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You're reading Slides 4 Coming Soon, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! During the last year we worked hard on the new release of Slides Framework. We haven’t updated this product for a few months due to our website redesign and rebranding. But now we are ready to release Slides 4! View the full article

Researchers found three vulnerabilities in Foscam connected security cameras that could enable a bad actor to gain root access knowing only the camera’s IP address. View the full article

You might have a stunning portfolio of work, but winning new clients and crafting a successful creative career is about more than just great work. You need to build a name for yourself – and that involves getting out there, attending relevant events and making valuable, face-to-face connections. From international industry conferences to local gallery openings happening on your doorstep, there are hundreds of opportunities to meet potential new clients and collaborators. And the good news? With the right preparation – plus a few tips and tricks for on the day – anyone can nail the art of networking. Read on to find out how to make every creative event count. (Opening image: Addison Groove, by DazzleShip.) 01. Remember the golden rule: ditch the pitch Good networking is about making genuine connections with new people Good networking at events is about establishing relationships, and creating a solid foundation for you to build on later. Your goal is to make new contacts – so relax, be friendly and engaged, and focus on making a good first impression. Whatever you do, don't go straight in for the hard sell. You can talk about yourself by all means – just ditch the sales pitch. A genuine connection is infinitely more likely to lead to work opportunities than aggressive self-promotion. 02. Do the groundwork You'll find a lot of discussion on social media in the run-up to events like OFFF Barcelona. Find out your event's hashtag – and use it If you’ve read part two of our Creative’s Guide to Self-Promotion, you’ll know how important it is to do some groundwork before attending an event. Whether you’re going to an informal local meet-up or a sprawling global conference, it pays to find out who else will be attending (social media is great for this) and make initial contact before the event. A quick introductory email or tweet works wonders in breaking the ice. If the event has a hashtag, use it. Tell people that you’re going, and get involved in the conversation on social media. It’s far easier to meet people in person if you’ve already made contact through other means. 03. Leave your safety zone Introduce yourself to someone new at the next creative event you attend Many creative events have coffee or beer breaks that are designed to get people talking. These are invaluable opportunities to meet new people face-to-face, so don’t head instantly for the people you already know. Leave your safety net and introduce yourself to a stranger. Also, don’t fall into the trap of just looking for new prospective clients: aim to get to know other creatives, too. The more people you know, the better chance you have of hearing about new opportunities on the industry grapevine. 04. Listen and learn Don't make it all about you. Events offer a chance to learn about new people, so listen as much as you talk The people who get the most out of networking opportunities at events are those who listen and learn about other people. They ask questions, encourage others to talk about themselves, show enthusiasm and never hijack the conversation to talk about themselves. Crucially, they also remember the details for next time they meet. So find a common interest, listen carefully and really get to know the person you’re talking to. That's how you make a memorable connection. 05. Don't forget your business cards Beautifully designed business cards – like these from Giadaland – will help you leave a lasting impression Used properly, your business cards are one of the most powerful self-promotional tools in your arsenal – so don’t leave them at home. If you’ve followed our tips for creating a memorable business card, you’ll have a stack of striking cards ready to leave a lasting impression with your new contacts. Of course, business cards are plentiful at events. So how can you make sure yours stand out? One way is to use a service like Printfinity from print and design company moo.com. This lets you print up to 50 different designs within a pack for no extra cost, effectively putting your portfolio in your pocket, and enabling you to showcase your best work in different fields to different prospective clients. Alternatively, letting people choose their own makes for a great talking point, too. 06. Introduce people Do you know someone with a skill or experience that someone else is looking for? Then introduce them. You never know where that meeting might go The most successful networkers genuinely like to help others. Connecting people at events isn’t just a great way to make a good impression, or cement your place at the heart of the community – although these are benefits. It's also a fantastic way to help share knowledge, skills and ideas. And that's exciting. If you've really listened to the people you've met, you'll soon be in a good position to help connect other like-minded creatives. 07. Follow up The next time you meet a new contact, it might be over lunch with your portfolio. (Image: Designer Leslie David's portfolio website) Networking is all about establishing new relationships. After an event it’s important to keep new connections alive, so within 48 hours send out a quick nice-to-meet-you email to everyone you got on with particularly well, and take it from there. If you’re looking to move the conversation to work, consider inviting your contact for an informal catch-up – perhaps over lunch – where you can bring your tablet or laptop to show your portfolio. Ultimately, getting more out of creative events is all about remembering that you're playing the long game. Don't expect immediate results. Focus on developing relationships and trust – and with patience your contacts could just turn into clients. Step up your self-promotion by heading over to digital print and design company moo.com. You’ll find a wealth of fun, affordable, easy-to-use tools for creating premium business cards and stunning self-promotional material that will project you onto the global design stage, and get your work in front of the people who count. Related articles: 10 steps to go freelance this year The pro's guide to creating memorable business cards Create better business cards in less than five minutes How to project your work onto the global design stage View the full article

3D technologies can be used in-browser to create beautiful and highly engaging interactive user experiences. WebGL is a JavaScript API for real-time rendering of 3D and 2D graphics within a browser. It’s based on OpenGL ES – the software API used on embedded systems such as smartphones and tablets. Traditionally, web browsers used the CPU to render content, but in recent years browsers have adopted support for hardware acceleration, which means web developers can now tap into a device’s GPU to allow for rendering of complex graphics. Get started with WebGL using three.js It’s a tough language to grasp, but luckily there are a number of JavaScript libraries that make WebGL more accessible, such as Babylon.js and three.js. Such technology is merging skill sets between traditional web developers, game developers and VFX artists, where all these disciplines work together to develop interactive experiences on the web. Having an understanding of basic VFX principles is crucial – lighting, cameras, animation and 3D geometry all come into play – and it’s vital to have a grasp of JavaScript frameworks and HTML. Illustration: Kym Winters Export 3D for the web A particular problem associated with exporting 3D assets into a WebGL environment is the weight of the files. When dealing with heavy assets like 3D models, extra care has to be taken during asset creation to ensure the models are loaded efficiently. There are many factors that can increase a 3D model’s size, but there are three good rules to follow to help reduce weight in a browser: 1. Good topology Topology refers to the mesh flow of a 3D model – the cleaner the mesh the more efficient the model, meaning fewer polygons used and a reduction in the overall weight of the asset. 2. Normal mapping This is an excellent approach in creating detailed raised textures on a 3D asset while maintaining a low poly count. The detail these maps create is fake but can be incredibly effective. Typically a higher resolution model is created with a detailed mesh, from this a normal map can be exported and wrapped around a lower poly model to create the illusion of a detailed object. 3. File formats When WebGL was initially released, developers created custom exporters to deliver 3D assets into a WebGL engine. There was no standard or pipeline in place, which caused inconsistent results and errors. More recently the file format glTF has been created by The Khronos Group to develop an open, royalty-free interoperable format for sharing 3D graphics, and has been dubbed the ‘JPEG for 3D.’ GlTF was created to answer the need for a common graphics file format for 3D, in much the same way as JPEG is the standardisation for photographs. GlTF can retain complex information associated with 3D files such as scene data, materials, geometry, animation, skins, GLSL shaders, and texture files. GLTF is still a very new file format and time will tell if the big 3D packages adopt it. However, Khronos Group has released several glTF exporters for popular tools such as Unity and Blender. Practical use cases for WebGL As with any new medium, there was a burst of creativity when WebGL was first released that resulted in a variety of weird and wonderful experiences as developers and artists experimented with the technology. Only more recently have practical applications started to emerge as the adoption rate has increased. Big brands have adopted WebGL to render graphics more efficiently – for example, the PS4 UI is powered by WebGL In the past, education institutions created Flash applications to use as interactive learning tools. While at the time these were great for engaging students and teaching complex subjects in a digestible format they are now dated, unscalable, and unsupported in modern browsers. WebGL replaces Flash and, in this case, is being used to create intuitive learning tools that can cope with complex graphics and interactions. Big brands have also adopted WebGL to render graphics more efficiently. For example, the PS4 UI is powered by WebGL, enabling its menus and elements to run smoothly with minimal lag. When a user logs into their PS4, they’re running WebGL code. The architecture sector is also investing heavily in making 3D visualisations more accessible, going even further to incorporate WebVR to immerse clients when showcasing properties. And within ecommerce, especially with high-value items, WebGL is being used to render 3D models in intricate detail. It gives users a layer of interactive customisation tools that enable them to update their product visualisation in real time. This approach makes products become even more realistic and tangible to potential customers. Exploring Virtual Reality WebGL is the springboard that started the exploration of additional 3D technologies such as WebVR and WebAR. Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft are all helping define how VR and AR will be part of the future browsing experience. The beauty of bringing VR to the web is the level of accessibility that comes along with it. Allowing easy access of VR content through a URL – and the ability to create and distribute content without the need to go through an app store – gives brands, educators, and retailers a level of reach never quite felt before. This is still a new world, but it’s quickly gaining in popularity and demand. Being strong pioneers of VR in the browser, in late 2015 Mozilla made the technology even more accessible with the introduction of A-Frame: a VR framework for three.js that supports the Vive, Rift, Daydream, Gear VR, Google Cardboard and desktop experiences. Mozilla made the technology even more accessible with the introduction of A-Frame A-Frame provides an interface for VR on the web, enabling developers to create true VR experiences with relative ease. It handles setting up the left and right camera needed for virtual reality and supplies default behaviour, including making use of a mobile device’s gyroscope to allow for free rotational movement around a scene using a headset. A-Frame also introduced a headset icon to enable the VR experience for compatible mobile devices. A-Frame has paved the way for the browser specifications of what is today known as WebVR. However, experiencing VR in the browser can be somewhat unpredictable due to the range of devices it can be experienced on. There are still issues when viewing content on smartphones thanks to older generation phones struggling to render scenes and causing a drop in frame rates. It also requires a good internet connection due to the weight of the experiences. All of these factors can easily break the immersion of a VR experience. It’s still early days for the medium but with VR becoming more mainstream, it’s inspiring to see how the web is already adapting to offer a more accessible version of this type of content and watch developers exercise their creativity in this space. Augmented Reality WebAR is the next logical step for browsers, blending digital content with the real world to create an augmented reality. Though it’s still very much in its infancy and experimental stage, Google has made great progress in this field and released several tools and demos. WebARonARKit and WebARonARCore are both experimental apps for iOS and Android, enabling developers to create AR experiences using web technologies. Three.js released three.ar.js, making it easier to create AR experiences by adding helper classes on top of three.js. Because this technology is in such early stages, it does mean these experiences are only viewable in experimental browsers. With the adoption of VR, AR and eventually mixed reality, it’s inevitable for browsers to follow suit by offering an immersive online experience. The uptake of 3D web technologies is faster than it has ever been. With a big drive behind WebAR, it’s exciting to see how the landscape develops and adds another dimension to browsing. 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 originally appeared in net magazine. Buy issue 305 or subscribe. Read more: The VR web is here 5 ways to create more immersive VR experiences Create liquid effects with WebGL View the full article

The legendary Bauhaus school of design only operated for 14 years before being closed due to pressure from the Nazi regime. Yet the Bauhaus aesthetic had a profound influence on modern graphic design. Now designers can use previously lost Bauhaus type sets specially recreated by Adobe and Erik Spiekermann in partnership with the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. 43 free retro fonts Created as part of Adobe's Hidden Treasures of Creativity series, The Lost Alphabets of Bauhaus Dessau sees five unfinished fonts made by five legendary design masters finally get completed. Using century old, unfinished typography sketches and letter fragments as their basis, the sets will be made available exclusively for Creative Cloud members. World-renowned typeface designer, Erik Spikermann, headed the process of completing and digitising the original Bauhaus typography sketches and turning them into Typekit font sets. Working with international typography professionals and design students, Spiekermann and his team were able to calculate how the Masters originally planned to finish their work. The first two fonts in this set, modelled on the work of Joost Schmidt and Xanti Schawinsky, are available to download for use in Typekit from today. The remaining three fonts are due to launch over the coming months. Erik Spiekermann worked with design students to complete the type sets "The Hidden Treasures Bauhaus Dessau is an ongoing project that is committed to revitalising lost creative history and using it to inspire new generations," says Adobe's Senior Director of Campaign Marketing, Simon Morris. Following on from the success of last year's Hidden Treasures project, which saw the paintbrushes of Edvard Munch become Photoshop tools, Adobe hopes to spark interest in another important period of art history. "This year, Adobe is celebrating the power of the written word, the creative impact font designs have in how we communicate and the role they play in arts and culture. We hope that, once again, by bringing these forgotten treasures into the modern day, we can energise a new era of creativity." Related articles: The 10 commandments of typography The rules of responsive web typography How to improve your digital typography View the full article

Crafting a client-wowing portfolio is a critical part of freelance success – whether it's a beautiful online showcase, or a carefully curated piece of print. Follow some best-practice portfolio advice, and pick one of the many great portfolio templates on offer, and you're well on your way. Unfortunately, not everyone follows the golden rules, and many fall foul of some common portfolio mistakes– such as lack of context, too much or too little work, or a basic lack of purpose. If you want to land your dream job in design, you need to drive potential clients wild with enthusiasm, not mad with rage. Read on for eight portfolio pitfalls to avoid... 01. It's a real challenge to get in touch Don't play hard to get in your portfolio: make it very clear how to contact you Picture the scene: a potential client stumbles upon your website, genuinely likes your work, and wants to commission you. They look for the 'contact' or 'about' section, and there isn't one. In fact, there's no email or other contact details listed anywhere – just a few social media buttons. The client doesn't want to send a public tweet, and they definitely don't want to befriend you on Facebook. You are literally shooting yourself in the foot if your contact details aren't very clearly labelled, easy to find, and brutally simple. Don't be clever or coy about it, and don't make people work any harder than they need to – it'll drive them mad. 02. You take credit where it's not due Don't be a cuckoo in another designer's nest, and try to steal credit for work you didn't do Context is key in any design portfolio. You don't have to write an essay about every project, and nor will anyone expect you to – people don't have time to read loads of supporting text. But supporting captions are a minimum requirement. Explain who the client was, and a bit about the brief if you can – and crucially, what your role was (and by a process of elimination, wasn't) on the project. Don't make bold claims about taking the lead on a big campaign, or imply it by not saying otherwise, when you were brought in for a day or two as a shift worker. It'll come back to bite you, in many different ways. Be honest. 03. Your biog goes over the top Personality is important, but don't share your entire life story, or try too hard to be funny When it comes to your About section, personality is really important – you need to stand out, after all – but there's really no need to drone on about your entire life story. Be punchy, and keep it relevant to avoid sending potential clients to sleep. It's about getting across what people can expect if they hire you. That's partly about your style and approach, and partly about you as an individual. A bit of humour is great, if that's your personality, as it implies you'll be fun to be work with – but don't force it, or pack it with one-liners. They're hiring a designer, not a comedian. Another common mistake amongst young designers starting out is to share their age. Literally no one cares how old you are; they care how much experience you have. It just makes you look like a rookie. 04. You have too much confidence (or too little) Don't be a smug prima donna: be confident about your abilities, but never cocky Your professional portfolio is all about selling yourself and your skills, so it's not the place to be self-deprecating and overly humble. If you don't have confidence in your own abilities, why should anyone else? However, check yourself if you're pushing it too far the other way. If you come across like a self-satisfied, preening peacock who thinks you're God's gift to design, that'll set off alarm bells. Clients want talented collaborators, not smug prima donnas. It can be a fine balance to strike, as you need people browsing your portfolio to come to the conclusion that you're amazing, without singing your own praises too overtly. Be confident, but not cocky. 05. Your site falls apart on mobile If a client can't browse your portfolio easily on their mobile, it's not fit for purpose We've covered this before in our list of common portfolio mistakes, but if it's worth saying once it's worth saying again. You can't assume that potential clients and employers will be enjoying your carefully curated portfolio in HD widescreen, giving it their full attention as they snack on a box of popcorn. More likely than not, they'll be on a train, or in a meeting, or grabbing lunch somewhere – and viewing your portfolio on a mobile, or if you're lucky, a tablet. Most popular portfolio templates come with responsive design baked in, but always, always test your site on a phone to make sure the thumbnails make sense, and any links or buttons are a suitable size for finger tapping. If it becomes too much work to navigate – or breaks entirely, so they have to scroll sideways for miles to view an image, for instance – you'll lose them. 06. Your spelling and grammar let you down If writing isn't your forte, get someone to check your portfolio for glaring typos Let's be realistic: designers and illustrators are (primarily) paid to design and illustrate, not to write. It comes easily to some, and painfully to others. You might be dyslexic, say, or just more comfortable communicating visually rather than verbally. And that's fine – no client worth bothering with will discriminate against you because you can't write sparkling copy. But that's not to say that glaring typos and grammatical errors don't make your portfolio look unprofessional. The solution is simple: ask someone to check it for you – pull in a favour from wordsmiths amongst your friends or family if you can, or if you have the budget to invest, consider calling in a professional copywriter. 07. You mix business and pleasure too much Be wary of posting compromising personal pics on public social media channels As we covered above, a bit of personality in your About section is great. Alongside your work, it'll help make you more memorable and compelling, especially for someone who's spent a few hours scrolling through identikit portfolios. However, there is such a thing as too much personality. When linking out to – or feeding content directly in from – your various social media accounts, beware. Unless you have separate accounts set up, most people's social media accounts are a mixture of work and play. As a rule, LinkedIn is a place for business contacts, whereas Facebook skews more towards personal. Twitter and Instagram are likely somewhere in the middle. Be wary about how you come across on public channels that potential clients can see easily, especially if they're directly linked to your portfolio. Save the compromising pics for closed personal networks. 08. Too many confusing links and dead ends Check for broken links and missing images regularly, and make navigation as easy as possible We're finishing off with a cardinal sin for any website. If potential clients are met with misleading navigation and a flurry of 404 errors as they try to browse your work, it'll drive them up the wall. Keep it simple and intuitive. Guide people through your portfolio in a logical way – you might split your work by discipline, or style, for instance, rather than just a chronological list. Consider how related case studies can link together. Ultimately, you have two main goals: impress people with your work, and encourage them to contact you. Pare things back with those things in mind. Do you need separate Contact and About pages, or can you roll them into one to minimise the steps they need to take? Most of all, check for broken links and missing images. Regularly. Nothing drives potential clients mad more quickly than a portfolio that simply doesn't work. Related articles: How to curate a creative portfolio 32 brilliant design portfolios to inspire you 11 of the best creative resumes View the full article

I studied fine art and painting techniques and for a long time was completely against the idea of going digital. I just didn't see the point of it until I started working professionally as an illustrator. I then had to start making changes to illustrations as requested by clients. This means you have to be quite flexible in the way you work, which makes traditional pen and paper drawing less practical. How to create a realistic digital portrait I very gradually transitioned to digital drawing. Being able to work in layers is incredibly liberating, you suddenly have so much freedom to change things and experiment. I love the sense that no decision you make is permanent, everything can be undone, so it makes me a lot less precious about my work and braver about experimentation and play. Now that I'm using Procreate on the iPad Pro, I feel like I've come full circle – the paintbrushes and pencil brushes feel so natural and loose, it's almost like I'm actually painting again. 01. Trace photo The original photo Anna Higgie used to make this portrait I used to also be quite against the idea of tracing a photo, or advising anyone to – as I do with the portrait in this guide. Tracing is kind of 'cheating', but if you are a confident drawer to begin with and know how to draw a face, then it can be an invaluable tool if you're in a hurry and need to capture an exact likeness – when doing quick editorial jobs, for example. First, choose the photo you're going to use. Unless you want to create a portrait with a dramatic chiaroscuro effect and lots of dense shading, avoid images with a lot of bright light, dark shadow and contrast. Ideally you want one that is well lit with gentle, natural light. I also think it adds a really nice texture to digital artwork if you use a natural paper texture as a base. You could scan your own at a high resolution and import it to Procreate, you could download this collection of free textures, or you can find lots on Google image search. Type in 'natural paper texture' or 'paper grunge texture' and find one that is high-res and legally available to use. Then open an A3 document at 400 dpi in Procreate, import the paper texture, and resize it so it fills the canvas in portrait format; then import the photo you have chosen. 02. Add elements Higgie adds a stock photo of an egg bap as a separate Layer on Procreate, then does the same with a napkin Resize the photo so it fills the canvas. Keep the subject fairly central but make sure you leave enough space around them. You want the negative space around your subject to roughly be the same area as the size of the subject. This creates a nice balance in the composition. For this portrait, the client wanted the subject to be eating some breakfast – they suggested a bacon and egg bap. I found a stock photo of a bap on Google, saved and imported it, then resized it in proportion with the subject. Then I moved the bap photo down onto the table and used the Lasso tool to select the bap and cut away the background. I wanted to add a napkin under the bap, so I repeated the process with a stock napkin photo. Once you have all the elements of your composition in place – you're ready to render! 03. Work with layers Higgie begins by drawing her subject's face, starting with the eyes Merge the three Layers (subject and additional breakfast Layers) so they are one single Layer, then reduce the opacity of that Layer to around 40 or 50 per cent. Next, select your pen. For this illustration I used the Studio Pen. I also really like Ink Bleed for portraits, the Shale brush (under Calligraphy) and the Technical pencil. Then select black, or another very dark colour like grey, as your brush colour. I always start with the most difficult thing to capture, the face and hair. I read an interview with Lucian Freud once where he said to 'always start with the eyes', and this has always stuck with me. I spend a long time fiddling to get them right. I also like to have fun with the hair. Let your mark making get really loose and flow along the curves of the hair. Accuracy is not important when it comes to hair. Really exaggerate the curves of the strands and get expressive! Throughout the process, keep turning off the photo Layer to check how the drawing Layer looks on the paper – you'll see straight away if it's looking a bit weird and wonky. Though weird and wonky can be good sometimes! 04. Get expressive When drawing folds of clothing, make sure you increase your brush size If you do want to erase something at this stage, I suggest taking the eraser down to 60 per cent opacity, so you leave a faint trace of what came before. This helps to avoid your digital drawing looking too digital, perfect and cold, and gives the end result a bit more movement and texture. Keep in those imperfections! Draw in the rest of the subject and any objects you want to include, using the same brush at the same weight. For this illustration I chose to leave out the background elements. Turn off the photo layer, have a look at what you've drawn so far and check you're happy. Next, increase the size of your brush to draw the clothing. I think it's nice to have contrasting line weights, it gives a more dynamic feel. A bit like with the hair, accuracy is not important when drawing the folds of the drapery. Enjoy using squiggly fat expressive lines and don't worry to much about getting it perfect. I usually do this mark making on a new Layer – and then erase the places where the lines overlap (on 100 per cent opacity this time to keep it clean). 05. Add colour Once you're happy with your piece, you can export it ready for editing in VSCO Now I'm going to add colour. To do so, I select my favourite brush for applying colour, the Wet Acrylic brush. I open a new Multiply Layer and apply the background colour first, in the negative space behind the subject. Then, so that you can easily tidy up the overlapping edges of colour, apply colour to the rest of the illustration on separate Multiply Layers. I usually apply the colour quite messily with the brush on a large setting, and then tidy up the edges with the eraser. Zoom in and open a new Normal Layer, and add some flecks of white on the eyes. Reduce the opacity of the layer a bit if it looks a bit too bright and harsh. Then export your file as a flat jpeg, and import it into your photo editing software or app of your choice (I use VSCO) for some subtle adjustments. This article was originally published in issue 278 of Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 278 here or subscribe to Computer Arts here. Related articles: 9 techniques for tackling an illustration brief Procreate tutorial: new tools explored Create portrait art in Corel Painter View the full article

You're reading Free Tools to Clean and Beautify Code, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Many things make a good developer: education, experience, natural talent and persistence to name a few. However, there is one crucial thing that many developers usually overlook – cultural patterns. While at the beginning of a journey it seems to … View the full article

You're reading Ning Helps You Build and Grow an Online Community, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Are you trying to develop a website that is rooted in conversation and social engagement? The answer might be Ning. The tool is a website builder that’s packed with features designed for building a community. Whether you are building engagement … View the full article

This is an extract from an interview with net magazine conducted in 2016, while Bruce was deputy CTO at Opera. He is now working at Wix. “Everybody, regardless of their ability or disability and regardless of where they are, has an equal right to say ‘LOL’ at someone’s kitten picture.” So sums up Bruce Lawson’s approach to the web. Lawson and his eye-catching outfits are a regular presence on conference circuits the world over. But hidden behind his goofy sense of humour is a fierce passion for the web and a willingness to fight hard to ensure its benefits reach as many people as possible. Lawson’s passion for inclusivity has its roots in a personal experience: his first explorations into the web were prompted by a diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. Lawson’s symptoms are luckily relatively mild but in that moment he was very aware that he could be facing something much more debilitating. “For me the ability to find and join a community of people, newly diagnosed with MS, all around the world, for free, was a genuinely revelatory moment,” he recalls. So followed an appreciation that the internet can have a life-changing effect, but also a strong belief that the silly stuff is 
important too: “It might be trivial but it’s still part of life.” Rolling stone When we chat, he’s recently returned from Israel (where he added two hats from a Tel Aviv production of Evita to his Tumblr ‘What’s Bruce wearing today?’) and is in the middle of topping up the dye job on his pink mohawk, ready to fly to India that evening. It’s clear that foreign travel is still a major part of the role. It might sound draining but for Lawson it’s a way of life. He was born in Yemen and moved to Kenya as a baby, then spent most of his 20s in Asia, backpacking for four years before settling 
in Bangkok to co-found an English school. The novelty of new places and faces has yet to wear off. “It doesn’t matter how many times I go to India, for example, and how tired I am when I land, I’m still child-like excited. I know I should sleep, but I still end up hitting the streets for two hours soaking up wherever 
I am, ” he enthuses. “That hasn’t changed since I was 21 and travelling the world with tarot cards and a guitar and I doubt it will change till I retire. I genuinely enjoy meeting different people and finding out their experiences. So I can’t say the travelling is only for work.” New markets All this travel has given Lawson a broader perspective on the web: he’s always known it wasn’t just something for rich people in developed countries. Case in point is his interest in progressive web apps, which aim to bring the benefits of native apps to the web. Again, it’s something he feels strongly about, because it means protecting his beloved web. “It pains me when people write native apps because they couldn’t do what they wanted to on the web, ” he sighs. “That’s a bad thing. It breaks my middle-aged stony heart.” Having introduced many of the features of native apps – geolocation, touch and 
so on – to the web via APIs, efforts have shifted onto the user experience. Users can now launch a progressive web app from 
their homescreen, open it up fullscreen, 
and access its content offline thanks to Service Workers. However, there’s still a long way to go. One key problem is to do with URLs. 
“URLs are the lifeblood of the web, ” Lawson says. “It’s not called the web because it has videos or cat pictures, it’s called the web because of links and those are based on 
URLs. But when you’re making a nice, 
immersive fullscreen app, how can you share that with a friend?” A definitive solution hasn’t been found yet. Opera is currently working on a labs build in which there’s a gesture a user can employ to pop a PWA out into the browser, from where they can copy and paste a URL. “That might prove the wrong approach, ” he admits. “We don’t know, we’re all experimenting.” Google and Opera are both working on the same umbrella concept, and taking what Lawson calls a “collegiate approach”; sharing information and deliberately exploring different implementations so they can see what works and what doesn’t. Data saving Leading the charge for PWAs are India, 
Indonesia and Africa. Because PWAs live 
on the web, there’s no need to download loads of information, making them much smaller than their native counterparts. As such, they’re suitable for users on lower-specced devices with limited space and for users in areas where the networks aren’t reliable enough to download big apps. With PWAs there’s also no update 
distribution lag, which has the potential to have a big impact in developing economies. Lawson uses the example of a developer who finds a major security flaw in their app. They fix the issue and push an update out. For a user in India or Africa, that download might require half their monthly data and for all they know it’s just for a tiny UI change. So they might wait until they get into a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi or they might never update the app. Because PWAs are live, every time a user visits the app they will be served the latest version and there’s no need for data-draining updates at all. The next generation Although PWAs may help push the web to new heights, there is still plenty of work 
to be done at ground level. “There’s always people coming along who are new to the web and don’t yet understand its potential reach, which is limitless. If you come from university where everybody’s got the latest MacBook and an iOS device, it’s human nature to assume everybody’s kind of similar. But I know 
when I go to Cambodia or South Africa or India that I’m entirely unrepresentative.” Perhaps as a result of this, Lawson has been heavily involved in web standards throughout his career. He’s the man primarily responsible for getting the <picture> element into all browsers this 
year, after “like half a decade of doggedly pushing for it”. But the work of a self-styled ‘web standards lovegod’ is never done. Although the movement has been around for over a decade now, its message to each new generation remains the same: “Make sure you code for everybody, not just you and your mates. It’s a world wide web; you are not the world.” This article was originally published in issue 286 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 286 or subscribe to net. Want to hear more from Bruce on how to open the web up to the world? Bruce Lawson is giving his talk Shokunin of the Web at Generate London from 19-21 September 2018 If you're interested in learning more about how you can make your sites more accessible to a global audience using new web standards, make sure you've picked up your ticket for Generate London from 19-21 September 2018. Former deputy CTO of Opera and current fashion consultant for Wix, Bruce Lawson will be delivering his workshop – Shokunin of the Web – in which he will explore how you can become a web shokunin, a Japanese term meaning an artisan with a “social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people." Generate London takes place from 19-21 September 2018. Get your ticket now. Related articles: How to design an accessible web Get started with web accessibility Jeffrey Zeldman on the point of having web standards View the full article

Lenovo patches several popular tablet models to protect against BlueBorne vulnerabilities first identified in September 2017. View the full article

So what is AR.js? AR.js was developed by Jerome Etienne with the idea of making AR available to everybody. It improved performance and made augmented reality run faster on mobile. Thanks to its optimisation, AR went from running at 4fps on high-end phones to 60fps on three-year-old phones. The library was first built on projects like three.js, ARToolKit 5, emscripten and Chromium. It was, and still is, a pure web solution, based on standards. So it works on any phone with WebGL and WebRTC. And, as an added bonus it is open-source and completely free. The beauty of AR.js is that it makes AR accessible without the need to install any applications and obtainable without having to buy specific and expensive devices. Everybody already has an AR enabled device in their pockets: their own phones. How the code works The success of AR.js is based on its performance and simplicity. With AR.js you can code AR in only 10 lines of HTML using Mozilla’s A-Frame. Check out the code. This simplicity has triggered interest and experimentation, trial and error from people with and without a technical background and it is what has ultimately led to the adoption of the library by more and more designers and developers. AR.js is ever-evolving and now includes workflow improvements with multi-markers. Check out ‘Augmenting The Web Page’, a way to display AR directly on the web-page by scanning a QR code (an idea that you can apply to e-commerce or advertisement). And of course, support for ARKit and ARCore. AR.js also provides the best tracking available on any device and it runs in all platforms. If you want to start building AR for the web make AR.js your first port of call. Want to know more about WebAR? Generate - the conference for web designers Alexandra Etienne is an AR/VR evangelist who works with Lightform, a startup in California building the first computer for projected augmented reality. She is on a mission to share AR.js with the world. In her talk at Generate London 2018 Alexandra will show the advantages that web-based AR can bring, what others have created with it in and what you can do with AR.js library. Don't miss out. Get your ticket now Related articles: Top tips for scaling up AR apps How to code an augmented reality marker 6 top UX tools for today's emerging experiences View the full article

In an increasingly digital world, cleverly crafted print promotional material has the power to make a serious impact. Maybe you’re a freelancer looking to catch the eye of a creative director with some striking postcards. Perhaps you’re about to host an exhibition and want to advertise it with some flyers, or print some beautiful promotional material that visitors can take away with them. Whatever you need printed, it pays to choose a service that caters to creatives, making it quick, easy and pain-free to print your designs exactly as you want them. That’s why freelance illustrator Pope Phoenix used digital print and design company moo.com when he needed to order a batch of flyers and postcards for a solo exhibition of his work. He specializes in bold vibrant illustrations – as you can see in the image above – and needed his exhibition promo material to make an impact. As well as offering a wide range of affordable, premium paper stock and printing options, moo.com is also incredibly easy to use. Phoenix was able to order all his print promo in less than five minutes – and it arrived the next day. Throw in the ability to print up to 50 different designs per pack for no extra cost, and the MOO promise (if you’re not totally happy, they’ll do everything they can to fix the problem – even if it’s a typo in your original designs) and it’s easy to see why Phoenix went with MOO. So how easy is moo.com to use? See how Phoenix created a batch of stunning postcards and flyers in under five minutes in the short video below. Pro tips for creating stunning print promo As the video shows, it's unbelievably easy to quickly create eye-catching postcards and flyers using moo.com. Here are some of our favorite tips from illustrator Pope Phoenix… 01. Make a serious impression with the right stock Choosing the right paper stock for your print promotional material is crucial for creating the right impression. If you’re printing a batch of postcards or flyers, moo.com has you covered with a wide choice of stunning paper options, ranging from premium to extra-fancy. This makes it insanely easy to show off your brand at its very best. 02. Stand out with an unusual size You might have designed the most beautiful postcard or flyer in the world, but how can you make sure it stands out in a sea of competitor promotional print material? A cleverly chosen print finish can elevate a design – try moo.com’s dramatic Pearlescent finish if you want to make your flyers explode. But one of the most immediate ways to make a difference is to choose an eye-catching size. MOO offers a whopping seven different postcard options. These range from a nifty new rack card (3.67 x 8.5 inches) option, all the way up to large (6 x 9 inches) – with square, half page, small, medium and standard choices in between. Printing a flyer instead? MOO’s got you covered with five brilliant size options. 03. Maximize your impact with Printfinity Phoenix's best tip is to take advantage of moo.com’s exclusive Printfinty feature. For no extra cost, Printfinity lets you print up to 50 different images in each pack of postcards, flyers, business cards or stickers. That means you can get creative and tailor your print promo to different prospective clients or audiences; or you can showcase your best work or products with just one print run. Game-changing. Try it yourself Using moo.com is quick and easy – and will take your print promotional material to the next level. Watch the short video above for pro tips on how to create incredible postcards and flyers in less than five minutes, and then head over to moo.com to try out the tools for yourself. Also read: 10 steps to go freelance this year The pro's guide to creating memorable business cards Create better business cards in less than five minutes How to project your work onto the global design stage 6 sure-fire ways to build your creative network View the full article

You're on the hunt for that dream animation job and you've got some amazing 3D art to feature in your killer design portfolio. But how exactly do you go about putting your showreel together to catch the eye of a potential employer? Here, Pixar's Allison Rutland reveals her dos and don'ts for crafting a showreel that makes the right impression. Do: Include a range of work You want to show off your whole skillset in your showreel, so make sure you haven't just focused one type of animation, and don’t show similar types of shots over and over again. Include examples of acting and physical animation. It's also a good idea to show animation work from both studio jobs and personal tests. Don't: Forget about dialogue When including dialogue, try and avoid the lines that come up over and over in animation tests. Instead, experiment with less common phrases. Avoid loud and annoying background music, and make sure you can still hear the dialogue over the music. Do: Space it out Include a bit of black space between each animation piece. This is a clear indicator that you're moving on to something new, and gives the viewer a bit of a chance to absorb what they've seen. Do: Edit carefully Your animation showreel should be two to three minutes long (or even less). Make sure you don't go over three minutes. In your showreel you only want to show your very best work – no fillers. Also: Don’t cut it together like a music video where no one piece is shown in its full length. This article originally appeared in 3D World magazine. Subscribe now. Read more: 6 expert tips for better 3D renders 15 pro tips for crafting the perfect showreel 4 of the best animation showreels to inspire you View the full article

Nowadays, a good degree is no guarantee of a job – especially in the competitive creative industries. However, there are some things design students can do whilst at uni or art college that will help you stand out from the crowd and turn that degree into your dream job. Whether you're in your final year or earlier on in your course, read on for eight top tips for getting it together while you’re still at university so you’re more likely to be successful when you graduate. 01. Get involved Whether online or in real life, it’s a good idea to take an active part in the world of design. Join organisations, attend events, follow industry leaders and keep your eye on what’s happening in design. Award projects are a great way to get noticed. Take on competition briefs and give them your best. They often provide an opportunity for you to experience real design briefs first-hand, come into contact with people in the industry and test your skills. It’s your chance to show the design world what you can do. D&AD New Blood is a big one: the briefs are released each autumn. Read more: Design organisations every student needs to know 02. Perfect your portfolio Whether it’s a physical design portfolio or a digital one, think about your portfolio as a whole. Edit it carefully and consider the order in which the projects should go. Generally you want to open and close with your best two projects as these tend to be the ones that are remembered. The top agencies get applications from numerous graduates all the time, so if it’s not simple to view your work they probably won’t bother. Read more: 8 brilliant portfolios from young designers 03. Keep sketches Sketches help demonstrate your thought process, and show off your creativity and problem-solving abilities. If possible, keep your original sketches and put them together in an orderly fashion. At a face-to-face interview, it is always good to present tangible pieces as well as a digital portfolio. Read more: Pens and pencils for sketchnoting 04. Work out who you are Deciding what you want to do (beyond earning money) is easier said than done. Where do you want to be? Do you want to work in a city, live in the countryside or do you want to travel? Do you want to work for a large agency, a small agency or for yourself? What type of work do you love to do and who would you love to work with? Whose work do you admire and why? Where would you like to be in six months? In two years? In five years? Be aware that the industry is continually changing and that new agencies and ways of working are providing fresh opportunities all the time. Having a clear idea of what you want to do and where you want to be is the first step to getting there. Read more: 5 student stereotypes to avoid 05. Do your research Researching companies and potential clients will help you find which ones suit you and whether you’d be a good fit for them. Having identified your target market, you can hone your message especially for them. Tailor your portfolio to suit the job you want, and flag up anything relevant that might give you the edge. The more research you do the better. The fact that you’ve gone the extra mile will also be appreciated. If you're earlier on in your course, an easy way to start is by following different agencies on social media. This way, you'll see any new work and get a feel for their personality. Read on: 49 design agencies to follow on Twitter 06. Impress on placements The more experience you get and the more contacts you make, the easier it will be to find the job that’s right for you. When on a placement, make yourself indispensable. Show enthusiasm and be memorable – in a good way. Even if you don’t drink hot drinks, by offering to make people a cuppa you get chance to chat to other employees and find out about the projects they are doing. The design industry is small. Be aware that if you do well at one place word will get around… and vice versa! A side note to this: when applying for placements or jobs, follow any instructions carefully. Good roles will attract a lot of interest, so if you make things difficult for the recipient, chances are they won't bother making the extra effort with your application. Read more: How to transform a design internship into a job 07. Know your work Learning to clearly explain your ideas, sell your work and yourself is as important as the design. It is about showing your understanding of the issues and explaining how your design(s) solved the problem set out in the brief. You need to show how you can be of value to the company or client. Ask questions: it demonstrates interest. Sometimes even the simplest question can unlock a wealth of information. Read more: How to shine at your degree show 08. Learn to take criticism Learning to take criticism is a vital part of being a designer. You’re always going to get negative reactions, but don’t take it personally. Setbacks should make you want to work harder. It also helps to be able to bounce back if you do get a 'no' for a job or internship. An agency or client may not want or need you now, but they may in the future. Read more: 7 must-read books for design students This article was originally published in net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 305 or subscribe. View the full article

Struggling to know which is the best VPN service for your needs? We can help: we’ve taken a look at all the major Virtual Private Networks and rated the best VPNs below, to help you choose which is right for you. The best web hosting services of 2018 Whether you’re working from Beijing and need the best VPN for China, or you’re based in your local coffee shop and need some better security, we’ve got the best VPN for creative professionals – as well as the best VPN deals – right here. And don’t worry: you don’t have to be technical. VPNs are surprisingly simple. Some just take minutes to get up and running... What is a VPN and why do I need it? VPN, which stands for virtual private network, is a service that encrypts your internet communications. It enables users to securely access a private network and send and receive data remotely. If you’re a freelancer, say, a VPN enables you to remotely connect to an office network as though you were working in the building. It’ll let you securely send confidential material to a client or do your banking from an unsecured public network, such as a coffee shop Wi-Fi spot, or abroad. In addition, a VPN can keep your internet browsing anonymous, or make you appear to be located in another country – which can be useful if you work with global clients that have IP-based restrictions on their sites. “I often have to fire up the VPN to make myself appear as if I’m in different EU territories,” says London-based web designer Robert Fenech. “A quick 'turn on and select country', and voila.” Sometimes it’s not the website protocols themselves that you have to get round, but government censorship. Just imagine you’re visiting Beijing and needed to download some Photoshop files from a service that the ‘Great Firewall of China’ has blocked. A VPN can help you get around that too. Whatever your reasons for using a VPN, there are a number of services on the market. Here, we’ve picked the very best VPNs for designers, artists and creatives. Canadian VPN service TunnelBear is aimed squarely at non-technies and VPN newbies. It’s incredibly easy to use, and gives you a wide range of clients – covering both desktop and mobile devices. Setting up the TunnelBear VPN takes a matter of minutes, with a hugely simplified process compared to other VPN services. Explanations are jargon-free and written in the kind of plain English everyone can understand. The flipside of that, of course, is that options are limited compared to other VPNs, so more advanced users looking for high levels of configuration will be better off with a rival service. But that aside, what TunnelBear does, it does very well, with the choice of more than 20 servers around the globe, and pretty impressive speeds overall (although those speeds do drop a little over long-distance connections). Paid plans give you unlimited data and can be had for a reasonable $4.16 per month. And TunnelBear also offers a free VPN service, which limits you to just 500MB of traffic per month. Cyber Ghost is the best VPN for you if you're looking for a service that's a bit more customisable than TunnelBear (above) – yet feel a little intimidated by jargon and over-complex instructions. It's headquartered in Romania, and has a ton of easy-to-follow guides that explain everything in basic English that anyone can follow. These are handily divided up by device, so you don’t have to cross-reference all over the place. And they explain everything from how to surf anonymously and how to block ads to more advanced fare, such as how to configure a Raspberry Pi as a web proxy with OpenVPN, or how to share a VPN connection over Ethernet. And it’s good that these guides exist, because Cyber Ghost does offer a large number of configuration options, such as setting it to automatically run on Windows startup, assigning specific actions for different Wi-Fi networks, and making CyberGhost automatically run when you use certain apps, such as Facebook. The interface is pretty easy to use too. The main window offers six simple options: Surf Anonymously, Unblock Streaming, Protect Network, Torrent Anonymously, Unblock Basic Websites, and Choose My Server. And you can try the service out before you buy with the free plan – although it has some restrictions: you can only connect one device at a time, it may run slower than the full commercial service, and it displays adverts. All in all, Cyber Ghost is a great VPN service for anyone who’s not a total newbie and wants to push what their VPN is capable off, but doesn’t want to go wading too deep into the techie weeds. VYPR VPN is a fast, highly secure service without third parties. If you’re looking for privacy, then a service based in Switzerland – known throughout history for obsessive levels of discretion within its banking system – has to be a good start. But while Vypr is keen to trumpet its service’s ability to provide privacy and security, it’s really the speed of the thing that’s the most impressive. VYPR VPN is hardly alone in claiming to offer “the world’s most powerful VPN”. However, it backs up this claim on the basis that, unlike many of its rivals, it owns its own hardware and runs its network. Either way, it was pretty nifty when we took it for spin. In short, if your work involves uploading and downloading a lot of hefty files, and shaving time off that is going to make a difference to your quality of life, VYPR VPN is the one of the best VPNs you can choose. Windscribe offers a decent enough VPN that has one main benefit over rivals: its commercial plan allows for unlimited connections. That means that you can use it on as many devices as you want simultaneously, where most providers only offer five. Alternatively, you might be attracted by the high-level of privacy it offers. You don’t have to use your real name or provide an email address to sign up to the service. And if you want to stay totally anonymous you can (as with most VPNs) you can pay with Bitcoin. Plus, being based in Canada, it’s nicely out of reach of US law enforcement agents. If neither of those things are a big selling point, though, then it probably shouldn’t be your first choice, as performance and features as a whole are fairly average. Prices start at $3.70 a month for a biannual plan. HotSpot shield offers an impressive level of speed HotSpot Shield is another fast mover. When we took it for a spin, we experienced very fast upload and download speeds when transferring big image files, and while these weren’t quite up to Vypr’s levels, they were pretty darned close. This may not be the best choice if privacy is your biggest priority, though. HotSpot Shield is based in California, making it subject to U.S law enforcement. It doesn’t let you pay for the service with Bitcoin. And it uses its own proprietary VPN protocol, which some people are suspicious of because it hasn’t been widely analysed externally. That said, Hotspot Shield Premium's high speeds and low prices have clear appeal, and the seven-day trial makes it easy to test the service for yourself. As you'd expect, the best value for money is the one-year subscription, unless you want to commit to the lifetime plan. ExpressVPN has a hard-won reputation for excellent customer service ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which may ring alarm bells for privacy enthusiasts. But there’s no need to worry: this self-governing tax haven is in no way interfered with by British law enforcement. As you’d hope from the name, it’s also a super-fast VPN service and offers high levels of encryption. On the downside, it only offers three simultaneous connections per user, where most services offer five. But what really stands out for ExpressVPN is its customer support. Although it’s not alone in offering live chat, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, its agents have a great reputation for sorting problems quickly, efficiently and with a smile in their voice. And while that’s not often our main consideration when selecting a provider of any service, perhaps it should be. Related articles: The expert guide to working from home The essential guide to tools for designers 10 top prototyping tools View the full article

Getting the photo you want when you're working with a photographer depends on briefing that photographer correctly. But even if you pride yourself on your own photography skills, briefing someone properly isn't always as straightforward as it seems. We spoke to AOP agent Siobhan Squire and a photographer she represents, Ben Stockley – who took the image above – to find out the best way to go about this. How should art directors brief a photographer? Siobhan Squire: It's always nice to have a scamp rather than just a written brief for advertising work. It's also great if creatives have some idea of the scale of the job before briefing. A good creative will be available for a discussion with a photographer. It's crucial, not only to gauge how a photographer might interpret the brief and to hear what they might add to it, but also for a photographer to glean any finer details that might not be apparent and to start what should be a collaborative discussion. For editorial work, the joy is what is often an open brief! What makes a brief work? Ben Stockley: It depends on the subject matter. For example, in some editorial shoots you are given a list of locations and contacts and are left to find the interesting angles to cover. In advertising, the most effective briefs are when an agency gives you lots of space to create your story and treatment, with time to make it special. Tell us about the briefing process... SS: Usually we receive the brief either directly from a client or through their agency. We try to ascertain as much information as possible before we pass it on. For example, it's good to see the target demographic, the media and territories the work will be running in, the production team, the casting agencies, and of course, the budget and timings. From Services Project, 2016, by photographer Ben Stockley When responding to a brief, do you present a treatment? BS: Each client requires a different approach. I often send treatments for ad stills and film shoots describing the form, narrative and style I think would be best for the job. With editorial work, treatments are much less common, although often we will spend lots of time researching and creating moodboards. Do you find that briefs change? BS: This mostly depends on when you are brought into the project and how much creative input you are given. Generally in my editorial and advertising work I will push for the most input possible, although sometimes when you are brought in towards the end of the process the foundations are firmly laid. What happens if a client says the finished images don't meet the brief? SS: I can't think of a time when that's happened. Usually there are so many people involved from the client and agency that there is no opportunity for a client to not know what will be delivered. Final post-production and grading tends to be when our photographers put their final mark on the work, but usually that's why they have been commissioned for the job in the first place, so again there aren't normally any surprises! This article was originally published in issue 279 of Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Buy issue 279 or subscribe. Lead image: Ben Stockley Related articles: The 13 best photography websites How to write the perfect brief The secrets of fulfilling a creative design brief View the full article

For any Google search keyword, the top three results receive 60 per cent of the clicks. That means you have to learn to master search engine optimisation (SEO) in order to drive more traffic to your website. SEOPop can analyse any website and create a report card that gives you a run-down of the website. You'll be able to identify areas in which you can improve SEO, page speed, and load times. This way, you can help your site get the exposure and traffic it needs to become a top hit on any Google search that contains certain keywords. SEOPop will also break down how impactful your SEO is on Facebook and Twitter pages. Finally, the report includes information about your site's mobile performance, so you can ensure your site is just as effective on a smartphone or tablet as it is on a computer. Get a lifetime subscription to SEOPop for only $9.99. Related articles: 10 must-know SEO tools for search success 5 top tools to master SEO 30 best SEO tools View the full article

As many designers will tell you, positive word-of-mouth publicity is invaluable. You can have the best design portfolio around, but nothing will convinces prospective clients to get in touch more than a glowing review from a friend or colleague. Key to this is keeping your current clients happy. But how exactly? The thing is this: clients typically won't tell you what they want. At least not out loud. They might hint at it or suggest it. But it's often up to you to read their minds. In this article we'll dive into the murky waters of deciphering clients, and reveal what it is they all really want. 01. To know they're not being ripped off First and foremost, most clients want reassurance that their investment in design will be worth it. This is especially true if they are unfamiliar with how much design work usually costs. Itemise and explain everything you can, and never let them think that you're pulling the wool over their eyes. 02. To know you're listening to their ideas Many design clients like to feel part of the creative process, rather than merely passing over a brief and waiting for the solution. It can be illuminating and exciting, and it helps them to understand if costs escalate or deadlines are pushed back. "Generally speaking, client-suggested design modifications are welcomed," says design director Clive Hilton. "More often than not they're implemented if we don't have fundamental reasons not to, which helps the client feel a direct sense of involvement and project ownership." 03. To see something truly brilliant It goes without saying that any self-respecting client wants brilliant creative. But they also want patience, understanding and professionalism from you, even in the wake of multiple waves of tiny, fiddly amendments to the design. 04. To have their vision realised A genuine willingness to understand and empathise with the design client's desires and challenges goes a long way. It's about fulfilling their brief in a way that's appropriate to their brand – not massaging your own design sensibilities. 05. To provide the best solution You are being hired for your expertise in the field. Gather as much information as you can about the brief, but ultimately remember that you're there to provide solutions, not raise more questions. Don't skip pre-brief discussions. These are a brilliant opportunity to ask questions and to really get to the heart of what your client wants. This article was originally published in Computer Arts, the world's best-selling design magazine. Read more: 8 ways to automate common design tasks How to create the perfect design resumé 11 unwritten rules of design View the full article

Adobe patched the Flash Player vulnerability (CVE-2018-5002) earlier on Thursday. View the full article

Pen Test Partners demonstrates how to send vessels off-course or even onto a path to collision -- fairly easily. View the full article

A new malicious campaign has compromised more than 40,000 machines globally to monetize via traffic hijacking and cryptomining. View the full article

This Summer, CG enthusiasts from all over the globe will gather in Vancouver for the annual SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques) conference. And you could be there too! Organisers of the conference are offering two lucky Creative Bloq readers the chance to win a full-conference pass to SIGGRAPH 2018 (a value of up to $1,550 USD each) and join a community of curious, passionate artists and innovators. The five-day conference, held from 12-16 August in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, will see attendees immerse themselves in the latest innovations in digital art, CG, animation, VR, games, mixed reality and emerging technologies. So, are you ready to experience research, hands-on demos, and fearless acts of collaboration? Simply fill out the form below for your chance to be at SIGGRAPH 2018. Enter here for your chance to win! Digital art greatness For more than four decades, SIGGRAPH conferences have been at the centre of innovation in computer graphics and interactive techniques. SIGGRAPH 2018 will immerse you in a broad array of educational and hands-on opportunities, and open the door to breakthrough technologies that will keep you at the top of your game. Programmes focus on five key areas: production and animation, research and education, arts and design, gaming and interactive, and new technologies. Other attractions include a job fair where employers meet with thousands of job seekers from around the globe; an exhibition featuring the companies that are changing the marketplace for computer graphics and interactive techniques; and plenty of networking opportunities with some of the brightest minds in the field. There is no limit to what you can gain from attending SIGGRAPH 2018. Learn from the best in the business and absorb a wealth of invaluable inspiration, skills and motivation that will help you on your path to digital art greatness. View the full article

Renowned advertising agency Ogilvy, the company behind huge campaigns for Dove and American Express, has launched a rebrand that ties into its significant internal restructuring. Created in partnership with Collins, the rebrand includes a new visual system covering Ogilvy's website, font, and logo design. From a branding point of view, the biggest change sees the advertising agency change from Ogilvy & Mather to the more straightforward (though no easier to spell) Ogilvy. "We needed to greatly simplify the organisation around what I call an integrated enterprise agenda, not a holding company of all these different piece-parts," the company's chief executive John Siefert told the Wall Street Journal. David Ogilvy's signature was used in a previous logo for the agency The rebrand, which took two years to complete, sees Ogilvy tweak its wordmark's typeface to make it weightier and more in line with a previous handwritten logo based on founder David Ogilvy's signature. "Like our strategic work, the visual identity system has its roots in Ogilvy history," the Collins team explain. Gaps between the letters have also been reduced, with most running into one another - most noticeably the ear of the letter 'g' looping into the tittle on the 'i'. Ogilvy Red remains the core colour behind the brand, although this has been bumped up to a brighter hue to better fit in with a secondary colour palette of grey, blue, pink, and yellow. Accompanying the logo are a pair of re-cut and customised fonts – Ogilvy Serif and Ogilvy Sans – that are both a redrawn version of the existing corporate typeface, Baskerville. With the internal restructuring waving goodbye to global sub-brands, and a new identity that sees some of the biggest updates in the agency's 70 year history, it seems that Ogilvy is staying true to its founders' mantra: Change is our lifeblood. Related articles: 5 small-client rebrands that attracted big attention What's your brand archetype? How to create brand purpose View the full article

A critical Adobe flaw is being exploited in targeted attacks against Windows users. View the full article