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If you’ve been working in the web industry for a couple of years, you may feel that you're always coding or designing the same website layout. Although trends come and go, the majority of sites still look the same: almost every one of them uses a 12-column grid, two and three-column, boxed layouts and similar shapes. It’s getting pretty boring to look at, and the user experience isn't great either. Fortunately, a CSS revolution is underway. Most of you will have heard about all of us have heard about Flexbox or CSS Grid. It’s amazing that there are more and more ways to build our layouts – and that it’s becoming so much easier to do so. With a large variety of CSS features, we are slowly losing our reliance on graphic software. The future of web graphics is bright, and eventually we'll be able to create and modify imagery directly in the browser, using only a couple of code lines (nothing complicated here!). In this article, I’m going to share some CSS tips that will help you break the mould in your layouts. 01. Explore CSS blend modes Duotone imagery and colouriser effects are some of the hottest web design trends this year. They are widely popular across the web thanks to Spotify, which implements them very consequently and cohesively. Now you can finally stop creating multiple different coloured versions of your assets, and apply the effects directly in the browser. Using CSS blend modes is not only a great way to unify the look of the content across websites but also enables you to set different-colour versions of an image, changing only one value in CSS: the colour. There are 15 possible blend mode values, including screen, overlay, lighten and darken. Ortiz Leon Architects uses blend modes to generate a duotone image background There are a couple of implementation methods, depending on the type of element you would like to apply the effect to. For example, you can use background-image and background-colour set on the container background-blend-mode: darken;, or create an overlay with pseudo-elements (i.e. :before and :after) on the image wrapper in order to get a colourising effect. To achieve a satisfying duotone effect, it’s recommended that you use a high-contrast black and white image. You can do this by applying CSS filters to set greyscale and a high contrast level. Bolden’s website has this great example of mix-blend-mode, which has been fully achieved in CSS Another cool property is mix-blend-mode, which lets you blend content of the element with the content or background of its direct parent. This work especially well on overlapped lettering. You may ask why in this case we don’t just adjust opacity – the answer is simple: we can easily lose the colour vividness using transparency only. The era of images that can be edited directly in your web browser is coming, but we can’t forget about browser compatibility – support is limited for blend modes at the moment. 02. Add a mask Masking tells your browser which asset elements should be visible, and is very useful for building creative shapes and layouts. Masking can be done in three ways: using a raster image (e.g. PNG format with transparency parts), CSS gradients or SVG elements. Note that unlike a typical raster image, SVG can be scaled or transformed without a significant loss of quality. It’s important to mention that Firefox supports only the latest one, so we need to use an inline SVG mask element. What if we use a raster image with transparency levels? The transparent parts of the image won’t be seen – so in other words, the opaque fragments will be displayed, hiding other pieces. Masking is particularly powerful because it enables you to apply the same properties to background images, defining their position, size and repetition. Here, the red background is the visible part, and text will emerge from behind the mountains (click the image to see the final mask) One great use case for CSS masking is in articles that combine text and images. Irregular containers and images are very popular in print, but tedious and time-consuming to implement on the web. But thanks to masking, not any more! You can also have fun using transparency levels to cut out part of animated images (e.g. GIF files). However, when using these properties don’t forget about cross-browser support, and add vendor prefixes. 03. Don’t be afraid of clipping Another great feature is CSS clipping. A shape’s boundary is called the clip-path (not to be confused with the deprecated clip property), and clipping defines which image area should be visible. Clipping is similar to cutting out a piece of paper – anything outside the path will be hidden, while anything inside the path will be visible. For example, if a circle function sets a clipping mask over the top of an image, you will only see the part of the image within this circle. The cool thing is that we can use shape functions and SVG as clip paths, which gives us a lot of opportunities – for instance, we could animate them into morphing shapes. Check out this article from Chris Coyier about creating transparent JPG using SVG clip path. With clip path you can remove background from your image (click to see the full example) If you are wondering what the difference between clipping and masking is, then remember that masks are images and clips are only vector paths. It's worth mentioning that masking will consume more memory, as you're working with a full image so everything has to be done pixel by pixel. This is why it’s recommended that you use masks when you want a partial transparency effect; if you want crisp edges, it’s best to use the clip paths. 04. Think outside the box Shape-outside and shape-inside to the rescue! Who said that text containers always need to be rectangular? Let’s step out of the box, literally, and discover new forms making our page layouts richer and less boxy. shape-outside and shape-inside properties allow you to wrap your content around custom paths in CSS. So how does it work? Simply apply the following code to the given floating image or container: It is important to note that the float property and the dimensions of the element – height and width – have to be defined, otherwise this won't work. For the shape you can go with circle(), polygon(), inset() or ellipse(). Another possible value is the url() function. In this case, this enables the shape-outside property to define an element shape based on the image. You might choose to use the url() function instead of the polygon() when you have a particularly sophisticated graphic with many curves and points, and you want the content to wrap around it smoothly. Use DevTools to check how the shape you’ve designed for your text behaves (click the image to see this example) If you’d like to create more room between your element and the content, use the shape-margin property, which will act just like a margin. Shape functions can be animated, but only for defined polygons – the url() function unfortunately is not able to be animated. Browser support for shape-outside is limited at the moment, but keep your fingers crossed for its fast implementation in other browsers. 05. Try SVG for animation To be honest, I cannot imagine today’s web without SVG (scalable vector graphics). Its name speaks for itself – it scales, so it answers all concerns regarding responsive web design. The SVG graphic will be crisp no matter the screen resolution of the device it’s viewed on. Aside from scalability, there is another feature that should encourage you to play with SVG: the ability to manipulate SVG with CSS. If you have never tried dabbling in CSS animations and SVG code, you must try it now – it’s unbelievable how fast you can achieve amazing effects. This animated slideshow is from Aga’s presentation at CSSconf Nordic, and was created entirely in HTML and SVG (click to see it in action) You may think that in some cases it’s easier to use raster images, however, SVG has one big advantage over ordinary images. Words included in SVG are kept in the <text> tag and so remain text, which makes it searchable, selectable and accessible. It also means you can edit it directly in the code. However, we have to remember to embed the font face to be sure that the font will be rendered. Animating SVG with CSS is like animating any other element in HTML – it can be done with transitions, transforms and keyframe animations. Once you’re familiar with the SVG code, the rest is straightforward and very intuitive, because you basically do it just like you would in HTML. The coolest thing about SVG is that you can grab whatever part you want and make it come alive with CSS animations. This means we can create some very interesting dynamic effects, not necessarily using JavaScript. SVG has its own DOM API, so as a matter of fact the whole SVG code can be easily inspected using DevTools, which I strongly recommend using while exploring this topic. 06. Make some noise The 1980s and 1990s are back! Glitch – the aesthetics of chaos, noise and jamming – is becoming a popular design trend this year. The celebration of glitches, failures and errors can be seen on the web as well. If you’d like to play with perspective and be more visually chaotic, you can do so easily by transforming and skewing your site’s elements. This effect is very easy to code, and adds a strong visual accent to a website (click to see it live) The perfect example of how to do it in CSS only can be found on Captain Anonymous' CodePen, which presents skewed, animated text. One line of code does the magic: 07. Get creative with collage Collage-inspired designs are enjoying their moment in visual arts – while researching this article the work of Rosanna Webster and Barrakuz immediately stole my heart – and even on the web they’re getting more and more attention. If you are in doubt, check out the MailChimp homepage (below). Did you notice the collage? Mailchimp's homepage collages have been created using playful CSS properties The traditional approach is to simply attach raster images that have been prepared in a graphics editor, but with the techniques I've discussed in this article, it is possible to create similar effects by using CSS properties. You can even prepare collages that truly adjust to the web’s requirements – and are scalable, animated and interactive. I've prepared some examples using all these cool CSS properties, so you can see how they can be combined to achieve a collage-like style on the web. Take a look at my examples. 08. Don't forget browser support If you feel held back when you want to use CSS properties that you suspect are not supported by all browsers, the @supports rule is there to help you. @supports allows you to check the browser support for CSS property:value pairs. The code that is included in the @supports block will be rendered only if these conditions are true, otherwise the code has not been read by the browser. In a case where the browser doesn’t understand @supports, it doesn’t generate a given part of the code either. Combining features such as blending modes, masking, clipping, CSS shapes and the power of SVG gives us a great set of tools to boost our creativity and break from the norm. With these tools we have an opportunity to create a web version of things we currently see in print. Although some properties may still experience problems with browsers’ compatibility, don’t hesitate to play with them. Although browser support may be limited now, this will likely not be the case in the future. It is just a matter of time. Creative coding! Related articles: 5 tips for super-fast CSS Understanding the CSS display property How to create a pyramid layout with CSS Shapes View the full article

The design and consulting arm of IBM, known as IBM iX, has revealed a new geometric logo that builds on the company's trend of using experimental typography. The logo was designed in-house and in collaboration with independent, global creative company Moving Brands and inter-disciplinary design studio CATK. It's the latest development for IBM iX, which last year acquired three creative agencies – Ecx.io, Resource Ammirati and Aperto. See how the new logo design compares to the old one by clicking left to right in the gallery below. When it comes to logo designs, IBM has set a high bar for itself. The company's main logo, which breaks apart the IBM lettering into eight distinctive bars, is one of the most distinctive pieces of modern logo design. Created by logo design luminary Paul Rand, the main IBM logo has remained the same since 1972. It's interesting to think what Rand would make of the subdivision's new logo. Famous for presenting only one design concept to clients, Rand's logo designs have been held up as examples of creative genius. One of Rand's best-known theories claims that "the only mandate in the design of logos, it seems, is that they be distinctive, memorable, and clear." In this sense we'd give IBM iX's logo a pass. But as Rand adds, logos live and die depending on what they're representing. "It is only by association with a product, a service, a business, or a corporation that a logo takes on any real meaning. If a company is second rate, the logo will eventually be perceived as second rate." Related articles: Inside IBM studios 5 logos by famous designers and why they work How to make it in a top studio View the full article

People don't just want useful services, they want ones that are intuitive and easy to use. Learn the keys to successful and engaging design with the courses in the UI and UX Design Bootcamp bundle. You can get them for 96% off the retail price. The UI and UX Design Bootcamp is packed with more than 39 hours of amazing design training. This bundle, complete with courses from experts in the field, is an essential resource for anyone looking to learn the principles of engaging web design. No matter what you’re building or what platform you're working with, you’ll learn important concepts to help increase your user base and improve the functionality of your product. This is the ideal time to learn how to improve user interface and user experience when interacting with your designs. You can get the UI and UX Design Bootcamp for just $39 (approx £30). That's a 96% saving off the retail price! View the full article

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Making time for a side project is an ambition lots of creatives strive for. After all, design is a broad discipline with plenty of different skill sets working together and overlapping, so it makes sense that creatives want to master everything that they can, and passion projects are a great way to do that. However, it’s the ‘making time’ part that most people struggle with. To show you why creative side projects are worth the hard work, and how they can improve your life, we talked to leading creatives who’ve turned their side projects into careers. 10 tools to unlock creativityOne of the best things about a side project is that it gives you a chance to explore a topic or technique without the pressure you might feel if it was your day job or if you knew it was going to get graded. This feeling of freedom and playfulness is probably what attracted a lot of people to a creative career in the first place, so side projects are a valuable reminder that the design industry is a great place to be, all things considered. At the very least they’re a good way of giving your brain some exercise. They can also come in handy in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. Explore your design inspirations in diverse mediums Peter Bil’ak has even designed these floor tiles as a side project“It’s better to be seen as a generalist in all creative fields,” says Peter Bil’ak, speaking at TYPO Berlin 2017 as part of his ‘The Best Thing About Design’ talk. If anyone knows about the benefits of a side project, it’s Bil’ak. With a career that has seen him starting the type foundry and design studio Typotheque, teaching typeface design at the Royal Academy of Arts in the Hague, as well as editing the magazine of unexpected creativity, Works That Work, Bil’ak is walking proof that having a diverse set of skills can take designers in surprising directions. One project that sums up Bil’ak’s outlook and work ethic are the decorative cement floor tiles he created after speaking at the Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Mallorca and being inspired by traditional Mediterranean architecture. As he says on the Typotheque blog, this project was an example of design at its best, in that it “addresses a very specific need, something both straightforward and personal.” And where better to explore a personal design connection than with a side project? This project also ties into Bil’ak’s belief that good design isn’t necessarily the one that generates the most money. In fact, by taking away commercial pressures, side projects give creatives a rare opportunity to design for fun again and come up with original ideas that they wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Rid yourself of meetings Peter Bil'ak talking at TYPO Berlin 2017, © Gerhard Kassner / Monotype When I work on too many projects, it helps to work offline for a period of time Peter Bil'ak There are also other benefits to this way of working. “My work consists of mainly self-initiated projects, so I have a great advantage that I don’t have to attend any meetings,” Bil’ak tells Creative Bloq. “That means all of my time in the office is productive time. Another great advantage is that I live in a fairly small city, – The Hague – so I don’t waste time commuting, but cycle 10 minutes to work.” While he admits that these are specific pieces of advice that are hard to be replicated, Bil’ak does offer another insight that’s sure to help those struggling to make time for personal projects. “When I work on too many projects, it helps to work offline for a period of time – for me, the early afternoon time is my most productive time in the office,” he explains. “Otherwise, the constant flow of emails, online garbage and social media is too disruptive for productivity.” Keep going: slow and steady wins the race Mr Bingo's 'The Problem With Life' sums up the creative struggle perfectlyAs well as filtering out distractions, it’s also useful to keep in mind that side projects are something you need to keep plugging away at over a long period of time if you want to get the most out of them. For illustrator and rapper Mr Bingo, whose brilliant illustration ‘The Problem With Life’ sums up the struggle that creatives wrestle with all the time, focusing on a side project meant that he could leave behind working as a commercial illustrator and dedicate his time to being, in his words, “some sort of artist.” “I started doing side projects about 20 years ago,” Mr Bingo told Creative Bloq. “Over the years, the weight of importance I put on side projects became greater and greater until two years ago when I gave up working for clients and side projects became my entire life. It’s the best decision I ever made in my life.” The building pressure to pursue a side project is a feeling we’re sure lots of creatives can relate to. For Mr Bingo, this urge boiled over one drunken night when he decided to send a vintage postcard from his personal collection to a lucky Twitter follower. The popularity of this impulsive experiment eventually ended up becoming Hate Mail, a phenomenally successful Kickstarter-funded book that collected together 156 hateful postcards that Mr Bingo had sent out to eager recipients. Do work you can't resist Combining his passion with his creative skills made Mr Bingo’s Hate Mail a success, but sometimes there can be a nagging doubt that a project just isn’t coming together as naturally as you would like. If you’re questioning the drive of your work, Mr Bingo has got some no-nonsense words of wisdom. “If you’re struggling to make progress with your side projects, give up, they’re not for you. The best work (in my opinion) comes naturally and comes from the heart. It’s a gut instinct to want to make stuff. You shouldn’t need to motivate yourself to do this stuff, it should be a passion, a thing that you feel you just have to make. “That’s how I feel about it, but maybe I’m mental and addicted to ‘work’. I prefer not to use the word 'work' though – I’d say I’m addicted to my hobby, and sometimes people pay me for it. I am mental though, nobody should ever listen to my advice.” See where your passions take you Eva-Lotta Lamm's sketchnotes have furthered her career in visual communicationsImpulsive behaviour can be the tipping point that turns a side project into something much bigger. And while Mr Bingo’s Hate Mail project might have taken some Dutch courage to get off the ground, other creatives have embarked on more drastic moves that took a lot more planning. Just start doing something that interests you and see where it will take you Eva-Lotta Lamm “In 2014, my boyfriend and I quit our jobs, sold most of our belongings and went on a trip around the world,” says designer, illustrator and visual thinker Eva-Lotta Lamm. “Travelling and taking time to experience the world around us is usually a ‘side project’. Work takes most of our time, so we made it our main project for 14 months. “It also allowed me to spend a lot of time sketching. I drew an illustrated spread in my travel diary every day, which – although I hadn't planned it in the beginning – turned into quite a substantial side project called Secrets From The Road.” Drawing sketchnotes had been Lamm’s ‘side thing’ for roughly eight years. These visual notes were often jotted down at talks and conferences for her own benefit, but they soon started to find a life of their own after she shared them on Flickr. “In 2010 gave a talk about sketchnoting at a barcamp,” she explains. “Based on that, I got invited to give the same talk at a conference. Little by little I got more speaking engagements and also started teaching practical workshops. "This year, I finally made this ‘side branch’ of my activities my main focus. I’m now working independently, helping people to think and communicate more visually. My former side projects turned into my main career." Even if the meandering trajectory of a side project doesn’t change your career completely, Lamm is keen to point out that this is part of their charm. After all, you’ll never know where they’ll take you if you don’t try them out. “My advice is to just start doing something that interests you and see where it will take you,” she says. “One of my mottos is: 'The making influences the thinking.' (Otl Aicher). So start making. It might not look like a ‘project’ at the beginning, but if you keep doing it regularly, it will develop. And even if not each activity does, at least, you had a good time doing it.” Related articles: How to start a side project: 21 pro tips Cartoon reveals the importance of completing side projects 6 tips for better side projects View the full article

A stellar user experience (UX) strategy is a means to achieving disruption in the marketplace through mental model innovation. Because what’s the point in spending time and energy crafting a digital product that isn’t unique? Or, at the very least, that's a much better alternative to current solutions found in the online marketplace? 10 steps to engaging user experience (UX)To achieve that disruption, we need a framework from which to connect all the dots that will build a cohesive UX strategy. Here I’m going to break down the most important tenets that you need to understand in order to successfully implement the tools and techniques of UX. Think of it as a primer to get you and your team thinking like a UX strategist. The sticker on my laptop lid, reading "Disruptive innovation is the new punk rock"How I discovered my UX strategy In the digital world, strategy usually begins in the discovery phase. This is where teams dig deep into research to reveal key information about the product they want to build. I’ve always liked to think of the discovery phase as similar to the pretrial 'discovery' process used by attorneys in the United States. To avoid a 'trial by ambush,' lawyers can request to see the evidence of the opposing counsel in order to prepare sufficient counter-evidence. In this way, the attorneys try to avoid surprises. You, as a product maker, should also want to strategically do just that. My first chance to practice UX strategy occurred in 2007. At the time, I was the UX lead at Schematic (now Possible) for the website redesign of Oprah.com. Along with the other team leads, I flew into Chicago to kick-off our discovery phase. Before that moment, my 15 years of professional experience focused on interface design and integrating new technologies (such as Flash) into interfaces to create 'cutting-edge' products. Often, I was handed a massive requirements document that listed hundreds of 'essential' features. Or, I was given a flimsy project brief with pretty comps that stated what the final product should accomplish. From there, I made a site or application map that catered to a specific set of user scenarios that enabled those interactions. Based on these documents, I could only infer whether my creation solved the problem or not because it was typically too late at that point to challenge the rationale behind the product vision. I was just supposed to design it on time and on budget. Jamie Levy's workshop at Generate London is a deep dive into user experience strategy But in 2007, it was so fascinating to watch our UX director, Mark Sloan, get a dozen contentious stakeholders – no, Oprah wasn’t there – on the same page. Mark used consensus-building techniques such as affinity maps, dot voting, and forced ranking to help us understand all the different parts – content and critical functionality – that would make up the system we had to digitize. This discovery opportunity helped us (the stakeholders and product team) in examining our goals to make a better platform for the millions of devoted Oprah fans in the world. One week later, after all the workshops, the product team and I presented the discovery brief defining the product vision. The brief contained typical deliverables such as user personas, concept map analyses, and a recommended feature list. Because the stakeholders were anxious to get started, they immediately approved it. Our digital team was off and running on the implementation phase, which took over six months of emotionally fueled hand-offs. There were hundreds of pages of wireframes and functional specifications traded between stakeholders, designers, and developers. Uber’s killer UX – a killer UX is one of the four tenets of UX strategyBut the discovery brief was never referenced again. The personas and proposed solution were never validated by existing customers. The stakeholders went back to fighting for whatever prime real estate they could grab for their particular business units. Yet, there was something good that came out of that discovery phase for me: I was a UX designer who finally got a taste of what a UX strategy could potentially be. I was ruined. I couldn’t imagine just being a wireframe monkey anymore. A full year later, the redesigned site launched. I never looked at it because I had moved onto to another interactive agency with other high-profile clients. In my new position, I was able to focus my energy more directly on the discovery phase of projects in which user research and business strategy were given more weight. I also had a seat at the table to help shape the UX strategy and decide how a product vision should be implemented. I no longer had to feel fraudulent for spending so many waking hours building products for which I lacked a deep understanding of the customer segment and the business model. Tinder’s killer UXToday, I run my own practice that specializes in UX strategy, and since my first discovery phase, I’ve learned a lot about how to make it an iterative, lightweight, and empirical process of intense collaboration between stakeholders, designers, developers, and so on. Because when everyone shares a product vision, you and your team really have a chance at changing the rules of the game for your product, company, and future customers. However, I do want to acknowledge that my methodology is my version of UX strategy and might be different from other strategists. That’s precisely why I included Chapter 10 in my book, which contains profiles on people I respect who have been practicing it, as well. However, you’ll also see that we align on a lot of things. That’s what happens when a new discipline or methodology arises: people will find their own approach, but even within those differences, there are connective tissues that bind them all together to make UX strategy identifiable and unique. The four tenets of UX strategy framework So, with all that said, cue the drum roll to introduce my UX strategy framework: The four tenets of UX strategy, represented as plates at the dinner tableMy formula is this: UX Strategy = Business Strategy + Value Innovation + Validated User Research + Killer UX Design. These are the four tenets that make up my framework. I have seen them in play every day since my first discovery phase. It’s not enough to understand your marketplace if you don’t talk directly to your customers. It’s not enough to validate that your product works if you’re not creating something unique. Good enough just isn’t good enough, and just identifying these tenets won’t be enough to get your team flying. You’ll need to understand how they interact and affect one another. Then, the real trick will be to keep all four of these tenet plates spinning in the air while you move through other techniques and tools. This is the start of chapter 2 from Jaime Levy's book UX Strategy: How to Devise Innovative Digital Products That People Want, published by O’Reilly Media. You can read the rest of this chapter for free on her User Experience (UX) Strategy website. Jaime Levy will present an in-depth workshop into UX strategy at Generate London on 20 September. Other workshops to choose from include Steve Fisher on running design and content sprints; Zell Liew on building scalable responsive components; and Anton & Irene's Concept, Create and Sell! The event will also cover adaptive interfaces, web animations, performance, accessibility, chatbots, better teamwork, and much more. Don't miss it! If you buy a combined workshop and conference pass for Generate London, you will save £95. Related articles: 10 steps to engaging user experience (UX) 10 best pieces of user testing software The UX designer's survival guide View the full article

Nick Hard and Jeff Knowles left their jobs and set up their own creative design studio, Planning Unit, in February 2011. Here, Knowles shares his experience and offers advice for setting up your own creative business... 10 rules for running a killer studioLooking back now, we'd probably been thinking about setting up a design studio together for a good year. One thing we realise now is that it's hard to get beyond an idea simply being 'bar talk'. It is a big decision, but if you're already talking about it in the pub, it probably means you're ready to do it. So why wait? What's the worst that can happen? 01. Choose a strong studio name The age-old problem of deciding a name for the studio was an easy one. Planning Unit was a renowned graphic design studio in the '60s and '70s and was owned by Nick's grandfather. So as the old Planning Unit was part of Nick's family history, it was an easy decision to re-establish the name. It also gave the studio a background and a story, which helps. 02. Hit the ground running Getting as much set up in the beginning as possible helped us make a smooth start to our new venture. Things like setting up a business bank account, finding a good accountant, registering the company, setting up domain names, email addresses, and so on, can take longer than you think, so get them done in one go. Once you get caught up in work, it will be harder to find the time. 03. Keep starting costs low In terms of equipment, get the bare essentials. There is always that temptation to buy lots of nice equipment and furniture, but try to keep that money in the bank at this early stage. In the beginning, we managed to keeps costs down by working in a shed at the bottom of Nick's garden – we fondly called this the Shedio 2.0 (half shed, half studio, 2.0 as we actually had two different sheds)! Planning Unit has swiftly moved on from its shed-based beginnings04. Learn to woo clients Our experience from our former jobs at Research Studios (RS) really helped in going out on our own. RS had quite a flat hierarchy, with no account handlers or project managers, so from the beginning, we were responsible for our projects and had direct contact with clients. As time went on, we learned how to manage projects, deal with client expectations, give presentations and write proposals. This really helped in setting up Planning Unit. 05. Get over your unease with fees One thing that took a while to get used to, however, was sending out cost estimates for projects. We'd never actually dealt with this before, and, funny as it sounds, had to pluck up courage to send them. We've got over it now, but estimating is still a minefield. Sometimes you wish clients would simply tell you their budget so you can work backwards! 06. Pitch for work For the first few years, we were quite lucky – most of the work came to us. It wasn't until we had a quiet patch that we realised we had to keep getting the brand out there and do 'new business'. Sometimes it's a catch 22: when you're busy, there's no time for new business, and then you get quiet, and you realise you should've been on top of it. 07. Market your studio online One thing that takes a particularly long time is getting the studio website together – photographing work, writing text and trying out layouts. Our site took two weeks to design, but it was a year before we got enough content to launch it. Updating it takes time, but it has to be done, so we have learnt not to get frustrated. With experience, it all gets easier. All in all, preparation is key, but don't hold back or you'll never do it. If you've been thinking about making the leap for some time, perhaps now's the time. This article originally appeared in Computer Arts issue 266; buy it here! Related articles: 10 rules for running a killer studio Why it's time to burn your business plan Why graphic designers need beautiful websites View the full article

You're reading What to Expect When Designing for Startups, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Designing for startups can feel more like a whirlwind than an actual design project. The process can be a rough road to travel if you are not prepared for the full experience. Thankfully, startups are realizing the need for effective web design and many are hiring professionals like you to get the job done correctly. […] View the full article

Three radiation monitoring device vendors will not patch a handful of vulnerabilities that could be abused by hackers, including a backdoor that affords high privileges on one device. View the full article

Negative painting refers to painting the negative space that defines positive shapes. This is especially important with traditional watercolour, where painting things as light-against-dark means the white of the paper must be preserved (rather than using white paint as is done with opaque media). So, instead of painting the object, you paint the object's background. Here's how to do it. 01. Wash and dry Make sure your wash dries before moving onFirst, paint a rectangular section of paper with a two-colour wash, blue at the top and a pale hay colour at the bottom. They can blend together for a soft-edged join. Don't worry about perfection, but aim for half of each colour. Now let the paper dry completely. 02. Paint in the hedgerow Work quickly while painting your hedgerowUsing a thick dark-green mix and a large synthetic brush (which will enable you to work quickly), paint in two bits of hedgerow. These overlap where the background colours merge. You can draw the main shapes in pencil first if you like, but here I'm just 'drawing with the brush', which is good practice for mark-making. 03. Add some definition Use upward and downward strokes to add in detailsNow use a combination of downward and upward brush strokes at the bottom of the hedge. Here you're defining the long grass and weeds in front of the hedge, and you have to think negatively while being quick! In addition, paint a gate, posts and some growth on top of the hedge. You need to do all this while the paint is still wet. 04. Scrape out some lights Use a fingernail or anything hard to scrape out foreground detailsHere's another negative-painting method for some fence posts. First, briskly make horizontal and vertical scrape marks in the still-damp hedge. I find a fingernail works well for this, but you could try anything hard, such as a matchstick. The relatively thick paint will lift off to reveal the underlying wash, and voilà – you have your lights-against-darks! This article originally appeared in Paint & Draw issue 7; buy it here! Related articles: Choose the right brushes for watercolour painting Top tips for keeping watercolour paintings fresh and loose 14 wet-in-wet watercolour painting techniques View the full article

Don't panic, Converse has given its wordmark a redesign but the famous Chuck Taylor logo remains intact. Given that the star-shaped piece of ankle decoration is one of the most recognisable pieces of Americana, arguably up there with McDonald's Golden Arches, it's a relief that this rebrand didn't scrap a design classic. Instead, Converse has revised its wordmark – the one that had the star in the letter 'O' – to tie into a new purpose statement that claims it will provide the youth with "tools that enable movement(s)." To reflect this, Converse has dusted off the star chevron and placed it front and centre in its visual communications. Complete with a wonky star that's representative of the Converse brand moving forwards, this new identity has already started rolling out on the official site and will be fully introduced over the next 12 months. Click left to right in the gallery below to see how the new wordmark compares to the old one. Just like plenty of other recent rebrands, including the Co Op and Kodak redesigns, this identity was updated with a bit of creative inspiration from older logos. For Converse, it was a case of looking at old typography. The wordmark is a combination of four or five different versions of the logo, harking back to lettering from the '20s and '30s, which relied on heavyweight sans-serif fonts. Old wordmarks were referenced for the new logoRelated articles: Why we should be wary of the retro trend Is your design retro... or just dated? How to give illustrations a retro look in Photoshop View the full article

If you have a passion for video games, there’s no better time to turn that love into a lucrative career. From ground-breaking new technology to innovative new titles, the video games industry is a particularly exciting place for digital artists right now. 20 best designs in video games“There are all kinds of exciting opportunities in games,” says Cloud Imperium Games character art director Josh Herman. “Games are such a massive part of our lives now and they aren’t going to go away – the industry is just going to get bigger and bigger and there will always be quality jobs if you have the skill and the drive to find them.” As more ambitious titles are being developed and pioneering technology such as real-time gains momentum within the creative industry, wanting to work in the world of gaming is a goal shared by many. But, like other creative fields, it can be a tricky industry to break in to. Here artists at world-class gaming company Cloud Imperium Games share their pro tips to help aspiring games artists get their foot in the door… 01. Portfolio is king Cloud Imperium Games' record-shattering crowdfunded title Star Citizen is in production“Specifically, the first 10 per cent of it,” says Nathan Dearsley, vehicle art director at Cloud Imperium Games. “Don’t be in the habit of thinking that quantity makes quality, because it doesn’t. In fact, it’s usually the opposite.” “Only show your best stuff. You will be judged by your weakest piece on your reel/site,” adds CIG character art director Josh Herman. 02. Demonstrate a range of styles “We do all kinds of characters, from one with fully cloth costumes that are totally covered in layers to fully armoured heavy marines, alien races, and realistic human faces,” says Herman. “So, in a new recruit I want to see that they have a lot of range in a realistic style. 03. Show the fundamentals “For junior artists, a couple of strong pieces that illustrate a solid understanding of the fundamentals and knowledge of the game art process will help you stand out,” Herman explains. 04. Tailor your portfolio “Also, if you are applying to be a character artist then you should send a portfolio of just character artwork. Don’t confuse me with environments, animations or VFX. A prop or gun can be okay if you’re feeling like you don’t have enough work, but they aren’t needed.” 05. Try to find your niche A highly ambitious and challenging project, it’s no surprise that Star Citizen has attracted the attention – and talents – of leading game artists “There’s no point in applying to Blizzard if all you want to do is make something that’s the complete polar opposite,” points out Dearsley. “Because ultimately, you’ll get there and be unhappy and that’s not cool. If you want to make fantasy-type games, go and work for Blizzard. If you want to make space games, come and work for us. It’s very straightforward. Always try to focus your portfolio on that.” 06. Specialise if you can Herman mirrors that advice: “If you know what you want to do, specialise. Knowing as much as you can about the other disciplines is great, but if you want to get a job you will need to have professional-level work in at least one of them. Specialising is the best way to do that.” 07. Be prepared to fail. A lot “Failure is a big part of personal development,” Dearsley comments. “Fail lots – you’ll come out the other end better for it.” 08. Mix with the community “Get involved, start liking artists on Facebook, comment on their work, get out there and start mixing with people on places like Polycount because it’s an extremely small world and an even smaller industry. You just never know where that next work offer will come from,” Dearsley says. “Project a really good image of yourself online.” 09. Build an industry presence “We use some recruitment forums such as ArtStation, but a lot of the time we find people by asking our devs if they know people who are looking for work, who do good work, and who are fun to work with,” Herman explains. 10. Be nice! Always do your research before interview“No one wants to work with a jerk,” says Herman. Dearsley agrees, especially when it comes to interviewing: “When you do get to the point where you’re getting interviews, make sure you research the company you’re going to be interviewed with.“ “I’ve sat in a few interviews where, when asked about the company, the answer is just a blank face. From that it’s clear you obviously don’t really want to work for us that much. Even if your work is great, at that point, I’m not really interested in working with you.” Related articles: How to land your dream job in video games How to design a spaceship Making it in the video game industry: top tips View the full article

It's been mocked and satirised, turned into cubist sexual cartoon imagery and had petitions against it, but designer Joe Stone beleives that the London 2012 Olympics logo design is a fantastic piece of branding that has got everything right. Here he explains why ... Joe Stone on the majesty of the 2012 Olympics logo Joe StoneEver since it debuted back in 2007 people have been talking about the logo whether they love it or hate it, and while there are still plenty of negative reactions to this day, it's stayed in the limelight for five years and remains instantly recognisable. People love to hate and insult it - after all, we all know that British public love to complain - but, negative comments or not, it remains impossible to ignore. I think the divisive nature of the logo had to be intentional to draw attention to something that could have ended up looking incredibly dull had the designers gone down the obvious route of previous Olympics logos. Almost every other Olympics logo I can think of compromises the five rings and a colourful swoosh. The fact that Wolff Olins were so bold as to go in such an utterly different direction immediately makes it stand out amongst the group of otherwise dull and samey icons. The brilliant use of the CMYK-inspired colour scheme also goes against the tradition of using the host nation's colours, saving us from yet another lame use of the Union Jack plastered across a brand identity. Saving us from yet another lame use of the Union Jack. There is nothing wrong in the slightest with being proud of ones nation or heritage, but to do something that stands out as much as this logo does is such a brave and exciting development that really helps to push the expectations of future Olympics branding forward into fantastic new directions, and can only enhance Britain's standing and importance in the design world. The most common complaint I've heard amongst the design community is that it simply doesn't look very nice. It's obviously a very subjective matter in the first place, but more importantly I don't think that's what the designers were going for. The logo isn't representing the Olympic games, it represents London as the venue for them, and frankly 'nice' is too weak a word to describe our bustling capital. It's an edgy city. It's a cool city. It's cultural and busy and exciting and forward thinking, and a flaccid adjective like 'nice' doesn't summarise it at all. It's a cool city. It's cultural and busy and exciting and forward thinking. Some people think the logo is downright ugly, but London itself was never designed to be aesthetically pleasing. It's a mesh of organically grown streets full of different styles and cultures. It's not an ugly city by any means, but it's not 'pretty'. I think the logo with it's sharp angles, strong shapes, defined edges and bright colours does a great job of representing the actual traits of London. I see it as a bold, unique and forward thinking logo, which has been applied across the identity in exciting and engaging ways that are impossible to ignore. It does everything that a good identity should do, and it does them well. A triumph, whether you like it or not. Joe Stone is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, and you can follow him on Twitter, too. View the full article

Negative space is, quite simply, the space that surrounds an object in a image. Just as important as that object itself, negative space helps to define the boundaries of positive space and brings balance to a composition. More and more these days, the creative world is seeing an emergence of artists creating positive spaces and shapes that, in turn, cleverly carve out shapes in negative space. And the results can be stunning. Here, we've found some brilliant examples – enjoy! 01. Design from Finland A beautifully minimal piece of typographic negative spaceThe Design from Finland mark was introduced in 2011 to provide consumers in Finland and elsewhere with evidence of Finnish design excellence, and its logo is a prime example. Designed by Rasmus Snabb from Werklig in Helsinki, it packs a glorious little piece of clever negative space into a mostly typographic treatment, turning the F and I of 'Finland' into a Finnish flag. 02. Air Max 2017 Negative space doesn't have to be static, you know. Nike wanted to draw attention to the ultralight support and maximum comfort provided by its Air Max 2017 trainers, and so ManvsMachine delivered a campaign that portrayed this through a series of visual metaphors inspired by scenarios encountered on an everyday run. Rather than use an actual Air Max, it instead employs a trainer-shaped piece of negative space to suggest air. Clever. 03. Monster bite cookies Six hungry monsters are hiding in these cookiesThis personal project saw Michael De Pippo putting his photography, Photoshop and cookie eating skills to test. The Canadian graphic designer used negative space to hide a hungry monster in each of these half-eaten cookies – he cooked up created six different biscuit flavours, and sold them as a limited-edition giclée print. 04. NBC The NBC peacock's been a fixture of its logo since 1956NBC first used a peacock in its logo in 1956. The design subsequently went through a number of changes, experimenting with a snake logo and variations on the letter N, until 1986, when the broadcaster introduced the best-known version with the peacock's body displayed as negative space. There have been stylised variants since then, but the peacock remains in place. 05. Yorokobu Numerografía Forma and Co created these colourful negative space numbersEach month, Yorokobu magazine asks an artist or designer to create a series of original numerical characters for its Numerografía section, and this was what Forma and Co came up with. The Barcelona-based team used eye-popping primary colours and a clever use of negative space that creates a 3D effect. 06. Mister Cooper Johnson Banks set the tone for the company's unconventional brandBriefed to design a distinctive logo for an adult-targeted alcohol and gourmet ice cream startup, renowned branding firm Johnson Banks utilised negative space to tell potential customers exactly what Mister Cooper was selling. The eye-catching identity system was rolled out across packaging, uniforms and merchandise. 07. Symbols It's easy to become desensitised to sad news, but this video for the World Food Programme powerfully drives home the plight of refugees. Designed by negative space master Noma Bar and animated by Ale Accini, the 30-second video called 'Symbols' uses stunning visual shorthand to help stop hunger and start peace. And it's emotively narrated by Liam Neeson. 08. Typogiraffe Bodea Daniel is a pro when it comes to negative spaceRomania-based artist Bodea Daniel – aka Kretank – is a pro when it comes to negative space. Much of his work features the style, and he specialises in animal-based designs. Take a look at his logo portfolio and see if you can spot all the hidden messages! 09. Tang Yau Hoong Tang Yau Hoong negative space art is always jaw-droppingTang Yau Hoong is an artist, illustrator, graphic designer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With a passion for creative thinking, he creates art that is conceptual, surreal and fun in a simplistic and unique way. A whole section of his website is dedicated to the art of negative space. 10. Harry Potter Olly Moss' book covers all have a hidden messageIllustrator Olly Moss is known for his super-smart use of negative space. When he was tasked with designing covers for the first ever worldwide digital release of the Harry Potter series, he didn't disappoint. They may look straightforward, but each one has a hidden message – take a look at the full set on his site. Next page: 8 more mind-bending negative space designs 11. The Birds Troy DeShano was inspired by one of Hitchcock's greatest moviesMichigan-based artist Troy DeShano has created tons of negative space art but it's this creation, based on Hitchcock's 'The Birds', that caught our eye. We love the way the figure's hair has been integrated with the silhouettes of flying birds. 12. FedEx The FedEx logo is a classic use of negative spaceThis list wouldn't be complete without perhaps the most famous use of negative space in a logo. The white arrow between the E and the X, once seen is never forgotten. The logo has won ample design awards and is constantly featured in 'best logos' lists. The logo was originally designed by Lindon Leader in 1994. Read our interview with Leader about the design in our 10 best logos ever article. 13. Letters Clever use of negative space to have the maximum impact (not literally)We're used to seeing highly creative and quality work come from worldwide ad agency Leo Burnett, and this brilliantly clever campaign for Fiat is a particular highlight. Created by the Brazil studio, the series of ads encourages drivers not to text while driving. A series of three prints, a large white letter R, N, and F are accompanied by a graphic of a little girl, dog, and bus respectively, each illustration creating the defining shape of each letterform. The taglines state: 'You either see the letter or the dog (bus, little girl). Don’t text and drive.' This is a fantastic example of how clever use of negative space can make a big impact. The stark contrast between black and white creates beautiful silhouettes of the girl, dog and bus hidden within the type. An innovative idea that really drives home the dangers of texting while driving. 04. The Typefaces Negative space gives this type a faceThe Typefaces is a book from Singapore-based designer and illustrator Scott Lambert, which aims to celebrate playful products for kids and kids-at-heart. "Inspired by letterpress printing and childlike observations, The Typefaces are simply faces in type," Lambert explains. Negative space allows Lambert to give each letter a friendly face. 15. The Body Artist One of many Don Delillo book cover designs by Noma BarAward-winning graphic designer Noma Bar's animation work has already featured in this list, but his still work is equally impressive. Using a limited colour palette, Bar carefully crafts and places positive space to give the negative space another meaning. Using the bare minimum to communicate his message, Bar's distinctive work has gained him international recognition and work from leading companies including Vodafone, Coca Cola and the BBC. 16. Cut-Outs Simon C. Page uses negative space trickery to depict Batman versus PenguinIt's Batman versus Penguin in this brilliant print by graphic designer Simon C. Page. Part of his Cut-Out series (click each pixellated image to see the real thing), Page cleverly depicts both characters using negative space. The bald head and long pointy nose are instantly identifiable as Danny Devito's Penguin, which in turn, carves out the bold silhouette of Michael Keaton as Batman. 17. Shigeo Fukuda Japanese graphic designer made full use of negative space in his artworkJapanese poster designer and graphic artist Shigeo Fukuda's optical illusions brought him international renown. Much like many of his pieces, this striking black and white print, constructed of minimal, considered lines, is slightly disorientating – a theme that ran through his work up until his death in 2009. 18. The Kama Sutra Malika Favre is know for her naughty negative space workWhen French artist and illustrator Malika Favre was commissioned to create the cover for this naughty classic, she went through many iterations – including this one – to get to the final design. Known for her distinctive use of graphic shapes and bold colours, Favre comments on her website: "I try and get to the essence of my subject by using as few lines and colours as it needs to convey the core of the idea." And she's certainly done that for this version of the book cover, cleverly incorporated negative space into the design to depict various sexual positions. Related articles: 30 mind-bending trompe l'oeil illusions The designer's guide to the Golden Ratio 10 commandments of logo design View the full article

Microsoft has said it will not patch a two-decade-old Windows SMB vulnerability, called SMBloris because it behaves comparably to the Slowloris attacks. The flaw will be disclosed and demonstrated during DEF CON. View the full article

We all could use some help optimising how we spend our time. Luckily, you can get advice from experts who have mastered the art of productivity. Learn valuable lessons to get more done with the Ultimate Productivity Bundle, on sale now for 97 per cent off the retail price. The Ultimate Productivity Bundle is packed with eight courses taught by some of the most successful people in the world, who are willing to share their tips and tricks with you. Spend nearly 30 hours learning the life hacks that will help you stay on task and get more work done, from maximising your time to picking up new skills that you can add to your resume. You can get the Ultimate Productivity Bundle on sale for 97 per cent off the retail price – now costing just $36 (approx £28). That's a huge saving for a course that will help you make the most of your time, so grab this deal today! View the full article

In this month's round-up, we'll be looking at tools every illustrator should have at the ready. While many of these feel like they're limited to comic book illustration, the truth is, they can be used for so much more. If you're a visual storyteller, this list will have something for you. Read more: Microsoft Paint avoids being canned How Tove Jansson and the Moomins continue to inspire Draw a bad-ass geisha View the full article

Zell Liew is coming to London! The talented front-end developer will run a workshop on building scalable responsive components at Generate London on 20 September and follow it with a talk on the same subject at the conference the following day. Reserve your spot now! The design world evolves super quickly today. New techniques and tools seem to come at you from every corner. One issue that bothers both beginners and experienced professionals is how to keep up with the insane pace. The solution hinges on two skills: the ability to choose what to learn, and the ability to learn it quickly. In this article I want to focus on the latter, and show you my five-step plan for speeding up the learning process. At Generate London, Zell Liew will present both a talk and workshop on building responsive components 01. Prepare for pain A hard truth we have to accept is that learning anything is difficult. Think about the time you tried to pick up the guitar or ride a bike. How long did you take? How many times did you fail? Did you give up? Many people (even myself) forget the path to learning is paved with confusion and pain. We want to believe we’re excellent humans with powerful cognitive skills. So if we fail to learn something quickly (like within a few hours), we give up and decide we’re not talented in this area. Once you realise that learning is inherently difficult, you can adjust your expectations. Then you can create a game plan that will help you get even further than you can possibly imagine. 02. Make a game plan Now it’s time for you to create a game plan to get you where you want to be. Your plan consists of four things: Why do you want to learn [insert thing here]? First, since learning anything is inherently difficult, you need to know why you want to learn whatever it is you’re trying to learn. The reason you give yourself must be strong enough to tide you through the initial difficulty. What’s the goal you’re aiming for (in this stage of learning)? Second, you want to create a tangible goal so you know where you want to be at your particular stage of learning. Don’t be afraid to set one that feels attainable, but is a stretch at the same time. Don’t aim for the sky, because you’ll fall and hit dirt. When you’ve achieved your first goal, you can create a new game plan and aim higher. What steps do you need to take to complete your goal? Third, if you’re taking on a completely new project, it might be worth spending an hour or two researching to see how other people have done it. You can then customise this path to hit your personal goal. The key here is practice – daily practice helps you remember things much faster. But how you plan is up to you. When do you intend to complete your goal? Finally, you want to give yourself a realistic deadline to complete your goal. If you can, create a timeline – this process will help you mentally prepare for the hardship in the days to come. While you’re at it, be willing to readjust your timeline if you foresee you’re not going to be able to hit your goal. 03. Don’t compare Don’t compare yourself with other people. This invites envy (if they’re faster than you) or pride and arrogance (if you’re faster than them). These emotions hinder your learning. Also, don’t compare yourself against yourself. You will unconsciously compare the speed at which you learn an entirely new skill with the speed you progress at something you’re already familiar with. You’ll feel like a snail. You’ll feel like you have no talent for the new thing. This is stupid. You can’t compare apples with oranges. 04. Focus on quality Focus on learning things well rather than moving quickly. Learning well means understanding the concepts behind what you’re learning; it means breaking concepts down into principles; it means no copy-pasting; it means working out your own solutions whenever possible so your brain has to get creative. Finally, it means you’ll be slower today, but 20 times faster two weeks from now. 05. Adjust expectations Accept that learning is an uphill task. You’re going to be confused. You’ll wonder if you’re untalented and worthless. You’ll think you’ll suck. Most people underestimate the emotional pain and quit. They give up. Don’t let that happen to you. This article originally appeared in net magazine issue 289; buy it here. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from Zell Liew at Generate London. If you buy a combined workshop and conference pass, you will save £95. Other workshops on 20 September feature Steve Fisher on running design and content sprints, Anton & Irene on idea generation and the selling of the idea, and - last but not least - Jaime Levy on user experience strategy. Related articles: How to network successfully: 19 pro tips 10 tips for building a killer portfolio website How to host a successful design sprint View the full article

Many web designers never think of using mobile apps to aid them in their work. But new mobile apps are being released all the time, and it’s easy to miss something that could profoundly change the way you work for the better. In this post we round up some of the latest new and newly updated mobile apps that could make your web design work more productive, effective and fun. And who wouldn’t want that? 01. Dribbble (iOS) It’s taken a while, but Dribbble finally has a mobile appFounded in 2009 by Dan Cederholm and Rich Thornett, Dribbble has become the go-to place for web designers to share sneak peeks (aka ‘shots’) of the designs they’re working on, and invite comments and discussions around them. But perhaps surprisingly, Dribbble has never launched a mobile app to complement the service... until last month. Available through the App Store for iPhone and iPad, the new Dribbble app is completely free to download. It provides interactions like double-tap to ‘like’ and pull to refresh, as well as faster browsing and iPad split screening, to make Dribbble easier to use on your devices. Additionally, support for Handoff means you can browse Dribbble on the go, then view the same content back at your desktop. Plus support for Universal Links means that all links to dribbble.com will open directly in the app, rather than the browser. 02. Sketch Mirror (iOS) Sketch Mirror lets you preview designs in real-time over Wi-FiIf you regularly use Sketch to prototype your web designs, and you have an iPhone or iPad running iOS 9 or above, then you’ll want to check out Sketch Mirror. This iOS counterpart app from Sketch allows you to preview your designs in near real-time on any iPhone or iPad over a Wi-Fi network, wherever you are. Sketch Mirror is optimised for the iPad Pro and supports Split View and multitasking. Through the Sketch Mirror overview, you can quickly browse between artboards on different pages, and if you lose your connection, the app will automatically switch back once it’s restored. Compatible with Sketch 3.8 and above, Sketch Mirror is available to download for free from the App Store. 03. Adobe XD mobile (iOS or Android) Adobe XD’s mobile app lets you preview your designs on iOS and Android mobile devicesReleased in preview in 2016, Adobe’s Experience Design CC – or Adobe XD – is a wireframing and prototyping tool that has quickly established itself as a key part of the Creative Cloud. And its accompanying mobile app lets you preview your designs on both iOS and Android devices. If you’re using Adobe XD on macOS, you can make design and prototyping changes on the desktop, and see them reflected in real time on all mobile devices connected through USB. Alternatively, both macOS and Windows 10 users can load Adobe XD documents from Creative Cloud Files. Just place your XD documents in your CC files folder on desktop, then load them into your devices using Adobe XD on mobile. The Adobe XD app is available to download for free from the App Store for iOS or via Google Play for Android. 04. 920 Text Editor (Android) 920 Text Editor is clean and lightweight, yet feature-packedThere are dozens of text editors available for Android, but 920 Text Editor is our favourite. If you’re writing code on a small screen, you want your editor to be clean, lightweight and responsive, and this one ticks all of those boxes. There are also some pretty nifty features: Multi Tab lets you open different files in different tabs for easy switching; you can lock the screen orientation into horizontal or vertical; and there are lots of cool shortcuts, such as using the volume keys to quickly switch the display or hide the toolbar. By default, 920 Text Editor supports CSS, JavaScript, ASP, ActionScript, C/C++ , C#, Erlang, Frink, HTML/XML/WML, Java, JSP, Perl, PowerShell, PHP, Python, and more. 05. Things 3 (iOS) Things 3 lets you bring together your to-do tasks and calendar events in one simple listUnless you’re one of those rare web designers who’s naturally super-organised, you’ll be needing a decent to-do app to stay on top of your projects. Things has been around for a while, but if you dismissed it before, it’s worth taking another look at the latest version, Things 3. Based on the productivity system known as GTD (Getting Things Done), Things was a big hit on its release in 2008, due to its clean UI and seamless integration with other services. But the latest version pushes its attraction further. The main highlight is a new integration with your calendar app (Google or otherwise), which means you can view upcoming tasks alongside your other commitments, appointments and reminders. Things 3 also shows your progress on tasks, through the visual metaphor of empty circles, which get more filled-in the closer you get to completing them. 06. Py (iOS or Android) iOS and Android app Py offers bite-sized lessons in codingLearning to code a new language, such as Swift or Python, doesn’t sound like a fun activity, but Py makes it so by turning it into a game. Offering more than 1,000 free lessons, this mobile app teaches you to code in bite-sized, gamified chunks, and there’s also a social element to encourage you to complete your training. Launched in 2016 on iOS, Py was launched this month on Android, although it’s not available in all territories yet. It currently offers you the chance to learn Python, Swift, iOS development, data science, HTML, CSS, SQL, JavaScript and Java. The app is free to download and use for a one month free trial, after which you’ll be charged $9.99 (around £7.70) per month to continue using it. Download it from the App Store for iOS or via Google Play for Android. View the full article

We’ve seen some amazing examples of questionable kerning in our time – but this tote bag from online fashion store BelleChic illustrates all too clearly what can happen when designers don’t pay attention to font choice, or legibility. The tote is meant to say: ‘My favorite color is glitter’. Unfortunately, as Twitter users have pointed out en masse, there’s an alternative reading – and it’s decidedly different. Is all publicity good publicity? We’ll let BelleChic be the judge of that. Related articles: 50 best free fonts for designers The 8 biggest typography mistakes designers make 10 new free fonts for 2017 View the full article

Learning how to paint a portrait isn't easy, but there are some steps you can follow to help you on your way. In this tutorial, I'll show you my process, from blocking in the shadows to developing the form and making each brushstroke count. Learning to draw and paint is a lifelong and fulfilling process, so learn to enjoy the journey. 01. Draw with a grid Experiment with different tints for your canvas and see what you prefer. There are no rules, just resultsI use a grid to create my drawing. I use pencil for the grid and when the drawing is done, I ink the important lines with a Micron Pigma Pen or India ink and then erase the grid. I also like to use a warm colour to start with. Bear in mind that the tint of your canvas will affect your final painting. Little patches of it will show through and add vibrancy. 02. Create an imprimatura on the canvas Your goal is to establish large shapes accurately. Squint or stand back a bit to assess the likenessThe imprimatura is usually one or two pigments that are thinly painted over a toned canvas. Here I'm using Raw umber and Light red. This is the stage to focus on establishing the shadow shapes. Don't worry about perfect edges and brushstrokes. This stage is simply about creating accurate shapes. Let the paint be a bit washy in places. The variation is interesting, and will show through and add depth. 03. Establish the colour in your oil portrait Let your shadows stay transparent and keep white out of your shadow mixtures. This will help you avoid "chalky" fleshNow we begin to establish the colour for the flesh. Look for middle values in the light side and avoid the highlights for now. Like Frankenstein's creation, parts are coming together, but it still looks a little monstrous. Don't panic – slow and steady work will win the day. Keep your flesh colours simple, using only two or three pigments. Keep the "mud" out of your colours by mixing with like-temperatures. You can neutralise your colours with a grey of the same value. 04. Define the figure's forms Don't let the edges of the lips become too hard. They should have a soft transition into the surrounding fleshNow that the colour and values are in place we can start to work the transitions from dark to light. Try to mix the right colour rather than blending on your canvas. This will train your eye and improve your ability to mix colour. Focus at this stage and aim to mix the right colour with each stroke. Remember not to lose the big shapes as you refine the forms. 05. Finish with style! Where flesh meets flesh, such as eyelid folds, the colour may be dark but saturated so don't use black. Instead, try Alizarin crimsonDon't be afraid to make artistic decisions throughout the painting process. You aren't a slave to your subject. I'll often add splashes of bright colour to the background and subject in the final moments. It adds vibrancy and is a lot of fun! This painting has a green/red palette that adds a strong energy. Analogous or monochromatic palettes are useful when creating mood. This article originally appeared in ImagineFX issue 149. Buy it here! Related articles: How to get started with oil painting 10 essential oil painting tips and techniques How to draw a face View the full article

You're reading How to Protect Your Design Work on the Internet, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+! Are you worried about people stealing your designs after you publish them on the web? Web designers are faced with a “catch 22” situation. To attract new clients, they must showcase their work and put it on display on the internet. Yet, by doing so, they are more vulnerable to thievery. The possibility of people […] View the full article

Researchers have a devised a way to trick a web server into caching pages and exposing personal data to attackers. View the full article

There's a special kind of nostalgia that surrounds the fantasy and sci-fi films of the 1980s. Thanks to the impetus that Star Wars gave the film industry in the late-1970s, effects budgets grew and grew, but because CGI was a mere twinkle in John Lasseter's eye, the creatures and magic we witnessed were often handmade. They looked tactile, and films like The Dark Crystal and Time Bandits felt lived in and quirky, more like real life than a cold computer screen. Terry Gilliam drew the poster for Time Bandits himselfThese were the days before Photoshop too, and the movie wallpapers and posters that enticed us into the cinemas were largely hand-painted. A whole crop of genius fantasy artists caught our imaginations with their pencils, ink and paint, with three-sheet or quad-sized posters going up around town whenever a new fantasy picture was on its way. More than that, our nostalgia is tweaked on a deeper, more psychological level. Fantasy films back then weren't just a distraction from boredom. Generation Y and hipster haircuts hadn't been invented. Back then kids were worried. Reaganomics and Thatcherism were ravaging economies. People began to die of AIDS. Famines killed millions in Africa. And the Cold War promised mutually assured Armageddon. Renato Casaro’s poster for The NeverEnding Story captured the film’s magic using tempera and a bit of airbrushing on cardboardSo we gazed at Brian Bysouth's posters for Willow and Big Trouble in Little China. We were beckoned by the peculiar-looking Falkor, the luckdragon, on Renato Casaro's poster for The NeverEnding Story. Artists like John Alvin, Richard Amsel, Ted CoConis, Bob Peak and Drew Struzan gave us a gateway into imaginary realms. John Alvin was brilliant when it came to evoking a sense of mystery. John passed away in 2005, but his daughter Farah not only grew up alongside his work, but also appeared in it. You know the famous poster in which E.T.'s finger reaches out towards a human hand? She was a small child at the time, and that's her hand in the picture. The design of E.T was kept secret by the studio"Much of E.T. was kept top secret by the studio – not only the film itself, but what the characters and scenic elements looked like," she explains. "John was given a sketch of the alien's hand by a production designer to use for reference and then he took numerous Polaroids of my hand. "He used these photos and the reference for the alien hand to create a composite sketch and then, ultimately, the painting we all know. The design concept, borrowed from Michelangelo, came from the studio. All of the aspects of light and colour were ultimately a product of his creativity." Capture a film's heart and soul The Gremlin's illustration sparks the viewer's curiosity and pulls you in The Gremlins poster had to indicate that this cute creature had the potential to become horrible John would often say that his job was "to create the promise of a great experience" and he worked on the concepts of the posters as much as their execution. The artist sought to identify the key elements of a film – its heart and soul – to convey in a single, emotive image. With those little mogwai paws reaching out from under the shoebox lid, John's artwork for Gremlins is one of the most memorable of all time. "What was important about the Gremlins poster was to indicate that this cute, delightful creature had the potential to become horrible," explains Farah. "But the film is sort of campy and scary, not gory, so I think he had to walk a very careful line and play up the mystery rather than the horror. You can't help but look at this poster and want to know what's in the box! That curiosity is, of course, the downfall of the characters in the film. So this poster reels you into the spirit and tone of the movie quite beautifully." Richard Amsel’s poster for the 1982 re-release of Raiders of the Lost Ark perfectly embodies the film, conveying the characters, the intrigue and the whipGenerating intimacy with the observer is something a good painter can do if they have a unique style. Richard Amsel died of HIV in 1985, but his poster work for films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Dark Crystal and Flash Gordon continues to resonate because the artist's hand is clear in the rendering of the images. Adam McDaniel works in a film studio, and is an expert on Richard's art. "His use of pencils was extraordinary, as he'd draw in all sorts of frenzied directions, while maintaining control and getting the details just right," says Adam. "He was very gifted in capturing personalities, too; it wasn't enough to make something look photorealistic." Intergalactic Kitsch The great Richard Amsel camped up the 1980 revival of Flash Gordon, the art deco elements effectively invoking its 1930's originsRichard's playful side came to the fore in his Flash Gordon poster. "The movie's called Flash Gordon, but it's Ming the Merciless who's front and centre, his penetrating gaze directed right at us, like a serpent ready to strike," says Adam. "But the guy's got mascara on, wears a sequin dress, and has a sparkly ring of power. It's all wonderful, kitschy, 1930s sci-fi serials, as seen through the foggy vision of a 1970s glam rock concert. Richard wasn't out to make it look serious. He was in on the joke, and made the film look like the silly fun it was." Richard Amsel used a number of layers in the Dark Crystal poster. The type is central, with the characters hinting at the story around itHis poster for Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal is stunning, and was innovative at the time. He centred the work around logo art created for the film by Brian Froud, who also designed many of its creatures. On one layer there's a piece of velum with a montage of strange characters. The castle housing the crystal and the broken landscape around it burst up from the bottom of the poster in front of the parchment. It speaks of mythology, legend, and a time long ago. Ted CoConis rose to the challenge of incorporating over 20 characters into the Labyrinth poster, and Jim Henson loved itJim Henson and Brian Froud also made Labyrinth together, and as with The Dark Crystal all the film's charm comes from its creatures and characters. This time, the artist Ted CoConis – who'd previously done posters for Fiddler on the Roof and Hair – was commissioned for the artwork. Supplied with the idea of the Labyrinth and a logotype for the movie, the challenge for Ted was to bring the key characters together without it looking too complex. The film struggled at the box office, but its poster is iconic and today it has a cult following. "Every single character is a work of art in itself: brilliantly conceived, masterfully constructed," says Ted. "In the end, Jim picked out a handful of key figures, and I was free to tie everything together with whichever ones worked best for the design. "I was completely free to do whatever I thought would work best in terms of concept and design. The only client input – which I had to override – was their insistence that Sarah be portrayed in blue jeans. That was completely inappropriate for the look and feeling of the painting as well as the movie itself. She simply had to be wearing the gorgeous gown she wore in that fabulous ballroom scene." Missing a touch of magic Today, it's easy to see photos of the characters being montaged together, much like the posters for The Lord of the Rings films. But where would be the fun in that? Renato Casaro, who painted over 1,500 posters during his career, including those for The NeverEnding Story, believes that without the hand of an artist, today's posters are often devoid of that touch of magic. "Hand-painted artwork died in the 90s," Renato laments. "To give you an idea of what we've lost, The Folkwang Museum in Essen, which is the most important poster gallery in Germany, organised a big retrospective including my movie posters. "During the exhibition they invited graphic design students to transfer my artwork into Photoshop, and use elements of my artwork to create new posters. The results were unsatisfactory; they were unable to capture the special magic that you need in particular for movie posters." How do we get some of that 80s magic back into movie poster art? Perhaps what some of these wonderful illustrators we've talked about here lends some inspiration. A sense of mystery and expectation, the return of a painterly feel, evidence of a painter's hand, and a fresh injection of character might just help us to escape the pressures of the 21st century, or at least feel a bit less like we're being marketed to. Artists, it's over to you! Scroll through the gallery below for more fantasy poster inspiration: This article was originally published in ImagineFX magazine issue 132. Related articles: Are movie posters in a design crisis? 27 stunning poster designs to inspire you 10 best movie posters from the 1990s View the full article

For many new creatives, once the degree shows have been taken down the first step in a design career is applying for design placements and interning within an agency. Thankfully, these are now far more comprehensive and involved than making tea (although that definitely helps) and shyly handing out post, silently praying you’ve remembered everyone’s names correctly. A lot of studios directly recruit their junior designers from internships, so we spoke to some top agencies about what to do to make sure you stand out from the rest, and how to have the best chance of getting hired full-time once your design internship finishes. 50 brilliant design portfolios to inspire you01. Do great work Wolff Olins designed the London 2012 Olympics branding to reflect “London as a modern, edgy city.” Wolff Olins’ senior designer Haigh says the company looks to hire people who might bring new skills to the team It’s likely that it’s a sparkling resume or design portfolio that got you the internship in the first place, but making superb, technically proficient, and beautiful work doesn’t stop when art school ends and your portfolio is done. It goes without saying, but it has to continue during the placement itself. “Ultimately, we are looking for people who create work that excites us,” says Wolff Olins' senior designer Alison Haigh. “We ask: Do they have skills we don't have? Do they look at things differently to everyone else here?” 02. Be respectful Supple Studio designed a set of postage stamps and products to celebrate David Bowie’s life for Royal Mail. Founder Ellul says being respectful – of the agency you're working in, and others – is key for making the right impression as an intern "As a small team it’s essential that everyone likes and respects each other. I don’t want to spend eight hours a day with people who annoy me,” says Jamie Ellul, founder of Bath-based Supple Studio and formerly of London’s Magpie. He warns against slagging off other design agencies that you might have previously interned at. “It’s a very small world – we all know each other,” he says. East London-based design, production and animation studio Animade offers rolling three-month placements to young creatives, and has a healthy track record of going on to recruit them full-time. According to Animade’s co-founder and creative director Tom Judd, it’s crucial that people “fit in and communicate. You have to have that closeness and connection with the team, as we’re so close knit.” Wolff Olins' Haigh adds: “Others will notice how well you respect the people and space around you, as well as the responsibilities you've been given.” 03. Be open, driven and willing to learn Gifts All Wrapped Up is a handdrawn animation created by Animade for Net-A-Porter, using Simone Massoni's 1930s-esque illustrations. Co-founder Judd says a willingness to connect with Animade’s close-knit team is important Once you’ve landed a placement, nobody expects you to know everything already. That’s what placements are for: learning and developing. So don’t be shy if there are things you don’t know how to do. “Be self aware enough to ask for help,” says Koto founder and creative director James Greenfield. Ellul agrees: “Honesty is the best policy – if you’re unsure, just ask for help. The best placement students aren’t afraid to ask for clarification or to raise a hand when they’re stuck.” 04. Get stuck in and have fun Anyways (then INT Works) worked with Uniqlo and London’s Tate Modern gallery in Spring 2016 to created the London Dreaming campaign. Anyways’ Green recommends interns offer to help with anything There’s a reason you want to intern at design agencies: because design is great, and designing can be fun, as can working in an agency. Greenfield looks for people who have a good sense of humour and “don’t need to work in silence.” Ellul agrees: “It’s important to have a laugh at work.” Getting the tea and coffee round is also a cliche, but one that’s there for a reason – caffeine is the route to a team’s heart. Making a round of drinks is a really good way to get to know all the people in the studio,” Ellul says, “It’s also a chance to look over their shoulder and see what they’re working on and start a conversation.” Callum Green joined Anyways (then INT Works) on a placement a few years back that since turned into a full-time role. He recommends always being proactive. “If you’re set a task and finish it early, ask if there is anything else you can help out with," he recommends. "You never know who you could meet from asking to help!” 05. Leave your ego at the door Supple Studio turned the Mr Men and Little Miss book covers into a set of eight stamps for Royal Mail, working alongside the characters’ illustrator Adam Hargreaves. Supple Studio founder Ellul says the best interns are full of ideas, not ego "The best interns I’ve worked with in the past are super keen to get involved, inspiringly motivated, full of ideas (good ones and bad ones), opinionated but ego-free and brave enough to think differently,” says Ellul. “For me, hiring is 50% talent and 50% personality. Even the most talented designer won’t get a job with us if they’re a bigheaded precocious prima donna." This means never, ever "look grumpy,” he says, even when “asked to do something non-designery (ie tidying the library).” Green adds: “Always be positive. There is nothing worse than asking someone to help you out on something and getting a Kevin-esque reply. You probably aren't there to do the fancy stuff, you’re there to help research, build decks, mock up designs.” Don't be like Kevin the teenager06. Bring the ideas For their first Pentagram project, Hudson-Powell and Powell created the identity for Resonate, an international festival of music, visual and digital arts in Belgrade, Serbia. They say they look for junior designers who come up with creative solutions on placement “Everything grounded in ideas,” says Greenfield. For Ellul, a great intern is one who “makes all the other designers in the room jealous” by “nailing a great idea for a brief that no-one else thought of – blowing away everyone involved.” London-based Pentagram partners Jody Hudson-Powell and Luke Powell say one of the main traits they look for in hiring a junior designer from a placement is “good thinking,” ie “someone who is good with coming up with creative solutions, or is good at thinking holistically about a project and is able to see beyond the little piece they’ve been given.” 07. Know the studio you’re working for A recent intern-turned-new hire at Animade designed his own version of frankenSim – a web toy that’s “a grotesque, pink-hued dissection of the human body” – for a tailor-made job application Animade recently took on an animator full-time following a placement, and his original application stood out head and shoulders above the rest as he created a completely tailored piece of work. The applicant had designed his own version of Animade’s web toy frankenSim, dubbing it frankIntern. “It was quite mind-blowing,” says Judd. “Greenfield agrees: “Since we started two-and-a-half years ago we have hired two interns. In both cases they seemed to instinctively know that extra thought things needed, the ideas that got us excited and how the family nature of our business is important to gel with,” he says. “Look at the work the studio already makes and work out the 90% of it you would do the same and the 10% you would change. Apply that thinking to the briefs they give you.” 08. Have other interests and lucky timing Koto created a new visual identity for Fanta, redrawing the logo and introducing a new colour palette. Founder and creative director Greenfield says Koto looks for people who are interested in brands of all kinds “Don’t come in all guns blazing. Avoid gimmicks and tricks and cheesy ideas. Be calm and don’t do wacky,” says Greenfield, who also looks for people who are curious about the world around them, and interested “in brands of all kinds and not just cool ones.” Ellul adds: “I look for people with talents and interests outside of the design sphere – playing a musical instrument, or an unusual hobby or interest. Interested people are usually interesting people.” Judd agrees. “It’s not necessarily that people need to be extrovert or have all-out charisma, as not many animators are like that,” he says, “but they have to get involved and be interested in things.” Sometimes, though, you can be that person with the great work, the great attitude, no ego/wackiness/lateness, but the fact is that right now simply isn’t your time. Sometimes, especially in smaller agencies, there just isn’t a job going. “Plenty of great interns haven’t got a job with us because there wasn’t a job to get,” says Ellul. “So hard work needs to be combined with a bit of lucky timing.” Now check out these related articles: 50 brilliant design portfolios to inspire you Best free resume templates How to start a blog: 10 pro tips View the full article