culture. As well as being able to see the aurora over the ocean from here, you will be able to explore the local Iñupiat Eskimo culture, and visit the Inupiat Heritage Center to learn more about bowhead whale-hunting and dog-sledding. They still harvest 24 whales a year here. How to get there The only option for getting to Barrow is by plane, and it can be expensive. Alaska Airlines fly to Barrow from both Fairbanks and Anchorage, as do charter flight companies including Era Alaska or Arctic Air, though most people who visit Barrow do so via a tour company such as Tundra Tours or the Northern Alaska Tour Company, whose package prices normally include a flight. Where to stay Read more: When, where and how to photograph the Northern Lights Photography cheat sheet helps you take better photos The 6 best laptops for photo editing in 2018 View the full article

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As we come thundering towards 2018's denouement, it's time to reflect upon the logo designs of the past 12 months with the additional wisdom of time passed; the renewed appreciation gained from distancing knee-jerk reactions (yes, we mean on Twitter). With that in mind, we've gathered the branding projects and identity redesigns that we feel merit further cogitation as we move into a new year, with its own as-yet unknown trends, shocks and delights. Of course, we've spoken to industry big hitters to ascertain the logo trends for 2019, and it's certainly fascinating to get such adroit insight into the creative directions of the impending 12 months. But let's not forget to look back for inspiration, too. We've looked back through our archives to find the best logo designs of 2018. Click on the subheads to read our original articles, and see the old versions of each logo – plus more pictures of the new look for each brand. 01. Ogilvy "Change is our lifeblood" is Ogilvy & Mather's mantra, and this year, the global advertising agency's logo revealed an eyebrow-raising change to its logo. The June rebrand took two years to complete and was notable for the dropping of "& Mather" from the logotype, harking back to a previous handwritten logo based on founder David Ogilvy's signature. How to master colour theory "We needed to greatly simplify the organisation around what I call an integrated enterprise agenda, not a holding company of all these different piece-parts," explained the company's chief executive John Siefert to the Wall Street Journal, and the refreshed identity is designed to reflect that. Despite the simplification, Ogilvy's new logo is deceptively challenging, with many interesting typographic design elements competing to draw the eye – and as such is an excellent reflection of the agency and its ethos. 02. John Lewis/Waitrose John Lewis and Waitrose earned their stripes in 2018 This year, John Lewis Partnership relaunched its two retail brands as Waitrose & Partners and John Lewis & Partners. Each arm of the rejigged business model got a new brand identity and logo design created by Pentagram, each emphasising the connection between the two firms. Pentagram looked to the original work for the John Lewis Partnership logotype designed by Hans Schleger and Peter Hatch in the early '60s, which at the time was centred around a pattern motif. The same weight and thickness of lines found in this diamond symbol pattern was used to provide a link to the past in the new logos. 03. American Express Pentagram was trusted with AMEX's first logo redesign in 37 years For the first time in 37 years, AMEX has refreshed its visual identity, the design coming from Pentagram's Abbott Miller. First introduced in 1975, AMEX's little blue symbol is instantly recognisable, so the aim was to preserve – but enhance – its design. To do this, the radial gradient was removed and the letterforms that cross through the centre of the blue square were redrawn and finessed in order for it to render in a clean, concise way that functions at both a large and small scale. 04. Mailchimp Revolution not evolution for the primate-obsessed email client's logo Popular email marketing service Mailchimp launched a new brand identity and design system this year. The rebrand came courtesy of COLLINS, working alongside Mailchimp's in-house design team. Notably, it saw the company doing away with its much-loved script logo design in favour of a sans-serif wordmark, and introducing a cheerful yellow as its brand colour. The new wordmark uses a custom typeface that is equally full of character. Freddie, Mailchimp's simian mascot, also had a makeover. The hat and cheeky wink remain firmly in place, but he's now a simplified, single-colour silhouette. The shift also means Freddie can appear alongside the wordmark as part of a more unified system. 05. BBC Two Created in partnership between the BBC’s in-house agency BBC Creative and brand agency Superunion, and involving collaboration with the likes of The Mill, Mainframe, and FutureDeluxe, BBC Two received the televisual equivalent of a redesigned logo: new channel identifiers. Centred around a visual signifier whose curved shape suggests the number two, the new idents tackle the same brief in a range of creative ways, with animations including colourful blobs, furry scuttling creatures, and hypnotic swirling patterns, and elevated by audio created by award-winning British composer and sound designer Alex Baranowski. 06. Uber Embattled Uber received a new logo in 2018 On first sight, the new Uber logo looks like it's doggedly following the recent trend for wordmarks in bespoke fonts. It's the work of the ever-controversial Wolff Olins – who you'll remember for the 2012 Olympics logo and the similarly provocative Met rebrand – along with the Uber Brand Experience Team. Of course, it includes a bespoke font, Uber Move – a sans serif by MCKL Type Foundry, which was inspired by typefaces usually associated with transportation, and designed to look friendlier than the previous, more aggressive typeface, Clan Pro. 07. Burberry Burberry was not alone in receiving a sans serif logo treatment this year We're not going to go over this year's logo design controversy again here – yes, a number of brands went homogenised sans-serif in 2018. But Burberry's renewed identity is interesting for more reasons than typeface alone. The new logo was designed in collaboration with Burberry and Peter Saville, and replaces the famous Burberry Equestrian Knight Logo which in one form or another has been going strong since 1901. Revealed simultaneously, a new Burberry monogram from Italian designer Riccardo Tisci exhibited a more playful side to the brand. Tisci has taken the initials of the fashion brand's founder, Thomas Burberry, and weaved them into an interlocking and colourful design decked out in orange, white, black and beige – the colours of the iconic Burberry check. 08. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Battersea goes abstract, with help from Pentagram Battersea is a much-loved British charity that cares for cats and dogs across the UK. This year, Battersea unveiled a new identity, created by Pentagram partners Marina Willer and Naresh Ramchandani, which drops the 'Dogs & Cats Home', instead opting for a new brand line: Here for every dog and cat. The refresh includes a new logo made up of a family of hand-drawn, abstract watercolour images by Japanese illustrator Hiromi Suzuki, designed to emphasise the charity's commitment to every animal in its care. Retaining Battersea’s signature blue, the illustrations are complemented with a sharp Franklin Gothic wordmark. 09. Houses of Parliament The new UK Parliament logo (right) is optimised for digital A new identity for UK Parliament was created in collaboration between the House of Commons and the House of Lords with brand and digital design studio SomeOne, and as part of this identity, new logos were created for digital optimisation. At first glance, the new logos appear remarkably similar. The main differences seem to be a tidying up of an existing portcullis design, which includes the removal of a few dots and a uniform shape applied to the chain links. However this subtle smartening up was at the heart of the new identity for the digital age. 10. Wahaca Wahaca logo goes from shabby to classy while retaining a sense of fun For Mexican restaurant Wahaca, going from a start-up to a chain meant refining its image without turning its back on its heritage, and defining its mission statement in a new logo design. Revealed this year, the new identity created by London studio Without sees Wahaca do away with its shabby chic aesthetic, which was once ahead of its time. The new logo sees a taco raised defiantly in a fist. As well as looking polished, the design and reduced colour palette also identifies Wahaca's territory as a Mexican restaurant that offers fresh, flavoursome food. 11. FatFace The new FatFace logo caused some disquiet on launch The new FatFace logo caused some disquiet on launch but a few months on, it has been reappraised. Such a radical change – from surfer aesthetic to a sophisticated high street look – was always going to divide opinions, and now that the froth has settled it can be seen that the more mature logo design perfectly reflects FatFace's progression to a respected outdoor clothing brand. Some will mourn the end of FatFace's dreadlocked character motif, but moving to a lone wordmark is entirely consistent with 2018's trends. 12. Debenhams Debenhams' new logo is classy yet approachable UK department store Debenhams was given an identity overhaul in 2018, courtesy of Mother Design, which included a new logo design that replaced that which had been in place since 1999. Mother worked closely with Swiss Typefaces on a new logo for the retail giant – the final design uses a custom typeface based on SangBleu, creating a more approachable, modern look that still contains echoes of Debenhams' 200-year heritage. The logo is supported by a vibrant colour palette and fresh illustration style, which formed part of a marketing campaign tasked with injecting some of the joy back into the shopping experience. Related articles: Indie film goes viral with the true meaning of Christmas The best boozy Christmas ad campaigns 40 traffic-stopping examples of billboard advertising View the full article

Christmas is just around the corner. No doubt you've already got dinner plans sorted – maybe sitting down with the in-laws, overcooked turkey, a side of passive aggression – but what if, what if… you were going to your dream design dinner party instead. That's not really a thing. We made it up. But it's got you thinking, right? We asked a bunch of our favourite creatives the same question and it got them thinking too. Here's the deal: Five-courses of your favourite food, the finest wines available to humanity, and the company of three other designers, dead or alive. Who would you choose, and why? Amongst their responses, there are some of the biggest names in the design world, but there are also some left-field choices. Read on for some super inspiring, highly creative, and downright bonkers dinner tables. Salvador Dalí, Freddie Mercury and Joshua Davis "First, Salvador Dalí, a great artist, but, as well, a great designer: he created the logo of Chupa Chups among others," says graphic designer of Yarza Twins Marta Yarza. "Can you imagine having a surreal dinner with Dali? Yes, us neither. Next, Freddie Mercury, as he was a graphic designer before becoming a legend! We are pretty sure that he was really fun to hang out with. Did you see that picture of him with a Rolls Royce birthday cake? F*ck yeah! "And Joshua Davis: we had the great pleasure of meeting him during OFFF Barcelona and couldn't have laughed more with him. We're sure that he will be the perfect guest to manage a drunk Mercury and a drunk Dalí with ease and grace." Beatrice Warde, Daniel Benneworth-Gray and Luke Tonge "I would certainly pick the first lady of type, Beatrice Warde – not a designer strictly but a lady of huge influence on our profession," says designer and typographer Nicole Arnett Phillips. "Of course, because you’re serving us the finest of wine we could totally unpack the crystal goblet metaphor over the starter. But I would also love to talk to her about typographic authorship, contemporary trends in layout and, selfishly, my research, and a random theory I have about Stanley Morrison's strategic intentions for Monotype during Warde’s time as marketing manager there. "With Beatrice at the head of the table I think you’d need publishing talent to fuel the conversation, so I would choose Daniel Benneworth-Gray, as his book design is outstanding, and I find his writing insightful and smart so would assume that follows to his conversation. And my friend Luke Tonge, an editorial design wizard, would be amazing company. Luke works with Monotype today, designing the Recorder, and would absolutely stoke the fires of our type in print conversation. Simon Mottram, John Lasseter and Bridget Riley "Now," says owner and co-founder SomeOne Simon Manchipp, "normally I’d pick the three partners of SomeOne, Gary, Laura and David. But I’m guessing you want more than that here. So. Simon Mottram, founder of Rapha. I want all their stuff all the time. I would love to know how he’s designed a brand that is deeply difficult to resist. Next, John Lasseter, founder at Pixar. Storytelling is the greatest asset of any brand. This guys the master designer of stories. He’s going to be a great guest. Third guest: Bridget Riley. She’s designed some of the most incredible images in contemporary culture. They always stop me in my tracks. I’d love to meet her. Charles 'Chuck' Harrison, Jan Švankmajer and Elon Musk "First, Charles “Chuck” Harrison, often titled as the most prolific African-American industrial designer," says Hjalti Karlsson, co-founder and partner at karlssonwilier. "He designed countless products for Sears and other companies, including power tools, hair driers, riding lawn mowers, and the first plastic garbage can (at the time of it's release all garbage cans were metal). "Next, the Czech artist and filmmaker Jan Švankmajer [svankmajerjan.com]. Been a big fan of his work for years. He is the “God” of stopmotion animation. I must have watched his short movie Food like 50 times. And, finally, since I am the biggest fan of Elon Musk and Tesla, I would love to meet and talk to Elon and his chief designer at Tesla, Franz von Holzhausen, who has been responsible for the overall design of all Tesla models to date." Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Alexis Taïeb and Dame Zaha Hadid "Designer one: Charles Rennie Mackintosh," says lettering artist and graphic designer Craig Black. "The Glasgow art nouveau and art deco artist and architect, is the pioneer of Scottish art and design. His unique, innovative style would change the art world forever. His beautiful, simple designs are loved by many all over the world. I would love to chat and find out more about him and his process. "Designer two: Alexis Taïeb. better known as Tyrsa, is a French hand-drawn type master. Tyrsa attacks any kind of brief with a huge amount of energy and delivers polished, highly appealing digital and handmade work ranging from murals, posters, and enormous installations to small, detailed packaging designs. I first came across Tyrsa's work in uni and that was what inspired me to become a lettering artist. "Designer three: Dame Zaha Hadid (1950-2016), an Iraqi-born British architect whose soaring structures left a mark on skylines and imaginations around the world, and in the process reshaped architecture for the modern age. Her work has continued to inspire me and actually led me down the path of design so I would love to have the chance to say thank you." Read more: The 9 most annoying things every designer does What NOT to get a graphic designer for Christmas 10 life lessons for designers View the full article

Microsoft issued an out-of-band patch for a zero day bug in its Internet Explorer browser. View the full article

Fantastic Christmas iPad deal alert: if you missed out on picking up an iPad deal on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, it looks like your indecision (we can call if patience, if you like) has paid off. That's because the iPad 9.7 (2018) is on sale once again – and this time it's even cheaper than it was over the peak shopping period. Right now, you can save up to $149 when you buy the iPad 2018 through Walmart. The same deal can also be found on Amazon, with both offering devices in a range of colours from $229. Earlier in the year we saw the price of these tablets slashed by $80, so with even more money off they're sure to be snapped up fast. In the UK? There are some Christmas iPad deals to be found below, too. Choose from iPads with 32GB or 128GB of storage. If you're hoping to have these before Christmas, make sure you check Amazon's delivery policies to avoid disappointment. Check out the iPads and special deal prices below. UK: Christmas iPad deals Related articles: The best cheap iPad deals in 2018 22 best painting and drawing apps for iPad The best iPad stylus in 2018 View the full article

No one can deny that cloud storage is convenient, but chances are you're storing files with multiple apps. When all of those apps and windows become overwhelming, CloudMounter for Mac steps in. This tool helps bring all of your cloud storage solutions to your hard drive, helping streamline your workflow. A lifetime licence is currently available for 57% off the RRP of $44.95; it's now just $19. We have no doubt CloudMounter for Mac will be your new favourite cloud storage tool. Never again will you need multiple windows open for all of your different cloud storage solutions. CloudMounter allows you to mount your favourite cloud services – like Dropbox, Amazon S3, Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive – as local disks right on your computer's hard drive. Aside from making your life easier, CloudMounter also keeps things even safer. CloudMounter's advanced encryption adds an extra layer of security to your files, making sure they're even more secure. Simplify your workflow and keep your files super safe forever for this lifetime license at a one-time low price of $19. Want your products featured in Creative Bloq Shop? Learn more about how to sell your products online with StackCommerce. Related articles: 20 tools that make freelancing easier 13 great tools for pitching to clients 17 top tools in Google Analytics View the full article

In a rapidly changing IT landscape where digital business initiatives are being adopted, it is an imperative that IT domains break down silos and collaborate. When it comes to IT Security, preventing financial and reputational loss is a requirement of every employee’s job. When it comes to an IT and Software Asset Management (ITAM/SAM) discipline, it can be another attack prong to assist the Security Operations team in its mission, while simultaneously increasing the visibility of SAM. Maintaining information about the organization’s technology assets uniquely positions the ITAM program to assist with securing business assets and most importantly, data. Collaborating with an over-burdened Security team requires the SAM manager proactively reach out to the CISO or Security Operations, and provide data about potential risks that range from inefficient employee on/off-boarding to open source software embedded code to SaaS applications, procured by a department or business unit, that may not meet the organization’s security guidelines. The oft used ITAM aphorism, “you can’t manage, what you don’t know about” illustrates that applying inventory management, along with license compliance, can’t be done effectively without visibility into all the assets. This maxim also applies to securing assets, which is the primary reason that ITAM/SAM teams must view Security as part of its function, or at a very minimum, share data. Employee On/Off- Boarding Employee on and off-boarding, is a standard business function that is fundamental to every corporate business. Yet, you may be surprised at how many companies don’t have this “human resources meets IT” process standardized. Over the past couple of years, there have been numerous examples of employees who left the organization and still had network access or access to SaaS applications exposing company data. Especially as these applications may have been purchased by a business unit, aka ShadowIT, and not managed by the technology asset management team. Having a standard process for recovering corporate assets may involve several different teams depending upon the IT department’s resources, or if there is a triggering event such as a reduction in force. Typically, IT service and support management (ITSSM) handles the deployment and return of all the assets allocated to an employee. As organizational structures evolve to support digital transformation efforts, this responsibility may shift to the client support team, depending upon Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) maturity. Discontinuing access to a SaaS application or automatic renewal of one, such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Slack, Box or Concur, is an action that may not happen in the off-boarding process. According to Gartner, the SaaS market is experiencing rapid growth and generating $72.2 B in revenue in 2018 (https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2018-09-12-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-public-cloud-revenue-to-grow-17-percent-in-2019). So, it is easy to see why this step might be overlooked, especially if it the app isn’t accessible through single sign on (SSO) or identity and access management. ShadowIT: The Risks Are Becoming Greater Giving employees flexibility to get their job done as efficiently as possible has become a hallmark of digital transformation efforts. Access to cloud and virtual instances and SaaS apps allows employees to bypass legacy IT bottlenecks and be more efficient, but it can create new risks. If employees aren’t using the standard catalog or the apps they want aren’t included in it, they might be introducing security risks by accessing SaaS that haven’t been properly vetted or using cloud instances that haven’t been properly configured. One asset manager, who I recently spoke with at an industry event, indicated that they knew about 150 different SaaS apps that were being utilized by employees. They had at least three different ways of discovering SaaS, but were losing sleep over what they still didn’t know about. Not knowing SaaS utilization can lead to recurring overspend and poses a greater security risk. Overcoming the challenges that digital business initiatives present to technology asset management, requires that ITAM/SAM teams proactively raise awareness with synergistic IT teams, especially Security Operations, and expand collaboration so the value of the data is recognized. It may not happen right away, but hopefully it will happen before a major breach causes brand damage and lost revenue. With new attack vectors consistently making the news, it is critical to take the necessary steps to minimize as many potential risks as possible. And if technology asset management can achieve savings at the same time, they will spread the happiness. If these problems resonate within your organization and you would like to learn more about how Flexera can help, let’s get you in touch with one of our specialists today. Author Patricia Adams is a former Gartner Research Director and IT Asset Management evangelist Source View the full article

Creating a transparent material such as glass seems easy – just increase the transparency slider to 100 and the job is done. So why doesn't the glass look right? Transparent materials are actually one of the most complex items in a 3D scene to get right, as they have a wide variety of factors that impact on their look. From the thickness of the object, to the way the material bends light and even the chemical composition of the glass, diamond, oil or water amongst many other transparent materials, there is a lot to figure out. As with many other material systems, legacy fixes, or cheats, which were determined by a lack of computing power, are now no longer relevant for transparent materials due to the speed of today's render engines. That being said, transparent materials can still be computationally intensive, so understanding the core components of how transparency works in a render engine is critically important. The best 3D modelling software Learning how to model for transparency can be of benefit, for example a solid glass ball transmits and refracts (moving light through an object) very differently from a light bulb. This is because the light bulb is a thin-walled glass sphere, which means that the light does a lot less bending, but at the same time there are two layers of transparency for light to go through, rather than the one with the solid glass ball. As with many techniques in 3D art, you should aim to get as much real-world reference as possible when working with transparent materials – ideally in similar lighting conditions that you need to create. This is particularly important as transparent materials behaving incorrectly are one of the easiest 'tells' in CGI. That being said, getting a transparent material correct is one of the most satisfying accomplishments a CG artist can master. Here's how to get started. 01. Index of Refraction Different materials have different Index of Refraction values Every transparent material has a different Index of Refraction value. This is the calculation of how light passes through a material and affects how objects behind the transparent object are seen by the eye (or camera). The great thing about learning IOR values is that they are scientifically accurate, so inputting a value of around 1.5 will get a good approximation of glass in any current render engine. With the latest generation of PBR materials, IOR and reflection properties now tend to be linked. 02. Thin vs solid glass The thickness of the material affects how much light bends when it passes through A major giveaway for transparent objects is their thickness, as the thicker a transparent surface the more it will refract and bend light. But not all transparent objects are solid – bubbles, traditional light bulbs and even camera lenses are all examples where thinness matters. These types of objects can be created by modelling a thin wall into the object, to check to see whether the render engine being used has the ability to compensate for thin-walled glass. 03. Transparency scale Make sure you model things at the right scale, as size affects how light looks around the object Transparency and especially light-refractive qualities are critically dependant on model scale (if the render engine being used is physically accurate). For example, a wine glass that is 2m tall will refract and transmit light very differently to one that is normally sized. For this reason, it is very important to ensure that you model at the correct scale. The good thing about this is that a single glass material can look different on a wide variety of objects. 04. Dispersion Some materials split light into its component wavelenghs creating a slight rainbow effect Another method of giving a transparent object life is to play with the dispersion, if it is available in the chosen render software. Dispersion, in essence, hints at the chemical makeup of the transparent material by splitting out the light wavelengths, and can be a great way of highlighting the differences between a whiskey container made out of glass and one made out of crystal. When taken to an extreme it can also be a great way of creating a soap bubble. This article originally appeared in 3D World magazine. Buy issue 240 or Subscribe here. Read more: Become a better 3D artist 50 After Effects tutorials to sharpen your motion skills Render your art in ZBrushCore View the full article

Here’s what everyone has been waiting for: Corel Painter 2019 is here. It has long been a leading option in digital art software, but a renewed focus on performance and usability helps keep Painter 2019 ahead of the pack. The expanded Brushes options includes new Pattern Pens, which produce strokes that make use of five new patterns. These can be based on an existing pattern library, but you can also create your own – essential when making original concept art. Elsewhere, the updated and enhanced version of the Real Watercolor wet brushes are able to realistically interact with your chosen paper’s texture and grain. Your colours will flow, mix and be absorbed by the paper, making your art look more natural than ever. Opener artwork by Stefano Pistonatto The new stamps brushes will certainly make an impact (artwork by Ajmal Mohammed) Another update is the Color Selection tool. The colour choices are clearer and you can pin the Temporal Color Selector wherever you need it on your in-progress artwork, and use shortcuts to take samples with the Eyedropper. This is handy, especially when creating complex illustrations. The program’s interface has also been revamped. Its darker tone makes it possible to see colours more clearly, and also helps you to focus on the canvas when painting – particularly useful when illustrating dark objects. However, if you miss the old grey interface, you can easily change it back. Previous versions of Painter had a cluttered interface. Corel must have been listening to feedback from its customers, because version 2019 now features over 650 redesigned icons that bring a welcome simplicity to the workspace. This clean and responsive environment makes Painter 2019 easier to understand for newcomers, while seasoned users will benefit from a more efficient painting experience. An updated and enhanced Pattern library offers more creative opportunities The key update of Painter 2019 is the improvement in the application’s performance. Previously, the program had a reputation for running slowly on older machines. This is certainly not the case with the new version. Corel is to be congratulated for eliminating many speed bumps while retaining the feeling of painting traditionally. For example, one of the problems with the old version was the noticeable lag that occurred when using the brushes, but now the brush engine works as smoothly as silk. There are still some little quirks – sometimes it slows up on multi-touch operations, and there are a few bugs that need to be addressed – but overall the program has come on a long way since version 2018. What a difference a year makes… We think that Painter is still the leading traditional media painting program, and the improvements make it look even more appealing. Yes, there are cheaper alternatives such as Rebelle 3 and ArtRage 5, but neither program has the painting power that Painter wields. This article originally appeared in ImagineFX magazine. Buy issue 166 or subscribe. Read more: The best free design software. View the full article