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Microsoft released an out-of-band security update that corrected a faulty patch that left Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 open to attack. View the full article

As well as being a delicious chocolate treat, an Easter egg is also a term used to describe a secret feature, reference or in-joke in a piece of media. Originally used to describe the hunt for a hidden feature in the Atari video game Adventure, the term easter egg has now become a broad way to label covert meanings found in everything from DVD menus to logo designs. For logo designers, Easter eggs are used to add an extra element of meaning to their work. These Easter eggs usually tie into the message of the associated brand, and are there to be discovered and passed around by fans and followers. This is a satisfying way for viewers to interact with logos and helps to spread a brand by word of mouth. Because they're not immediately obvious, there's a chance that you've missed some Easter eggs in familiar logos. To help you on your hunt, we've found five logo Easter eggs that show you how to cleverly smuggle a message into a piece of graphic design. 01. Museum of London The Big Smoke's never looked so colourful Taken at face value, the logo for the Museum of London might look like nothing more than a psychedelic fried egg, but there's more going on here than meets the eye. The bright logo, designed by Coley Porter Bell, is certainly an attention grabber. However, it would be a disservice to put the success of this design down to vibrant colours alone. That's because this logo, with its overlapping series of bold blobs, represents how the geographical area of London has evolved over time. What could be more perfect for a logo that represents the UK capital? Not only does the design dodge using cliche landmarks, it also attracts viewers who are unaware of the secret meaning. No mean feat. This identity replaced a more straight laced logo design that wasn't engaging with the public. But after the introduction of this dynamic logo, the Museum of London saw visitor numbers shoot up by 79 per cent. 02. Ready Player One Easter eggs are at the heart of the plot in Ready Player One The recently released blockbuster Ready Player One was the perfect film to get the Easter egg treatment in its logo. Based on a book by Ernest Cline, the story follows Wade Watts as he hunts for hidden digital clues in a virtual reality game that lead to a promised fortune. As well as bumping into an array of pop-culture icons along the way, Watts' quest for Easter eggs means that the film's creative team had the perfect excuse to sneak secret images into the promotional branding. Take the logo, designed by Pentagram's own Emily Oberman, which turns the typography into a miniature maze. Unveiled at San Diego Comic Con, this clever piece of typography interspersed with subtle gaps captured the attention of fans eager for the film's release. And what's that at the end of the maze, inside the letter 'o'? That's right, an actual Easter egg... egg. 03. Wizarding World How many wands do you recognise? It's been a busy couple of decades for J.K. Rowling. As well as writing some of the best-selling books in history, she's also responsible for getting a whole generation of children into reading. And somehow she also found the time to oversee spin-offs such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All of this means that Harry Potter is more than just a series of books, it's a bonafide brand. Bringing all of these assets together is the British-American fantasy media branding umbrella The Wizarding World (originally known as J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World). To sum up this sprawling property, the Wizarding World logo (another Emily Oberman creation) cleverly references different facets of the series with a symbol that looks like an open book with its pages fanned out. However the pages are in the shape of unique wands, each referencing a different character from the Harry Potter books and beyond. Given that the series has dedicated fans, this set of subtle references is the perfect way to engage their attention. The lightning bolt design in the letter 'w' references the lead character from the books and sets the whole logo off nicely. 04. Toblerone Can you see the mountain creature? When it isn't making the headlines due to its diminished size, Toblerone is better known for being a tasty triangular chocolate hailing from Bern, Switzerland. This alone gave the company plenty of options to work with when it comes to designing a logo, yet it still found the time to incorporate a hidden motif. Given that Bern is the home of the Matterhorn mountain, it makes sense that the famously near-symmetrical pyramidal peak takes centre stage in the logo - especially seeing as it inspired the shape of the delicious nougat-y chocolate. However Bern is also known as the 'City of Bears'. And, not ones to leave any cultural signifiers behind, Toblerone included a bear in the negative space left by the snow on the craggy mountain face. Toblerone's logo contains one of the more better known design Easter eggs, but that's partly because it's so well done. Have you found the bear yet? 05. Tour de France On yer bike! We've already looked at how the story of the Tour de France logo and how it has evolved over the years, but can you spot the batch of hidden meanings in this clever design? The brainchild of French designer Joel Guenoun, this playful brush script logo made its debut back in 2002. A pair of dots, one inside the 'o' and one next to the bowl of the 'r' are the giveaway here, as they build up an image of a cyclist pedalling away furiously on their bike. Meanwhile the circle which forms the front wheel of the abstract bicycle is yellow for a few reasons. Thanks to its colour it doesn't get lost among the typography, and the yellow reflects the jersey's awarded to the winner of each stage. Its radiant hue also represents the stages of the race which only take place in the daytime. Related articles: 11 steps to better logos 10 of the best logos ever 5 big-brand logos that pass the silhouette test View the full article

Product user interfaces have changed dramatically over the years, to the point where interaction with our various devices is completely unrecognisable from that of even 20 years ago. We have moved from the first iterations of the classic WIMP interface, on to increasingly advanced GUI solutions, right through to the paradigm-shifting touchscreen interface popularised a decade ago by the first ever iPhone. As our technology continues to become more advanced, new user interfaces seem to be appearing absolutely everywhere. From our vehicles, to our thermostats, to even our fridges, we're reaching the point where everything in our lives can be controlled at the touch of a button or the swipe of a finger. The ultimate guide to user experience However, no matter how advanced these interfaces get, they still represent a barrier between us and our technology – a barrier which is swiftly beginning to look ever more obsolete in our inter-connected world. Celebrated design guru Donald Norman put it best in 1990 when he said: "The real problem with the interface is that it is an interface. Interfaces get in the way. I don't want to focus my energies on an interface. I want to focus on the job… I don't want to think of myself as using a computer, I want to think of myself as doing my job." That's the key. We are moving towards a future without any traditional interface, where we move away from the touchscreen – or any screen at all, in fact. As our world fills with more and more interconnected devices, so too will our day-to-day lives. Because of this, the interfaces we use will naturally need to develop along with this – interfaces which are not fragmented and distracting, but rather those that are designed to be effective, seamless and most importantly of all… invisible. Designing beyond the screen The question is how do we make interfaces invisible and also begin to move beyond the screen? There is no doubt that the smartphone is a wondrous invention, which has revolutionised the way we socialise, work, and live. However, we can also agree that this 24/7 tether to the outside world can also occasionally be a distraction at best, and downright intrusive at worst. The perennial beeps, buzzes, red dots and blue ticks serve as – ironically – a constant barrier between the world around us, taking us away from the tasks we're trying to accomplish. This is why the natural next phase in user experience design will be about moving beyond the screen and interfacing with the devices around us in more natural ways, such as computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI), and also voice control. The concept behind these invisible interfaces – also known as Zero UI – is essentially designing for where all of these disparate elements converge, in order to provide a more intuitive experience for the end user. The screen's days may be numbered as we see invisible interfaces take off Zero UI introduces us to a new world where our natural gestures, voice, glances and even our thoughts can be used to communicate with our devices in a seamless, non-intrusive way – leading us towards a user experience that makes us feel like we're communicating not with a machine, but rather with another person. The aim of invisible interfaces is to help facilitate a world wherein our devices find the balance between presence and discretion; always being peripherally present and ready to accept user input, while never distracting or demanding our attention. The key change to designing for this will be in anticipatory design, the process in which a designer - with the help of artificial intelligence – anticipates the needs and tasks of the user by making pre-emptive decisions on their behalf, in order to simplify the user journey and reduce cognitive load. Here, we'll take a look at the main areas that invisible interfaces are poised to revolutionise the way we interact with our devices, as well as where the transition to invisible interfaces could take the field of UX design in future. Designing for voice The most popular invisible interface by far is that of voice, with recent investment in this area from tech titans Apple, Amazon and Google having thrust this technology firmly into the mainstream. This burgeoning market for voice interfaces creates an intriguing new challenge for UX designers everywhere. In fact, some are already hailing the sector as the natural next step forward in UX design. The reason so many have adopted voice as the de facto standard for invisible design is simple. As we've moved through the different ways of interacting with our devices, the common goal has been to increase speed and usability while reducing user friction. We started with complicated strings of keystroke commands, then moved on to incorporate the mouse, and more recently the rise of the smartphone has led to touchscreens taking over. As natural as the touchscreen is, though, it's still a screen, so the obvious next step is something that continues to evolve the user journey, being quicker and easier to use while further reducing friction. And what could be quicker or easier than voice? In terms of how we implement voice in a mainstream capacity, we should first cast our minds back. In the 90s, what drove people to embrace online? The availability of internet access on our home computers; unified devices we could all get behind. An example of how we might have used voice assistants up until now A decade ago, what drove us to embrace touchscreen UI? The iPhone; another unified device we could all get behind. So, what invention is going to be the driving force for the mainstream adoption of talking to your devices? If you were caught talking to your computer even a few years ago, you'd likely attract more than a few funny looks. Now, the explosion in popularity of voice-controlled devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, suggests a future wherein this becomes the normal process, and menus, screens, pointers and commands are replaced by simple spoken language. Controlling our devices with nothing but the spoken word might seem far-fetched – a pipe dream reserved for fanciful sci-fi films. However, this may be a reality far sooner than you think. The reason this has been a pipe dream up until now is because the computing power required to process, break down and interpret human speech is huge, requiring more resources than were previously available in a mainstream capacity. However, numerous breakthroughs were made in this field in 2016, and we are now at the point where there's enough computational power available to us to make speech recognition and interaction a viable alternative to visual interfaces. On top of this, we're lucky enough to be living in a time when around one in three people carries a smartphone – essentially a mini computer with a microphone attached – around in their pockets; a figure that will continue to rise in the years to come. Designing from a technical standpoint In terms of how we go about designing for this, the most fundamental element to consider is that because voice-controlled interfaces are invisible, users will not have the benefit of images, buttons or clickable links to guide them. Because of this, developers and designers must ensure the voice assistant is providing users with constant feedback and support so they are not left in the dark. Simplified, brief interactions need to be weighed up against people feeling lost or not in control. In a traditional screen interaction, visual cues such as buttons, tick boxes, links, or error messages provide a virtual breadcrumb trail for users, letting them know exactly where they are in a given process. Voice-controlled personal assistants could become a staple moving forward Similar to screen-based design patterns, it's important to consider that users will need voice patterns they are familiar with every time they operate a new app or program, in order to acclimatise them to the new software. Above all, this process must be simple and intuitive, using universal conversation patterns as a method for executing commands. It is also important to bear in mind that users have to use their short-term memory to remember key phrases to interact with the device. Therefore conversational exchanges need to be kept short and sweet to lessen the cognitive load and avoid confusing users. Overall, while voice UIs may be simpler on the surface, they require reassurance and pacing to be built into the interaction if they are to provide the best possible user experience, particularly for those with cognitive impairments or lower levels of confidence. Designing for language Considering the range of functions that voice devices will need to be able to accomplish in order to effectively take over from the tech we currently use, as well as the fact that the end user will be working entirely without visual cues, language is crucially important. Natural language, tone of voice, accent and tone are all vital. Currently, home assistants feel a little pre-programmed and artificial (it's still obvious you're speaking to a robot), so to alleviate that we need to look at the language people feel comfortable with. Overly assertive, imperative language can be off-putting, particularly to less tech-savvy users. Colloquial terms can be more reassuring, however, overly quirky communication can be seen as condescending. Therefore, there is still considerable user research and usability testing required in this area. Another critical design point to consider is avoiding bias. In traditional UI, and when you come to think of it, any software design, there can often be a disconnect where the designers are not necessarily representative of who will use the software. This is especially important in voice UIs because people tend to be sensitive to language. For example, the language of a white male, graduate software developer could be quite different to the conversational tone between young girls or older adults. Of course, that's not intended as a generalisation about developers, but a reminder that as with any software, we aren't always the users of our products. Bringing a whole new meaning to 'tone of voice'. This technology can also be leveraged in a positive way, and there is actually a fantastic opportunity here for forward-thinking designers to build specifically for greater personalisation and also customer engagement. We hear the phrase 'tone of voice' - in relation to both a brand's personality and how they communicate with their audience and clients – a lot when we're talking about a brand's communications strategy, and this is another area that is set to be completely turned on its head with the mainstream adoption of invisible interfaces. Whereas previously a brand's tone of voice may have largely been restricted to written communications, conversational interfaces provide an entirely new way to communicate and shape the overall experience a customer has with a brand. This, of course, presents a brand new set of considerations for UX designers – namely the literal tone of voice brands choose to employ in these devices, including gender, dialect, and expression - but also a wealth of new opportunities. Imagine a world where each of the companies with which you communicate daily (perhaps the businesses you shop with, or those that deliver your news), had their own distinct personality and voice – perhaps even one which you, the user, could control? Such a thing would be truly a tone of voice for the digital age we live in. Which areas of business will be most affected? The early success that Amazon, Apple and Google have enjoyed in this area has helped to raise consumer awareness of just how useful these devices could be in everyday life. It looks as though this technology could be set to explode in popularity in 2018, with a host of innovative new software and hardware products coming to the market. This technology can also be incredibly useful from an accessibility standpoint. By negating our current reliance on screens and creating the ability to control devices with nothing but your voice, users with visual or physical impairments will be able to access and use devices completely independently, with no need for external assistance – some for the first time ever. In terms of where we'll see the tech take-off, a sector that could benefit hugely is digital health products, particularly fitness trackers and related health monitoring devices. Our health sector is currently feeling the pressure from rising numbers of patients, in addition to an ageing population presenting more complex cases. Because of this, a greater focus has naturally been put on convincing people to take a more proactive stance in managing their own health. Invisible interfaces could also revolutionise the way we track our health Invisible interface devices such as personal fitness wristbands could be key to this, providing people with an unobtrusive way to measure their vitals, as well as other health related statistics such as steps, calorie intake and their heart rate. Another sector that could be transformed by invisible interface devices such as the Amazon Echo is retail. Voice search in particular could be a game-changer; indeed, we're already beginning to see significant pickup in this area. A recent study from Google revealed that more than half of teens (55%) now use voice search on a daily basis – a strong statistic that goes some way to showcase the current penetration of invisible interfaces in everyday life. This tech looks set to really take off in retail as more brands make the leap and begin proactively making use of it to engage customers in new and exciting ways. A great example here is Ocado, who recently made the headlines by becoming one of the first retailers to offer a dedicated app enabling customers to shop using voice commands. While this is a tremendously exciting time for UX design, we as designers must adapt accordingly. Voice interaction represents an exhilarating new challenge to UX designers, one that we must acknowledge and learn quickly from if – as a community – we are to take full advantage of the opportunities this new, seamless technology presents. This article was originally published in issue 301 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 301 here or subscribe here. Related articles: The future of adaptive user interfaces is inclusive How to build a chatbot interface Choose the right words for your interfaces View the full article

Some of the best web apps are powered by Ruby on Rails. It's a powerful framework that can be used to create all kinds of incredible apps. You can learn to build your own apps and services using Ruby on Rails with a one-year, all-access pass to Codeplace, on sale now for just $29 (approx. £21)! You can become a Ruby on Rails rock star with the help of Codeplace. Get a full year of complete access to over 140 professionally-taught courses that will show you how to make use of the powerful framework. If you still have questions, you can tap Codeplace's community of over 30,000 developers to learn even more. You’ll go hands-on and learn by building four real apps, then you can let your imagination run while and create your very own from scratch. A one-year subscription to Codeplace usually retails for $348, but you can save 91 per cent off that price right now. That means you pay just $29 (approx. £21), a fantastic deal for full year of training! Related articles: How to build a Progressive Web App How to make responsive web apps with container queries 14 top web app resources View the full article

Mac professionals and graphics power users are so tired of waiting for the new Mac Pro 2018, they’ve started making and buying ‘Hackintosh’ Mac Pro models - using six-year-old hardware. That’s according to our sister site TechRadar, which reports that third-party Mac hardware resellers have been capitalising on hunger for Apple’s long-promised new Mac Pro by offering upgrades and new capabilities to Apple’s 2012 Mac Pro 5.1. Apple’s redesigned 2013 ’trash can’ Mac Pro – with its single CPU socket and poor internal storage – of course failed to address the needs of many of its users back in 2013. So the appeal of an improved classic Mac Pro tower quickly becomes clear. Sure, the 2012 Mac Pro is limited by which logic board and processor it can accept: but its multiple drive bays and the ability to use modern graphics cards in SLI (Nvidia) or CrossFire (AMD) configurations trump the 2012 Mac Pro. Hackintosh Mac Pro limitations Danish reseller Big Little Frank is selling Mac machines built around the 2012 Mac Pro. However, before you reach for your wallet, there are some drawbacks to this solution: namely, that the 2012 Mac Pro platform is, indeed, still limited. TechRadar explains: “…The absolute fastest processor setup that’s compatible with a 2012 Mac Pro’s logic board is a pair of Intel Xeon X5690 CPUs, a six-core chip with a 3.46GHz base and 3.73GHz turbo clock speed. Considering that modern workstations include chips with 12-cores on a single die that can then be configured in tandem from there, you’re missing out on a lot of speed.” “Not to mention that this logic board doesn’t support modern features that the work world now thrives on, like Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1. Resellers can add these features through third-party parts, which you’d surely pay extra for.” So what are your options? Well, you could consider another fantastic computer for graphic design or video editing instead; you could switch from macOS; or you could wait for Apple to deliver on its promise for a new Mac Pro this year. It’s been almost 12 months since Apple teased a refresh to its desktop computer, saying it was working on an ‘upgradeable’ and ‘modular’ Mac Pro 2018 model with an in-house built display. And in December 2017, a press release reminded us that an overhaul to the Mac Pro was still in development. The earliest estimates for a release date have the new Mac Pro set to drop in June 2018 – so the choice is yours... Related articles: Mac Pro 2018 release date, specs and rumours Apple launches iPad with Pencil support The best laptops for graphic design 2018 View the full article

You're reading Best Free Fonts You Should Try in 2018, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! A picture is worth a thousand words. We all know that an image can be very descriptive, but, like it or not, we can’t design without text. Only with words, can we be sure that readers get the exact message. It does not mean that we are stuck with plain text; modern typefaces let you […] View the full article

App icons play a crucial role in helping a new app stand out: not just in the App Store, but on someone's screen amongst a sea of other similar app icons. Once installed, it still needs to be found easily, and stay front-of-mind for the user. Just as with logo design, app icon design involves conveying meaning in the most simple, eye-catching way possible. But while logos have a multiple of brand touch-points to come alive and build awareness and recognition, app icons need to stand out in a grid of equal-sized icons, while making it immediately obvious what they do. Two types of icon There are two main approaches when it comes to icon design: symbolic and iconic. The latter are much more literal and representative; the former are more abstract and must acquire meaning by association. Once such semiotic 'rules' are established, it can save a lot of time for all involved to follow them, giving you a visual shorthand for your app icon. Sometimes it does pay to do something strikingly different - but you need to know what you're railing against. So read on to explore five major app design trends that have become visual shorthand for a whole generation of app users... 01. Envelopes for email This small selection of email-based apps in the App Store demonstrates the near ubiquity of the envelope icon. Click here to see image in full This is one of the longest-established visual shorthands in the app icon game, since email was one of the very first applications to be developed after the birth of the internet. Although electronic mail bears no practical similarities to its postal counterpart, besides the fact that information is transferred from a sender to a recipient, the familiar association between a paper envelope and an email seems to be here to stay. Whether your provider of choice is Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, you'll find an envelope figuring prominently as part of the app icon. This makes it all the more interesting when this trend is bucked. Spark , for instance, chose a paper aeroplane, giving it standout while making the visual shorthand of transmitting paper from one place to another a bit more playful and fun. 02. Triangular arrows for media Triangle-shaped arrows have a longstanding association with media apps of all shapes and sizes. Click here to for larger image Theoretically, there's nothing to link a triangular arrow shape with the concept of 'playing' a piece of media content, besides decades of positive reinforcement of the association, through buttons on hardware as well as software. As such, this is a symbolic icon design, compared to the iconic approach of the envelope. It's a symbol that has been all-but universally embraced by the entertainment industry as a visual shorthand for music and film-based media-playing apps. While more iconic designs such as clapperboards and musical notes are a regular feature too, triangular arrows are everywhere - whether from large organisations such as YouTube or the BBC's iPlayer, or a broad selection of smaller dedicated media-playing apps. Again, apps that swim against the current may stand out - but the universal significance of that simple triangular symbol means it features in the vast majority of music and video player icons in some capacity. 03. Ticks for productivity It's a sea of ticks in the Productivity category, but some apps do choose to do things differently. Click here for larger image. It's perhaps unsurprising that almost every app that bears some resemblance to a to-do list features a tick in its icon: it's all about accomplishment, and the satisfaction of checking the box that signifies a task is completed. The tick has become synonymous with the Productivity category on the App Store, and it's used by many leading tools, including Clear, Things, Todo and OmniFocus. Such a strong association is hard to shake off, and besides some crucial variations in shape, colour and pattern, many of the apps above do look strikingly similar when viewed alongside each other. That's not to say that some productivity apps haven't found a new direction, however: Wunderlist, for instance, plays on the association of a starred bookmark to signify its approach to to-do lists, whereas Doo is more characterful, with a flag planted at the top of a mountain. 04. Locks and keys for security Padlocks, keys and safes are the order of the day for security app icons, ranging from simple flat graphics to full-rendered skeuomorphic designs. Click here for larger image. What images spring to mind when you think of security apps? Chances are, whether it's a virus scanner, a password manager or an encryption tool, there'll be a padlock, a key, or a safe of some description. Just as with the above examples, there's a sound reason for this association. It's about making people feel reassured - a visual shorthand that implies that cybercriminals, hackers, viruses and other unmentionables can't get to you, because you're locked up tight. As with the email envelope, of course, this association is relatively arbitrary: all the security in question is digital, with no physical locks or keys in sight, but the association remains strong - if a little cliched. 05. Pencils or paintbrushes for creativity Pens, pencils, paintbrushes and rulers are just some of the tools used to represent creativity on the App Store. But does it have to be so literal? Click here for larger image. It doesn't take a genius to draw a line between the tools of a particular trade, craft or discipline and the icon to represent it. A stethoscope to represent a medical app, a hammer for a building app, a camera to symbolise photography - it all makes practical sense. When it comes to sketching, painting and other creative apps, therefore, it's no surprise that pencils, paintbrushes and palettes tend to feature heavily amongst the app icons. These are all familiar visual references for the creative process, after all. But just as security apps don't actually padlock your laptop, productivity tools don't need to physically tick a checkbox, digital media players aren't slaves to their 'play' button, and emails aren't actually stuffed in an envelope, there are ways to think outside the box. Remember when Photoshop was represented by a feathered quill? Adobe has since moved on to represent its suite of software as an interconnected 'periodical table' of creative tools, with not a pencil or paintbrush in sight. Perhaps it's time for more app icon designers to stop taking things quite so literally. Read more: 8 simple productivity tools for designers 5 unusually effective ways design studios show work 8 tools to help you work remotely as a freelancer View the full article

Drupal developers are urged to patch a bug that allows attackers to take over a site simply by visiting it. View the full article

Everyone's after a slice of the blockchain pie at the moment: it's like magic fairy dust that you can sprinkle onto any business to make it suddenly look a lot more appealing to investors. Just look at Kodak. No sooner had it announced a plan to do a bit of blockchain, involving image rights management and a digital currency called KodakCoin, the struggling company's share price shot through the roof. Granted, it then trickled back down again, but that's the nature of anything blockchain-related. The fact is that hardly anyone really understands what it is or how it works, only that it's new and exciting and could change everything, somehow. It's a classic bubble that's a magnet for over-excited investors, and the state of the price of BitCoin shows just how volatile it all is. Everyone sniggered at KodakCoin, but the full idea has legs But regardless of the hype surrounding blockchain, its underlying tech has some useful applications. While the idea of KodakCoin naturally attracted rolled eyes and raised eyebrows, the idea of using blockchain as a way of managing image rights is a sound one. Keeping track of copyright Keeping track of who owns the copyright for a particular image can be a nightmare, and enforcing that copyright can be just as hard. Blockchain, however, is an ideal platform on which creators can register their ownership of an image, and it makes it just as easy to check who owns a particular work. Similarly it makes it very hard for someone to argue that they couldn't trace the image's owner if they've used it without permission. Image rights portal Copytrack is using blockchain to create a Global Copyright Register, and it's just hooked up with another startup, Photochain, to cooperate on a new blockchain-based platform for buying and selling stock photography. Photochain aims to decentralise the stock photography business Photochain believes that its platform is going to revolutionise the stock imagery business by offering secure transactions through a peer-to-peer marketplace where most of the money goes straight to the seller within a few seconds, and by maintaining a digital copyright chain where every uploaded photo is permanently linked to its owner. There's a prototype of the system online now; Photochain plans to launch a full version later in the year. Another company with similar plans is Wemark. It describes itself as a growing community of leading independent photographers licensing their photos directly to customers, with no agency involved, and again it's using blockchain technology to make this happen. Wemark is another platform hoping to spoil things for the big stock libraries Like Photochain it promises a higher revenue share and the ability to set your own prices, as well as an immutable record of everyone who's licensed your work. And while it doesn't yet have a prototype to show, it claims to have thousands of photographs already uploaded to its system, and again hopes to launch later this year. Will it float? Both companies promise to benefit buyers and sellers by cutting out the middleman, but will they disrupt the existing stock imagery market? Maybe, and maybe not. The appeal, both to photographers selling their work and to designers and art editors shopping for imagery, is self-evident. And unlike a lot of blockchain enterprises, both companies appear to be making really good use of the technology. However, blockchain's still an immature technology with plenty of wrinkles that need smoothing out, particularly scalability. Photochain's prototype works nicely but with a pretty small database; how well it would work with a serious library featuring tens of millions of images is another matter. Photostream's prototype is a neat proof of concept, but will it scale? It's early days, but it's hard to deny that this use of blockchain has potential. While both Photochain and Wemark have the potential to revolutionise the image market, the success of an image library is going to hinge on the quality and quantity of your content. That's where they're lacking, and where existing libraries are streets ahead. Furthermore, we wouldn't be at all surprised to see the existing players in the stock business either developing their own version of the technology or simply buying up either company further down the line. Whatever happens, it's going to be interesting. Watch this space. Related articles: 5 tips for using stock imagery in your designs Which blockchain should you use? 4 tasks that stock imagery makes easier View the full article

Small games studios vary as wildly as their art styles. Yet for all their differences, the ultimate aim is the same: to produce a great game with far fewer staff than the behemoths of triple-A development. However, while many wannabe game designers tailor their design portfolios to these giant companies, opting for a smaller studio may well present a better career choice. For artists, there are significant benefits to reap in these smaller design offices, some of which we've outlined here. 01. More artistic freedom Claire Hummel works at Campo Santo, the studio behind forest lookout game Firewatch. Before joining that team she was with Microsoft and then HBO. Back then, Hummel’s work was wide-ranging. She explains that she probably worked on around 60 titles in her six years, plus a freelance gig designing key characters for Bioshock Infinite. “At Microsoft I was in a small group, best described as a SWAT team, that was brought on to help projects at various stages: anything from contributing to early pitches, to providing additional concept work, to overhauling a project’s art direction”, she explains. “I’d jump between a number of different projects on any given day, which could be exhilarating and challenging, but it also meant that I rarely – if ever – got to see a project from start to finish.” At Campo Santo she’s the only 2D artist on staff and the work is formed around her own artistic sensibilities. With that the sense of responsibility shifts. “I have to be way more proactive about doing everything for the game from storyboards, to visual targets, to orthographic prop diagrams and paintovers of models.” Claire Hummel’s work on Fable Legends’ Evienne, the Lady of the Lake who tired of waiting for a king and went adventuring on her own Wei Wang, who spent 11 years at Blizzard and worked on titles like Warcraft 3, Diablo and StarCraft, describes a similar shift when he moved to Bonfire – a smaller studio working on its unannounced first project. “At a big company there are a lot of processes in place. It’s not a bad thing – a big company needs to make the trains run on time,” Wang says. “But at Bonfire, I’m given a huge space to be creative, and draw whatever I want. I also get to be involved in the pitch process, and every part of what goes into making our game. This is a dream come true for any game artist.” Wang points out that small studios offer great spaces for experienced artists looking for more creative control, whereas large studios can contain valuable opportunities for those earlier in their career. “You can learn so much about the game creation process,” he says of big studios. “There are a lot of mentors for them to learn from, and you’re not locked into one career direction. Fortunately, new artists love to work at big studios.” 02. You get to represent your work Kate Craig works at Fullbright, the studio behind Gone Home and Tacoma. Previously, she was part of a social gaming studio that grew from a single-digit team to nearly 100 people. Discussing Kate’s experiences at Fullbright helped highlight how budgetary constraints of a small team can be a positive as well as a negative. “At a larger game studio someone else goes to promote the game, or attend GDC or accept an award,” says Craig. “Certainly not the (non-lead) environment artist. Working with four full-time people during Gone Home, everyone had a chance to travel and represent the game outside of the... well, basement in that case!” There’s a palpable sense of inclusivity in that, which Craig found personally and professionally important. Kate Craig’s concept sketch for Amy’s little ship in Tacoma. 03. Better communication Operating on a smaller scale also means that direct communication with the rest of the team is not only possible, but desirable. “Everyone at Campo has a good eye for the game we’re trying to make,” says Hummel. “I trust when my non-art coworkers have input on the art, and it’s great to be able to openly discuss anything from AI to music choices, despite them not being my particular specialities.” Campo Santo is working on its second game. While the look of Firewatch reflected the vision of art director Olly Moss, game number two will be inextricably Hummel’s. “It’s definitely been an interesting challenge, learning how to look inward at my own stylistic preferences and find ways to break them down for the purposes of style guides and art direction,” says Claire. “So much of this game is what I love to draw both in terms of the stylistic tone and the content itself – and it’s oddly a lot of work to make sure that things don’t get lost in translation on their way to becoming finalised, in-engine 3D assets.” 04. Big creative space Artist Lisa Evans is working on her first full game Growbot Wei points out a key difference: “Small studios are great for experienced artists who want to make new art and create new worlds. The studio may be small, but it offers space for creativity.” That’s not to say going from big to small is the only solution. Taking the opposite approach, Lisa Evans, an artist and illustrator, is working on her first full game – Growbot – largely as a one-person studio. As such, her art no longer sits on a page, but provides an interactive space players can move in. “When I’m designing a spread for a children’s book, my focus is on how the reader’s eye will move across the page, how the image will tell part of the story, and how it will work with the text.” In Growbot, Lisa says it’s more about “how I can draw attention to interactive elements and puzzle solutions, and how I can work around the UI and different screen resolutions.” Wherever smaller studio work fits into your career, that kernel of creative control and an attendant need to wear multiple creative hats – even if only in the art department – persists. “You’re responsible for concept art, visual targets, storyboards, paintovers, logo design... everything,” says Hummel. “Having that flexibility is essential, and it’s definitely something you should be aware of going in.” This article was originally published in ImagineFX magazine issue 157. Buy it here. Related articles: 18 best iPad art apps for painting and sketching 5 tips to kickstart your 3D career 5 ways for designers to find their next studio View the full article

For most developers, the question of whether blockchain will have a transformative effect on their jobs is settled. For those still to be convinced, the very fact that different blockchains are fundamentally networks with protocols for sharing and storing information should indicate how they will reconfigure the internet stack. However, it is still an emerging technology with underlying issues that need to be resolved. 12 huge web design trends for 2018 This phase isn't unfamiliar if you are used to seeing different languages, frameworks or approaches fade out of the limelight. That's why, for now, the best approach is to remain blockchain agnostic. But this is very different to ignoring the technology. Instead, you should understand the fundamentals, understand the issues and take your first steps into developing for this future state. Why blockchain matters Probably the most important things to understand about blockchain technology are that it's distributed, immutable and transparent. The reason so many people are excited about it is because they believe it could become the foundation of a new internet. Bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies, have seen their prices spike as a result. Yes, there are speculators involved, but you only have to look at the list of investors to understand how significantly some of the biggest names in tech are taking this. They believe that one or a number of blockchain protocols will take their place at the base of a new decentralised internet, with layers of other protocols and apps sitting on top. In some ways, this will mirror what exists today. This is why it's so important for developers to immerse themselves now, so they understand the technology that will underpin their future work. At the same time, they need to have an understanding of why this technology isn't established yet. The big issues Multiple potential paths lay ahead for blockchain, as it grapples with a number of problems. One of the most significant right now is scalability. The cryptographic consensus approach of validating the shared ledger makes it trustworthy and extremely secure. However, as more and more transactions have needed to take place, the computer power required has increased to the point where real scale seems impossible. This is a problem across blockchains, but multiple solutions have been proposed. One is bigger blocks that can store more transactions, an approach that resulted in the Bitcoin Cash 'fork'. Another is proof of stake, where a stake is put up as collateral against false transactions, rather than proof of work through cryptography. Another possible solution is the idea of off-chain protocols, such as the Lightning network or Raiden network, facilitating fast transactions and only interacting with the blockchain at specific points. Right now, none of these have emerged as an all-conquering winner, so developers would be naive if they were to focus all their efforts on one solution. Instead, they should focus on building apps that can be deployed on any blockchain. Let's push things forward While you might think it's better to wait until these major issues have been resolved before you jump into blockchain technology, that would be the wrong move. You can start to develop decentralised applications without committing them to a single blockchain. While tools and processes are still emerging, open-source software is oiling the wheels of progress as highly capable developers try to push the technology forward. Finally, it's important that developers understand the big picture behind the value they provide hasn't changed in the slightest. They should focus on building applications that solve real problems for people because that's the most important thing, both now and in the future. A decision on which blockchain they choose to deploy it on can wait. This article was originally published in issue 303 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 303 here or subscribe here. Related articles: 4 tips to develop your developer skills 50 amazing tools for developers 2018 9 security tips to protect your website from hackers View the full article

The Mac Pro 2018 has been a long time coming. A year ago, Apple teased the first refresh to its desktop computer since 2013. More recently, in December 2017, the company reminded us that an overhaul to the Mac Pro was still in the works. So when will the new Mac Pro 2018 be released? What will it cost? What will it look like? And what specs can we expect? Here’s what we know… When will the Mac Pro 2018 be released? There are no solid dates, yet, as to when the new Mac Pro 2018 will be on sale. Apple hasn’t confirmed a launch date, but a summer 2018 launch is widely anticipated, with industry commentators betting on a preview – at least – being shown at Apple’s WWDC 2018 event in June. However, Apple has previous when it comes to previewing products at WWDC and not actually launching them until December of that year. And according to OSNews, it might not ship until early 2019. What Mac Pro 2018 specs can we expect? What will be under the hood of Apple’s first dedicated desktop since 2013 is, so far, largely unknown. What we do know is that it will feature a modular and upgradeable design. “In addition to the new iMac Pro,” Apple wrote in its December 2017 press release, which announced the new iMac Pro, “Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest performance, high-throughput system in a modular, upgradeable design, as well as a new high-end pro display.” If it’s going to be possible to upgrade the new Mac Pro, the computer will have to work with a large variety of off-the-shelf parts – at least ‘off-the-shelf’ for business pros or IT managers, as our sister site TechRadar speculated. Reports have also claimed that an 8K (7680 x 4320) resolution display has been in the works at Apple, and that the machine might launch with one of Apple’s new T series of co-processors inside. The current Mac Pro – soon to be superseded MacWorld, meanwhile, has looked to the iMac Pro for insight into what might be in store for the new Mac Pro’s processors. “The iMac Pro is shipping with 8-, 10-, 14-or 18-core Xeon W processors. So we can certainly expect to see an 18-core option for the new Mac Pro, or maybe even more, perhaps 20- and 22-core options could be available. Maybe even 28 cores or 32-cores could be on offer,” it says. “The processors Apple is using with the iMac Pro will max out at 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost - that's on the 3.0GHz 10-core model. The 8-core 3.2GHz model will offer 4.2GHz Turbo Boost, and the 14-core 2.5GHz model and 18-core 2.3Ghz models will both offer 4.3GHz Turbo Boost. We expect to see similarly impressive numbers for the Mac Pro.” Alternatively, the new Mac Pro could be set for a new processor generation. Cascade Lake is pegged to follow Purley – or, depending on the launch date of the Mac Pro, another option could be the 2019-expected Cannonlake Xeon. Graphics-wise, while it’s possible that the Mac Pro might - like the iMac Pro - ship with AMD’s Radeon Vega range, there’s speculation that Apple might look to another graphics card manufacturer. How much will the Mac Pro 2018 cost? There’s currently no pricing available for the new Mac Pro, but we can look to the current Mac Pro for clues. The existing model - which hasn’t been notably updated since 2013 - will set you back a huge $2,999, £2,999 or AU$4,899 to start. (Component upgrades push that up by $1,000, £900 and AU$1,600, respectively.) TechRadar speculates that given how long it’s been since the previous update, “it would be unwise for Apple to drive the asking price any higher”. But, as the site also points out, if the upgradeable aspect of the new Mac Pro is true, users will no longer be forced to reply on Apple for upgrades – which will likely be reflected in the new pricing. Related articles: Why designers shouldn't hack their Mac Pro The best computer for graphic design The best laptops for graphic design 2018 View the full article

It's crunchtime. You're coming in early. Staying late. But it's just until this last deadline. Until we deliver this last thing. But looking back, it's been crunchtime for as long as you can remember. There's always one more big project between you and finally being able to relax again. What is this high stress, always-on way of working doing to you? Burnout can happen when stress and overwork outpace your ability to heal and recuperate. Sufferers report difficulty sleeping, emotional and physical exhaustion, emotional changes and decreased ability to function in both their professional and personal lives. Physical symptoms may also include stomach issues, eyestrain and persistent headaches. Those impacted often report taking months or even years to fully recover. While the focus on burnout and its impact on our lives may seem new, the concept of occupational burnout dates back to the 1970s. 3 ways to stay creative when your energy slumps Unfortunately, the always-on and high demand nature of many workplaces in technology places us at a higher risk of burning out. So how can we best avoid burning out, recover when we are impacted and create healthier ways of working overall? How to prevent burnout The best way to cope with burnout is to avoid burning out in the first place. As the pressures of sustained stress and overwork bring burnout, our first line of defence is creating a clear separation between work and personal lives. Although creating this division can be challenging in an industry where email, social media and comms tools aim to keep us continually connected to our work. For freelancers, this is a matter of pure willpower. Begin setting limits on where you work, limiting your working activities to your workspace or home office. Creating a clear physical space where you work enables you to physically leave when you're done. This should help you leave work stresses behind you when you leave your workspace. Clearly define what counts as work to you. Activities like answering emails or chasing invoices are work, but often creep into personal time for freelancers. As work activities spill into your personal time they bring work stress and an increased risk of burnout with them. Once you've managed to limit all (or more realistically, most) of your work activities into a single space, you can work to set limits on the amount of time spent on work. Remember that longer days don't result in more or better output, with research suggesting that somewhere between six and eight hours a day is best for productivity and lets you minimise burnout risks. If you're not freelance, your ability to create healthy working patterns depends on your employer supporting and encouraging a non-toxic culture. Your employer's offices can provide a workspace more clearly separate from your personal life than a home office, but your ability to unplug from work can very much depend on employer expectations. Setting boundaries like ignoring your emails or snoozing Slack can be dangerous in a setting where you're expected to remain connected to your work. Employers expecting mandatory overtime or enforcing crunch conditions can place you further at risk of burnout. If you can't push back against these expectations to set ways of working that keep you healthy and productive, looking for employers who can help you take care of yourself can be a valuable long-term priority. Developing and defending healthy working patterns are the key to preventing burnout; if your employer isn't an ally in this effort, you may need a better job. How to recover from burnout If you can't prevent burnout, catching it early can help you reduce your recovery time. Katie McLaughlin, SRE, talks about the ability to "self-identify that I'm feeling slightly burnt out, more of a 'medium rare'" and working to adapt her work and life into healthier patterns in response. The early stages of burnout can feel like jetlag or gentle exhaustion. Many in the 'medium-rare' stage report being quicker to anger, less patient and having trouble getting to sleep at night. In the same way that prolonged pressure brings on burnout, recovering from early stage burnout requires a reduction of pressure and time. Aim to spend less time at work, on high pressure tasks and attempt to avoid professional conflict while you recover. Look critically at your side projects to see which of them may be draining you further. As a rule of thumb, try not to jump back into the pressures of your life too quickly after taking some time out to recover. Taking too little time could leave you vulnerable to cooking back up to medium-rare quickly, while taking extra time to recover is unlikely to cause damage. Catching burnout early is quite difficult, especially for those who haven't been impacted by burnout before. Symptoms of more extreme burnout will be more intense. Memory issues, insomnia and attention challenges can all join and exacerbate the more subtle symptoms of early stage burnout. People unaware of burnout or too busy to heed the warning signs may try to work through burnout, stopping only when the symptoms overcome their ability to continue. Those suffering from early stage burnout can recover by doing less for relatively short restorative periods. Recovering from more advanced burnout requires stripping your life down to as few stressors as possible for stretches that can seem impossibly long. Docker's Jérôme Petazzoni took almost two years to recognise the increasing impact that burnout was having on his work and life. He noticed after a particularly stressful period that he was unable to engage in any work that required creativity. He talks about finding himself "only capable of performing what I'd call 'reactive duties': I would show up in meetings, reply to questions and emails, and I could even deliver conference talks when I was familiar enough with the content. But my creative process was completely stopped." He's been carefully working to reduce the pressures and may take a long break from work in an effort to fully recover. Make sure you take a break To heal from the more advanced stages of burnout you'll need the same time away from the daily pressures that less severe burnout requires, just more of it. Taking time off work is a critical recovery step for many in the critical stages of burnout who are able to afford it. Many technologists take months or years off work, some returning gradually or in a part-time capacity. For those of us unable to take long breaks from work, cutting down on hours worked, eliminating side projects and reducing the intensity of work duties can be a route to relieving some pressure to begin to heal. Dramatically cutting down on the hours you work and the pressures connected to your workday are vital. Trying to work through burnout requires an understanding and accommodating working environment where your health is being actively supported. The idea of switching roles while fried may seem daunting, but removing yourself from a toxic workplace or workload is an investment in your recovery. Redirecting energy away from work and stressors and into calming hobbies or activities may help you refocus. Burnout has been widely studied across the fields of psychology, occupational studies and medicine but doesn't exist as a dedicated medical diagnosis. Many burnout symptoms overlap with symptoms of depression, anxiety disorders or other serious mental or physical health concerns. If you have recently been impacted by symptoms that sound like those described in this article or have had other significant changes to your health or mood, please seek advice from a medical professional. This article was originally published in issue 301 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 301 here or subscribe here. Related articles: 6 top mindfulness tools for creatives Following this creativity cycle could save you from burnout How your desk job is affecting your health – and how to improve it View the full article

Knowing how to code is an invaluable skill that can be put to use in all sorts of ways. Whether you're looking to launch a career as a web developer or just want to add a new ability to your resume, you can pick up the skills you need with the help of the Learn to Code 2018 Bundle, on sale now for a price you choose! The Learn to Code 2018 Bundle is packed with courses for people of all skill levels. No matter where you're starting from, this bundle is designed to give you the know-how you need to become a talented developer with the skills to succeed. You'll find hundreds of hours of actionable content in these 10 professionally-caught courses on the most important programming languages, from Python and Swift to Java and R Programming. Add new skills to your resume so you can create great works online for fun or get a promotion to a new, higher paying job. The Learn to Code 2018 Bundle usually retails for $1,479. Right now, you can pick the price you pay for it. Beat the average to unlock it all or get on the leaderboard. The price is up to you but you can't go wrong no matter what you pay, so grab it today! Related articles: 6 ways to get into creative coding 16 top online coding courses Web animation: No code required View the full article

Another month has come and gone, which can only mean one thing: it's time for the latest issue of Computer Arts magazine - on sale now. Authenticity is at the heart of this issue, with reports that look at how big brands use hand-lettering to appear artisanal, plus a look at how the fascinating and unusual rebrand of London's Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was created. Buy Computer Arts issue 278 now Meanwhile, in their cover feature, Computer Arts talk to four industry leaders about the need for authenticity when it comes to developing your 'personal brand' as a designer. From their findings, it seems that designers at every level can benefit from letting the 'real you' shine through in your design portfolio. Discover how you can do just that with their invaluable advice. Find out what the experts are looking for in a stand out portfolio Save up to 63% on a Computer Arts subscription Elsewhere in issue 278, Computer Arts talk to Aardman Interactive to discover how it creates fun projects that people will love, Saiman Chow shares how he relies on gut instinct to create colourful animations and illustrations, and in their showcase the magazine takes a look at brand identity developed for a speedskating Olympic team. To get a taste of what to expect, take a flick through the images below by using the arrow icons. Computer Arts is the world's best-selling design magazine, bursting at the seams with insights, inspiration, interviews and all the best new design projects. For all this delivered direct to your door each month, subscribe to Computer Arts. Right now you can save up to 63%! Related articles: How to curate a creative portfolio The dos and don'ts of perfect portfolios How to write engaging case studies for your portfolio View the full article

Watercolour is wonderful. I discovered its appeal while I was still at art college, and used a tiny palette to make sketches when I was out on my bike in Leicestershire, UK. I later discovered it was also the perfect medium for painting wildlife in the African bush. In both instances I had to work quickly, so I allowed my colours to blend into one another before they had dried. The drifts and blends created when wet pigments merge on paper transfix me just as much now as they did then. Choose the right brushes for watercolour painting This wet-in-wet technique involves adding wet paint into wet washes, and allowing the added pigment to spread out unhindered. True, it is sometimes unpredictable, but that makes the challenge even more exciting. Flowers and foliage offer the perfect excuse for practising wet-in-wet, because the organic forms and rich, deep colours lend themselves to a relaxed application. You can see from this workshop that, even though the paint is applied fairly freely, the overall appearance gives the impression you have painted more detail. Let’s get started! 01. Start from the centre It's important to work fast while the washes are still moist After roughly sketching the bouquet, I paint the whole overall shape of the middle rose with a dilute wash of Permanent Rose. While the wash is still damp, I add more concentrated pigment of the same colour in thin concentric strokes to represent the shadow areas between the petals, enabling them to spread out into the wash to make gentle grades of colour. I darken the centre with a touch of neat pigment. 02. Build up the layers Background objects can shape the foreground The carnation is darker than the rose, so I use this flower to shape the edge of the pale rose petal in front of it. I then add deeper violet wet-in-wet over the pale wash and in small triangular dabs, to represent the shadows between the petals. 03. Add adjacent flowers More flowers are added with a pale wash Adjacent flowers are added one by one, with a pale wash first and then more concentrated, drier colour added into the wet wash. I use Opera Rose for the bright pink gerbera, adding the divisions between its radiating petals with short lines, like the spokes of a wheel to the centre of the flower. 04. Balance the flowers with dark foliage Dark colours are put down in dry washes Foliage acts as the darker counterfoil to the brighter flowers. I use pale Permanent Sap Green as the base colour, using sweeping strokes from a large brush. I add a really deep, dark mix of Prussian Blue and mauve into the wet wash and allow it to flow freely. The added colour needs to be much drier than the first wash, as there is already water on the paper. If it is too diluted it will cause a back run (a cauliflower-like drop or smudge). 05. Keep it loose Rose hips and sepals are applied with a few deft strokes I paint the rose hips with blends of Indian Yellow and Permanent Rose, and add their sepals beside them while they’re still damp, so they blend freely. A few loose strokes for their leaves and stem, and they’re quickly in position. 06. Define the petal shapes The background is left to dry before painting A diluted wash of mauve tints the petals of the flower, then I touch Indian Yellow into the centre, blending wet into wet. I allow the flower to dry before painting the background foliage around the petals with a pale Permanent Sap Green and Aureolin. I then touch the tip of a size 8 brush into the triangular gap between the petals, wet-in-wet, to darken the foliage behind them. 07. Check your progress Make sure the picture is dry before you hold it up! With the bouquet growing flower by flower from the centre of the painting, I finish each bloom as I go along. I work flat so I can control the direction of the flow of the paint as it diffuses into the damp washes. Occasionally, I place the board upright and step back to view my progress. 08. Shape the bud Blending colours creates an organic look I shape the freesia bud with pale mauve and Aureolin blended together, wet meeting wet. I create the roundness of the form by adding drier colour wet-in-wet on the side that’s in shadow. I then add the sepal while the bud is damp, so the colours blend gently and give the organic appearance of the bud growing from the stem. 09. Use brushstrokes for leaves Layers of colour add a sense of depth For the lower leaves, I use a big brush to paint broad strokes, and deepen the shaded parts with wet-in-wet colour. By painting darker tones behind lighter tones, the lighter leaves and flowers appear to overlap the darker leaves and create a sense of depth under the bouquet. 10. Harness blending Background details are left out of focus The right-hand side of the bouquet looks quite detailed, but if you look closer you’ll see the three pale flowers anchor the area. The rest is painted very quickly and loosely around them, leading away to the right, with brisk lines, blobs and brushstrokes representing approximate shapes. Such is the nature of the wet-in-wet technique, that blending makes it appear that much more is represented. 11. Spatter paint to represent foliage Spattering creates unique paint textures Using fairly wet, diluted paint, I spatter the paper by lightly tapping on the handle above the ferrule (metal part of the brush). This lively spatter of paint aptly represents the feathery green foliage protruding from behind the bunch of flowers, without me having to paint a single mark. 12. Balance the bouquet It's tempting to call it a day here I finish the bouquet with all of the blooms radiating from a central point to ensure they sit in the vase realistically. I am almost tempted to leave it like this with the ghostly impression of a vase that must exist in order to support the flowers, but I also love the angles of the stems below and the dark tones they bring in, so I relent. 13. Paint the stems Shadows are added to create the illusion of glass I create the stems in the vase with wet-in-wet washes, starting with the Permanent Sap Green (not too pale). I then add a deeply concentrated colour mix of Prussian Blue and mauve to follow the shadows along the line of each stem, leaving small lozenges of light between the criss-cross of the main ones. 14. Make finishing touches Shadows are dropped in to finish off the piece Final touches of deeper tone are needed in some areas of the foliage. To do this, I dampen the area with clean water then add in concentrated colour with the tip of the brush from the point of darkest shadow, allowing it to spread out into the damp wash. This article was originally published in Paint & Draw magazine issue 4. Buy it here. Related articles: How to illustrate with watercolours: 7 pro tips Top tips for keeping watercolour paintings fresh and loose Choose the right paper for your watercolour painting View the full article

You're reading Mozilla Launches Facebook Container; Plans Ad Filtering in Firefox, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Facebook knows everything about you. Even if you are not on the social network. The Cambridge Analytica episode is just another “friendly” reminder. Your data is an exchange coin. If you are willing to trade it, that’s your choice. But when our data is profiled across websites, then we have a problem. Mozilla has a […] View the full article

Cisco releases 22 patches as part of its semiannual Cisco IOS and IOS XE software security advisory. View the full article

Researcher finds Microsoft’s January Patch Tuesday release included a fix for the Intel Meltdown bug, however the update opened up a new vulnerability. View the full article

Yesterday saw a raft of exciting updates for iPad evangelists as Apple revealed a series of announcements at its Chicago education event. Headlining the hour-long presentation was the launch of a new iPad with Pencil support, and a cheaper stylus made in partnership with Logitech. The best iPad deals for Easter 2018 Touted as an affordable iPad with stylus support, the new device is a refreshed version of the 9.7-inch model. As well as boasting support for the Apple Pencil (which will still be sold separately), this new iPad also features Touch ID, an HD FaceTime camera, Apple's A10 Fusion chip and 10 hours of battery life. Despite being sold as an 'affordable' iPad, this new model, retailing at $329, is the same price as the previous 9.7-inch tablet. However schools will be able to grab them for $299 per unit. The Apple Pencil hasn't budged on price either, and will still set you back $99, or $89 if you're a student. The best drawing tablet 2018 However, if you're still finding this a little steep for a stylus, an alternative is now available for educators. The Crayon is a third-party stylus developed by Apple in partnership with Logitech and is designed to work on iPads. The Logitech-made Crayon will only be available to educators As well as creating a cheaper Pencil alternative, Logitech has also developed a new rugged iPad case and keyboard combo. Both devices are currently only available for educators to order and aren't on offer to the general public. These announcements came the day after Google revealed its new Chrome OS tablet. In a cheeky move the search engine giant pipped Apple to the post by launching tablets targeted at schools, which run on Chrome OS and come with an in-built Wacom stylus as standard. With the pressure now on Apple to compete with Google – which already has a foothold on the education market and has met Apple on cost – it remains to be seen if Apple will budge and make the Crayon available to a wider audience. Related articles: 9 iPad Pro apps that make the most of Apple Pencil The 12 best iPad apps for designers Apple patents stylus that draws in mid-air View the full article

For this workshop, I’ll be taking you step by step through one of my paintings – covering everything from concept sketching to watercolour techniques, as well as palette choices and tips on honing your skills and finding your own voice in watercolour. Working with a fairly limited palette of mostly colours that stain into the paper enables me to keep my paintings clean and luminous through many glazes of colour. Because watercolour is transparent, and I’m working with staining colours, I want to get everything planned out in pencil before I start painting. The best pencils for designers and artists The first step is to get the drawing laid out as light as possible so that the pencil marks won’t show through in the finished painting. Mixing colours on the paper Then I begin working wet-into-wet in sections, by wetting the paper first and dropping in colours to let them mix on the paper. After the first layer is dry, I start building up layers of wet pigment on dry paper, adding more details and darkening up the background in sections. People often say that watercolour is a difficult medium, but it just takes practice and some idea of the process. Letting the paper dry completely in between layers helps to keep the painting from becoming overworked and muddy. This triad approach also helps me to retain a cohesive body of work, no matter what the subject matter. In working with galleries and in trying to get your work to be instantly recognised, a consistent palette and skill set can help you stand out in a crowd. Creating a body of work that reflects your own vision is an ongoing work in progress. Think about all of the things you love, or what themes you’re repeatedly drawn to. Keeping a physical or online mood board of the images you love or recurring themes you’re interested in will help you put together a vision of what is unique to you. For me, some of these elements have been my colour palette, nature, Art Nouveau, mythology and fairy tales, to name a few. Putting all of these elements together, along with daily practice, has helped me to find my own voice in my paintings and to create a cohesive body of work. 01. Planning it out The sketch is drawn with the frame in mind I make a quick concept sketch and makes some notes about the painting. These are really rough, just to quickly get the ideas down on paper. I keep in mind the arched shape of the antique frame I plan to use, although I’ll be painting the image to fill a rectangle for prints. 02. Gathering reference material Pinterest is an excellent resource for finding reference images I usually work from a combination of my own photos and images I find online. Pinterest is wonderful for saving and organising reference photos and inspiration. I’m pretty low-tech when it comes to collaging my images: I print them out and play with the composition until I’m happy with it. Here’s my home-made reference source for my painting Omniscient – it did the job! 03. Working with a limited watercolour palette Most of Tracy's paintings are made from three colours Almost all of my paintings are primarily made up of three colours: Quinachridone pink, Phthalocyanine blue (green shade) and Azo yellow. For this painting, I’ve also used Daniel Smith’s Napthimide maroon and Phthalo turquoise mixed to make a black/grey for the nose and final details. Mixing a chromatic black gives me the option to make it cooler or warmer, as required. 04. Other materials Be sure to pick brushes that hold lots of water I use Arches 300lb Hot Press paper because I don’t need to stretch it, and the hot press finish is wonderful for details. And these Kolinsky Sable and Synthetic/Squirrel blends, pictured here, are my favourite brushes. Both hold lots of water and have wonderful points. Finally, a 0.5 mechanical pencil with an HB lead and a rubber kneaded eraser are a must! 05. Get the drawing down Keep in mind how the pencil marks will show through the paint I try to keep the pencil marks as light as possible on most of the piece, especially in the areas where I intend to keep the painting light. In some areas, like the details on the trees, I plan on having the graphite show in the finished painting so I can leave it a little darker. 06. Why use a limited palette? These three paints made this colour wheel I love this triad of pink, blue and yellow because I can mix almost any other colour that I need while keeping my palette cohesive. To illustrate, I’ve created this colour wheel using just this triad. These three are also pretty staining, which enables me to do a lot of glazing without the layers lifting up and becoming muddy. 07. Working wet-into-wet The surface is saturated with water and built up in sections I start glazing by working wet-into-wet in sections. I saturating the surface with water and drop each colour in to mix on the paper. I use very little pigment on the face to keep some of it white and build up in layers. For the background, I’m dropping in a little heavier pigment and lifting out of focus shapes. 08. Lifting colour A delicate touch is needed for lifting paint To create an out-of-focus effect in the background, you can lift out soft circles with a damp brush into the drying pigment. You’ll want it to be still wet, but not shiny wet. This takes a little practice to get the desired effect, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time. 09. Wet on dry Paints are built up from light to dark The following glazes are achieved with a wet brush on dry paper. This gives me more control to start building up the details and begin adding some depth. I start out light and create a kind of roadmap of colour and detail. As I go along, each layer becomes more intensely coloured as I use less water and more pigment. 10. Water to pigment ratio Practice building up paints with different amounts of pigment Having the right ratio of water to pigment is something that takes practice. Using the paper and clean water as your white, then add more pigment and less water in each step. Practising this can help you to create thin transparent layers or heavier applications of saturated colour when needed, without overworking or muddying your painting. 11. Introducing other colours A splash of black is added to the nose I work my way through most of this painting using my pink, blue and yellow triad until the final few layers. Then I add the black mixture to the nose and a little in the lower part of the background. 12. Adding and subtracting Time to add in and remove pencil details After I’ve created my roadmap in colour, I can then use my eraser to remove any unwanted pencil lines. On the other hand, I also go back in with the pencil to create delicate lines in the trees and do some outlining around the outside edges of the trees and the deer. 13. Finishing up and reviewing my progress Is it finished? Take a moment to make sure When I think I’m just about finished, I prop it up and look at it from a distance, or take a photo with my phone. This helps me to see the piece as a whole rather than looking at all of the details, and quickly enables me to see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted. 14. A bit about framing Vintage frames set off Tracy's paintings I often use antique and vintage frames to add another layer of interest to my finished paintings. Due to their odd shapes and sizes, I choose the frame before I draw out my image. I love shopping at flea markets and antique shops for them. They sometimes require repairs or repainting, but that’s a process I enjoy. 15. Practice, practice, practice Practicing watercolours is fun, relaxing, and useful Putting in the time to do studies, sketching and working from life really pays off. I try to fit in a few little paintings and lots of sketching in between larger projects. Playing with watercolour techniques alone is fun and meditative. It’s a great way to improve your skills and try new things. This article was originally published in issue 157 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists. Buy issue 157 here or subscribe to ImagineFX here. Related articles: Master negative painting in watercolour Review: Rosemary & Co Pocket Watercolour Brushes Staedtler watercolour pencils View the full article

Whether you work in graphic design, web design or 3D, the web is full of inspiring content – and Twitter is a great place to find it. But the social media platform can be an overwhelming experience if you don't know where to look. 15 Twitter accounts every web designer should follow So to help you out, we've rounded up this list of top design agencies to follow on Twitter. They'll point you in the direction of awesome creative content and industry insight in no time. 01. Studio Sutherl& Studio Sutherl& only launched in 2014, but has quickly established itself with a stunning portfolio, and recently bagged the number one spot on Computer Arts' list of the UK's top 50 studios. The studio's Twitter features some great examples of its work, and is well worth turning to for graphic design and typography inspiration. 02. The Beautiful Meme We're totally down with The Beautiful Meme's outlook: 'Simultaneously taking everything too seriously and not very seriously at all.' Look carefully and you'll find some great examples of the brand and advertising agency's work, but it's the random images and videos, and occasional 'Mood in the studio' tweets, that'll get you hitting the Follow button. 03. Koto Formed in 2015, Koto designs and builds brands across digital and physical, and made its name with a global rebrand for Fanta. Its feed is the perfect place to look if you want to see some cutting-edge branding work from a studio that believes in uncompromising positivity, cadence and endless hustle. 04. johnson banks A veteran brand consultancy with over 20 years' experience under its belt, johnson banks specialises in cultural, educational and not-for-profit clients, which makes for an inspirational Twitter feed. Recently the team has been celebrating founder Michael Johnson's D&AD President's Award, while giving his book, Branding: In Five and a Half Steps, a well-deserved boost. 05. Sawdust Sawdust's Twitter feed is full of innovative new design work Sawdust, the creative partnership of Jonathan Quainton and Rob Gonzalez, has won D&AD and Type Directors Club awards, as well as coming a creditable 11th in Computer Arts' 2016 rundown of the top 30 UK design studios. The pair's Twitter feed is a great place to catch up on recent work, cool stuff and the odd Photoshop tip; apparently Batch Automate Sequential Saving has changed their lives. 06. Happy Cog Web design and user experience consultancy Happy Cog specialises in targeted, effective content and standards based design. With multiple tweets a day, this is a brilliant Twitter feed to follow to keep up-to-date with all things in the world of web design. 07. Supereight Supereight is a small and friendly UK studio that creates lovely websites, apps, icons and illustrations. The team don't tweet so often, but everything they post on their account is certainly worth reading. 08. Zurb Californian product design company ZURB is a close-knit team of product designers who help startups and larger companies design websites, services and online products. As you can see from their Twitter feed, they're very responsive to their 32k+ followers and keen to engage in conversation with them. 09. SmashLab Based in Vancouver, SmashLab is a creative agency with expertise in digital, brand and advertising. Its Twitter feed is a hearty mix of all the things agencies do best on the social network: sharing design process insights and useful articles, and truly engaging with the community. 10. Digital Jungle Digital Jungle is China's largest independent content-focused digital marketing agency, boasting 120-plus staff in China and Asia. Its main focus is working with Western organisations to deepen the relationships between their brands and Chinese consumers – so the firm's Twitter feed often offers fascinating insights into how the East and West is working together. 11. Stink Studios Follow Stink Studios for cutting-edge industry insights and inspiration With offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai and Berlin, Stink Studios is an award-winning production agency and creative studio that's home to over 100 full-time developers, animators, designers, digital producers, film producers and directors. We give them top geek points for holding a wide-ranging Twitter debate in binary. 12. Tool of North America Tool has been "convincing people to buy things they don't really need to buy since 95", as this integrated product company proclaims on its homepage. It's this sort of tongue-in-cheek honesty that makes the broadcast and digital agency a must-follow. 13. Reading Room Follow Reading Room for up-to-date industry chat Reading Room started with a staff of two from a flat in north London in 1997. Its now providing digital communications to clients around the world with a staff of more than 180 working from the UK, Australia and Singapore. Actively engaged with the design community, its Twitter feed is a must-read for anyone keen to keep up with the latest industry hot topics. 14. UNIT9 UNIT9 is a multi-disciplinary production company working across mobile, physical installations and the web in London, Stockholm, Florence and San Francisco. The agency makes good use of its Twitter account, making you feel part of every debate, development and activity it gets involved in. 15. Huge The Twitter feed of the, er, huge global agency Huge is a great resource for design-related posts. Not ones to be selfish, the team regularly support and share their fellow designers' work and news. They've also mastered the art of using 140 characters to attract attention too. Killer tomatoes? Come on, who wouldn't want to read about that? 16. Pentagram Design For anything design related – announcements, recent news, new work, interviews and so on – this is the feed to follow. One of the world's leading multi-disciplinary design firms, Pentagram continues its great work on Twitter with continuous updates providing informative and inspiring creative content. 17. Mother London The Mother crew have taken a novel approach to their Twitter feed Want something a bit different? Then check out the Twitter feed from creative agency Mother London. Instead of using it in the normal, self-promoting way, these guys decided to open it up to one and all and every week allow a different person to control the 'Tweet seat'. There's no agenda and anything goes, so follow to find out! 18. The Neighbourhood There's a friendly, personal and chatty Twitter feed from the guys at The Neighbourhood. As well as occasionally plugging work, the team also regularly engage in conversation with their followers, and fully support other designers and creative agencies. 19. Big Spaceship The Twitter feed of digital creative agency Big Spaceship is very matter-of-fact but, at the same time, it's an absolutely brilliant resource for all things design. Whether it be web design, user experience, strategy or just pure inspiration – there's a tweet here for everyone. If you don't already, you should follow them immediately. 20. Studio Output For a regular dose of creative content, check out the Twitter feed from the guys at Studio Output. The personal, friendly tweets share interesting finds, images, informative posts as well as just saying hello. We really like the way the guys sign off some of their individual tweets too, a lovely personal touch. 21. Made by Many The Made by Many team are all over their Twitter account, constantly updating it and pointing the world in the direction of cool, design related content. We're loving that most of the tweets have a short opinion on the stories they link to also. A friendly, honest and infomative feed. 22. Landor Associates Leading brand consulting firm Landor Associates has a very active Twitter feed, featuring hints and links to lots of helpful and informative design-based information. If you're interested in branding in particular, then this is one account you should definitely follow. 23. SapientRazorfish Stay informed with Sapient Razorfish If you like interactivity then give design agency SapientRazorfish a follow. Not only do they tweet regularly, they also regularly support other creatives and reply to users messages. 24. Digitas If you like all things digital then follow top global integrated brand agency Digitas. With at least three tweets surrounding digital design daily, you're sure to find something of interest here. 25. Ogilvy & Mather The Twitter account of advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy & Mather is great for any creative. Tips, photos, insights and helpful retweets are posted regularly so if you're looking for some inspiration then this is one for you. 26. David & Goliath The guys at advertising agency David & Goliath take both creativity and fun seriously, and you get lot of both through their Twitter feed. With regular updates, they're short on words and big on pictures. Oh, and they have a thing for hamsters... 27. Ideo IDEO likes to share Global design consultancy IDEO clearly likes to share. With an active and regularly updated feed, IDEO tweets about everything design-related, and for an added bonus retweets inspiring content from other designers and creatives. With short and to-the-point tweets, IDEO lets its work do the talking. 28. Fantasy Interactive The tweets by global digital agency Fantasy Interactive are short but sweet. The company regularly updates its feed with news of its latests works, which is all worth taking a look at and engages with its followers daily. Fi also shares cool content found and created by other creatives in the community. 29. AKQA The Twitter bio for digital service company AKQA says, "where the work does the tweeting". And that it does. The feed is a mixture of informative links to creative content and personal, friendly messages to the online world. A great one to follow for inspiration, and finding other talented designers and creatives. 30. Form Award-winning London design studio Form is an avid Twitter user, and with over 20 years' experience in the industry, its feed is definitely worth a follow. Tweets focus on design and related events in the industry, posting links to relevant articles and images. The team are very friendly and engaging, and clearly don't take themselves too seriously – just what you need when limited to 140 characters. 31. B-Reel B-Reel's work is incredibly inspiring If you want news from the world of digital design then you should definitely follow the Twitter account of digital production company B-Reel. This feed is rammed full of posts pointing you in the direction of crazy, cool stuff. The designers behind this account seem to really enjoy themselves, using the minimal character count in a very honest and humorous way. 32. Leo Burnett American advertising company Leo Burnett specialises in advertising, digital, social media and much more. And it shares all the work it creates through this busy, friendly Twitter feed. So, if you're looking for daily inspiration, you should give these guys a follow. 33. BBH London One of the world's most famous creative advertising agencies, Bartle Bogle Hegarty's Twitter feed is certainly worth a follow. The team use the company account regularly, posting details of new work and job opportunities. It's a very friendly feed, full of useful information. 34. ustwo The team at digital product and design studio ustwo are big Twitter fans. With multiple tweets a day, these guys post details of new work, support other designers with retweets and regularly engage in conversation with their followers. 35. I Love Dust Multi-disciplinary design boutique I Love Dust is a relative newbie to the world of Twitter. However, since registering, the team are all over the social networking site, tweeting daily with details of new work and job opportunities in a relaxed, tongue-in-cheek style. 36. Plank Based in Montréal, Plank specialises in developing high quality websites, mobile apps and social media campaigns. While some agencies treat Twitter as an alternative RSS feed, just pushing out their own messages, Plank takes the trouble to share useful articles the team have read and retweet the day's best tweets from the community. Good on them for that. 37. Dare A "creative agency for a digital world", Dare has offices in London, Bristol, Vancouver and Toronto. Its Twitter feed is a lively mix of industry news, insider insights and random musings. 38. Wolff Olins Not only is Wolff Olins a massive brand agency with branches in New York, San Francisco, London and Dubai, it also has a keen interest in the industry as a whole. The agency's Twitter feed is rammed with links to fascinating articles on topics like "Why tech needs to bring us back to the real world" and "Using the connectivity of the web to rethink education". 39. Sagmeister & Walsh New York outfit Sagmeister & Walsh never tire of creating wonderful, inspiring designs, and the studio's Twitter feed is the perfect place to keep up-to-date with the cool things they've been up to lately. 40. North Kingdom A Swedish digital agency of note, North Kingdom's Twitter feed is a must-follow, bringing you up-to-date news of its own design projects, new developments in the industry, and more. 41. R/GA R/GA is a full-service, international digital agency with offices everywhere. But its Twitter account is far more than just a corporate news feed: fun and often frivolous, it's filled with interesting tidbits from the world of design and beyond. 42. Hvass&Hannibal Danish duo Hvass&Hannibal's Twitter account is very on-message, comprising mostly of links to articles where they've been mentioned and images of their latest work. On that note, their latest work's always worth a look. 43. Marshmallow Laser Feast To be honest, there's a little too much U2 in ace video installation firm Marshmallow Laser Feast's recent Twitterings for our liking. On the other hand, there's plenty of excellent video stuff. Swings and roundabouts. 44. Freytag Anderson There's a great mix of content in Freytag Anderson's stream; just the right blend of recent work, office craziness and weird stuff from the internets. What better excuse to link to the image set above, which we love but couldn't justify doing a proper story about? 45. Vallée Duhamel Follow Vallée Duhamel for instant inspiration Feel slightly cosmopolitan by hooking up with Montreal-based Vallée Duhamel's stream: sometimes it's in English and sometimes it's in French. Best of all, it often features great work by the Canadian duo. 46. Lundgren+Lindqvist If you like lamps, you're going to love Lundgren+Lindqvist's Twitter stream. It's not like all the agency's posts are about lamps or anything like that – that'd be just weird – but there's definitely a higher proportion of lamp-related tweets than you might expect. Luckily we love lamps, and there are plenty of other attractive things in the Instagram-heavy feed as well, so it's all good. Lamps! 47. SomeOne Officially the UK's number one design agency for 2016, SomeOne is certainly an important account to follow. The team work on big projects like rebranding the electronics chain Maplin across their 200-plus UK stores, and have a highly enthusiastic and positive Twitter feed. 48. Horse Horse is a must-follow on Twitter With a new website waiting in the wings, Twitter and Instagram are currently the only ways to keep up-to-date with Horse – and we strongly recommend that you do. Horse is an independent design studio with only four full-time employees, yet the team picked up design agency of the year at the FAB awards last year. 49. jones knowles richie jones knowles richie is an independent design agency that's worked with some pretty huge brands, including PG Tips, Dominoes and Budweiser. The team's Twitter feed includes news and features from the world of design, and they do a lot of fundraising for different charities too. Are you looking for typography related tips? If so, check out our article Typography Twitter accounts you must follow. Related articles: 10 social media tricks you didn't know about Is it time for designers to leave Twitter? How to create a killer social media campaign View the full article

There's a difference between a design that looks good and a design that feels good. Your users want apps and websites that are intuitive and easy to use when they interact with it. Learn the best ways to create engaging designs with the UI and UX Design Bootcamp. You can get it on sale for just $39 (approx £27). The UI and UX Design Bootcamp is packed with more than 39 hours of design training taught by professionals who know the topic best. For anyone interested in the art of design, especially design that satisfies users, this bundle is a must-have resource. It's the best way to learn the principles of creating interactive design. It doesn't matter what you’re creating or what platform and tools you're working with, you'll pick up important concepts to help improve the functionality of your designs and keep your visitors coming back. You can pick up the UI and UX Design Bootcamp on sale right now for just $39 (approx £27). That's a 96 per cent saving on the retail price of $995 for a bundle that will improve your design projects, so grab this deal today! Related articles: The pro's guide to UI design 11 great UI designs Bad volume sliders are a masterclass in terrible UI design View the full article

It's midnight, and that one div on your site still looks like a child's toy chest. All the elements are a jumbled mess, and every time you play with CSS's display property, they rearrange themselves into an entirely different bit of nonsense. If you're like me, you'll probably solve this by muttering under your breath and becoming consistently more aggressive with your keyboard. And although that strategy has worked for me before, I recently set out to find a better way to understand the display property. It turns out the basics of display are much simpler than I originally thought. In fact, they use the same principles as packing a suitcase. I'm going to cover display:block, inline-block and inline. If you've arranged a suitcase in an orderly way before, you will see the parallel. If you're the sort of person that rams all your clothing in in a haphazard manner – well, there's only so much I can do for you. Our suitcase will contain three types of clothing: Delicates, like a collared shirt T-shirts that can be rolled up Socks or underwear that can be stuffed into gaps For reference, if we modelled the suitcase in HTML, it would look like this: The delicate items on top The collared shirt sits on a pile of the clothes beneath it. It is the only item that occupies its own layer Display:block is the default for most HTML elements. That means the element occupies the entire horizontal space within its container div. If it is next to other sibling elements, it will start a new line, and not allow other elements on its line. It is similar to the delicate items you put at the top of your suitcase. These are delicate or smart articles such as collared shirts. You don't want them to get wrinkled, so you make sure they are not pushed up against other pieces of clothing. This brings up one of the toughest parts of display:block. Notice how the collared shirt does not occupy the entire width of the suitcase? That does not mean other items will jump up to its level. Let's say this shirt is 60 per cent of the width of the suitcase; it would still block other elements from joining it on the top level. That is why there is an orange border in the picture. A display:block element will automatically add a margin around it if it does not occupy the entire horizontal space. Neatly packed T-shirts Here we can see the top and bottom rows of T-shirts, with four shirts in each Most of your suitcase is probably full of the rest of your clothing for your trip. For the sake of simplicity, we are going to cut this down to just T-shirts. There is a big debate on the internet as to whether folding or rolling is more efficient. I'm a folding kind of person. Anyway, in order to fit the most items, you line up your T-shirts side by side. This is exactly what display:inline-block is meant for. These elements can sit next to one another on the same line, as well as next to display:inline elements. Unlike display:inline elements, an inline-block element will move to the next line if it does not fit in its containing div alongside the other inline-block elements. In order to have a T-shirt spill onto the next row, you would need to cut it in half and use the remaining half to start a new row. Inline-block elements are not allowed to split in half if they do not fit on a line. The socks that fill in the gaps The socks are inline elements, which means they will fill the gaps around the T-shirts Check back to the original HTML and you'll note that there is one socks <div> between the eight T-shirts. But take a look at the horizontal view of the suitcase on the right. If there is one socks <div>, how can it end the middle row and begin the bottom row? This is the purpose of display:inline! An inline element will spill over to the next line if it exceeds the width of the div (in this way it is different from inline-block or block). Since our socks div is full of socks that are haphazardly stuffed into gaps, it can easily start filling the gap on the right side of the middle row and spill over to begin the bottom row. No socks will need to be cut in half for this to happen. This is why they can become inline, while T-shirts can only be inline-block. If the T-shirts on the middle row only took up 60 per cent of the width, the socks <div> would move up to fill the entire space on the rest of the row. Bon voyage This is the final CSS for our suitcase: Here are a couple alternate scenarios to illustrate the different uses of display. If the delicates on top had display:inline-block, they would fit in right alongside the T-shirts. Some of the T-shirts would move up to the top line, and the rest would adjust accordingly. There would be no comfortable buffer to the left and right of the collared shirt. If each T-shirt had display-block, you would have a massive stack of T-shirts on top of each other, one per line. If the socks had display:inline-block, they would all sit on the bottom row rather than flowing between the two rows. Some T-shirts would be pushed onto another row, forming a fourth line. There would be a gap on the right of the middle row of T-shirts. With the method I've outlined here, we end up with a neatly packed suitcase that makes best use of the available space. This article originally appeared in net magazine issue 289; buy it here! Related articles: 5 of the best resources for learning HTML and CSS Build complex layouts with PostCSS-Flexbox 28 outstanding examples of CSS View the full article

SuperFriendly director Dan Mall will be sharing his pro tips on how to stay relevant as a web designer at Generate New York 2018. Get your ticket now. For those of you with less than five years’ experience in web development, it’s likely you’re still finding your feet in regards to language features, frameworks, architecture and best practices. And although you may start each site with the best intentions, by the end, chances are all you want is for the thing to work well enough that you get paid. I’ve spent the past few years rescuing a variety of well-known brands’ sites that in theory should have been simple, but for a variety of reasons – successions of freelancers, a lack of top-down supervision – have turned into spaghetti-junctions of technical debt. 01. Follow the formula The thing I want to get out of the way is to assure you that we’ve all been there and there’s nothing wrong with not knowing everything. Programming is brilliant fun and the reason you want to do it every day is probably because you get to rise to a challenge, take the lead and deliver innovative solutions. But here’s the catch: what makes programming fun (being inventive and thinking on your feet) can inadvertently contribute to technical debt on larger, team-led projects. There exist established best practices, principles and patterns that have proven themselves over the years. It’s your job to research, learn and implement them – and, in the process, sacrifice a little of your individuality in return for maintainability and reliability. There’s a blog post called ‘You’re not paid to write code’ that sums it up rather well. 02. Sweat the small stuff Programming is very much about clarity, and when you can’t see the wood for the trees, the chances of your codebase staying purposefully lean and mean will be severely diminished. As such, your primary strategy for staying on top of things should be a fastidious focus on the basics. Be ultra-organised: worry about folder structures and file locations (frameworks can help here), ensure modules have consistent API orders, group common functionality, and use templates with delimiters. Make your code readable: use white space judiciously, and use comments to annotate grouping and clarify intent (but not bad code). You’re working as a team and you’re paid to be clear. Don’t cut corners: saving time now might seem like a good idea, but you can be sure that as the project grows, any sneaky laziness will be compounded and cost the project later. Throughout the process, make sure you correct mistakes as you go along. Sooner or later other code will end up relying on these errors. Stop the rot as soon as possible. If you make changes, make them consistently. Database columns, backend functions, API calls, JavaScript functions, DocComments, annotations, HTML attributes, CSS class names, and so on – make sure it all cascades down. 03. Stay structured Two versions of the same application routes file. Which makes it easier to understand the application's structure? There’s a temptation when building a self-contained site to quietly ignore encapsulation, and to litter the code with global references to app or to reach up through components with parent.parent.parent or such like. This quickly builds technical debt. Where possible, try to think of your app as a series of independent modules, and build on your framework’s best practices to eliminate tight coupling and interdependency. If it helps, try imagining you’re going to reuse parts of the app in other projects, and think how you would structure files, markup and code to facilitate this. You need to be vigilant for conflating responsibilities and ask yourself constantly: does this belong here? If code feels ‘icky’, it probably is. On team projects, lack of code reuse and copy/pasted code is a big problem. When you see repeated code, bite the bullet and refactor all instances to a function, module or template. Again, a good folder structure will make it easy for you to work out where to put things. 04. Beware over-complexity The refactored class on the right is a more readable, functional and testable version of the one on the left The key problem with complexity is that it masks and distracts from the original problem you were trying to solve and in turn ends up generating more code and more complexity, either in the same place or in other parts of the application. You end up in a vicious cycle. If your code is starting to look more like an algebra lesson than a well-maintained API, you need to take a step back. It may be that you need to refactor that particular chunk of code, refactor the class it’s in or reconsider your current approach to the problem you’re trying to solve. In extreme cases, you may need to look outside yet again. I recently refactored an extremely complicated view setup that I realised was the victim of a badly thought-out routing schema. By redesigning the convoluted routes into something sensible, I was able to ditch hundreds of lines of dense spaghetti-code in various classes, and remove some long-standing router hacks/bugs in the process. The one thing you should not do after writing some particularly obtuse code is sit back and marvel proudly at how difficult it is to read! The best code is elegant (read: not tricky); if yours isn’t, you have work to do. This article was originally published in issue 290 of net, the world's best-selling magazine for web designers and developers. Buy issue 290 or subscribe to net. Want further advice on polishing up your programming skills? Dan Mall is giving his talk Should Designers…? at Generate New York from 25 - 27 April 2018 Designers need to grow their skills to stay relevant and effective, but which are worth focusing on? Should designers learn to code, and, if so, can limited code knowledge really make a difference working with talented engineers? How can designers fit into Agile workflows? Does project methodology even matter anyway? What role does a designer have in creating, using, and maintaining design systems? In his talk at Generate New York from 25-27 April 2018, SuperFriendly director Dan Mall will share stories and perspectives to answer these questions and more, providing specific methodologies and techniques to help designers become even more indispensable, faster. Get your ticket now. Related articles: The developer tools you need to know right now 25 web development tips to boost your skills 10 things web developers must know to become truly amazing View the full article