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I’ve been working as a freelance illustrator and collage maker for nearly five years. At university I flapped around, unsure of my visual language and how to adopt a style that suited me and what I wanted to say. I discovered collage at the end of my second year of study, after realising that my love of film photography and the aesthetic of the prints could be incorporated into my illustration. Ever since then it’s been a case of refining and reflecting in equal measure. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, learnt a lot of lessons and become more confident in the way that I work. My process has twisted and changed over time. It’s essential for me to work quickly and efficiently, particularly when it comes to working on a fast turnaround for editorial clients – sometimes you’ve got five hours from brief to final. Time really is money, so I’ve found ways to ensure I can deliver quality artwork on time. Finding photos My priority initially is to make sure I can source relevant material for the brief. I use copyright-safe archives and free stock image sites as a first port of call. The material can really dictate the direction of the illustration – it does mean I have slightly less control, but equally gives space for happy accidents and experimentation to take place. Clients also provide me with source material they’d like me to include and I also take or use my own photos, bringing us back round full circle to why I fell in love with this style in the first place. Eleanor Shakespeare used an original photo of women jumping over hurdles to create a self-initiated piece on the theme of International Women’s Day. The contextual integrity of the source material can really matter. When creating the illustrations for my book Stormy Seas, I worked closely with the publisher to make sure the images I was using were historically and contextually accurate. When creating non-commissioned work, I am much more free in what I use. Last year, I was producing a self-initiated piece of work in response to International Women’s Day, and was looking for material to inspire me. I came across an old photo of three women jumping over a hurdle, and it summed up exactly what I wanted to convey. The images I find can have so much power on their own, and it’s really exciting to enhance and breathe new life into them. The collage process Once I’ve gathered my images, I cut them out in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. I use the Eraser tool and cut round the object. I find this method most closely represents the process of physical cut and stick collage. A work in progress cut out of the central image for a commission for BBC World Histories (art directed by Susanne Frank), plus the final image (right). It’s then a case of layering, dragging, resizing and playing with the composition and colours. I have archives of handmade textures that I’ve collected and produced over time, as well as found material which I then use to make my work distinctive and bring depth to the illustration. Sometimes I just use one key photograph, and find a concept to hang the image on. Other times, it’s about stitching together a whole range of different material. Either way, I find that a limited colour palette and rich, inky textures and found ephemera make my work unique. From rough to final I’ve worked on hundreds of editorial jobs and the experience differs hugely depending on factors such as client, deadline, budget and topic. Ultimately, I have to remember I’m working for other people, so must find a balance: creating artwork that I’m happy with, but that also satisfies the brief and client. Some of the elements, textures and colours changed as this piece for the Guardian (art directed by Chris Clarke) developed Although I am usually working exclusively with the art director, they are serving as the go-between for me and the editor, designers, their client, sometimes the writer too, so it is vital that I stay flexible and open-minded. Simultaneously, I am a professional image maker, so it’s okay for me to push my ideas and make suggestions. Illustrations develop naturally from roughs to finals and my job is most enjoyable when my vision is in line with the vision of the art director. I don’t tend to draw sketches because my work is so dependent on found imagery, so I loosely put together a rough of what I imagine the final to look like, using materials I plan to use. Achieving cohesion One factor that can define how an image will take shape is the layout and composition of the page. With both editorial and books I try to consider how the page will look as a whole, and I love it when there is flexibility with the layout. The final layout included spot illustrations In a recent illustration for the Guardian, I created the main image – there was no time for roughs – and then we used spots to bring cohesion to the whole spread. Occasionally, clients will have specific colour palettes they’d like me to use, which can be because of other illustrations featuring in the publication or because of the tone of the article. I’m also often restricted by the dimensions given to fit the illustration into. All of these challenges help keep my portfolio diverse and me engaged and excited about what I do. It’s great to see an illustration unfold with the guidance and support of talented art directors. Finding balance This particular Guardian commission was for publication in the launch week of its new tabloid format, so I wasn’t willing to turn it down. At the time, though, I was stranded in New York, meaning there was a five-hour time difference on an already tight six-hour deadline, not to mention that I was simultaneously negotiating flights home and fighting fatigue. My tendency is to say yes to a commission and figure out how to do it afterwards (caffeine!), because once I’ve agreed to a job I have to do it. There are certainly a few tips I’ve learnt along the way to make the fast-paced nature of this career more manageable. I read and reply to emails as soon as I can, more than three icons on my desktop make me feel sick and there are always lists, notes and Post-Its. I’ve learnt that this level of organisation categorically makes my working life easier, but maintaining work-life balance is important too. The flip-side is that I am working with amazing clients on a wide variety of really exciting projects and that makes any moments of stress totally worth it. Related articles: How to create a mixed-media collage The Guardian redesigns with new logo and font How to balance life and work View the full article

If you're looking to start a career in web design, you'll need resources to brush up and strengthen your skills. The Web Design and Front-End eBook Bundle includes 14 ebooks that cover everything you need to know about web design and frontend development. You'll learn how to create meaningful, eye-catching websites that are sure to increase your page clicks and views, and you'll develop the strategies, habits, and workflow necessary to be successful in the industry. On the frontend side of things, you'll study real-life examples that you can emulate, while mastering HTML semantics as well as best practices for performance optimisation. Before you know it, you'll be pursuing a lucrative new career, thanks to this $19.99 ebook bundle. Related articles: The future of web design 5 articles to improve your web design career How responsive web design changed the world View the full article

A site needs to be seen, and ranking highly in search engines such as Google is a key way to make sure people can find it. There are a host of factors that will help make this happen. There is on-page SEO, optimised titles, images alts, targeted keywords and phrases and much, much more. Check out this set of tools to help get your site on the first page of Google. 01. Mobile-friendly Test See how your site does on Google's mobile-friendly test Search engines value sites that have well-performing mobile pages. This tool enables you to test how easily a visitor can use your page on a mobile device, according to Google’s mobile-friendly test. Simply enter your page URL to see how your page scores. 02. PageSpeed Insights Check how speedy your site is Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool carefully analyses the content of your web page to check its performance. Simply enter a webpage URL for your results. It will then generate suggestions of how to make that page faster. 03. Structured data guide Help Google understand the content of your site To know where to rank your website, Googles needs to understand the content of your site. You can help it by adding schema data. This guide will help you provide explicit clues about the meaning of your website pages to Google. It will help you to include structured data on your pages. 04. Keyword Planner Find the right keywords for your site To rank highly, you need to know the terms people are typing into Google to find the services you're providing. Google's Keyword Planner will help you find these. Reach the right customers for your website with the right keywords. Get ideas to help build your campaigns with the AdWord’s Keyword Planner. 05. Google Webmasters Get the right tools to keep Google happy Get the data, tools and diagnostics needed to create and maintain Google-friendly websites with Google Search Console. Analyse clicks, get alerts on errors and test if Google understands your content. 06. Hotjar Understand how your customers interact with your site Utilise heat-mapping tools to review the reading and scanning habits of your users. By understanding how they interact with your pages you can start the conversion rate optimisation process better. 07. Google: My Business Get a free Google listing and attract new customers Google My Business enables you to create and update the Google listing for your business, to help your site stand out, and bring customers in. It's free, so claim it and then start optimising. Without it you won’t appear on the local map listings in the SERPs. 08. SEMrush Check the links pointing to your domain A powerful website backlink checker that shows all links pointing to your domain and their quality, as well as helping you to discover everything about your competitors’ backlinks. 09. Alerts Create custom alerts for new and interesting content Monitor the web for interesting new content and mentions of your business and that of your competitors. Simply create an alert, and new content will be emailed to you directly. 10. Google Analytics Analyse your site's performance Everyone should be using this tool. It’s free and has a huge set of features. Measure your website, app, digital and offline data to gain valuable customer insights into the impact of your marketing activities. Sign up to Generate and see Bruce Lawson in action Standards embrace all parts of the web and it is crucial that designers and developers adhere to them. The web standards lovegod and web standards consultant to Wix reveals the mindset needed to embrace web standards and apply it to your projects. At Generate London 2018 Bruce will talking about how to become a 'Shokunin of the Web'. Not sure what that means then get your ticket today to make sure you are there in September to discover how to become a web standards artisan. Related articles: 7 essential SEO tips for developers Essential SEO checklist for web designers The 7 best SEO blogs View the full article

Welcome to our list of the best drawing tablets for kids in 2018. If you know a child who loves to draw, then a kid-friendly pen display or graphics tablet is a great way to introduce them to the world of digital art without breaking the bank. (It's also a great way for children to hone traditional drawing and painting skills without the mess – handy for when you've just tidied up.) Drawing tablet devices have proven to be big hits with kids: interaction is highly intuitive thanks to their touchscreens, so the learning curve is small. Many of the best drawing tablets for kids are also made out of rugged materials that can survive knocks and bumps, and have parental controls for peace of mind. Bear in mind that there are a few different types of drawing tablets for kids: Pen display tablets. These come with a built-in touchscreen monitor with a pressure-sensitive surface that you draw on with a stylus. Graphics tablets. These plug into a computer. Kids draw and paint on the surface, and the image is show on the monitor of your computer. Tablet computers. Like pen display tablets, these touchscreens work well with styluses and display the art as its being drawn. Think iPad, for example. You’ll find a more detailed explanation at the bottom of this article. But to help you choose the best drawing tablet for your kid, we've listed our top picks here: every option below is child-friendly, easy to use and makes drawing a joy – so you can't go wrong. Even better, our price comparison tool is continually checking all the major retailers to make sure you’ll get the best deals as well. The best drawing tablets for kids The Wacom Intuos Draw is our pick for the best overall drawing tablet for kids. This is down to its affordable price, along with the sturdy build quality and feature set that we've come to expect from Wacom, which is a brand to be reckoned with in this area. It's a great drawing tablet for beginners, and it can cope with more advanced uses as your child grows in skill and confidence. There's an optional wireless module you can buy to make it easier to use as well. The major downside is that the small version may soon feel a little cramped. In our view, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the best affordable drawing tablet for kids in 2018. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the cheapest, but the functionality you get for the price is hard to beat. It comes with a rugged case and a two year no quibble warranty, which means you won't have to worry about it being dropped when at school. It's a tablet PC device, which means it wasn't built solely for digital art. This has benefits, as it means it's a more versatile device that can perform other tasks, but it also has drawbacks. It doesn't have some of the more advanced digital art features, and it doesn't come with a stylus, so you'll need to buy one separately. The XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is an excellent pen tablet for kids, offering a good-sized drawing area, comfortable pen with a good range of sensitivity levels and a very good screen. It has a robust design that means it can handle knocks and bumps pretty well, and it's a great introduction for kids who want to use a pen display tablet for their digital art. The Huion H640P is an excellent drawing tablet for kids. It's small and portable, making it perfect for little hands – and also easy to carry around in a backpack. At just 10.2 x 5.8 inches, this option is no thicker than a smartphone, but offers a handy set of shortcut keys, which makes up for its compact size. It's pretty competitively priced as well, which makes it an ideal choice for young beginners. This is an excellent mid-range pen tablet that offers more advanced features than some budget rivals, without costing too much. You get a fantastic build quality for the price, and it's compact enough to easily carry around and be used by smaller hands. The stylus doesn't need a battery, which means your kids won't be frustrated by it suddenly not working when the pen is out of juice. It's not the easiest tablet to get hold of, but if you're looking for a pen drawing tablet for kids that gives a bit more freedom, this is a great choice. Wacom Bamboo Slate isn't technically a graphics tablet – it's what Wacom calls a "smartpad". This turns handwritten notes and sketches into digital art that can be sent to a tablet via Bluetooth, or a PC via USB. It's a great choice if you have an arty kid who's just starting out: they can doodle on the Bamboo Slate, then edit their work on a PC or tablet. The H430P is a great graphics tablet for kids, as it gives you all the basics without requiring a big investment. This means, if they lose interest, or quickly outgrow the small drawing area, then you've not lost out on too much money. While the drawing area is small, the pen is sensitive enough to allow kids to draw and paint easily, giving them a taste of what it's like to create digital art using a graphics tablet. If you want the best iOS drawing tablet for kids, then the new iPad (2018) is the one to get. It gives you the best of Apple's tablet world – including an upgraded A10 processor and access to all the best iOS art apps – in a form factor that's not only beautiful, but highly portable. The headline feature? It works with the Apple Pencil (although you’ll have to buy that separately – you’ll find the best Apple Pencils deals here), making the new 9.7-inch iPad a huge win for artists everywhere. It's also reasonably affordable, for Apple, anyway. Throw in the fact that you can use the iPad for a lot of other tasks besides drawing, and the new 9.7-inch iPad is easily one of the best drawing tablets for kids you can buy. The Asus ZenPad is something of a direct rival to Apple's best tablets thanks to a slick and stylish design, yet it's also quite a bit cheaper than any of its iOS rivals. It has a sharp and bright touchscreen that works well with stylus devices for drawing, and the size of the display is larger than other tablets at this price point. If you're looking for the best Android drawing tablet for kids, then Asus' recent offering is the one to go for. The Acer Switch 3 is the best Windows 10 tablet for kids who want to get into digital art. It's solidly built, and has powerful-enough hardware to keep things feeling quick and responsive. It runs Windows 10, which means you can use full versions of desktop software such as Photoshop, rather than just being confined to apps. It also comes with a top-notch active digitizer and pressure-sensitive pen, and the price is pretty competitive as well. How to choose the right drawing tablet for kids As we said above, there are three main types of drawing tablets... Also read: The best drawing tablets of 2018 | The best Apple Pencil deals | The best cheap 4K monitor deals | View the full article

Huawei stamps out four high-severity bugs impacting 20 server models ranging from its XH, RH and CH lines. View the full article

Photorealism is an art technique in which the artwork appears incredibly realistic – almost like a photograph of the subject. The artist may use paint of any kind, their best pencils, or even inks. But the results will mimic a photo so convincingly the viewer will often need to do a double-take. In this post, we've rounded up some incredible examples of photorealism to inspire you in your efforts. These illustrators, painters and artists have an amazing talent. Creating photorealistic portraits and landscapes using only a pen, pencil or brush, the attention to detail is awe-inspiring. Take a look at some of the best examples of photorealism around. 01. Gottfried Helnwein Helnwein's unsettling work often tackles tough subjects If Gottfried Helnwein's incredible photorealistic work seems a little unsettling, it's with good reason. One of the best-known and most controversial German-speaking artists since World War 2, his hyperrealistic paintings often feature children, sometimes wounded or bandaged, sometimes in Nazi uniforms. Helnwein tackles difficult and controversial subjects in his work, and his painstaking attention to detail makes them it all the more provocative. 02. David Kassan David Hassan's portraits can take up to two years to complete David Kassan's life-size photorealistic paintings can take him anywhere between two months and two years to complete; he says that he doesn't simply try to replicate his subjects, rather he tries to capture their essence and imbue them with their own voice. He's currently working on a project with the USC Shoah Foundation, for which he paints portraits of Holocaust survivors that will be exhibited along with their written testimonies and short films. 03. Elizabeth Patterson Elizabeth Patterson's coloured pencil work is both photorealistic and impressionistic Elizabeth Patterson's artistic career was put on hold in 1984 after a severe injury left her without use of her drawing hand. Returning to art 15 years later, she hit upon her defining style: urban scenes as viewed from the behind a car windscreen in the rain, drawn using coloured pencil, graphite and a touch of solvent, which manage to be both impressionistic and photorealistic in their execution. 04. Ester Curini There's a touch of the anthropomorphic to Ester Curini's animal portraits Born in Italy and based in New York, Ester Curini is a self-taught painter who specialises in highly detailed animal portraits set against stark white backgrounds, often in startlingly human poses. "Capturing the unique energy, essence and spirit of each creature I paint is the centre of my work," she explains. "Isolating the figures on seamless white backgrounds lets me concentrate only on the essentials that matter to me." 05. Richard Estes Artist Richard Estes and an entire street scene is meticulously reflected in the glass window in Double Self-Portrait (1976) For a masterclass in photorealism, look no further than American artist Richard Estes. One of the foremost practitioners of the late 1960s international photorealist movement, Estes primarily paints stunningly convincing urban scenes. Estes compiles his compositions from multiple source photographs before reconstructing reality in hyper-real renderings. Look closely and you'll often see a reflective surface, such as a shop window, enhancing the scene with additional details. 06. Diego Fazio Like most of Diego Fazio's portraits, Sensazioni was created with pencil and paper Italian-born artist Diego Fazio, aka DiegoKoi, refined his skills when he first started out by drawing koi. Years later, the water in his incredible portraits looks as though it's been caught on camera, but his artwork is, astoundingly, drawn in pencil. 07. Raphaella Spence Raphaella Spence is a photorealist painter based in Todi, Italy Raphaella Spence's photorealistic cityscapes and landscapes are included in private, public and corporate collections throughout America, Canada, England, Russia, Italy, Austria and Germany. The London-born, Italy-based artist started out in still life before developing her technical skills, and has received worldwide recognition for her stunning hyperrealistic paintings. 08. Don Jacot Space Guns evokes a 1950s childhood American photorealist artist Don Jacot works in acrylics, oils, gouache, watercolour and charcoal. Largely self-taught, Jacot's best known for his attention to light, colour and form, often focusing on objects with historical or cultural significance. Space Guns, pictured here, is a striking six-foot oil-on-linen masterpiece that enlargens the toys to several times their actual size. 09. Pedro Campos At 162 x 97cm, Legs is a large oil-on-canvas piece Pedro Campos didn't begin oil painting until the age of 30. Now in his 50s, his incredibly realistic still life shots, city and seascapes are regularly mistaken for photographs. The Madrid-based artist lists Lucien Freud, Richard Estes, Francis Bacon, Antonio López and Anish Kapoor among his influences. He's best known for his pictorial attention to detail and a series of drinks cans and fruits wrapped in plastic sheets. 10. Rob Hefferan Rob Hefferan mainly focuses on portrait work Based in Cheshire, UK, Rob Hefferan is an exceptionally talented figurative artist. Working predominantly with oil and acrylics, Hefferan focuses his photorealistic work on that of portraits. His attention to detail on the skin and folds in fabric make his work utterly wonderful. 11. Juan Francisco Casas Ruiz Juan Francisco Casas Ruiz creates imagery like no other Juan Francisco Casas Ruiz is a Spanish visual artist. He has been exhibited in New York, Miami, Chicago, Seoul, Singapore, London, Paris, Mexico and Basel, and received numerous awards. His work is represented in major collections including the Museum Atrium, or the ABC Museum, and in private collections around the world. 12. Halim Ghodbane We love the lighting in Halim Ghodbane's work Halim Ghodbane's attention to detail is breathtaking. His portraits are often covered in gorgeous soft lighting, highlighting his impeccable brush skills. He even dabbles in celebrity portraits. Check out his work for some photorealistic inspiration. Next page: more incredible examples of photorealism 13. Michael Gaskell Michael Gaskell's work is exhibited across the world Michael Gaskell's work has been the subject of five solo shows in London. He has won a number of prizes in national painting competitions and been on the shortlist of the BP portrait award at The National Portrait Gallery on five occasions, winning second prize in 2003, 2009 and 2010. His work is represented in private collections all over the world. 14. Jeremy Geddes Fall in love with Jeremy Geddes' world Jeremy Geddes creates otherworldly and abstract photorealistic paintings. His work is entrancing and beautiful, with exquisite attention to detail. We especially love this painting and the incredible detail in the smashed glass. 15. Adolfo Fernandez Rodriguez Adolfo Rodriguez uses coloured pencils to create these photorealistic pieces Focusing on hands, water and sculptures, Adolfo Rodriguez's attention to detail is astonishing. The bubbles, reflections and shadows ensure that each picture is as photorealistic as possible – making for a series unlike any other we've come across. Other work by Rodriguez mimics oil paintings. He's created an extensive range of these illustrations, so be sure to check out his Facebook page for more. 16. Roberto Bernardi Roberto Bernard is incredibly well known across the world Italian-born Roberto Bernardi is one of the most well-known photorealist artists there is. His work is displayed around the world. Using still life pieces for his subjects, Bernardi paints vivid and unbelievably life-like paintings of fruit, sweets and glass. 17. Doug Bloodworth Bloodworth focuses his paintings on the nostalgic aspects of childhood American artist Doug Bloodworth enjoys evoking the viewer's nostalgic feelings of childhood. His oil paintings often focus on comic books, games and comfort foods, and are available across a number of galleries in America. 18. Alyssa Monks We're absolutely gob-smacked with the attention to detail in Alyssa Monks' work American artist Alyssa Monks creates incredibly realistic paintings of the human form and exhibits her art across the world. Using thick strokes in delicate colour pallets, she creates filters including glass, vinyl, water and steam to distort her subjects, who are often women bathing. The water ripples are mind-blowing. 19. Paul Cadden The incredible talents of Paul Cadden When we first saw the work of Paul Cadden, it took a while for us to realise that they were in fact illustrations. Even more unbelievable is the fact that the hyperrealist artist used just graphite and chalk to create these stunning images. Working from photographs and video stills, Cadden's work proves that if you're super-talented, all you need is the simplest of tools. 20. Dan Witz Dan Witz triumphs with another photorealistic crowd portrait Dan Witz specialises in photorealistic portraits of crowds. Mixing paint and pencil with digital aspects, his drawings display an incredible attention to detail. The folds of clothes and expressions on faces are amazing. 21. David Eichenberg No, really. This isn't a photo. We can't believe it either! No, we can't quite believe this one either. There's a vast array of photorealistic work out there and we're continuously dropping our jaw to the floor – but this offering from David Eichenberg is fantastic. The strokes of hair and precision of the patterned jumper is mind-blowing. 22. Ralph Goings Ralph Goings has been creating photorealistic paintings for decades Ralph Goings is a realist painter who has exhibited in the UK, Europe and Japan, and is represented in museums and private collections across the globe. He is recognised as one of the original members of the hyperrealist or photorealist group of the late 1960s. 23. Jason De Graaf We love the subtle shadows created in this photorealistic painting Jason De Graaf explains his photorealistic strategies: "My paintings are about staging an alternate reality, an illusion of verisimilitude on the painted surface. I try to use objects as a vehicle to express myself, tell a story or least hint at something beyond what is actually painted". 24. Keng Lye Keng Lye specialises in creating 3D animals painted in layers of resin Ok, so Singapore-based artist Keng Lye's work is sculptural rather than 2D, but we couldn't do a round-up of the most incredible photorealistic artists and leave his 3D paintings out. Lye's convincing sculptures are created through an unusual technique of filling bowls, buckets and other vessels with alternating layers of acrylic paint and resin, with parts protruding from the surface to add another level of dimension. Check out his goldfish... Related articles: 26 phenomenally realistic pencil drawings How to render a photorealistic sky 85 brilliant Photoshop tutorials View the full article

If you'd have asked me ten years ago, 'Hey, are there any apps that will let me code websites visually?', I'd have given you that awful stare that only an annoyed web developer can give. 'No,' I would have said. Then I might have shrugged my shoulders, pursed my lips, and pointed to a nearby bookshelf with a five-inch thick web design book dedicated to JavaScript, HTML and CSS. 'Good luck,' and I'd have patted you on the back and been on my way. Two things glare at me as I recount the above: Wow, I hope my people skills have improved My attitude toward visual coding has about-faced, and I couldn't be more excited We've seen smart industries choose to empower creatives rather than belittle or neglect their unique and potentially cataclysmic (for good!) talents. The film and gaming industries have adopted tools that leverage a visual thinker's mental model. I mean, have you seen the latest 3D modelling software packages or video game engines? They are mind-bogglingly good. They give creatives a visual means to solve complex problems without employing a single line of maths. This is a staggering engineering feat. Just peruse Dribbble or Behance for the stunning effects technical ambition has wrought. Also read: 6 ways to get into creative coding The web development industry has yet to enjoy such an epoch. For an industry delicately predicated on the co-operation of design and technical skills, it's a wonder we have not seen design tools bring those disciplines closer. Until now. If you listen closely, the rattling breath of these medieval times is giving way to the sharp inhale of a creative renaissance. The uprising of user experience practitioners, who focus on empathy over analytics, have forced us to contend, design for, and fix problems wholly unrelated to our own. These stewards of empathy have lighted the path to empower a legion of new doers. Bret Victor (worrydream.com) is one such steward. His talk, Inventing On Principle, and essay, A Brief Rant On The Future Of Interaction Design, delve into why technology must solve problems for human needs foremost by providing creators an immediate connection to their work. The uprising of UX practitioners, who focus on empathy over analytics, have forced us to design for problems wholly unrelated to our own Coding does not solicit immediate feedback. It can take seconds, or much more, to verify the result of a single character change. This latency cripples the creative process. Imagine daubing a canvas with a loaded paintbrush… and seconds later the colour appears. How infuriating would that be? Inflicting on humans obvious violations of the physical world is a recurring theme in technology, and I hope to see a big, black curtain fall on it in the near future. Victor gives us simple language through which to address and repair this persistent theme. We have 'problems', such as pushing a sliver of metal into wood, and a need for 'tools' that amplify human capacity, which in this case the hammer is an admirable response. The hammer fits a person's hand, snugly, naturally, as if it were designed for a human. Its feedback is instant: strike, and see an embedded nail. It's a human-first solution, and it keeps the human's innate capabilities top-of-mind. Interaction design can learn a lot from a hammer. Could we lose code in favour of a visual solution? What if we could "code" without coding at all? What if that "code" could display instant hammer-to-nail visual feedback? What if we could solve many of the problems in web design through a user interface mapped to a creative's mental model? How many more people could join the fray and steer us toward a more beautiful and usable web? As Victor has proposed, and the game and film industries have proven: this reality of visual problem solving is all too possible. As an engineering manager at a company whose sole impetus is to empower designers, I haven't been this excited about the challenges that lay ahead, and I haven't had this much pride for the successes my team has already earned. But I'm most excited for the empowered and for all their patrons. Let the renaissance begin. This article was originally published in issue 269 of creative web design magazine Web Designer. Buy issue 269 here or subscribe to Web Designer here. Related articles: 7 essential tools for today's web designer Add a glitch effect to your website 6 amazing 'About' pages to inspire you View the full article

If you're just about to graduate: congratulations! Years of hard work have paid off and now you're a certified graphic designer. You might even get a piece of parchment with your name printed on it if you're lucky. This doesn't mean the hard work's over though – in fact, it's just begun. Taking your first step into the big wide world as a graphic designer can be intimidating. Armed with your qualifications and design portfolio, it's now up to you to start carving out a career. But there are some things design school won't have prepared you for. Scary things like taxes and tricky things such as work ethics. 15 things they didn't teach you at design school To help budding designers on their way, Dann Petty recently took to Twitter to offer three pieces of advice for creatives fresh out of university, and asked his followers to do the same. His followers didn't disappoint. Petty's tweet promptly took off, with hundreds of favourites, retweets and replies tackling all sorts of areas of the design industry. Covering everything from budgets to networking recommendations, the thread quickly became a treasure trove of hard-won design knowledge. We've featured a selection of insightful tweets below to help you on your way to design greatness. They're only a snapshot of the range of responses, so be sure to head over to the thread to read all of the replies. Got some advice that isn't in these tweets? Why not join the conversation and leave your thoughts to help new designers start their career? Related articles: 5 top tips for graduate designers 6 trail-blazing design graduates you should know Meet the best graduates from two corners of the UK View the full article

Looking to bring an olde worlde look to your designs? Old English fonts can help you infuse your creative with a powerful sense of history, mysticism or majesty. These distinctive fonts have a variety of popular uses, ranging from gangsta rap album covers to religious Christmas cards; retro flyer designs, broadsheet newspaper mastheads and hipster beer labels. They’re also a good choice for any design that requires a sense of stately authority and permanence, such as a professional qualification certificate. What is an Old English font? It’s worth noting at the outset that the term ‘Old English’ has a specific meaning within typography and doesn’t actually refer, as you might expect, to the early language of the Anglo-Saxons. In fact, what we call ‘Old English’ script (aka Gothic script, Gothic minuscule or Blackletter) was used not just in England but also in France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, from the 12th to the 17th centuries. 70 best free fonts for designers It’s characterised by heavy and dramatic strokes, demanding both large amounts of ink and instant attention from the reader. In this post we’ve gathered together some of our favourite Old English fonts for your modern-day projects. 01. Monotype Old English Text A modern typeface based on a classic type design Created by Monotype in 1990, Old English Text is based on Caslon Black, a typeface originally cast by William Caslon in 18th century England that combines the design attributes of both the medieval and Victorian eras. 02. Mariage Mariage evokes the medieval era with its elaborate stylings Designed by Morris Fuller Benton (1872-1947) of the American Type Founders in 1901, Mariage is a heavily classicized Old English font. It was based on the elaborate textura letterforms of medieval times, but cleaned up and made more legible for the Victorian audience. 03. Amador Amador is a modern Open Type font with deep historical roots Designed in 2004 by Jim Parkinson as a Type 1 font, Amador was re-released in 2012 as simple Open Type. This Old English font is inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the works of Frederic Goudy and Rudolf Koch. 04. DTL Flamade A Dutch twist on the textura tradition Founded in 1990, The Dutch Type Library is mainly focused on creating new, contemporary typefaces, but it also revives valuable historic typeforms. Created by Matthew Carter and released in 2017, DTL Flamande is based on textura types by the Flemish punchcutter Hendrik van den Keere, in particular the Gros Canon Flamande and the Parangonne Flamande, which both date from 1571. 05. Cloister Black Cloister Black has its roots in the 18th century Created by Bitstream, one of the first independent digital type foundries, which was acquired by Montotype in 2012, Cloister Black is based on the classic font designed by Joseph Warren Phinney and Morris Fuller Benton in 1904, based on 18th century sources. 06. LTC Goudy Text Biblical characters informed the creation of this Old English font This Old English font was designed by Frederic Goudy of the Lanston Type Company and is based on the typeface used on Gutenberg’s original 42-line Bible. More recently, the Lombardic Caps were designed as an accompaniment and are offered paired with the lower case as an alternate option. 07. Engravers Old English BT A revival of Morris Fuller Benton’s turn-of-the-century font, derived from Calson Text Engravers Old English BT is another classic Old English font revived by Bitstream, which was originally designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1906 and cut by American Type Founders. It’s essentially an improved version of the 19th-century font Calson Text. 08. Notre Dame Notre Dame was inspired by liturgical text styles Notre Dame was created in 1993 by Karlgeorg Hoefer, who was inspired by the structure of forms once used mainly for liturgical purposes. Digital techniques were used to incorporate ornaments and borders that bring a feel of late Gothic to the design. 09. P22 Sting This hybrid font combines Old English and Roman styles Now for something a little different.... Sting is a hybrid of lowercase Old English and Roman capitals. Originally drawn by Michael Clark in pen and ink, this design evolved over several years and is now available in font form, for both documentation and decoration. 10. New Old English This hybrid font features thicker hairline strokes than on standard Old English type, and circular instead of rhombic punctuation Finally, a modern take on Old English, if that’s not too much of a contradiction in terms. New Old English was inspired by two Victorian coins: the gothic crown and gothic florin, which featured a gothic script lowercase with quite modern-looking, short ascenders and descenders fitting snugly around the queen’s head or heraldic motif. Related articles: How to design a handwriting font that isn't boring 6 steps to the perfect online reading experience Free online tool shows you what your fonts can do View the full article

It used to be that anyone who wanted to be a writer had to go through a publisher, and let's face it, publishing companies aren't exactly lining up at the doors of amateur authors. But thanks to modern-day technology and the Internet, self-publishing is becoming more and more popular. In fact, many people are reeling in thousands of dollars a year by writing eBooks. With The eBook Self-Publishing Bundle, you'll learn how to become a successful eBook author. The bundle will guide you through how to build an effective author website, how to format a Kindle eBook correctly, and how to use the popular writing program Scrivener. You'll even learn how to boost your productivity as a writer so that you can write more, and earn more. The eBook Self-Publishing Bundle is yours for just $25. Related articles: 22 free ebooks for designers and artists Free ebook on Practical Typography Techniques 5 free ebooks for freelancers View the full article

The user experience is ever-changing. New experiences are emerging all the time, from VR and AR to voice. For more details, take a look at our article on the biggest new trends in UX. These technologies all present new challenges, and as you might expect new tools are appearing that will help take up this challenge. Here you can find six essential tools to help build better UX. 01. A-Frame A-Frame is a web framework for building Virtual Reality (VR) experiences. Originally developed by Mozilla, it is an independent open source project. A-Frame is HTML, making it simple to get started. 02. Funkify Disability Simulator Experience the web from the POV of users with different disabilities Funkify is an extension for Chrome that helps you experience the web and interfaces through the eyes of users with different abilities and disabilities. Funkify is created by a team of usability and accessibility experts in Sweden. 03. BotPreview Design chatbot interactions, code-free Sketch and design your own chatbot interactions using the BotPreview online editor and share them or export as static HTML or MP4/GIF video, without writing a single line of code. 04. Microsoft HoloLens The first self-contained holographic computer Microsoft’s ‘mixed-reality’ product, HoloLens, is the first self-contained, holographic computer, enabling you to engage with your digital content and interact with holograms in the world around you. 05. Bots UI Kit for Sketch Design UI elements with Sketch A simple and fully customisable Sketch UI kit to help you design and showcase your Facebook Messenger Bots. All elements are turned into new branded Sketch symbols, so prototyping has never been easier. 06. UseContrast Check your colours are WCAG compliant A macOS app that provides access to WCAG colour contrast ratios. The entire app UI updates instantly when picking colours, making it easy to get the colour contrast information you need to make informed decisions about the colour of your text. Sign up to Generate today and learn the laws of UX Generate - the conference for web designers Generate London 2018 brings together a host of leading lights from the industry imparting many words of wisdom. Front-end UI developer Sara Soueidan presents her 'Front-End Meets UX: Designing & Creating Universal UI Components' workshop ably accompanied by her talk on 'Using CSS (and SVG) for the Good of UX'. These are two of many talks and workshops not to be missed. Get your ticket today Related articles: Discover Google's UX design secrets 5 top UX tips for graphic designers How to design a bitcoin UX View the full article

A serious vulnerability was patched by developers behind Git that closes the door on a flaw that could lead to arbitrary code execution on a developer's system. View the full article

The botnet operators behind two infamous trojans have banded together to gouge victims in a costly scheme. View the full article

Google has rolled out its newest browser version (Chrome 67.0.3396.62) for Windows, Mac and Linux this week with new security fixes and biometric features. View the full article

Anyone can fall into a skills gap. Sure, it’s an issue often faced by new graduates or older workers facing redundancy – but even if you’ve dedicated a decade to following your design passion, the technology, techniques and thinking driving a field can evolve dramatically (Flash, anyone?). And that’s before we throw in the seismic shift currently being delivered by AI and machine learning. Across the creative industries, changing skill requirements are already creating major pinch points – both in traditional areas, such as art direction, and newer areas like motion capture. In a 2017 report by the Creative Industries Federation, nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were facing skills shortages when employing new people. 12 tips to turbocharge your design career So how can you make sure you’re investing in the right skills to achieve your creative goals? Whether you’ve fallen into a skills gap in your current position, or you’re actively looking to propel yourself to the next level in your chosen area, we can help. Here, leading designers and educators explain how to identify your personal skills gap, where the corresponding opportunities are in the industry, and how to bridge the gap. Read on to find out how to assemble the ultimate toolkit of skills. Know your why A skills gap happens when there’s a difference between the skills required by an employer, project or field generally, and the skills offered by the workforce. Conducting a skills gap analysis enables you to identify what you need to meet your personal goals – and the good news is they’re easy to do. However, before starting you need to “know your why”, points out Benji Holroyd, founder and creative director of SB Studio. “At a time when ‘purpose’ is such a buzzword, finding your purpose early on is invaluable,” he says. At a time when ‘purpose’ is such a buzzword, finding your purpose early on is invaluable Benji Holroyd, SB Studio Ragged Edge co-founder Max Ottignon agrees. He says that it’s important to follow your passion: "We talk a lot about T-shaped people – those with a broad range of knowledge and skills, and an in-depth specialism. The latter needs to be something you’re really passionate about,” he explains. It’s good advice. Passion is what sets you aside from everyone else: it keeps you motivated, makes your work better, and attracts employers and clients. In a rapidly changing industry – where software skills, particularly, can quickly become outdated – following your passion is a savvy way to navigate your creative path, helping you choose which skills to invest in at which time. Do a skills gap analysis Whatever your end goal, once you know what it is, you can plot your course with a skills gap analysis. The first step is to identify the skills needed in the position or project you’re looking at, and list them in a spreadsheet. Aside from reading job adverts and design blogs, the best way to determine what you need is to speak to people who are already doing what you want to do, whether it’s your boss, somebody at another studio, or a designer you follow on social media. There are also hundreds of online design communities you can ask to join – not least the excellent The Designers League Facebook group. The rules are simple: don’t be rude, and don’t harass people when asking for career advice. Join The Designers League Facebook group online community of nearly 12,000 creatives from all over the globe! Once you start listing the skills needed, it can help to categorise them into different sections, such as responsibilities, tasks and knowledge required. It’s wise, too, to consider skills that might be necessary in the future. Step two: next to each skill, create a scale of measurement to show how important each one is (low, moderate, high) and mark the skill level required (a scale of one to five, for instance, could range from inexperienced to expert). The next step is to measure your current skills against this scale, assigning the same numerical rating to your actual skill level. For example, your table might read: Skill: leadership. Importance: high. Skill level required: 5. Current level: 3. Be honest. What are you good at, and what are you not so good at? The final step is to analyse the data. Using the numerical rating system, you can quickly see where your skills gaps are – and because you know which requirements are most important, you know where to start your development. There’s another way, too. “Take time to reflect on your portfolio and ask others to give you constructive feedback on your work,” advises Robyn Dooley. She’s the founder of OH, an alternative education company designed to connect creative talent with industry, and bridge the gap between education and employment. “Don’t let the feedback dictate your entire approach to design, but do let it support you in your endeavour to improve your skills,” she continues. What's needed in 2018 When it comes to deciding which skills to focus on first, it helps to know which skills are most needed – and least in demand – in the industry. At Ragged Edge, two of the most in-demand additional skills for designers are motion design and 3D. This isn’t new: we’ve been talking about these skills for a decade – and yet today they’re more valuable than ever for designers. “Brands designed for screens need to be built with motion in mind. So designers who can bring some movement into their work are worth their weight in gold,” Ottignon explains. “The most obvious example would be bringing a logo to life with an animation. Even the simplest movement gives it so much more impact when you present it.” A designer who has good conceptual skills, alongside the ability to bring these to life in 3D, will have a real point of difference Max Ottignon, Ragged Edge He says that After Effects tends to be the starting point here. “A number of designers at Ragged Edge have added this to their armoury,” he adds, “and it’s really helped them sell their ideas.” The ability to apply your work across 3D objects or spaces is also invaluable – and Ottignon has great advice here. “In the rush to go digital, the physical world sometimes gets neglected. A designer who has good conceptual skills, alongside the ability to bring these to life in 3D, will have a real point of difference.” Take Ragged Edge’s brand guidelines for Grey Goose vodka. “We incorporated a whole section on in-store activation,” he says. “That meant lots of 3D renders of retail environments and displays, all brought to life in Cinema 3D.” Ragged Edge’s work for Grey Goose incorporated a whole section on in-store activation, meaning lots of 3D renders “Increasingly, I find that the projects I get involved in require coding skills,” says graphic designer, author and RCA visiting lecturer Adrian Shaughnessy. “I’m a Neanderthal when it comes to code, so I rely on people with coding skills. I’m never happy bluffing or faking it. If you haven’t got the skills, it shows.” “The demand for UX designers has gone up,” agrees Dooley. “If you’re looking to further develop your design skills, I’d suggest getting your head around the concept of it and the language of UX,” she continues. Designers who have dabbled with HTML and CSS are also in demand, she adds. “You certainly don’t have to become an expert, but understanding what’s under the bonnet of front-end development will support your designs.” However, Dooley says the real skills gap in the creative industry is soft skills. “The ask from designers now appears to be less focused on the technical skills of design, and more so on communication and ways of thinking. It sounds like a cliche, but it’s essential, and will be more so over the coming years.” She continues: “Having the ability to communicate ideas confidently – and in a way that’s digestible for everyone in your team to understand and visualise – is a sought-after quality. There’s a skill within being able to articulate the creative process behind your ideas, the ‘why’ behind designs and how you got from A to B. We’re also increasingly speaking to studios who are asking for designers that have a background or interest in psychology,” she says. What to avoid Are there any skills to avoid learning? The top-level consensus is no. “Anything you can bring that’s a bit out of the ordinary is worth having,” says Ottignon. “You never know how you might be able to apply it with a bit of creative thinking.” That said, software and new trends can quickly become obsolete. At Shillington, the curriculum is constantly updated to ensure courses don’t teach outdated software, skills or trends. “In the past five years, we’ve scrapped a lot of print projects to concentrate on design thinking, UX and UI, as a plan to create designers that are better prepared to work in collaborative teams and have the problem-solving skills to adapt in a fast-changing environment,” says Anthony Wood, Shillington’s managing director. “Being aware of digital trends and having a confident grasp of UI design will inevitably become increasingly important, as will competency of AR and VR,” he continues. “But it’s important to remember that a designer’s strongest and most important skill is research – both for the client and user – with a creative problem-solving ability to back it up.” Bridge your skills gap So what’s the best way to acquire the skills you’ve identified? Online learning platforms like Skillshare, Udemy and Lynda are packed with short, affordable courses on everything from creative to business skills. Brooke Young, digital marketing manager at Skillshare, says it’s less about learning one specific skill to make you a better designer, and more about continually improving your skills. “That’s why we give our members unlimited access to classes for a low monthly or annual price,” she explains. “It makes it easier and more affordable to take many classes over time.” Don’t feel that you have to commit to completing a class in one sitting. “Watching 10 minutes of a class every day is a lot less intimidating and makes it easier to complete,” Young points out. With Skillshare’s mobile app, you can also download classes to your device and watch them offline – meaning you can learn from anywhere. Being able to learn wherever you are doesn’t mean that learning shouldn’t be structured. Time perimeters are paramount, says Wood. While there’s a time and place for unstructured “play”, he says that if you want to truly master a new skill, treat it like a college assignment or client project. “Set strict timelines, identify a deadline and create incentives to stay on track,” he advises. “Accountability is also key,” says Wood. “Create your own classroom. Don’t be afraid to connect with fellow designers – whether that’s in person or online – who want to upskill too. This is why we have special graduate partnerships with RookieUp, an on- demand mentorship platform, and Briefbox, a library of practice briefs and helpful resources, to keep challenging our students, even after graduation.” Online learning platforms like Udemy are packed with short, affordable courses on everything from creative to business skills Also, don’t be afraid to learn on the job – it’s probably how you acquired many of the skills you already have. “If there’s a brief that requires a skill you don’t have, can you take it on and learn at the same time? It will probably mean a few late nights and early mornings,” says Ottignon, “but it will be worth it.” I’ve always found the best, easiest way to learn a new skill is to invent a project for yourself Bonnie Siegler, Eight And if you can’t learn on the job? Invent a project incorporating whatever it is you need to learn. “I’ve always found the best, easiest way to learn a new skill is to invent a project for yourself,” reflects Bonnie Siegler, founder of design studio Eight and a Half. “Then you have to solve all the problems that appear before you. For retention purposes, nothing beats figuring it out yourself.” For Shaughnessy, learning from your peers is the most effective way to up-skill. His experience, both in working life and education, is that designers learn best from each other. “I don’t know many designers who use software manuals – instead they immerse themselves in the subject and then look for someone to help them,” he says. “Online tutorials can be helpful. But ultimately, peer learning is the best way forward.” He encourages students to learn new skills as well as enhance existing ones. “But my emphasis is always on learning how to learn,” he explains. “Many skills will be redundant by the time students have perfected them. Acquiring skills is a lifetime exercise – so you’d better know how to be a constant learner.” Lead image: Tishk Barzanji This article originally appeared in Computer Arts issue 277; subscribe here. Read more: 6 sure-fire ways to build your creative network How to excel at everything Let's talk about money View the full article

In the world of branding, some companies' are so strong they don't even need a logo, while others need, let's say, a little imaginative thinking. But why should all the cool branding work go to the coffee shops, clothing lines and craft beer companies? Who says the lawyer can't have the best business cards? And what's wrong with referencing a rebel Dutch designer when rebranding a company that cuts metal? We spoke to studios around the world to find out how they created cool branding schemes for industries that don't naturally set people's pulses a-racing: from cement and flooring to a mortgages and an organisation specialising in perioperative medicine (nope, we didn't know what that was either). 01. EJET: Cutting specialist EJET's elegant branding was inspired by rebel Dutch designer Jurriaan Schrofer EJET is a company that "specialises in cutting". It cuts metal. It cuts plastic. You live in Greece? You want something cut? Go to EJET. But how do you create a brand for a cutting specialist that isn't obvious or, well, dull? Luminous Design Group managed it by drawing inspiration from rebel Dutch designer Jurriaan Schrofer. This interlocking pattern is used throughout EJET's identity system Themistocles Tsiamis is art director at the Luminous Design Group Athens studio: "The symbol we designed, encapsulates in its aesthetic the company's main activities – industrial design and cutting process of metallic surfaces. Taking cues from the company's specialty, decorative design, we created an interlocking pattern that was used throughout the identity system. Additionally, we applied some printing techniques that added to the overall feeling of metallic texture." 02. Rezult: MDF flooring Rezult’s print collateral makes sharp use of the brand colours When Ukraine-based MDF flooring manufacturer Rezult needed a new identity, it turned to Kiev-based agency Fedoriv. Challenged to help the plant shift from Russian to European and Asian markets, Fedoriv focused on elevating the quality of the product in the new branding. The new tagline is short and witty “Our research made it clear that some people treat renovation very seriously, regardless of what part of the world they live in,” explain the team. “These people do a thorough remodelling job, applying effort to extend the lifetime of their house. They aren’t against paying more, as they believe that cheap cannot be good.” Fedoriv intended the company’s new name, Rezult, to have a Germanic twang of efficiency, a theme emphasised by the red-and-black colour scheme. A witty tagline – ‘Stand On Quality’ – completes the package. 03. Osteo Poly Clinc: Medical massage This osteopathy branding cleverly uses a circle to represent a human being in perfect condition This outstanding piece of design looks like a Vaughan Oliver 4AD album cover. It's actually for a clinic specialising in osteopathy (the manipulation and massage of bones, joints, muscles), a meticulous project in which everything means something. When the elements get back to the perfect circle, it means recovery "It was important to explain what is osteopathy and how it works," say Victoria Ermolaeva, from branding specialist Ermolaev Bureau. "Doctors use their five fingers to treat people – five main points in the name of the company form the perfect circle. The circle is a symbol of a human being in perfect condition. A broken circle shows that there are some problems with health, its compositions stand for different problems with human body. The most distorted circles define the worst diseases. When the elements get back to the perfect circle, it means recovery." 04. Habito: Mortgages This mortgage company wants to appeal to the mainstream While the big banks are becoming increasingly savvy to the power of good design, it takes real skill to make the prospect of borrowing vast sums of money to buy a house look carefree and cool. Driven by an ambition to become a household name in mortgages, new service Habito asked London-based agency MultiAdaptor to create a brand that would appeal to a mainstream audience and take the company to the next level. This branding gives mortgages a carefree face With consumer trust in financial services at an all-time low, Habito needed a fresh, authentic, empathetic brand to cut through and connect with people. “We created a distinctive anti-gravity graphic language and calming visual world for Habito,” explains MultiAdaptor co-founder Andy West. “Seemingly heavy forms are lifted up to give them an unexpected floating feeling, reflecting the big idea at the heart of the brand: lift away your mortgage worries.” 05. Telma Gonçalves: Law This branding for lawyer Telma Gonçalves is a far, refreshing cry from the usual gavels and scales Law is another industry not known for its love of aesthetics. Humana Studio took on the challenge to brand Telma Gonçalves, "a young, open-minded lawyer". The Lisbon studio wanted its work to differ from typical lawyer identities. It had to find a way to represent justice and balance without relying on traditional symbols likes gavels and scales. Two horizontal lines form the symbol representing justice and impartiality Ana Abreu is an illustrator and creative director. "Our solution," she says, "was to make every element balanced, by being horizontally aligned. This way it represents justice and impartiality. The two horizontal lines form the symbol, a minimal reference to the balance." 06. Mark Spencer: Forensic botany The tagline captures the magic and mystery of the profession Mark Spencer is a forensic botanist: he consults with police departments and forensic services on cases where plant-based evidence can unlock crimes. OK, so that's quite cool when you know what it is – but conveying that in a branding scheme is not so simple. The skeletonised leaf mimics an eye Fieldwork Facility was asked to create an identity for Spencer that was intelligent, simple and memorably executed. The logo – a skeletonised leaf that resembles an eye – represents Spencer’s observational skills and vast botanical knowledge. The tagline ‘Plants Hold Secrets’ tells the story of his forensic work, while ‘Plants Tell Stories’ is used for his public-facing work, such as TV. “We created imagery for these two worlds by commissioning Robin Friend, a British landscape photographer, to join us on a simulation of a forensics investigation with Mark,” explains Fieldwork Facility creative director Robin Howie. 07. Dansk Erhverv: Chamber of Commerce Two words: modern and innovative Dansk Erhverv is the Danish chamber of commerce network for the service industry in Denmark. Charlie Tango took on the job of rebranding the organisation because "their visual identity no longer suited the work they perform or the perception they had of themselves." The Copenhagen studio held workshops with employees to find out more about their culture and values. They came up with eight words. Charlie Tango picked two of those words to guide the design process: modern and innovative. From those two words they ended up with a "sharp, professional and Nordic minimalist design." Clear blue and deep orange provides a clean and easy-to-understand hierarchy Managing director Andreas B. Iversen says: "We started to make the logo sharper, so today it appears more significant, modern and robust. In addition, we defined new brand colours: the clear blue and deep orange provides a clean and easy-to-understand hierarchy in both printed matter and digital elements. We also defined a new, tighter image style that appears more professional and reflects the Nordic countries and Nordic values. Finally, we introduced a 5th element in the form of a dotted grid that creates recognition across the Dansk Erhverv." 08. LafargeHolcim: Cement Branding for Swiss-based construction materials and solutions company LafargeHolcim follows a Russian constructivism vibe LafargeHolcim is Swiss-based construction materials and solutions company. So how did it end up with a Russian constructivism vibe on the packaging for its cement? The redesign of LafargeHolcim was undertaken by Moscow-based studio Ohmybrand Nadie Parshina is creative director at Ohmybrand, the Moscow-based studio challenged with the rebrand in Russia, where the company was competing with similar packaging and even fakes. "The biggest challenge when working with international companies," Parshina says, "is they don't understand often the specifics of local markets – in particular, the Russian market. But the Russian office of LafargeHolcim gave us serious support, and we managed to comply with corporate standards and solve important the tasks: visibility and recognisability of the brand." 09. Securrent: Internet security Seçkin Uysal Studio Recode held workshops to find Securrent's 'brand essence' Securrent is a Turkish IT security provider. Seçkin Uysal is founder and managing director of Studio Recode in Istanbul. Uysal says companies wanting a rebrand generally prefer something conservative, something pretty close to what they already have. With Securrent, he held workshops to find out what was the "brand essence." The finding from these workshops helped him sell the final rebrand. The biggest challenge was creating symbols and metaphors for the brand "The brand identity," Uysal says, "which comes after brand essence, was almost easy. However, there was the challenge of creating symbols and metaphors for the brand. Our solution was presenting a base moodboard based on the workshop we had and then could go on with ease." 10. UK Scouts The biggest challenge for the NotOnSunday team was creating something that had to be used by 7,000 different Scout groups The Scouts may have undergone a modern revamp in recent years, but here in the UK the organisation traditionally isn't the coolest. But London agency NotOnSunday approached the rebranding job the same way it would any brand. It picked out the organisation's key strengths, its sense of belonging, its focus of skills for life, and built up the project from there. The NotOnSunday team picked out the organisation's key strengths and built up the project from there "The biggest challenge," co-founder Trev Townsend says, "was creating something that had to be used by 7,000 different Scout groups throughout the UK. We didn’t want to overcomplicate the layouts. The creative fun will flow out over the next couple of years. We had to create something that could be used by all, including non-designers." 11. TRIPOM: Perioperative medicine After exploring numerous styles, a triangular-rotational form was selected for Tripom's branding Perioperative medicine is the "medical care of patients from the time of contemplation of surgery through the operative period to full recovery." Not an easy job when it comes branding. Mark Richardson – aka Superfried – took on a "challenging project, requiring design discipline" for an organisation called TRIPOM (Trainees with an Interest in PeriOperative Medicine). Richardson wanted his work to stand apart from medical design cliches. Check out the organisations website – before and after – to see to his outstanding work in action. The new brand identity is fun, vibrant and connects with TRIPOM's target student demographic "They required a new brand identity," Richardson says, "and the development of a complex web-based platform that was fun and vibrant to connect with their target student demographic. Numerous arrangements and styles were explored, but a triangular-rotational form was selected – having an apt chemical-medical diagrammatic feel. For the logotype bespoke uppercase lettering was developed with the subtle addition of dots to convey it's acronym nature." Read more: 21 outstanding uses of colour in branding What's your brand archetype? Logo design tips from the pros View the full article

Automotive brands are some of the most established, powerful and recognisable in the world. Emblazoned on the front (and back) of one of the most expensive single purchases we make, the best car logos become badges of pride, as well as signifying quality of design and engineering. Many are over a century old now, but like all the best logos have stood the test of time and won a place in the logo design hall of fame. Read on to discover the fascinating and unusual stories behind seven of the best car logos of all time... 01. Mercedes-Benz The three-pointed star shows dominance of sea, air and land Mercedes-Benz's three-pointed star is now a powerful statement of efficient German engineering and premium quality, but its roots are rather more charming. In 1872, Gottlieb Daimler, technical director of petrol engine manufacturer Deutz, drew a star above his house on a postcard of Cologne and sent it to his wife, vowing that one day the symbol would adorn his own factory. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft trademarked that three-pointed star as its logo in 1909. Following a merger in 1926, the company was renamed Mercedes-Benz and acquired the Benz laurel wreath, which became a simple ring in 1933. Mercedes-Benz doesn't just make cars, of course – and the three points are said to represent motorised dominance of the sea, air and land. 02. Ferrari The prancing horse was first seen on a WW1 fighter plane Enzo Ferrari first saw the prancing horse that would later adorn his eponymous sports cars on the side of a First World War fighter plane, flown by ace Italian pilot Count Francesco Baracca. Baracca's parents urged Ferrari to use the symbol as his logo, to bring him luck, as they believed it had for their son. He did, when founding the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929 – adding canary yellow to honour his home city of Modena. If luck translates into profitability, it certainly paid off – nowadays, Ferrari-branded merchandise brings in almost as much cash as the cars do. Count Baracca, however, was not so fortunate as he was later killed in action. As a mark of respect, Ferrari made the horse black – rather than red, as it was on the plane – to mourn the ace pilot that inspired the iconic logo. 03. Cadillac Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac's crest was actually made up In 1902, the Cadillac Automobile Company chose the crest of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who founded the city of Detroit in 1701, as its logo. However, the plot thickens: 'Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac' was not in fact his real name. He took it at the age of 24 when he enlisted in the military, to give the illusion that he hailed from high society. On his arrival in the New World, no one could check his true origins, and Cadillac assembled a coat of arms from various sources. The three coloured bands represent boldness, virtue and valour. The crest also incorporated a crown, a wreath, and a several Merganser ducks – a rather humbler creature than the prancing stallion above, or the pouncing big cat below. Re-workings of the Cadillac logo in 1999, 2002 and 2014 lost the ducks and the crown in favour of a sleeker, more modern metallic shield. 04. Jaguar Jaguar's distinctive hood ornaments are no longer permitted Symbolising speed, strength and power, the leaping jaguar is a hugely distinctive and highly energetic addition to our list of iconic car logos. It is usually depicted in simple yet refined colours such as black, metallic grey and gold – intended to represent elegance, integrity and high-performance, as well as class and sophistication. Until fairly recently, a highly distinctive jaguar ornament could be seen leaping from the hood/bonnet of classic Jaguar cars, but pedestrian safety regulations mean they are no longer permitted. 05. Volvo Volvo's symbol represents war, iron, and masculinity Swedish car manufacturer Volvo can boast another fascinating tale behind its logo, and it's one steeped in mythology and ancient symbolism. Its distinctive logo is the symbol of the Roman god Mars, long associated with war and weaponry – but also the alchemist symbol for iron, and masculinity. Volvo needed a badge that lived up to its reputation for safe, sturdy and reliable vehicles, and adopted the circle with upward-pointing arrow in the 1920s. The name 'Volvo' itself means 'I roll' in Latin, although the association with wheeled vehicles is fortuitous. It refers to the company's original output: ball bearings. 06. Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo's serpent isn't eating a man - he's being reborn Even a quick glance at the Alfa Romeo logo implies there's a decent story behind it, and you wouldn't be wrong. While the red cross on the left-hand-side is the symbol of Milan, home of the Italian car maker, on the right it appears to have chosen a man-eating snake. Otone Visconti, a knight from the former ruling family of Milan who fought in the First Crusades, is said to have taken the symbol of a serpent devouring a man from the shield of a Saracen he defeated in battle. Alfa Romeo, however, claims that the man is in fact emerging from the snake, purified and renewed, and the scene is a symbol of rebirth. 07. Chevrolet Not even the founder's family agrees on Chevy's logo origins Sometimes the heritage behind a highly recognisable logo can be a little cloudy, as is the case with the 'bowtie' marque adopted by American car-maker Chevrolet. There are, in fact, three different versions of its origin story, from three different members of the family of its founder, William C. Durant. Durant himself claims the design was inspired by wallpaper in a French hotel, and this version was upheld in Chevrolet's 50th anniversary publication. According to his wife Catherine, a 1911 advertisement for 'Coalettes' fuel in a 1911 newspaper was actually the source of inspiration. Their daughter Margery disagreed, and argued that Durant simply sketched a nameplate design "in between the soup and the fried chicken" one evening. Chevrolet itself now acknowledges the uncertainty, with its 100th anniversary publication stating the logo's true origin is unknown. Read more: 5 unusual uses of colour in logo design Big-brand logos that pass the silhouette test Iconic American logos that changed branding forever View the full article

Like most technical skills, video editing is something that seems really difficult if you've never learned how to do it. But it's an important skill to have these days, with more and more industries going digital and becoming video-based. For $21, master one of the most widely used video-editing platforms in the world with Adobe Premiere Pro CC Masterclass: Video Editing Made Easy. This comprehensive course will teach you everything from the very basics – starting a project, adding video transitions, incorporating titles – to more advanced techniques, such as colour-correcting, adding visual effects, and editing chroma key footage. Whether you want to become a video-journalist, a social media expert, or even a Hollywood film editor, you can learn the video-editing skills you'll need with Adobe Premiere Pro CC Masterclass: Video Editing Made Easy. Related articles: The best video editing software 2018 The best computers for video editing 2018 6 best laptops for video editing 2018 View the full article

Rachel Inman backs inclusivity in her team at Google This interview took place in 2016. Rachel Inman doesn't like exclusivity, which directly ties into her role as at Google where she works on perfecting the user experience. Describing herself as a "bit of a nerd" growing up, it reminds her of when one group of kids felt entitled to exclude others. In a business environment, people can often unconsciously create an 'us versus them' mentality too. "The 'them' could be the clients, the project managers, your engineering team – anyone you perceive just doesn't get what you're trying to create," she says. "You feel like they are against you or threaten your power. This is dangerous because it can lead to secrecy and defensiveness. Communication breaks down. Egos flare." A design solution from an engineer is just as valid and celebrated as an engineering idea from a designer Thankfully in her role as UX designer at Google, Inman is able to ensure everyone on her team has a say. "It's baked into our process," she enthuses. "Engineers, PMs and designers are writing user stories together, disseminating research, and forming a shared understanding of the 'why'." Not only does this make for a more effective workflow, it also has a positive effect on job satisfaction. "Morale is high because there are no more walls. A design solution from an engineer is just as valid and celebrated as an engineering idea from a designer." Bigger picture Inman didn't get to Google with a traditional Computer Sciences degree: she received a BFA in Industrial Design from the Carnegie Mellon School of Design, and also dabbled in architecture and urban design during her time there. "I think I was giving my academic advisor a headache," she remembers. "Every semester, I was maxing out on the units I could take." Prior to university, she'd attended an art school and concentrated on sculpture of "the type you can't really give your mom for her birthday because it's too unwieldy to put on a shelf." She had planned to continue experimenting with these large sculptures, but found herself questioning her path. "I started thinking more about what I wanted to put out into the world as a creator. Were my creations making life better for others? I wanted to find a more direct way than sculpture to do good in the world." Rachel was part of the Google Earth Outreach team The choice led her to CMU. Taking part in industrial design classes there was to, as Inman puts it, "fulfil a desire to affect the entirety of a person's experience." For one project, she spent an entire summer conducting research around Pittsburgh, sitting in public spaces for hours and taking notes on people's activity. Inman credits the diverse curriculum and opportunities at CMU with helping her see the bigger picture – something that has come in handy at Google. Small but mighty Since joining Google, Inman has worked on a wide range of teams and projects. She is currently engaged in building business applications for Google employees to use. Last year, as part of the Google Earth Outreach team, she worked on the launch of Global Fishing Watch – an initiative to monitor fishing activity. "One of my most exciting days was coming to the UN headquarters to watch my programme manager present a demo to an assembly of island nation representatives," she enthuses. "It was so inspiring to see them get on board with the idea that this tool could really empower their local leaders and environmental activists." Our project team is small but mighty, which I find really exhilarating Inman also led the team that redesigned the public-facing site introducing Google Earth Engine. Earth Engine is a resource exploring changes in the Earth's surface; users can sign up to gain access to a wealth of geophysical, climate, weather and demographic datasets. A key aspect of the redesign was to make the site responsive, enabling users to learn about this tool anywhere. One challenge was to establish what users from different academic disciplines needed to see in order to use the platform in their projects. "Finding out what users wanted wasn't hard; it was narrowing that down to the essentials that was tough, " Inman explains. "Our project team is small but mighty, which I find really exhilarating." Working at Google has also enabled Inman to learn a different side of UX. Prior to joining the company, she spent three years as a senior experience designer at R/GA, which she describes as "a wonderful training ground" for her design career. However, predominantly working on commercial sites aimed at helping people buy things meant she soon found herself questioning her path again. "My desire to feel useful took over and I gravitated towards Google because the products they create provide such great utility to people around the world. They don't rely on flashy interactions – they aim to be intuitive, simple, and occasionally smile-provoking." Personal goals Recently, there's been discussion within the industry that some basic aspects of design have become lost under the weight of 'unnecessary' embellishments. Whilst some could argue that designers are failing to focus on their user, Inman says that the basic aspects of design are relative to the individual designer. However, she does concede that at one point or another, all designers will lose their focus on the user. "We have the best intentions, but other constraints push us in a different direction," she offers. "It's unfortunate, but it happens. Though, if you notice it happening a lot in your workplace, you might want to speak up or head for the door." Usefulness is a key requisite of Rachel's work She also emphasises that each designer's priorities depend on their personal goals. "Maybe you want to design a game for users to play that will likely distract them from what they really need to do, but does bring them temporary joy. That's valid." Inman, however, is not interested in creating games. "My definition of necessary is very rooted in a desire to create useful things that help people do good in the world." The key questions she asks are: Does this solution help people accomplish a core goal? Does it engage the user as little as possible, while still giving them maximum value? And finally, can this solution spark exponential good? How, why and who Taking all this into account when tackling a new project – at such a large company – is undoubtedly a daunting prospect. Inman begins by investigating the project's background, stakeholders, and the user problems they're trying to address. This usually means digging through a load of documents about previous projects, reviewing research findings, and sometimes learning about a new subject altogether. "Being transparent about research, insights from users, and my own intentions is an incredibly important part of starting a project," she urges. "Everyone should try to come to a shared understanding around why we're doing this project and who we're doing it for, before we can move on to the 'how'. You can always go back to the 'why' and the 'who' you defined in the beginning, to remind your team of the original mission course." Everyone should try to come to a shared understanding around 'why' and 'who', before we can move on to the 'how' Inman also makes diagrams for herself, in order to better understand the problems she's solving. While it's not something she was formally taught, she thinks a lot of designers find this approach helpful, purely because they're visual thinkers. "I used to do this sort of thing as a kid in science class so I could remember how to complete experiments," she laughs. "The teacher would demonstrate and I'd quickly sketch what she was doing so I could replicate it later." Despite busying herself with an array of projects at Google, Inman makes time to work as an expert in residence for the General Assembly's New York campus, teaching 'Introduction to UX Design'. She covers a wide range of topics during the 12-week course, but it's a taste for experimentation that she wants her students to gain from the programme. "In many cases, they come in with no design experience, and leave with a foundation they can build on," she begins. "If my students walk away with any message, I hope it's that they don't need permission to create and experiment. Aside from understanding their users, I really want them to feel free to keep making, testing, failing and continuing. That's the only way they'll get better!" A vision of the future While she's busy inspiring others, Inman finds her own inspiration in artists, designers and other thought leaders. Current influences include illustrator and writer Maira Kalman, sculptor Henry Moore and World History of Design author Victor Margolin. One quote from Margolin has had a particular impact: "Designers occupy a dialectical space between the world that is and the world that could be ... To plan effectively in the present requires a vision of what the future could and should be like." "This quote resonated with me during a slump," says Inman. "I had been working very hard on several projects and they were all technically going well, but I'd lost the fire inside me." Rachel hopes her work will make the world a slightly better place Around that time, a white paper from CMU arrived in the post. In the margins, the author had included quotes from designers and design thinkers like Margolin. Inman took photos of the quotes, and kept looking at them throughout the week. "This quote reminded me of the reason I got into this crazy world of design – to try and make the world just a tiny bit better than how I found it," she recalls. "That might seem like a naively optimistic goal, but I still believe it to a certain extent." This article was originally published in net magazine. Subscribe now. Related articles: Why design is key to Airbnb's incredible success Designing for the web's most vocal users What are the main barriers to good UX today? View the full article

Welcome to our list of the best cheap 4K monitor deals in 2018. Happily, these days upgrading to a 4K monitor doesn't have to mean spending obscene amounts of money. Here you'll find a carefully curated selection of brilliant ultra HD monitors that won't break the bank. Many of the screens below are aimed at gamers, which means they're also perfect for video editors, photo editors, designers and digital artists – in fact, anyone who wants to see accurate colours on their screens. That's because using a monitor with 4K resolution (also known as UHD, as it's a bit less than 4K, with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160) enables you to view your work in all its glory. And if you choose a 4K monitor with HDR (High Dynamic Range), your colours will look even more vibrant and realistic – however bear in mind that 4K screens with HDR support can be more expensive. Before investing in a cheap 4K monitor deal, there are a few things you should keep in mind. You'll need decent hardware to power the monitor, so you'll need a relatively recent discrete graphics card. Try the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti or 1070 Ti, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 or AMD’s Radeon Pro SSG Graphics card. Also, watch out for refresh rates. Some budget 4K monitors cut corners and may only offer 30Hz refresh rates. While that's okay for working, it might cause your monitor to feel a little sluggish when displaying animations. You'll want to get a 60Hz panel if possible. Some budget 4K monitors also have narrower colour gamuts, which will lead to colours not looking their best. The best monitor calibrators for designers You won't find these issues in the brilliant budget 4K monitors we've got here, though. Read on for our pick of the best cheap 4K monitors – and 4K monitor deals – and find the perfect UHD screen for your needs and budget. The best cheap 4K monitors and deals Balancing budget and performance, the Iiyama ProLite B2888UHSU is our pick of the best cheap 4K monitor overall. While many 4K monitors are expensive, the Iiyama ProLite B2888UHSU does an excellent job of providing brilliant 4K performance for video and photo editors at a competitive price point. It comes with a TN panel, which isn't too hot at viewing angles – but you'll be fine when sitting directly in front of it. And it has a large number of video inputs as well. This is a fantastic cheap 4K monitor, and you'll find the best deals available above. If you've got a little more money to play with, Acer’s S277HK is our top choice for the best mid-range 4K monitor out there. It isn't as cheap as our best budget pick, above, but it's still affordable compared to many 4K monitors, and it offers heaps of value. With a 1,000,000,000:1 contrast ratio, a colour gamut of 1.07 billion and a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, the Acer S277HK excels at image quality. And while the minimalist design might not have a lot to shout about, some will appreciate its pared-down looks. The best cheap 4K monitors for photo editing The LG 27UD88-W represents an excellent cheap 4K monitor deal, thanks to its (relatively) low price. It's a winner for photo editors in particular, as it comes with a wide selection of display modes, including sRGB, although there's no dedicated RGB preset. However, colour accuracy is excellent, and it comes with plenty of ports and a stylish silver design. This is a fantastic 4K monitor for creatives on a budget. Sure, the NEC MultiSync EA275UHD's design is a little boring. But it's what's on the screen that matters, and this is an excellent 4K monitor for photo editing. Colour reproduction is very good, and it has its own photo-viewing mode. The screen does need a bit of calibration out of the box to fully realise its potential, but if you don't mind fiddling with the settings, you'll get an excellent 4K monitor for your money. The best cheap 4K monitors for video editing Okay, so the BenQ PD3200U isn't exactly cheap, but its screen size and resolution make it a savvy choice for video editors, 3D designers and creators generally. It boasts a generous 32 inches of screen real estate, so you can fully appreciate the 4K resolution of your video footage. Meanwhile, 3D designers will be grateful for the inclusion of a CAD/CAM mode, and everyone else will appreciate the factory-calibrated colour accuracy and Rec. 709 adherence. If you have a little more money to spend, the ViewSonic VP3268-4K is a top-class mid-range 4K monitor that makes for another ideal choice for video editors, thanks to its large screen size and impressive contrast ratio. It also includes a HDR mode, which many video editors will feel is an essential feature for a monitor, allowing you to edit your HDR footage. It's not the best when it comes to Adobe RGB coverage, but for the price you're getting an excellent 4K monitor, and there are some great deals out there to get the screen even cheaper. The best cheap 4K monitors for graphic design The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQ is a cheap 4K monitor that's mainly aimed at gamers, but here's the thing: it's also an excellent screen for graphic design. As well as giving you accurate colours and a good contrast ratio, it's got some great pre-set modes to help make your work look as good as can be. And while it's expensive for a gaming monitor, it's a very reasonable price if you're a professional graphic designer looking for a 4K screen. (And if you fancy playing a few games on it as well, then even better.) As the name suggests, the ProArt PA329Q is Asus' cheap 4K monitor aimed at digital creatives. This means it comes with high colour accuracy, with almost 100% Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 colour spectrum support as well – making it an excellent choice for creatives. It also comes with plenty of input ports, the screen size is nice and large, and with a 60Hz refresh rate, it feels fast and responsive as well. This is an excellent mid-range 4K monitor. The best cheap 4K monitors for digital artists The Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q wasn't a cheap 4K monitor when it was first released, but now that it's been out for a few years, there are some excellent deals to be had with this screen – making it our pick of the best affordable 4K monitor for digital artists. You want the colours displayed on your monitor to be as accurate as possible, and, for the price, the Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q's colour accuracy is excellent. Dell is well known for making very good monitors, and its reputation is ensured with this brilliant cheap(ish) 4K screen. It doesn't have some of the features that some newer monitors have, such as HDR, but it's still a top choice if you're looking for a bargain. Related articles: Empty list View the full article

Every web designer needs the right collection of tools in their creative arsenal to help create the site they want. Everyone has their favourites, but there are always new tools appearing that have something to offer. Here you can find a selection of tools to help you create the perfect colour palette, add drag and drop functionality, quickly create a static site, create a logo in double-quick time and check for broken links and duplicate titles. 01. Duotone Create duotones quickly Need to create complementary duotones in double-quick time? Then this tool is the ideal option for the job. All you need to do is upload an image, choose two colours (or pick from the preset options) and download the finished result. Simple. 02. CSS Gradient Find the code for the perfect CSS gradient Need the code for the perfect CSS gradient? Check out this tool for the answer. There is the option to specify the size, colour, type and angle. Once you've picked the gradient you want, all you need to do is copy the generated code into your stylesheet. 03. GatsbyJS Gatsby lets you build static sites fast Gatsby is a super-fast static site generator for React. So what does it have to offer? A static PWA (Progressive Web App) generator, it builds sites fast using the power of the latest web technologies – React, webpack, modern JavaScript and CSS, and more. And it enables you to pull in data from a host of sources using GraphQL. 04. Pigment Create complementary colour palettes This tool allows you to explore colour combinations via the use of pigment and lighting. By default, a grid of colour combos are displayed with the option to tweak and view side-by-side fullscreen. Once the colour options are complete, copy the HEX codes into your stylesheets. 05. Logomaster Create a logo quickly Need a logo fast? Then this neat tool is a quick option for getting a business card built in minutes. Of course, ideally you'd get a professional to do the job – but if you're in a major hurry, this might just do the trick. Kick off by adding your company name and hitting the Try Me button. Then it’s a quick step process of selecting a category, logo style, colour, slogan and fine-tuning to get the final result. When finished save for further editing or buy to keep. 06. Dragon Drop Create accessible drag-and-drop lists Dragon Drop (there is a clue in the name) is a drag-and-drop list reorder plugin. It offers straightforward reordering of list items plus a few more complex options. Reorder your schedules and quickly reorder nested lists. 07. Checkbot This extension checks your site's functionality Checkbot is a browser extension that checks for broken links, duplicate titles, redirect chains, invalid HTML/JS/CSS and more. Plus, it can boost your SEO. Sign up for Generate to discover the best tools Tools, best practices and accessibility are just a few of the essential elements needed to create the perfect web site or experience. Sara Soueidan, an award-winning freelance frontend UI developer and author from Lebanon, knows how to put them all to good use. At Generate London 2018 she will talking about how to use CSS (and SVG) for the good of UX. Plus, she will be running a workshop entitled 'Front-End Meets UX: Designing & Creating Universal UI Components'. Get more details on both and get your ticket today. Related articles: 10 top prototyping tools 7 tools to create a site that works for everyone The best graphic design tools for April 2018 View the full article

Two Canadian banks reported that they may be targets of a hack after fraudsters claimed that they electronically accessed personal and account information. View the full article

Attack uses ultrasonic sound waves to disrupt HHD read/write operations, which could lead to a system crash. View the full article

An exploit for the bypass vulnerability required an HTTP parameter pollution in a web application. View the full article

Researchers have discovered a banking trojan making waves in Brazil with an array of tricks up its sleeve, including using an unusual command and control (C&C) server. View the full article