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Having a comprehensive 3D anatomical model of the human body is essential for medical illustrators, among others. The ability to rotate the model and render from any angle is particularly useful and time-saving, as is the ability to hide or slice individual muscles, organs and blood vessels, essentially creating different levels of dissection. The following 10 tips are based on my own personal workflow, where I jump between Blender and ZBrush to create a 3D model of the human body. Don’t worry if the subject looks too complicated – the core workflow can be applied to many modelling and sculpting processes, particularly if you’re aiming to create realistic, accurate human figures. I’ll begin by explaining my process with an overview of how you should prepare for a complex project like this, then we’ll get into the software tools that can really help make anatomical modelling a lot easier, plus how to use them. 01. Always start with good reference Click to see the full size image detail The quality of your reference material is very important in creating a successful and accurate model. It’s important to consider the function of the anatomical structure before modelling. Learn and understand what it does: does it extend, flex or rotate the bone? “Leave paper and pencil alone until the mind has grasped the meaning of the object,” said Max Brödel, first professor of medical art and founder of the Art as Applied to Medicine Degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. There are numerous sources of reference out there, including anatomy/biology books, video tutorials/demonstrations, pathology museums and exhibitions, such as body worlds and, of course, the internet. The internet can be a valuable source of reference for finding images, illustrations and movies. However, this should be used with caution as there are numerous inaccurate and misleading illustrations that may cause you to incorporate mistakes into your model. You should try to use several different illustrations for your reference, and these should always be obtained from reliable sources. The very best source of reference (and the most difficult to access) is first-hand experience of surgical procedures or within a university cadaveric research setting. This allows you to appreciate the various textures, colours and functions of different anatomical structures. There are several courses around the world offering access to these facilities, and many of these courses are part-time. It’s always worth contacting your local medical university to see if they can help, as there may be mutually beneficial collaborative projects on offer. 02. Begin with a skeleton model Click to see the full size skeleton detail By creating the skeleton model, first you are able to create the framework for all the other anatomical structures. The muscles can then be overlaid onto the skeleton and the human form will slowly appear. The ribcage and pelvis will also define the boundaries for the internal organs. Bones have a very specific shape and have numerous flat surfaces and protuberances where muscles attach. Pay particular attention to the proportions of the skeleton – if the skeleton is wrong this will have a knock-on effect and the overlying structures will also be wrong. 03. Make muscle attachments and insertions Click to see the full size diagram When adding muscle, it’s useful to know where the muscle originates on the bone and where it inserts. The best way to do this is to find reference images showing you outlined areas on the skeleton indicating the origin and insertion sites. You can then ensure each end of the muscle covers the correct skeletal region and this information also gives you clues as to where the muscles are positioned in relation to each other. 04. Use ZBrush UV Master Click to see the full size image detail Unwrapping models can be time-consuming. I use a feature in ZBrush called UV Master, which automatically unwraps your model for you. This saves a huge amount of time and is surprisingly accurate, even on complex models. Click on ZPlugin and select UV Master. Click to see the full size image detail Select Unwrap and ensure your model is at its lowest subdivision level. Then go to Texture Map and select Create from Polypaint. When you export the model from ZBrush, a texture map will be generated with the .obj file. 05. Use displacement maps for a low polycount Click to see the full size image detail The human body is composed of countless major anatomical structures, which means your model will become quite dense with increasing numbers of objects, therefore it’s important to keep the polycount reasonably low without compromising the quality or limiting the detail. To do this unwrap the model in ZBrush at its lowest subdivision level and create a texture map. Use Flip V to flip the imageSelect Create Displacement Map and ensure Flip V is selected (to flip the image), otherwise the displacement map will be upside down when imported into Blender. You can then add the displacement map to the model in Blender using the Node Editor. 06. Inflate your models in ZBrush Click to see the full size image detail I find that when importing models into ZBrush, some volume is lost after subdividing the geometry. To get around this, I always inflate the object slightly before sculpting. Select Deformation and then use the slider on Inflate to add a small amount of volume. 07. Use the magnet tool Click to see the full size image detail When making certain muscles in Blender, such as the facial muscles, use the Magnet tool to snap the geometry to the surface of the skull. Start with a plane and then in Edit mode position the geometry over the skull. Click to see the full size image detail Extrude the geometry and the vertices will stick to the surface of the bone. This will automatically give you the shape of the muscle. You can use a Solidify modifier to create the thickness you require. Here is my process: Click the magnet icon on the menu bar. Select Face from the Snap Element menu next to the magnet icon. Ensure the projection icon is selected. 08. Make use of Auto Backfacemask Click to see the full size image detail When certain areas of your model become quite thin, such as the coronoid process of the mandible, it can be quite problematic when sculpting. This is because the brush also affects the geometry behind the surface you want to sculpt. In order to avoid this, click ‘on’ Auto Masking and then select Backfacemask. This will automatically mask off the geometry behind and prevent unwanted deformation. 09. Parent all objects to an empty Click to see the full size image detail When modelling, it’s useful to make multiple renders from different angles to check the overall form. You may want to keep the lighting set-up in the same place and rotate the model itself. By parenting all the objects that make up your model to an ‘empty’, you can easily control the rotation of the entire model by keyframing the empty. Click to see the full size image detail Create an empty by pressing [Shift]+[A] and selecting Empty from the menu, then choose Plain Axis. Position the empty at the feet of the model. Select all the objects in your model and then [Shift]- select the empty in that order, as the empty will be the parent object. Press [Ctrl]+[P] and select object from the list that appears. You can then move, scale or rotate the entire model using just the empty. 10. Revise your model Click to see the full size image detail You never really finish a model like this one, anatomy is a complex, endless subject and you could spend a lifetime trying to illustrate all of the systems and structures that make up the human body. Inevitably, you will make mistakes so it’s important to constantly revise your model and strive to make the anatomy as accurate as you can. Click to see the full size image detail I have been working on this project for many years, continually making adjustments and modifications. I have completely rebuilt the model from scratch several times and I am continually adding new bones, muscles, nerves and other anatomical structures. You will soon notice that each time you revise your model, the quality and accuracy will also improve. This article was originally published in issue 215 of 3D World, the world's best-selling magazine for CG artists – packed with expert tutorials, inspiration and reviews. Subscribe to 3D World here. Related articles: Perfect your figure drawing with our anatomy masterclass How to master creature anatomy 20 top character design tips View the full article

Social media has the ability to reach billions of people, which means your audience is almost certainly out there. Now is your chance to reach them. The Social Marketing Mastery Bundle will teach you how to make the most of social media, and you can pay what you want for it. Social media is an essential piece of any marketing professional’s job. You can learn how to make the most of these wide-reaching platforms, from Facebook and Instagram to Google and Snapchat, and bring your products and services to those who will be most interested in them with the 15 courses included in the Social Marketing Mastery Bundle. You'll find over 75 hours worth of lessons and 87 lectures to teach you how to use social media to drive traffic to your site and turn visitors into customers. You can get the Social Marketing Mastery Bundle on sale for a price you can pick. Beat the average to unlock it all, get your name on the leaderboard, or just pay what you want. No matter what, you'll get great courses that will help you find your audience. The 15 courses in this bundle include: Facebook Marketing Made Easy Facebook Ads For Beginners Instagram Marketing: How To Build Your Brand The Complete Google AdWords Course: Beginner To Advanced Twitter Marketing Essentials: Get More New Followers Daily Social Media Marketing Masterclass About Creative Bloq deals This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life. We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more. Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page or Offer tag page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at:deals@creativebloq.com. Related articles: 10 social media tricks you didn't know about 5 golden rules for social media strategy How to make social media work for you View the full article

Used by the likes of ILM, Digital Domain, Sony Imageworks, Activision, BioWare, Guerrilla Games and many more, SpeedTree is pretty much the industry standard for the creation of vegetation in visual effects and video games. So what has changed in version 8 of the VFX-focused Cinema edition? First of all, SpeedTree Cinema 8 has had a price drop from $4,995 to $1,650 for a perpetual node-locked license, or $2,500 for a perpetual floating licence – although if you want unlimited access to the SpeedTree library, the cost increases to $3,150 or $4,000, respectively. However, you can rent the app, starting from $200 for three months, and buy individual VFX plants for anything from $8 up to $75 for a species pack. Buy SpeedTree Cinema 8 from the SpeedTree storeOne of the big upgrades to SpeedTree is the move to PBR (physically based rendering) materials, with a new non-destructive workflow in which you can alter the colour, hue and contrast of textures without having to leave the app. This is accompanied by a brand-new library of 150 trees, bushes and plants, which have been scanned from real-world examples at an arboretum in North Carolina. You can easily create bespoke trees from scratch using the drawing tools. You can still make major edits even once branches, twigs and leaves have been added By employing a mixture of 4K and 8K textures, you get truly beautiful results, but while the SPM files are fairly lightweight, the multitude of high-res textures means that many of the samples weigh in around the 250MB mark (compared to around 25MB for SpeedTree 7 models). The exported FBX and associated textures can be larger still depending on the format used, so there's quite a step up in terms of pushing data around. It even takes a while for the app to stream in all those high-res textures. Despite all this, one of the most dramatic effects of this update is that SpeedTree's preview is faster and more accurate. Not only do the models look even better than in version 7 – especially with the high-res PBR textures – optimised generators and a new leaf rendering system means the app is much faster and more responsive. Even the most densely populated trees can be manipulated with ease, which makes it much easier to edit on the fly and see the results as you work. A new slider lets you switch between the seasonal colours of the foliage and also includes leaves that have fallen to the ground A side effect of the new optimisations is that the overhauled wind system – which now creates more natural-looking wind effects – also previews much more quickly, enabling you to see the result playing in real time and still navigate around the scene. A 1.1-million-poly mesh in SpeedTree 8 was smooth and highly responsive, while version 7 could only manage two or three frames per second with wind activated. One really cool new feature is the Season slider. As you drag from spring through to winter, the leaf textures change accordingly – but there's also a checkbox to show leaves that have fallen to the ground. These are exported with the mesh and so it's a great timesaver if you're doing autumn scenes, although it only works with SpeedTree models that have seasonal variations built in. New branch modelling features have also been added, enabling you to control the form of the tree with a sphere or imported mesh shape, and you can add decorative elements like knots, lumps and cavities – although we wish it was easier to control their position, without endless trial and error. On that note, another minor criticism is that there's a lot of dialling in of figures, and the arrow buttons that increase and decrease values often do so in such tiny increments that they're not worth using. It would be good to have a multiplier hotkey that increases the increment by a factor of 10 (or more), to make experimentation a bit easier and avoid so much number typing. The quality of the new PBR textures means you can get pretty close with the camera and they'll still stand up to scrutiny On top of version 8's major changes there are lots of little enhancements, too: a better layout with neater UI; a mesh preview in the loading panel; nicer material previews; preset lighting setups; and a Cutout Editor that lets you create your own 2D leaf, frond and twig meshes inside SpeedTree, without the need for any external apps. But the main takeaway here is that SpeedTree 8, in combination with its new library, creates the most beautifully detailed vegetation, which – unlike those of its predecessor – stand up to really close examination with the camera just inches away. Regular users of SpeedTree may well have wondered if the suite had been left to wither on the vine, but this root-and-branch overhaul sees it back in full bloom. This article was originally published in issue 230 of 3D World, the world's best-selling magazine for CG artists – packed with expert tutorials, inspiration and reviews. Buy issue 230 here or subscribe to 3D World here. Related articles: 13 tips for making a VR gaming world The secrets of 3D scanning 30 inspiring examples of 3D art View the full article

In recent years, Adobe Illustrator CC’s position as the go-to tool for vector graphics has come under increasing pressure, with new competition from the likes of Affinity Designer and Sketch. Get Adobe Creative CloudBut it remains the industry standard, and the web is packed full of tips, advice and tutorials to help you get to grips with it. So in this post, we bring together the best Illustrator tutorials in one handy place. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced user, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here. Make sure you bookmark this page right now. The basics 01. Get to know Illustrator This entry-level tutorial introduces you to the Illustrator workspace If you’re totally new to Illustrator, here’s a great place to start. This tutorial, which includes sample files, introduces you to the Adobe Illustrator workspace and shows you how to open and save your images. 02. Set up a new document This beginner-level tutorial will teach you how to set up a new document in Illustrator. You’ll discover how to set up the various options to configure variables such as width, height and colour mode. 03. Create and edit shapes This tutorial introduces you to the process for creating and editing shapes in Adobe Illustrator CC using the Shape tools. Learn how to draw, combine, and trace shapes using the sample files provided. 04. Transform and edit artwork In this tutorial you’re walked through the basics of transforming and editing artwork in Adobe Illustrator CC. Learn how to resize artwork, use groups, align objects and more using the Selection tool, Transform panel, and other transform tools in the software. 05. Change colour and strokes Discover how to apply colours to your artwork in this Illustrator tutorial Here’s a great introduction to how to work with colours in Illustrator CC. Discover how to apply colours to your artwork, change an object’s colour, create swatches, recolour artwork, and more. 06. Create with drawing tools This tutorial walks you through the concepts of Paths and Curves in Illustration and introduces the tools you need to create and edit them, including the Pencil and Curvature tools. 07. Organise content with layers Here’s a great beginner-level introduction to layers in Adobe Illustrator CC. You’ll discover how they work, what they’re for and how to use them to create, edit, and organise content. 08. Create and Edit Gradients This introduction to working with gradients in Illustrator explains how to create different types of gradients and modify options such as colours, position, and opacity to get the look you’re aiming for. 09. Explore the Essentials workspace Learn how to customise your workspace using the Properties panel The Properties panel in Illustrator CC allows you to customise your workspace, allowing you to find and use the right controls when you need them. This tutorial explains how to use it. 10. Work with artboards This tutorial explains the function of artboards in Illustrator CC, which are similar to pages in InDesign CC or Microsoft Word. Watch the three videos and you’ll soon learn how to create multiple artboards and edit them. Next page: Tools and features 11. Draw and edit curves using the Curvature tool The Curvature tool in Illustrator CC enables you to draw smooth, refined curves and straight lines easily. This tutorial offers you five simple exercises to help you understand how to use it. 12. Design more efficiently with Dynamic Symbols Dynamic Symbols lets you create multiple instances of a master symbol The Dynamic Symbols tool in Illustrator CC lets you dynamically change a symbol's attributes and streamline your artwork creation. This tutorial explains how to use it to create multiple instances of a master symbol, which then retain their link to the master symbol even when their shape and visual attributes are altered. 13. How to use the Color Picker The Color Picker allows you to select and apply colours to your artwork in Illustrator. This six-step tutorial demonstrates how to do so. 14. Export high-quality, optimized SVG Since 2015, Illustrator CC has offers an option to export higher quality SVG artwork for use in web and app projects. This tutorial explains how to use it in three simple steps. 15. Edit drawings with Image Trace Anna Wray explains how to retain the hand-drawn quality of your artwork using Image Trace The Image Trace tool is an excellent tool for illustrators who want to retain the integral hand-drawn linear quality of their artwork. In this tutorial, Anna Wray runs you through how to do it. 16. Illustrator shortcuts If you’re not using shortcuts in Illustrator, you’re not maximising your potential productivity. Here’s a great list of shortcuts for handling layers, selections, text and more, along with some handy hints for brushes, saving and closing, and viewing options. 17. Share artwork Learn the basics of sharing in Adobe Illustrator CC in this tutorial. Topics covered include how to share files, how to save them as PDFs, and how to export your images. 18. Export assets for web and app design Once you’ve created your assets in Illustrator, it’s important to be able to share them with others in different formats. This tutorial explains how to export assets in multiple sizes and formats in one easy step. 19. Speed up your design with templates Need to create a lot of designs in Illustrator quickly and easily? One way to speed up your process is by using high-quality templates built right into Illustrator CC, which you can download from Adobe Stock. This tutorial explains how to find the right template and customise it for your own use. 20. Use the Perspective Grid Matthew Pizzi explains how to master the three-point perspective grid to create a 3D gift box With Illustrator CC’s Perspective Grid, you can either place existing artwork in a perspective plane or draw directly on to the grid. This tutorial uses both methods to create a 3D gift box, and as an added bonus you’ll learn an easy way to create a reflection. Next page: Illustration techniques 21. Add images and artistic effects This tutorial begins by explaining the basics of adding images to your projects in Adobe Illustrator CC. It then goes on to walk you through how to add and edit effects, apply brush strokes, and more. 22. How to create colourful gradient orbs These cool gradient effects can easily be translated into any shape This tutorial demonstrates how to use the Gradient Mesh tool to create a colourful circular orb, which can also be modified into an abstract shape with the Warp tool, ready for use in all kinds of branding or art projects. 23. Add painterly effects with brushes This step-by-step tutorial teaches you to build up a detailed and impactful illustration by applying painterly brush strokes to objects, to add texture, interest, and details. Sample files are included to help you practice the techniques. 24. Create seamless, Mexican-inspired patterns In this step by step tutorial by Berlin-based artist Amrei Hofstätter you’ll learn how to create a complex, colourful Mexican-inspired pattern by using just two simple geometric objects in Illustrator. 25. Quickly manipulate shapes with effects Here you’ll learn a quick way to manipulate shapes by applying non-destructive effects in Illustrator CC. This tutorial also encourages you to experiment with variations using the sample files. 26. How to create a card suits pattern Andrei Marius explains how to create a simple but striking pattern in this Illustrator tutorial In this step by step tutorial, you will discover how to create, save and use a card suits pattern in Illustrator. You’ll also learn how to apply your pattern and how to adjust it using the Transform effect. 27. How to create a paisley pattern We all love a nice paisley pattern. In this tutorial you will learn how to create one using the Convert Anchor Point tools, Warp Effects and the Smooth tool. Next page: Text effects 28. Add text to your designs This beginner-level tutorial introduces you to the basics of using text in Illustrator CC. You’ll learn how to add text, apply formatting, reshape and style it, and place it on or inside a path. 29. Vectorise hand lettering with the Pen tool Discover a speedy way to digitise hand-lettering and logotypes using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen tool. This tutorial explains how to save time by mastering anchor points and handles. 30. The easy way to roughen your typography In this video tutorial you’ll discover a quick and easy way to roughen your typography in Illustrator. This grungy, roughened effect is a good way to add an old-fashioned print effect to your designs. 31. Create a peeled text effect In this step by step tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a flat background and add some text to it. You’ll then use the Appearance panel to create a bold, peeled text effect. 32. How to create a retro long shadow text effect Andrei Marius demonstrates how to create a retro long shadow text effect in Adobe Illustrator This tutorial explains how to work with the Appearance panel and use a Transform effect to add a long shadow effect to your text without expanding it. Final touches are added using some basic blending techniques and a simple Gaussian Blur effect. 33. How to create a rainbow text effect Here you’ll learn to create a simple square, multiply it using the Transform effect. You’ll then progress to turning a set of squares into a pattern brush. By combining this with the Width Tool, you will learn how to create a rainbow text effect. 34. Create a custom drop cap Liven up your text with a vibrant drop cap This step by step tutorial walks you through how to create a custom drop cap in Illustrator and then use it in an InDesign text layout. 35. Create a bones text effect This tutorial walks you through setting up a simple grid and creating several shapes. Then, using the Rounded Corners effect and some basic vector shape-building techniques, you’ll learn how to create a bones text effect. 36. Set a beautiful title Want to design an eye-catching title for your next project? This tutorial shows you how to choose a high-quality typeface, apply unique typesetting, and use an easy colour matching technique. 37. Design a monogram A monogram is a type of personal branding made up of one or more letters, typically initials, that may be intertwined as part of a design. This tutorial demonstrates how to use a simple shape, a professional typeface and colour to create an impressive monogram. Next page: Logo and icon design 38. Create a perfectly geometric logo design This short tutorial walks you through how to create a perfectly geometric logo design in Illustrator. Begin by creating an initial pattern using smart guides, then remove areas from shapes using the Shape Builder tool or Pathfinder tool, and add gradients. 39. Create a faceted gemstone logo graphic Chris Spooner walks you through the creation of a multi-faceted and polygonal logo graphic Learn to create the multi-faceted and polygonal logo design style that’s popular right now in the tech and digital industries. This tutorial shows you how to use a range of tools to produce such a design in vector format. 40. Create a distressed vintage style logo design This tutorial walks you through the creation of a vintage style logo design for a T-shirt. It’s based on a distressed type based logo design, which is then finished with texturing to achieve an aged look. 41. Design a logo This tutorial shows you how to use vector shapes to create a logo that will look good on screen as it does in print, and which combines imagery with text. 42. How to create a set of icons In this step by step tutorial you’ll learn how to create a simple set of icons using Illustrator. You’ll use vector shape building techniques, the Rounded Corners effect and the Rotate Tool to create the set of 10 icons. 43. Create a web icon In this tutorial you’ll learn how to modify simple shapes to create standout icons: a camera icon to use as a social media profile image, and for a button linking to a portfolio on a digital resume. 44. Create an app icon Create this cool calculator icon in Illustrator with this step-by-step tutorial by Matthew Pizzi This tutorial outlines how to create a calculator app icon in Illustrator, using a variety of shape tools, the Pen tool, and the 3D features of Illustrator. Next page: Advanced techniques 45. Warp, pose, and sculpt your artwork easily This advanced tutorial teaches you how to make smooth adjustments to parts of your vector drawings. The technique involves placing pins using the Puppet Warp tool, and then manipulating specific areas of your artwork accordingly. 46. Merge basic shapes into editable objects Shapes are the building blocks of an illustration, and Illustrator CC’s Shaper tool enables you to draw, edit, and merge them using intuitive gestures, as this video tutorial explains. 47. Bring harmonious colours to a vector artwork Bring to a sense of positivity to your art with a restrained choice of shapes and colours Illustrator Andrew Groves aims to recreate the feeling of discovering the unexpected, by using as few shapes and colours as possible. In this tutorial, he walks you through how to do the same in your own artwork, using Illustrator CC. 48. Quickly join and trim paths Learning to join paths is a great way to clean up your line work in Illustrator CC. This tutorial explains how to trim excess line segments from intersecting paths and close gaps between two open paths. 49. Create pixel-perfect designs Attention to detail can make or break a design This tutorial walks you through three options for ensuring precision control over your designs as you draw them in Illustrator CC. You’ll learn how to create paths that automatically align to the pixel grid as you draw them; align art to the pixel; and customise the pixel-snapping feature. 50. Create a pearl brush from gradient meshes Learning to create your own brushes is a great way to take your vector illustrations to the next level. This tutorial walks you through the creation of a brush that you can use to create an impressive pearl necklace. Next page: Illustrator projects 51. The secrets of cute character art design Learn how to design a character in Illustrator In this Illustrator tutorial, Sascha Preuß reveals how to go about designing colourful cartoon characters and outlines how to make them super-cute, from initial sketch to final colouring. 52. How to create an editable bar chart In this tutorial you’ll learn to create a fully editable chart in Illustrator using the Column Graph Tool. You’ll then use the Direct Selection Tool and the Graphic Styles panel to stylise the main components of your chart. 53. Create a busy city scene Discover how to bring some dynamics and atmosphere to a graphic city scene This tutorial explains how to put together a bustling street scene in Illustrator. You’ll be constructing architecture, adding figures, placing street furniture and signage and experimenting with colour to create a dynamic and atmospheric scene. 54. Create digital tattoo art This tutorial explains how to progress from a simple sketch to a detailed, tattoo-inspired illustration using Illustrator CC. Royalty-free files are included so you can follow the tutorial from beginning to end, and even incorporate your designs into client work. 55. Create vinyl wall art Here Ben O’Brien shows how to create and prepare artwork for making stylish vinyl wall stickers for decorating your home. 56. Create an elderly man illustration This tutorial walks you through how to illustrate an elderly man, using some basic geometric shapes and some simple tools in Illustrator. 57. Create a piggy-bank illustration Learn how to create a detailed piggy-bank illustration in Illustrator, using the Live Corners feature, basic blending techniques, Gaussian Blur effects and some Warp effects. 58. How to create a polar bear illustration Illustrate a polar bear using simple shapes Who doesn’t want to learn how to illustrate a polar bear? This great tutorial walks you through how to do so, using Warp effects, the Pen Tool and the Smart Guides. 59. Create an illustration of Scandinavian mittens Discover how to create a pair of Scandinavian mitten using basic shapes, effects, and tools. This tutorial is broken down into parts to make it easier for beginners. 60. How to create a compass symbol Andrei Marius explains how to create this elegant compass symbol in Illustrator This step by step tutorial walks you through the creation of a wind rose compass symbol illustration in Illustrator. You’ll create the main object using the Appearance panel, then harness the Transform effect to multiply shapes and create a complex compass grid using only a few paths. Read more: 7 biggest illustration trends of 2017 10 skills graphic designers need to get ahead in 2018 The 60 best infographics View the full article

There’s no question about it. China has become a world power. It is now the most powerful and influential country in the Asia Pacific area, and given its trajectory, could easily become the most powerful and influential country in the world. And for some reason, every time a nation gains great economic power, that nation wants to become the new Hollywood. China is no exception. The question is, why? I mean, Hollywood is sexy… but not the greatest business in the world. I recall having had a dinner in Beijing several years ago with a cadre of Chinese media people as well as several high-ranking Generals. When the topic of “why is China so hell bent on being a major player in the film business?” came up, the answer was a resounding, no holds barred, “propaganda”. The powers that be in China look to film, television and online media as a way to spread the message: “China is a great place, with great people and a great government”. Many in China look at it this way: “The USA became a global cultural icon because of Hollywood”. That may well have been true back in the 1930s till the ‘60s, but if we take a close look at film and TV of today, American themes generally run to the dystopian, not the utopian images of the 1950s. Hollywood is most definitely not a great business model. Making a film is tantamount to playing roulette in Las Vegas. Yes, there are some big winners, but the cost of entry is quite steep. There is no guaranteed path to success. One would think that if you made a film at the lowest possible price with the best possible people, then you would have a hit. Not so. No one (except maybe Pixar and James Cameron) has a continued track record of making successful films time after time. The exclusive club of Hollywood Over the last quarter century, I’ve witnessed attempts by Japan, Korea and India (in that order) to try to become a major player in Hollywood. Japan took a very corporate approach: acquire a major studio. In 1989 Sony bought Columbia Pictures for $3.4 billion and in 1990 Matsushita paid $6.1 billion for Universal. Interestingly enough they made these acquisitions in the hopes of winning the VHS/Betamax war. VHS won that war but Matsushita realised that they had no idea how to run a movie studio; they sold Universal just five years later. Korea realised the mistakes made by Japan. It was obvious that if one just bought a major motion picture studio, it didn’t mean that you actually got to manage it. So, CJ Entertainment, Korea’s largest and most powerful entertainment entity, decided to help start a new studio, DreamWorks. They invested a huge sum and a decade later sold to Paramount. Reliance Entertainment, a leading Indian media company, saw that owning or starting studios hadn’t worked, so Reliance focused on services to the studios and putting talent deals in place in the hopes of partnering with Hollywood. That didn’t work very well either. To quote Bill Emmott of The Baltimore Sun: “Cash, ambition, arrogance – with clues like that, Hollywood can spot a fool even before he has ridden over the horizon.” Hollywood has a history of playing with OPM (other people’s money). China as off-shore service provider China has become an economic powerhouse as a result of a dedicated, diligent and to date, very inexpensive workforce. China has become the world’s factory, and while there have been efforts on the part of the Chinese government to change ‘Made in China’ to ‘Invented in China’, not much has changed. It seemed to the Chinese that they could enter Hollywood in the same way they entered the tech business, by being a service provider or a manufacturer. Unfortunately, that model has not seemed to work in the film industry. With the hope of attracting Hollywood projects, several giant sound stage complexes have been erected, at great expense, in China. To date, that gamble too has not been fruitful. Additionally, China, through either acquisition (Digital Domain) or by building its own VFX services company, has not yet been seen as a world-class post-production provider. Global vs local Over the last several years, a new model has emerged from China. The concept being that if one co-mingles the creative team with both Chinese and Hollywood talent, and if one bases the film on a Chinese theme and creates a fantasy, visual-effects-laden 3D movie… well, one can’t lose! The Great Wall, a $150M+ budgeted film made $45M in box office in the USA, while it did $290M internationally ($171M in China). In 2016, China was building 27 screens every day. With 1.379 billion people and close to 40,000 screens, China will soon be the largest movie market on the planet. To date, of the top ten films in China, seven are Chinese films, and in just ten months Chinese box office has passed the $7 billion mark (compared to US box office of $8.733 billion). It seems to me, from a business perspective, that given the enormous growth in the Chinese box office, China should focus on creating local content. While creating Chinese content exclusively for Chinese audiences might be a much better business decision, that path does not address China’s desire to spread the glory of China through film, like Hollywood had done so many years ago. Truth The dictionary definition of propaganda is ‘information, ideas or rumours deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc’. In the West, many can smell propaganda. Audiences sense that we are being manipulated. Young adults recoil from advertising. While Hollywood might have shaped global opinion of what America seemed like after the Second World War, I find it difficult to imagine that Chinese cinema, or any cinema for that matter, could sway the minds of a global audience in the same way it had 60 years ago. And given the vast differences between Western and Chinese culture, the language, the customs, story structure, musical preferences and performance sensibilities, China should not use film as a tool of propaganda. Chinese films made by Chinese talent will do great business… in China. And given President Xi Jinping’s global perspective, his outreach with programs such as the One Belt One Road initiative and his desire to end poverty in China by 2020, speaking truthfully has more power than any piece of propaganda. More from Scott Ross at Vertex Scott will be at Vertex talking about the future of the VFX industry post-Brexit, looking at the opportunities that will be presented. Rob Redman, editor of 3D World, will be quizzing Scott on stage in the auditorium, so to ensure you don't miss out on Scott's fascinating insights, book your all access passes now. To book a ticket for Vertex 2018 head over to the Vertex site, where you will find information on all the day's activities, from keynote talks to the panel discussion and recruitment fair. Related articles Why Vertex is a must for CG artists The ethics of digital humans 12 mighty Maya tutorials View the full article

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When are two pieces of design more than just similar to one another? That's what people have been asking this week after it emerged that the new Formula 1 logo bears a striking similarity to a logo design on a pack of compression tights owned by industrial giant 3M. Launched in late November 2017, the new Formula 1 logo (above) replaced the world premier racing championship's old design that had been in use since 1994. In its place was the new logo, a sleek wordmark that merged the Formula 1 name into a single element that looked to the future and put the fans first. Speaking of coming first, it seems that this design was late off the starting line. Thanks to a keen-eyed Reddit user, we can now see that Formula 1's logo isn't so original after all. Take a look for yourself below. There's certainly more than a passing resemblance This pack of 3M compression tights has been doing the rounds online thanks to that F logo, which is made up of two parallel bars just like the Formula 1 design. Sure, the logo might not include the number 1, but that's really where the differences end. 3M, the giant industrial company behind Post-It-Notes and Scotch Tape, filed a trademark for this logo on 20 February 2017, giving it a comfortable lead on Formula 1. Not only that, but its trademark applies to territories that will directly impact on Formula 1. In a coldly worded statement, 3M responded to the online attention this story has been getting by saying: "3M filed a US trademark application for the Futuro logo on Feb 20 2017. Also, we have not had any discussions about the logo with the other party. We are looking into this matter further." The whole incident is the latest piece of negative attention to be levelled at the new Formula 1 logo after the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel criticised the design. EU authorities are in the process of deciding how to handle the situation. Related articles: 5 logo design trends for 2018 The top 10 big-brand logos What are the next big branding trends? View the full article

The Royal Mail has recently been drawing fire from furious Brexit cheerleaders, incensed that there are no plans to mark the UK's planned withdrawal from the European Union with a set of stamps. Despite encouragement from foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who urged a commemorative stamp to mark the “monumental moment in British history”, the Royal Mail has confirmed it has no plans to issue such a politically divisive stamp. The designer’s guide to BrexitThe big-hearted folks at The Poke weren't going to let this outrage stand, however, so they invited readers to come up with their own designs for Brexit stamps. And since then, the designs have just kept on coming. Here are some of our favourites. If you feel inspired to create your own, be sure to let us know about them. Related articles: How the web industry is coping in uncertain times What will Brexit mean for the British VFX and CG industry? 5 top tips for succeeding in an unpredictable world View the full article

'Don’t let your tax return peck away at you' is the line that HMRC is running with in its latest marketing campaign to encourage people to file their tax return by midnight on 31 January. Quacking ducks bellow out “tax, tax” to remind people not to ignore the niggling feeling they might have as the deadline looms. If you are one of those who is still yet to tackle your tax return here are some useful tips to help you. For more advice, take a look at Contractor Calculator. 01. Check your HMRC services login If you can't log in, you can't do anything First things first: If you are doing your own self-assessment (SA) and have a habit of leaving things to the last minute, then make sure your login details for the HMRC SA Service work. Check on the Gov.UK site and get it sorted if not. 02. Get help from a qualified tax advisor A professional may be worth it in the long run Getting the SA right can be tricky, and it is easy to make small mistakes. HMRC has sophisticated systems that detect these errors, which will result in an investigation if you get things wrong. Whilst you may have nothing to fear from an investigation, they can be time consuming and costly to deal with. So it’s better to avoid one if possible. While employing a qualified tax advisor is an extra expense up-front, it may be worthwhile in the long run. If you name the tax advisor you used on your form there is less likelihood of you being investigated, because HMRC will assume that the professional has got things right. The fee for a tax advisor will vary depending on the complexity of your return – prices range from £50 for something simple to £400 for something more complex. 03. Gather all the information early In order to complete a tax return, you will need to know all your figures for total earnings in the past year, plus any bank interest, rental income details, and any dividends paid to you. If you don’t already have a tax statement from your bank for any interest earned, then apply for one quickly and/or ring your bank to get the figures you need. 04. Use last year’s return for guidance If your income structure is similar, this can be very helpful The format of the return does not change much year to year, and if the structure of your income hasn’t changed much then this year’s return will look very similar to the year before. Dig this one out and use it as a reference for the new one. 05. Remember child benefit tax You will owe some child benefit back if you've earned over £50k If you have children and were paid child benefit during the year, then you will need to check whether either you or your partner earned over £50,000 in the year. If this is the case, then the money will be clawed back by the Government on a sliding scale between £50,000 and £60,000. There are questions about this on the return; make sure you get them right. A few years of getting this wrong could result in a hefty tax bill in the future. 06. Consider future payments on account Your return is for the tax year ending April 2017. If you plan on earning less in the current tax year, then reduce the amount you 'pay on account', otherwise you will over-pay tax. But, beware, if you reduce this too much and end up earning more, HMRC will charge you interest on the amount you should have paid when you complete your next SA tax return. 07. Pay the right amount Your tax bill won't match exactly what you have to pay Your tax bill will be calculated in real-time and presented to you on-screen. This will show you the entire amount due for the tax year ending April 2017. However, this won't be exactly what you need to pay: you will have already paid monies on account, and if you under-paid, a balancing figure will be required, plus some interest. It’s good to do the submission early, then wait a few days for it to be processed. Then you can go back online and see the exact figure you need to pay. This will consist of a balancing figure for the previous year (which could be negative), and interest, and then a payment on account for the current tax year, which defaults to half the last year’s tax bill. 08. Pay early Make sure you pay the bill before the deadline of 31 January 2018. Do this early, as HMRC’s systems get heavy use and can be known to very occasionally not work at key times. Build in some contingency. 08. File the documents Keep your return safe Download a digital copy of the return, and save that somewhere, along with a receipt for the payment you made. You'll be grateful when you have something to reference next year. 09. Consider investigation insurance Tax investigation insurance can be bought for as little as £100 per year, because the chances of an investigation are very slim – especially if you have a tax advisor complete your return for you. This means if you are investigated, the cost of paying your accountant or tax advisor to defend your corner is covered. Despite what some people think, there is no such thing as a random inspection. If you get contacted, it'll be because an inspector thinks there is something wrong. Typically, there won’t be, or if there is it might be minor. Either way, it’s better to have cover. Read more: 20 top tools for freelancers Infographic reveals the state of freelancing in 2017 9 things nobody tells you about going freelance View the full article

Affinity Photo for iPad is a great photo editor, but how does Serif's app fare when it comes to creating illustrations from scratch? For this article, I've put the app through its paces while drawing and colouring a full comic page. Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer v1.6 releasedJust to spice things up a little, I decided to create this page far away from my usual studio mess, using Affinity Photo on the new iPad Pro 10.5-inch with the Apple Pencil. It felt great to be truly mobile and to work whenever inspiration struck: in the back of the car on the way to the supermarket, a hospital waiting room and (of course) a couple of dive bars. 01. Set up and Undo Take a bit of time to figure out Affinity Photo's basic functions Let's start with finding Undo. This threw me at first because I assumed it was a two-finger tap gesture. It can be found in the bottom right, along with Redo and the Tooltip Assistant. Using the Rectangle tool I draw one square and then duplicate it to make a row of three. To duplicate something tap Commands>Duplicate. Then I duplicate that row vertically to create a 10-panel layout. To change the stroke width, tap Pen and change Width. You can drag the values up and down by pressing Width or tapping it and typing values numerically. Then I tap Use Fill to remove the colour inside the rectangles. I group all panels and lock them by tapping Layer the More (the circle with three dots) and hitting Lock. You'll find Layer Opacity and Layer Blend Modes here, too. Ideally, these would be in the main Layers panel and not an additional tap away because we're going to be changing and locking layers a lot in this workshop. 02. Sketching and layout Remember to leave space for speech bubbles Now I pick any random brush and draw the rough layout of the comic. This is to check that the story flows correctly and that there's enough room for the speech bubbles. A newbie mistake is not to leave enough space for the bubbles; a comic pro uses them to save time. If you know a bubble will obscure a large part of the background, it means less drawing and a longer lunch! Traditionally, comic artists draw with non-reproducing blue pencils and this has carried over into the digital realm. Choosing blue has no real function, but it makes it easier to draw over. The thinking behind page layout is a tutorial for another day, but the basic idea is to vary the camera angle. If the two characters were just placed side by side in every panel, the comic would soon feel boring. 03. Adding text and speech bubbles Select Inner Glow in the Layer FX palette to quickly mock up areas of text within your comic panel In order to get the job signed off by the editor I add quick speech bubbles with the full text. There's a huge range of fonts installed in Affinity Photo, but at the time of writing you can't add your own fonts, so I'll letter it properly later on in Affinity Designer using my desktop computer that's back home. A great way to rapidly create speech bubbles is to first type your text by pressing Text and then Frame Text. Then on a new layer draw a rough shape around the each text block. It doesn't matter what colour this is. Then open Layer FX Studio and apply Outline (black) and Colour Overlay (white fill). Now you can draw speech bubbles on your page layout. A bonus tip is to add 'mockup text' by selecting Inner Glow. This helps you see the layout better without the hassle of typing in text. 04. Select your brushes It's easy to create your own brushes rather than use the defaults The 12 DAUB brushes that come installed by default are fantastic, but I prefer a much more basic brush for inking. You can create your own brush category by tapping Brush Studio, and then the hamburger icon. Press Add Category and then name your brush. Now press the hamburger again and then New Round Brush. Here are the settings I used. It's all pretty basic stuff. All I need really is a solid brush that tapers towards the ends. You can fine-tune your brush settings in the app to an amazing degree, including Tilt Sensitivity, Hardness by Angle and so on. I should mention at this stage that I'm using an Apple stylus. Do you really need an Apple Stylus to use Affinity Photo on the iPad? For photo editing I don't think it's essential, but for illustration I would say yes. To create lines with variable width it's all about pen pressure. 05. Brush stabiliser option The Brush Stabiliser enables you to draw smooth curves every time I was playing with the app for over a week before I noticed the tiny white arrow icon to the right of the sub-tool menu. And what lay hidden there really made my day. I thought the Brush Stabiliser tools were only currently available in the Beta of Affinity Designer 1.6. But here they are! To use the familiar phrase, this tool is a game changer. It enables you to draw smooth curves and lines in a very satisfying way. I love playing with this. So armed with my custom brush and Rope Stabiliser I get to work inking the page. One thing to bear in mind is that in the current version of the app (1.6.3) there's no line tool. The solution is to simply whip out your credit card and use that as an old-fashioned ruler directly on the iPad. 06. Keep your layers and folders organised Every time you fail to name a layer, God kills a kitten One drawback of digital freedom is that you can get lost within too many layers. I used to suffer from “fear of commitment” and keep dozens of ink layers active, which ended up slowing down the software, and my creative process. Now I've found that the best way to structure your project is to limit yourself to three ink layers. I name them as follows: * INK 1 * * * INK 2 * * * * * INK 3 * * * Now you can easily identify them. To add these three layers to a master INK folder, slide select or hit the checkbox on your layers and then tap the folder icon. To change the name from Unnamed, tap More (the circle with three dots) to reveal more options. This confused me initially because my folder is called Unnamed while the label says Group. Tap Group and rename your folder. You can rename individual layers the same way. To merge multiple layers or folders into one layer just select the ones you want and tap Commands>Rasterise. 07. Colouring the page Once you're happy with the line art, blocking in and colouring is made easy through the use of the app's layer system Now that the full page is inked, I'm ready to colour it. Tapping Layer>More>Multiply enables you to colour 'behind' your line art. I draw rectangle shapes behind each comic panel. This makes it possible to block out the colours and also use the rectangles as a rough 'n' ready folder to clip all the sub-layers into. When adding the colours I create a new layer and use some of the DAUB Dry Media brushes. Depending on how you prefer to work, you can set the app to create a new pixel layer automatically every time you use a brush. You can turn this feature on or off by selecting Document>Assistant. For large shapes such as the coffin and the Explorer character I create a vector shape with the Pen tool. This means that I'm able to clip in sub-layers easily and dynamically change the overall colours and shadows using the Gradient tool. 08. Lighting and textures The use of real-world textures, such as this gingerbread cake, adds a nice finishing touch to my comic artwork As a final touch I'll import a real-world texture to the character and introduce lighting to the scene. For textures you can use any photo or image, and you'll always be surprised with the results. Import images to your file by tapping Commands>Place and then choose the location: either from your Photos or Cloud storage. I place a gingerbread texture, resize it and then clip the image into place. To add a powerful lighting effect, tap the Filters Studio>Lighting and drag the control lines. Then have fun experimenting with the Ambient, Specular, Shininess and Diffuse settings. I could play with textures and lighting all day long! This article was originally published in issue 154 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists – packed with workshops and interviews with fantasy and sci-fi artists, plus must-have kit reviews. Buy issue 154 here or subscribe to ImagineFX here. Related articles: 9 iPad Pro apps that make the most of Apple Pencil How to create a manga comic strip The 14 best photo editor apps View the full article

Behind the websites and services that you see every day, there are gears turning and keeping everything running smoothly. One of the most important programming languages that makes those incredible sites and services possible is JavaScript, and you can learn the language with the Front End JavaScript with Vue.js Bundle, on sale now for just $36 (approx. £26)! Over the course of four in-depth courses included in the Front End JavaScript with Vue.js Bundle, you’ll learn the concepts of frontend development powered by JavaScript. The programming language is the engine powering modern browsers and you’ll learn how to build with and use it in any project you can imagine. Plus, you'll learn your way around Vue.js, one of the hottest frameworks around that helps the modern web function. It's an essential bundle for anyone interested in web development. The Front End JavaScript with Vue.js Bundle usually retails for $353, but you can get it on sale now for just $39 (approx. £26). That’s a saving of 89% off for a collection of courses that will help you start your new career! About Creative Bloq deals This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life. We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more. Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page or Offer tag page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at:deals@creativebloq.com. Related articles: How to manage CSS classes with JavaScript 5 essential JavaScript tools for 2018 12 common JavaScript questions answered View the full article

Behance hit 10 million members in 2017. The online portfolio community is a great place to find new work, potential collaborators, and creative inspiration from top graphic designers and agencies. But, with so many portfolios to browse through, it can be difficult to know where to start. So to make things easy for you, we've done the hard work and picked 30 of the top graphic design portfolios that are definitely worth a look... 01. TwoPoints.Net For exciting graphic design work (plus a masterclass in how to present your Behance portfolio) look no further than TwoPoints.Net. Co-founded by Dr Martin Lorenz – who specialises in flexible visual systems - and graphic designer Lupi Asensio, the Hamburg and Barcelona-based studio creates cutting-edge design for clients large and small. The studio’s Behance portfolio is a tightly curated affair. Like their main site, it’s regularly updated with their latest projects - with details of the brief included at the top of each project page, above a series of stunning images. 02. Chad Michael Makers Playing Cards, by Chad Michael Chad Michael launched his studio of the same name in 2014 after working as lead designer at a range of New York-based agencies, including Landor, Pearlfisher and Stranger & Stranger. He specialises in branding and package design – he’s worked with the likes of Jack Daniels and Entertainment Weekly – and his work is can be seen in over 20 print publications which include Los Logos, Logo Lounge, CA Magazine, and HOW. 03. Marta Cerdà Goop typography by Marta Cerdà Amsterdam-based graphic designer Marta Cerdà boasts a stunning Behance portfolio. If you’re interested in typography, you’ll find a whole host of glorious experimental type and editorial design work to feast your eyes one. And the ADC Young Gun updates her Behance portfolio regularly, so you won’t have to wait long for more visual inspiration. 04. Pentagram The National, Sleep Well Beast - Campaign and Packaging, by Pentagram Sure, Pentagram is one of the world’s most famous design firms and has the luxury of a dedicated communications team to maintain its online presence. But the international team’s Behance portfolio is packed with best-in-class graphic design work across every media you can think of – which means Pentagram deserves its place in this list. Whether you’re interested in logo design, editorial, packaging or more, it’s all here. 05. Shane Griffin Griffin's recent work, Chromatic, explores light transitions through defective glassBorn in Ireland and based in New York, Shane Griffin is a designer and artist whose work spans a range of disciplines, from animation and illustration to film direction and photography. His clients have included Nike, Bacardi and Adidas, and he's a founding partner at New York-based studio and artist representation agency Sunday Afternoon. 06. Andrew Fairclough Fairclough's illustrations for Insider Guides cover various aspects of student life in AustraliaA self-taught illustrator, designer and art director working in Sydney, Andrew Fairclough started out designing skate and snowboard graphics and has moved on to work with top clients including GQ, American Express, Jack Daniels and Penguin Books. His work is inspired by mid-century spot illustrations with a dash of vintage sci-fi and comic art, and he enjoys working with a limited palette to evoke the nostalgia and tactility of found art. 07. Maria Grønlund I Speak Fluid Colours is one of many vibrant, abtsract artwork series by Maria GrønlundSpecialising in logos and branding, Maria Grønlund is an independent graphic designer based in Lystrup, Denmark. Using vibrant colours to stir the senses, much of her work has an abstract, dream-like quality to it. "I love to play around with words, colors, shapes, and styles to make all the aspects play together like music," she comments on Behance. 08. Ruslan Khasanov Russian digital artist Ruslan Khasanov specialises in graphic design, typography and illustration, more often than not mixing all three in incredible experimental projects. His work includes Warm Up (above), which is one of many beautiful videos in which different coloured liquids play centre stage. 09. Violaine & Jeremy Violaine and Jeremy have been responsible for the art direction on many issues of trendmag InfluenciaViolaine Orsoni and Jeremy Schneider are a creative duo who operate a graphic arts studio in Paris. Upon visiting their portfolio, you'll be greeted with numerous awe-inspiring pencil sketches, as well as multiple examples of projects they've art directed, including some stunning work on trend magazine Influencia. 10. Juri Zaech Juri Zaech specialises in typographic projectsJuri Zaech is a Swiss art director, currently living and working in Paris, France. Whilst he works in advertising, he still makes time to complete little side projects. Specialising in typography, Zaech creates inspiring and innovative font focused projects that always please. 11. Estudio Minga Estudio Minga creates playful designs with a cheeky approach Estudio Minga is a design and creativity company based in Argentina that describes itself as a laboratory of ideas. This illustration is part of a campaign created for Nadir, a glasses, cups and mugs manufacturer. The project, "Brindo por edo" (I toast for that) shows characters in different 'toast' situations. Take a look at the studio's other playful designs. 12. Viktor Hertz Viktor Hertz specialises in custom art movie postersFreelance design artist and photographer Viktor Hertz is located in Uppsala, Sweden. An expert in designing posters, he's currently a bit obsessed with custom art movie posters, but tries to stretch his creative muscles as wide as possible. Take a look at his hilarious recreated logos - this one we're sure we can all relate to! 13. Nicole Martinez Fall in love with Nicole's nerdy illustrationsNicole Martinez is an art director and designer based in Boston, USA. Her designs act as adorable homages to cute characters and pop culture icons - we particularly love her set of 'nerdy' illustrations, described as "illustrations for nerds in love". Who could resist those adorable faces? 14. Zim and Zou Zim and Zou are masters at paper art creationsLucie Thomas teamed up with Thibault Zimmermann to form Zim&Zou, a French studio based in Nancy that explores different fields including paper sculpture, installation, graphic design, illustration. Both studied graphic design during 3 years at an art school and now prefer creating real objects with paper and taking photos out of them, rather than composing images on a computer. Next page: 10 more awesome graphic designers to follow on Behance 15. Rob Pratt Rob Pratt's portfolio includes work as the creative director of Jungle CreativeLondon-based graphic designer Rob Pratt is currently working as design director for Brand & Deliver, based in Shoreditch, London, whose clients include Samsung, Three, Playboy and IMG. In 2016 Rob won gold for AMD Radeon at the Marcom Awards, and silver at the Transform Awards for his work on branding with Pariti Finance. His portfolio is a brilliant mixture of letterpress business cards, web design and leaflets and brochures. 16. Joshua Davis Joshua has received over 1,000 views for this particular pieceWith over 37,000 followers and over 85,000 project views, Joshua Davis's graphic design portfolio is well worth a look. Based in New York, Joshua is an artist, graphic designer, and technologist producing both public and private work for companies, collectors, and institutions. Since 1995, he's been using technology and computers as a medium to create projects. 17. Alexandra Bruel Alexandra created this poster for animation 'A Brush with Bee'Paris based graphic designer Alexandra Bruel has been causing quite a fuss on the Behance network thanks to her quirky clay creations. This poster in particular was done for the Virgin Media Shorts contest, which focuses on up-and-coming filmmakers. English monthly magazine Creative Review commissioned illustrators from the Handsome Frank agency to create a poster for each selected film. There are even some 'How to' pictures, which allow you to gain an insight into Alexandra's extraordinary work. 18. Andreea Niculae Andreea Niculae designed the cover for Tru Fonix Swear Down EPAndreea Niculae is a Senior Digital Designer for Johnsons Cars, as well as a freelance web designer and illustrator. She is based in Worcester, England. Her Behance profile demonstrates the scope of her talent, including the above design for Tru Fonix EP Swear Down and a series of posters depicting important scenes from iconic movies including Trainspotting. 19. Josip Kelava Will Josip Kelava's portfolio create an emotional response in you?The last thing Josip Kelava's university tutor told him was that "The worst thing a designer can do is not get noticed.” From those words, he understood that it wasn't about making something look good, but creating an emotional response that meant more than just a pretty picture. Take a look at his portfolio and you'll see how he conveys this in his branding work. 20. Rizon Parein Rizon Parein started his graphic design career in graffitiBack in the early nineties, Rizon Parein started off as a graffiti writer with a strong passion for 3D letter styles. When leaving school at the age of 17, he started working with graphic design. The past few years he has worked more and more with photographers; integrating models into 3D architectural and graphical sceneries. 21. Dan Mountford Dan's Behance page has gained over 1 million viewsAlthough graphic designer Dan Mountford currently only has three project folders to feast your eyes on, they are absolute stunners. His Double Exposure Portraits folder holds a series of photographs demonstrating the technique of superimposing two or more exposures to create a single image. Dan is based in Brighton, England, and has worked with the likes of The Economist, Urban Outfitters and New Scientist Magazine. 22. Jessica Walsh Jessica Walsh was part of the team behind this NY Times Magazine coverJessica Walsh is pretty well-known among the graphic design community; you'll probably know her best as one half of Sagmeister & Walsh. Based in New York, Jessica's clients include The Gap, Pepsi, Capitol Records and the NY Times Magazine. Moreover, she was previously named Computer Arts' Top Rising Star in Design - an accolade that proved true! 23. Petros Afshar Petros Afshar has an impresive client listPetros Afshar is a freelance graphic designer based in England's capital. He is a man of many talents, specialising in graphic design, typography, print making, logo design and illustrations. He already has an impressive client list, which includes Nickelodeon, Microsoft, Google, BBC, Hugo Boss, Nike, Puma, Adidas, Disney and Red Bull. 24. Yurko Gutsulyak Fairy Milk is a well-known and successful dairy products line in the UkraineYurko Gutsulyak has been working in the graphic design industry since 2005. Due to the success of his projects, he founded his own graphic design studio in Kyiv, Ukraine. Now in it's second decade, the studio is regularly commissioned by companies to develop their brand identity, including logo, packaging and even their name. Next page: 10 more inspiring graphic design Behance profiles 25. Jared Nickerson Seattle-based designer Jared K Nickerson has a quirky approach that we just loveJthree Concepts is a Seattle-based design studio owned and operated by Jared K Nickerson. The studio's main focuses are graphic design, character, logo, videogame, editorial, and textile design. Recently they have worked on a sticker pack that is available through the new app store for iMessage. We love Jared's quirky approach to design; especially this foxy number above, which worked as a T-shirt and label design as well as the overall branding for the clothing company. 26. Glenn Jones Thanks to success on Threadless, Glenn now designs for his own T-shirt companyHailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Glenn Jones has been working as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for over 20 years. His focus lies with corporate identity, packing and illustration. And he certainly knows a thing or two! After a succession of hit designs for T-shirt company Threadless, Glenn went on to create his very own range of T-shirt designs - Glennz Tees. 27. Nicki Van Roon This pop up album cover is an example of Nicki van Roon's packaging workCo-founder and designer at Roon & Rahn, Nicki Van Roon is a graphic designer specialising in branding, packaging and typography. As if that's not enough, Rahn partners with René Hansen to design and create thoughtful, aesthetic furniture under the name Roon & Rahn. 28. Kronk Kronk's quirky graphic and toy design has earned him plenty of fans on the Behance networkKronk is a graphic designer who also specialises in toy design. Hailing from Johannesberg, South Africa, his designs are full of life and colour. He's proved popular among the Behance creatives with his comic-like style and illustrated printed posters. 29. Tom Haynes Tom was part of the design team for new brand Avund GoodsTom Haynes is a graphic designer working in New York. Tom was part of the process in designing Avund Goods - a minimal leather goods company combining the accuracy of modern technology with the feel of traditional crafts. More recently he has ventured into industrial design. Take a look at his profile to see more pictures of the stunning graphic design approach. 30. Federico Landini Italian designer Frederico Landini has some impressive projects under his beltFrederico Landini is a freelance brand, type and graphic designer. Based in Florence, Italy, Frederico has some impressive projects under his belt. One of which, is this stunning cover for Vita Magazine. 31. Montserrat Llaurado Montserrat Llaurado has over 14 years' experience in graphic designWith over 14 years experience in the international graphic design industry, creative director Montserrat Llaurado certainly knows her stuff. Beginning her career in the advertising field, she teamed up with commercial director Pep Bosch, with whom she developed her eye for immaculate art direction, photography and film editing. After working as the creative director and international head of design at the Lomographic Society in Vienna, Austria, Llaurado is now back in the US. 32. Jack Crossing Jack's innovative approach to design has gained him a wealth of fans on BehanceJack Crossing graduated from Bath Spa University with a degree in Graphic Communication in 2008. He is now working as a graphic designer in London. His innovative approach to graphic design has gained him plenty of appreciations among the Behance community, and his client list includes WIRED, Warner Music Group, and the V&A. 33. Lena Vargas Afanasieva Afanasieva created this image as part of a 2016 project for KreativeshausLena Vargas Afanasieva is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer working in the Dominican Republic. She created the above image as part of a 2016 project for Kreativeshaus, where 52 designers from across the globe present their interpretation of a creative house. Afanasieva imagined her creative house to be a Rubix cube. 34. Luisa Rivera Luisa Rivera designed this beautiful cover illustration in May 2017Luisa Rivera is an artist and illustrator based in London, England. Her most recent project was the cover design and illustration for this republication of Gabriel García Márquez's book, Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) for Penguin Random House. Related articles: Key terms every graphic designer should know 11 tools every graphic designer should have in 2017 Have we entered an era of bad graphic design? View the full article

This article was originally published in net magazine in 2016. In 1948, the Olympic Games was broadcast live on television for the first time. Somehow, in post-war austerity with scarce resources and little money, the BBC broke technological boundaries. Live coverage came from two venues in North London, in what was at the time the largest outside broadcast ever made. It was a milestone in sports coverage. The beginning of a revolution, you could say, into the limitless sport on TV and online today. How to make an app70 years on, we at the BBC continue to push how we can bring the Olympics to the UK and the world. And today, of course, it’s more than TV. A wide range of Olympic content is offered over the BBC’s websites and apps, and it’s phenomenally popular. Over 100 million devices accessed our Rio 2016 site. Offering a great online service to over 100 million devices is not easy. High levels of web traffic puts huge load on the underlying systems. Fortunately, we were prepared. We knew the summer of 2016 was going to be our biggest ever, and made sure we had a website that could scale to handle it. This article explains how we did it. 01. Caches are your best friend Let’s start with the basics. A cache is the single most important technology in keeping sites scalable and fast. By storing copies of data and providing them when they're next needed, caches reduce the number of requests that make it to the server. And that allows the server to handle more users. Everyone knows the cache inside a web browser. It’s perfect for any common content between web pages, such as CSS. As a user moves between pages on your site, the browser’s cache will ensure they don’t repeatedly download the same file. This means there are fewer requests to your web servers, freeing up capacity to handle more users. A cache is the single most important technology in keeping sites scalable and fast Unfortunately, browser caches aren’t shared between users, so they don’t solve the scaling problem on their own. In other words, if a million users are accessing your site, there are a million browser caches to fill. This means the load on web servers can still be significant. That’s why most websites will also have their own cache, which may or may not be part of the web server. Caches are extremely efficient and can handle user requests quicker, which allows more users to be served. For example, a good web server will usually be able to accept 1,000 requests a second to content that is cached, but may not for content that needs to be generated. 02. Use a CDN Web server caches are great, but they have their limits. There will always be a point at which the server cannot cope with the load. To efficiently scale to almost any level, use a content delivery network (CDN). CDNs are more ubiquitous than ever thanks to their being part of all major cloud services, on a pay-as-you-go model. They are essentially a huge cache; a store of your content that can be served to users without the need to access your servers. They are particularly great for content that does not change often, such as images, video or JavaScript files. In fact, multiple CDNs now offer to serve common files such as jQuery for free. CDNs have the extra advantage that they distribute the content worldwide. This allows your site to be just as fast internationally as it is locally. It’s another reason why – if you can afford it – you may want to use a CDN for your entire site. 03. Add more servers During the Rio Olympics, the BBC offered thousands of web pages and over 3,000 hours of video to watch on its websiteCaches (including CDNs) are great for content that normally stays the same. But if content changes frequently, or from person to person, a cache is limited in what it can safely do. If a web page includes a user’s sign-in details, for example, a cache cannot share it, or else one user may see another user’s details. All this means that, even with the best caches and CDNs, web servers still have to pick up much of the work. So you’ll likely need several of them. Having multiple servers allows the work to be shared, and also prevents a server failure from breaking your site. A load balancer then ensures each one takes their share of the work. If your servers are running on the cloud, take advantage of the fact new virtual machines can be requested on demand, and paid for by the minute or hour. This elastic nature of most cloud providers allows you to have more web servers when traffic is high, and fewer when it’s quiet. As an example, we at the BBC have hundreds of cloud-based web servers, the exact number continually changing based on traffic levels to different parts of the site. We’ve learned that other systems must be able to scale too. A database or API that the site uses, for example, will also need to handle moments of high traffic. 04. Optimise page generation For all but the simplest of sites, there is some dynamic generation: code that runs to create the contents of a page. Optimising this process can allow a web page to be created quicker, which enables a server to handle more requests. Consider: Can the code be changed to be more efficient? Is it handling more data than necessary, or creating more content than is actually shown? Are there are any database or API calls that can be made faster or removed? Could any content be prepared ahead of time and stored in a database, file or cache? 05. Split the work The strong JavaScript support in today’s browsers is a resource we can make use of. By getting the client – the in-page JavaScript – to do some work, we can reduce how much is happening on the server. This can have a number of benefits. During high traffic, pick the right thing to compromise on. Which probably isn’t speed You can make fewer page requests by, for example, filtering rows of a table in JavaScript rather than on the server. Also, rather than having large pages that take time to create, consider making smaller ones that only include the initial content, then use JavaScript and APIs to load additional content separately. Facebook does this extensively. Finally, it enables you to offer the same thing to everyone. If a page has small parts that are unique to a user (e.g. a shopping cart or recommendations), arrange for those parts to be added client-side. This way the base page can be the same for everyone, so it can be cached and the web server won’t have to recreate it for every user. 06. Find your limit Tens of millions of users visited BBC News to hear about the referendum result and what it meant So you’ve made a heap of changes to enable your site handle high load. But how do you know it has worked? There is always a breaking point; you need to know what it is. Load testing – simulating high traffic so you can understand how your site performs – is the only way to be sure. The BBC does a lot of load testing because, even though an educated guess can be made as to how our site will scale, there are always the unknown unknowns. It’s often the case that the busiest moments are also the most important. The BBC website’s busiest times are during major sporting events or breaking news – moments when failure is not an option. Load testing can give you confidence that you’re ready for when the big day comes. 07. Compromise, but not on speed The England versus Wales match was the busiest ever moment for BBC Online, with millions watching or reading whilst it was underwayIn many cases, a site under high load will slow down. Web servers and databases will handle high traffic by doing multiple things at once, causing performance to drop. But this is precisely the time you don’t want poor performance, as you’re probably welcoming new users that you want to impress. At the BBC we’ve noticed that, for every additional second a page takes to load, 10 per cent of users leave. This is why, if the BBC site is slowing down due to load, certain features will automatically switch off to bring the speed up again. These will be low-importance things – such as a promo box at the bottom of a page – that are expensive on the server and few users will miss. In short, if compromise is necessary during high traffic moments, pick the right thing to compromise on. Which probably isn’t speed. These seven techniques have helped the BBC create a site that handles tens of millions of users every day. They’ve been proven to work with the biggest moments the BBC website has ever seen, such as this year’s Olympics, when thousands of pages were requested every second. Back in 1948, when the Olympics were first televised live, there were only 80,000 TVs to receive it. Today, 80,000 smartphones are sold every half an hour. The internet’s growth continues to be astonishing. With these techniques, your site can be ready for astonishing growth of its own. This article was originally published in net magazine. Related articles: Learn the new rules of UX Create a responsive dashboard with Figma BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend arrives with chaotic GIFs View the full article

You're reading Trendy Ways of Enhancing Website Homepages, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Images and videos are the most popular options when it comes to enhancing website homepages. But are they the only techniques that form strong first impressions and make websites stand out? No one can argue with the fact that these stylistic choices are time-tested and crowd-proven methods. Nevertheless, they are not the only options capable […] View the full article

Researchers at network security vendor ICEBRG recently discovered four malicious extensions in the official Google Chrome Web Store with a combined user count of more than 500,000, and as with past incidents, the implications are serious for both consumers and enterprises. ICEBRG notified Google and three of the extensions have since been removed from the […] View the full article

A bug in Lenovo’s Enterprise Networking Operating System could allow an attacker to launch an authentication bypass attack. View the full article

Screen printing is a welcome alternative for artists who want to take it slow and explore handmade. Whereas digital art gives creatives the opportunity to work quickly and produce perfect images, there's something about taking the time to prepare a screen print by hand that has a unique appeal. Perhaps, as designer Anthony Peters suggests in this new book from Print Club London, screen printing has awoken a "dormant need to be among tactile, real objects." Set up in 2007, the Print Club London studio was founded on a relaxed ethos where artists could experiment and make mistakes. From humble beginnings with a handful of salvaged tools, Print Club London has expanded to represent over 500 artists and runs workshops to welcome newcomers to screen printing. The studio's hard-won wisdom is presented in its recently released book, Screenprinting: The Ultimate Studio Guide. Its 288 pages are overflowing with clearly explained screen printing tutorials, which make it useful both for beginners and old hands. If you're looking to pick up a new artistic skill in 2018, you've come to the right book. Basic skills like making a screen are clearly explained From the design of the book alone you can tell that Print Club London loves what it does. Sandwiched between its covers, which have been lovingly made to look like silkscreen frames, there's a playful display of paint splatters that don't get in the way of the text but keep the whole book personable. This doesn't mean the guide is thin on the ground in terms of practical content. While the short history of screen printing section that opens the book certainly lives up to its name by managing to cover the medium's thousands year long story in a couple of pages, it's important to remember that this isn't a history book. We're here for messy artistic advice. Before diving into tutorials, we're given a run down of the tools of the trade. Screens and emulsions are covered, along with sweets and beer, to remind you that it's a good idea to have fun while you print. After a quick introduction to the materials you'll be printing on (paper and textiles), it's time to get down to the workshops. Screen printing tutorials Who hasn't wanted to print their art on a t-shirt? The main screen printing tutorials explore how to artwork a design, as well as covering the basics of how to print on paper and t-shirts. Each section guides you through carefully, assuming a basic level of artistic skill on the reader's part. Accompanying photographs help to smooth out any confusion you might encounter from reading the instructions alone. These are a welcome addition, as sometimes artistic tutorials can rattle through everything too fast and appear more complicated than they need to be. Along the way we're introduced to an array of screen printing tips and terms, but only when we need to learn them. This helps to keep the whole process understandable, and given that there's a lot to cover, it's no mean feat that the guide doesn't come across as overwhelming. The balance between precise technical advice and friendly encouragement is maintained throughout. Learn bonus screen printing skills from professional artists To build on these tutorials, the book is capped off with refreshing Artist Spotlights. These see an artist covering a screen printing technique they're known for. It's a welcome change of pace compared to profiles that just give an artist the opportunity to show off. The artists here are talented, but they're not above sharing their secrets. From these creatives we also learn how to put on a show and promote yourself online. It's a great way to round off the book. By looking forwards beyond just practical tips, you come away from this guide with a real sense that screen printing is an equally useful art to master alongside in-demand digital skills. Go grab a squeegee and get pulling. Related articles: The beginner's guide to giclee printing How to draw and paint - 100 pro tips and tutorials 30 beautiful examples of paper art View the full article

The origin of miniature painting stretches far back to the medieval age, when miniature artists painted exquisite portraits in watercolour on vellum and ivory. They used fine detail and painting techniques such as stippling and hatching to create layers of colour, in paintings measuring no larger than 6 x 4.5 inches. Many miniature artists today are still painting in the traditional way, but now miniatures can be of any subject and in a variety of mediums – oil, watercolours and acrylics, to name but a few. Vellum is still chosen as a painting surface, but now more artists are choosing to use newer products such as ivorine, polymin, smooth card or paper, or board. I’m going to show you how you can paint your own miniature using acrylics. These are versatile and rich in colour. Mistakes can be easily painted over, thus making them ideal for beginners. Painting a miniature requires a steady hand and lots of patience. It's also important that you're familiar with the consistency of the paints, so practice painting straight thin lines on the back of an old photograph before starting your work. 01. Plan your drawing Hardboard or MDF board when primed with about five coats of white watercolour acrylic gesso, and sanded to a smooth finish, make a wonderful surface to paint on. I used a board cut down to 3 x 3.75 inches, primed with Daler Rowney Simply Acrylic Gesso. Plan out your drawing onto the prepared board using tracing paper or drawing freehand. You can download my sketch here, or draw your own composition. Do not draw all the flowers in the foreground too soon, as they will be covered by paint and your drawing will be obscured. 02. Add sky, trees and hedges A good brush is essential for fine detail and I prefer to use Pro Arte Connoisseur brushes, which are a blend of sable and synthetic prolene and maintain a good point. For texture, I use an old oil bristle brush – it’s ideal for stippling. Daler Rowney System 3 Acrylic paints are wonderful for miniature painting. They have a creamy texture and do not lose their opacity when diluted for fine line detail. They dry quickly so are marvellous for glazing and dry brush techniques. Using a no. 4 round brush, take a small amount of Titanium White acrylic and add a tiny touch of Ultramarine. Use only a small amount of water and mix the required colour to a creamy consistency. Apply to the sky area. In order to achieve texture in the background trees, use a dry old bristle brush. Take a little neat Sap Green and a touch of black to the tip of the brush. Stipple the colours onto a practice sheet (the back of an old photograph is ideal) without mixing until you’ve got your desired colour and texture and apply. To highlight, with a clean, dry brush take a little Lemon Yellow, Sap Green and a touch of white on the tip of the brush and carefully stipple to shape and highlight trees and bushes. A touch of blue or Yellow Ochre can be added to the trees if you want to vary the shades. Finish the bushes with a fine no. 000 brush to define the foliage. 03. Paint the grass Use a half-inch flat brush and mix Lemon Yellow and a little Sap Green with water to make a thin wash for the lawn areas. For the tablecloth, use a no. 2 brush, a little water, and add a touch of black to Lemon Yellow to paint the folds in the tablecloth. When dry, use a no. 4 brush and glaze with a thin wash of yellow and water over the whole cloth. Use white for highlights. 04. Create underpainting Use a no.4 brush and mix Sap Green and Mars Black with a little water to block in the dark background for the flowers in front of the table. Draw in pencil the outline of the pots and flowers on to the dark green. Use a no. 000 brush with white and a little water and carefully define the shapes of the flowers, leaves and pots. The dark background will cause the white paint to look dull. Paint over the areas again that you wish to lighten, leaving the darker areas untouched. This will create more contrast. Other plants and flowers in the garden can also be painted in white. 05. Enrich the colours When the white paint is dry, use a no. 0 brush to mix washes of pure colour (adding no white) and test the consistency of colour before applying. Use Sap Green with a little water and carefully glaze colour over foliage. Add a little yellow to the green for the geranium leaves. Use a wash of Crimson for the roses, Cadmium Red for the geranium flowers and Burnt Sienna with a little Yellow Ochre for the pots. Repeat the glazes if needed to enrich colours. All the foliage in the back of the garden can also be painted this way. Shadows on the lawn can be created by using a wash of Sap Green and black using a no. 4 brush. A final glaze of yellow and green over the whole area can brighten the lawn. 06. Add details I paint the chairs using a fine no. 000 brush in white mixed with a little water to a smooth consistency; I use a touch of black to define their shape. I outline the glasses and jug in white, leaving a little white at the bottom. Add a touch of yellow and Cadmium Red for the orange juice. Outline the shape of the cat in black and for its fur, add Yellow Ochre and white mixed with black. For the patio, make a thin wash using Burnt Sienna and a little black. Dab with a tissue for a mottled look. 07. Paint the patio and hollyhocks Use a no. 000 brush with a mix of Sap Green and black to define the bricks and the grass between. Add shadows to the bricks using a no. 2 brush with a wash of Burnt Sienna and black. You can add dropped petals and little stones for more interest. Outline the hollyhocks in white using a no. 000 brush. Mix white with a little Yellow Ochre and black for shading the petals. Carefully glaze with a thin wash of Crimson or leave white and use a dab of neat yellow for the centre of the flower. Paint the leaves carefully with a mix of green and black and highlight them with white and yellow. Finish with a green glaze to the leaves. Paint the outline of the watering can in black and use varying tones of grey for blocking in. To complete the painting, carefully paint a few leaves in green in the foreground. 08. Varnish and frame it Winsor & Newton Professional Satin or gloss varnish will seal and protect your work when dry. I prefer to use a spray varnish to avoid brush marks, and I hold the can about 10 inches away from the painting, carefully spraying in short bursts about four or five times to achieve an even finish. When dry, your miniature painting is ready to frame without glass. Liked this? Read these: How to draw and paint - 100 pro tips and tutorials How to create a beautiful watercolour landscape painting 5 simple tips for painting beautiful skies View the full article

Whether you're kitting out your home office or making buying decisions for a whole studio's worth of people, it's unlikely that computer keyboards will be at the top of the priority list – but that doesn't mean they're not important. Along with a great mouse, the right keyboard can make you more productive, whether that's down to ergonomics, ease of use or built-in shortcuts. Perhaps you're suffering from carpal tunnel or RSI, the bane of many creatives' lives – the right peripheral can help with both. Or maybe it's none of the above, and you're just looking for a more stylish addition to your carefully art-directed studio space. Whatever your reasons for hunting out a new keyboard, read on for our guide to eight of the best... Logitech's pitching squarely at designers, illustrators and digital artists with this frankly excellent wireless keyboard, which if you can afford the price tag could give a tidy boost to both your creativity and your productivity. The real game-changer with this keyboard is its multi-function dial (the 'Crown') at the top-left, which enables you to control parameters in your favourite Adobe applications – including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Premiere Pro – as well as Microsoft Office packages. Zoom in and out, tap to show and fine-tune tool parameters quickly and easily, and adjust everything from scale and opacity of objects to size, leading and tracking of text. There's nothing quite like the feel of a good-quality mechanical keyboard, giving you proper crisp, tactile feedback on every keystroke by substituting the rubber domes used by cheap models for proper, functional switches – usually from the Cherry MX range. As well as lasting longer, mechanical keyboards also enable faster, more accurate typing. Step up the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum. Ostensibly a gaming keyboard, complete with RGB backlighting, it's also a great shout for designers keen to assign macro functions to the six dedicated keys – for your most-used Adobe actions, for instance. Thanks to its 8MB of onboard memory, these macros can be saved onto the keyboard itself, making it perfectly portable between machines once programmed (although the complex software makes this a little tricky). Like the Logitech Craft, this is certainly not a cheap option, but if you make full use of its capabilities, it's worth the hit. All too many designers suffer from conditions such as RSI and carpal tunnel syndrome, with awkward keyboard shortcuts and repetitive keyboard actions often the culprit. Kinesis' Advantage2 LF definitely stands out from the other great keyboards on this list for its unique aesthetics, which are designed entirely with ergonomics in mind. Concave key wells on each side of the keyboard minimise strain on your arms and fingers as you type, while the mechanical Cherry MX Red linear switches make typing as smooth and satisfying as possible. And if keyboard shortcuts are your issue, the Advantage2 LF rather puts Corsair's K95 RGB Platinum to shame with a staggering 48 programmable macros. Many of the keyboards on this list are wireless, but what makes the Penclic KB3 worthy of note is the way it combines attention to ergonomic detail with versatile device compatibility: it's neatly geared up to toggle between MacOS, iOS, Windows and Android devices. A family-run Swedish company, Penclic designs computer accessories that help to reduce RSI and other desk-related ailments, with features such as light key travel, comfortable spacing, and a subtle gradient to its aluminium body. The black version (pictured) features stylish orange and teal highlights to identify particular functions, and it also comes in pink and gold varieties for designers keen to accessorise. Compared to some of the eye-watering price tags on this list, Anker's Apple-inspired white offering is quite simply incredibly good value. It can connect via Bluetooth to the Android, iOS, Windows or MacOS device of your choice, and the low-profile, matte-finish keys make for a surprisingly satisfying typing experience for the price. Of course, the fact that its look and feel are so obviously influenced by Apple – albeit crafted from budget plastic, rather than aluminium – may make this keyboard look a little out-of-place for PC users, but that's a small price to pay considering, well, the small price you've paid. This is our pick for the best keyboard for iPad Pro users. If you've already splashed out on a top-of-the-range iPad, the price tag on this high-end keyboard case – which adds the tactile satisfaction of mechanical keys to your device – won't dissuade you. Perfect for working on the move, you'll get almost the same performance as a full-sized mechanical keyboard, all thanks to Razer's very own ultra-low-profile mechanical switches. There's also adjustable backlighting, which can make a dramatic difference to the battery life if you choose to turn it down. The stable and sturdy metal kickstand is also a nice touch. Targeting both smartphone and tablet owners, Logitech's K780 keyboard expands on its earlier iteration, the K380 – quite literally, as it's now longer, including a handy number pad. Like its predecessor, the K780 can pair with up to three devices at once using Bluetooth or wireless, so you can toggle between them as you type on the comfortable rounded keys. Slot your iPhone, iPad and/or Android device into the perfectly-placed slot in the keyboard's base – which can hold devices up to 11.3mm thick in an upright position – to make everything more comfortable. Easily the most 'fun-sized' and compact keyboard on the list, Microsoft's offering is roughly the size of a pack of cards when folded in half (at just under 15cm), making it perfectly pocket-sized and ideal for travelling. It works with Android, Windows Phone and iOS over Bluetooth, and has USB charging. While it's perfectly portable, however, you will still need a flat, stable surface to type on as you won't be able to use this on your lap very comfortably. Liked this? Read these: The best laptops for graphic design 63 best free fonts for designers 8 best external hard drives and SSDs View the full article

Your devices are full of important files that you would be lost without. Instead of experiencing the panic that a sudden hard drive crash or malfunction can cause, rest easy knowing your data is safe in the hands of SpiderOak. Get a full year of access to 2TB of cloud storage, on sale now for just $39.99 (approx. £30). You're creating new data every single day, every time you save a file or pull out your phone to snap a photo. Instead of running the risk of having all that data disappear without warning, keep that information safe and accessible with SpiderOak. You can get 2TB of storage to keep your data protected. Whether your hard drive's files go missing because of an error or a malicious attack, your cloud-stored files will be safe, secure, and always accessible on SpiderOak's encrypted servers. You can get a one-year subscription to 2TB of cloud storage space from SpiderOak on sale now for just $39.99 (approx. £30). That's a saving of 84% off the retail price. It's well worth it for the peace of mind that a cloud storage solution provides, so grab this offer today. About Creative Bloq deals This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life. We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more. Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page or Offer tag page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at:deals@creativebloq.com. Related articles: 9 security tips to protect your website from hackers Google's free cloud storage app is finally here How CodePen made itself secure View the full article

If you've not heard of the term user experience (UX), the clue's in the title. It's about creating a great experience for the users of your website. And that's less about making it look aesthetically pleasing and more about making it easy to use. The secret to a good UX is not to make users have to think about what they're doing: it should come naturally to them to find what they're looking for and interact with your site. In a web design agency, user experience may be the responsibility of the team as a whole or a specific UX designer. There are even entire firms that specialise in user experience consultancy. In this post we've grouped together the best articles, interviews and tips featured on Creative Bloq on the subject of user experience. Whatever your level of expertise, you're bound to find something to help your understanding and improve your technique. And we'll keep coming back to this post and updating it, so make sure you keep it bookmarked. Opening illustration: Neil Stevens Introduction to UX 01. 5 UX lessons you can learn in the toilet Fundamental UX advice for fundamental experiences Bear with us for a second. If you're looking to get started in UX design, you can learn some fundamental lessons by focusing on... ahem... basic functions. In this amusing but super-useful article, Chris How runs through the UX lessons you can learn from public bathrooms. 02. Essential TED talks for UX designers Do you know what TED stands for? Technology, education, design. As such, there have been plenty of talks exploring the intersection of technology and design over the years. Here we've rounded up the best – starting with Tom Wujec's 'Got a wicked problem? First, tell me how you make toast'. 03. The 5 biggest UX design trends for 2018 Voice-first interfaces are changing the game in UX Technological advances and consumer trends have had a big impact on the shape of user experience. This article explores the big themes that UX designers need to focus their efforts on in 2018, from invisible interfaces to the rise of VR. You can also take a look at what went down in UX in 2017. 04. UX tips for creating a flawless website This is a great infographic to pin or save for later If you're in a hurry and are after a quick rundown of the fundamentals of user experience, look here. This infographic lays out 10 essential UX principles in a snappy fashion. UX tips and advice 05. Unified UX In this talk from the Generate New York 2016 conference, Cameron Moll takes on the challenge presented by the increasing numbers of devices and connected objects in the digital landscape. He offers advice for how to create an experience that flows seamlessly between different devices as the user moves from one to another. 06. Tips for better mobile UX design Tailor your mobile experiences to keep your users happy It's no secret that mobile browsing is on the up. It's no good designing an experience that works perfectly on desktop but falls apart on mobile. So with that in mind, this tutorial rounds up advice for keeping your mobile users happy. 07. The UX of typography explained Good typography has a big impact on UX Getting your typography right can have a big impact on the usability of your website or app. In this short article, Sam Kapila takes a look at the principles you need to follow to ensure your type doesn't frustrate users, and presents some best practice examples. 08. Building device-agnostic UX systems Users increasingly switch between different devices to complete the same task, depending on what's convenient for them at the time. This means our UX strategy now has to transcend devices – offering a consistent experience no matter where the user is coming from. This Generate talk from Anna Dahlström will help you get started. 09. Four tenets of UX strategy In this in-depth long read, Jaime Levy breaks down four key elements you need to understand in order to develop a cohesive and effective UX strategy. The extract is taken from Levy's book UX Strategy, which focuses on advice for how to devise innovative digital products that people want. You can read more of the book on her website, where you'll also find useful links to her talks. 10. The theory of UX This long-read takes a closer look at the scientific theory behind user experience. It explores the type of data you can collect and how to find the right meaning in this data to inform the user experiences you design. 11. Designing for a crisis Nobody wants to think about the worst-case scenario, but it's in cases like these that the right design can have the most impact. In this moving talk from Generate London, Eric Meyer draws on personal experience to make a case for building extreme use cases into your UX design. You can also read the article on Medium here. 12. Conflict is the key to great UX Many people would argue that good UX is about creating smooth, snag-free experiences, but in his Generate talk, Steve Fisher presents the idea that conflict is an essential ingredient. Next page: The role of UX and case studies The role of UX 13. Why UX designers have the best job in the world The job of UX designer may seem a little woolly. This article by Yael Levy explores exactly what the role entails and what makes a great UX designer. If you're thinking of getting involved, here's a good place to see what UX is all about. 14. UX tools to try this year This UX project checklist contains essential advice As part of a general boom in design tools, we've also seen plenty of new UX tools surfacing in recent months. This post gathers together the best ones to explore, and explains what each one of them does so you can pick what suits your needs. 15. The UX designer's survival guide In this Generate talk, Media Temple's Lissa Aguilar presents a survival guide for current or prospective UI designers. It includes how to set up your compass, get a lay of the land, and the Swiss Army Knife of tools you'll need. 16. Essential tools for freelance UX designers These tools will help if you're thinking of going freelance If you're thinking of going it alone as a freelance UX designer, take a look at this list of essential tools. There are tools dedicated to analytics and user testing, but also ones to help you with your business, including accounting and proposal tools. 17. Why web design needs UX experts Many people would argue that ensuring a good user experience is everyone's responsibility. This article by Andy Budd asks if that is the case, do we really need UX experts? The answer, he argues, is a resounding yes. 18. UX portfolios done right Advice for showing off your UX skills Every type of designer needs a cracking portfolio to promote themselves... but UX design doesn't lend itself too well to traditional portfolio approaches. This article explores how to best showcase your work, and presents a selection of great UX portfolio sites to look through. Case studies 19. Discover Google's UX design secrets Rachel Inman helps shape Google's user experince UX design lead Rachel Inman works at Google. In this interview from net magazine, she explains her personal approach to UX design, and how that scales to a search giant like Google. 20. How Jaime Levy became a UX strategy guru Jaime Levy's book on UX Strategy has been published in six different languages, and is regarded as one of the definitive works on UX. In this interview, the American author, university professor, interface designer and UX strategist shares the journey to becoming one of the world's foremost UX experts. 21. How UX strategy can change the world In this talk from the Generate London conference, Jaime Levy explains how she put together a UX strategy for a futuristic international transportation system called Hyperloop. The scheme used a unified network of digital touchpoints where shared big data and app interfaces are seamlessly connected across various different transport systems (such as bikes, tuk-tuks and buses). 22. The best UX/UI Instagram accounts to follow Instragram users such as Jürgen Leckie have plenty to teach you about UX Instagram is a great social media platform to use to integrate UX inspiration and tips into your daily life. In this post we run down the best accounts to follow, to spark ideas and perhaps even some collaborations. Liked this? Read this: 12 huge web design trends for 2018 7 game-changing web design tools 38 brilliantly designed 404 error pages View the full article

As a visual creative, colour is one of the most important tools at your disposal. But how do you go about creating the perfect colour scheme for your design? These apps can all help you pick the perfect palette, to make your design sing. And the best news is, they’re all completely free. Check out our guides to colour theory and using colour in branding to help you pick a palette, then give these apps a try. 01. Color Hunter Upload an image and generate a colour scheme with this free web appColor Hunter is a browser-based tool that lets you find and make colour palettes created from images. Just upload your image and get a palette based on the colours it contains. Alternatively, enter a search term in the box at the top of the page; Color Hunter then searches Flickr.com for matching images and uses them to create a colour palette. 02. ColorExplorer Use ColorExplorer to create palettes and then export them to software like PhotoshopColorExplorer is a free online toolbox for designing and working with colour palettes. Developed for professional designers, it’s been in development since 2006 and all features are free to use. These include colour matching; browsing popular colour libraries; conversion hints between multiple colour libraries (RAL, TOYO, and more); palette export for use in software like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign; colour palette analysis and import from images and text files; and centrally stored palettes for easy access. 03. Paletton Paletton uses colour theory to present you with harmonious colour combinationsFormerly known as Color Scheme Designer, Paletton is a designer tool for creating colour combinations that work together well. You start with a base colour, and Paletton then generates similar shades that will complement it. In this way, the web app guides you through building up a colour palette for your design based on one of five styles, which it calls Mono, Complement, Triad, Tetrad and Free style. 04. COPASO COPASO lets you create a colour scheme in three waysCOPASO is an advanced colour palette creator from creative community COLOURlovers (it also provides a more basic alternative here). COPASO’s one-stop interface lets you create a colour scheme in one of three ways: choosing colours, uploading images, or entering CMYK or HEX values. You can save and publish your colour palettes, and there’s even the handy ability to add notes to them. 05. Colorzilla With ColorZilla you can get a colour reading from any point in your browserColorzilla is an extension for Chrome and Firefox browsers to assist designers with colour related tasks, both basic and advanced. With ColorZilla you can get a colour reading from any point in your browser, adjust this colour, and paste it into another program. You can also analyse the page, inspect a palette of its colours, and create advanced multi-stop CSS gradients. 06. Pictaculous Pictaculous lets you generate a colour palette from any photo or imagePictaculous is a colour palette tool from email marketing giants MailChimp that enables you to generate a colour palette from any photo or image, in PNG, JPG or GIF format. It also gives you suggestions from COLOURlovers of similar colour palettes, and lets you download an Adobe Swatch of your chosen palette. 07. Coolers.co Coolers.co generates a new palette every time you press the spacebarCoolers.co is a web app that offers a quite unusual way to find the right colour scheme. Basically, every time you press the spacebar a new palette is generated, so the idea is you keep going until you find the right inspiration. Alternatively, you can browse through the various palettes that other users have found and liked. 08. Color Hunt Color Hunt offers a curated collection of colour palettesSimilar to Coolers.co above, Color Hunt offers a “curated collection of beautiful colors, updated daily”. Add its Chrome extension to your browser, and you’ll get a new colour palette every time you refresh your browser window. Related articles: 6 fantastic editorial designs and what we can learn from them How to use images more effectively in annual reports 10 skills graphic designers need to get ahead in 2018 View the full article

When applying for a job, people often say it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Well, we call BS on that. In our industry, talent and creativity are obviously paramount. But that’s a little vague, isn’t it? What are employers in the VFX business really looking for? Production studio Saddington Baynes gives us the breakdown on just what it takes to make it in CG – from preferred career paths, to building a standout portfolio, and fitting in with office culture. So! Here’s the inside track – how to work your way into a top digital artist position, brought to you by the people in the know at Saddington Baynes: ECD James Digby-Jones, creative director Andrew White and HR manager Poppy Boden. Where do I start? The majority of our artists are, generally speaking, ‘classically trained’. They’ve often got a degree or equivalent in fields ranging from: Animation and VFX Graphic Design Illustration Photography Computer Science Automotive Design Computer Games Modelling and Animation Industrial Design Software Development Engineering We're diverse from top to bottom. The key things we look for when choosing a candidate are passion in their work, strong technical knowledge, a keen eye for detail and above all a creative mind. What experience do I need? An impressive CV and portfolio is great – essential, even – but in addition to relevant experience, we're looking for passion and commitment. You need to be aware of new and emerging technologies driving creative trends and innovations. Ultimately, we work with a massive range of brands and agencies; from healthcare to FMCG, apparel to automotive. If a specific role within our portfolio needs filling, then we’ll hunt for the candidates with the most compatible and relevant skills. A good fit Top compositors and brilliant lighting specialists don’t just appear when you wish for them (unfortunately!). It also goes a long way if you have an interest in design culture, comics, films, animation and video games. It might sound like a cliche, but there’s a constant buzz in the studio about these subjects – it’s part of our culture. When we’re recruiting, we consider how well candidates might fit with the rest of the team. How do I build a perfect portfolio? We like to see good ideas executed well. Everything should come together as an aesthetically appealing whole, but it's the subtle details, the deliberate imperfections and the nuances that create authenticity and engage your audience emotionally. A good artist follows the brief. A great artist brews up a perfect storm with their intent, concept, design and creative flair linking together perfectly. You know it when you see it. The do's Strive for realism when needed Keep an eye on those details! Show your imagination/flair Tailor your examples to your audience Solve problems & come up with new ideas Think outside the box The don'ts Use effects for the sake of it Ignore the physics of light or perspective Give no context to your work Show only technical ability without imagination Do I need to know my way around a particular software? We use a wide (and growing) range of software in the studio and as part of our pipeline, but specific box tickers are experience in Maya, Houdini, Nuke and the Adobe suite. Newcomers tend to arrive with experience of some, if not all, of these software packages. But there’s always scope to improve and develop new technical skills! None of our creatives ever stop learning. Keep learning Newcomers tend to arrive with experience of some or all of the softwares described above, but there’s scope over and above that to develop further skills. Our artists never stop learning, both on the job as well as in R&D projects and via the various online tutorials and training courses available. Self-initiated learning is encouraged and expected here; our artists are very much in control of how fast and how far they grow and develop. How much time will I need to commit to the job? We start a little later to accommodate for London’s heaving transport systems – our standard hours are 9:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday. But you never know what's around the corner. We get a wide variety of work, thanks in part to the diversity of our clients, which keeps us on our toes. There’s never a dull moment. Technology is ever changing and we are well on the way to developing a remote working platform, but right now we prefer our artists to work in-house. It’s not just a productivity thing, it also goes a long way towards creating our buzzing atmosphere, and makes collaboration between and within teams seamless. We love it in the studio. Where will I fit in the studio hierarchy? An open door management structure is important in any creative business. At our studio, everyone is encouraged to have a view and take on responsibility for their own projects. It’s important that team members from all levels of the business can get their heads together to successfully solve challenges. There’s no time to stand on ceremony – everyone has a voice and is encouraged to use it to get results. Sometimes this means the best ideas come from the bottom up, which is as it should be. Is it fun? We don’t ask anyone to leave their personalities at the door. Our people say it’s like joining a family…but with free croissants, fruit and beer every week. Plus, you get to play with Fidget, our handsome office dog, and enjoy our two annual staff jollies thrown in on top of our other benefits – including discounts at high street brands and restaurants. Neat. Be courageous. Take pride. Collaborate. This is the mantra that sits behind everything we do. It represents us at our best – we strive to deliver to an incredibly high standard every day and to challenge traditional means of image creation, so we can bring visual stories to life. Of course, we all work hard. You don’t create great art unless you’re prepared to sweat the small stuff and take pride in what you do. So, we work hard – but we make sure everyone’s rewarded for their efforts, and we play hard too. Saddington Baynes CEO Chris Christodoulou and senior digital artist Marc Shephard will be presenting a masterclass on 'Mass customisation of visual imagery: The challenges – and how technology can help' at Vertex, our debut event for the CG community. Don’t miss out, book your ticket now at vertexconf.com. There are still some amazing workshops we’ve yet to announce so keep an eye on our website, where you can also find out more about the other amazing speakers, workshops, recruitment fair, networking event, expo and more. Read more: Which CG discipline is right for you? How to press start on your game art career Create better character animations in Maya View the full article

Pursuing a career as an illustrator is the dream of plenty of creative freelancers. More often than not it's a chance to follow an artistic passion and to produce work that you're proud of. But what's life as an illustrator really like? To give you an idea, Ben the Illustrator has taken the industry's pulse with his Illustrator's Survey 2017. Having been self-employed in the creative sector for almost 20 years, Ben the Illustrator is in the perfect position to gauge the state of the industry. He's experienced all the ups and downs that the sector has to offer, so towards the end of 2017 he decided to get feedback from as many fellow illustrators as possible to see how their results tallied. And today he's announced that the results to the Illustrator's Survey 2017 are in. Exploring everything from how illustrators got into their line of work to how they promote themselves, the survey is a rigorous dissection of the issues surrounding creative freelancers. A majority of illustrators found that they weren't earning enough to live sustainably Beautifully brought to life by Ben the Illustrator with his signature illustration style, the results are a mixed bag of good and bad news. On the one hand, it looks like the work rate in 2017 looked healthy for the most part, however a majority of illustrators found that they weren't earning enough to live sustainably through their creative work alone. Interestingly, when you add the percentages of respondents who said they have creative and non-creative full-time jobs with an illustration sideline, you see that 44 per cent of professional illustrators are doing it in their spare time – almost as many as those working full-time. Another troubling statistic turfed up by the survey is that an overwhelming 79 per cent of illustrators feel that they have anxieties or confidence issues that affect their careers. Capping off the survey are some open questions that ask why illustrators decided to pursue their career, what they think could improve the industry as a whole, and what they think are the biggest concerns facing their business. Take a look at some of the statistics below, and be sure to head over to Ben the Illustrator's survey page to see the full set of results. Related articles: 10 hottest illustrators now How to illustrate for an event 18 illustrators to follow on Instagram View the full article