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Wes Anderson's stylised action-comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel scooped up Oscars for best production design, costume design, makeup and score. As lead graphic designer on the film, Annie Atkins handcrafted Anderson's fictional empire of Zubrowka one postage stamp and pastry box at a time, working closely with production designer Adam Stockhausen and Anderson to bring the cult film-maker's meticulous vision to life. Atkins has also worked on Laika's stop-motion masterpiece The Boxtrolls, for which she the incredible Victorian packaging worn by the curious underground creatures. We caught up with Atkins to find out what it's like to work as a graphic designer in the high-profile world of film. Read on for her top tips, tricks and advice. 01. It's not all about the cinema audience Close up of The Grand Budapest Hotel signage"When we create graphic props and set pieces, we're not always making them for the cinema audience – these are pieces that are dressed into the sets to create a more authentic experience for the director and actors to work in," says Atkins. "Every period film you see will have shopfront signage and street posters and offices full of paperwork and maps and documents. These are all items that are made by the show's graphic designers specifically to fit the genre, period, and style of the script. It's about setting up a scene." For example, the signage for the titular hotel features typesetting inaccuracies taken directly from real references of the period the film was set in. 02. Your props must feel real The Trans-Alpine Yodel newspaper is full of real articles, written by Wes AndersonThe designer's job is to make props that feel authentic for the actor. Remember: what you see on screen isn't what the actors are facing. "In real life, film sets don't look like they look in the movies – they're full of lights and cables and people standing around in North Face jackets," smiles Atkins. "So anything you can do to give an actor or director a more authentic experience on set is going to go some small way in helping the final cut of the movie." Wes Anderson wrote every single article found inside the Trans-Alpine Yodel newspaper that features in The Grand Budapest Hotel. His efforts weren't wasted, either. "There's a lot of waiting around on film sets, so people tend to read the fake newspapers," adds Atkins. 03. Set design is all a trick A film's art department can be huge, with all kinds of specialists from model-makers to painters, scenic artists, draughtsmen and plasterers. "Design is rarely neglected in filmmaking, but sometimes it seems invisible because an audience assumes that everything they see on a screen was already there," explains Atkins. "They don't think for a second that it was all built up from nothing on a stage in Bray. That's the magic of design for film: you're not always supposed to be aware of it. It's all a trick." 04. Learn the period quickly Ralph Finnes asked for his character’s notepad to be personalised with lines, even though the camera can’t see that level of detail"I usually get around 6-8 weeks prep before shooting starts, and that's the essential time I take to become fully immersed in the period I'm working to," says Atkins. Working on a range of projects means it's usual for her to design for the same style or period more than once. "I knew nothing about nothing about Eastern European 1930s when I started the Grand Budapest Hotel," she continues. "You need a good understanding of the history of the printing press, for example, to be able to imitate it convincingly on a laser jet." 05. Study antique design in the flesh Hundreds of hours of research goes into making realistic graphic props for filmThe one piece of advice Atkins would offer to design students? Study antique graphic design in the flesh. "There's no point doing a Google image search for a telegram. You need to understand the scale of the text and the texture of the paper in your hands, otherwise it's never going to work in an actor's hands." 06. Be prepared to live on set It's important to be on set as much as possibleAlthough sometimes it's possible to work remotely, there's no substitute for getting on set. "Film sets are very physical environments and you need to be there with the rest of the crew wherever possible, so you can go down to the prop house or nip in to the set to take measurements," says Atkins. "The prop master and the set decorator need you there, so they can grab you and show you stuff as it's being turned out. You also need to see the textures and weights of materials, and understand the scales of sets." Practical considerations also have an impact – if you're working from home, you need to factor in time to travel to and from the set when required, which isn't always possible if you're working to a tight schedule. 07. Check your spelling You know you’ve got an original Mendl’s box if there are two 'T's in 'patisserie'Atkins has one major regret from her work on The Grand Budapest Hotel: she didn't check the spelling on the iconic Mendl's box before it went to print. "I'd spelt 'Patisserie' wrong – we only noticed it after we'd shot it a hundred times in various different scenes. I was mortified," she cringes. "We corrected it in post, and Wes was so nice about it, but I burnt bright red when I realised what I'd done, especially as spelling and grammar is something I take quite a lot of pride in and go on and on about to junior designers." 08. Last but not least… Atkins' favourite prop is the book that opens the storyFinally, Atkins has some some quick-fire tips for surviving on a film set. "Never run on a film set – they'll know you've forgotten something. Also: keep your paper supplies high… It's better to be looking at it than looking for it." Liked this? Try these... How to publish your own books on a shoestring Why a leading London foundry is letting users trial fonts for free The designer's guide to working from home View the full article

There are a few factors to consider when you're looking for the best laptop for Photoshop work. Firstly, think about where you will be doing most of your work. If you want a laptop for Photoshop that you can take out and about regularly, you’re always going to have to sacrifice a little portability. If you simply move from studio to studio – as a freelancer maybe – you can get away with a heavier, more performance-orientated machine. If you want a mixture of both, there are options for you as well. But don’t expect them to be cheap. Choose your Adobe Creative Cloud planWe’ve rounded up five of the best laptops for running Photoshop that cover all of these bases – so read on and make your choice. If you’re looking for all-out power and price isn’t too much of a consideration, check out the rip-roaring HP ZBook Studio G4 – the latest in HP’s line of mobile workstations. The top-end model isn’t cheap, but it packs incredible specs including a 15.6-inch 4K DreamColor display that can easily be colour calibrated, a blazing-fast Core Intel Xeon CPU, 32GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and NVIDIA Quadro M1200 dedicated graphics with 4GB VRAM. There’s also a healthy range of ports for peripherals and Bang & Olufsen speakers. At just over 2kg (4.6lbs), it won’t break your back carrying it around, and it’s pretty thin at 18mm. Read our sister site TechRadar’s HP ZBook 15 G4 review --- We couldn’t avoid the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar in our list of the best laptops for Photoshop. It’s a phenomenal machine for running powerful programs for all kinds of creative work. The 15-inch model is our top pick, coming with a 2.9GHz i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and four ThunderBolt 3 ports. The Touch Bar – while perhaps not quite as cool as having a multi-touch display – is very useful with Photoshop, enabling you to perform quick actions, such as selecting a colour or changing the opacity of a layer, by swiping your finger along the bar. It's expensive, but build quality is immaculate and the MacBook Pro is extremely portable. Read TechRadar’s MacBook Pro with Touch review --- The Razer Blade may be a laptop built for gamers, but it’s an incredible machine for creative professionals as well. As well as seriously looking the part and being light and slim, it packs a huge punch, with a 4K multi-touch display, up to 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM and the latest Core i7 quad-core processor. You also get Thunderbolt 3 connectivity (through USB-C), USB 3.0 and HDMI output. The GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB VRAM makes this machine sing for any kind of graphics work. Oh, and we love the Razer keyboard – which has individually backlit keys, meaning you can create your own lighting effects (we’re sure you could do something creative with your most-used keyboard shortcuts). Read TechRadar’s Razer Blade review. --- The Surface Book is at the top of Microsoft's Surface range of products, and you get a load of power, with the convenience of a detachable tablet with multi-touch display that you can use as a digital sketchbook. The 512GB SSD, Core i7, 16GB RAM, GeForce version is our favourite of the laptop models. And although it's pretty expensive, it’s stonkingly fast and has fantastic build quality. Bear in mind, though, that you’re only getting a 13.5-inch screen – a fantastic 3000x2000, 267ppi screen – so factor in the cost for a monitor when you’re back at your desk (and indeed the extra Surface Dock for plugging in all of your peripherals). Read our Microsoft Surface Book review. --- In its most basic spec, the Dell Precision 7720 is a little underwhelming – it hasn’t even got a full HD display. But, if you’re prepared to spend a little more and get into the customisation options, you can build a dream Photoshop laptop. For instance, we specced up the 17-inch mobile beast to have a UHD display, a 512GB SSD and a rapid Core i7 for a shade under £3,000 (or $3,130 on Dell's US site). Sure, it's a lot of money, but remember you’re getting a 17-inch portable workstation here. Of course with that comes the weight: 3.4kg (7.5lbs) to be precise. Read TechRadar’s Dell Precision hands-on review. Related links: Best laptops for graphic designers 95 top Photoshop tutorials 60 free Photoshop actions View the full article

Designers are spoilt for choice when it comes to typefaces these days, with thousands of paid-for and free fonts to choose from. But what about if you want to make your own? Just like creating a new logo design, developing your own font is no easy feat, and there are many factors to consider when doing so. One of the most important considerations is kerning; the process of adjusting the spacing between letters to achieve a visually pleasing result. Some designers find it easy, others find it a tricky process where success is achieved more by luck than real judgement. But follow these tips and you should find yourself on the right track... 01. Choose your typeface early on Settle on your type choices early on and everything will flow naturally from thereEach typeface requires its own kerning, adjustments and attention to detail. So it's important that you make a decisive decision on the typeface you're going to be working with early on within the design process. Making last-minute changes can significantly change the direction of your design as well as the kerning that specific typeface needs. Rushed, last-minute kerning is rarely successful kerning, so don't put yourself in that position. 02. Consider specific letter combinations Some letters don't kern as well as othersRemember that some letters that don't kern as well as others within a word. Letter combinations such as 'LA', for example, are not as complementary as 'AV'. In such cases, attention to kerning needs to be considered and focused in regards to the negative space. 03. Blur your eyes Blurring your eyes or squinting can help you focus on letter shapesWhile kerning display typefaces (you should only be kerning display typefaces by the way), try blurring your vision a bit by squinting or crossing your eyes. This enables you to focus on the contrast and white space of the letterforms without becoming distracted by the characters themselves. 04. Flip the typeface upside down Turning the typeface upside down is a good way to examine the letter shapesAnother useful exercise for kerning is to turn the typeface upside-down. This allows you to focus on the form of the characters rather than getting distracted by the actual word being viewed. Upside-down text becomes more abstract and enables you to focus on lights (white space) and dark (the characters) areas. 05. Create rhythm and consistency The best font kerning has good rhythm and consistencyThe best font kerning (and the best typography) has good rhythm and consistency. One character sitting next to another should appear rhythmic and balanced. One way of achieving this is to step back from the monitor and observe the text. Does the text 'box' appear as one equal shade? Or does it appear darker between some characters and lighter between others? 06. Remember spacing between words Kerning is about controlling spacing, and that includes the gaps between wordsThe main focus of kerning is usually the spacing between characters, but don't forget the spacing between words. This can be especially relevant when working with free fonts you've downloaded online, which are sometimes poorly constructed in terms of spacing. 07. Supply two versions of a logo Supply two logos to clients: one for large sizes and one for smaller useKerning typefaces for logos can be quite tricky, since logo typefaces can be viewed at very large or very small sizes. I recommend supplying clients, when needed, with two sets: more tightly kerned pairs for large sizes and looser for the smaller uses of the logo. 08. Test yourself Like mastering any technique, the best and most effective way to improve your kerning skills is through practice. The Kerning Game is a great way to brush up on your technique as well as learning by trial and error the most common mistakes made whilst kerning. 09. Try out a kerning tool Check out www.letteringjs.com, a jQuery plugin that enables HTML text to be kerned easilyFor us really picky, detailed web folk, try looking at Kern.js and Lettering.js. The second one is a jQuery plugin that enables selectable HTML text on the web to be kerned and controlled in other profound ways. 10. Learn your terms Tracking is about uniform spacing across a text selectionThere are lots of specific terms related to typography. For instance, you may hear other designers talk about 'tracking' and assume it's the same thing as kerning. It's not. Tracking is about controlling the uniform spacing between all the letters in a piece of text, while kerning refers to the spacing between two specific letters. For a full glossary, take a look at our article Typography rules and terms every designer must know. Like this? Read these! 25 typography freebies to make your life easier The 26 best free cursive fonts 7 best new fonts of 2017 View the full article

How much time does it take for a brand identity to become stale? For Medium, less then two years seems to be long enough. Earlier this week the online publishing platform unveiled a new logo (above) and wordmark to replace the colourful, three-dimensional logo design it used from late 2015. 25 logo design tips from the expertsCreated by Medium's in-house designers and San Francisco-based design and branding studio Manual, the new black and white logo is an abrupt change that calls back to the original look of the site from 2012 through to 2015. The new logo is sure to be a welcome change for eagle-eyed designers who had a negative reaction to the Medium 2.0 rebrand. While the vibrant 2015 design (below) came under scrutiny for its inconsistent corners and the questionable quality of its 3D effect, the 2017 logo takes a more mature approach with flat, sleek letter shapes. The three dimensional 2015 Medium logo received a mixed response from designersWhen looking through the evolution of the Medium brand, the new logo looks like a logical refinement of the site's original monogram (below). The glyphic serifs give Medium an authoritative editorial look that also manages to appear more personable than the square corners found on the platform's first identity. The site's original logo, from 2012, was authoritative, with square cornersThis brand journey, circling back to a mature and sophisticated look, only helps to highlight Medium's 2015 whacky phase. While the colourful logo was certainly fresh and distinctive, perhaps it deviated too far from what Medium wants to be known for. The 2017 identity does include a nice range of tasteful palette options, though, which Medium might not have hit upon if it didn't experiment with colour before. The new Medium logo includes a wordmark and colour paletteThe good news for Medium is that plenty of designers appear to like this refined rebrand. Many have already taken to social media to sing the praises of the new look and crack a joke at what has been appropriately described as the 'teenage phase' of the 2015 logo being over. However, many were left scratching their heads as to why the 2015 design was scrapped so quickly. Whatever the reason, let's hope it's a case of third time lucky for the site. Related articles: 10 commandments of logo design 15 fantastic logo fonts 10 best logos ever View the full article

DeOS - http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/mainframe-world/what-is-deos-78297 … View the full article

In this guide I’ll talk about the processes I use when creating artwork in InDesign for special finishes such as varnishes, foil blocking, embossing and die cutting. Each finish has some best practice guides you should follow, but once you get your head around creating one you should be able to easily apply this knowledge to the other processes. Create mixed inks with InDesignTo illustrate each print finish, I'll use an example of a cover I created for Computer Arts in collaboration with Celloglas, a specialist in decorative print finishes. At the bottom of each page you'll find a video showing each design being brought to life at the printers. On this page I'll teach you how to create foil block designs in Photoshop. Use the drop-down above to find out how to tackle spot varnish (page 2), die cuts and folds (page 3), and embossing and debossing (page 4). Foil blocking Issue 232 features a diffuser foil, fluted emboss and a spot UVIt's always best to create the artwork for foil block printing as a vector. If that's not possible then you want the artwork to be a minimum of 600 DPI – this will help you avoid jagged edges and keep the foil blocking look crisp. Remember, you can’t achieve gradients or shading with a foil, so the artwork needs to be a solid colour. Generally, you'll get the best results when you're not trying to line the foil blocking up with a printed image, as paper stretch/shrinkage can cause the foil to misregister. Best practices Avoid using any foil lines thinner than 0.5mm/1pt Leave at least 1mm space between the separate foiled elements to stop shapes bleeding into one another Don't try and align the foil to fine details such as small type (especially serifs) or thin lines When lining up the foil with a printed image, add a 1mm to the foil guide to allow for misregistration Large areas of solid foil can be tricky to get right and you may not always get the best results Creating foil blocking in InDesign The printed cover and the diffuser foil guideI find the easiest way is to supply your foil blocking artwork is as a separate PDF file. I tend to design the document as a mockup, using a block colour to represent any foil elements, then add the foil block elements to my final print artwork. This means you can see the closest example of how the final printed product will look, and reduces the risk of any misregistration issues. It also means you have a mockup version ready to send to the printers. Finalise your design, with the foil block elements in a solid colour on a separate layer over the top of your print artwork Duplicate the page three times. One page will be your mockup, one will be the final artwork for printing, and one will be the foil block Delete the unwanted elements from the relevant pages, and save each version with the relevant name Open the files and delete the unwanted pages from each file In your foil document, change the colour to solid black, and check to make sure you've covered everything by turning off the black ink and looking in your Separations Preview panel Some printers may require you to set up a spot colour and work with one document. In this case, make sure the spot colour is set to Overprint (via 'Window > Attributes') so you don’t lose any of the detail underneath the foil block element It’s always best to talk to your printers or finisher to check how they would like the file to be provided and for any special requirements. If you have any concerns, ask if you can send over an early example and get the professional's input. Next page: Spot varnish Spot varnish The great thing about spot varnish is that you can align it with various elements to really accentuate particular parts of the design. It also works really well when you're using it to add interest or a decorative element to a piece. There are several different options out there for spot varnishes: gloss, matt, soft touch, rough touch, even glitter and scratch-off latex (as we used on our cover below). And you can create some really interesting effects when you mix two contrasting finishes together. Issue 259 features a scratch-off silver latex varnishHow to You don’t have the same limitations with spot varnish as you would with foil blocking, as a slight misregistration isn’t going to be so obvious. Like foil blocking, I find the best way to supply the artwork is as a separate PDF file. I use the method I did with the foil blocking, working over my final printing artwork. If you're using a Photoshop file that's been placed in InDesign, make sure you're working with a solid black by setting the colour mode to greyscale in Photoshop. Again you can check the colour via the Separations Preview panel. The printed cover and scratch-off varnish guideBest practices Don't use spot varnish over areas that are to be folded, creased or trimmed or glued Very large solid areas of varnish may have a ‘pinholed’ appearance, which is not always possible to eliminate Mesh selection will vary depending on the image selected – the lower the number, the greater the volume of varnish/coating applied For the vast majority of ‘normal’ gloss UV screen work, a 150 mesh will be used Varnishes such as glitter require a coarse 21 mesh, and applications such as latex, need a 70 mesh Next page: Die cuts and folds Die cuts and folding Issue 250 featured a die cut, and a spot UV with soft-touch laminateAs with foil blocking, for the best result you want to create your die lines as a vector graphic. I use solid lines for areas that need cutting, and dotted lines for the areas that need to be folded. Once again, you want to work over the top of your print document. When designing your artwork, remember you'll get the best results if you don't try to align the die to a printed image, as there is always the chance of a slight misregistration. Best practices The printed cover and die cut guideThere are some general rules of thumb to take into consideration when creating your artwork. Mark up die cuts with solid lines and folds with a dotted line Die cut holes need to be at least 4mm, and the lines at least 1pt thick Leave at least 2mm space between the die cut holes Remember, the more holes or the larger the holes, the weaker the paper/card will become Consider the shape of your die cut – be wary of anything that could easily catch and rip If you're attempting to create anything complicated, it is always best to contact your printer/die cutter first. Every design has the potential for unforeseen problems. Next page: Emboss and deboss Emboss and deboss Issue 262 features a spot UV, a matt laminate and an embossAlthough the terms are sometimes confused for one another, embossing and debossing are two different techniques. Embossing is when a design is pushed up into the paper so it creates a textured relief above the surface. Debossing is when an image is pushed down into the paper so it lies below the surface, creating an indentation. You can create some great results by aligning an emboss or deboss with your artwork to enhance certain areas. Alternatively, a blind image embossed or debossed onto a solid colour can look very effective. Best practices The printed cover and the emboss guideAvoid embossing or debossing very fine lines, as this doesn't tend to work Try to leave around 2mm space between embossed/debossed lines You can create a double-layered emboss and have elements at different heights – just be aware that the more layers you add the weaker the paper becomes Combining different finishes Combining these different techniques can take a bit of thought and preparation. It’s good to know you can’t foil over a varnish, so if you want to use these finishes together remember to leave the foil area out of the varnish. Embossing and foil works well together, so long as you don’t over-complicate the design. Finally, if you're including multiple special finishes on one document, make sure you clearly name the PDFs to save any confusion. Related articles: How to get more from your print projects: 5 top tips The designer's guide to printing a poster The beginner's guide to giclee printing View the full article

Adobe applications Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are the gold standard for graphic designers. These are the tools you'll need to know how to work with if you want to get ahead in the field of graphic design, and you can master these programs with the Graphic Design Certification School. Get a lifetime subscription to the service on sale now for 96% off the full retail price! If you want to work as a graphic designer, you're going to need to have at least some familiarity with Adobe's Creative Cloud programs. The Graphic Design Certification School will teach you how to master Adobe's most powerful tools – Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. You'll get tons of actionable lessons taught by experts who will teach how to bring your ideas to life. You can also get certifications to prove your skills after each course. Each of these three Graphic Design Certification School courses is valued at $399, giving a full value of over $1,197 for them all. But this offer means you can get this incredible bundle of courses on sale for 96% off the retail price! That means you pay just $39 (approx £30) for a bundle that will help you prove your skills, so grab this deal today! This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life. We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more. There are even top competitions like the popular iPad Pro Giveaway. Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at: deals@creativebloq.com View the full article

In recent times, the worldwide market has seen a dramatic increase in mobile app usage, and with it a big increase in revenue figures. However, about one in four users tend to abandon mobile apps after just one use. To halt such an alarming trend, mobile app developers need to work to provide a great user experience and make the introduction process smoother. This is where user onboarding comes into picture. Providers of mobile app development services (such as Oxagile, where I work) typically recommend one of the following common types of onboarding: Benefits-oriented Function-oriented Progressive In this article, we'll look into each technique to see how to effectively employ it. Use the drop-down above to navigate to each different type of mobile onboarding. Benefits-oriented onboarding You can use this method of onboarding to introduce the main benefits of a product, show users what perks they can expect and explain how those perks can be used in daily life. When applying benefits-oriented onboarding, there are some steps to follow. I'll run though them now. 01. Show one perk per screen Keep benefits to one per screen No matter what number of benefits you decide to unveil, it’s paramount you stick to the 'one benefit per screen' rule. This way you won’t clutter your screen with too much information and will draw users’ attention to key points. 02. Don’t limit yourself to just three benefits Without doubt, three is a magic number, but sometimes it may be useful to introduce more than three benefits. Just don't go overboard – when trying to show the app in its glory, you don’t want to bore users with too much information. 03. Be concise Verbs can help secure users' attention Use appropriate vocabulary while introducing your app. Remember that one of the best ways to capture attention is to use verbs – here 'book', 'manage', 'check' and 'rate' give a strong call to action related to the app's key uses. Moreover, avoid lengthy descriptions – save them for app stores. 04. Save signup for later Let people who are in a hurry to sign up do so Onboarding represents an overview of your app. Going through this overview, the user should understand whether it's worth signing up. That’s why it is logical to put onboarding first and save users from being interrupted by benefits when they have already started exploring the app. However, to please those who want to skip some screens and get started right now, it's worth placing the signup option on each screen. Next page: Function-oriented onboarding tips for mobile apps The function-orientated onboarding technique is pretty self-explanatory. Try your hand at it when your goal is to make it clear how to handle your app, show core functionality, and explain when users should rely on one or another function. Here are some things to consider when employing function-oriented onboarding: 01. Explain one function per screen Focus on one element per screen As with benefits-oriented onboarding, strive to simplify the process and avoid an overload of information by explaining one function per screen, clearly and concisely. 02. Try in-app hinting Handy tips can help explain ambiguous elements Explain your app’s functions by using hints or button labels. However, avoid describing things that are crystal clear. Like the entire app, your onboarding should provide true value to users. It’s pointless to describe such obvious elements as toggles, back and forward arrows, or close and cancel buttons [x]. 03. Help users get started Make sure your empty states aren't off-puttingIf your app welcomes users with an empty screen, it will likely cause confusion – they won’t understand how to start using it and may think there is a bug. That’s why it’s essential to include a note, such as 'tap to add items' to help them start. 04. Let users skip to registration As mentioned in the previous technique, allow users to skip introduction screens and to register easily at any stage of onboarding. Next page: Progressive onboarding for mobile apps One of the best ways to learn something is to see it in practice. Progressive onboarding relies on this idea. With such an approach, you introduce the app's features when users have actually started looking into it. Below you can find advice on implementing the progressive onboarding technique. 01. Introduce hidden functions The Feedly app offers a wealth of ways to share an article (via Twitter, G+, email, and so on). To avoid cluttering the navigation bar, it employs hidden functionality Every mobile app developer aims to use the mobile screen space as effectively as possible, which means tricks such as expanding menus and hidden functionality are relatively common. In this situation, it’s a good idea to explain where those hidden functions are through onboarding. 02. Explain gesture-driven apps Let users know how gestures work on your app If your app is quite simple and relies heavily on gestures, the progressive onboarding technique is ideal. When onboarding, explain the function of each gesture through pop-up messages to users. 03. Offer further explanation Provide a gesture cheatsheet If your app uses a lot of gestures, it will be difficult for users to remember them all. Moreover, it's likely your app is not the only gesture-driven one in a user’s phone. Make things even more straightforward by explaining gestures in the app’s settings, so users can refer to them whenever they need to. Combine onboarding options The Human app onboarding combines benefits- (screens #1 and 2) and function-oriented (screen #3) techniques The types of onboarding we've discussed here are the most popular ones. However, to successfully compete in the mobile app development space, you can adopt a complex approach by combining two or even three techniques. When experimenting, make sure such a combination adds high value and doesn’t pad your app's onboarding out. Read more: How to use animation in mobile apps 10 tips for better mobile UX design 11 tips for ergonomic mobile interfaces View the full article

Squashing bugs in your animation is a chore, but it has to be doneFlash may have fallen by the wayside, but animation on the web is bigger than ever, and it's at the forefront of providing a compelling user experience. But whether you're using JavaScript, SVG or CSS3 animation, at some point you'll have to roll up your sleeves and get debugging. Here, some leading developers reveal the tools they use to iron out all the bugs. 1. Chrome's Inspect Element tools Chrome's DevTools include tools to inspect elements"Generally speaking I like to use the Chrome DevTools Inspect Element tools, which are getting better every day," says Easee founder Steven Fabre. "Instead of typing everything manually or doing the back-and-forth from cubic-bezier.com to your text editor, you can now change the animation's speed and easing with a slider and visual cubic-bezier graph editor. "Once I'm happy with the timing and easing of the animation, I like to enable paint flashing to identify and fix elements that may potentially make the animation jerky." 02. CodePen CodePen will flag any syntax errorsDesigner and developer Dudley Storey reduces the need for debugging from the start. "I avoid typos by writing CSS animations in Sass," he tells us, "using either CodePen or CodeKit – both of which flag syntax errors. "If I am stuck with an unexpected result, I work backwards: one simple check is to set my CSS animation(s) to a single to { } declaration, which allows me to ensure the elements I'm animating can actually reach their final states." 03. Firefox Developer Edition Firefox's Developer Edition is packed with debugging tools"CSS animations and transitions can be tricky to debug," says web animations advocate and consultant, Rachel Nabors, "especially in UI animation, where the movement is often very quick. That's why I like Firefox Developer Edition's animation tools so much. "In the animation panel, I can scrub through an animation or even a group of animations to see what's actually happening. If an animation has already run, I don't need to refresh the page, just back that playhead up." 04. GreenSock GreenSock offers a suite of tools for JavaScript HTML5 animationSenior UX engineer Sarah Drasner has a top tip for debugging JavaScript animations. "I usually use GreenSock," she tells us, "which comes equipped with timeScale(value). This handy function enables me to slow a whole timeline down so I can see how things are interacting. "There's also timeline.seek(value), which enables me to find a specific place in time. The longer the animation, the more helpful this tool will be to your workflow." 05. Trial-and-error At Generate London, award-winning web animator Chris Gannon will share his processes and explore some of the tools he uses to build them "Animations play an important role in user interactions," notes Patrick Brosset, DevTools engineering manager at Mozilla. "Specially crafted animations not only look good but can help users make sense of changes in a user interface. Getting the perfect animation, fine-tuned to progress and last just the right way, is a trial and error process. "Tooling is key. Debugging animations requires you to be able to see and edit CSS key frame rules right in the browser, and live edit complex cubic-bezier curves. But more importantly, being able to pause, seek, slow down or speed up an animation and edit its properties at any time is essential. Both Firefox and Chrome's developer tools enable you to do just this." 06. Canary animation inspector Web motion designer Val Head is another fan of Chrome and Firefox's developer animation tools. "These animation inspectors have saved me loads of time," she reveals. "I use these because they have the most features (though some are experimental). Both have visual timelines and cubic-bezier editors for individual animations. "Canary's animation inspector is my current favourite. The editable timeline, playhead scrubber, and playback speed control let me get a really good look at what's happening in the code." 07. Your own library Bryan James's website shows he has a large libraryFreelance interactive designer and creative coder Bryan James takes a more organic approach to ironing out animation errors. "I don't debug animations in any particular way," he says, "it's purely trial and error. Recently, I've started using my own small personal group of transition sets that I tend to stick to, so I'm getting quicker at spotting errors with just my eyes. "My transition set is a group of variables declared as descriptive names, for when particular eases are necessary – akin to the standard set of ease-out, linear and so on, but a lot more bespoke and varied." This article originally appeared in net magazine issue 279. Want to learn how to push the animation boundaries? Award-winning web animator Chris Gannon will dissect some of this work at Generate London on 21 September, while Leonard Souza will demonstrate Webflow's new Interactions 2.0 feature the next day. The event will also cover web performance, UX strategy, accessibility, responsive components, adaptive as well as conversational interfaces, user research, prototyping and much, much more. Reserve your spot now! Related articles: 5 steps for mastering web animation 21 top examples of JavaScript 10 impressive examples of CSS3 animation View the full article

To be a good designer, you need to keep learning new techniques and skills – and what better way to stay ahead of the curve than with a free course for designers. After all, the more diverse your skillset, the more appealing you'll look to employers. The more you learn, the more impressive your work will be. However, finding good learning resources is a task in itself. That's where Udemy comes in. This online learning platform is aimed at professionals, and there's a ton of stuff on there to help out knowledge-hungry designers. We've rounded up 10 of the best free courses on Udemy for designers, to give you a taste of what to find on the site. In this list we've tried to cover all bases, looking at courses that will help you pick up new skills from 3D art to digital character design to Adobe Creative Cloud programs to working with WordPress and beyond. Head over to Udemy for yourself to see the full gamut of courses on offer. 01. Introduction to KeyShot for Digital 3D Rendering KeyShot is one of the easiest and fastest 3D rendering programs aroundIn this one hour on-demand video you'll learn the basics of KeyShot and how to use the powerful 3D rendering software to create stunning content of your own. You'll also pick up how to navigate and import your own game assets. All you need to get going is KeyShot 3D rendering software and your own working 3D asset. 02. Adobe Illustrator Essentials for Character Design Turn your sketches into pitch-worthy art with this courseTurning paper drawings into products that you can sell is the dream of plenty of aspiring artists. With this Adobe Illustrator course you'll learn how to do just that. Thanks to two hours of on-demand video, you'll also master the Overshoot Technique and how to draw on a tablet or with a mouse. For more Illustrator learning, check out our 100 amazing Adobe Illustrator tutorials post. 03. Adobe Flash CS5.5 for Beginners Start creating interactive content with these CS5 tutorialsYou get a lot of bang for your non-bucks in this free course packed with over 10 hours of on-demand video footage. By the time you're done watching, you'll know how to create animated scenes with Flash CS5.5. Plus you'll learn how to import graphics from Photoshop and how to create web-ready videos with usable playback controls. 04. How To Make a Beautiful WordPress Website Without Coding Create an online presence in under 70 minutes with this courseCreating a website is one of the most important ways to get your work out into the world. This beginner-friendly course teaches you how to quickly and easily set up a self hosted website thanks to two hours of on-demand video. You'll also learn the basics and fundamentals of WordPress, as well as picking up how to edit and update your site. For more WordPress learning, check out our 25 brilliant WordPress tutorials post. 05. How to Animate Logos for Companies and Brands Learn a real skill with business value in this After Effects courseMotion graphics can often appear more complicated than they actually are. This course aims to remove the frustration from learning After Effects and quickly give animators a practical skill they can pitch to clients. Taught over four hours of on-demand video, this course requires you to have access to After Effects. 06. Start Making Comics with Manga Studio 5 / Clip Studio Paint Learn graphic novel essentials with this courseAlways wanted to create a comic book but never been sure where to start? You're in luck, because this course teaches you how to sketch and ink directly in Manga Studio 5/ Clip Studio Paint, import art, paint digitally, set up comic book pages and storylines, and much more. After you're done with the six hours of on-demand video you'll be well on your way to having your own comic. 07. Make a Wordpress Portfolio Website Start displaying your content to the world!We've already seen how to make your own site on this list, but what if you're looking for a specific way to show off your dazzling work to potential clients? Enter this course, which runs through how to make a WordPress portfolio site in just two and a half hours of on-demand video. Who knows, maybe it'll help you land your next gig? 08. Backgrounds and Assets for Animation with No Drawing Skills This beginner's course will give a sense of place to your animationsIf you've got rudimentary PC skills, this course will be able to help you produce images and backgrounds for animations. You don't even need immense drawing skills, as this course will teach you how to texture and trace over existing images. 09. Learn 3D Modeling: Blender Basics in Under Two Hours Quickly add 3D modelling to your skill list with this courseDon't have any prior knowledge of Blender? Doesn't matter. This one-hour course will show you the basics of the 3D modelling software, equipping you with the knowledge to start using tools, shortcuts and primitive objects. All you have to do is install Blender and you're ready to rock and roll with this course. Once you're ready for more Blender learning, check out our Brilliant Blender tutorials post. 10. Photoshop for Web Design Beginners Make a clean and simple web page design with this courseSometimes the best way to learn about a tool is to dive in and start working on a project. That's just what this course, made up of two hours' of on-demand video, aims to accomplish. By creating a web page design, you'll pick up the basics of Photoshop in the process and come out on the other side with a firm grasp of the software. Related articles: 16 top online coding courses 7 free Android apps for creatives 95 top Photoshop tutorials View the full article

If there's something that never goes out of fashion in the world of design, it's tattoo art. Designers simply love getting inked up with awesome tattoos, and tattoo artists are forever pushing the boundaries of what can be done; check out these mind-blowing 3D tattoos, for example. Right now, though, we're obsessed with watercolor tattoo art, in which artists recreate the unique look of watercolor paintings in tattoo form. It might look easy but it takes an enormous amount of skill to convincingly ink a replica of the distinctive colour washes and paint splatters that you'll find in a watercolor painting; here are 16 amazing examples by some of the world's leading practitioners. 01. June Jung Watercolour washes and geometric outlinesJune Jung was one of the early adopters of the watercolour tattoo art trend, and has gone on to gain a worldwide reputation for her work. She starts out with realistic-looking designs and adds watercolour effects around them. June appeared in an episode of The Art of Ink, talking about her inspirations and approach. Watch it below. 02. Joanne Baker Baker also shares her initial sketches on her InstagramJoanne Baker is a tattoo artist at Semper in Edinburgh, UK. She specialises in animal-based watercolour tattoo designs, and her Instagram account includes majestic crows, delicate seahorses and an angry-looking seagull (someone has to love them, we guess). She also shares her initial sketches, which are works of art in themselves. This rainbow-hued jellyfish design took two days to complete. 03. G.NO G.NO's beautiful floral watercolour workThis sprawling floral work is a good example of G.NO's signature style. She also specialises in delicate, miniature tattoos and work that looks botanically accurate. G.NO is at Tattoo People in Toronto. 04. Russell Van Schaick Russell tackles unconventional subjectsDescribing himself as an "abstract watercolor tattoo artist", Florida-based Van Schaick's tattooing journey began in Minnesota before he took the leap down to the sun-filled land of Florida. He is currently based out of Hart & Huntington in Orlando and says he's still learning. But, with stunningly vibrant works of body art with lines that flow and colours that bleed into one another so effortlessly, it's clear he's nailing it so far. 05. Candelaria Carballo Candelaria Carballo's work shows her eye for fashion and styleCarballo has her fingers in many pies; from make-up artistry and tattooing to painting and illustrating. There really is nothing creative she can't master. The Argentinian artist, has a penchant for whimsical, pastel coloured watercolour skin art, and we adore the "rough around the edges" sketchy line-work, very reminiscent of mid-century fashion illustrations. 06. Rodrigo Tas Tas is a trained graphic designerTattooist and graphic artist Tas draws on any surface he's presented with. He's tried his hand at everything, including teaching and is a qualified graphic designer – but since he discovered the pull of the tattoo machine he's never looked back. Tas' designs blend his eye for graphic qualities and design with his experience with illustration, motion design and art history. The São Paulo-based artist takes up surprise guest slots all over the country. 07. Alejandra Idarraga Alejandra also creates murals and sculpturesAlejandra Idarraga is a Colombian tattoo artist based in Miami, working at Tattoo&Co. As well as being a tattoo artist, she also creates murals and sculptures. Idarraga's tattoo work ranges from intricate, geometric designs to vibrant watercolour tattoo art, complete with paint splashes and drips. 08. Lianne Moule UK-based artist Lianne creates picture-perfect watercolours on skinLianne is a versatile artist who works across a variety of media, but her speciality is watercolour tattoos imbued with breathtakingly realistic sunlight effects. Driven by a love of nature and bright colours, she creates her work by first making a watercolour study to use as a reference that she then painstakingly recreates in tattoo form, making sure to include hard-to-imitate spills, splashes and drips by way of a signature. You can find her at Immortal Ink in Chelmsford, UK. 09. Victor Octaviano Victor creates his stunning works straight onto clients' skinHailing from Brazil, tattoo artist and self-taught illustrator Victor Octaviano has been exploring the possibilities of creating a watercolour look in tattoo form for a while now. He loves the challenge of conveying the look and texture of watercolour paintings in his tattoo work, mixing up sharp, energetic brush strokes with gloriously liquid washes, splatters and stains. 10. Ivana Tattoo Art You'd be forgiven for thinking someone took a paintbrush to this person's armCurrently living and working in Los Angeles, Ivana is a multi award-winning tattoo artist who's in demand at tattoo conventions worldwide. She describes her work as innovative, sophisticated, and eclectic; a mixture of multiple genres combining funky, bright colours and abstract elements with street style and high art. We love the expressive splashes of colour in this playful image of a Japanese doll. 11. Dêner Silva If you've wondered about the sort of work that goes into creating a watercolor tattoo, this video from Brazilian tattoo artist Dêner Silva should cast a little light on the process. It shows him creating a distinctive Cheshire Cat tattoo, starting from a reference work that he turns into a line art transfer, and then painstakingly inking the design. Impressive job! 13. Ondrash Ondrash's sought-after tattoos are as individual as his clientsIt's not easy to get an appointment with Ondrash. A versatile artist and tattoo artist with a background in fashion design and conceptual art, he likes to give every client his full attention and so only takes one booking a day at his studio in Znojmo in the Czech Republic, taking time to understand what his client is after, create a reference painting. Only then does he go to work with the needle to create a tattoo as individual as every customer. View the full article

Zerodium announced new $500,000 payouts for zero days in secure messaging apps such as Signal, WhatsApp and others. View the full article

An exploit dubbed ROPEMAKER relies on taking advantage of email design functionality, namely by remotely changing CSS in HTML-based emails after they've been sent. View the full article

CSS3 properties opened a multitude of new doors to web designers and developers, making it possible to create animations and interactivity entirely in CSS markup, without going near Flash, Silverlight or After Effects. Below we've rounded up some of the best CSS3 animation examples around – including standalone effects and sites. 01. One Shared House Anton & Irene's web documentary uses CSS TransformationsOne Shared House is a web documentary profiling UX designer Irene Pereyra's experiences growing up in a feminist commune in 1970s Amsterdam. From the moment you arrive, you're not alone: your cursor movements are followed. Instead of relying on trite scrolling techniques, Pereyra and partner-in-design Anton Repponen drew inspiration from the early-90s game 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?' and made use of the bottom screen to subtly expose exploratory content, offering you the ability to define your own level of involvement with the story. Interactions combine with storytelling to deliver a mesmerising, novel experience. Pereyra and Repponen's boldness in persevering through two years of self-funded and self-initiated work is important: "It enables us to experiment with disciplines and techniques for which there is typically no space in client projects," says Pereyra. 02. Type Terms An animated cheatsheet for typeType Terms is an animated cheatsheet created by Supremo, a web design agency in Manchester. After doing some research, they found that most existing online information about typographic terminology used simple, static images. The team was looking for a reason to experiment with SVG and CSS animation, and this was the perfect opportunity. "I decided to create something that was more visually engaging, which would help new designers learn all the key typographic terms in an instant," says designer Dan Heywood. The team emphasise the importance of designers having a good grasp on typography. For those learning the rules for the first time, or for experienced designers needing a refresher, this cheatsheet is both educational and a delight to explore. The content is focused, the information is clear, and the animations are silky-smooth. 03. Waaark Mouse over the boundaries for a fun animationEvery interaction on Waaark’s site reveals an incredible attention to detail. Art director Jimmy Raheriarisoa and frontend developer Antoine Wodniack, the individuals who make up the French studio, have thought through everything. They have planned how scenes transition from one page to another, how text fades in a certain way, and how complex SVG graphics animate in. Everything is brought to life while maintaining performance and accessibility. The pair have added keyboard shortcuts and swiping gestures to make the experience better for people with a wide range of motor abilities. When asked about their newly released portfolio site, Wodniack explained that collaboration was key: "With the web becoming more and more creative, it’s becoming vital to assemble a creative duo between a developer and a designer. Developers always need new challenges to blossom, and designers need solutions to make their ideas possible." 04. Periodic table At the start of the demo, the disparate elements gently fly towards each otherThe periodic table of elements is a popular subject for designers to showcase new web technologies. Built by Barcelona-based web designer Ricardo Cabello – best known within the community as 'Mr Doob' – this demo starts with the animated elements hurtling through space towards each other to form a table. You're then given the option to rotate them in three dimensions by dragging on your mouse. You can also switch between 'Table', 'Sphere', 'Helix', and 'Grid' views by clicking the buttons at the bottom of the page. Cabello created the experiment to see if he could use his three.js JavaScript library to replicate the effects used in a demo for the game engine famo.us. Cabello has also posted this video of how the demo runs on an iPad 2: 05. CSS Creatures What will your CSS creature look like?We all know that working in the design industry can sometimes become monotonous. So, take some time out from your busy schedule and have some creative fun with this cute little CSS project from Pittsburgh-based web designer and developer Bennett Feely. CSS Creatures allows the user to design, create and animate their very own web-based friend. Like the sound of that? All you have to do is send a tweet to @CSSCreatures with your preferred colour, personality and features. Your CSS creature then appears on the site in under 25 seconds! 06. AT-AT Walker from Star Wars AT-AT Walker by Anthony CalzadillaThis illustrated animation of AT-AT Walker from The Empire Strikes Back by Anthony Calzadilla is created entirely in CSS3. Click on the ‘view the bones’ link on the iPad and you can see how each part animates and functions. 07. GT America Designer Josh Schaub's animations bring this microsite to lifeGrilli Type, a Swiss type foundry, has struck gold with the release of its new font GT-America, and this "fun, funny, fresh microsite that takes the idea of a type specimen to the next level" (in the words of graphic designer and critic Michael Bierut). Every detail on the site fits together to tell the story of the font. GT-America is named after its country of inspiration, the United States. There's so much play going on here, with more than 40 quirky animations by designer Josh Schaub. You can even interact with some of them to bring the illustrations to life. We like the use of animation and video to showcase the incredible versatility in the font: width, stroke, kerning, use. Everything is a storytelling moment, a teaching moment and a learning moment in one. 08. Caaaaaaaat The cat stretches to the width of the browser windowJapanese web designer and interactive director Masayuki Kido, aka Roxik, has created this animated kitty which stretches across the length of the browser window, and resizes accordingly as you reduce the window's width. Make it narrow enough and the word changes with hilarious consequences. And the fun doesn't end there - but we don't want to spoilt it, so go have a play now! 09. Greenwich Library This site uses animation effects to create the illusion of drawing elements while the user scrollsPublic service websites don’t have a great record of being beautiful or easy to use, but Greenwich Library’s website is an exception to the rule. The redesign is the result of two years’ worth of research, user testing and design. One of our favourite parts is the illusion of drawing elements while the user scrolls. This is a trick many developers create explicitly with SVG, but the simple combination of CSS transformations and layering elements here creates just as interesting an effect as a more complex SVG line drawing. The colour-coded navigational elements also add personality without having to splash colour over every element. 10. Interactive album covers Album covers by bluedashed.com Not only have @MrDenav and @lucasmarinm of bluedashed.com recreated some classic record covers using pure CSS, they've also made them react to music. Demonstrations include First Impressions by the Strokes and Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures. NOTE: Only works in Google Chrome. Read more: Understand the 12 principles of animation Create storyboards for web animations How to use animation in mobile apps View the full article

While it’s not possible to show sound in a conventional, still image (multimedia interactivity aside), it is possible to imply it in the reactions by characters and objects in a scene. Impacts throw up particles and cause vibration, for example. With that in mind I’ll show you how to draw a tolling church bell, viewed from a high eye level (that enables me to show details you wouldn’t be able to see from ground level). I can show small things that might be shaking, vibrating or even dislodged, and I can add some humour with the gargoyles covering their ears. You could also have alarmed pigeons taking flight, roof tiles sliding about and other fixtures swaying. For this painting I used SketchBook Pro to sketch out a belfry and bell, because it has a decent perspective rig, Ruler and Ellipse tools. 01. Sketch out your scene Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the imageUsing a two-point perspective rig with the horizon line fairly high, I mark out some simple shapes, such as a box around the bell. I use the Ellipse tool to draw the bell. I look at various photos to understand what the support setup might be for a heavy bell, then sketch something appropriate. 02. Suggest sound in the details Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image I use some texture brushes to help make areas look more like stone. Using these same brushes on the gargoyles, it should keep the viewer guessing whether these are alive or not. We can introduce sound to this scene through the reaction of the critters around its source. That, along with various other clues dotted around. I pose them all with claws to their ears, and make sure the bell is poised with the clanger just after the strike. 03. Match visual effects to illustration style Click the icon in the top right to enlarge the image I build up the stone textures and ensure everything feel solid, particularly the clanger because it’s a focal point. I avoid vibration lines and other such comic book devices. Instead I’ll have a few bits of masonry coming loose. Try to have your effects fit in with the visual style you’re using. This article originally appeared in issue 146. Buy it here. Liked this? Read these! How to draw a wet figure How to design graphic figures How to colour your manga art like a pro View the full article

The international creativity festival OFFF is heading to London for the first time this September. Promising to unite the worlds of graphic design, moving images, digital art and musical performances, the two-day event, which runs from 29-30 September, will offer something for designers of all disciplines. Over the course of the festival, attendees will be treated to talks from the likes of Adobe, Design Studio, The Mill, Studio XO and many more. With just over a month to go, you can still buy tickets from the OFFF site. To give you a taste of what to expect at OFFF London 2017, we caught up with OFFF founder Héctor Ayuso and Malin Hanås, creative director at POKE – OFFF's London partner. OFFF hits London from 29-30 September 2017What are you most excited about for OFFF London? HA: I have always wanted to bring OFFF to the UK, a big percentage of our Barcelona (main event) audience come from the UK and have always demanded to bring this experience to their hometown, so I’m definitely looking forward to see OFFF growing in London, people’s reactions, the vibes and the general atmosphere being translated from the Barcelona experience to the UK experience. We have selected the line-up and tailored while choosing the featured speakers with so much love and care, some of the artists will be sharing a few new projects for the first time. I can’t wait to see the audience reaction. MH: I've been going to the OFFF festival for 7 years as a visitor and fan, and I couldn’t be more excited to be involved in putting one on. Bringing my favourite event in the world to POKE’s long-term friend and client Here East, and working with the super talented POKE gang to create a crazy identity for it, is such a dream project. The identity and branding is all about that restless curiosity and the (sometimes stupid) love for the craft that unites OFFF goers from all over the world, and I’m super proud to present that on stage. I’m also really excited to bring this great festival to my adopted hometown, making it accessible to young creatives in the UK who might not be able to travel all the way to Barcelona. What is POKE bringing to the OFFF format? MH: London is a real creative melting pot, one of those world metropolises that is a magnet for young artists and creative people from all over the world, so there will be a really great crowd. The venue is just on the edge of Hackney Wick which has a great art scene and plenty of good watering holes. As for POKE, we bring a beautiful festival identity, more great people, good vibes and some really sweet tech. Most importantly we brought in our friends at Here East who are hosting it. Malin Hanås recommends you save sleep for after the conferenceWhy is OFFF the must-attend event this autumn? MH: I've been to many events over the years, and OFFF stands out as the best of all of them for a few reasons. The people are young, hungry and there to learn! Plus the price point is one of the main reasons that young people can go. And of course the speakers play a huge part: whether they're a big production house or a design legend, an experimental artist or a skilled craftsperson, they will talk about creativity and what they do from human point of view without trying to sell you anything. All these factors make a wonderful vibe, so as a result, the atmosphere is fantastic. OFFF is very far from top-heavy conferences full of bosses, it's more like a music festival than an industry event. How come it’s taken OFFF – one of the most exciting global creative events – so long to come to the UK? HA: It’s crazy but we never make the decision to bring OFFF to a specific country. Of course we have a wish list and certain desires to bring OFFF to many cities, but the truth is, it’s always the city and the organisers who call us to bring OFFF to their city. We have received many demands to bring OFFF to many cities but it always depended on choosing the right partners to work with. It’s important for us to work with someone who will take OFFF as its own baby and treat it the same as the main event in Barcelona, avoiding any risk of ruining the reputation in other cities. So we are grateful to work with POKE, the right people to bring such a big event to their city. Héctor is happy to bring OFFF to the city designers love the mostHow well do you think OFFF will translate into a UK environment? "London is 'THE' city, everyone wants to be in London," says Héctor. "Designers love London. Everyone wants to be at OFFF seeking creativity. So it’s a win-win situation. Our UK audience have always been loyal to the event, creating their own vibes and opinions at OFFF. So we are very excited to see that happening in their own place. "Here East venue is also a great spot, translating the real vibe of OFFF Festival. It’s an extra detail that adds to the experience. So there’ s no doubt that this is going to be one of the most special OFFF on Tour editions we will host." What pro tips can you each give visitor for making the most of OFFF London? "Always come first, make use of both entire days, attend all the talks because every single talented speaker has something special to say to you that will help you in whatever you are looking for," says Héctor. "OFFF is an amazing inspiring experience that you should attend, so don’t miss this special London edition." "Have a location in the audience where you usually sit so you can find your friends again if you lose each other," adds Malin. "Don’t worry about the speaker being someone you’ve never heard of. The surprises are often the best. "Make the most of it: Sleep is for next weekend. Take notes, it helps you remember. Everyone is really humble and friendly, so speakers will wander round the festival before and after their talks and are normally super happy to chat." Tickets for OFFF London 2017 are available to buy now, with discounted prices for students. Related articles: How to organize a conference Why conference diversity matters How to survive a web conference View the full article

The international creativity festival, OFFF, is heading to London for the first time this September! Promising to unite the worlds of graphic design, moving images, digital art and musical performances, the two day event which runs from 29-30 September promises to offer something for designers of all disciplines. Over the course of the festival, attendees will be treated to talks from the likes of Adobe, Design Studio, The Mill, Studio XO and many more. With just over a month to go, you can still buy tickets from the OFFF site. To give designers a taste of what to expect at OFFF London 201, we caught up with OFFF founder Héctor Ayuso and creative director Malin Hanås from the festival's partner, POKE. What are you most excited about for OFFF London? "I have always wanted to bring OFFF to the UK, a big percentage of our Barcelona (main event) audience come from the UK and have always demanded to bring this experience to their hometown," says Héctor. "So I’m definitely looking forward to see OFFF growing in London, people’s reactions, the vibes and the general atmosphere being translated from the Barcelona experience to the UK experience. "We have selected the line-up and tailored while choosing the featured speakers with so much love and care, some of the artists will be sharing a few new projects for the first time. I can’t wait to see the audience reaction." "I’ve been going to the OFFF festival for 7 years as a visitor and fan, and I couldn’t be more excited to be involved in putting one on," says Malin. "Bringing my favourite event in the world to POKE’s long-term friend and client Here East, and working with the super talented POKE gang to create a crazy identity for it, is such a dream project. "The identity and branding is all about that restless curiosity and the (sometimes stupid) love for the craft that unites OFFF goers from all over the world, and I’m super proud to present that on stage. I’m also really excited to bring this great festival to my adopted hometown, making it accessible to young creatives in the UK who might not be able to travel all the way to Barcelona." What is POKE bringing to the OFFF format? "London is a real creative melting pot, one of those world metropolises that is a magnet for young artists and creative people from all over the world, so there will be a really great crowd," says Malin. "The venue is just on the edge of Hackney Wick which has a great art scene and plenty of good watering holes. As for POKE, we bring a beautiful festival identity, more great people, good vibes and some really sweet tech. Most importantly we brought in our friends at Here East who are hosting it." Malin recommends you save sleep for after the conferenceWhy is OFFF the must-attend event this autumn? "I’ve been to many events over the years, and OFFF stands out as the best of all of them for a few reasons," Malin explains. "The people are young, hungry and there to learn! Plus the price point is one of the main reasons that young people can go. "And of course the speakers play a huge part: whether they're a big production house or a design legend, an experimental artist or a skilled craftsperson, they will talk about creativity and what they do from human point of view without trying to sell you anything. All these factors make a wonderful vibe, so as a result, the atmosphere is fantastic. "OFFF is very far from top-heavy conferences full of bosses, it's more like a music festival than an industry event." How come it’s taken OFFF - one of the most exciting global creative events - so long to come to the UK? "It’s crazy but we never make the decision to bring OFFF to a specific country," says Héctor. "Of course we have a wish list and certain desires to bring OFFF to many cities, but the truth is, it’s always the city and the organisers who call us to bring OFFF to their city. "We have received many demands to bring OFFF to many cities but it always depended on choosing the right partners to work with. It’s important for us to work with someone who will take OFFF as its own baby and treat it the same as the main event in Barcelona, avoiding any risk of ruining the reputation in other cities. So we are grateful to work with POKE, the right people to bring such a big event to their city." Héctor is happy to bring OFFF to the city designers love the mostHow well do you think OFFF will translate into a UK environment? "London is 'THE' city, everyone wants to be in London," says Héctor. "Designers love London. Everyone wants to be at OFFF seeking creativity. So it’s a win-win situation. Our UK audience have always been loyal to the event, creating their own vibes and opinions at OFFF. So we are very excited to see that happening in their own place. "Here East venue is also a great spot, translating the real vibe of OFFF Festival. It’s an extra detail that adds to the experience. So there’ s no doubt that this is going to be one of the most special OFFF on Tour editions we will host." What pro tips can you each give visitor for making the most of OFFF London? "Always come first, make use of both entire days, attend all the talks because every single talented speaker has something special to say to you that will help you in whatever you are looking for," says Héctor. "OFFF is an amazing inspiring experience that you should attend, so don’t miss this special London edition." "Have a location in the audience where you usually sit so you can find your friends again if you lose each other," adds Malin. "Don’t worry about the speaker being someone you’ve never heard of. The surprises are often the best. "Make the most of it: Sleep is for next weekend. Take notes, it helps you remember. Everyone is really humble and friendly, so speakers will wander round the festival before and after their talks and are normally super happy to chat." Tickets for OFFF London 2017 are available to buy now, with discounted prices for students. Related articles: How to organize a conference Why conference diversity matters How to survive a web conference View the full article

This month, we look at how switching art styles can give new life to your preferred medium. One artist spent a year doing 'small drawings'; we find out what they are and why you should try them. We've got a guide to graphite and charcoal drawing and all the materials you need to try it out. And we've gone back to basics with a new book that is a comprehensive guide to getting started in sketching. If you've always fancied getting into art but never known where to begin, this one's for you. A book on Vermeer sheds new light on the old master's techniques and private life. We look into Chinese brush painting, an art form that is as much about meditation as it is aesthetics. And Tate Modern has a range of collectables that takes the Japanese kokeshi doll and reimagines it as a famous modern artist. Let's get started! 01. Her small drawings Focusing on details can teach you to see in a new wayMatilda Tristram's new book, My Year in Small Drawings, is a sketch-diary of the ordinary, the everyday. Tristram is impressed by things often overlooked by artists: tangles of cables, window frames, plant buds. She suggests that by looking at these things more closely, you can learn to see in a new way – an important skill for an artist of any standing. 02. Your small drawings Try your hand at your own small drawingsIf you fancy having a go at your own small drawings, Matilda Tristram has an accompanying sketchbook in which you can do exactly that. The book has by a grid of blank spaces for your own little drawings, which encourages you to "make interesting observations, discover beauty in unexpected places, and create a unique record of the world around you." 03. A new book on Vermeer New insights from a Vermeer scholarGary Schwartz's new book on Vermeer takes a closer look at the Dutch master's instantly recognisable work – The Milkmaid, The Lacemaker, Girl with a Pearl Earring – and asks how he managed to achieve such photographic precision. Schwartz, a Vermeer scholar, offers new insights on both the artist's work and his private life, with paintings that are displayed in full and in close-up. 04. Arty kokeshi dolls Japanese kokeshi dolls are a symbol of friendshipThis new range from Tate takes the Japanese kokeshi doll – traditionally given as a symbol of friendship – and turns it into a figurine of a famous artist. Among them are dolls dedicated to the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Spanish expressionist Salvador Dali, and Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. 05. Drawing for beginners If you haven't a clue where to start, this book is for youSomething for the novice: "If you have always wanted to learn to draw but lack the confidence to start, Drawing for the Absolute Beginner is the book for you," says artist and art teacher Carole Massey. The book starts with simple lines, circles, squares and ellipses, and moves on to figures, buildings and landscapes. It's a complete drawing course in a single book. 06. Beginner sketching set This set is good quality but won't break the bankThe Derwent Academy range offers drawing pencils for beginner artists, which include all the features the pros look for: natural wood, quality graphite, hexagonal barrels for better control, and break-resistant strips for a long-lasting point. This top-rated set has six pencils, with varied hardness tips, and it won't break the bank either. 07. Graphite and charcoal Improve your texture work101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal gives instructions on how to draw common textures and surfaces – everything from sand and water to wood and foliage. Each guide begins with tools and materials required, before moving on to technique, and finally a step-by-step guide. A comprehensive guide to hatching, stippling, scumbling, and blending in graphite and charcoal. 08. Graphite and charcoal set This set has everything you need to create graphite and charcoal drawingsThis top-rated set has everything a beginner needs to get going in graphite and charcoal, but the quality makes it suitable for more advanced artists. It includes: graphite and carbon sticks, erasers, pencil sharpeners, knives, graphite sticks, coal sticks, blending paper stumps, sandpaper pencil pointers – all housed in a smart little canvas wrap. 09. Chinese brush painting Channel the spirit of the brush with this new guideIn The Spirit of the Brush: Chinese Brush Painting Techniques: Simplicity, Spirit, and Personal Journey, author Sungsook Hong Setton guides you through the ancient art form of Chinese brush painting. "As old and deeply rooted in East Asian aesthetics and meditation as it is, ink painting is credited with influencing the development of Western modern art." Artists from other disciplines will find many of Sungsook's principles can be applied to their preferred mediums. 10. Chinese brushes These wood and bamboo brushes come in various sizesWe had a root around for a good beginners' Chinese brush set, and this five-piece collection is well-reviewed and good value for money. The brushes are made of wood and bamboo, come in various sizes and hair types, hold ink well, and are kept in a well-made bamboo brush wrap. The long handles are good for a looser, more fluid line. Read more: How to hold a pencil correctly Paint like an Impressionist Tools of the experts: Eva-Lotta Lamm View the full article

There is no better place to grow your business than on social media. If you want to stand out in the crowd and get customers to your site, you need the Social Media Management Pro Bundle. It's on sale now for 96% off the retail price! Finding your audience is one of the biggest keys to success when starting a business. The best way to do that is to go to where the people are. Social media makes it easier to target potential customers and fans, and the Social Media Management Pro Bundle will teach you how. This bundle of six courses will teach you how to maximise your presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more – and how to do it all on a shoestring budget. Make the most out of social media with the Social Media Management Pro Bundle, on sale for 96% off the retail price. That's a saving you won't want to miss for these must-have courses that will help you grow your business, so grab them today! View the full article

Finding the right person for the job can be a long and difficult process. This is especially true when it comes to the creative industries. After all, how do you know a new hire has the skills, knowledge and character traits you need both now – and in the future? And how can you make sure you attract the best of the best for a new position? To find out how agencies sniff out the top talent, we've spoken to creative directors on the hunt for new staff... 50 brilliant design portfolios to inspire you 20 tips for design interview success One excellent example of how not to attract talent made headlines earlier this year when the Tea House Theatre posted an acerbic job advertisement aimed at young people. Opening with a barbed and misspelled "Dear Millenials", the advert quickly did the rounds on the internet thanks to its unnecessary attacks on graduates and a general tone of frustration. Check out the full ad below: The unfortunate ad in all its glory [click the icon to enlarge] Although it makes for a humorous read, the advertisement also poses a serious question: if this isn't how an arts company should recruit talent, how should they do it? Death of the traditional ad Jack Renwick Studios created a manufacturing inspired brand for Fish IslandFor Tom Rogers, a creative director at Jack Renwick Studios, adverts have never been a way to reach out to graduate talent. "I just don’t think it’d ever be how we want to find talent," he explains. "The real talent – that needle in a haystack; that unpolished diamond – is worth hunting out." Meanwhile the team at Taxi Studio take a digital-first approach, which thankfully doesn't make the same mistakes as Tea House Theatre, as the head of student recruitment, Sam Edwards, reveals. "We mainly advertise on our website and Twitter, as well as directly emailing lecturers to put a shout out for us when we have a role or placements coming up," says Edwards. "We work hard to maintain good relationships with universities – that's key to us growing our reputation amongst their students." With all the issues facing our industry, it can’t continue to recruit the way it does Craig Oldham As for designer and creative consultant Craig Oldham, it's the industry – not the designers and graduates – that needs to be given a reality check and a kick up the backside. "I've always held a bit of an adage: bravery is rarer than talent," he says. "And these are words ringing in my ears when thinking about the general recruitment strategies kicking around in the industry." He points out that while initiatives like D&AD New Blood and New Blood Shift are an important step in the right direction, the industry is generally quite lazy when it comes to going out and hunting down new talent. 7 organisations design students need to know"With all the problems and issues that are facing our industry, it can’t continue to recruit the way it does. And I don’t just mean the beige job ad that perpetually reads like a copy and paste job, the glaring hypocrisy in being the most uncreative way to ask for creativity, nor that elusive creature known through legend as 'minimum one year experience'. "No. The biggest issue facing recruitment into the industry is vanity, our industry’s favourite sin. We hire what we know and what we like and what we are comfortable with. We hire people like ourselves when we should be hiring people whom are the opposite, who think and do differently, who have a different background, a different upbringing, and different ideas." Seeking out talent Sam Edwards creates clever designs like this Adolf Hitler painter and decorator business cardIf creative directors want to hire people from outside their comfort zone, they need to start networking more efficiently and keep an ear to the ground for talented up-and-coming designers who haven't yet landed their first gig. It's just a case of knowing where to look. "Generally speaking, there isn’t any better way than good, old-fashioned word of mouth," says Rogers. "It’s why we’ve all kept close relationships with our courses, old tutors and friends in industry – what better way than discovering a talented student than by hearing them from people you trust and respect. These relationships make seeking out the right stands at New Blood or the best grad shows in town easier to find and discover the talent in the room." Visiting students at their universities to do talks and portfolio reviews is the best way to find people Sam Edwards Hitting the road and visiting students on campuses is also a good way to unearth the latest wave of design talent. "We find getting out there and visiting students at their universities to do talks and portfolio reviews is the best way to find people, as well as one-day briefs to see how they work, or setting studio briefs with the offer of placements," says Edwards. So important are students to Taxi's internal culture, the studio runs its placement calendar all year round. "Grad shows, if local to us, are really great," he adds. "New Blood is a fantastic show but not so great to spot talent as it’s pretty hectic! Events like the Falmouth Vaults evening, where agencies get to see WIP portfolios and just chat to students, are really useful, and give a chance to actually get to know people before thinking about inviting them for interview." Get your studio out there In this design, Sam Edwards tries to make going to the dentist's desirableMeeting and greeting is all well and good, but for creative directors and agencies to attract the maximum amount of graduate talent possible, they need designers to be drawn to them. So what makes a designer hunt down a specific agency? Rogers has a few ideas about how some groundwork can pay off in the long term. "Well, it’s not our website that makes them want to come to us – so I think it must be down to us getting our name out there for people to see," he reveals. "Whether that's in the design industry press or professional awards. Or just as importantly, by visiting courses up and down the country and trying to inspire soon-to-be graduates through talks, crits, setting briefs and judging student awards. "Like most things in life – the more you put in, the more you get out. The earlier in their journey that you reach out and engage with them, the more likely graduates are to remember you when everyone else is knocking on their door." If you’re looking for your first job, you want to know you’ll be looked after, develop your skills and have fun Sam Edwards Edwards agrees that an established reputation is a crucial way for an agency to reap the best talent, but adds that culture is playing an increasingly big part in what budding designers are looking for in a career. "If you’re looking for your first job, you want to know you’ll be looked after, develop your skills and have fun," he says. "Students are eager to take on briefs set by agencies as it can be a part of their portfolio as well as an opportunity to show off their skills and this works well for us. When we set a Microbrewery brief a few years ago, we had over 70 applicants and many used it in their folio, including a young designer who we subsequently hired. "We pride ourself on being open and accessible and when students contact us asking general advice, we always try to help and we always provide constructive feedback for any unsuccessful applicants." Only hire people different to you Craig Oldham's upcoming project is a collection of creative Brexit postcardsWe've seen that hitting the road and spreading the word about your agency can have a positive effect, but Oldham is keen to point out that these approaches don't necessarily fix an underlying problem that affects the whole of the design industry. Diversity in every sense is an active problem in our industry Craig Oldham "I think it was Tibor Kalman who said to only hire people better than you," says Oldham. "Well I’d add to that, 'different to you'. Diversity in every sense – but especially gender, social and economic class, and ethnicity – is an active problem in our industry and therefore all of our studios, agencies, and businesses. We have to act to change it, and it needs changing." "Creativity needs diversity to thrive, to be original, and so does our industry. So next time you’re hiring, think about how you can bring a fresh perspective and voice into the studio or business, and not just one that sounds familiar, cut and paste, uncreative… like all those job ads." Related articles: 8 brilliant design agency business cards The 10 best design agency websites of 2017 50 design agencies to follow on Twitter View the full article

Hosting a design sprint brings speed and efficiency to your design processLearn everything about running your own design and content sprints at Generate London on 20 September. Steve Fisher will be hosting a full-day workshop to teach you how to get the right setup for a successful sprint, how to create a testable prototype, and much more. There are only a few spaces left on the workshop, so book your ticket now! As a design and build agency, we pride ourselves on creating products that are not only beautiful, but that also provide fantastic user experiences. By taking a user-centric approach to the way we tackle our customers' business problems, we ensure appropriate focus is given to the end-user throughout. So often companies spend an incredible amount of time and money designing and developing a product that is ultimately not fit for purpose. It may fail to meet the business needs of the company or the needs of the users. A product design sprint can remove elements of risk from client projects and therefore help you avoid costly redesigns or change of directions further down the road. We offer our clients a way to validate their assumptions and test new products in a fast and cost-effective way; product design sprints. These are a highly effective way of shaping new products and identifying solutions to existing problems. They also help to reassure clients that their product is on the right path; bringing greater clarity to a project right from the outset. Book your ticket today to learn how to run your own design and content sprints What is a design sprint? Made popular by GV (the venture capital arm of Google), product design sprints are invaluable for new businesses or existing companies looking to design a website or refine a digital product. A sprint is an intensive week that aims to help the team understand of what the product is (or should be). During the sprint, the team brainstorms ideas and features, decides on which ones to explore, and then finally prototypes and tests these concepts with real users. Sprints make it possible to learn what would traditionally take months of effort in just a single week, ensuring that valuable time and money isn't wasted on something that might not work. What do you need? Before you start the sprint, you'll need to make sure that everything is prepared. You'll need a room (ideally a large boardroom with lots of whiteboards) and supplies such as Sharpies, Post-Its, paper, Blu-Tac and stickers. Next you need to make sure you have the right people in the room. From the client side you'll need a product owner and a couple of stakeholders. You don't want any more than five, but you do need to make sure that key decision-makers are included. Your internal team should probably consist of a UX expert, a tech expert and a facilitator who is able to steer the group. With everything set up, you can kick off your sprint. Make sure you have plenty of whiteboards, stickers and Post-Its handy!How do you run a design sprint? Day 1: Understand and define First you need to understand the problems you're trying to solve, and identify your goal. Discuss ideas, analyse competitors and review analytics. Define what the client and the team want to focus on, and then you can begin on the main user journey. Day 2: Diverge Break up the overall user journey and start focusing on the little issues that can make a big difference, solving the problems you identified in day one. Everyone will have different solutions, so work individually, quickly creating sketches and notes with different ideas on. Don't get hung up on one specific idea – the key here is to get as many different options on the table as possible. Day 3: Make a decision This is perhaps the most important and difficult day: It's now time to make some decisions on how the prototype will look. With lots of ideas in front of you, you need to review, critique and choose which elements to take to the next stage. Have the whole team vote for the best options by using stickers to identify the group’s favourite features and a favourite overall design. Then, construct a new storyboard with the agreed concepts and UI interfaces to act as a blueprint for the following day. Day 4: Prototype With a storyboard agreed upon, the UX designer gets to work on creating a working prototype for user testing. There are just a few hours to work with, so at this point the prototype is not meant to look pretty, be branded or function perfectly. A rough mock-up means you can maximise time and get the most important parts of the design in place for users to review, without wasting effort on something that could end up getting scrapped. Day 5: Test and review It’s crunch time – now you turn the prototype over to real users to get their feedback. We have a test rig that allows us to record the tests and share them with all the stakeholders, so they can see what real customers think of the product, and watch how they interact with it. The validation or critique these users provide is insightful and invaluable. Why is it beneficial? The whole process is fast and efficient, which means resources aren't wasted. With everyone involved in the sprint, from our own UX team to the CEO of the client's company, we know everyone is aware of what's going on and has had the chance to share their own opinions and ideas. There are no bad outcomes in a design sprintThere are no bad outcomes with a design sprint. Within just five days, we have a working prototype with real user feedback. We can get criticism and constructive feedback from the users, without having to go through a lengthy product launch. Designs sprints are now a process we use successfully with a number of our clients and we recommend you try them too. Steve Fisher, experience architect and founder of The Republic of Quality, will run a full-day workshop on design and content sprints at Generate London on 20 September, followed by a keynote talk on 22 September. Book now and save £95 on a combined workshop and conference pass! View the full article

Wouldn’t it be nicer to spend a little less time working and a little more relaxing and enjoying with yourself? Software creators are constantly striving to help you do just that, constantly coming up with new and improved tools to speed up your creative process. In this post, we bring you 20 new and newly updated creative tools for 2017, their main headline features, and where you can go to find more about them. 01. Affinity Photo for iPad The iPad version of Affinity Photo lets you use all the features of a full image editing program on the moveFirst launched in 2014, image editing software Affinity Photo has won itself a big fanbase by being both cheaper than its rival Photoshop, and in many ways more powerful (with features such as multi-million per cent zoom). This June the tool took another big step forward, launching as a full version on iPad. That’s right, this is no stripped-down version, but a full-featured photo editing tool on Apple’s tablet, and that’s something Adobe is unable to offer at the moment. 02. Google Material Design Colour Tool Google’s free tool lets you create and share colour palettes then try them out on sample UIsNew for 2017, this free tool from Google helps you to pick the right colours for your apps, in accordance with its Material Design principles. Essentially, it makes it easy to create and share colour palettes, as well as apply them to a sample user interface. Most intriguingly, it assesses how legible your text will be within your colour scheme, according to accessibility guidelines. Learn more about the tool in this blog post. 03. Calligraphr Launched this February, Calligraphr is a new tool that lets you make fonts from your own handwriting. You start by downloading a template as a PNG or PDF. Fill it with your handwriting, scan it, and the tool then translates your scrawl into usable fonts. If you’re not happy with them, you can edit them digitally. See it in action in the video above. 04. Sketch 46.2 You can now save Sketch files in a way that anyone can work on themSketch has seen many updates since its original launch in 2010. But its big new release in April was a true game-changer. That’s because there’s a new way to save files, with a ‘.sketch’ extension at the end. And that means anybody can now create and modify sketch files, whether they have Sketch or not. You can even open them in a text editor. Learn more about the new file format in this blog post. 05. CorelDraw Graphics Suite 2017 CorelDRAW’s LiveSketch tool uses AI to make your hand-drawn strokes smootherReleased this April, the latest version of CorelDRAW, the illustration and graphics tool for the Windows platform, has brought AI to vector drawing. That’s in the form of the new LiveSketch tool, which interprets your hand-drawn strokes and combines them with existing vector curves, making it easier to produce smooth lines by drawing directly on a tablet. You can read our full review of the software here. 06. Adobe Illustrator 2017.1 In the latest version of Adobe Illustrator, you can now crop an image within the softwareThe latest version of Adobe’s vector graphics software, released in April, includes the ability to crop an image directly within the software. That means you no longer need to need to switch to Photoshop to crop your images. There’s also a new Colour Themes Panel, which lets you create, save and retrieve colour themes across the different Adobe apps, and some cool new typography tools. Read our Illustrator CC review here. 07. Autodesk Graphic for iPad Pro Autodesk’s vector editor is now available for the iPad ProAutodesk is best known for its 3D tools, but its vector software, Graphic for iPad, is pretty decent too, and this year it launched a new version for the iPad Pro. Compatible with the Apple Pencil, you can use it to create vector illustrations, graphic designs, technical diagrams or digital art. Features include keyboard shortcuts, quick switch tools and vector clipping paths. 08. Tilt Brush 12 The latest version of Tilt Brush gives you greater customisation optionsGoogle's virtual reality painting app Tilt Brush, which works with the HTC Vive headset, has been around for a while now. But this April saw a significant update which includes a new web gallery for sharing your VR sketches and more powerful customisation options, such as being able to control the colour, intensity, and direction of one shadow-casting and one non shadow-casting light. You can find details of all the new features here. 09. Google Blocks Google Blocks lets you create art you can walk around in using a VR headsetA free tool for owners of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, Google Blocks lets you create low-poly art within a virtual reality environment. Designed to complement Tilt Brush (above) rather than replace it, Google Blocks lets you export your low-poly artwork to games software such as Unity as an .obj file, or download it as an animated GIF. 10. Gravity Sketch VR 3D drawing software Gravity Sketch has launched a VR appWe’re big fans of 3D drawing software Gravity Sketch, so it’s great news that’s its just launched a spin-off virtual reality tool. Now available on Steam for the Vive headset, and coming to the Oculus Rift soon, it lets you pick and choose between freehand drawing and control-point editing, and once you’re happy with your models you can transfer them to CAD software to refine them. Next page: 10 more new or updated tools for 2017 11. Project Felix 0.3 Adobe’s tool for compositing 2D and 3D has had an AI-powered boost this yearProject Felix is a tool from Adobe aimed at making it easier to composite 2D and 3D shots. Released this January, the latest update to Project Felix includes an AI-powered feature that will help you realistically recreate lighting inside a 3D drawing. Read our review of Project Felix here. 12. Adobe InDesign 2017.1 InDesign has been rejigged to make it easier to combine with other Adobe appsThe latest version of InDesign has a smart new interface, with updated icons that match those in Photoshop and Illustrator, making it much easier to work across the Creative Cloud tools seamlessly. Or, if you want to knock something up quickly with little effort, the New Documents panel has been rejigged to work more intuitively with Adobe Stock templates. Read our review of InDesign 2017 here. 13. Google Data GIF maker Google’s tool lets you make animated GIFs comparing two things over timeThe Google Data GIF maker is a free tool that does exactly what it says on the tin: let’s you make animated GIFs from raw data. Aimed at journalists rather than creative pros, it’s not especially sophisticated yet; you can essentially only use it to compare two sets of statistics over time (e.g. Mac vs Windows). But what it does, it does well; and this being Google, we’re expecting this might become a more powerful tool over time. Read more about it in this blog post. 14. Corel Painter 2018 Corel’s used AI to let you apply digital paint in a way that closely mirrors traditional methods Getting a little ahead of itself, Corel launched the 2018 version of its art software, Painter, this July. And the standout feature is a Thick Paint feature that lets you apply digital paint to your canvas in layers. This new innovation is aimed squarely at artists from a traditional painting background, who want to pull, push, scrape and build up their pixelated paint in a way that’s very close to the real thing. Learn more about the new version of Corel Painter here. 15. Guetzli Google’s tool helps you condense your web image size quickly and easilyWe’ve all tutted and drummed our fingers when a web page has taken ages to load. Often, that’s a problem primarily caused by large images, and Google has found a way to help out web designers struggling with that issue. Essentially, Guetzli makes JPGs smaller, without affecting compatibility. In fact, promises to reduce the size of JPGs by a whopping 35 per cent more than other methods. This clever little encoder is both free and open source, and you can learn more about Guetzli in this blog post. 16. CodePen Projects Coding environment CodePen now lets you build websites within itMost web designers will know CodePen as a way to test, showcase and critique each others’ code snippets. This year, though, it’s expanded its appeal by launching its own IDE (Integrated Development Environment). CodePen Projects lets you build websites within your browser and preview them while you’re building them. You can start from scratch or use templates, and there are some pretty smart debugging tools too. Read more about CodePen Projects in this blog post. 17. Adobe After Effects CC 2017 After Effects now lets teams collaborate on projects in real timeReleased in April, the latest version of Adobe’s motion graphics, animation, compositing and video editing tool brings a lot of new features to the table. These include powerful new tools allowing team members to work on projects together in real-time, the ability to create motion templates to hand over to colleagues, and the Cinema 4D Composition Renderer, which gives you more control and enhanced speed when creating 3D objects. Read our full After Effects review here. 18. Google AutoDraw Google AutoDraw is an intuitive art tool that uses machine learning and AI software to work out what it is you’re trying to draw, and then creates a more professional looking version. It works by taking your rough doodles, matching them with images in its database, then combining the two to create slick-looking graphics. It’s free to download to your phone or desktop. See it at work in the video above. 19. Style Guide Guide Style Guide Guide is a boilerplate template for building web style guidesBrad Frost is a well known voice in the web community, not least for his advocacy of what he calls Atomic Design, a methodology that involves breaking a website down into basic components that are then reused throughout the site. This May, Frost took that concept a step further by releasing The Style Guide Guide, a boilerplate template for building style guides for design systems. It imports HTML from a pattern library, and you can enter your documentation, usage guidelines, and design principles in Markdown to share among your team. Read more about the tool in this blog post. 20. Animista Speed up the creation of your CSS animation with AnimistaStarting as a side project of UX developer Ana Travas, Animista is a collection of premade CSS animations that you can customise for your own purposes. Offering a sophisticated dashboard of options, this will save you reinventing the wheel every time you need a web animation. View the full article

Autodesk’s Maya 2018 is brimming over with new tools and improved workflows designed to help 3D artists work faster – and top professionals are already using the improved software to create fantastic work. With particular strengths lying in its tools for character modelling, motion graphics and rendering, the new tools and enhancements in Maya 2018 speed up your workflow from initial modelling stages right through to animation. And with Maya now integrated with Arnold 5 and Adobe After Effects, its creative and technical capabilities have expanded even further. You can easily compare a 3D object to its 2D texture coordinates by using Maya’s new UV Editing WorkspaceAward-winning results Professional 3D artists are already wild about Maya’s capabilities, as the inspiring videos below show. Swedish studio Fido helped produce award-winning film Kung Fury thanks to its creative team and scalable Autodesk Maya subscription. The tools in Maya helped the team create phenomenal motion graphics such as a 2.5 minute-long continuous shot that involved around 100 man hours to complete. Similarly, Moonbot Studios – the team behind Oscar-winning short film The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore – says that Maya allows it to stay nimble and story-driven on smaller projects, while offering a scalable framework and structure for larger projects. Brennan Chapman, head of pipeline at Moonbot, says the company makes sure that “every piece of software that we use is broad and can handle almost anything that we throw at it.” Outstanding new tools and improvements The After Effects live link plugin allows you to view your 3D creations in both Maya 2018 and After Effects simultaneously. Camera and scene data is synced so that you can make changes in Maya and see the After Effects files update in real time, making your workflow easier. In another great pairing, Arnold 5 brings powerful rendering to Maya 2018. With Arnold used by big VFX and animation names to help solve complex rendering problems, you can be sure this latest version for Maya will render great images for your projects, whether you’re working on short animations, movies, games or something else. Changes made in Maya update in After Effects with the new pluginImprovements in Maya 2018’s character creation repertoire include a more artist-friendly UV Editor interface, complete with a new UV Toolkit with better tools and functionality. A new interactive grooming clump modifier enables you to create realistic hair and fur in real time. It’s easier and quicker than previous versions of XGen, and means you can see and perfect the results of your grooms without having to wait for a render. The clump modifier workflow is far less technical than previous versions of XGen, making it faster and easier to achieve realistic groomsPlus there’s a reimagined sculpting toolset that gives you the ability to sculpt directly on rigged characters, as well as enhanced symmetry modelling, polygon modelling and OpenSubdiv support. The motion graphics toolset in Maya continues to grow and mature. The MASH animation toolset has a new World node for arranging 3D objects in natural clusters, such as plants around trees, as well as a Placer node for easy set dressing. An improved vector graphics workflow means you can import or copy and paste SVG files into Maya, too. Maya 2018 improves workflows and packs in new features With new and improved dynamics and effects, you can create realistic rigid and soft-body simulations; add atmospheric effects such as smoke and mist; create realistic ocean surfaces with waves, ripples and wakes; create realistic deformable materials and more. With just a few clicks, you can create complex arrangements of animated instances that can act dynamically, collide with each other, participate in dynamic forces, and be constrained. Explore all of the new features of Maya 2018 for yourself on the Maya website. With the new tools and wealth of Maya tips and tricks making professional results even more achievable, what will you create? How to buy Maya 2018 Maya 2018 brings better lighting controls, too Existing Maya users can trade in their old version for a subscription to the new Maya 2018 version for only £3.60 a day, while new users can take out a free trial of the new software before buying or subscribing. You can also get the Work Faster with Maya guide to helpful Maya shortcuts and all sorts of support and advice on the Maya website and Maya Learning YouTube channel, so that beginners needn’t feel daunted. As well as Maya 2018, Autodesk offers sister software Maya LT as a powerful and cost-effective tool for indie game makers. View the full article

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You're reading Startup Design Framework 2, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Looking to create a beautiful, responsive website for your startup or clients? Startup Framework saves you time and energy with an effortless platform to build a fully designed website. Build your site quickly with an intuitive and easy-to-use drag and drop interface. Select from various pre-designed components for each section of your website. View the full article