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Amazon Prime Day 2018 has started! Deals have been rolling out across the world over the past few hours. Amazon has promised over a million deals, which will run all the way through until midnight on Tuesday 17 July. We're bringing you all the best Amazon Prime Day 2018 deals for designers, artists and creatives right here on this page. And we’ll also list all the best discounts at any other retailers who decide to get it on the deals madness too. Use the jump links on the right to bag yourself a bargain. Prefer to browse Amazon yourself? Here’s where you need to go: Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day is the retail giant’s summer version of Black Friday. It's for Prime subscribers only – but fear not. If you don't want to sign up for membership, you can still take advantage of the Amazon Prime Day deals by signing up for a free 30-day trial. The good news is that you can cancel the trial at any time before the end of the 30-day period, so you're not tied in. Get a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime: US | UK | Canada | Australia | India Amazon Prime Day US deals Laptops & tablets – US TVs, smartphones & cameras – US Entertainment & wearables – US Accessories – US Creative software – US We're busy hunting for great creative software deals – check back soon! Amazon Prime Day UK deals Laptops & tablets – UK TVs, smartphones & cameras – UK Accessories – UK Entertainment & wearables – UK Pencils – UK What is Amazon Prime Day? Amazon Prime Day is the retail giant’s summer version of Black Friday, the difference being that the event is for Prime subscribers only. If you’re not a subscriber though, fear not: you can still take advantage of Amazon Prime Day 2018 by signing up for a free 30-day trial. You’re able to cancel the trial at any time before the end of the 30-day period, so you can easily opt out after Amazon Prime Day has finished, if you so wish. Prime Day first launched in 2015, when Amazon offered a day of sales to mark two decades of ecommerce domination. It was an immediate success, and has quickly become one of the best shopping days of the year. In 2017 it was bigger and better than ever – and this year the event is already looking set to eclipse anything that’s gone before. At 36 hours, this year's event will be the longest Prime Day the retailer has run so far – and the biggest, with Australia, Singapore and more countries all joining the party this year. Wondering if you can benefit from the best Amazon Prime deals? Read the full list of countries taking part in Amazon Prime Day 2018 on the official announcement from Amazon. Also read: The best laptops for video editing in 2018 The best drawing tablet 8 best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac and PC View the full article

It might be Amazon Prime Day, but that doesn't mean that you're going to find all the best deals on Amazon today. If you head over to Walmart right now you'll be able to snag yourself a pretty awesome deal: a 128GB 9.7-inch Wi-Fi iPad for $349 - that's $80 off the normal price of $429. 19 best painting and drawing apps for iPad Now, before you get over-excited, this isn't one of the new 9.7-inchers that support the Apple Pencil; rather it's the older 5th generation model. So while it doesn't quite pack the punch of the latest release from Apple, it's no slouch. It'll do a great job of running all manner of iPad apps for designers, and in day-to-day use you're hardly going to notice being slightly out of date. It uses an A9 chip and will give you up to 10 hours of battery life on a full charge, and it comes in a super-slim aluminum unibody that weighs just a pound. And it doesn't lack in features: it supports TouchID and Apple Pay, it has front and back cameras and of course an ultra-crisp Retina display. If you're after your first iPad or looking to upgrade from an earlier model, and want to save a bit of money, we reckon this is the perfect option. But don't dally; we doubt this offer will be available for very long! Related articles: 10 top iPad cases for designers How to draw with Affinity Photo for iPad 3 great iPad pens for designers View the full article

In case you haven't noticed, it's Amazon Prime Day. And that means there's no better time to pick up a bargain if you're in the market for a discount camera. We've trawled Amazon to find the best deals and pass them on to you (thank us later). So read on for the best camera deals available right now... Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of these camera offers. Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day camera deals Here are the best camera deals we've seen so far during Amazon Prime Day 2018... Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

It might be Amazon Prime Day 2018, but Walmart is squaring up to the retailer with some deals of its own – like this Acer Chromebook 14 for $249, down from $299. Already a brilliant budget machine, it’s now even better value with $50 knocked off the normal retail price. See all Walmart laptop deals The Acer Chromebook 14 is a great value Chromebook that’s ideal for budget-conscious buyers. It doesn’t have the fastest processor – but it does have a decent-sized screen, great build quality and brilliant battery life. Plus it’s packed with ports, and a 3.5mm jack for headsets. It’s stylish, with sharp edges, rounded corners and an integrated keyboard tray. And at 1.8cm thick, you probably won’t notice it in your bag either. Flip open the lid, and the 14-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display is bright, crisp and evenly lit. It isn’t the best screen out there – but for this price it’s not bad. Colour and contrast are solid overall. If you’re looking for a great portable laptop for daily tasks, the Acer Chromebook 14 represents great value for money at this price. Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals See more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

As Amazon Prime Day deals come thick and fast, other retailers are offering their own discounts – and some of them are worth looking at. Walmart has slashed the price of Vizio’s 75-inch 4K HDR TV (M75-E1) from $2,498 down to just $1,298. Already the top option for savvy shoppers looking for excellent picture quality at an affordable price, this cracking Walmart deal makes the home theatre display better value than ever. See all Walmart TV and video deals Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day TV deals The Vizio M-Series offers great picture quality, outperforming numerous more expensive TVs. If you’re not prepared to fork out twice as much for an OLED TV, then this display makes for a fantastic mid-price TV. As well as being able to handle both HDR10 and Dolby Vision high-dynamic-range formats – giving you dazzling colour vibrancy – the Vizio M-Series’ Chromecast built-in system offers more apps and more frequent updates than many dedicated smart TV systems. It can also be controlled by a Google Home speaker, which is handy. With excellent black levels and shadow detail, the giant-screen M75-E1 offers some of the best dollar-for-dollar picture performance on the planet. If you’re new to 4K HDR sets, you’re going to be impressed. Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals See more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Today's the day to treat yourself to a new smartphone - this amazing Amazon Prime Day discount sees the price of the Wileyfox Swift 2 smartphone plummet from an RRP of £239 to just £139.99. That's a tempting saving of 41 per cent! This is just one of the many Amazon Prime Day discounts you won't want to miss. To take advantage of the offer you'll need to sign up to Prime. If you're not a Prime member you can simply sign up for a free 30-day trial and start saving. Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals The best Amazon Prime Day smartphone deals If you're looking for a bargain smartphone with quality specs, your search might be over. Regularly priced at £239, the Wileyfox Swift 2 smartphone can now be yours for just £139.99 - that's a generous discount of 41 per cent. Running Android Oreo 8.1, this device brings together craftsmanship, design and technology in a poplar device that's sure to fly off Amazon's digital shelves. Boasting a 5.2" full HD 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 display, a PDAF primary camera and 8MP selfie camera, this device is more than up to the job of making your snaps look their best. And with 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board storage and an expendable memory of up to 128 GB, there's plenty of room to keep your photographic masterpieces. Popular with reviewers thanks to its affordable price tag that doesn't mean a compromise on quality, the Wileyfox Swift 2 offers incredible value all round. Don't miss out on the chance to pick up one for less this Amazon Prime Day, order yours now. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

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Amazon Prime Day 2018's here, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, now's the time to grab one. Whether you need a high-end graphics beast or something small and portable for taking care of business on the move, we've found a bargain for you. So read on for six of the best laptop deals available today! Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of these laptop offers. Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day laptop deals Here are the 6 best laptop deals we’ve seen during Amazon Prime Day 2018… Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

There's an amazing 43 per cent saving to be had on an Epson Wi-Fi printer this Amazon Prime Day, with the price slashed from £299.99 to just £169.99. You don't see this sort of saving every day, and you only have a few hours to cash-in on this bargain. And with Amazon Prime Day deals making the headlines, you'll want to move fast to be in with a chance of picking up deals. (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day deals: The best electronics Normally you'd have to fork out £299.99 for Epson's Wi-Fi printer, a machine which saves you money in the long run thanks to EcoTank printers that could reduce your printing costs by 74 per cent on average. Thanks to this Amazon Prime Day discount though you can make even more savings. Perfectly suited to printing everyday documents, photos and business materials, this Epson Wi-Fi printer is capable of producing 4,500 pages in black and 7,500 pages in colour. And with an easy-refill ink tank system you won't have to struggle with ink cartridges again either. Topped off with Wi-Fi and apps that allow you to print from mobile devices, this 4-in-1 print, copy, scan and fax machine has already gone down a storm with users. And at nearly half price, it's more budget-friendly than ever. Don't miss out, add yours to your basket today. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Adding effects to text can add a whole new level of engagement and interest. Effects such as kinetic typography will grab a viewer's attention, aid user experience and help tell the story that is being told. The text effect on the Do Wonders site brings the web font into focus line by line. Read on to find out how to recreate something similar. Get the project files to help follow this tutorial. 01. Initiate HTML document The first step is to define the document structure that will store the HTML content. This consists of the document container, which stores the head and body sections. While the head section stores inks to the external CSS and JavaScript resources, the body stores the visible content created in step 02. 02. HTML content This step defines the visible HTML content. Take note of how the texts designated to have the blur effect are all contained within a container that has the ‘blur’ class. This class is used by JavaScript to reference the text items in step 03, and by CSS in later steps. 03. Automated animation delay Create a new file called ‘code.js’. Each item inside the blur container is to be presented three seconds after the previous item. JavaScript is used to automate the application of unique CSS attributes. The first step of this is to select all of the first-level items inside the blur container – after the page has loaded. 04. Number of seconds A ‘for’ loop is used to reference each item returned to the ‘nodes’ variable in the previous step. The index counter of the ‘for’ loop is used to calculate the number of seconds to assign to the animation delay attribute. As a result, each item has a delay that is three seconds longer than the previous item. 05. CSS blur Create a new file called ‘styles.css’. The first step for defining the CSS presentation rules initiates each of the text items as invisible. An animation called ‘animationBlur’ is also applied that will animate the item into view over a five-second duration. The animation mode must be set to ‘forwards’ so that it stops on its last frame. 06. Initiate animation The animation applied to the ‘blur’ elements in Step 5 are defined in this step. The reference to ‘animationBlur’ is made as a keyframes animation. The first frame ‘from’ sets the elements as visible with a text shadow – but with a transparent text colour. This is what produces the blurred text effect. 07. Final animation frame The ‘to’ frame within the animation defines the final frame that the text will be animated to. This frame sets the text shadow to disappear, along with a text colour that’s fully visible. Combined with step 06, the animation frames between ‘from’ and ‘to’ will be automatically calculated by the browser. This article originally appeared in Web Designer magazine. Subscribe here. Remember - always think of the user When introducing fancy effects to a page it needs to have a purpose, you need to be thinking of the user experience. And this is what freelance front-end UI developer Sara Soueidan will be revealing in her 'Using CSS (and SVG) for the Good of UX' talk at Generate London 2018. In her talk she is going to 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: Create a wobbly text effect with JavaScript Create a glowing neon text effect How to make text render perfectly View the full article

There are some awesome computer accessory deals about this Amazon Prime Day. If you're in the market for a better keyboard, now's the time to pick one up. Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of these keyboard deals. Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

This DSLR is already great value for money, but this Amazon Prime Day deal sees its price slashed from £469.99 to £299 – saving you £170.99, or 36% off the recommended retail price. This Canon EOS 2000D DSLR camera also comes with a 18-55 mm lens, making it even better value for money – it's not often that you'll be able to get both lens and camera of this quality for under £300. If you're not a Prime member, sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer. Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day camera deals The Canon EOS 2000D DSLR has a 24MP APS-C sensor and full HD recording, in either 30fps and 24fps frame rates. A three-inch LCD screen shows off images and videos with a respectable 921k-dot resolution, and Wi-Fi and NFC mean you can easily connect it to a device running the Canon Camera Connect app. This camera is excellent for beginners or creatives who want something easy to handle to take pictures of their work, and of course, with Canon, you know you're getting good quality. At this price, it's hard to think of reasons not to buy it... Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

If you hadn't heard, Amazon Prime Day has arrived – HURRAH! Right now, there's hundreds of deals for designers just waiting to be snapped up. But where do you start in this sea of creative bargains? Right here, that's where! We've scoured Amazon to bring you the very best deals, offering the biggest savings on some of the most sought-after tools around. If you make it past number six without splashing the cash, we'll be very impressed! (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of these creative offers.) Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq Here are the best Amazon Prime Day deals for artists and designers 2018... Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

If you love digital but can't resist the feel of pen on paper, this Prime Day Moleskine deal is for you, giving you 37 per cent off the price of a Moleskine Smart Writing Set. With its Smart Note Pad and Smart Pen – plus the accompanying app – you'll be able to sketch or take notes and then transfer your work to your phone and tablet. Don't miss this Lightning deal – it's only running until 6.40PM and there's limited stock, so get in while you can! (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day tablet deals Pretty much everyone has a digital workflow these days, but you might prefer sketching, taking notes or doodling in a good old-fashioned notepad. If so, Moleskine's Smart Writing Set can give you the best of both worlds, and for a limited period you can get one with 37% off the asking price. Combining a smart notepad and pen with a Moleskine Notes app for iOS and Android, the Smart Writing Set enables you to write or sketch as normal, and then instantly transfer your work to your phone or tablet. The smart pen features an infra-red camera for recording your work and can store up to 1,000 pages of notes in its internal memory, and it'll give you five hours of writing on a single charge so you can take the Smart Writing Set out with you and then copy everything off when you get home. It's available right now for £124.99 – that's just over £70 off the usual price of £199 – but if you want one then don't dawdle! There's limited stock and this Lightning deal must end at 6.40PM. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Save a whopping 42 per cent on this Amazon Prime Day deal that knocks the price of the Huawei Watch 2 Classic Smartwatch (Titanium Grey) down from £359 to £207. This is an amazing discount that doesn't come along every day. At this price stocks aren't guaranteed to last for the duration of Amazon Prime Day, so pick one up while you can! (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day lifestyle deals With a regular price of £359, the Huawei Watch 2 Classic Smartwatch is a stylish timepiece designed with comfort in mind to help you track your daily activities. It's not often that such a high-end watch comes down by 42 per cent, so if you're in the market for a new smartwatch, this is the time to click 'add to basket'. This sports optimised watch comes with a GPS and heart rate monitor so wearers can easily keep track of their fitness. And seeing as it supports Android Pay, once it's on your wrist you can pay for goods and services quickly and easily. You know that you're getting a high quality watch when you buy from Huawei, but don't just take our word for it. Hundreds of Amazon users have left glowing reviews for this smartwatch, so why not join their ranks and pick one up today? After all, this deal won't be around forever... Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Sitting at a desk all day isn't good for your health, but with a fitness tracker on your wrist you'll have a great incentive to get up and into shape, and this great wristband from Huawei is just what you need. And even better, this Amazon Prime Day you can get it with an amazing 56% off at just £34.99. It's yet another incredible Prime Day deal – rest assured we're tracking down the very best so we can let you know about them, so make sure you're an Amazon Prime member to take full advantage of them (And if you're not, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial right now). Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals The 14 best Amazon UK Prime Day deals If you want to keep on top of your level of fitness and look good doing it, the Huawei Band 2 Pro fitness tracker is a great solution that you can pick up right now for a bargain price. It'd usually cost you £79.99, but for Prime Day it's received a 56% price drop, so you can get one on your wrist for just £34.99. And frankly you'd be a fool not to because it's packed with features to help you keep in shape, such as built-in GPS and heart rate monitoring so that you can track your running routes without taking your phone, professional workout reports and even sleep tracking. It's waterproof up to 5ATM, so you can take it into the shower or even the pool, and its elegant ergonomic design with stainless steel construction means that it looks as good as it performs. If you've ever found yourself thinking that you should do something about your general level of fitness, this is just the way to get started, and at a price you mustn't miss. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Make a huge saving this Amazon Prime Day with this deal that sees a Sony Xperia XZ2 smartphone drop in price from £529 to £399, that's a discount of 25 per cent! This is an amazing saving on a popular phone, and you're able to grab it as long as stocks last this Amazon Prime Day. (Don't forget, if you're not a Prime member you can sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day smartphone deals With a regular price of £529, this high-end Sony smartphone is capable of recording 4K HDR Movie clips thanks to its 19MP Motion Eye camera. And with Amazon cutting the price down by 25 per cent to an appetising £399 it's even more tempting than ever. This phone is a popular device so stock aren't going to last forever - you're going to want to pick this up while you can! If you're after a phone that delivers on display and sound, you've come to the right choice. With its 5.0", 18:9 Full HD and HDR display, complete with X-Reality for mobile HDR up-conversion, as well as High-Resolution Audio, it's no surprise that this smartphone has found its audience. And seeing as it's from Sony, you know you're in for a quality smartphone that won't let you down. Not only does it offer a superior performance, but with this Amazon Prime Day discount it's also a cost-effective choice. Don't get caught short, grab yours while you can! Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Introducing the best-value Amazon Prime Day deal we’ve seen so far: you can now get Sony's excellent A7 full-frame camera and 28-70mm lens kit for just £719, down from £1,549. That's insanely cheap for a full-frame kit – Amazon has knocked more than half off the price for Prime Day, which is more than we saw the A7 reduced by on Black Friday. (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day camera deals The Sony Alpha A7 (also known as the Sony ILCE7KB) was the company’s first foray into the world of full-frame photography. Inside its compact body the A7 boasts a 24MP sensor that's capable of capturing Full HD videos to 60p. A tilting LCD and high-resolution electronic viewfinder help you compose images and videos with precision, while Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF are also on the specs list – as is Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. And as you’d expect, image quality is fantastic. The A7 represents a fantastic (and now ridiculously affordable) entry-point into full-frame photography for anyone who’s been thinking about stepping up to the next level. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

There's never been a better time to treat yourself to a brand new mouse – this great Amazon Prime Day deal will bag you a Logitech MX Anywhere 2 AMZ Wireless Bluetooth Mouse with 47% off the usual price. Instead of £52.99, you can get your hands on this fantastic wireless mouse for just £27.99, saving you an irresistible £25 on an essential piece of studio kit. It's just one of an amazing range of Amazon Prime day deals you won't want to miss out on; if you're not a Prime member you can simply sign up for a free 30-day trial to grab this bargain. Amazon Prime Day quick links Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals See more Logitech Amazon Prime Day deals If you're in need of a versatile mouse and fancy getting one for almost half price, look no further than Logitech's MX Anywhere 2 AMZ Wireless Bluetooth Mouse. It would normally cost you £54.95, but you can get it right now for just £27.99, saving you 47% – that's £26! And you'll be getting a lot of mouse for your money: the MX Anywhere 2 AMZ is designed for productivity, and it's built to be used anywhere – at home, in the studio or on the go. Its laser tracking sensor makes it ideal for those precision design jobs, and its battery will last up to two months on a full charge, so you can be sure it won't die just as you're running up to a deadline. With its Pico Unifying receiver and Bluetooth Smart wireless technology it's easy to connect it to any computer you like, and as it's Logitech you can be certain of its quality. And at this price you're really not going to want to miss out on it; order now to avoid disappointment! Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

This unmissable Amazon Prime Deal slashes the price of a Dell XPS laptop by 29 per cent - taking it down from £1,349.99 all the way down to 959.99. That's an amazing discount of £390 on a stunning laptop that was already reasonably priced for its market. At this price stocks aren't going to last forever, so make the most of the Amazon Prime Day deals while they last. (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day laptop deals Normally, if you wanted to pick up Dell's XPS 15.6-inch FHD laptop you'd be expected to fork out £1,349.99. Given that this is a stunning laptop with a top-notch display, going under a thousand pounds is a true bargain that surely won't last for long. At even better value for money than it already was, the Dell XPS 15 boasts a 4K display with multi-touch capabilities. Pair it with a Dell stylus and you've got a portable sketchbook that can make the most of the 15.6-inch screen with UHD definition. That means a lot of pixels with an unparalleled sharpness for images. Dell is famed for its cost-effective products that don't compromise on quality, and the XPS 15.6-inch laptop is no exception. And now at an unbeatably low price, they're sure to find plenty of new homes. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

Art fanatics will know that supplies can be pricey, which is why we're excited by this great Amazon Prime Day deal, which knocks 44 per cent off the price of a tin of 120 Faber-Castell Polychromos Colour Pencils. That means Prime members can get 120 colour pencils for £79.98 instead of £143.95, saving a whopping £63.97. There are all sorts of Amazon Prime Day deals on art materials coming in, but demand is high, so make sure you snap them up fast. Don't panic if you're not a Prime member, you can sign-up for a free 30-day trial to get this offer. Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day arts and craft deals With a normal retail price of £143.95, these 120 pencils are usually more than a pound each, but with a knock-down price of £79.98, they are now around 60p each – which is a fantastic price for pencils of such high-quality. The blendable pencils are perfect for artists of all ages and abilities. They are water resistant and smudge proof, and the oil-based lead means that the vibrant colour they produce will last for decades. They also come encased in a metal box, meaning they are sure to last a lifetime. This is a massive saving on a highly coveted item for art lovers, so we suggest you get it quickly. If it's pastel pencils you're after, try this deal on Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils (24 Pastels Pencils) instead. Faber-Castell has also discounted the following products in time for Amazon Prime Day too - you lucky lot. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

This spectacular Amazon Prime Day deal slashes 34 per cent off the price of a Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3 inch laptop with a platinum type cover – taking it from £1,129 down to just £749.99. That's an amazing saving on a fast and powerful device that's perfect for sketching – but you can only grab this deal during Amazon Prime Day. With Amazon Prime Day deals attracting a lot of attention, you'll need to move fast if you want to snap up this bargain. (Not a Prime member? Sign-up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this offer.) Amazon Prime Day homepage: see all deals Amazon Prime Day laptop deals Easy on the eyes and straightforward to use, Microsoft's Surface Pro is tailored towards digital drawing, with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Normally priced at well over £1,000, this hybrid device has become more accessible for designers thanks to Amazon cutting the cost down by over a third. If you're looking for a simple-to-use device with bite, you've found the right laptop. Microsoft's Surface runs Windows 10 so you're free to install your Creative Cloud software. From there you can choose to use apps in either standard or Touch Input modes. Compatible with both the Microsoft Surface Dial and the excellent Apple Pencil, the Surface Pro can easily become a versatile digital sketchbook. Its comparatively steep price has been the main barrier to entry for a lot of potential users, but with this Amazon Prime Day discount there's no better time to pick up an amazing device from an industry-leading brand. Jump straight to Amazon Prime Find more Amazon Prime Day deals on Creative Bloq View the full article

As a designer, you ultimately live or die by the quality of your work – but some careful self-branding can do wonders to make you more memorable. Crafting your own identity is often the first step in setting up a design agency, but it can be a useful exercise for freelancers too. Self-branding can add personality to your services, or authority to your work, by positioning you as an expert in your field. As a freelancer, branding yourself can also make you appear bigger and more versatile. If you work in branding, it will also show what you're capable of, and it’s good to practice what you preach. It's not essential by any means, but if you're going to do it, make sure you do it right. Read on to discover four freelance creatives who have nailed their personal branding, and what you can learn from them to create your own brand... 01. Studio Juli-ette As well as her simple typographic logo, Studio Juli-ette's business cards have a more ornate 'J' emblem embossed Sometimes a simple exercise in restrained, skillful typesetting is all you need to develop a distinctive personal brand. One great example is Juliette Kim. Although born in Seoul, South Korea, the founder of Studio Juli-ette has lived globally – including Indonesia, Australia and most recently, the United States. "Multicultural personality has always been one of the biggest characteristics of my work. So I wanted to communicate that in my logo in a subtle way," she says. Studio Juli-ette's logomark is a twist on the English and Korean spellings of her name A subtle typographical twist combines the English spelling of her name with its Korean equivalent – Nahyeon, or 나현. "That’s why I have the little dash in Juli-ette," Kim explains. Studio Juli-ette's wordmark is supplemented by a J-shaped marque that resembles a treble clef. This is embossed onto Kim's business cards, and she has plans to expand the studio's offering in the future by launching a line of products under this more playful sub-brand. 02. Manon Gabriëls Manon Gabriëls chose complementary pastel colors for his business cards Where Juliette Kim chose to combine subtle typography with a cool, neutral shade of cream, Manon Gabriëls opted for a more colorful approach in his personal branding. Keen to convey a sense of fun, the Belgian designer chose complementary pastel colors – including peach, sky blue and lilac – for his business cards. For the logo itself, Gabriëls rearranged the letters of his name into a stylish composition, which combined with chunky, rounded underlines beneath the 'm' and 'n' forms a distinctive logo marque. Using his personal branding, Gabriëls developed a 'portfolio box' to showcase his favorite projects Finally, 'graphic designer' is curved around a path to complete a typographical lock-up with the main marque. "The half circle has become a useful graphic element," adds Gabriëls, who has also used the logo on the cover of his case study booklets, which continue his pastel palette and are contained within a portfolio box. 03. Lindsey Kugler Lindsey Kugler's identity is designed to be "edgy and eye-catching, but also sophisticated and constrained" Personal branding is a great way to practice what you preach in terms of style and approach and show clients what you're capable of. LA-based designer, Lindsey Kugler, developed a cohesive identity system with this in mind. "I wanted something edgy and eye-catching, but also sophisticated and a bit constrained," she explains. "The design is simple but bold, and the straight and diagonal lines have a strength to them, yet they are still traditional in form." Kugler's cohesive personal branding system carries effortlessly across a range of stationery Kugler's minimalist logo is based on her initial, L and K – but rather than simply applying the logo to everything, she treated each piece of stationery as its own canvas, demonstrating how her flexible identity system works in practice across different materials. "When those lines are combined to create the pattern on the back of the letterhead, that's where I was able to bring in that edge and playfulness," Kugler continues. "The black and white palette was an obvious choice because I'm obsessed with all things black-and-white, but I love the rawness it conveys, and the contrast." 04. Joy Li Joy Li's playful and eye-catching range of business cards incorporate her name into various famous quotes Sometimes it takes a little more creativity and conceptual thinking to turn a self-branding exercise into a campaign in its own right. Sydney-based Joy Li is a great example, having created an eye-catching campaign as a third-year student. "I was lucky in that my name lends itself to multiple meanings and contexts, as well as for good copy puns," she smiles. "My purpose and process as a designer is to bring a little bit of ‘joy’ to everything I create, so I looked at meshing my name to create partial insights into my personality and interests." Li's integrated self-promotion campaign goes far beyond business cards, and is built around various 'Joy' puns Li's business cards use the word 'joy' in the context of memorable quotes from authors and artists. "Design trends come and go, so I wanted my identity to be built on a concept rather than a certain aesthetic," she explains. "I wanted something that could be updated, without compromising the core idea." For a typeface, she chose Harbour by Gareth Hague as she was impressed by its blend of modern and medieval lettering influences. "It's sort of contradictory to set such delightful copy amongst moody tones and gothic-style type," she admits. "But I think it’s what makes it more engaging, and a bit unexpected." Once you've nailed your personal branding, it's time to put it into action to wow potential clients and collaborators – and digital print and design company moo.com can help. You’ll find a wealth of fun, affordable, easy-to-use tools for creating premium business cards, postcards and other stationery to really do your brand justice. Related articles: Create better business cards in 5 minutes Project your work onto the global stage 10 steps to go freelance this year 6 ways to build your creative network Nail the art of networking: get more from events 3 tips for crafting stunning print promo View the full article

Picking the right font can be crucial for the success of a design project, whether it's a tagline on a poster or an expanse of long-form copy for a piece of editorial design. Type shapes personality, determines legibility, and achieves impact. When you need to pick the right typeface for a brand, the importance of type is magnified as a few characters need to convey the values and personality of a brand, as well as helping to achieve standout from the competition. So how do you make that all-important choice? There are many factors involved, from the emotional features you need, to the types of application, to the technical, linguistic and logistic requirements. One key step is choosing what class of typeface you need, so read on for our guide to how five distinctive varieties can have an impact on a brand... 01. Traditional serif North's rebrand of Southbank Centre uses a distinctive serif that bridges the gap between authoritative and edgy There's a good reason that serif fonts exude gravitas and class: they have their origins in the inscriptions that were chiselled into stone in Ancient Rome. Used appropriately they can make a brand feel from cultured, sophisticated, and authoritative – and are often used in fashion, academic and culture sectors. North's rebrand of Southbank Centre is bold and confident, designed to act as an all-encompassing 'masthead' brand for the organisation. The previous condensed sans-serif marque was replaced with a modified version of Noe Display. Modern and high-contrast, its sharp, blocky serifs echo the brutalist architecture of the building. It feels authoritative and sophisticated, but still forward-thinking and edgy. Superunion went for a classic serif when five well-established (mostly sans-serif) agency brands were combined The two brands we're looking at here use serifs in very different ways. Second, we have one of the most closely-watched agency rebrands of recent years: when WPP merged The Partners, Brand Union, Lambie-Nairn, Addison and VBAT into a 750-strong mega-agency, everyone was curious to see how the new branding behemoth was to be positioned. The answer was 'Superunion', and the font choice was a crisp, traditional serif – with a playful half-ligature between the 'u' and the 'n' adding character. Given that most of the constituent companies sported sans-serif marques beforehand, the choice clearly marks Superunion as a new entity, but also feels confident, established and timeless, emphasising the team's considerable combined experience rather than wiping the slate clean and choosing something more contemporary. 02. Geometric sans-serif Geometric sans-serifs are everywhere these days... Compared to the ancient origins of their serif counterparts, sans-serif typefaces are a much more recent phenomenon that developed alongside advertising, commercial communication, and the broader Modernist movement in the 19th and 20th centuries. Rather than denoting heritage and sophistication, their smooth, clean lines convey simplicity, purity and functionality. This is particularly true of geometric sans-serifs, whose satisfyingly homogenised proportions are well-suited to digital and technology-led companies keen to communicate values such as innovation and efficiency. Over the past decade, geometric sans-serifs have been at the heart of a relentless drive for minimalism across many different sectors. Pentagram's pared-back rebrand of MasterCard and Google's decision to drop its distinctive serifs are symptomatic of this trend – as is DesignStudio's Airbnb wordmark, although the accompanying Bélo symbol drew most of the attention. Sometimes a brand name lends itself perfectly to a geometric type treatment, Badoo being a case in point In short, geometric sans-serifs are everywhere – and the trend doesn't show much sign of waning. If you're planning to use one in your next branding project, consider whether there's a sound creative reason to do so – is it just the safe option, or is there scope to add a playful flourish? For instance, the above logo for social discovery network Badoo – completed in-house – lends itself perfectly to a geometric sans-serif treatment. Structured around a line of five circles, it emphasises the complementary bowls in the characters of its name beautifully. It feels warm, playful and satisfying where a different company name, set in a similar typeface, could just feel generic and tired. 03. Chunky slab-serif Johnson Banks bucked the sans-serif trend for its Mozilla rebrand, opting for a typewriter-like slab-serif instead Unlike the natural elegance of many traditional serifs, slab serifs tend to have a much blockier, more workmanlike feel that is more reminiscent of clattering typewriters than ornate inscriptions. When used in all-caps at display sizes, they can also evoke the spirit of posters from the American Old West. However, one of the most interesting recent applications of a slab serif in a branding scheme came out of Johnson Banks' extensive open-source creative process for Mozilla – which laid bare the agency's workings on several different potential solutions, and involved the online community in helping to develop them. The fact that coding is often done in 'typewriter-style' fonts is a neat link that helped the final route be chosen, alongside the witty incorporation of the '://' protocol to replace the 'ill' of Mozilla. But crucially, the identity also bucks the overwhelmingly sans-serif route favoured by web and technology firms the world over, giving the not-for-profit a chance to 'own' that particular typographic look and feel. 04. Characterful script Petfinder is a rare example of a brand moving to a cursive font for a rebrand... and is much warmer as a result Many of the world's best cursive logos are made more friendly and approachable thanks to the scrawled look and feel of handwriting – such as Virgin, Kleenex or Kelloggs – while high-end brands such as Harrods or Paul Smith are 'signed' by their founders as a stamp of authenticity. Coca-Cola is in a class of its own. These are all well-established classics, however. Many more recently designed script-style logos have fallen in the wake of the minimalist trend – Pinterest's distinctive scrawling ligatures were replaced by an identikit chunky sans-serif, for instance. This makes it all the more comment-worthy when a modern brand decides to go cursive. A particularly charming example is POSSIBLE's 2016 rebrand of Petfinder, which replaced a slightly jaunty, spindly serif with a smooth, rounded, upright script that's much warmer and more satisfying – although not as satisfying as the first time you spot the dog's face subtly hidden in the centre. 05. Playful stencil DesignStudio's branding for Treatwell puts a contemporary, individual twist on stencilled type There's no two ways about it: stencil fonts can be tough to get right when it comes to branding. In particular contexts – such as combined with faux-graffitied, 'dripping' paint letterforms – they're downright cliched. Used sympathetically and appropriately, however, a more subtle stencilled approach can exude class and style, and give an extra layer of depth compared to a standard serif, for instance. One such example is DesignStudio's branding scheme for beauty brand Treatwell. Part of the brand strategy was to shift the focus from simply 'beauty' into a broader theme of self-expression, confidence and individuality. While the stencil typeface references the traditional look and feel of a beauty brand, its treatment is more contemporary, subtle and unique. When it comes to picking a typeface for a brand, don't be afraid to explore unexpected avenues – it can lead to some strikingly creative solutions. Related articles: 7 best car logos of all time 5 ways to pick the perfect app font Pick the right font for your social campaigns View the full article

It’s no overstatement to say that character design is one of the most exciting, creative and celebrated artistic disciplines. Creative legends H.R. Giger, Phil Tippett and Ray Harryhausen knew it, with their visions for characters inspiring thousands of creative minds and entertaining millions worldwide. So it will come as no surprise that character design is also one of the most difficult creative fields to get into. This is where CGMA’s Character Design Program can help. Designed for those already versed in the fundamentals of drawing and design, CGMA’s new program carefully builds on those core skills to give you head-to-toe training in the art of human and creature character design for the entertainment industries. By the end of the program, you’ll will be ideally placed to make the leap to a character design/concept art position at a film, animation, games or print-based studio. To enroll in the Character Design Program, you’ll need either to have successfully completed CGMA’s Foundation and Design Program or submit a portfolio that demonstrates sufficient core drawing skills and character/animal anatomy knowledge. Providing the best education possible, CGMA students are now able to take advantage of one year extended access to content (note: please bear in mind this new feature is not available retroactively). Let’s take a closer look at what CGMA’s Character Design Program has to offer… Head drawing and Construction with Christian Nacorda Building on the information covered in the initial Analytical Figure Drawing course, this course challenges students to push those skills through the introduction of additional subject matter of the human head. Students will be introduced to its basic structures, underlying muscle groups and how they affect different forms of expression, structuring of different types of hair masses and rendering and, at the end, creating a final well-constructed and fully rendered face. Character Design for Animation with Nate Wragg This course covers reference and breaking your pipeline down into things to consider regarding animation design. Beginning with using shapes as building blocks for building characters, allow your imagination to run wild and push the boundaries of design. The course also discusses exactly what it takes to become a professional designer. Costume Design with Clayton Stillwell Students will discover methods of how to ‘dress’ a figure to best suit the needs of their characters’ personalities. Using costume and props, you’ll be able to give story to your characters and bring them to life. Students will also learn about textures and proper methods of rendering different types of materials in Photoshop. Character design for Production with Nate Wragg This class will focus on taking your character designs through a production pipeline and learning to make your designs functional for animation. You will cover both common and important types of assignments that will be expected of you as a working professional. You will walk out of this class with not only the experience of a real professional setting, but with high quality artwork that you’ll be proud to showcase in your portfolio. Digital Portrait Painting with Melanie Delon This course goes over different color and texture rendering techniques for creating believable human portraits. Special attention is given to facial features drawing on surface structure, skin rendering (i.e. translucency, hue/saturation/value and color temperature, etc.), layered studies, and background/foreground manipulation. It also explores sci-fi portrait subjects as part of the options given to paint through the course. By the end of the course, students should have created one to two fully rendered portraits. Learn how to start a portrait from start to finish beginning with a pencil sketch, then lighting, color scheme, create realistic facial features, and emotion into our compositions for a successful digital portrait painting. Anatomy of Clothing with Ron Lemen In this class, you will deconstruct various materials, from their tensile strength and geometric construction to their surface properties or how they absorb and reflect light. We will work with the armature from the analytical figure drawing class and work on draw through as learned in dynamic sketching class, organising the clothing into simple easy to use forms using the draw through approach. Other concepts we will cover include the laws of folds, the seven different types of folds and how they happen, how movement affects the geometry of the drapery, tension points, abstractions and rhythms, rendering and much more. Be prepared to do a lot of construction and rendering. Storyboarding for Animation with Kevin Reed This is an introduction course where you will learn some techniques for visual storytelling. It will cover methods and exercises to help you generate ideas and learn tips and tricks used in storyboarding. The assignments will help you build a starter portfolio for storyboarding and equip with the basics for creating your own stories. Creature Design for Films and Games with Bobby Rebholz This course will teach you how to design your own creatures by using Earth’s animals as a guideline. Nature is a powerful tool when sketching ideas and Creature Design for Film and Games will show you just how to use real life references in your creations. We will begin with rough and quick sketching to generate ideas and then slowly refine these ideas into a polished portfolio piece. Students will learn how to design creatures using basic forms, how to really see the design and function of the creature, and the importance of anatomy. Character Design for Films and Games with Marco Nelor This course will teach you basic as well as advanced techniques in character creation. Students will explore the essence of a character by developing that character’s attitude and digging deep into what makes the character feel real and grounded. Visual storytelling is key in the video game and cinematic worlds, and students will learn how to portray all aspects of a character in their attire as well as the small details, such as pose, attitude, and flavour. Students will learn how to execute a powerful character from start to finish, with focus on details, lighting, communication, and clarity. Drawing and Rendering Techniques with Michal Kus Drawing & Rendering Techniques for Hardware Design covers the benefits of ideation sketching, perspective, visual language, rendering and presentation techniques, and design intent. Focusing on the fundamentals of drawing and design, student will learn a process to deliver stronger designs using established concept design processes. Focusing on designing for production, students will learn how a concept artist fits into a production pipeline. Subjects include: developing design themes, thumbnails, visual vocabulary, believability applied to literal and fantastical subjects, materials, rendering, lighting, and presentation. Students will design both vehicles and mechs from thumbnail sketches through full concept illustration. Figure Drawing: Anatomy of Style with Patrick Jones Patrick will discuss traditional drawing rendering techniques which he uses to simplify anatomy into basic shapes and gestural line to create a language your memory will use to unlock and develop your personal style of drawing. For more information about registration or employer-sponsored education, including how to get a portfolio review for course placement purposes, get connected with Admissions by phone at +1 1-800-959-0316 or email registration@cgmasteracademy.com. View the full article