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Sometimes you need to shake things up with your pencil drawings, and let go of the impulse to do too much. One of my favourite ways to do this is by creating transfer drawings, also known as trace monotypes. With this printmaking technique, you can transform an ordinary sketch into something almost nostalgic, with a gritty texture and bold contrast. The monotype process creates one print, with the potential for a second variation of that print, but no more. So, in many respects it is similar to a singular drawing, and could be used to make one-off prints such as vintage posters, for example. With a piece of paper placed against an inked plate, you can create a drawing, and through pencil pressure, ink is transferred as a print. I prefer to draw directly on the paper without a sketch, letting the lack of safety net focus my attention on each line and mark I make. It’s always surprising to see the results when the paper is pulled off the plate! 01. Create an even ink layer The ink has to be just the right thickness Using a brayer, roll out a small amount of oil paint or etching ink so that it evenly covers an area of a sheet of Plexiglass, or metal etching plate. It will take some experimentation to achieve the right amount of paint on the surface, as different media vary in consistency. A heavy layer will bleed when printed, overwhelming any detail or subtlety. For this print, I rolled out an amount of oil paint about the thickness of a 10p piece or US quarter, just less than 2mm. 02. Prepare the paper Moist paper ensures an even ink coverage Using a spray bottle of water, gently spray the front of the printmaking paper. Do not soak the paper, you want to create a thin mist. Blot the surface with a paper towel to remove any excess water. A damp surface will help you achieve consistent coverage, especially if you’re using thicker paper. Thinner paper such as Japanese rice paper is better printed dry. Gently place the wet side of the paper on the inked Plexiglass, being careful not to press down anywhere. 03. Start drawing Be careful not to rest your hand on the ink! Draw directly on the back of the printmaking paper. Alternatively, a premade drawing, or even a photograph, can be placed on top and traced. Everywhere that pressure is applied to the paper will transfer ink, so avoid resting your hand on the surface while working. Varying pressure will also affect the amount of tone that is transferred. Create softer edges and gradients by rubbing the surface with your fingers, moving to a fingernail or pencil for sharper edges and lines. You can use hatching or scribbling for compositional interest. Carefully lift an edge of the paper and check how the transfer is developing, adding more marks as needed. 04. Leave to dry The moment of truth... When the drawing is finished, lift the paper completely off the Plexiglass and leave it to dry flat. The leftover ink on the plate is a negative version of the drawing and can be used to create a second print. To do this, place another sheet of dampened paper on the Plexiglass, and rub the surface of the paper with a wooden spoon to transfer the remaining ink. This article was originally published in Paint & Draw magazine. Related articles: Prepare a board for painting in 3 easy steps 3 tips for crafting stunning print promotional material 15 inspiring examples of screen printing View the full article

By and large, motivational quotes have a bad name. We associate them with cheesy poster designs or mood boards featuring sunsets, lions and rainbows, and empty slogans like ‘Never give up’ or ‘Find your dream’. But the concept in itself is a good one; you just have to find the right quote to inspire you. So here we’ve gathered some of our favourite inspirational quotes on the theme of work, all beautifully illustrated by talented creatives. Of course, different creatives are motivated in different ways. So while the first six quotes on our list offer positive, upbeat vibe, we’ve included a further four that take a more direct and down-to-earth approach to motivation. (Warning: this second approach involves rather a lot of swear words.) Whatever your tastes, hopefully you'll find something in here to inspire you and help turbocharge your design career. 01. Turn procrastination into motivation Illustrated by Jessica Hische, this quote challenges you to rethink your creative career So you’ve managed to carve out a living as a creative. Congratulations! But ask yourself: are you actually doing the creative work you’re truly passionate about? All too often, we put off the tasks we dread and focus on the ones we find more fun. You might be procrastinating about the user experience of your app, for example, and instead spend all day lovingly crafting the icons instead. But rather than beating yourself up, why not consider whether you’d be happier ditching UX, and specialising on icon design full-time? If that’s what you really enjoy, then where’s the downside? This inspirational quote about work, beautifully illustrated by American type designer Jessica Hische, will help you stay the course. You can buy a print here . 02. Take one step at a time Vincent Van Gogh’s quote, illustrated by Ryan McArthur, is perfect for when you’re feeling overwhelmed Vincent Van Gogh not only painted some of the greatest and most visionary art in history, he also said some pretty smart things. And this inspirational quote for work is the perfect pick-me-up when you’re staring into the face of a huge project with deadlines bearing down and nothing but a blank piece of paper in front of you. It’s easy to be overwhelmed, but the impressionist’s words remind us to take our time, start small and build up our creations gradually, at our own pace. You’ve done it before, and you can do it again. The quote has been thoughtfully brought to life by Toronto artist Ryan McArthur, and you can buy the print here. 03. Repeat after me If you’re looking for a mantra by which to live your life then this is not a bad choice This poster was originally inspired a conversation that graphic artist, print-maker and designer Anthony Burrill overheard in a local supermarket; an elderly woman sharing the secret of a happy life to a girl at the checkout. It might be a simple piece of wisdom, but it’s a profound one, and a reminder to step back from life's surface noise and focus on what’s really important. Burrill originally created this letterpress poster as a gift for friends, and as self-promotion to attract clients. But then he started getting requests for copies from across the design community, and it became a huge hit. You can buy your own copy here. 04. Collaborate better Behance founder Scott Belsky’s mini-manifesto speaks to the joys of creative collaboration Working as a creative can often be isolating, especially if you work from home as a freelancer. So this mini-manifesto from Scott Belsky, founder of Behance, is a great reminder that when we work together in the right way, we can become far more than the sum of our parts. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a physical print of this poster, which was created by New York-based graphic designer Raewyn Brandon as a promotion for Behance. You can, however, view the project in full here. 05. Reach like Mario Be like Mario, and reach for the impossible In our social media age, the problem of ‘imposter syndrome’ is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. Everyone has to start somewhere, but it’s easy to become intimidated and feel like you don’t have the chops to stretch yourself creatively and take on new challenges. This simple but inspiring quote for work has been imaginatively illustrated by Laura Gomez, an interactive designer at Walgreens. Harnessing the spirit of the 8-bit gaming era, it reminds us that as long as we practice, practice, practice, then anything and everything is possible. You can buy a print of Gomez’s illustration here. 06. Don't conform Maya Angelou’s words should resonate with every creative No one ever went into a creative profession because they want to be the same as everyone else. Yet often employers, clients and peers can push you so much to conform that it’s easy to give in, and produce 'normal' design work that's never going to set the world on fire. This quote from Maya Angelou helps to remind you to resist following the crowd. Essentially, the American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist is saying that you can achieve incredible things if only you stop trying to be like everybody else and start being yourself. You can buy this beautiful typographic poster at Sort of Cool. Sick of all that positivity? Here are some alternatives... We know from experience that not every creative responds well to the kind of upbeat and optimistic messaging we’ve featured thus far. So if that applies to you, maybe you’ll prefer the posters in our next section, which all take a more earthy, direct (and sweary) approach to motivating you. 07. Talk less, do more Brendan Dawes’ mantra cuts to the chase Anyone who’s ever attended a talk by Northern English design legend Brendan Dawes knows that he does not ‘do’ Californian-style positivity. Dawes may be imaginative and visionary in his design work, but when it comes to words he’s direct and to the point, and here’s a perfect example. This short and snappy inspirational quote for work, inspired by a Brian Jonestown song, reminds us that creative work is fundamentally about doing and making, with the implication that we should just get on with it. Dawes' illustrated version was printed by Bracket Press, and showcased at the Future of Web Design conference. Unfortunately though, it was limited to a run of 100, so you can't buy a copy now. 08. Just get on with it Craig Ward doesn’t mince his words Another down-to-earth designer from the North of England, Craig Ward takes a similarly direct approach to motivation here. If you feel his uncompromising words might help you stop sucking your thumb and start actually working, there’s a 2400dpi scan on Ward's website that you’re free to download. “Do with it as you wish,” says Ward. “Desktop, screensaver, print, t-shirt, profile pic, whatever; it's all yours." 09. Believe in your sweary self This manifesto was seen hanging in the office of Apple's Jonathan Ive GFDA (Good Fucking Design Advice) is a company devoted to the creation of “colorful, well-designed merchandise for people who give a fuck.” And that includes the impassioned manifesto featured above. While ‘believe in yourself’ is often an empty mantra, which in itself contains no useful practical advice, GFDA’s manifesto offers a series of straightforward but sincerely felt tips about how to make it as a creative in the real world. According to New Yorker magazine this poster, designed by Brian Buirge and Jason Bacher, was seen hanging in the office of Apple’s chief design officer, Jonathan Ive, in 2015. You can find this and other explicit motivational material in the GFDA store. 10. Enjoy your sweary self Follow these words and you’ll never stop loving your work We’ll end with another curt quote about creativity courtesy of HelloTypo. No, it’s not exactly Shakespeare, but it does contain an important truth. Following a creative profession can be a joyful way to spend your working life, but only if you approach it with the right attitude. Focusing too narrowly on getting the 'right' results can lead to obsession, exhaustion and misery. Embracing your failures, learning from your mistakes and focusing on the kind of work you find fun and fulfilling will lead to a happy life, and probably lead to more successful results in the process. If you’d find it useful to be reminded of this lesson on a daily basis, you can buy this print from Etsy here. Related articles: 28 inspiring examples of vintage posters 11 of the best creative resumés 5 sure-fire ways to develop your creative career View the full article

Video editing is an important skill to have in the 21st century. After all, videos are used for everything from marketing to documentaries, and Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most widely used editing tools on Earth. To learn everything there is to know about editing videos on Premiere, check out Adobe Premiere Pro CC Masterclass: Video Editing Made Easy. This course teaches you how to edit videos quickly and effectively, guiding you through everything from adding video transitions to improving audio quality. You'll learn learn how to colour-correct your footage, and add visual effects for truly professional-looking results. For just $21, you can become a Premiere expert with Adobe Premiere Pro CC Masterclass: Video Editing Made Easy. Related articles: The best video editing software 2018 The best computers for video editing 2018 The best video editing laptops for 2018 View the full article

Nominated for 13 Oscars and taking home four, including best production design, The Shape of Water is sure to secure a spot as one of the best 3D movies in 2018. In this gorgeous making-of The Shape of Water book, readers get to see how these stunning visuals came to be. 30 books every graphic designer should read The fairy tale film, about a mute woman falling in love with a god-like sea creature, has a wide scope to blend the historical and the fantastical. Reading about how these different elements tie into the overall themes of the film enriches your understanding of the story if you’ve already seen it. And considering that major plot details are referred to throughout, you’ll want to watch The Shape of Water before you explore this book. Opening with a foreword from the film’s writer and director Guillermo del Toro, the book tells us that The Shape of Water has been del Toro's life-long ambition ever since he watched the 1954 film Creature From The Black Lagoon as a young boy. It’s easy to see the connection between the two films. However, it’s the thoughtfulness of the story and production behind The Shape of Water that has won over viewers and critics. The Shape of Water has been a life-long ambition of the film’s writer and director Guillermo del Toro This thoughtfulness covers every aspect of design in the film, from the character’s uniforms to the materials used to weather expensive wallpaper in an artistic way. It makes sense that the book is split into three sections to cover the characters, the creature and the film’s production. The underwater creature is given the most coverage. This makes sense given that he’s the film’s main draw, and there’s plenty of fascinating design insight and problem-solving to enjoy in this chapter. Such design solutions range from how to construct a prosthetic for extensive use in water, through to how to sculpt what lead actress Sally Hawkins describes as “a beautiful man-fish with a great butt.” Numerous colour tests were conducted for the creature – even to see what it would look like in black and white Meanwhile, the character chapter takes more of a writerly approach to the casting and creation of each persona – complete with del Toro’s bios and journal sketches attached as inserts. These can also be found in the production chapter, which looks at the film's subtle VFX, as well as the set design, music, filming and more. This article originally appeared in ImagineFX issue 160; subscribe here. Buy The Shape of Water here. Read more: 7 must-read books for design students View the full article

Click the links below to download your workshop and Q&A assets from Comic Artist Volume 6, including videos, layered files, brushes and WIPs. All of our videos are also here. Workshops Plan a superhero cover Download assets Pencil and ink a game character Download assets Create a comic page in Clip Studio Paint Download assets Download video Watch the video below Give Tintin the Fables treatment Download assets Paint Hellboy caricature art Download assets Download video Watch the video below Bring colour to Black Panther Download assets Ink and colour a comic cover Download assets Create dynamic characters Download assets Download brushes Download video Watch the video below Q&A section Use insect designs in your sci-fi art Download video Watch the video below Add movement to an image Download video Watch the video below Improve your design skills Download video Watch the video below Comic page layouts Download video Watch the video below Comic face variety Download video Watch the video below Use classic comic colours Download video Watch the video below Show a comic character's body language Download video Watch the video below View the full article

The HP ZBook x2 packs workstation-class components into a detachable 2-in-1 laptop/tablet form factor. Aimed squarely at creatives, the portable powerhouse is one of the best options out there if you want to move away from your desktop as your primary tool. Unlike many powerful laptops – even those with a built-in touchscreen like the new HP ZBook Studio x360 – the screen fully detaches here for a tablet experience separate from the keyboard. (Don’t worry though: the keyboard remains connected via Bluetooth so you can keep your shortcuts to hand.) The best HP ZBook range deals in 2018 These 2-in-1 convertible workstations have been designed from the start to appeal to photographers, digital artists, video editors and other creative professionals. So it’ll come as no surprise to see some serious specs under that stylistic design (because not everyone wants their edges rounded off). Most standard versions come with an Intel Core i7 processor as standard paired with 8-32GB of RAM – that’s double the RAM of Microsoft’s Surface Pro. As far as storage goes, expect an SSD on all versions with 128GB-2 TB available to choose from. Standardised models also come with a Nvidia Quadro M620 2GB GDDR5 dedicated graphics card. There’s a crisp 14-inch 4K screen on all configurations with antiglare technology helping you work in a wide range of environments, or you can choose the optional 10-bit one-billion colour HP DreamColor display, which is calibrated to 100% of Adobe RGB. Digital artists will pleased to know the ZBook x2 works wonderfully with the Wacom-designed pen accessory, and there’s an adjustable kickstand for use in tablet mode. Ports include two Thunderbolt 3-supporting USB-C connectors, a power jack, USB 3.0, HDMI and an SD memory card slot. So you won’t need additional adapters here – unlike if you chose to go down the Apple route nowadays. HP ZBook x2: price Unsurprisingly, The HP Book x2 isn’t cheap. You can find the lowest specced version on Amazon for around $2,400/£1,700, while a top-tier model with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and Nvidia Quadro graphics will set you back a whopping $5,800/£4,500. Luckily, our price comparison tool is permanently searching the world's biggest retailers for the best deals on creative hardware and software, so you can be sure that the HP ZBook x2 prices you see here are the lowest anywhere. Scroll down for the best HP ZBook x2 deals right now... Related articles: The best laptops for graphic design The best video editing laptops The best drawing tablets View the full article

When it comes honouring the lives of friends and family members who have passed away, the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) does so with exuberant and colourful traditions instead of sombreness. These vivid celebrations are at the centre of Coco, Pixar’s latest cinematic release. The 10 best 3D movies of 2018 In a brief foreword to the film’s art book, The Art of Coco, John Lasseter – who was until recently chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation – explains that the filmmaking team went to great efforts to ensure that they got the look of the film right while respecting Mexican traditions. And in this book, we see how the team’s research paid off. The bulk of the book takes us on a tour of the characters and locations in Coco. This includes concept art sketches, environment illustrations of the Land of the Dead, and even character design insight such as clay sculpts of the film’s skeletal cast. The book explores how folklore influenced the design of Coco But there’s more to enjoy here than high-quality visuals. Thanks to regular insights from story artists and production designers, you also get an understanding of Mexico’s fascinating folklore, and learn how it’s cleverly and tastefully used to inform the artistic direction of the film. Coco looks like one to remember. This article was originally published in issue 159 of ImagineFX; subscribe here. Buy The Art of Coco here. Read more: 26 top movie title sequences View the full article

Being stuck in a creative rut is incredibly frustrating. The good news is that it doesn't matter your discipline – be it 3D art, web comics or something else entirely – the means of escaping that rut are the same. Tried and tested ways to jumpstart your creativity include going for a walk, searching the web for inspiration or listening to music. But if what if you need something more radical, to really shake up your design thinking and send it in new and exciting directions? Here are some ways you might do that, which you may not have thought of... 01. Find an unlikely collaborator Run DMC + Aerosmith made no sense on paper in 1986, but the collaboration went on to change pop music forever When looking for a partner to collaborate on a creative project, it’s natural to look for someone similar to yourself, in terms of experience, work style, background and attitude. Yet that’s unlikely ever to lead to anything other than a safe, reliable and ultimately boring result. What if, instead, you teamed up with someone who seems entirely unsuited to the type of project you’re pursuing? For instance if you’re a 3D artist working on a series of animations for a high-end fashion brand, ask yourself whether a 2D illustrator for children’s books could bring something new to the table? Or if you’re designing the UX for an online banking app, what about teaming up with a photographer with no online skills whatsoever? Such wacky combinations may ultimately end up a failure, but where’s the harm in going for a drink together and tossing some ideas around? At worst you’ll end up with a fun night out, at best you might spark something truly mind-blowing and original. 02. Start a daily project Nicola Gastaldi created 100 animated GIFs in 100 days. What could you do? Creativity is like a muscle; it needs constant work, effort and, yes, pain to grow into something powerful and transformational. And one great way of doing this is to embark on a daily or weekly design project. Rather than sitting at your desk for hours musing the different directions your creativity can take, forcing yourself into a regular routine means you have to make quick and imaginative decisions. They might not all work, but that’s the beauty of a daily or weekly project. There’s no time to sit around moping, you just have to keep going, and do better next time. Nicola Gastaldi, a London based motion graphics designer currently working at Google Creative Lab, did just that in 2017 when he challenged himself to create 100 animated GIFs in 100 days. You can see some of the amazing results, and learn how the project progressed here . 03. Do something from your childhood Re-engaging in childhood activities can help reignite dormant areas of your brain. Creative commons photo courtesy of Ellen Munroe Remember having a wild imagination as a child? Growing up and conforming to society’s norms tends to knock a lot of that creativity out of our heads, but there are ways to get some of it back. One simple method is to once more do something you did as a child but never do as an adult. Depending on the decade you grew up in, that might be playing swingball, making a drink with a SodaStream, bouncing around on a space hopper, or even just writing someone a handwritten letter (be honest: when was the last time you did that?). The deep-rooted associations that kind of nostalgia trip unearths in your brain can be strikingly successful in getting your brain to work in more creative ways. Try it! 04. Watch a black-and-white movie Anne Bancroft and Bette Davis in All About Eve (1950) Whenever you get bogged down in a project, it’s tempting to take a break and recharge your batteries by going for a walk or watching a film. But most modern-day films, with their pixel-perfect VFX, fast-cut editing and busy plots, aren’t exactly great at letting your brain unwind. If you really want to get into a different head space, why not watch a classic black-and-white movie? As more and more of these films become copyright-free with the passage of time, you’ll find a surprising number of them on streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, as well as YouTube or Vimeo as well as broadcast TV channels. According to the New York Post, less than a quarter of all millennials have watched a pre-1960s film from start to finish, and that’s a real shame. Because while it admittedly takes a while to adapt your brain to what was a very different style of film-making, we defy anyone to make it through to the end of a film like Rebel Without a Cause, Brief Encounter or All About Eve without experiencing the kind of genuine emotional tug that’s woefully absent from today’s multiplex fare. 05. Describe your project to a non-specialist Talking through a project with others can really help marshal your thoughts. Creative Commons photo courtesy of Kelcey Perry It happens, at one time or another, to every creative. You’ve got so bogged down in the small but important details of a creative project, you’re no longer able to see the wood for the trees. You need to take a step back and get a fresh perspective, and one great way to do that can be to talk to people about it, preferably people who are not creative professionals themselves. That will force you to break down the essence of the project and its problems into language that non-specialists will understand. In doing so, you’ll often end up seeing what the real problems are much more clearly, not to mention their solutions. 06. Pick up a print magazine Two pages from the latest issue of ImagineFX; more details here Yes, we know there are a billions of blogs on the internet, full of advice and inspiration (with Creative Bloq of course at the top of the list). But when was the last time you browsed a traditional magazine, printed on paper? It really is a superior, highly curated experience that engages your senses and imagination in an very different way than the kind of mechanical web browsing we’ve all become used to. And the good news is that the good people behind this site also produce printed publications on a range of creative disciplines. These include titles about web design, graphic design and illustration, digital art and 3D. If you’ve not read a creative magazine in a while, give it a go and you’re sure to be surprised how quickly it gets your creative neurons firing. 07. Dim the lights It sounds counterproductive, but poor lighting can lead to great creative ideas Okay, this one might sound odd, but bear with us. A number of studies have shown that working in dim light can actually boost your creativity, including a recent report in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. According to the article by Anna Steidle and Lioba Werth, “darkness elicits a feeling of being free from constraints and triggers a risky, explorative processing style”. So when you’re looking for a creativity boost, start dimming those lights… just be careful not to ruin your eyesight in the process. 08. Take improv classes Improv classes such as those offered by The Free Association are an unusual, but very effective way to boost your creative powers It could be argued that the very question of ‘How do I make myself more creative?’ is redundant. We’re all infinitely creative. What prevents our most creative ideas from actually reaching our subconscious, let alone sharing them, is an in-built off-switch that shuts down the fear that they might make us look stupid, or worse, in front of others. Creativity, when framed in this way, becomes a question of confidence. In the words of jazz legend Miles Davis: “Do not fear mistakes; there are none”. But how do you go about achieving that in practice? One route that’s slightly left-field, but people who do it swear by, is taking improvisational comedy classes, such as those offered by The Free Association. Although this might sound scary, working in an improvisational comedy group is actually a very warm and nurturing environment, because the golden rule is that no one is criticised and everyone is allowed to fail. Improv is also great at heightening your listening skills and ability to make associations, which in many ways is the bedrock of creativity. 09. Break the rules Denise Bosler’s book Creative Anarchy encourages you to break the rules of design We all know the phrase “You’ve got to know the rules to break them”. But how often do we actually put that into practice? The problem is that we spent so much time internalising the rules, we forget they exist. So every now and again, it’s worth making a conscious effort to do something wrong on purpose. Break grid theory in a design and see what happens. Use the ‘wrong’ software, or draw with the wrong hand. Use a colour combination that no one in their right mind would like. Give your character design the wrong number of limbs. Mix serifs with sans-serifs in the same text block. In short, do something stupid and see what happens. Most of the time it will be a total mess, but one or two times out of 100, you might just stumble on something incredible. Denise Bosler’s book Creative Anarchy offers more suggestions on how to go about it. 10. Become a digital nomad The Nomad List website offers advice to digital nomads Nothing gives you a fresh perspective like spending time in a totally different country, with a totally different culture. But you don’t necessarily have to save up tons of money to do so. With more and more of our creative work taking place online, there’s no reason why most freelancers need to be in the same place as their clients. If you fancy the idea of living and working abroad as a digital nomad, check out the Nomad List website, which is full of practical advice and tips to get you started. Read more: 5 simple ways to avoid creative burnout 8 creative hobbies to pursue in 2018 Why it pays to be creatively restless View the full article

I'm going to share the fastest painting technique I use for 'gessoing' a panel and getting a smooth finish. This art technique can be used to prep a panel that you want to paint on, making it suitable for painting in oils or acrylics. You may want to prepare more than one panel at a time, so that you can be ready to paint whenever inspiration strikes. To prep your panel, all it takes is a few tools from the DIY store and a little finesse. Overall the process is much like icing a cake – we’re just icing a panel with gesso! Once your materials are ready, the whole process takes just a few minutes. Let the panel dry for an hour or so – as long as it’s no longer cool to the touch, it should be dry enough and ready to be sanded smooth and put into service. If you're just getting started in oils, then don't miss our 10 essential oil painting tips and techniques post. 01. Smooth the surface A sanding block roughs up the board First I prepare my panel for the gesso. I use an extra-fine sanding block to rough up the surface, then wipe with a damp sponge to clean off the residue. My panel is smooth one-eighth-inch hardboard, which is smooth on both sides. I have my panels pre-cut to standard frame sizes. 02. Spread the gesso Use either a toothed or flat spreader I use a grooved adhesive spreader to apply the gesso (I prefer the toothed kind but a flat one will work just as well). I make sure the whole panel is covered as this really helps with the next step. I use professional-grade gesso because it’s thicker, so I use less of it overall. It’s perfect for this technique. 03. Smooth the gesso After a few passes, you're done! I now use a taping knife to smooth the gesso, pulling it first in one direction across the panel, then the opposite direction. A few passes will do the trick. Apply just enough pressure to smooth the grooved surface – too much and you’ll scrape off all the gesso. If there are bare patches because you haven't spread the gesso across the whole panel in the previous step, you can tap the gesso with a taping knife to fill any voids (usually near the edges). If an edge appears from the blade on panels larger than the taping knife, a lighter pass in the opposite direction will usually smooth it all out. To finish, scrape any excess from the sides. This article was originally published in Paint & Draw magazine. Related articles: How to paint with acrylic washes 5 things you need for oil painting How to make and use a mahlstick for painting View the full article

Do you hope to launch a career as a front end developer? It's time to take action and pursue your dreams with vigour. With The Ultimate Front End Development Bundle, you'll learn essential skills that every developer needs in their toolkit. You'll get a solid foundation for coding with Javascript, and you'll go from total beginner to total pro in HTML, CSS, and jQuery. You'll even learn all about website wireframing with HTML5 and CSS3. You don't need to spend big bucks on tuition to become an in-demand front-end developer. For just $39, you'll learn everything you need to know. Related articles: The future of web design How to make it in the web design industry 5 articles to improve your web design career View the full article

From artisan chalkboard designs, to intricately crafted packaging designs and beautifully ornate typographical illustrations, hand lettering is a massive trend that doesn't show any sign of waning. Lettering differs substantially from type design – we're not just talking about finding a great handwriting font here. All the craft goes into creating a group of bespoke letterforms for a particular purpose, rather than designing a versatile system of characters for multiple applications. Hand lettering is also distinct from calligraphy. The latter is about penmanship – writing letters. Hand lettering is about draftsmanship – drawing letters. Despite its name, hand lettering doesn't have to be drawn by hand. Although many top lettering artists employ traditional tools such as pencils, pens, brushes or chalk, others work digitally, in whole or part – particularly where hand lettering is required as part of the logo design process. Hand lettering is a hugely in-demand pursuit, and there are many world-class practitioners, from Marian Bantjes to Jessica Hische. Here, we've asked a selection of top lettering artists to pick a single highlight from their portfolio. Read on to be inspired by seven inspiring examples of the hand lettering trend... 01. Gypsy Tonic, by Tom Lane Lane's intricate hand lettering for this Gypsy Tonic label is inspired by 1800s apothecaries Hand lettering can be beautifully effective when applied to label design, such as this stand-out example by Liverpool-based designer Tom Lane, aka Ginger Monkey. Commissioned by the Bohemian Revolution Beverage Company in 2015, Lane's Gipsy Tonic project was a true labour of love, and it was 18 months before the bottles were on the shelves. The client, Brandon Johnson, had a very specific brief: "He explained that he had a narrative to convey through particular imagery, and that he wanted to do this whilst capturing a 1800s apothecary scene vibe," explains Lane. "We both did our research into the time period and visual material that captured the look and feel." The project took 18 months from brief to final rollout "The hardest part of these types of projects is to turn a detailed pencil sketch – with bespoke lettering, illustration, and decorative devices – into vector artwork without losing the soul of the drawing," he continues. "However, through that process I’m also able to tighten up and elevate the artwork, as well as providing myself with a useable file for the printing process." Lane's client list includes Nike, Coca-Cola, Sony, Pernod Ricard and Heston Blumenthal, but he picked this particular project as a highlight largely because of the enjoyable, collaborative nature of the project. "Brandon was great to work with, and this was a real passion project for him," he smiles. 02. Holiday Sampler by Mary Kate McDevitt At a loss of what to do for her 2017 holiday card, McDevitt developed a whole festive zine At the more playful, colourful end of the hand lettering spectrum is this charming personal project from Philadelphia-based Mary Kate McDevitt, whose clients include Chronicle Books, Penguin, Nintendo and Nike. "Personal work is the best way to experiment with styles, colours, and ideas," she insists. McDevitt's 2017 Holiday Sampler is her current favourite project – and it happened quite organically. Stuck for ideas for her regular Christmas card, she ended up designing a full-blown zine inspired by festive songs. "I was inspired by album covers and cards from the 50s," she explains. "I wanted to keep it a little retro, but not overly so, to still fit my style." Memorable lyrics from Christmas songs are rendered in stylish hand lettering, with a retro 1950s twist Festive lyrics formed a big part of the project, and McDevitt chose to keep the hand lettering refined and simple to fit with the 1950s aesthetic – but still had plenty of scope for playful, colourful experimentation with different letterforms. "I announced I'd be sending out cards to anyone who provided me with an address on Instagram before the project was completed," she recalls. "I had a response from so many people, which inspired me to make something extra special." 03. King logo by Rob Clarke Rob Clarke is particularly proud of how his custom type for King's logo forms a perfect crown shape Hand lettering can forms significant part of the logo design process, particularly when a unique typographical flourish is required. One example is Rob Clarke's logo for King, the mobile game developer best known for Candy Crush Saga. A prolific lettering artist, having crafted hand lettering for the likes of Dulux, Sainsbury’s, Carlsberg, Cadbury and Capitol Records, Clarke selected the King logo – which he worked on with Venture Three – as his number-one folio highlight. "The brief was simple: create the word King in the shape of a crown," he recalls. "What I’ve always liked about this logo is that it communicates the idea purely through lettering, without the use of a symbol or illustration. It pushed me creatively and took many iterations before coming to the final solution." 04. The Process Is The Inspiration by Ken Barber Barber co-authored House Industries' book in 2017 with Andy Cruz and Rich Roat – who sadly died shortly afterwards As head letterer and director of typeface development at font foundry and design studio House Industries, Ken Barber has a significant body of work to choose from. He opted for an ornate, calligraphic-style along the theme from his co-authored book, House Industries: The Process Is The Inspiration. "The design riffs on Spencerian Lettering (not to be confused with the American handwriting style of the 1800s), which emerged in the late 20th century as a super-charged hand-drawn take on formal roundhand script," he explains. "High contrast strokes and wildly-embellished flourishes make its creation all the more challenging – and rewarding – when composing elaborate layouts like this." "When Rich [Roat, co-founder of House Industries, and co-author] passed away unexpectedly in November 2017, this particular work gained even greater personal significance, as it concludes one of the last projects we did together." 05. London map by Linzie Hunter This early piece by Linzie Hunter shows off her decorative lettering style beautifully Illustrator and hand lettering artist Linzie Hunter has worked with many of the world's leading brands, including Apple, Nike, Barnes & Noble, BBC, Harper Collins, the Guardian and Time magazine. But like Lane, she believes smaller independent clients can often yield the most exciting results creatively. Hunter is particularly fond of a hand-lettered map of London, commissioned by French art print company Small Wall. "Although it was created a while back, it still showcases the main characteristics of my style: hand-drawn, decorative lettering with illustrated elements, and a reduced colour palette," she says. For this piece, she started with a detailed pencil sketch before rendering the final lettering in Photoshop – although she admits she often works directly in Photoshop nowadays, or on her iPad using an Apple Pencil and Procreate. "One thing that's still the same is how much I rely on my sketchbooks," she adds. "Daily drawing, using pens and pencils, has become an essential part of my working practice." 06. Jerusalem by Seb Lester A longstanding fan of William Blake, Lester wanted to do Jerusalem justice visually Renowned artist, type designer and calligrapher Seb Lester has attracted millions of views for his viral videos in which he skilfully draws famous brand's logos by hand. Formerly a senior type designer at Monotype, his commercial clients include NASA, Apple, Nike and Intel, and custom typefaces for The Telegraph, Waitrose and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, amongst others. The depth and breadth of his portfolio aside, however, Lester is most proud of his typographical tribute to William Blake's Jerusalem. "I've enjoyed Blake's poetry since I was a student in London," he reveals. "I am not religious, but I find the words of Jerusalem captivating. It's ultimately a poem about hope and revolution." The final piece is exquisitely detailed, and available as a signed and numbered print Lester's biggest challenge, he admits, was to find a visual match for Blake's "intense, epic, evocative and rich" masterpiece. Packed with an incredible amount of fine detail, the resulting artwork is available as a limited-edition screen print. 07. Float Fest logo by Simon Walker In a masterful ligature twist, Walker's Float Fest logo uses one stroke to finish five letters Designer and custom typographer Simon Walker has worked with Nickelodeon, Vanity Fair, Pepsi, ESPN, Nike and Target. His portfolio highlight, however, is a '70s rock album cover' inspired logo for Float Fest, an annual music event based in his home state of Texas, USA. "My love for this logo is in direct opposition to how the project went as a whole: the client and I were unable to come to a resolution on anything I was doing, so we eventually parted ways," he confesses. "But what I ended up with was a lockup that came together kind of miraculously." "Ligatures seem to still be really popular at the moment, but I'm always at pains to show people that ligatures should never be forced – they should flow organically from the letters themselves," he continues. "In this case, I think I broke a personal record by using one stroke to finish five separate letters. It's not something I could've forced if I'd tried – I felt like it was just there waiting to be discovered." Related articles: 8 ways to automate common design tasks 10 killer examples of illustrated ad campaigns 9 lessons from the world's top viral images View the full article

React Native is a platform that enables you to build native mobile apps using JavaScript. As the name implies, it uses React, so composing mobile interfaces is similar to using React on the web. Rather than creating components using HTML tags, it has its own set of components that bind to native UI components. React Native can be tricky to set up, especially when it comes to push notifications. You need to set up certificates and dive into Objective-C for iOS and Java for Android. However, Expo eliminates the need for this. 30 web design tools to speed up your workflow Expo means you can create React Native apps and deploy them to the app stores using only JS. Additionally, it offers an SDK with access to native functionality such as notifications, camera, contacts, location and so on. It also provides access to some UI components that aren’t included in the React Native core, but are often used, such as icons, blurred views and so on without needing to write a line of native code. Expo can also create submission-ready app builds without needing to build using Xcode or Android Studio. If you haven’t used either before, they can be a scary place, especially if you’re just getting started with React Native – or aren't confident in general with how to make an app. Apps (or projects) can also be published to Expo rather than submitting to an app store, which lets users try the project through the Expo mobile client. Don’t worry, this will be covered later! 01. Set up Expo Installing Expo is a straightforward process. Head over to the site and download the latest XDE, then install the mobile app on your phone or tablet. The mobile client enables running apps on a real device via their app without needing any developer licences or certificate setup upfront. You can then publish apps to the Expo service so that users can run your finished projects via the Expo mobile client, without needing to go through the App Store and Google Play review processes. Expo does support building stand-alone apps that can manually be published to the App Store or Play Store, however you would require developer accounts for the platforms you release on. Apple’s Developer Program costs £79 per year and Google’s Play Console costs a one-time fee of $25 USD. 02. Create your first app This XDE gives us detailed information for the project. The left window is the React Native Packager and the right window shows any logs from devices Let’s get to business and create our first app with Expo. Open up the Expo XDE, select Project > New Project and select the blank template. Install all the dependencies and start the React Native packager, which bundles all the assets. From here, you can publish the app, share the app to the Expo mobile client or run the app on a simulator. This app is going to involve creating push notifications, so you're going to share to the Expo mobile client, as simulators don’t support them. Click the share button to get a QR code to scan or the option to send a link via SMS or email. Scan the QR code with the Expo client. This runs the app through the Expo client and it opens up to a screen with: ‘Open up App.js to start working on your app!’ With the app running, open up the project in your favourite code editor and open up App.js. Find the text above and change it to the classic ‘Hello world!’ , then save. You should see the app reload automatically and have the text ‘Hello world!’ now visible. Magic! While you are developing, shaking the device will reveal a developer menu, which has helpful options for debugging. From this menu you can also return to the Expo home – helpful to exit out of the app or switch to another. 03. Add notifications Now you have a basic app set up and running, let’s add the ability to send and receive notifications. This would normally require Objective-C and Java, integrating a third-party service to send the notifications and you would also need to set up certificates for iOS and create keys for Android. First, you need to import permissions and Notifications from Expo and create a new function in the app class: Here you use the async keyword to make use of the ES2017 async/await feature – React Native has Babel working under the hood so you can leverage all the new JavaScript goodness. Now, let’s ask for notification permissions and retrieve the Expo push token – to identify the device – so that Expo knows where to send push notifications: Here, you will ask for notification permission using the Permissions.askAsync() method. The alert will only show on iOS as Android enables notifications by default. Despite this, you actually still need to run through the same logic on Android, as it’s possible to turn notifications off. Next, check the response. If the notifications aren’t granted then you can stop and return out of the function. If notifications are granted, you get the push token from the Expo service. Finally, you can log the token out for later use to test notifications and this will get logged to the Expo XDE. It’s worth noting at this point that – on iOS – this alert can only be triggered once by design; so, if a user denies permission, you may want to consider adding a custom notice or alert before returning out of the function. In order to enable notifications at this point, the user will need to go to the app settings (in our case, this will be Expo) > Notifications and enable them from there. Because of this, you will need to delete the Expo mobile client and then reinstall if you wish to test the permission alert on iOS more than once. Additionally, Expo provides a method called Permissions.getAsync() and this works in a similar way to Permissions.askAsync(), just without firing off the iOS alert. This could be useful if you want to check the status first to create a custom flow that will ask you for permissions, for example. If the iOS alert has previously been triggered (remember, it can only be fired once per app install), the Permissions.askAsync() will return the same information as Permissions.getAsync(), so in our use case we don’t need to use Permissions.getAsync(). You then need to call this function in the componentDidMount lifecycle method so that it runs on app launch: Next, if you accept the notification permission, your app will be able to receive local and remote notifications. Local notifications are then set up and sent via the device directly to the app and don’t require an internet connection. Remote notifications come from a server and send the notification via the Apple Push Notification System (APNS) or Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) services. This process will also require access to an internet connection to receive them. Expo has a service to send notifications at https://exp.host/--/api/v2/push/send; all you need to do is send some data to it. This will then look a little like the following: The Expo toolkit makes sending and receiving push notifications effortless Before we test a notification, we will configure our app to handle notifications if the app is open. By design, iOS and Android don’t show a notification when an app is open. You can also handle any data sent in the push message here, in case we need to act on it. Let’s create a new function to handle this and alert the data value property: Then in our componentDidMount lifecycle method you need to set up a listener, which calls the notification handler we just created: You’re now set. Let’s send a push notification with a cURL request: You can grab this cURL command here. If you’re not familiar with cURL, you can send the request using something like Postman, which uses a GUI for sending requests. Once the request has sent, you should now see the notification come through. There are no limitations on using the Expo push service. In a real-world scenario, it’s encouraged to use the batch API by sending an array of push notifications, in batches of 100, to be sent out for efficiency: 04. Publish with Expo Running an app on a device is a no-fuss experience. Just scan a QR code with the Expo app and it loads right away So, now that we have a shiny new React Native app (even if it doesn’t do much yet!), how do we let others use it without running it from Expo XDE? The simplest way is by clicking Publish from the XDE. This will publish the project to Expo and a link will appear on your profile, which you can find at https://expo.io/@<username>. When you are visiting the published project link, there will be a QR code to scan (located among the same options as the XDE) with the Expo mobile client, just like during development. If we want to update the app, all we need to do is republish and the changes will be available to the user when running the app again. This article was originally published in issue 297 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Subscribe to net here. Want to learn more ways you can master React? Kristijan Ristovski is giving his workshop Learn How to Think in React at Generate London from 19-21 September 2018 If you're interested in learning more about React, make sure you've picked up your ticket for Generate London from 19-21 September 2018. Having founded React Academy to teach React around the world and launched sizzy.co and ok-google.io, Kristijan Ristovski will be delivering his workshop – Learn How to Think in React – in which he will explore React best practices and teach you solutions to real problems that you might encounter in the process of building an app. Generate London takes place from 19-21 September 2018. Get your ticket now. Related articles: Get your head around React with these five factors 10 expert ReactJS tips that you need to know today Build a native mobile app with React Native View the full article

The web changes extremely quickly, and you’d be forgiven for not keeping pace with the continuous release of new web design tools and technologies. However, there are benefits to getting on board with the latest developments rather than waiting for them to become mainstream. Chances are, if there’s a problem that has frustrated you, or something you’ve thought could be made easier, someone will have come up with a solution for it. You only have to look at the proliferation of frontend frameworks available as evidence of the level of choice you have. 10 steps to an engaging user experience This pace of change and range of choice applies to all areas of the web. In this article, we’ll look at some of the latest design tools, development tools, libraries and frameworks. Depending on your use case, you may not want to go too cutting-edge (especially with libraries and frameworks, given their occasionally short lifespan). But ultimately the best thing to do is often to go and experiment. 01. Lists Get realistic placeholder data If you’re designing pages and tired of placing Lorem Ipsum everywhere, Lists could be just what you need. Currently in beta, Lists is a collection of realistic data of all different types, which you can use to populate your mockups. Want a list of British addresses to use on a page, or fake credit card numbers? Both of those things are available. Lists covers a wide range of different data types, and for each you can download the data in JSON format, as well as helping users understand context within the page when evaluating prototypes. The team behind Lists invite contributions on GitHub if you have new data types you think should be added. 02. Launchpad Automatically build working HTML and CSS from your Sketch designs There’s a good chance you’re already using Sketch for web and mobile design, since it’s rapidly risen to become one of the most popular tools on the market. But until now, it was purely a design tool – you then had to take your designs and build them as a real site. Launchpad is a Sketch plugin that enables you to automatically build working HTML and CSS from your designs, and publish it as a live site. It’s an incredibly quick way to get static websites up and running. While dynamic JavaScript functionality isn’t supported, you do have the ability to include forms to capture information from your users. You can get started for free if you’re happy to use a Launchpad domain, but there’s a commercial offering if you want custom domains and Launchpad’s branding hidden. 03. TrueUX A new approach to wireframing TrueUX sets out to provide an alternative to low-fidelity prototyping tools like Balsamiq or OmniGraffle. It’s still in its early stages, and exists only as an online sandbox at this point. However, it introduces some unique concepts that provide an interesting spin on traditional wireframe tools. The TrueUX sandbox offers a text command interface that enables you to create and modify prototypes by typing brief commands with the keyboard, rather than clicking and dragging elements on the screen. This introduces a small learning curve, but the theory is that once you’re familiar with it, you should be able to make changes much more quickly. If you like the concept of the text command-driven wireframing, it’s worth watching further developments around this tool as the author has many other aspirations for it. 04. FontMap FontMap uses AI to group similar Google Fonts Choosing the right font for a page or app can be tough. Google Fonts is a great source of freely available fonts you can include in your work, but maybe you’ve thought that there was something missing in terms of ease of use and discoverability. FontMap is an interesting experiment that uses AI to group fonts from Google Fonts together, showing you a visualisation. This might seem simple, but it solves the common problem of finding fonts which are similar. The user interface is very straightforward, and you can spend quite some time in the tool examining the fonts it has laid out. Once you’ve made a selection, Google Fonts is only a click away to go ahead and include the font in your work. 05. ReasonReact Write React components using Reason code You might not be familiar with Reason. It’s is a relatively new language developed by Facebook, which offers a JavaScript-like development experience using OCaml. Reason code can be compiled to JavaScript using an engine called BuckleScript, which is essentially an OCaml-to-JavaScript compiler. What this means in practice is that you can write statically-typed, functional code in a language with syntax combining elements of both OCaml and JavaScript, and then compile it to vanilla JavaScript. The closest comparison is probably TypeScript, which itself offers an abstraction on JavaScript with static typing, albeit with significantly different syntax. ReasonReact extends this, allowing you to write React components using Reason code, and is made by the creator of React. If you like React, this is one to take a look at. 06. Adobe XD Adobe’s answer to Sketch for UX design Where it once dominated the UX landscape with Photoshop and Illustrator, arguably Adobe has lost ground to Sketch in recent years. Only recently out of beta, Adobe XD is the company’s attempt to win back UX designers who may have jumped ship. XD offers a familiar interface for users of other Adobe Creative Cloud products, and offers interactive prototyping without the need for plugins. Collaboration features – key for many UX designers these days – are said to be coming in the future. Adobe XD looks to be shaping up as a very good product, and is also likely to be particularly popular with Windows users for whom Sketch is unavailable. Of course, however, it comes with a price tag, and it may take a few more feature additions to convince many designers to switch. 07. Public APIs This aims to consolidate all the publicly available APIs As you learn how to create apps that are more complex, it’s likely you’ll have some use for a variety of APIs. Yet finding appropriate APIs for your use case isn’t always easy, and even harder is finding ones that are publicly available and can be used for free. It is of course a work in progress, but the Public APIs page is an effort to consolidate and document a list of all the publicly available APIs out there. If you want an API to get a weather forecast, for example, it has a list of those available, and you might choose to utilise MetaWeather, which you can immediately see requires no authentication. To be kept alive it needs ongoing community contribution to keep up to date with API availability. 08. Workbox Workbox makes it much easier to create Service Workers Service Workers are among the most exciting new technologies on the web. They allow modern web apps to store resources locally and provide offline functionality. However, if you’ve tried working with them, you’ll rapidly find that maintaining caches properly is a complex problem. This is where Workbox comes in. Workbox is a set of build tools and libraries designed to make it easier to create Service Workers, and hence easier to build offline apps. In simple terms, you tell it which resources you want to cache and it will generate the service worker code required to cache and update your resources. As you begin to build more complex sites with offline features, this abstraction is likely to make your life a lot easier. 09. Prettier Reformat your code Consistently formatting your code to make it readable can make a huge difference to the maintainability of your work, especially if you’re working as part of a team. Fortunately, there are a multitude of tools out there to help address this problem, enabling you to save time thinking about code style or discussing it in code review. Prettier is one such tool. It is highly opinionated, so takes away the effort of having to think about and define your style guide in favour of its own standards. It can be integrated either with your build pipeline or most popular text editors via plugins, and understands many of the languages you’ll want to work with including JavaScript, JSX, TypeScript, Vue, CSS, Less and SCSS. 10. Sizzy Compare how your site will look on different sized screens You want to make sure all the effort you’ve put into responsive web design has paid off, right? Sizzy is designed to help you do just that. It comes in either web or browser plugin form, and will show you, side-by-side, an interactive view of your page rendered on a number of different device screen sizes. In addition to this, you can also show and hide a simulated device keyboard, and switch between portrait and landscape modes. You can also use the functionality locally with your development server by providing it with a localhost URL, so you don’t need to put your site live to have Sizzy test it out. This is probably the quickest and most comprehensive way to test your page across many different screen sizes. 11. Draggable Get impressive interactions Built by the team at Shopify, Draggable does very much what its name implies: it’s a library providing drag-and-drop support, abstracting fairly complex functionality. It supports fast manipulation of the DOM to reposition elements, which means you can swap and sort objects, and will work fine with mouse, touch and force touch events. It also supports all major browsers. Good practical use cases for this might be things like interactive calendars or Kanban boards. The project’s website also has some impressive and colourful demos showing what’s possible using the library, including 3D interactions. It’s currently in beta, which means the API is subject to change, but that shouldn’t stop you giving it a try. 12. Bottender Build cross-platform chatbots Conversational interfaces, or chatbots, have exploded in popularity in recent years. You might think that building a bot is a fairly complex undertaking compared to putting together a single-page app, but it doesn’t have to be. Bottender is a JavaScript framework for building cross-platform bots running on Node.js, and comes with support for popular messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Telegram and Slack. For testing purposes, it also makes it easy to run your bot in the console. It’s very early days yet for Bottender, but this is one to keep an eye on as this type of project opens up many opportunities to build interfaces which would otherwise have been out of reach. 13. Scrollama Dive into scrolling interactive storytelling You’ve probably seen some impressive examples of scrolling interactive storytelling (if you aren’t familiar with this, take a look at The Boat). It’s an engaging way to tell a story online, using native browser functionality. Yet it isn’t necessarily straightforward to implement, as handling scroll events can be fiddly and introduce performance issues. Scrollama is designed to help. It uses IntersectionObserver, which while relatively new, is more performant than previous solutions to detect whether an object is visible on the page. Scrollama has a range of examples illustrating what you can do, and if you don’t quite like that way of doing things, its GitHub page offers alternatives. 14. Vivaldi You can annotate web pages with notes in this browser Statistically speaking, you’re probably using Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. These four browsers dominate the web. Yet others are available, and depending on your preferences it might be time to branch out. One which has gained some attention of late is Vivaldi, which is designed to be fast, minimalistic and powerful. A particularly interesting feature is the ability to annotate pages with notes. Vivaldi uses the Blink rendering engine, as do Chrome and Opera, which gives users the ability to install Chrome extensions, many of which will work. For many, however, the leading feature is the ability to manage tabs in ‘stacks’, which makes it far easier to work with the large numbers of open tabs many of us frequently work with. 15. Maptalks Display 2D and 3D maps together There are a whole host of use cases for maps within the browser, and of course Google remains the household name for mapping. But what if you could go one better than Google Maps? Maptalks allows you to display both 2D and 3D maps together, while retaining the simplicity of a 2D mapping library. In addition to the basic 2D and 3D functionality, it also has a plugin ecosystem which allows you add additional functionality such as heat maps, cluster markers, and origin/destination lines. There’s also an experimental plugin to add animated wind. The site is rich with examples, so check it out if you’re having trouble visualising what you might be able to do. 16. Next.js or Nuxt.js Nuxt enables you to quickly create Vue apps React and Vue are two popular frontend frameworks. However, setting them up so you are ready to start building an app can be time-consuming, as you need to install modules, configure your build pipeline and more. The likes of Create React App can make this quicker, but there’s still quite a learning curve to get started for things like routing. And if you want server-side rendering, which can be extremely useful, this adds more complexity. Next and Nuxt both set out to solve the same problem, for React and Vue respectively. They allow you to quickly create apps using these frameworks which by default are server-rendered, and automatically handle routing based on your page structure. 17. Svelte & Sapper Build universal web apps with these two frameworks A common criticism of the most popular frontend frameworks is the code bloat and initial page load performance penalty. Svelte offers similar abstractions to make building component-driven apps easily, but generates JavaScript at build time, resulting in a lower footprint and faster page render. Sapper goes a step further than this, and allows you to build universal web apps composed of Svelte components. It will take care of the complexities of both server-side and client-side rendering, offline support, and much more. 18. Stencil Create web components quickly and easily By now you’ve probably heard a lot about web components. Google’s Polymer project is probably the best known framework for building web components, offering both browser support polyfills and useful abstraction to get started. Stencil, however, offers an alternative way to create web components. Built by the team behind the Ionic framework, Stencil can be used to quickly create custom HTML elements with all the functionality you need wrapped up in them. Because it uses the web component standards, your creations aren’t tied to a particular framework. Stencil may be particularly appealing to those familiar with React, since it takes a lot of influence from it. 19. Parcel An alternative to Webpack Webpack is probably the leading module bundler in the JavaScript environment. If you aren’t familiar with it, it essentially takes your assets and module dependencies and bundles them into static, deployable files. Parcel is relatively new, and has the same objective, but takes a different approach. It can be run with no configuration at all, and will examine your code to identify dependencies. It also offers multi-core support; Webpack doesn’t, meaning that builds can run significantly faster. Parcel can also handle pre-processing such as with Babel or Sass. One thing, however, is that most information online for popular frontend frameworks will assume you’re using Webpack for now. If Parcel takes off, this could well change in future. 20. Bootstrap 4 A major overhaul for the most popular frontend component library To this day, Bootstrap remains the most popular frontend component library out there, and enables you to build great-looking, responsive user interfaces in no time. Bootstrap itself might not be new, but the stable version 4 dropped in January and brings a host of new features and changes. Bootstrap 4 includes a move to favour Sass instead of LESS, utilise relative units instead of pixels, a new Flexbox layout for grids, and much more. It’s also worth noting that it has now dropped support for IE8 and IE9, which for most shouldn’t be a problem. You might be using Bootstrap with a framework such as Angular or React, and the good news is that while the stable release of version 4 is fairly new, there are already modules available to integrate it into those ecosystems. Web design event Generate London returns on 19-21 September 2018, offering a packed schedule of industry-leading speakers, a full day of workshops and valuable networking opportunities – don’t miss it. Get your Generate ticket now. This article was originally published in Web Designer magazine. Subscribe now. Read more: Build an animated split-screen landing page Get started with Rust 5 sensational new websites to be inspired by View the full article

Just because a children's book is old, it doesn't mean it's timeless. Kids' books that do age well tend to have quality themes, narratives and character design, and that extra something that means that even if elements of the book date, the story stays relevant and appeals across the generations. These books also contain some of the world's best-known children's book characters. From the wonders of Winnie the Pooh, to David Mckee's patchwork elephant, children's book characters connect us, across generations, across languages, across continents. How to break into children's book illustration While many of these characters may have moved with the times and frolicked into stop motion animation, or tentatively dipped their paws into the unknown waters of 3D art, there are some classic book character's that will forever stand the test of time. Here's a list of the ones we're really happy have stayed with us all these years. 01. Winnie the Pooh Winnie the Pooh is one of the most adored fictional characters of all time Their style might have had a fresh coat of paint or two, but Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin have remained steadfast since E.H. Shepard’s soft pencil lines first sketched them in print in 1926. A.A Milne’s stories and Shepard’s illustrations of a curious and honey-loving bear have, without a doubt, stood the test of time. As the books say: “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart”. From featuring in their own Exploring a Classic exhibition at the V&A museum recently, to a collaboration with designer Cath Kidston, the book characters of 100 Acre Wood have secured their own comfy nook in popular culture. And, having morphed through the looking glass of the Disney portal long ago, these adorable and unexpectedly profound book characters are sure to be with us long into the future. 02. Mr Men Mr Tickle was the very first of the Mr Men to be created by Roger Hargreaves Simple and iconic, Roger Hargreaves’ Mr. Men books have been around since 1971. Purportedly costing just 20 pence when they were first published, the books have grown prolifically in number over the years and have now sold more than 100 million copies. Drawn with magic markers, the inaugural Misterland character was Mr Tickle, a tale inspired by the author’s son, Adam, who asked the astute and very pertinent question: what does a tickle look like? Since then, we’ve met and got to know an assortment of quizzical folks, from Mr. Bump to Little Miss Sunshine. The characters of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books are whimsical, colourful, observational and often relatable. With their simple shapes and funny characters, these short and sweet books cover so many personality traits that each of us, whether eccentric or just a little slow to get out of bed in the morning, can relate to. 03. Peter Rabbit The original tale of Peter Rabbit Alongside his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail, Peter Rabbit is the loveable (and rather well-dressed) rogue of the woodland world. On a never-ending quest to procure yummy vegetables from Mr. McGregor’s garden, Peter charms us with his well-meaning mischievousness and a well deserved dose of camomile tea. Created by Beatrix Potter, this little rabbit made his first jump into the world in 1902 in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Often seen wearing a jacket and shoes, Peter has appeared in books, TV and, most recently, the big screen in a 3D cinematic experience. Potter was a natural scientist and conservationist, and these botany roots are what make her book character illustration style unique. The majority of Potter's original drawings were left to The National Trust, and are a firm part of Britain’s illustration heritage. With his long whiskers, dapper blue coat, and penchant for vegetables, this little rabbit is sure to capture the hearts’ of generations yet to come. As Potter so succinctly put it: “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.” Although in Peter's case it's almost certainly to the vegetable patch. 04. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Who would have thought that the culinary exploits of a caterpillar could be so compelling? Inspired by the humble hole punch, and a subtle variation on the traditional ‘bookworm’ idiom, this peckish little butterfly-in-progress has munched its way to becoming a significant part of our literary history. Illustrated and written by Eric Carle and first published in 1969, this sturdy book has accompanied generations of children through their early years. Translated into more than 40 languages, the loveable little book character has wiggled its way through the decades with pizzazz, conquering the years time and time again from bookshelf to Google Doodle. 05. The Moomins This 1948 Finn Family Moomintroll helped bring author Tove Jansson to fame Finnish-Swedish writer and artist Tove Jansson created the beloved Moomins in 1945. Reminiscent of kind-hearted, pale hippopotamuses, these carefree creatures live in the wondrous Moominvalley. The Moomins is known best for its assortment of lovable characters, from Too-ticky and Mymble to Sniff and Stinky, but it’s The Groke – the arch-enemy of the Moomins – that subtly steals the show With the Southbank Centre’s Adventures in Moominland exhibition last year bringing alive the Moomins for all ages (complete with actual trees and pseudo snowstorms), it’s fair to say that the Moomins are still bookshelf must-haves. From Moominpappa with his distinctive top hat to Snufkin and his trusty bow, who wouldn’t be won over by these kind-hearted book characters? 06. Elmer the Patchwork Elephant Elmer is the elephant who we'll never forget A tiger can’t change its stripes, and an elephant can’t change its patchwork, but Elmer is the elephant who we'll never forget. Written by David Mckee, and published in 1989, Elmer’s ‘ugly duckling’ tale has sold over eight million copies and been translated into 50 languages around the world. Bright, unique, bold, Elmer is made up of nine colours: yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, black and white. His design was inspired by illustrator Andre Francois and artists Paul Klee and Saul Steinberg. The ultimate story of the importance of diversity and the struggles that outsiders face, Elmer is an icon for anyone who has longed to fit in. He’s even become an LGBT hero. 07. Paddington Paddington is the politest anthropomorphic bear around There’s no marmalade without Paddington and no Paddington without marmalade – the two things are stuck together between two pieces of figurative bread. Created by Michael Bond and originally illustrated by Peggy Fortnum, Paddington is the politest anthropomorphic bear around. Sharing his name with one of London’s busiest train stations, this small bear, with his duffel coat and red and blue attire, has won hearts the world over since his first tentative steps towards adventure in 1958. Like many of these characters, Paddington has changed somewhat of the years, most recently in the form of 3D on the big screen in 2014 and 2017. A much-loved book character, fans showed their appreciation for the conscientious bear by laying jars of marmalade by a statue of him at Paddington train station when author Michael Bond passed away in June last year. 08. Miffy Miffy's signature dichotomous nose and mouth is famous the world over With a cross for a mouth and two quizzical dots for eyes, Miffy – known as Nijntje in her native Holland – is synonymous with minimalism. Created by much-loved artist Dick Bruna, who was inspired by Matisse and Mondrian, Miffy has transitioned effortlessly from kids’ entertainment to art since she was created in 1955. She typically appeals to a more discerning audience than her often cited ‘rival’ Hello Kitty, who was created years later in 1974. Miffy's bold and clean design, sleek silhouette and signature dichotomous nose and mouth (a philosophical issue in itself) are famous the world over. With her simple but empowering day trips everywhere from the zoo to the seaside she has captured the hearts of generations. Read more: How to improve your character art 60 amazing Adobe Illustrator tutorials How to draw: 100 tutorials for drawing animals, people, landscapes and more View the full article

You're reading UX Best Practices for Using Search on Your Website, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! When a website contains a lot of content, your viewers are often not sure how to find the information they would like. As a result, they often use the search bar to look for a specific fact or ask a … View the full article

This morning, Amazon officially announced that Prime Day 2018 will start on 16 July. The 36-hour event, which runs from 16 July 12pm PT/3pm ET through to 17 July, is an amazing opportunity for designers to grab the best deals on tools and equipment. The extended 36 hour event promises to be the biggest Prime Day yet. In an Amazon statement, it's claimed that: "Prime Day 2018 will feature 50 percent more Spotlight Deals and more than one million deals globally. Prime members will enjoy the biggest deals yet on Alexa-enabled products, including Echo, Fire TV, and Fire tablets this Prime Day — and starting today, members can save $100 on the Echo Show. "New this year, members can shop Prime Day Launches – exclusive new items, content and special-edition products from hundreds of well-known and emerging brands." More hours means more chance to snap up deals Amazon's CEO Worldwide Consumer, Jeff Wilke, had this to add: “Prime members will enjoy a day (and a half) of our best deals, with 36 hours to shop more than one million deals worldwide. New this year, members can shop exclusive Prime Day Launches from hundreds of brands worldwide, enjoy exclusive savings at Whole Foods Market and experience surprise entertainment events unboxed from giant Smile boxes in major cities. More than 100 million paid Prime members around the world will find our best Prime Day celebration yet.” With Amazon's own products taking centre stage, plus the opportunity to grab a discount on monitors and laptops, Prime Day 2018 looks set to be an event designers won't want to miss. To help you make the most of Prime Day 2018, we'll be rounding up the best offers on the day itself. Remember, if you want to enjoy the exclusive Prime Day deals, you need to be an Amazon Prime member. Fortunately, you can grab a free 30-day trial which will set you up nicely for the sale and give you access to other benefits such as Prime instant video streaming and free super fast delivery. Related articles: The best video editing laptops for 2018 The best drawing tablet: our pick of the best graphics tablets in 2018 8 best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac and PC users in 2018 View the full article

Graphic artists know how important Adobe Creative Cloud is. This collection of software features tools that all graphic artists should have in their arsenal, and you too can become a pro with Pay What You Want: The Adobe CC Lifetime Mastery Bundle. Learn how to make your photos look so professional with Photoshop that they could be in a magazine. Master InDesign for creating newsletters, flyers, newspapers, and more. Find how Illustrator can increase your abilities as a graphic artist by tenfold. Best of all, you name your own price, and that will be what you pay for the bundle. With a list price of $383.93, we'd say you're getting a pretty good deal. Related articles: Adobe to drop Creative Cloud price to $5 for K-12 schools How to use Adobe Capture CC 5 top Creative Cloud features View the full article

You're reading All Start-ups Should use Jamf Now, the Ultimate MDM for Apple Devices, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Do you know that feeling, when you have an idea, and you know that it’s the next best thing, right? And then, your idea becomes a start-up. The sky is no longer the limit.. until you fail. Most tech start-ups fail at … View the full article

More companies are looking to adopt "safe harbor" language in their bug bounty programs to build trust with participants. View the full article

Here is a look at what exploit kits, CVEs and other web-based threats are keeping security professionals working overtime in 2018. View the full article

Having studied zoology, animals and wildlife have always been a great passion for me and I never tire of painting them. We’re lucky enough to live in the Lincolnshire countryside and have limitless inspiration right on the doorstep. In this tutorial, I’m going to offer a step-by-step guide to painting a running hare. In it, I’ll share some advice for how to draw animals as well as plenty of watercolour techniques to help you bring them to life. I must have painted hundreds of hares over the years and it’s a real passion for me. Each painting unveils a new character, which reveals itself as the painting progresses – I always find it an exciting process. 01. Make a sketch Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Starting with a blank sheet of paper can seem pretty daunting, and the first marks can often feel the hardest. I want to paint a running hare, and getting a sense movement and energy into a piece of work is quite challenging. I’ve started with some quick pastel sketches – this approach is useful for experimenting with different compositions and poses. My sketching tips are to avoid parallel lines and introduce as much contrast as possible in the lighting and colour palette to stop the final piece feeling too calm. 02. Create the outlines Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image The sketching stage takes a while. I keep changing things, and then leaving it for a few hours before coming back to reassess. For me, it’s really crucial to get the elements right at this stage to save a lot of wasted time later on. Once I have a composition I'm happy with, I move out of my sketchbook and create an initial drawing in HB pencil. For my final piece I'm using Winsor & Newton Classic watercolour paper (300gsm, cold press). This paper has a nice toothy texture and handles the paints well. 03. Put down the first wash Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image I’m giving the painting its first wash using a mix consisting of Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre, along with a touch of red. I want the red to show through subsequent layers of paint and provide the painting with a warm base. I tend to use pans rather than tubes of paint, because I find them more convenient. Because I'm just putting down a wash at this point, Ill use a large brush – perhaps size 16. One of the key points of this stage is to eliminate any white in the painting that will not remain white in the finished piece. In this case, the only white of the paper will be the glint in the hare’s eye and a little patch on the tail. 04. Find the shadows Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image The next stage is to establish the light source and work out where the shadows will fall. This instantly starts to give the hare some form and make him look three dimensional. I’m using violet, French Ultramarine and a tiny bit of Burnt Umber. This mix contrasts well with the warm wash and introduces a cooler element. 05. Start work on the fur Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Now I want to build up the areas of shadow while introducing the appearance of fur. With watercolour, I like to give the impression of fur rather than painting each individual hair. For this effect, it helps to use a dryer brush, in contrast to the wet washes we’ve been using up to this point. I’m still working fairly quickly across the whole painting here, rather than focusing on a small area – this helps me build it up with consistency. 06. Move on to the ears Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image For some reason, when painting hares and rabbits, I always start with the ears when it comes to focusing on the detail. I think it’s because you get a good range of colour and light contrast within the ears due to the way they fold, creating a deep shadow in the centre. Hares' ears also have lots of colour variation. Their black tips act as a good benchmark for the rest of the work – you can ask yourself 'is the shadow on the foot as dark as the shadow on the ear' etc, it helps to make the final piece coherent. For more detailed work like this, I'll move to a much smaller brush (I go right down to 00 for the very fine details). Because I go through a lot of brushes, especially the finer grades, I tend to use synthetic sable brushes. These are an excellent alternative to standard sable, and less expensive. 07. Develop the fur Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image I now add layer upon layer of fur. There is a huge variety of colour within fur and building up the layers helps to make it look more realistic. I’m sticking with oranges, purples and browns and always being mindful of where the shadows are and where the light would be hitting the animal. 08. Take a break Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image The form is really starting to take shape now and I’m happy with the way the fur is looking. I like to take a bit of a break at this point and come back to the painting with fresh eyes. It’s a good time to view it through a mirror, which will help reveal any areas needing a bit more attention. 09. Check the shading Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Make sure the balance of the piece is working, and the darkest and lightest areas are in the right place. It’s really important to make the final piece coherent and ensure the whole range of shading, from white to black, has been used in all the right places. Adjust the warm and cool highlights to make sure there is good colour contrast as well. 10. Focus on the eyes Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Often the most daunting part, the eyes, can make or break a piece and really give the subject its character and personality. This painting is of a lively brown hare, full of energy and mischief. The eyes must reflect this. I spend quite a bit of time building up the shading, and the whole colour palette and tonal range is used within this small space! I think this is key to a successful eye – the very lightest and very darkest part of the painting exist right next to one another. 11. Add some finishing touches Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image Nearly there now – I just need to make the final tweaks to the shading, and add the whiskers. I also include some splatters, which help to amplify the movement and energy of the piece. I focus these around the back feet, as if he is kicking up mud as he goes along. It was my original intention to paint more detail in the grass at the bottom, but on reflection I don’t think it needs it. I like the way it sits there like a full stop at the end of the outstretched foot, anchoring the painting nicely. Read more: How to draw a cat Add digital colours to pencil drawings Create a simple colour chart View the full article

As Migrant Journal's six-volume mission to change the way we view migration passes the halfway mark; it's not just the stark, black and silver cover that feels subdued. "Night, the moment of illegitimacy and illegality," warns the opening editorial. "Drama, sins, crimes. The time for desperate actions and bad decisions. Surrender." While previous issues have traversed physical and political borders, issue four travels down, both literally and psychologically, to identify the human casualties of fake news (Abyssal theory), black money (Hundi & Hawala), "kamikaze" oil smuggling (Essence du Bénin) and sexual exploitation (They Fuck It Up). 10 amazing examples of experimental design "We've had the desire to produce a 'night issue' since the very beginning," editor Justinien Tribillon told us. "The way people move and travel at night, the kind of activity you do then." Certainly this issue more any other highlights the fascinating dichotomy at the heart of Migrant Journal, which somehow remains optimistic and exhilarating as it uncovers a dangerous, deteriorating world. "Darkness leaves less room for humour and light topics, that's for sure," Tribillon admits. Migrant Journal's exquisite infographics skilfully translate fascinating mini-narratives of their own Scattered with footnotes and annotations, Migrant Journal is undeniably heavy going, but the pitch-perfect design, stunning photography and crisp infographics (Migrant Journal loves infographics) present stories in the clearest, cleanest fashion – there's not a pixel or point out of place. The luxuriantly weighty 152 pages all exhibit the magazine's unique aesthetic, a curious hybrid of academic journal and superior travelogue, almost an atlas with a conscience. "You can call us any way you like: magazine, book, periodical, journal," says Tribillon, "as long as you don't take these categories too seriously, we're fine with them." As with everything Migrant Journal tackles, boundaries and definitions are ambiguous and, ultimately, reductive. Black beauty Perhaps the magazine's greatest achievement is to make the future not seem hopeless. "It is always darkest just before the day dawneth," Tribillon assures us, "You just have to believe, somehow, in humanity, and remain optimistic." Migrant Journal is a favourite among designers, and even elsewhere, its superior aesthetics have probably been praised as much as its content. While opportunities for design revolution are inevitably curtailed by its part-work format, designers Isabel Seiffert and Christoph Miler – of Offshore Studio – take every opportunity for subtle evolution and refinement. Particularly outstanding this issue is the use of fifth colour, a vibrant (and emotive) acid green flouro. While most designers would be content to use this for aesthetic flourish, Seiffert and Miler brilliantly integrate the spot colour to enhance editorial content and increase emotional resonance. Pantone inks (silver and green) are never squandered; spot colours are deployed only when they can add emotional depth or serve narrative It follows, then, that the huge sacks of luggage strapped to fleeing migrants in Northern Africa are carefully highlighted in green, emphasising the weight and scale of their cargo. Elsewhere, a streetlamp outside an Amsterdam brothel glows weakly from the stark, black and white photography, while in a scorched South American desert, the desolation is accentuated by highlighted wisps of grass clinging to a rock. As well as being technically extremely accomplished – integrating fifth colours in print is notoriously difficult – the ingenuity and variety of Migrant Journal's execution is frequently breathtaking. How to master colour theory And the title's signature font – Migrant Grotesk – is still a thing of wonder. Seemingly endlessly adaptable, it has the enviable quality of looking amazing whatever the circumstances. If the glacial beauty of the magazine is still marred by occasional baffling idiosyncrasies (page numbers on the inside gutters?), the design team have more than earned the right to do whatever the hell they like. The design of Migrant Journal is as utterly unique and seductive as ever. Exit strategy Wonderfully exotic and ambiguous graphic sculptures by Anny Wang and Tim Söderström provide a real highlight in this frequently breathtaking issue. Migrant Journal's phenomenal success makes it easy to forget its modest origins. What is now an iconic indie title – with an international audience and influence far beyond its print run – began its own migration from concept to reality as a Kickstarter project back in 2016, when just 224 backers pledged a modest €11,203 to help launch issue one. As the team admitted in their initial pitch, "None of us live in the country we hold a passport of." Yet their ability to harness such a wide range of talents to create this singularly impressive publication demonstrates their own ethos: the individual and creative rewards enabled by free movement. It may seem like an obvious principle, but as Migrant Journal continues to show, the smaller the world becomes, the greater the duty to explore and celebrate – not demonise – the "new spaces" of migration. Exquisite typography, beautiful illustrations (on the back) and dreamy bespoke finishes make every (gatefold) cover an event With just two issues left before this project ends, it will be fascinating to see where Tribillon, Seiffert and Miler next direct their formidable skills, but Migrant Journal's legacy as a beacon of indie publishing is assured – whether they care for the categorisation or not. Buy the latest issue of Migrant Journal here for €20.00. Read more: 10 ways to make your magazine cover stand out View the full article

As we explored in our feature on bespoke type, the branding trend for embracing a handmade aesthetic to lend your brand an air of authenticity is still going strong. However, in the onslaught of handwriting fonts taking over branding, how do you make sure your design stands out (and for the right reasons)? Here, we take a look at four creatives that used bespoke typography the right way on their packaging designs. 01. Grand Cru Mexican agency Parámetro created bespoke packaging for Grand Cru Monterrey-based design studio Parámetro was approached by chocolate brand Grand Cru’s founders to create playful branding that playfully reflected the company’s artisanal origins. The team wanted to create a feeling that emulated the world of Willy Wonka, as well as the joy of finding that golden ticket. The aim was to “capture all things magic for the packaging,” explains lead designer Debbie Kennedy. The designs use spot UV, colour foils and special Pantone inks The branding takes vintage sweet designs as a reference point. Parámetro worked closely with the printer to find the perfect finish, and used spot UV to create a glossy feel, along with colour foils and special Pantone colours. “That’s part of what gives the packaging this different and fun feeling,” says Kennedy. “Those sort of finishes help the consumer’s mind wander, and make them feel like they’re not just getting chocolate but a complete experience. The designs looked to position the brand somewhere between premium chocolate and something a little more approachable,” she continues. The process was entirely created by Parámetro and began with hand sketching before moving into Illustrator, with the type based on existing typography that was then customised “to give it the kind of vintage candy, nostalgic feeling”, by adding 3D effects and foil detailing. 02. RedLeg Kyle Wilkinson's work for RedLeg celebrates the rum's Caribbean heritage The new designs for RedLeg came about when the brand wanted to celebrate its recognition at industry awards. The brief was to showcase the brand’s provenance and Caribbean spice, so was loosely themed around a laid-back, Caribbean beach theme. Kyle Wilkinson hand-painted signs with a scripty brush type. “It’s popular and on trend at the minute, but it matched the brand and tone they wanted to send out,” he says. “We built the set and photographed the type as if it had been painted on the wood. They’re keen to capitalise on the trend of brushy script everyone loves; it’s ‘rough around the edges’ type, not too pristine and perfect.” The ongoing campaign imagery for RedLeg was created with a mixture of the hand-made, physical type, and digital solutions for the faster-paced applications, such as online campaigns. Wilkinson even sourced the wood for the project “We went out to a timber merchant and asked for the most knackered pieces of wood we could find,” says Wilkinson. “I didn’t want pretty wood that was well presented, I wanted stuff that had been soaked in the rain and had a bit of weathering to it. Then it was a mixture between painted type and some of the type being done digitally.” The project was entirely created by Wilkinson, including all typography, art direction, photography and set build. 03. Williams Sonoma Here Design created artisanal chocolate tins for a kitchenware company Here Design was commissioned by American kitchenware company Williams Sonoma to design a seasonal collection of tins for a new range of artisanal chocolates. Each tin celebrates a different traditional artisan, such as the bourbon distiller and the honey maker. The designs merge influences from vintage American packaging, Victorian chocolate designs, historical typographic designs with ornate patterns (a honeycomb design for the Pretzel Peanut Butter Honey Truffles, for instance) and specialist finishes such as stamps of approval and fine embossing. Each design was based on existing typefaces Attention to detail allowed Here Design to elevate the everyday, in the same way that each product had been crafted with a special uplifting ingredient. All type design was created using existing typefaces, which were extruded by adding textures where appropriate and the use of drop shadows to give a three-dimensional effect. “The products have really good backstories, which lent themselves really nicely to how we might use exuberant, flamboyant, typography,” says creative partner Kate Marlow. 04. Mahonia Vineyard Jessica Hische created bespoke lettering for a range of limited-edition wines Jessica Hische was approached by client Travis Henry to create something “really special” for the limited-edition wine range, and briefed to create designs that felt premium, “like a high-end gift”. The project started with two wines, a chardonnay and a pinot noir, “and I gave myself the limitation of designing with one foil colour plus 2c letterpress (black, plus a secondary colour),” she explains. “The label designs remained the same apart from the colour change and the custom monogram I created for each wine. I tried to have the monogram inform the tasting notes, to have a conceptual tie in, but also tried to make sure there was a lot of variety to each of the designs so that they all felt unique.” Each bottle featured a custom monogram According to the designer, the brief was “fully open, they just loved my work and wanted me to make some fancy labels for the limited edition clonal varietals they were releasing. I had the idea of working with their existing branding or label layout and making a custom monogram for each wine. The system ended up being really fun and easy to expand upon.” This article was originally published in Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 278 or subscribe here. Read more: How to design a handwriting font that isn't boring 20 top free brush fonts How to choose the right typeface for a brand View the full article

Want to bring your images to life in a fun way? Get a lifetime license for Next FlipBook Maker Pro for Windows. With this tool, you can use customisable templates that help you create flipbooks in no time at all. Show ideas to clients or share memories with friends by giving them the experience of flipping through a book – except that it's on an electronic device. You can create an even more visually engaging experience by embedding Youtube videos, music, charts, and more. Incorporate any PDFs or images into your flipbook, and bring those pictures to life. Try Next FlipBook Maker Pro for Windows for only $19. Related articles: The best VPN for Mac and Windows in 2018 Switching from Mac to Windows: A digital artist's guide 16 wonderful window display designs View the full article

However powerful your design software of choice, there are always ways to fine-tune how efficient and effective it is for your particular needs. That's where plugins and extensions can prove invaluable – giving you that extra boost in particular areas to become more more productive as a designer. So read on for our essential guide to 10 must-have design tools to make your creative process easier... 01. RH Hover Colour Picker Easily customise your colours with this handy tool Photoshop comes with its own Colour Picker tool, but it's complex and not all that intuitive – and if you find it frustrating to use, the RH Hover Colour Picker could be the tool for you. For a $16 one-off fee. Simple, fast and effective, the plugin enables you to easily customise your colour sliders, and take control over the process. And whereas the native Colour Picker obscures your work until you've finished with it, RH Hover Colour Picker auto-hides until you hover over it. 02. Guide Guide Guide Guide does all the grid layout hard work for you This popular plugin is a great time-saver, as it enables you to add grid layouts to your designs within Photoshop, Illustrator or Sketch. Rather than setting margins and guides manually, Guide Guide does all the hard work for you. Add guides based on the canvas, artboard, or selection you're working with; quickly mark edges and midpoints with guides; and create and share custom grids. A 14-day trial is available. 03. Fontself Maker Convert lettering into workable OpenType display fonts A pro-quality typeface can take months, or even years, to perfect using a powerful, industry-standard tool such as FontLab. Fontself Maker won't replicate that level of control, and for a £43 one-off fee you would hardly expect it to. What Fontself Maker is excellent at doing, however, is converting lettering – created in Photoshop or Illustrator CC – into a workable OpenType display font. Simply drag and drop layers to create different characters. 04. Whatfont Identify a particular font being used on a website simply by hovering over it This plugin is a godsend for web designers, but it can be invaluable for graphic designers too. Install Whatfont for Chrome (or the iOS app), and you can identify a particular font being used on a website simply by hovering over it. As well as a time-saving way to accumulate typographical references, it's also a great way to impress clients – if they identify a font on competitor's site that they particularly like, you can identify it instantly. Whatfont even detects the web font service being used, such as Typekit or Google Font API. 05. Getty plugin for Creative Cloud Get in-app access to premium videos, photos and vectors on Getty Images Adobe Stock may be neatly integrated with Creative Cloud already, but thanks to this handy Getty plugin, you can get in-app access to premium videos, photos and vectors on Getty Images too. The plugin works seamlessly with Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premier Pro and After Effects. You can search and filter images, illustrations, videos and existing boards, and automatically carry over edits when transitioning from comp to licensed version – all of which can be handled without leaving the program. 06. ColorKit This must-have tool enables you to keep track of all the colours you use in your projects ColorKit is a must-have tool that enables you to keep track of all the colours you use in your projects. It works with Photoshop CC 2014 and later. Stop wasting valuable time saving, creating and replacing your swatches in Photoshop. With ColorKit, you can collect reference colours from different sources, and link colours with your layers with a single click. The plugin is both Mac and Windows compatible, and costs just $19.99. 07. Nik Collection Nik Collection pulls together seven different Lightroom and Photoshop plugins in one essential package Pulling together seven different Lightroom and Photoshop plugins in one essential plugin package, Nik Collection used to exist as a $500 photo processing package in its own right. Google acquired it and made it free, and it's since changed hands again – this time to DxO, which plans to release an update later in 2018. Nik Collection currently includes: Analog Efex Pro, which replicates the classic look of analog cameras, film stock, and lenses; Color Efex Pro, a collection of filters for color correction, retouching, and effects; and Dfine, which allows you to process images with noise reduction. Other tools include Sharpener Pro, which brings out hidden details in pictures; HDR Efex Pro, which processes images into artistic HDR photos; Viveza, a tone and colour adjustment tool; and Silver Efex Pro, which provides darkroom-inspired controls for black-and-white images. 08. Fontea Fontea gives you access to a library of 800 fonts in a few clicks No more downloading Google fonts one by one and importing them into Photoshop to test them out. Fontea is a plugin that cuts out the middle-man, and gives you access to a library of 800 fonts in a few clicks. The plugin enables you to browse the Google fonts by category, and automatically updates with the latest additions to the library. Best of all, just like the Google fonts it provides, it's totally free. 09. Layrs Control 2 Manage your layers more effectively with Layrs Control 2 Love them or hate them, layers are likely to play a big part in your workflow. Sometimes there are so many, keeping them organised is a project in and of itself – and even small tweaks and amends take longer than they should. Layrs Control 2 adds a panel to Photoshop to help you manage your layers more effectively. Rather than tackling key tasks manually, with a few clicks it enables you to name, flatten and delete layers; remove unused effects; and rasterise and convert smart objects. And it's free. 10. ColorZilla ColorZilla is an essential addition to any frontend web designer's toolkit Our third colour tool on this list is the Chrome and Firefox extension ColorZilla, which is an essential addition to any frontend web designer's toolkit. It includes Advanced Eyedropper and ColorPicker tools, to help you easily determine the colour of any pixel on a webpage, and apply it to your projects. For more advanced users, the Color Analyzer tool assesses the overall colour palette of a website, while the Ultimate Gradient Generator is used for creating and manipulating CSS gradients, and converting images to CSS. Related articles: How to attract top talent to your agency (and keep it) 9 lessons from the world's top viral images 8 portfolio mistakes that drive clients mad View the full article