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Adobe Creative Cloud is a great place to start any creative project. With this suite of incredible tools, you'll find everything you need to bring even your wildest ideas to life. From photo editing in Photoshop and video editing in Premiere, to creating cool visual effects in After Effects, there really is something for every creative discipline. The best Adobe deals for 2018 And right now, you can not only get the entire suite for a massive 40 per cent discount, you can also get hold of this in-depth training on some of its most popular tools for just $39. In the The Complete Adobe Mastery Bundle: Lifetime Access, you'll find tutorials on everything from how to learn Photoshop in an hour and Photoshop accelerated, to a complete After Effects course and a class on mastering Lightroom. Both of these offers are only available for a limited time only, so don't miss out, sign up for your discount on Adobe CC and start learning how to use it today. 60 top-class Photoshop tutorials to try The designer's guide to illustration The 60 best free Photoshop brushes View the full article

If time and money were no object, every photoshoot would capture exactly what you need. Remote locations could be your backdrops, with perfect models posing just as you need them to – and, even the most ambitious and conceptual ideas would go off without a hitch. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case – every shoot has its constraints that both agencies and clients have to grapple with, ranging from budget to concept and more. However, with the right premium stock images, like those found at iStock by Getty Images, you can achieve the look and feel of a premium photoshoot – without blowing your entire budget on flights, location fees, models, and a helicopter or two. Read on to see four instances where you could skip spending a fortune on a shoot, and instead, use some affordable, premium stock imagery to get the job done. 01. High in the mountains Sweeping vistas of mountain peaks are the kind of uplifting, awe-inspiring shots that take your breath away – but, if you want to shoot them yourself, be prepared to pay a hefty price. The best shots are found deep inside snowy mountain ranges and probably need a drone or a chopper to capture. Why go through all that hassle, when you can get a fantastic shot from someone who’s already been there? Stunning premium stock images, such as the one above, are perfect for dramatic background images, or even for use as part of an above-the-line campaign, where this kind of rugged scenery can excite your audience and drive engagement. 02. Deep under the sea Opposite of mountain peaks, we plunge into the ocean depths for some mind-blowing shots that are equally, if not more, expensive to shoot. You could charter a submarine with a high-end underwater camera or don your own scuba gear and hope you’ll capture what you need – or, you could just save time and money by using high-quality stock images. There's a reason that wildlife photographers and film-makers spend so much time waiting for that perfect shot – nature is notoriously unpredictable, and however conscientiously you brief them, animals don't really care about you or your client's needs. And, it’s best to keep in mind that when working with any exotic animals or locales, you’ll probably run into more issues than you originally anticipate, so you should prepare for delays. You can avoid disappointment from the get-go by reaching for premium stock images to create what you need, hassle-free. Do yourself a favour, skip the headaches, and go straight to creating with a beautiful image, like the one above. 03. Iconic far-flung locations Sometimes a brief requires something instantly recognizable, like a distinct city landmark or natural wonder – but, depending on where that is, your shoot could quickly get very expensive. Granted, if you need to shoot something or someone in a specific location, you might need to do the shoot yourself. But, if a little Photoshop compositing wizardry could solve that problem, then premium stock images are exactly what you need. Just take a stock photo and get an experienced graphic designer to mock-up your image exactly how you need it. You should keep in mind that particularly famous locations have been shot countless times – and used countless times in campaigns, too. It’s worth taking a little time to search for unique perspectives, such as the example above, for results that are more distinctive and original. 04. Dramatic aerial view Expansive views are captured in all types of locations, and the stunning perspective of an aerial photo makes these shots desirable and useful in all sorts of ways, such as for copy space. After all, if you need more space in a landscape image, the easiest way to get it is to go aerial and get more room in your image. The same is true of a city scene, even if the specific city isn’t necessarily recognizable – a dramatic aerial vista can’t be shot in any other way than from the air. In a more remote setting, the striking example above would make a perfect background image, with plenty of space for design elements. Of course, everyone would like to shoot photos like this, but we all know it’s not that simple. So, make it easy for yourself by getting a ready-to-use, expertly shot image that wows your customers – for a fraction of the cost of a photoshoot. If you need some awe-inspiring imagery but can't afford to shoot it yourself, iStock by Getty Images is the perfect solution. Offering million of assets, including their own exclusive imagery, iStock is the original resource for premium, royalty-free stock imagery and video sourced from the crowd. iStock is currently offering new customers 12% off all credits by using code 12CBLOQNEW at checkout. Good luck with the search! Related articles: 5 ways to create stunning brand imagery using stock Make your online shop look amazing for less Make your portfolio images look amazing for less 8 stock image cliches, and how to avoid them View the full article

Botnets fused with artificial intelligence are decentralized and self-organized systems, capable of working together toward a common goal – attacking networks. View the full article

After Google publicized the flaw seven days after a patch was issued, the Epic Games CEO called out the company for irresponsible disclosure. View the full article

Are you an early bird? Are you a morning person, who leaps out of bed and gets on with work after the briefest sniff of coffee – only to find you slump and slow down come early afternoon? Or do you get all your tasks done while working from home in the wee small hours, then spend the next day blearily trying to recharge your batteries? Whether you're a lark or an owl, you probably harbour a sneaking suspicion that a change in your waking and sleeping hours could make you better able to concentrate and create better work, and perhaps more experimental design. So if you want to maximise your creativity and productivity, what are the best working hours to choose? We looked at some research in the area, and some of the findings may surprise you... Evolutionary impulse Back in the mists of time, we were all morning people. Before electric light and gadgets came along to help us while away the dark hours, everyone went to bed when it went dark and got up at dawn. In today's modern world, our body chemistry is controlled by the way we live, how we exercise, when we go to sleep and what we eat, but there are some primal things we can’t change. One of those is the melatonin cycle. When the evening draws in, our brains ramp up production of a hormone called melatonin. It’s what makes us feel sleepy and fogs up the thought processes. Burning daylight Sunlight inhibits the production of melatonin, making us feel more awake. So in theory, humans should be at their most alert and productive after a decent night’s sleep and a light breakfast, just after the sun has risen. If you think of yourself as a morning person, you’ll probably recognise this state of total clarity. Scientific studies support this too. Research conducted by Professor Christoph Randler at Heidelberg University showed that people who rise and begin work early in the day are, largely, more positive and productive than their lazier mates. Significantly, it was also reported that early risers use the morning hours in specific ways; to organise and plan, to set goals hours or weeks ahead. Early risers are less chaotic in their approach to work than their sleepless friends. Health issues Matching your sleep cycle to the Earth's circadian clock has benefits There’s also evidence that getting up early is better for your health. Tuning your sleep cycle as close as possible with the Earth’s circadian clock, the setting and rising of the sun, leads to deeper, more restorative sleep. So it seems that early risers are healthier, get a larger variety of work done and have more energy than the Duracell bunny. But when it comes to designers specifically, that's not the end of the story. According to psychologists, there are some big advantages for those of us who like to burn the midnight oil, too... Night owls Sigmund Freud first came up with the idea of the superego; the part of the mind that indirectly inhibits creativity The part of our mind that acts as 'gatekeeper' during the day (known in Freudian terms as the superego) is suppressed as we start to feel sleepy. The superego is the bit of your mind that pushes for perfection, which is great when you have detailed design work to do. But this part of your mind also dismisses frivolous or fanciful thinking – the root of your creativity. A more biological account says more or less the same thing. As you grow tired, your brain chemistry changes. As well as making melatonin, you also produce less dopamine – the chemical that regulates much frontal cortex function. The frontal cortex is responsible for decision making. Crucially, it’s the bit of your brain that nitpicks all your ideas. Essentially, this means you stop caring so much as you grow tired, and the wacky thoughts start coming through thick and fast. Increased focus Swizec Teller, who brands himself the Geek with a Hat, subscribes to the idea that being tired actually gives you focus Even though we get less picky when we’re tired, some studies show that our overall ability to concentrate actually increases. We don’t self-edit as much, so we’re able to stay on track and get more done on one thing. The fact that night owls are able to concentrate for longer periods has been scientifically proven. Researchers from the University of Liege conducted controlled studies in which they allowed two groups the same amount of sleep. One group identified as early risers, the other as night owls. It turned out the night owls had better levels of focus when it came to tasks requiring sustained attention, and the early risers ran out of steam more quickly. And science shows that creativity and late nights might be linked even more deeply. Research conducted at the London School of Economics suggests that people who choose to work late at night often have higher IQs – a measure of numerical, spatial and linguistic problem solving that requires a good deal of creativity. The maker’s schedule Working at night may make you more able to work uninterrupted In his in-progress book Why Programmers Work at Night, Swizec Teller points out another reason why the night-time is the right time for creative work: the lack of distractions. Teller introduces the idea of 'the maker’s schedule'. For most people – managers, retailers, administrators and so on – work is just a set of tasks. The daytime schedule and its distractions are tolerable as most tasks are short, mechanistic and easy to resume. But for creative people like designers, distraction is disaster. At the beginning of the creative process, we’re building things out of imagination. Distraction can cause you to lose your train of thought entirely. So, the evening, when others are asleep, is an ideal time to work on creative problems. Lark or owl? So which approach is best, lark or owl? Overall, evidence seems to say that early birds get more done, but that the morning is better suited to practical and organisational tasks. Night owls use the cover of darkness to complete more cerebral kinds of work, when distraction is at a minimum. When it comes to the question of when you should you get out of bed, it seems design is kind of a special case. It’s one of a handful of vocations that requires long periods of very precise, repetitive work, good planning and the ability to project-manage. But there are also periods of chaos and creation; time spent blasting out ideas and puzzling through problems. The late Alex Graham, creator of the Fred Basset cartoon strip, seemed to get the balance right. His daughter told the BBC that Graham would work on illustrating the strip in the morning, take the afternoon off, then do his creative thinking in the evening, filling in sheets full of doodles and ideas. He was both a morning person and a night owl. Perhaps all designers should take a leaf out of his book: get up early to do the grunt work at your desk and use your evenings to brainstorm ideas. Related articles: How to balance life and work 6 ways to apply the principles of design to your life 12 tips for the work-at-home ninja View the full article

Whether you're using Twitter, Facebook, or still clinging on to Google Plus, one thing you'll notice is that social media platforms like to make frequent little tweaks to their layouts. Sometimes these can be welcome updates that make information easier to see, but one of the most common adjustments is the changing of image sizes. To keep on top of the different social media website templates, last year Jamie Spencer from Make A Website Hub created this go-to infographic-cum-cheat sheet that details the best image sizes and image types across a range of platforms. The 100 best infographics With social media continuing to be a place where artists and designers can show off their work and impress potential clients, there's never been a better time to brush up on these image dimensions. Covering the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTuve, this infographic is one to bookmark for future reference. Click the image to see the full size infographic Related articles: Social media for artists: a lifeline or a curse? 10 must-have social media tools for artists and designers 13 incredible for creating infographics View the full article

If you've dreamt of becoming a game developer, Unity is a great place to get started. Intuitive and user friendly, it's offers a gentle but exciting introduction to the world of games. And right now, you can learn how to master its toolset with The Complete Unity Game Developer Bundle. Build your own worlds, learn how to create open-world games without a hitch, and even discover how to incorporate AR (augmented reality) into your designs. That's just some of the training you'll cover in this comprehensive Complete Unity Game Developer Bundle, which you can now get hold of for just $39 -- that's 97 per cent off the regular price. View the full article

While it can be difficult to develop hard skills from scratch, it’s certainly not as difficult to hone your skills (including those softer skills) to get a competitive edge. Learning can take many different forms, so aside from harnessing the latest and greatest web design tools, what can the web developers of tomorrow do to get ahead? To get an idea, Packt, creators of the skills learning platform Mapt, asked six of its expert authors and developers what they think graduates and young developers can do to give themselves a head start. Here’s what they had to say: 01. Specialise, don’t diversify Harold Dost, principal consultant at Raastech, suggests that young developers take some time to look at tools such as Lynda (now called LinkedIn Learning) or Linux Academy. He stresses that tools such as these can be used to develop a strong foundation of knowledge on a key topics and can help you on your journey in becoming an expert. “Hone a core skill (maybe two or three), and then diversify on the rest,” says Dost. “This will allow you to specialise and give you the in-depth knowledge, which will be necessary as you go further in your career.” Choose a website builder: 17 top tools But he also says that although you should specialise in a few areas, be careful not to neglect other opportunities. “At the same time as specialising,” Dost says, “be sure to keep learning about new technologies to allow you to grow and improve the work you produce.” 02. Read and write (more than just code) Oracle ace director and principal at Capgemini UK, Luis Augusto Weir, says: “My advice for young developers would be to be passionate about learning and, of course, about coding.” He also thinks that even though his industry is all about new technologies, good old fashioned reading will always be the most important part of education. “Not only does a huge amount of effort go into writing books,” he says, “but nothing beats a good book to read whilst on the train, or bus. Bringing a book with you wherever you go means you’re always equipped to learn.” Author Adrian Ward backed up Luis’ advice, saying that reading and writing were crucial to his own education. He says that writing, whether it's “blogs, articles, books or presentations” will compel you to learn. “If you’re writing about something,” he adds, “you certainly have to learn about it first!” 03. Take up meditation. No, really. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about working in IT and tech is the non-stop nature of the industry. It’s easy for those just finding their feet in a constantly moving world to feel overwhelmed. Author Sten Vesterli says that the most critical skill to learn is “to manage your energy, and find ways to replenish it when it's running low." If you have high energy, you can learn any skill and it will remain employable Sten Vesterli “If you have high energy,” he explains, “you can learn any skill and it will remain employable. If you have low energy, you will have a hard time learning something new and will be in danger of being left behind by technological changes.” But how does Vesterli make sure that he’s energized enough to keep up to date with the pace of change? “I've found that meditation and triathlons work for me,” he says, “but others will have different things that give them energy.” 04. Question everything Phil Wilkins, author and senior consultant at Capgemini, thinks that sometimes the tech industry is a bit quick to move onto the next fad. He says that as graduates gain experience, they should challenge the work they are doing and the tools they are using to make sure that they are always trying to influence things for the better. Not only will this help new developers stand out to their employers, but it will help them learn. “Many will consider me a heretic, but the industry is sometimes a little quick with the next shiny thing and some 'not-invented-here' thinking," says Wilkins. "I think you should challenge those around you to really understand the tools they’re using, and question whether they’re the right tools to do the job well. Reflecting on what you’re doing and challenging yourself to do something better will drive better understanding and insight that can then be applied in later life.” “Questioning why something is a good answer to a problem is as important as to how to answer the problem,” adds Wilkins. “Understanding this may not make you a guru, but it will give you a foundation to work with peers in an engaging manner and set you up for future success. Ultimately IT is here to solve problems, and knowing why certain things are good answers rather than that they simply are good answers, means you stand the best chance of developing good solutions.” 05. Get networking It’s a frustrating stereotype that that tech types aren’t social beings. One tip suggested by Packt’s experts was to realise that putting yourself out into the real world is a great way to get ahead. As cliché as it is, networking is a simple way of getting a foot in the industry. Whether you attend events organised by your university of college, or connect with people who interest you on LinkedIn, networking is a crucial skill – particularly if you ever consider going freelance. Ward says that aside from writing, he has one other crucial bits of advice for graduates: network. “Just get involved with the community,” he says. Not sure how? Read our advice on how to network. 06. Apply for the right jobs Robert van Mölken, author and senior Integration and cloud specialist for AMIS, says that graduates seeking employment should actively look for companies that invest in their developers to keep them up to date with innovations. Things are changing so fast these days that you can’t sit still if you want to be relevant in two years time Robert van Mölken “Things are changing so fast these days that you can’t sit still if you want to be relevant in two years time," he says. "Companies that allow their developers to go to conferences, both locally and further afield, will find that they will learn upcoming skills much faster, going beyond the point of knowledge you can get from investing in and learning from books.” However, van Mölken also says that developers shouldn’t just rely on their bosses giving them opportunities – they should find them for themselves. “Invest some personal time to experiment with new technologies and IT innovations,” he advises. “Don’t fall behind on stuff just because you are comfortable with what you do every day at work. Find opportunities to speak up, to give presentation about what you learned, and share your experiences. Then you will get noticed, and a world of possibilities will open up to you.” This article was originally published in January 2017. Related articles: 7 times you should turn a design job down 23 great examples of WordPress websites 25 game-changing JavaScript tools View the full article

This artwork was a great challenge for me to embark on. My task was to take an old-school classic vintage posters vibe and modernise it for today's audience with my artistic interpretation. One of the main inspirations I leaned towards was Frank Frazetta's art. It was tricky to take his essence, yet still keep my voice. I'm going to be showing you how to create a great dynamic pin-up in a smart and editable format, while keeping your voice. Many artists and designers today have a problem where either they start an image and jump into it too quickly with a messy workflow, or get so tied up by the process analytically that their voice doesn't show through the piece. Versatility and communication are some of your best assets. 14 imaginative web comics to inspire you Being able to communicate to the client about what they want, what you want, and how best to represent their product or project, yet still keep the integrity of what you want to say with your creativity are great skills. What I like to do is provide at least three options: two leaning more on what the client wants and one that's more my own. Doing this will help communicate that you're a team player and that you take direction, as well as showing you're not afraid to jump outside your comfort zone to express your artistic opinion. I hope this process will help guide you through the steps on how to approach things in an organic and structured way, yet still keeping the fun and energy. Ultimately, I'm really happy with the process and outcome! 01. Create graphic shapes A strong foundation makes the whole project easier I like to start simple. It's good to establish something clear and impactful. With a strong foundation, the rest of the process should be easier. After a couple of variations of the comp, we land on a barbarian-esque lady and a feline. I want the shapes and colours to be really bold. It's a good general rule to have things on separate layers when working for a client! 02. Work on shading and lighting Basic shadows are locked down I want to establish my lighting quickly. I like to make concise decisions early, to serve as a foundation when I need to find answers to problems later. I quickly lay some tonal shadows with an airbrush. I put down basic shadows of the anatomy and try to establish a good value read. With the shape on its own layer, I lock the layer and have more freedom to experiment. 03. Refine and design Ross Tran is keen to undermine classic looks I decide that black hair is too classic looking. I remember I want to use my own voice and create a modern piece. I love having a sort of white/purple hair. I think it's fresh and exciting. As I put it down on the canvas, the results are clear and I'm relieved. I commit to that decision and start to refine and design. It's good to have your own inspiration up next to you. Your experiences and things you're inspired by translates into the pieces you make, so it's good have some things to draw from. 04. Work on the background An airbrush keeps the background loose If I work on the character too much it might not fit its surroundings, so I start on the background. Mint Cyan and Salmon Pink are some of my go-to colours that I find appealing. I want to be loose, so I use an airbrush to find a nice, abstract composition for the background. I want the most contrast on the focal point, so I light the bright white light behind her head. 05. Commit to the background An overall design is built up It's great to work loosely, but I need to commit or the stage will go on forever. I try to design all background shapes thinking of the overall impact I'm going for. I want an essence of a moon or sun behind her, cutting through the composition dynamically, fading off into interesting pinks. It's good to always keep in mind your intentions. Here, striking is my key word. 06. Refine further The hair colour is finalised Now I have my elements in order – the background, composition, girl and general shapes – I start to design my characters. I pull from what I know – I work the main placements like her costume and features. I want her to be soft and dramatic, so I give her a heavy cat eye to enhance her attitude. I begin to commit to the white/purple hair. 07. Polish elements Reference images are used for the panther I start to polish, making things clearer and identifiable. I know it's a panther so I look up some reference and start to polish away. The client wanted a knife of some sort, so I implement that. I start to light her a little better so it pops off the page. I'm beginning to see the vision come to life and start to get excited. So I bring in the elements I love most: tattoos! 08. Get feedback The artwork is sent to the client I send my version to the client and receive feedback. I switch the side of the paw, because I thought it was the other paw. I think it's important early on to establish which way left and right are. Because 'the left paw' can mean the panther's left paw or the paw on the left side. I make the eyes smaller, which gives it more attitude, and change the knife. I start to implement the fixes. 09. Use effects and layering Effects help to keep the image rough Everything's in order now: the pose, the shapes, the subject and the colours. It's time to add effects and layer some roughness to it. I love the roughness of canvas, so I introduce textured brush strokes throughout. I also add debris, dust and breakage, to give that extra layer of impact. I start to refine and polish things alongside of it. Everything starts to come together. 10. Apply Color Dodge Color Dodge is the finishing touch Once I've got the feline's pupils finished, I get to the stage that is the proverbial cherry on the top for all my images! At the near end of my process, around 80-90 per cent in, I like to Color Dodge my paintings. It stimulates a technique close to light. So I brush over my paintings with an airbrush on Color Dodge mode and it instantly pops my painting. I have to be careful not to overdo it. Too much of anything is a bad thing. This is an instant satisfactory step, so please enjoy! This article was originally published in ImagineFX magazine, the world's leading magazine for digital artists. Subscribe here. Read more: 60 top-class Photoshop tutorials to try How to become a better concept artist Create a striking figure in watercolour View the full article

Amazon UK's biggest ever August Bank Holiday sale is in full swing, and today it's presented one of the best deals we've seen so far. This full-frame compact Sony A7 camera is now just £649 after cashback - that's over 50 per cent off the retail price. The first full-frame compact system on the market, the Sony A7 recently featured among Amazon's incredible Prime Day deals, but many were left disappointed as they flew off the shelves. But your luck is in once again, as Amazon has slashed the price of Sony's original A7 camera and FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens kit to just £799 (RRP £1,549.99) – and with Sony offering a further £150 cash back, the price of this full-frame camera drops to a staggering £649. Get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime See more Amazon Bank Holiday sale deals Get the Sony A7 for just £649 The A7 has been superseded twice now since its inception, with later models boasting the addition of competitive features, such as touchscreen functionality and 4K video, but the fact that Sony has continued to sell it alongside its younger siblings shows its worth. Fully equipped with a 24.3MP Exmor CMOS sensor, the A7 produces incredible Raw images, making it a fantastic first-time full-frame buy for any aspiring photographer. The Amazon August Bank Holiday sale runs until 29 August, but we don't expect these Sony A7's to hang around for long so grab one while you can. The sale is open to everyone in the UK, but Amazon Prime members – and anybody signed up to a free 30-day Prime trial – will benefit from a 30-minute early access period to all Lightning Deals. These are quick-fire offers where products become available at a discount, in limited quantities, for limited period of time. Want more deals? We've got the best Amazon offers for artists and designer right here. Deal subject to availability, cashback claimed via Sony post-purchase and subject to T&Cs. View the full article

Researchers find proof-of-concept code that can take advantage of the recently identified Apache Struts framework (CVE-2018-11776) vulnerability. View the full article

The approach makes Mirai executable on a wide variety of disparate IoT devices and platforms from a single server. View the full article

T-Mobile alerts millions of its customers to a breach of its website that resulted in subscriber names, zip codes, phone numbers, email addresses and account numbers being stolen. View the full article

Step away from the stylus and get back from that Mac: even if you have all the tools for graphic designers, being a designer can be hazardous to your health. The job you love could be doing serious damage to your body and to your brain. Some of you already know this. We used social media to find out how readers felt their jobs had affected their health. Here's what we found... Health issues for designers The results showed that 15 per cent reported back problems, 15 per cent headaches and migraines, 13 per cent eye problems and 11 per cent repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome; six per cent reported obesity and five per cent circulation problems. There were other serious issues too, with 17 per cent of you reporting psychosocial issues such as stress and depression, 12 per cent sleep problems and seven per cent relationship problems. So what's going on – and more importantly, what can we do about it? A passion problem Dr Gail Kinman is professor of occupational health psychology and director of the Research Centre for Applied Psychology at the University of Bedfordshire; she's studied the effect work has on our physical and mental health. As she explains, creative people are at risk of certain conditions because we like what we do. "It's all about job involvement," she says. "People who do this type of work breathe it." As Dr Kinman points out, the flow that creatives experience – "when you are completely and utterly absorbed in what you're doing, when the demands of what you're doing are slightly beyond your capabilities" – is good for your wellbeing, but it can be bad for your health. "You're not aware of time passing, you're not aware you're hungry, you're not aware that you're sitting awkwardly." If you're sitting with poor posture and poor ergonomics for long periods of time, back pain and repetitive strain injuries are likely to say hello sooner rather than later. The good news is that you can change this. Here's how... 01. Pay attention You can ward off many injuries with a bit of attention – a good, supportive chair and an ergonomically arranged desk, good lighting, a comfortable mouse and a posture that keeps you upright with your arms and legs at right angles. But one of the major threats to designers is lack of exercise. If you're solo or part of a relatively small team, then the combination of tight deadlines and long hours can make it difficult to find the time or the motivation to eat well and exercise regularly – and that can be fatal, especially if when you go home you relax in front of another screen instead of doing something for your fitness. The long-term consequences of poor diet and lack of exercise include obesity, type II diabetes, circulation problems, back and neck problems, heart disease, and increased risk of some cancers. 02. Exercise while your work Illustration: Becca Allen for Computer Arts magazine Some creatives have decided that the best way to address that is to exercise while they work, or at least to abandon the chair and work standing up. Proponents of standing desks and treadmill desks – which are exactly what they sound like; desks attached to the kind of treadmill you'd find in a gym – say they help burn calories and help you live longer. But critics point out that standing all day can cause arterial disease and varicose veins, and if your posture isn't perfect, they can contribute to back problems and repetitive strain injuries. 03. Take a walk You're better off taking regular walks – especially if they involve meeting up with people. "I'd say do something physically different from being at work, especially if your place of work is also your place of leisure," recommends Dr Kinman. While the 'genius is close to madness' cliché has now been comprehensively debunked, the nature of creative work isn't always good for your mental health. Tight deadlines, tough requirements, job insecurity and the stress and strains of getting paid can make life miserable. It's particularly pronounced if you work from home or remotely, where you don't have the interactions you'd have with colleagues in the office. "There is a very prominent model of job stress that is based on high demand, low control and social isolation," Dr Kinman says. Together, those factors have been linked with serious illnesses including coronary heart disease and depression, but you don't need to change all three to make your work less stressful. It's the combination of all three that hurts, so for example you might be juggling major deadlines, working all the hours God sends, and missing your friends or loved ones. 04. Social support is vital Illustration: Becca Allen for Computer Arts magazine "Social support is one of the most important factors," Dr Kinman says. "What we need to do is to replenish ourselves, and social support is a very important part of that." The support might be listening to you vent, or taking your mind off things, or practical support. All of it helps. Can you get the same support from social media? Dr Kinman isn't convinced. "Social support for creative people can be strange," she laughs. "You want people when you need them, but you want them back in their box when they start interfering with your work. Social media is very good for that, because you can do that management. But of course that means you won't have the deep social interaction that you need." 05. Know yourself As Kinman points out, there's a difference between serious stress and depression and having a few bad days or feeling overwhelmed by a client from hell. "It's about knowing your body and your mind, and listening to the signals," she says. "Depression and pre-depression can have a kind of flattening effect. There are feelings of low self-esteem, a lack of enjoyment of everyday activity, a lack of concentration. It's like a narrowing of your field of vision. Sometimes the people closest to you are better than spotting it than you are yourself." 06. Listen to Ice Cube Being a designer is hardly one of the world's most dangerous jobs, but it's a good idea to look at what you do, when you do it and how long you do it for to make sure that your working life isn't going to hurt your heart or your head. In the words of renowned workplace health and safety expert Ice Cube, you'd better check yourself before you wreck yourself. This article originally appeared in Computer Arts. Subscribe here. Read more: Amazing art with Mental Health Awareness Week How to balance life and work 12 of the best places to live as a designer View the full article

With the malicious code embedded into websites, the attacker can then piggyback on the trust level of the website and launch a variety of attacks. View the full article

Whether designing for 2D, editorial, ad campaigns or games, adopting a mindful approach to character design is essential to fit with the changing times we live in. Understanding your audience, crafting a compelling story and knowing the limitations and possibilities of the diverse range of media platforms available can only open up the scope of possibilities for today’s character designers. But how best to do so? We spoke to top designers and illustrators to discover how they create modern and vibrant characters that will stand the test of time. 01. Let your characters represent you Craig & Karl's portrait of Kanye West Characters are frequently representative of their creators, observes Craig Redman, one half of design studio Craig & Karl, through both the visual style as well as how their personality shines through. "For us it’s the relationship to the creator that makes it interesting. We tend to think of Craig & Karl as a conversation or continual back and forth between the two of us, which is how we operate day-to-day too,” adds Karl Maier (the other half of the creative duo). “As it’s only the two of us, our personalities, backgrounds and interests all feed into the work we make. And as much as there’s a visual style, we aim to bring our perspective to things so there’s a consistent tone or approach, even if the form varies.” 02. Set parameters Depending on the variables, such as the intended audience, the purpose of the work and where it’s likely to live – as well as whether you’re a visual designer, illustrator or game developer – figuring out a basic framework early on in the process will help inform your characters and add another layer of depth to their purpose. “Concept is key, it’s the foundation for what we’ll build an idea of narrative around.” says Maier. “All of our projects begin by having a conversation to figure out the basic framework for what we want to say and how we’d like to do it. Sketching plays a role too, but usually, it’s more like a note-taking process that lets us get ideas down quickly and allow things to gestate, as opposed to a blueprint that we’ll then work over to create the final piece. Sign up to the Computer Arts newsletter "We do like to get a relatively clear notion of what we want the outcome to be before diving in,” continues Maier. “From there, it’s all about the doing and making, trial and error, love and loathe, back and forth process that we go through.” 03. Create a narrative An illustration by Rilla Alexander for A Bear Sat on the Porch Today Character design is frequently driven by story, and that remains true no matter which platform characters are intended for. Whether crafting characters for print media, advertising campaigns or animation, giving your characters a purpose strengthens their reason for being. Australian born, Berlin-based illustrator Rilla Alexander explains. “When I am illustrating a book that someone else wrote, I see the characters as actors on a stage who have to get into character, whereas when I am working on my own stories, I see the characters as embodying their own emotions. You shouldn’t be conscious that a good actor is acting and so I would hope that distinction is not obvious to anyone else… but it’s what is going on in my head.” Illustrator Jim Stoten agrees: “You can appeal to personality traits that exist within an audience. I really like how expressive hands are. You can communicate a lot about a character by how they hold a glass or the way they sit. It’s a way of showing a character’s personality.” 04. Inject a personality Artwork for Where's My Welly?: The World's Greatest Music Festival Challenge, illustrated by Jim Stoten Stoten, whose vast, intricate landscapes are filled with tuba-playing elephants, dancing robots and crocodiles eating ice cream, has an interesting view of his characters; “I think to a certain extent characters that I create are self portraits,” he explains. “Either they have mannerisms or traits of mine, or have things about other people that I admire built into them. “Personally, I like characters that have elements of their personalities visualised in their physical appearance somehow,” he continues. “Mr. Tweed, my children’s book character, was based almost entirely on Peter Ustinov. I watch a lot of old talk shows while I am working, and Peter Ustinov was such an amazing character, both physically and in the way he conducted himself. 05. Harness comedy Nexus Studios' Hotstepper character was deliberately made to be comical ”A sense of humour is key, says Maier. “I think that regardless of the form a character takes, there’s inevitably something human, something of us in them. It’s a little like holding a comical mirror up that highlights the humour, absurdity or difficulties of our lives,” he says, “and because they tend to be cute or exaggerated visually, they can tackle ideas or situations with a lightness that might be harder otherwise." The importance of comedy is especially true of interactive work, whether you’re playing with the characters, taking control of the character or following them around. Nexus Studios designed the look and feel of HotStepper, the world’s first augmented reality character-based wayfinding app, centred around an irrepressible character inspired by internet culture, Friedrich Liechtenstein’s ‘Supergeil’ and Napoleon Dynamite’s infamous dance moves, synth pop vibes and British eccentricity. “An enigmatic character is hugely important if they are the protagonist in your narrative,” advises Alex Jenkins, a director at Los Angeles and London-based Nexus Studios. “You want the audience to root for the characters you’ve breathed life into, make an emotional connection and participate. With interactive work you have to provoke the audience to get involved, you can’t passively watch it unfold like in film.” 07. Use universal themes Monument Valley 2 is known for its striking visuals and magical architecture Speaking on stage at OFFSET Dublin, ustwo games head of studio Dan Gray spoke about crafting a story inspired by universal themes when creating Monument Valley 2. “A challenge we have in the mobile space [is that] it’s very difficult to keep people’s attention. They’re opening a game for 30 secs or a minute at a time before moving on to the next thing. So it was very important to us that we surprised people at every turn.” The award-winning sequel to Monument Valley follows a mother-child narrative, as they embark on a journey of discovery through a stunning and impossible world. “It’s a very rare duo to see in gaming these days” says Gray. “We didn’t want the mother to seem overbearing or a burden; but empower her. We purposefully didn’t define the gender of these characters.” Making a mother the central protagonist in a game is a unique and striking approach to game design. “We must have gone through over 200 characters trying to get the feeling right,” Gray admits. 08. Get the right proportions "You can reduce Miffy down to her eyes and that distinctive cross nose and still know it is her," says Rilla Alexander Visually, the proportions of a character can also make a notable difference. Jenkins says: “I’ve always been a fan of the Japanese approach to characters. I love the simplicity of how they capture really strong emotion with quite minimal detail, just well-placed eyes and mouths and the use of exaggeration.” Jenkins thinks that if you have a character with little expression, moving it into the body is the best way to “carry the personality and express emotion.” It’s a sentiment shared by Alexander, who believes that every character should have one distinctive characteristic that is crucial to their very being. “You should be able to gradually remove each feature one by one until you are left with one or two features that you can still clearly recognise them by,” she says. “Miffy is a very good example of this – you can reduce her down to her eyes and that distinctive cross nose and still know it is her. You don’t even need her rabbit ears!” “There are a lot of basic design principles regarding composition and proportion that apply to character design,” says Alexander. “It might seem obvious, but the more cute and round a character, the more approachable and naive they seem. The more angular a character, the smarter they appear. All of these things are at play when I am working, whether I am conscious of them or not.” 09. Make your characters relatable Swiss Referendum, Republic, by Leon Edler For Alexander, giving life to new characters can be an intuitive process, and one that has been honed and developed through her numerous professional and personal projects. Her alter-ego Sozi stars in her self-authored picture books Her Idea and The Best Book in the World . “Sozi is a way for me to express what are sometimes quite complex emotions in a simplified way,” she reveals. “When I was procrastinating about my first book, it was Sozi and her struggle to finish her ideas that I wrote about. Looking back I can see it was the book I had to do, before I could get over that mental hurdle and start making books about other things. “Characters might come to me as a clear visual but I have to dig to figure out who they are,” she continues. “There are others that I only initially know from the inside – their personality or their story – and then the challenge is to work out what that character should look like from the outside. I nearly always find that the character’s personality or looks remind me of an aspect of someone I know. That moment of connection is the very thing that makes me want to keep drawing or writing and to discover more.” If your characters come from an honest, real place they will be more relatable to your intended audience Hattie Stewart Balancing elements and defining the characteristics is especially relevant in publishing, where editorial illustrators must adhere to strict deadlines – a couple of hours in some cases. For Brighton-based illustrator Leon Edler, crafting genuine characters is a skill in itself. “When I started out, art directors would ask me to make the characters in my finals closer to the original sketch. When I’d done the original sketch, all I was thinking about was that character and the concept,” he says. It’s important to make sure that the final artwork isn’t too polished, as there is a risk that the characters will be less engaging. “I think if the characters are relatable, people will often look past the style of the work more than they do with traditional illustration,” he concludes. If your characters come from an honest, real place they will be more relatable to your intended audience, says London-based illustrator Hattie Stewart. “Inevitably your work reflects some part of your character, so yes my characters are a reflection of myself, or at least how I would hope myself to be.” 10. Adapt for your audience A campaign for Nike by Hattie Stewart drew upon her signature style Best known for ‘doodlebombing’ over influential magazines, Stewart’s tongue-in-cheek artwork moves fluidly between many creative fields, including collaborations with fashion brand Henry Holland. “I like to think my work is something every generation can enjoy,” she says. “It evokes childhood feelings with its cartoonish style, but also has themes that are more adult in nature. It’s playful, it’s engaging, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s adaptable.” Her brightly coloured Posca pen creations first gained notoriety when she began mixing her drawings with photography and they have been featured by the industry’s biggest names. She is a testament to the power of DIY culture, having created her own niche through sheer hard work, practice and gutsy personal projects. “I’m lucky that because I focus solely on my own work people tend to come to me for that, so I rarely feel pushed in directions I feel uncomfortable working in,” she explains. Approaching each brief with her sketchbook to hand, her starting place is often decorative motifs and symbolism that capture the imagination, combined with a highly expressive face. “I’ll play around with different themes and concepts. I’ll go back to my sketch for underdeveloped ideas that may work in the present. It all comes naturally, and when it works, it works!” 11. Keep diversity in mind Land of Pleasures by Jose Mendez Increasingly, today’s creatives are faced with challenges around culture and diversity, because the public quite rightly expect brands and media to recognise the need for inclusivity, and adapt their advertising accordingly. Yet, to do so without resorting to stereotyping can be surprisingly difficult. “It’s important to reflect the times we are living in,” says Spanish illustrator Jose Mendez. “Illustrators should focus on creating characters that represent people, tribes, animals that people can relate to.” It’s an approach championed by Nexus Studios, a company that prides itself on creating heartfelt stories and experiences that engage audiences through the power of entertainment and culture. “We need more diversity and inclusiveness,” stresses Jenkins. “It has to reach a point where it’s not a ‘thing’ to be mindful of, it’s just life.” And he has a firm idea of how this can be achieved. “To break stereotypes, diverse characters must not be token team members, they should be in the plot because they matter, have a valid role, are vital to the plot, so why not start from there? Being of mixed heritage I do feel aware and have noticed the somewhat arbitrary way some productions have plugged-in diversity. Yet I think even if handled awkwardly it can be positive, because it brings the issue into focus and helps us overcome biases.” 12. Avoid stereotypes One of Hattie Stewart's 'doodlebomb' creations For Craig & Karl, it’s an issue to be acutely aware of. “We are very mindful of diversity in our work and always create a good balance of the sexes and backgrounds in our portraiture. Clients are super aware of the importance too and mostly request it, which is great. We’re doing a project at the moment that involves creating a character for different cities around the world, so when it comes to drawing a girl from Paris (for example), it’s not about drawing Eiffel Tower earrings and giving her a beret, it’s far more interesting and challenging to capture the essence of a real Parisian, someone looking awesome going about their everyday activities. No one wants corny representations of gender, race or sexuality… it’s all about creating an overall vibe.” “Diversity is incredibly important to me,” enthuses Stewart. “I’ve always said my characters have no ascended gender or race; I want them to be universal but still unique and inclusive. I couldn’t imagine making characters this fun and cheeky and them not being diverse.” When I started, I nearly always sketched white men... I'm now a lot more mindful at the sketch sketch to mix up the characters Leon Edler For Edler, striking a balance is essential. “I had to represent 16 different demographics for the Guardian’s budget coverage last year, so there might have been a tendency to take inspiration from stereotypes, but at the same time we have to be responsible – you don’t want to be reductive.” Working almost exclusively in editorial illustration for leading publications, Edler admits that it can still be tricky sometimes. “When I started, I nearly always sketched white men in my concepts, and I would be asked to make sure I included women and people of colour in the finals. As I’ve developed and my career has progressed, I’m a lot more mindful at the sketch stage to mix up the characters and represent a bigger range of people. 13. Experiment with new approaches An exhibition of Craig & Karl's portraits in Shanghai Reducing the characters into simple forms and exaggerating their features gives you more scope to be able to adapt the character into any situation, whether it’s 2D or in the real world through sculpture or products, observes Redman. “Visually we’re both drawn to bold shapes and colours composed in a high impact and simplified way,” he explains, “and those ideas are translated into our work without us really thinking about it – it’s instinctive.” Adopting the same approach for their portraits, whether they are drawing a public figure or celebrity, Craig & Karl reveals it’s all about singling out a feature that is distinctive to that person. “In the case of Trump it’s pretty easy, that orange wig/face and glum look; when we’re drawing friends it might be a beard or a particular piece of jewellery that identifies them. Whatever it is, that’s the element to highlight and exaggerate, this allows the viewer to get a quick read and identify who the subject is.” Taking the time simply to experiment and try things out generally across the board is also an essential part of the way the duo work, across different types of projects. “There’s a sort of flow of ideas where one thing feeds into another all of the time,” reveals Maier. “What we develop as part of one project may spark a thought for a character or vice versa. I guess it acts as a little reset when we come back to character design, which hopefully keeps our approach fresh.” This article originally appeared in issue 280 of Computer Arts, the world's leading design magazine. Buy issue 280 or subscribe here. Read more: 9 tips for designing a believable character How to sculpt a character in VR 10 things you should know before becoming a designer View the full article

JavaScript is an essential component of any web developer's toolkit, but to get the best out of it you need a command of more than vanilla JS. 12 common JavaScript questions answered If you're just starting out in JavaScript, though, the sheer volume of tools available can seem more than a little daunting. That's why we've collected together 25 of the best, covering everything from frameworks and interfaces through to code quality and testing tools. Read on to discover some of the best web design tools you can lay your hands on, and how they'll help you become a better JavaScript developer. Code quality tools 01. TypeScript When it compiles, TypeScript can target any version of JavaScript required for each project A common issue for new JavaScript developers is its dynamic typing system. A variable type can be inferred at runtime but will have no restriction as to what type it can be in the future. Dynamic typing can be useful in creating patterns, but how useful that is depends on the project. TypeScript aims to bring a declarative style of programming by typing variables where developers feel it makes sense. Type annotations appear where a variable is defined. With objects, interfaces define the structure of an object and the type becomes a reference to that interface. These can be extended to create easily customised objects. TypeScript uses experimental JavaScript syntax as part of its system. Decorators, for example, are functions that apply themselves to a class, method or property that provide repeatable functionality. These can save duplication in a project. It also compiles existing syntax such as classes, modules and arrow functions into valid ES3 or ES5. This can be customised to the browsers targeted within each project. When browsers can natively support these features, TypeScript can be instructed to keep them, making the resulting code perform better. TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript, so provides benefits to the language without changing its structure. As a result, any JavaScript is valid TypeScript and any of its features used are completely optional. 02. ESLint Linting is a type of static code analysis that can be performed on a project to check for any script that is likely to break or does not match the preferred style for the project. ESLint can check JavaScript for common mistakes, in addition to following popular pre-defined sets of rules from companies such as Google and Airbnb. 03. Prettier Much like ESLint, Prettier is able to identify formatting quirks. It also goes one step further and will automatically update the offending lines on the developer's behalf. While it is not as customisable, Prettier is more aware of surrounding contexts and will only apply formatting where it makes sense. It can also support other formats like JSX. 04. Travis CI Travis CI is a continuous integration (CI) tool. It monitors GitHub branches for any new commits and will run tests against it to make sure nothing was broken in the process. It can then deploy the change or notify the team about any issues. Travis CI is free for use with open-source projects, where consistency is important. 05. JSDoc When writing complex modules, it can be a difficult task to remember how everything works. With JSDoc, methods can have special code that describes what they do, any parameters they expect and the sort of thing they can return. This can then be processed to create documentation or enable editors like VS Code to provide hints in context to developers. Frameworks 06. React React Sight is a Chrome plugin that visualises component hierarchy alongside state and props Created by Facebook, React is one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks out there at the moment. It is primarily built to provide the user interface of an application. It is constructed on the concept of components – individual blocks of content that tell React how to render each part of an application. When something changes, React will work out what needs to update on the page. Virtually all of the logic that deals with how the application behaves is dealt with inside a component, which makes them easily reusable and they can often be shared across projects. While not essential, a lot of React projects are written in JSX. It is a language that looks and functions in a similar way to HTML but enables components to easily work alongside each other. Each component has a special 'render' method that tells React what to display. Internal state or external values called 'props' hold information about what the render should ultimately look like, whether that comprises text or other child components. React employs a unidirectional data flow, meaning that data is stored in a parent and passed down into its children. If a child needs to update that data, specially crafted methods can be passed down for the child to call. React Router is a popular package that supplies special components to React for internal navigation. Depending on the URL supplied, React Router can serve specific components to different parts of an application. Redux is commonly paired with React to manage application-wide state. Through special bindings, React is able to communicate with a large object that stores all the data for the application. Select parts of this state can then be passed to components to dictate how it should display. Overall, React is a relatively lightweight framework that is versatile enough for a lot of different projects. While not as fully featured as Angular, it is possible to piece together all the parts for each project as required. 07. Angular The Angular CLI is a great way to try out new things with the framework Angular was one of the first popular single-page application frameworks available. It has changed dramatically since its first release and with a host of new features, still remains prevalent today. Angular is designed to cover all aspects of an application – from templating to dependency injection. It has an opinionated structure, which means all projects will end up working in a similar way. Unlike React, Angular uses two-way data binding to keep all aspects up to date. Values in an input text box, for example, can directly update the model. Likewise, if the model changes display will automatically update. This keeps everything in sync. Angular is built on top of TypeScript, which enables it to use features like static typing and decorators to make the composition of components easier to manage. TypeScript then compiles down to regular JavaScript to use as normal in the browser. 08. Polymer Polymer is a framework from Google created to help build applications using web components. By working with the official specification, these components are reusable and can work alongside native elements and methods. Polymer 3 is coming soon and switches to using npm and ES2015 module imports as the needs of developers have evolved. 09. Svelte Svelte is designed to be a lightweight framework that disappears into standardised JavaScript once the project is built. Component logic, style and markup all live within a single file and work much like web components with scoped styles and <slot> elements to add content. The feature set is intentionally limited but can be readily extended as needed. 10. Vue DevTools enable access to the inner workings of each component, including internal state and Vuex Vue is a new framework but one that has quickly gained traction. While it shares similarities with others, it also eases some of the common pain points. It's flexible enough to be used either as part of an existing application, or as the main framework for a site. All of the HTML, CSS and JavaScript for a component can live within the same file. Styles are scoped, which makes it easier to drop components into multiple projects as needed. Vue also contains its own state management library called Vuex. Similar to systems like Redux, the application has access to a centralised data store. Adjustments are performed by mutations on that state, which trigger updates in any component making use of that data. Similarly, Vue also includes a router to enable navigation between different parts of a single-page application. By defining all the routes available, Vue will take care of the navigation between them. 11. Mocha Mocha is often the go-to for developers to write a range of tests in a project because it is simple to get started. Each test can run through Node or in the browser, making it easy to see where issues are occurring. Mocha also works with any assertion library, which makes it highly customisable to suit the needs of different teams. 12. Puppeteer Puppeteer provides a way to control Chrome with Node, which makes repeatable UI tests a lot easier to perform. It can check visual elements in the browser, such as the page title, as well as create screenshots to help track any regressions. Test runners like Jest or Mocha can run Puppeteer and can fail tests based on its results. 13. Protractor Protractor is a specialised testing tool for all versions of Angular. It uses Selenium to run end-to-end tests in real-world environments and browsers. Protractor will do all the set up required and can automatically wait for the page to load, which helps avoid brittle tests and decreases the amount that subsequently needs to be written. 14. Nightwatch For other projects that need end-to-end testing, Nightwatch makes a fantastic alternative. It also runs Selenium under the hood, which will enable you to test what the end user will see. Tests are written as modules that are run through Node and it is an easy procedure for them to be extended to connect to CI platforms or to send their results to external software. Project testing 15. Jest Jest can generate code coverage reports to help identify any gaps in test suites Jest is a test runner created by Facebook. Its main aim is to be as easy to set up and use as possible, with no configuration required to get started. Any files inside a "__tests__" directory or ending in ".spec.js" or ".test.js" will be picked up automatically. Tests run quickly and can run on each change to make sure that everything works correctly. Jest can even pick up what has been updated since the last commit and will only run tests on elements that have been affected. Customisable command line options make sure the right tests are running at the right time, which is ideal for keeping continuous integration tools fast. One standout feature of Jest is snapshot tests. While not testing a specific value, Jest will capture the structure of what is under test and will compare against that in future tests. If anything has changed, Jest will highlight the change and it can either be fixed or confirmed as intentional. This works great for React components but can also be used for any kind of serialised value. JSDOM is configured by default, which makes testing browser-based projects easier by enabling them to run through Node. Jest also comes with basic test functionality that includes mocks, spies and assertions. While these will work, other tools such as Enzyme and Sinon can be brought in to make writing tests an easier process. While Jest is often used to test React applications, in actuality it can be used to test a project that was written for any framework or language. Premade setup files can take the hassle out of building the right testing environment, for example making sure that Angular is defined globally. Editor plugins 16. Quokka Quokka will output the contents of the file to a window connected to the editor Despite our best efforts, no developer can get everything right first time. When a small idea needs trying out, setting up a project just to see if it works can be overkill. When working with unfamiliar tools and libraries it is best to have an isolated workspace that shows exactly what is happening at each step. Quokka is an environment that lives inside an editor. It evaluates code inline and displays the result as it gets used. This makes it great for trying out blocks of logic without having to build a new bundle and check it in the browser. Coloured blocks alongside each line number shows that it's covered by Quokka. A green block indicates there are no problems, while red alerts that there is an issue with that line. The comment at the end of that line provides more information. A grey box shows a line is never reached, which may or may not be an intentional decision. While Quokka works with most setups straight away, its settings can be customised within each file or inside package.json if used with npm. Most languages based on JavaScript are already supported, including JSX and TypeScript, but plugins are also available to work with other syntaxes such as jQuery, without having to explicitly import it. Plugins can be brought in to set up and tear down environments each time the code runs. The project is made by the same team as wallaby.js, which features similar functionality but for test suites. As a failing test gets written, Wallaby will highlight the issue straight away, which means errors are caught sooner. Quokka is available as a plugin for VS Code, Atom or JetBrains IDEs. The free Community edition will cover most cases, but the optional Pro edition enhances things further by enabling inline inspection of code to identify slow performance issues. 17. Emmet Emmet is a set of plugins available for most code editors that aims to enable developers to code quickly by removing all of the slow, repetitive tasks involved. When developers enter a small keyword, it can detect and replace it with a larger block of content. Emmet will also understand their intentions, parse the syntax and even expand the code automatically. 18. Import Cost Over time, applications can soon become bloated with large dependencies weighing them down. Import Cost is a simple plugin for VS Code that will highlight the size of any imports inline as they are added and are colour-coded to see at a glance what might be over-inflating the bundle. The developer can then decide whether that extra weight is justified or not. 19. BracketHighlighter Code can often get buried inside nested objects, functions or elements. Sometimes that can make it hard to see exactly which open bracket marries up to which close bracket. BracketHighlighter for Sublime Text will highlight one bracket when the other is selected and will even work with multiple selections and inside strings. 20. Chrome Debugger VS Code can create breakpoints and provide feedback on running Node applications already but what about the browser? The Chrome Debugger plugin will hook the editor up to a DevTools instance to enable the same behaviour in-browser. Step through code, pause execution and monitor variable values in a familiar environment. Interfaces 21. D3 The Gallery shows the diverse range of graphics that can be made with D3 Data visualisations are a great way to make large datasets more interesting. By approaching the information from a new angle, the data is easier to understand and new insights can be made. Making them can be easier said than done, though, and working with SVG directly comes with its own quirks, while trying to output to a <canvas> element can be slow and inaccessible. D3 stands for Data Driven Documents and is designed to create data visualisations with JavaScript using SVG, HTML and CSS. These documents are designed to be easily updated as the user interacts with them or new data arrives. At its core, D3 binds data to DOM elements, which can be interpreted in different ways depending on the project. For example, a bar chart could be created with a few <div> elements that are styled to look like bars. Each data value would be bound to a bar, which in this case would be widened based on its value. By keeping a reference to the selected element, the charts can be updated as necessary. The 'enter' and 'exit' methods define what should happen when an element is to be added or removed from a chart based on the data. With that in place, charts can be reparsed and updated automatically. Where D3 really shines is through complex visualisations, such as maps. This is achieved through manipulation of SVGs. While there is no built-in functionality for creating a map, it is possible for D3 to plot GeoJSON data using d3.geo.path. There are plenty of other tools and libraries built using D3 that are designed to make the process easier. DataMaps provides ready made map data on set projections that can be dropped in and customised as needed. As D3 will be in charge of the DOM, it can be difficult to integrate with modern web frameworks that update based on state. Libraries such as React-D3 are made to work with updating props and can take the hassle out of integration. 22. Anime.js There are plenty of examples of what is possible in Anime.js on CodePen More sites are embracing subtle animations. A small animation is a great way to catch the user's eye and create interest. CSS animations are ideal for simple transitions that are known ahead of time, but what if the targets and values change based on user input? Anime.js is a tool that makes animations easier to work with. Everything starts with a call to 'anime', which defines everything about the animation including the target, duration and any transitions to apply. Targets can be anything from a DOM node to a JavaScript object, which can transition values inside of itself. One great feature of Anime.js is the ability to create a path for an element to follow based on a <path> element defined in SVG. By calling anime.path(), it enables that path to be used as a value for X/Y positioning for other animations. These can be stacked or strung together to create a timeline without the need for specified offset values. 23. Moment.js Working with dates and times can be challenging. The native Date object provides little functionality to help format and manage time zones. Moment creates special objects that enable devs to parse and format dates and times any way that's required. The size can be kept small by only including the locales needed for each project. 24. Semantic UI Semantic UI is a set of common components that can be enabled as necessary within any project. Common patterns like breadcrumb navigations and toggle buttons encourage are first created with semantic HTML, which the library enhances. Integrations for frameworks like Vue and Angular are available to drop into apps that simplify interface creation. 25. Pell By limiting the feature set, Pell can produce semantic HTML that can be used anywhere A lot of projects make use of a rich text editor. That might be for a comments section where styling options are limited but load times are important, or in a CMS where a large feature set is essential. While there are a multitude of WYSIWYG options out there, they can be large, rely on outdated dependencies or produce non-semantic markup. Pell is a simple text editor weighing in at just over 3kB minified, making it smaller than options like TinyMCE or Facebook's Draft.js. There are also no dependencies to rely on, which makes Pell a drop-in replacement for any existing editor. While others may provide a bigger feature set, Pell focuses on doing the basics well. Actions such as links, lists and images are present out of the box but custom features can be added to suit the needs of any project. The look and feel can also be customised, with Pell providing a SCSS variable file to overwrite as necessary. This article was originally published in issue 306 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Subscribe to net here. Related articles: 5 of the best JavaScript frameworks How to manage CSS classes with JavaScript 20 JavaScript tools to blow your mind View the full article

Having won the Championship and secured a promotion to the Premier League, 2018 has proved to be a good year for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, or as fan calls them, Wolves. A nicely timed rebrand courtesy of design agency SomeOne tops off these achievements, and sees the irreplaceable Wolves logo design transformed into a 3D version and accompanied by snazzy new typefaces. As part of its brief, SomeOne was tasked with nodding back to the club's heritage, as well as recognising the club's new ownership under the Chinese company Fosun Group. Having been founded in 1877, Wolves have a long history for the studio to work with. In the end, SomeOne drew on Wolverhampton's association with ironmongery to forge a strong new identity that looks like it's been hammered into shape. This new identity includes a three dimensional Wolves logo and two fonts inspired by the club badge – Wolves Display and Wolves Display Cut. Check it out by clicking left to right in the gallery below with the arrows. Football club redesigns can prove controversial with fans, just look at the outrage surrounding the Leeds United badge rebrand. To tackle this, SomeOne consulted various groups along the way, including supporters. “We knew not to touch the club’s iconic badge, but instead, use it as inspiration for a new 3D brand property," says SomeOne designer Tim Green. "The depth of the 3D wolf (particularly the version with lit eyes) adds a dynamic, competitive spirit that can’t be reflected in flat vector forms." "We wanted to give a nod to the city’s industrial heritage, so opted for a bold and condensed style," adds SomeOne designer Ian Dawson. "By using the geometric forms of the eyes, we began removing cuts and angles from the letterforms. Moving forward, this allows the club to speak in a distinctive and ownable voice, without relying too heavily on the badge." Related articles: How to choose the right typeface for a brand Bring a brand to life with illustration How to reawaken a brand's heritage View the full article

If you're interested in exploring the lucrative career path of a web developer, you'll need to gain the necessary skills first. With The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0, you'll learn everything from the basics of HTML5 to CSS3. You'll gain hands-on experience building actual websites, discover how to develop blogs and other sites using the Wordpress platform and find out how to monetise websites and bring in a cash flow using your newfound knowledge. Plus, you'll receive unlimited free web hosting for an entire year – a nice plus as you work to get more sites on the web. Get The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0 for only $25 – that's 83 per cent off the regular price. Related articles: The web designer's guide to Flexbox An essential guide to web design etiquette The best colour tools for web designers View the full article

Creating any type of 3D art is tricky, but throw typography into the mix too and it can become all kinds of daunting. To get you started, I will talk you through how I created 3D type family Rig Shaded. The 70 best free fonts Perfect for eye-popping headlines and logotypes, Rig Shaded is a layered or ‘chromatic’ typeface, which means that you can choose your own style and colour combinations. Its geometric letterforms are picked out with a distinctive halftone shading style and its four weights include a unique ‘zero’ weight. The process of creating Rig Shaded was as elaborate and unusual as the typeface itself, involving several tools and collaborations. Here's how I did it... 01. Hunt for inspiration Clockwise from top left: Bobby Evans; Justin Thomas Kay’s logo for Zoo York; Jeff Rogers; 18th century building signage; Gary Stranger; Ged Palmer I can’t get enough of 3D signwriting and tactile lettering. I wanted to capture that magic in a typeface. My previous chromatic typeface, Brim Narrow, was a serif design inspired by antique woodtype from the 1800s, and this time I wanted to design something that was thoroughly modern. I had lots of ideas and sketches, but before I opened my font software there was much to figure out. First, I made a Pinterest board with dozens of 3D lettering examples. I collected sign painting by Ged Palmer, graffiti by Gary Stranger and bold building signage. I gathered gorgeous digital lettering, including some by Jeff Rogers and Bobby Evans, both of whom I contacted to ask about their processes. Jeff has a very painterly approach to letter shading, while Bobby favours a textured, screen-printed style. 02. Collect shaping ideas Calypso by Roger Excoffon (left) and Umbra by R. Hunter Middleton (right) When I was exploring the other chromatic fonts available, I couldn’t find a geometric sans serif option. Of the sans serif typefaces, many struggled with how the angles of their drop shade, or extrude, were affected by their diagonal shapes. For example, if you apply a 45º extrude to an X that falls from the bottom right, the result will look very uneven. The stroke of the X running from top left to bottom right will show almost no extrude but the extrude on the opposite stroke will be overly deep. These need to be equalised while tricking the eye so the viewer does not notice. R. Hunter Middleton’s Umbra typeface does an outstanding job of this, however its proportions are those of Roman capitals rather than geometric. The same goes for the angles at the ends of the characters (the terminals). 03. More research and development Early halftone shading experiments I applied a rough, mechanical extrude to a variety existing sans serif fonts, using a simple Adobe Illustrator blend (If you’d like to know more about making 3D lettering I‘d recommend Jeff Rogers’ excellent 3D Skillshare tutorial). I studied characters like the N, S and X to figure out the best character shapes and what issues to look out for. I began to wonder: what if I designed a typeface that 'allowed the tail to wag the dog’ and adjusted each the letter shapes specifically to suit an extrude style? Could a geometric typeface work in harmony with 3D effects while maintaining its geometric principles and proportions? This question eventually led to Rig’s distinctive design. To accentuate Rig’s solid appearance I wanted to add some shading to its extrudes, which would also make the letters feel more like custom lettering. I played around with halftones using traditional circles, but the amount of data required to plot thousands of circles across the entire font would result in enormous file sizes and slow software rendering. A square however, requires a third of the data required to render a circle, so I found a way to make halftones with squares by using Astute Graphics’ Phantasm filter in Adobe Illustrator. A square can be described with four nodes, while a circle needs 12 04. Write yourself a brief Rig Shaded’s Layer styles and their eventual names Typefaces take a long time to produce so it’s important to establish a brief for yourself to follow. Months into production, neck-deep in detail, you’ll undoubtedly have a critical decision to make about your design direction; without a firm guide to keep you on track it’s easy to go astray. I also kept a detailed Evernote document recording technical details and decisions in case I wanted to reconsider an option. There seemed to be room in the market for my idea. So the brief to myself was: A typeface with geometric shapes, specifically to complement 3D effects Well balanced extrudes that have a visual harmony with the letter shapes and/or spacing All terminals angled to suit the connecting extrudes Maintain clear, open, legible character Create shading styles that emphasise the design’s solid, 3D appearance Keep it modular with interchangeable options so the creativity stays with the end designer Produce four weights, including include a razor-thin weight (the eventual ‘Zero' weight) 05. Design the face Font editing program Glyph was used to design the face of the character It was now time to start designing the face of the characters. For this I used Glyphs, a font editing program. Glyphs’ vector drawing tools are second to none, allowing for precise control and accuracy. Working within a dedicated type design tool also encourages you to think about the spacing of your type while you draw it. I drew my initial A-Z, focusing on the overall shapes and proportions of the letters. I made all terminals end at 90º, with a few exceptions at 45º, to suit the extrude style. I designed the characters a fraction narrower than a strict geometric, which steepens the angles of the diagonals (helping the uniformity of the extrudes) and makes the font more economical with space when it’s used in long headlines. Initial feedback from Dave Foster I designed the A-Z in Bold and Light weights and used Glyphs to create the Medium weight by interpolating from my two extremes. When completed, I asked a couple of friends and veteran type designers, Dave Foster of Foster Type and Toshi Omagari of Monotype, for their feedback on my alphabets. Next page: five more steps to creating your own 3D typeface... 06. Work on extrudes It's key to build visual harmony between the stem widths, spacing and extrude depths During my experimental stage I’d figured out the rough extrude depths for each weight so I could build visual harmonies between the stem widths and/or spacing in each weight. This aids the uniformity and rhythm of the type, which is important as the shapes become more complex. To create the extrude styles, I used a plugin to do the heavy lifting. This created the extrude shapes mechanically, and I then adjusted or redrew to achieve a consistent weight. I needed to ensure that none of the extrudes clogged up their partner face characters or obscured their details, so I adjusted several of the original face characters to make them more compatible. Plugins can do the heavy lifting when it comes to extrude styleshe rough extrude depths for each weight 07. Make Zero weight style Sketched adjustments on the Zero weight S I wanted to make a razor-thin, ‘zero’ weight style for the font family. For this to work, the extrude style needed to become the main shape of the type. I redrew each glyph with open paths, as if creating a monoline font. This gave me the skeleton of each character so it could be mechanically extruded and then adjusted or redrawn. The 'S' was particularly tricky as its spine produced almost no extrude naturally due to its diagonal direction. 08. Adjust spacing and kerning The original face spacing (top), the final combined spacing (middle) and the main differences (bottom) I’d spaced my characters throughout the drawing process to ensure they were working well together as words and sentences. However, a shaded font cannot be spaced like a regular black and white typeface. Because the extrude shapes become an integral part of each character, the spacing and kerning needs to be optimised for the overall combined shape. To do this I made both the face and the extrude black, to form one solid block, and spaced and kerned them together. 09. Prepare for shading As a rough guide, all glyphs were placed in Autodesk 3ds Max and lit To guide the halftone shading process, I commissioned a 3D designer to create and light a 3D model of my full character set. This wasn’t meant to produce a realistic shadow but rather a consistent stylistic effect, and show me where the light might fall across more complex shapes. In the end however, the final shading diverged even further from the 3D model so that the shadows could be distributed evenly across all the glyphs. Two grades of halftone shading provide greater control at various type sizes After talking with a few designer friends, I decided that it was important to offer two grades of halftone shading to provide greater control at various type sizes. Depending on the colour combinations and sizes chosen, Rig could then produce subtle gradients through to strong graphic effects. 10. Start shading marathon One of several crazy Illustrator files for making the halftones Each separate gradient was made in Adobe Illustrator then brought back into Glyphs to be cleaned up, and often adjusted square by square. There was no way to batch-process the halftone effects and the combined number of glyphs across four weights and two shading styles is approaching 2,000. It was a long, gruelling process. In Illustrator, I made a black and white gradient at the approximate size of the curve or edge that needed shading. Then, with some manipulation, I would run the Phantasm filter on these gradients to create the vector halftone squares. These were then cropped using the shape of the letter’s extrude. Back in Glyphs, at high magnification I went around all the curved edges to correct any stray points. To reduce the overall file size of the font I also removed any redundant curve handles from squares positioned on the edges of curves. There were several intricate gradients to build, like in the crotches of K and R There were several intricate gradients to build, like in crotches of 'K' and 'R', but many of the gradients were shared across multiple shapes, and keyboard shortcuts sped up the process. The last step was to even out the shading to avoid dark areas as much as possible. The result I admit that while producing the shading I cursed myself for deciding to make four weights, but the final result was worth it. The unusual approach to Rig’s design eventually led to its unique appearance. The character shapes, extrude depths and spacing have all been devised to complement each other and produce harmony within each weight. By allowing the tail to wag the dog in this way, Rig’s lively yet assured voice was forged. Related articles: How to choose the right typeface 5 classic fonts that are still on trend (and why) The 41 best free web fonts View the full article

Want to know the kind of person it takes to become a true custodian of the web? The well-known speaker and accessibility evangelist Bruce Lawson has spent years diligently advocating on behalf of developers and championing inclusivity in user experience design for brands such as Opera and Wix. We catch up with him to discuss building at scale, developer advocacy and his Generate London talk. You’re known for speaking up for non-Western web users. Why do you feel so passionately about this? I first discovered the web in Thailand, when I was researching the ramifications of my multiple sclerosis diagnosis. That experience made me understand, early on, that the web isn’t just for people based in Silicon Valley or Europe. I’ve been banging on about that since I returned from Thailand to the UK in 2000 and don’t intend on shutting up any time soon. How was being a developer advocate for Wix different from your previous role at Opera? In some ways, it was similar. Both companies had very strong consumer brands and fierce loyalty, but weren’t well known as places of engineering excellence. With Opera, I worked to show web developers how our engineers made a browser run on low-specced devices to serve its millions of customers in the developing world. At Wix, I reported directly to one of the founders but he doesn’t wander around in a shiny suit of synergies, smoking caviar or swigging leverage beverages; he writes JavaScript in the Stylable team. It’s a very engineering-led company; over 50 per cent of the workforce are engineers. What did you learn there? When I was at Opera I had a somewhat naive view of how websites get made in the industry. Working for Wix, which has 120 million users building sites on its platform, taught me a great deal about building the web at scale, about the kind of infrastructure behind the scenes, performance and where the rubber meets the road in terms of standards. Wix asked me to join to help them design APIs for Stylable that are compatible with CSS and other standards and then open source it. We were open sourcing a significant number of projects. It was also a great place to work and my team were loads of fun. Who else would fund me to script, direct and appear in a professionally made music video? Are there any new technologies that are exciting you right now? Well, naturally, I’m excited about Stylable. Wix is about to unleash it to millions of users to make their websites with. It offers the benefits of CSS-in-JS (static analysis, components, scoped styles, re-use and customisation) with the advantages of CSS (minimal run-time overhead, familiar syntax, compatibility with existing tooling and performance). In the wider web standards world, I think web assembly will be tremendously exciting. And Houdini, the ability to hook into the browsers’ internal CSS engines and extend or tweak them with JavaScript, will revolutionise both the way we make websites and the way we make standards. What will you be talking about at Generate London? I’ll be talking about how to be a proper custodian/steward of the web: making sites that are beautiful and functional, which are open to everyone and make the world a tiny bit better instead of worse. Because if we all contribute a gram of goodness, among the million or so web developers worldwide, that’s a whole ton of goodness produced. And we owe it to the medium that has given us our amazing job. This article was originally published in issue 310 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 310 or subscribe to net. Want to hear more from Bruce Lawson? Bruce Lawson is giving his talk Shokunin of the Web at Generate London from 19-21 September 2018 If you're interested in learning more about how you can make your sites more accessible to a global audience using web standards, make sure you've picked up your ticket for Generate London from 19-21 September 2018. Former deputy CTO of Opera and fashion consultant for Wix, Bruce Lawson will be delivering his workshop – Shokunin of the Web – in which he will explore how you can become a web ‘shokunin’, a Japanese term meaning an artisan with a “social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people." Generate London takes place from 19-21 September 2018. Get your ticket now. Related articles: How accessible are your designs? Get started with web accessibility The designer's guide to digital accessibility View the full article

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An engaging landing page can be the difference between a visitor staying or leaving a website, and the site hassyadai.com offers a great example of how to keep visitors with you. It introduces two characters, and the titles change on hover, depending on what is selected. This is the technique explored in this tutorial. Get the tutorial files for this tutorial 01. Get started To recreate the text switching as seen on the homepage of Hassyadai, there will be a basic HTML layout that has been created in the ‘start’ folder of the tutorial files. To make the images get larger on rollover, two classes will create that transition. 02. Show the text To show the text the ‘hidden’ class will be dynamically switched in and out on the text elements. This just has no opacity. Because of the transition on the text elements, the opacity will fade in and out. 03. Make it work The functionality of this will all be controlled through JavaScript. Here the code is added to script tags at the bottom of the page. The code is referencing all the elements on the page that need to be controlled so that they are cached in variables. 04. Grab the mouse In order to make this work, the mouse position is needed. The overall container object is grabbed just to see if the mouse is over it or not. As there are many sub elements that are visible or not, these will interfere with just doing a rollover test on individual elements. 05. Left or right Once over the container, the mouse is checked to see which side it’s on. If it’s the left, then the text over there is faded onto the screen and the image is scaled up to make this the most obvious. 06. Over and out The last part of the code is to restore everything to normal in the ‘else’ statement shown here. This restores the text to be invisible and the images to be their regular size if the mouse is not over the container. This article was originally published in Web Designer. Subscribe here. Learn more about user experience Generate London 2018 has a host of top-class speakers. Don't miss them When introducing engaging CSS effects to a page, you need to be thinking of the user experience. Freelance front-end UI developer Sara Soueidan will be revealing more on this in her Using CSS (and SVG) for the Good of UX talk at Generate London 2018. She will show a wide range of possibilities that CSS offers to improve the overall user experience of your UI, using CSS (with sprinkles of SVG and JS here and there). Make sure you don't miss out. Get your ticket now. Related articles: 5 tips for super-fast CSS Understanding the CSS display property CSS tricks to revolutionise your web layouts View the full article