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You're reading Free Cryptocurrency Icon Packs, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+!
Some say it is a universal fraud, nothing more than hype; others consider it to be not just our future but already our present. Whether you like it or not, cryptocurrency has become a part of our life. So, in this showcase, we have decided to include the best designer free cryptocurrency icon packs that […]
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Researchers have discovered critical vulnerabilities in Zoho’s ManageEnging suite that can lead to data loss and possible remote code execution.
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Script fonts: high-end, elegant, a quick way to add a touch of class to a design, right? Except often they're not. Tainted by a number of questionable typefaces, a cloudy history of illegibility and wedding invitation abuse, the reputation of the stylish script font has taken a knock in recent years.
Yet amid the scrawl, a number of true gems exist that do exactly what a good script font should: add elegance and personality, while remaining legible. The following options are the best script fonts that we've found. Like many good things they do cost money, so if you're on a super-tight budget, check out our free brush fonts article, or the handwriting fonts section of our best free fonts for designers article.
01. Mila Script Pro
- Price: $89/£59 (for 6 fonts)
- Format: TTF, OTF
Mila Script Pro is a family of six script fonts: Pro, Basic, Sans Light, Sans Regular, Sans Bold, and Ornaments. That means you can choose between connected or unconnected letterforms, or mix the two to create the look you want. This font family comes with 'automatic swash control', which adjusts the swashy letters to best fit the available white space.
You can buy each font separately (Script Pro and Script Basic are $79/£52 and $39/£26 respectively) or snap up the whole lot for $89/£59.
02. Acid
- Price: $16.77/£13
- Format: OTF
This decorative script font is the work of Bangkok-based type designer Typomancer. The neat, condensed typeface includes some quirky serifs, and would be ideal for print projects. You can buy it for desktops, as a web font, or buy the extended version, and it supports a huge range of languages.
03. Adelia
- Price: $16.77/£13
- Format: OTF
Adelia was designed by Indonesia-based foundry Artimasa. Inspired by traditional sign painting and brush lettering, the bold, playful font lends itself particularly well to logo and packaging projects, as well as headlines, posters and T-shirt graphics.
04. Baker Street
- Price: $28.38/£22 (for 4 fonts)
- Format: TTF
A single-width typeface, Baker Street is perfect for big text blocks or simple headlines thanks to its flowing curves. Designed by Thomas Ramey of Seattle-based studio Ramey Foundry, there are four weights in total – Regular, Light, Regular Title and Light Title – priced at $16.77/£13 each, or $28.38/£22 for all four.
05. Everglow Script
- Price: $29
- Format: OTF
This retro script font features over 560 glyphs and 322 alternate characters. If you're looking to add a vintage touch to anything from logos to letterheads, then Everglow (designed by another Indonesian outfit, Seniors Studio) is your font.
06. Festival Script Pro
- Price: $69/£49.99
- Format: OTF
From Argentinian type foundry Sudtipos, Festival Script Pro pushes the explorations of designers Angel Koziupa and Ale Paul further into the deco script territory. With pronounced bilinear contrast and a luxurious ornamental swashing treatment (layered swashing possibilities are included, ranging from minimal to utter exuberance), Festival Script Pro is a modern, appealing script font.
07. Graduate
- Price: $74/£48.99 (for two fonts)
- Format: OTF
For a contemporary calligraphic script, try Graduate, by Netherland-based foundry Fontforecast. With over 825 glyphs, it's a flexible font that you can dress up or down by adding curls to the beginning, middle or end of any lowercase letter.
08. HT Osteria
- Price: $14.19/£11
- Format: OTF
HT Osteria is a retro script font that comes as a single weight. The characters draw inspiration from 1950s painted shopfront advertisements in Italy. This font is part of a decorative family of fonts from Japanese foundry Flat-it.
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There are a few things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and logos. That’s why the people behind the Los Logos compilations are really on to something. They’re never going to be short of content, and creative types are never going to tire of reading it.
The newest edition in the series is Los Logos 8, and there’s a reason this particular series is going strong: it’s excellent. As a person who spends most days writing about graphic design, it’s a total eye-opener, revealing some brilliant smaller studios, undiscovered branding work, and truly innovative and interesting approaches to logo design.
Sure, designing a logo is just one small component of a branding project, as anyone from an agency will tell you. However, in extricating that one element and placing it alongside its peers you get a real sense of trends across a moment in time.
And not only in what’s current either – also the moments in design history we’re looking back to, typographic styles, colourways, use of illustration and a whole bunch more.
Los Logos 8 features hidden gems as well as big studio work
As ever, Los Logos 8 is exhaustively and thoughtfully put together, showing work from across the world and from smaller agencies alongside the big guns like Wolff Olins. And it’s not just about range: every piece deserves its mention, for one reason or another. Quite how the editors managed this, I’ve no idea, but I commend them for it.
Sure, if you’ve a million hours and a lot of patience you could find a lot of this work online through blogs or platforms, but I’d argue that seeing these logos laid out like this as a physical artefact makes for a better understanding of the work. We see how it plays out in print, and how it potentially sits next to other images or different typefaces.
The print format lends itself to comparing themes
It’s also a dream for the people the book is likely aimed at – designers, brand managers, trend folk, and marketing types – as it’s much more satisfying to flick through pages in a meeting and pore over something tangible than to idly bookmark a blog post to never be seen again.
The book opens with an insightful intro from a man who knows his logos better than most: Michael Wolff. “There’s bound to be work you like and work you don’t,” he says.
“With some of the logos you’ll be able to appreciate the wit and craftsmanship when you feel it’s involved, with others you’ll find the work poor. But poor work can be inspiring too… Los Logos is a book full of graphic ideas and designs, which to some are inspirations and to others surprises – 'Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose'.” Exactement, Michael.
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Creating meaningful and beautiful CSS animations can be time-consuming and difficult, but luckily there are some great resources out there that you can use to jumpstart your creative process, and explore different areas in depth.
This resource collection includes all the best CSS animation libraries. Pick one that suits your project and start straight away, or use them as a starting point to create something custom for your brand. There are also some handy crib sheets and shortcuts to supplement your learning.
01. Animate.css
This library includes 76 essential CSS animations
This library bring together no fewer than 76 animations, all created in CSS and ready to use. Simply reference the CSS file, and when you add classes to an element, the animation happens. This works best when adding or removing classes using JavaScript.
The library is an impressively small file size when minified and gzipped, but if you don't want to load the entire thing into your site, the project is also a great source of inspiration. Compiled by Dan Eden, this library includes almost every CSS animation you could need.
02. Hover.css
Hover.css focuses on button interaction animations
Similar to Animate.css, Hover.css is a collection of CSS effects you can use in your projects. This library was created specifically for button interaction animations. The library can be downloaded in vanilla CSS, Sass and Less, allowing these animations to fit into any project. The library has almost every animation you might need for interaction.
03. CSShake
CSShake focuses on shaking animations
CSShake is a library of CSS animations dedicated to making elements shake. The library has a number of classes you can add to elements to apply one of many different shake animations. The animations use keyframes and utilise the transform property to create these un-ignorable, sometimes crazy or violent-looking animations.
04. Obnoxious.css
Want to know how not to do CSS animation?
Obnoxious.css was created by Tim Holman and is exactly as the name suggests. The library explores what is possible with CSS animation, but illustrates perfectly what you should not be doing with CSS animations. While presented as a product-ready animation library (and it is), it is intended to be tongue-in-cheek. Brace yourself.
05. Replainless.CSS
These animations are super-fast
Replainless.css in a small and lightweight CSS animation library with a focus on creating animations that do not cause a repaint from the browser (so long as they’re used correctly). By not requiring a reflow or repaint, these animations are super-fast and performant!
06. Animate Plus
This animation library is great for mobile sites
Stripe is well known for its beautifully animated product pages. One of the masterminds behind these, Benjamin De Cock, has created a CSS and SVG animation library that is performant and lightweight, making it particularly well suited to mobile.
07. Motion UI
Powerful animators like Motion UI are useful CSS tools
This Sass library from ZURB makes it easier to apply custom animations to your UI. It's a little more involved than some of the other libraries on this list, but very powerful. You can create and tweak animations to meet your needs, then invoke them using JavaScript.
08. BounceJS
Use this tool to create your own library of animations
This is a useful tool if you want to create your own library of animations. It has lots of fun presets and takes the heavy lifting out of writing complex animation code. It uses advanced transform operations to create the animations, which can then be added to your own animation CSS file and applied as you wish.
09. GreenSock Animation Platform
Go further with GreenSock
GSAP is a JavaScript animation framework. If you're creating more complex animations (such as in banner ads or hero images), GSAP offers a set of tools for handling playback, SVG tweening and more. This is great if you want to go further than what can be done in CSS animations, but does present a bit of a learning curve. To find out more, take a look at our guide to GSAP.
10. Easing functions cheatsheet
Easing functions are easier with this cheatsheet
Timing functions specify the rate of change over time, and this site helps you choose the right one for your animation or transition. It features a gallery with Bézier curves where you can preview them, and quickly copy the code.
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Great results are produced by people who know how to get things done. If you want to be the one who knows how to get the most out of others, you need to grab the Project Management Professional Certification Training Bundle. You can get it on sale now for 98% off the retail price!
To prove your skills as a project manager and to make sure you’re learning all the skills you need for this career, dive in to the 10 in-depth courses of the Project Management Professional Certification Training Bundle. It will provide you with over 110 hours of knowledge about project management. This bundle is built to prepare you to manage your way to success regardless of your field, and will make sure you’re ready to prove your skills with industry-recognised certifications.
The Project Management Professional Certification Training Bundle is valued at $2,990 but you can save a whopping 98% off the retail price right now. That's an incredible amount of savings for bundle that will help get you into the career you want, so grab it today!
About Creative Bloq deals
This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life.
We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more.
Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page or Offer tag page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at:deals@creativebloq.com.
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Business skills don't always come naturally to creative people. But they're a necessary evil if you want to be successful and profitable.
The good news is, you don't need an MBA to get this side of things nailed – there are some straightforward ways to sharpen your business acumen, whether you're a freelancer or just setting up shop as a small studio.
Read on to discover 10 ways to be more business-savvy as a designer...
01. Control your cashflow
Balancing the books isn't top of anyone's wish list when there's designing to be done, but it's essential to the success of your business. What comes in and goes out needs to be managed carefully.
Every month, review your cashflow and forecast for both the next three months and the next six. Make a list of all the invoices that need to be sent in those two time periods, and ensure you're hitting your monthly and quarterly cashflow targets.
Online accounting tools such as Xero and Less Accounting are good places to start, although it's often worth getting a 'real' accountant too.
02. Stay on top of invoicing
If you're working on a fixed-cost basis, ask for a percentage upfront – ideally, invoice for half the agreed fee before you start. This may not always be possible, but it's additional security, especially on long jobs for slow-paying clients.
Send your final invoice right after finishing the job. Keep in mind that a client needs time to make payment funds available – it doesn't hurt to send the invoice before payment is due. After all, the sooner it’s sent, the sooner you can chase if it's unpaid.
Finance tools for freelancers, such as Solo or FreeAgent, can help you stay on top of multiple projects at once, and you can even send invoices from within the software. Remember: if you don't invoice, you don't get paid.
Also read: 7 pricing models – and which you should choose
03. Know your contracts
It isn't always easy to protect your rights, but a few key legal principles can help you use your work to its full potential, while avoiding exploitation.
Sending out your own T&Cs ensures that the terms under which you work are in your own interests. Make sure you have a 'retention of title' clause in there – this means no rights are transferred until you've received full payment.
Include a 'cancellation and rejection fee' clause, too – or check the client's policy. It's reasonable to ask for 25 per cent on signing the contract, 50 per cent at roughs with no rights transferring, and 100 per cent at final artwork.
If you don't provide your own T&Cs, remember that legally you'll be deemed to have accepted whatever terms the client usually operates under.
04. Understand copyright and IP law
Copyright is the right to copy or reproduce a given work. For a work to be afforded copyright, it has to be original – but it only protects finished work, not ideas.
The creator is the first owner of copyright from the moment they make their mark, until 70 years after their death. But copyright can be bought, sold and bequeathed, and is separate from the original work. You can own one without the other.
Freelancers usually own the copyright in their work. If you're on the payroll or work at a client's premises, the client owns the copyright unless otherwise agreed.
In the US, however, clients own the copyright of freelance commissions in any contract using the words 'work for hire'. Try to avoid such contracts if you can.
Trademarks are legally registered symbols or words that distinguish your goods and services from your competitors', and prevent them using anything too similar. Generic descriptions of your business don't count – it's more about defining your brand.
Patents are more concerned with ideas, or specifically how something works. They are usually applied to products or software, and grant exclusive rights to the 'invention' for a limited time, in exchange for publicly disclosing it. You must apply for a patent, and pay a fee.
05. Ensure you're insured
It's often a good idea to take out insurance against things like property damage, employer's liability, public and product liability, and commercial legal protection – it's worth doing some research to see what applies to you.
A 'warranties and indemnities' clause in a contract guarantees that your work is original, and all necessary permissions have been sorted. The client doesn't want to be financially liable for a copyright legal battle with a third party, after all.
Check the wording of these clauses, and don't agree to indemnify against 'claims' or 'alleged breaches'. You should only indemnify against a 'breach'. A client faced with a claim may choose to settle out of court and look to you for payment, whether an infringement has occurred or not, and you won't have the chance to defend yourself.
It cuts both ways: if a client provides you with visuals or reference materials to use in a project, make sure they're indemnifying you in the same way.
06. Claim your due royalties
Royalties can be a great source of repeat income off the back of a project that uses your designs on sellable products – such as clothing, prints, books or music.
The usual royalty fee is five to 10 per cent of the retail price. If the client is on a tight budget and unable to offer much of a royalty, request an escalator clause where the royalty increases after a certain number of units are sold.
Make sure there's a reversion clause, too – this ensure the rights transfer back to you if the item goes out of print.
Check you have the rights to inspect the accounts. If you think you're not being paid properly, you can instruct an accountant to investigate. This is very important for lengthy license periods as royalties can be a substantial form of income.
07. Read up on employee rights
If you're recruiting staff, you need to be up-to-scratch with employment law. This is a complex area, and specific legal requirements vary depending on the country in which your studio is based, so it's a good idea to consult a lawyer or HR specialist to help in drawing up your policies.
Working hours need to be reasonable (in the UK, a maximum average of 48 hours per week, although employees can opt out), and most countries require a decent holiday allowance (in the UK, a minimum of 5.6 weeks per year, including public holidays – although there is no statutory minimum in the US) and sick pay.
Flexible working is increasingly popular, and employees have the right to request it. You can choose whether to accept it or not, although you have a legal duty to accept reasonable flexible working requests from certain employees, such as those with children up to 16 years old, or with particular disabilities.
You also have legal obligations regarding maternity and paternity leave – in the UK, all pregnant employees are entitled to statutory or enhanced maternity pay, while in the US, at least 12 weeks of leave is mandatory.
08. Deal with employee difficulties
You also need clear policies in place to deal with any grievances that may arise. Make sure staff are aware of what's required of them, and what is and isn't acceptable. Good performance management means disciplinary action should usually be avoidable.
If you need to let a member of staff go, there are strict guidelines to follow. You need a legitimate reason to fire someone – 'not performing well' is not enough – and making an employee redundant has a different set of requirements. Understand the law concerning unfair or constructive dismissal, document everything, and communicate the process thoroughly to the employee concerned at all stages.
Sick leave is another key thing to consider. Set out a comprehensive absence policy, make sure your team has access to it, and monitor all sick leave – not just long-term absence. Make sure you know who is absent, when and why.
This will help if you need to address any frequent absentees and can also flag up problems in your business: after all, you have a duty of care to ensure workload is acceptable and the environment is healthy.
09. Get to grips with tax
Nobody likes dealing with tax, but whether you're a freelancer or a small business owner, you can't (legally) avoid doing so. Depending on your profit margin, the amount you ultimately pay can be small, or very significant.
Save a proportion of your profit every month (around 20-25 per cent ideally) so you can pay these bills when they come in. It may be tempting to use this money to prop up poor cashflow, which can be fine temporarily, if you replace it as soon as you can. If it becomes normal practice you could face a lot of stress when a hefty bill from the tax man arrives and you've got no money to pay it with.
In many countries there are two types of tax that will affect creative businesses: income tax, and corporation tax. Sole traders and partnerships are charged income tax on their profits, after things like equipment costs, rent, phone and other office expenses have been deducted (read our tax return tips for freelancers for more about this).
Know what you're entitled to claim for, and make sure you do so as it all has a direct effect on your taxable profit. An accountant can be invaluable here, and will often more than offset their own (tax deductible) fee.
10. Know when to register for VAT
Limited companies are charged corporate tax on profits, and the employees of that company are then charged income tax on their income. As with sole traders and partnerships, limited companies are only taxed on their profits.
In the UK, if your business turns over £85,000 or more in a financial year – regardless of profit margin – you'll also have to register for VAT. If you think you might hit that target during the year, you can voluntarily register beforehand.
If you're VAT-registered, you have to charge your customers for VAT (currently 20 per cent in the UK) on top of your services. You can also claim VAT back for business-related purchases. This is all then paid on to the government every quarter.
Bear in mind there's no VAT earning threshold if neither you nor your business is based in the UK, but you are supplying goods and services to the country – you must register as soon as you do so.
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If you're a busy freelancer working from home and your office space is in need of a bit of tender loving care, style expert and author Abigail Ahern has lots of of advice to help transform your home office. Here are five of Ahern's top tips for creating a productive workspace...
01. Get a curved screen
Curved screens are not only aesthetically more appealing, they also wrap you up in the world you are working in, making your studio or home office feel totally immersive.
"For me, my day job is obviously incredibly visual so I like a big screen for designing products, creating moodboards and going through my latest imagery," says Ahern.
Also read: The best 4K monitors for designers 2018
02. Create 'zones'
"Comfortable seating and having different zones are super important for home offices. No one likes to be sat at the desk all day, so have a separate nook where you can take calls, read through something, or just take five minutes."
03. Decorate the walls
"Pop up some motivational artwork on your walls. Being self-employed or working from home it can sometimes be hard to keep on track. I've got Superman facing me from my desk, so whenever the going gets tough I can feel inspired to get back to it!"
04. De-clutter your space
"Keep your office space tidy: shut away clutter, and try to keep cables and wires to a minimum. In my studio, I added custom built-in cupboards to hide away the printer, scanner and files."
05. Choose a fragrance
It might not be top of your list, but Ahern appeals to her sense of smell for added motivation. "Every room needs a scent to complete it. I burn a combination of essential oils in my studio."
"Fragrances can really influence our mood, so I opt for something invigorating in my work space, for example rosemary is credited with improving memory and promoting clear thinking or peppermint is like a double shot of espresso – enlivening and motivating."
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You're reading New Web Developer’s tool for hassle-free coding – Wix Code, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+!
Do you love the design and convenience of a website builder, but sometimes feel the lack of control? Web developers, Wix Code is for you. The new tool combines the design of a website builder and quick start-up time with all the customizations and scripting that you want to add on your own. It’s a […]
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Cisco Systems released a patch Monday to fix a critical security vulnerability, with a CVSS rating of 10, in its Secure Sockets Layer VPN solution called Adaptive Security Appliance.
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If you've heard the term API but aren't entirely sure what it refers to, you've come to the right place. Used correctly, APIs can really enhance the user experience and open up new possibilities for your site or app.
In this coder's guide to APIs, we'll explain exactly what an API needs in order to be an API. We'll also take a look at the most common and popular APIs around today, those that aren't fully supported but are worth keeping an eye on, and finally the places you need to bookmark to hear the latest news.
What makes something an API?
When you’re writing code in any language, you’ll almost certainly be using a range of APIs without knowing. In its simplest form, an API (application programming interface) is a clearly defined specification for communication between two software components. APIs can take various forms, but will typically include some combination of functions or methods, and data structures.
Essentially they provide pre-fabricated functionality that you as a programmer can utilise to build your own application. Java ships with a core set of APIs within its java.* packages, which provide the basic functionality of the language that all Java programmers are familiar with.
Adopting new APIs can make your own life easier, and ensure a modern experience for your users
It’s these APIs that enable us to create meaningful functionality within the software we write. Of course, software components have needed to communicate since the dawn of computing, but what leads us to describe something as an API is the concepts of standardisation, openness and re-use, where the underlying functionality is exposed along with some documentation that allows anyone to come along and use it.
There’s a continuous effort by standards bodies and browser makers to introduce new APIs to the web that make building sites and apps easier, or bridge the gap between the browser and native software. Following the latest progress and adopting new APIs when well-enough supported can make your own life easier, and ensure a modern experience for your users.
What is a browser API?
In the context of the web, you might already have thought about APIs in the form of services made available by third parties. Google, for example, exposes a Google Maps API that you can consume as a developer to integrate Google’s mapping, street view, navigation and more into your app.
This involves importing scripts hosted on Google servers, then utilising objects and functions from those scripts in line with the API documentation that they provide. APIs like this are generally what we’d refer to as server-side APIs.
However, what you might never have considered is that the basic JavaScript functionality built into the browser is also composed of a set of APIs, which are constantly being updated. These client-side APIs provide many of the basic features taken for granted within JavaScript, such as manipulating the DOM, embedding graphics or sound, or interfacing with the device you’re running on.
More likely than not you’ll have read documentation for many of them online when building a site or app. These APIs are typically based on a single specification that ensures that all browser makers implement the functionality consistently, thus ensuring your code works across any browser.
APIs in common use today
The entire JavaScript ecosystem is constructed from APIs. Here are some of the big ones you'll likely have already encountered.
01. Canvas and SVG
SVG is now universally supported across all browsers
Canvas and SVG are the most obvious examples of widely used browser APIs. Both canvas and SVG expose a straightforward set of entry points and JavaScript functions to fulfil their respective objectives. These days we can add the more recent WebGL to the mix for 3D graphics.
02. XMLHTTPRequest
XMLHTTPRequest has for some time been the JavaScript API used to send asynchronous requests to a server. This can allow you to, for example, retrieve data from the server and update a page without having to reload the full page. Its name is an anachronism since it works with JSON as well as XML. It’s likely to be superseded by the more recent Fetch API over time.
03. Web sockets
Web sockets enable a two-way communication session to be opened between a browser and server. This enables the server to provide updates to the user without the browser needing to poll the server at an interval. Web sockets are in use on a number of sites today; on Stack Overflow they’re used to feed live notifications of responses to questions.
04. DOM functions
This may seem like a cop-out, but it’s important to think about. Even core JavaScript functions do things like manipulate the DOM. Think of the document object as an entry point. This means while they may be defined in separate specifications, there’s little fundamental difference between the new APIs we’ll look at below and core JavaScript functions that have been around for years.
Popular third-party APIs
These are some of the most highly used APIs out there. You’ll typically need an API key from the creator to utilise them.
01. Google Maps
Google Maps offers a set of very popular APIs
Google Maps offers an immensely popular set of APIs, which bring mapping capabilities, street view, navigation and more to millions of sites. Google offers a multitude of APIs by platform and function. The simplest are basic page embeds to display a map on a page, but there are also numerous JSON web services that enable you to, for example, receive a set of directions for navigation between locations.
02. Facebook
Facebook offers something called the Graph API, which enables websites and apps to get data from and write data to Facebook. Working with the Graph API involves the representation of Facebook’s content as a set of nodes (and associated data fields) and edges in a graph structure. It also offers a Graph API Explorer that enables authenticated users to test out the results of various calls to the API.
03. Twitter for Websites
Twitter offers several APIs for different use cases. The most straightforward is the Search Tweets API, which allows searching of the vast volume of historic tweets over a specified period of time and set of criteria. However, web developers may be most interested in Twitter for Websites, which provides a simple way to embed Twitter functionality into the frontend, such as a simple Tweet button.
04. YouTube
The YouTube API requires high bandwidth
The YouTube API enables you to embed YouTube functionality in your page, and like others on this list, allows you to retrieve content from and post content to the platform. Because of the high bandwidth required by its content, the YouTube API in particular is an interesting study in how developers limit the usage quota of APIs – Google uses a current of 'units' to price various operations.
05. Amazon S3
Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is part of the Amazon Web Services offering, and offers REST APIs (and client-side SDK to simplify their usage) that enable you to place, modify and delete content on the storage. Many use cases for this are on the server side, but Amazon’s tutorials cover uses like uploading photos to the cloud from the browser.
Browser APIs to watch
Not all of these are ready for prime-time yet, but they’re worth watching for use in the future.
01. Geolocation API
You might have seen pages request permission to use your location already. The Geolocation API, accessed through the navigator.geolocation object, enables a site or app to determine the location of a user based on a combination of information such as GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile signal. It’s supported in all major browsers, although only usable with a connection over HTTPS.
02. Push API
Not to be confused with mobile push notifications, the Push API enables web apps to receive messages pushed from a server, even if the application is not in focus or the application is not loaded. To do this, it depends very much on a Service Worker running in the background. There are a range of interesting applications here for providing real-time updates within web apps.
03. Notification API
The Notification API enables pages to display notifications outside the context of the browser. The user will need to grant explicit permission, but once done, notifications can be generated by creating a new Notification() object. This is widely supported on desktop, though not on mobile, but particularly interesting are the possibilities that could emerge from combining this with the Push API to enable background notifications to a user.
04. WebVR API
WebVR is, as you might expect, designed to add support for virtual reality devices such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive within the browser. The WebVR API would allow web developers to directly utilise position and motion data from the device for use on a page (most likely in tandem with WebGL). This could be very exciting for future projects, but is experimental at this time, with limited support (by device) in Edge, Firefox and Chrome.
05. Vibration API
We may be into slightly dubious territory now. Invoked via the navigator.vibrate() method, the Vibration API is arguably a necessity on the quest to bring web apps closer to native. However, it’s also quite obviously prone to abuse, and in its early days there were sporadic reports of ads using it without consent to attract the user’s attention. It’s currently supported in Edge and Safari, so iPhone users are out of luck.
06. Battery Status API
Here’s an example of when APIs don’t make it. The Battery Status API was designed to do more or less what you might expect by its name. It introduces a navigator.getBattery() method that returns a promise with a battery object, which can then be used to listen for various events related to battery status. It’s currently supported in Chrome and Opera only, and isn’t likely to make it much further due to privacy concerns.
07. Encrypted Media Extensions
If you want to see what controversy looks like in the world of web APIs, look no further than Encrypted Media Extensions. EME allows HTML5 video playback of DRM protected content. Objections have been raised to this on the basis that it introduces proprietary components into the predominantly open and free ecosystem of the web. Regardless of your perspective, the specification is here to stay.
Where can I find out more?
Here are some of the best places to look to keep up-to-date as new APIs emerge.
01. Mozilla Developer Network
MDN provides comprehensive documentation on APIs
The Mozilla Developer Network (MDN) provides one of the most comprehensive sources of reference on web technology available. In addition to documentation of all the latest APIs, it also includes tutorials and code samples illustrating their usage. This is almost always a good starting point when learning something new.
02. W3C
The W3C specifications aren’t always easy going, and probably aren’t for everyday usage. However, if you’re interested in some of the detail on the specifications, want to follow what might come in future but hasn’t yet been implemented in browsers, or are just curious about how the specs come about, it can be worth browsing.
03. HTML5.org. Web Platform
If you’ve ever found yourself confused by the growing list of technologies and APIs that make up the modern web, this page could be a great reference source. It lists all the components of the modern HTML, CSS and JavaScript platforms, including APIs, for your convenience. If nothing else, it’s an admirable effort to bring a sense of order to an occasionally chaotic ecosystem.
04. Can I Use
Browser support is one the biggest challenges around APIs
Browser support for the latest APIs can be a challenge, and it’s hard to know whether something is really ready for use. Can I Use provides an excellent source of reference on the state of browser support for APIs, as well as other web features.
This article features in issue 268 of Web Designer, the creative web design magazine – offering expert tutorials, cutting-edge trends and free resources. Subscribe to Web Designer now.
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With the right drawing techniques and tricks, even a seemingly complex subject such as a hand can be simplified. Using shapes and working with negative and positive space will create a foundation for your drawing, to help you draw better hands.
The exercise outlined in the following steps is one that you can try at home, drawing from your own hand (using a mirror) or a friend's. It could just as easily be applied to a chair, a plant or anything that presents trapped shapes and negative spaces. It will help you to exercise one of the most helpful skills you can develop when making observational drawings – objectivity.
Your preconceptions of what you think a hand, chair or plant look like can stop you looking clearly at the subject in front of you. By simplifying what you see into abstract shapes, you can learn to make clearer, more objective observations, resulting in better observed drawings.
In this drawing I used Derwent Graphic HB pencils for the pale underdrawing, overlaid with a sharp 3B pencil. You'll also need a pencil sharpener and an eraser.
01. Sketch negative spaces
When you are simplifying a three-dimensional subject into a two-dimensional drawing, you are essentially mapping its shape on the surface of the page.
Sometimes you might find it helpful to stop focusing on the ‘positive’ shape of your subject and instead look at the shapes surrounding it – the negative spaces. Sometimes these shapes will have boundaries on all sides – this is what I mean by trapped shapes – and sometimes you’ll need to create boundaries for them.
02. Create an underdrawing
Pose your hand, or ask your model to hold a position, and start your drawing off with a loose, light, intuitive sketch in HB pencil.
Simply look and draw what you see in less than a minute, keeping your marks energetic and allowing you time to look over your subject without agonising over the specifics of proportion.
03. Set limits
Using the initial sketch as a rough guide, mark out top, bottom, left and right limits to your drawing. This will ensure you don’t lose your drawing off the edge of the page and will help you to establish a sense of scale.
04. Make a box
Use the limits to construct a box around your subject. Imagine your subject within a box – what dimension would that box be? Short and squat, or long and thin? Portrait or landscape format?
05. Carve big shapes
Now look for the big shapes that make up your hand – keep your marks rough and angular. Work as if you were carving the hand out of wood, making straight cuts to rough out the form of your subject before carving in the detail.
06. Insert negative spaces
Maintaining your simple marks, draw the triangular wedges of negative space between the fingers. Try not to draw the fingers at all – concentrate on the shapes themselves and let the rough shapes of the digits appear as you draw.
07. Erase the outline
Once you have a rough, angular drawing established on the page, in HB pencil use your eraser to lightly rub out the lines of your drawing, leaving them faintly visible to guide you as you draw.
08. Redraw the hand
Using the faint underdrawing as a guide, redraw the hand from observation in 3B pencil.
As you draw, use the negative spaces to check the proportion of your evolving drawing – do the negative spaces in your drawing look the same shape as the spaces between the fingers of the hand you are drawing?
Think of the spaces like jigsaw puzzle pieces – they should fit with the positive space to make the final, resolved image.
09. Elaborate on the lines
Refine the drawing, using a lighter, playful line to delineate the shapes within the hand and reaffirming the outline of the fingers. Think about how you might capture the tension in the hand, or suggest pressure where fingertips are pressed against surfaces.
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The ever-growing complexity of web and mobile products has overtaken our product development processes. What used to work in the early days of the web has started to produce diminishing returns, and to get a hold of the chaos of digital creation, companies have started to invest in design systems.
Creating a design system or a pattern library is no easy feat. It’s a long (if not infinite) process that requires a lot of decisions. Some of these decisions are about the structure and technology. All are complex and have a huge impact on the future of design and development in our organisations.
That’s why, while working on a design system, we tend to constantly check how others have solved particular problems. Diving into GitHub repositories and documentation, while extremely valuable, takes a lot of time and effort. Both could be channeled towards the actual creation of new components in the system.
As a result of this, UXPin has launched Adele – an open source repository of publicly available design systems and pattern libraries, including examples from the likes of Dropbox, Mozilla Firefox, GOV.UK, Lonely Planet and Buzzfeed. It was named after XEROX PARC programmer Adele Goldberg.
Compare and contrast
You can get a list of systems that use a particular technology, data structure or have part of the system that you’re interested in. Whether you’re looking for React components, CSS-in-JS, accessibility guidelines or colour palettes – it’s all in Adele.
Adele helps designers and product teams make the best decisions for their pattern libraries by enabling them to:
- Explore technologies used in other companies’ systems
- Compare data structures (naming patterns, presence of particular guidelines e.g. accessibility guidelines)
- Check implementation details on components and design tokens
- Gather material to help convince management to embrace design systems
Adele started with 43 systems analysed in 30 categories. But more are on their way: Adele is an open source tool for the community of design systems builders and maintainers. Its goal is to collect information about all publicly available design systems.
All the data about design systems is available as individual JSONs. Anybody can contribute by refining the data or adding new systems (check the readme in Adele’s repository for details about contribution).
If you don’t see your system in Adele, you find some missing data, or you’re willing to add another category of data, get involved! Only together can we make this repository complete.
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Icons may be tiny, but they can have a big impact. A great icon can catch a person’s eye and stick with them. If you need the ideal icons for your next project or just want to give your existing projects a bit of a refresh, grab the 2018 Icon Starter Kit. It's on sale now for just $9.99 (approx. £7).
The 2018 Icon Starter Kit is a great source for professionally-designed icons. You’ll find over 1,000 icons with modern themes and the flat design style that is popular with many designers. You can use these icons for any project you’re working on, with tons of styles to choose from.
Grab icons with themes like Fintech, Internet of Things, cryptocurrencies, and more. These icons are great for any project and will be sure to catch the eye of your users and visitors.
You can get the 2018 Icon Starter Pack on sale for just $9.99 (approx. £7). That saves you 94% off the retail price. For any designer, it’s an offer that is too good to pass up, so grab this deal today.
Scroll through the gallery below to see some of the icons included in this pack.
About Creative Bloq deals
This great deal comes courtesy of the Creative Bloq Deals store – a creative marketplace that's dedicated to ensuring you save money on the items that improve your design life.
We all like a special offer or two, particularly with creative tools and design assets often being eye-wateringly expensive. That's why the Creative Bloq Deals store is committed to bringing you useful deals, freebies and giveaways on design assets (logos, templates, icons, fonts, vectors and more), tutorials, e-learning, inspirational items, hardware and more.
Every day of the working week we feature a new offer, freebie or contest – if you miss one, you can easily find past deals posts on the Deals Staff author page or Offer tag page. Plus, you can get in touch with any feedback at:deals@creativebloq.com.
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Computer Arts, the industry-leading design magazine, is looking for a new editor to be based in its Bath, UK, office. Could it be you?
For the best part of 20 years, professional designers have turned to Computer Arts for up-to-date coverage of the latest developments in the industry. Over that time the magazine has become a platform that exposes new talent, and helps working creatives tackle challenges they face every day.
If you're an experienced journalist with a passion for visual communication, this editor position could be the job for you.
As the editor of the magazine you'll be a key influencer of what appears in the magazine, from approving commissions and contributors to final checking pages.
On top of being responsible for the quality of the content, the editor also manages the magazine's team of staff and contributors, and ensures that each issue stays within budget and is delivered on time. As the last person to sign off the magazine, the editor is expected to be aware of libel laws and content rights.
To read the full job description and apply for the role, head to the Computer Arts editor advert on the Future jobs board and apply by the closing date of February 28. This is a rare opportunity to join the Computer Arts team, so make sure you don't miss out. Good luck!
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Sadly, paper portfolios appear to be a bit of a rarity these days, with many design portfolios existing online-only. But, thankfully, there are many designers who still recognise the power of print. Done properly, a handheld, printed design portfolio can really make your work stand out and leave a long-lasting impression.
Therefore, we scoured the web to find some brilliant examples of paper portfolios. Here are our 10 favourites...
01. Charlotte Allen
Charlotte Allen wanted a package that wouldn't end up in the bin
Feeling the need to stand out after finishing university, Charlotte Allen decided to reinvent the traditional resume and portfolio and instead created an informal package aimed at connecting with employers instead of the insides of a recycling bin.
Her mail-out is designed to grab potential employers' attention from the start
Her deluxe mailer consisted of a 12-page printed portfolio in a tabloid format, along with self-branded business cards and a traditionally formatted CV, all produced to a high quality that she felt was needed to represent herself to design agencies.
The centrepiece of Charlotte's portfolio is a 12-page tabloid
The business cards are 600gsm, printed on Mohawk Superfine stock for a luxury, yet tactile finish. Inside the newspaper is a folded CV, printed on 160gsm white card, while the tabloid itself is 55gsm newsprint, sized at 229 x 280mm, for a full-scale view of her selected projects.
02. Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones's portfolio demonstrates his print experience
With a fairly common name shared with an 80s hair rocker and a British TV host, Stephen Jones needed a portfolio that would demonstrate his skills and resonate with audiences who truly appreciate and admire something beautifully crafted.
The spiral-bound book showcases his university projects
Having worked in print shops ever since he was in high school, Jones was able to test his print production knowledge in creating a die cut and scored package, containing a spiral-bound book showcasing his university work. The effort paid off, getting him an intern post at Chen Design Associates in San Francisco.
Attention to detail is key to this carefully crafted package
03. Dennis Fuentes
Dennis Fuentes sent out his portfolios in custom fabric envelopes
As well as wanting a portfolio to show off his work in a unique, Dennis Fuentes also wanted something that would display his attitude of patience, dedication and craftsmanship when tackling projects.
His portfolio is split into five sections
He tackled this with a handmade self-promo mailer consisting of five machine-stitched booklets covering a different category of work, as well as a printed resume, and then brought everything together in a custom fabric envelope, using iron-on transfers to personalise each one with its recipient's name.
Fuentes used iron-on transfers to customise each fabric envelope
04. TeYosh Studio
TeYosh's MA portfolio demonstrates the studio's two halves
Sofija Stanković and Teodora Stojković make up TeYosh, an animation, concepting and art direction studio in Amsterdam. Having worked together for four years they decided to apply for an MA in design and found themselves having to make a portfolio.
One part is all about brain, and the other is about heart
Realising that Stanković is the brain of TeYosh, while Stojković is its heart, they came up with the idea of creating a 132-page printed portfolio, divided into quite different BRAIN and HEART sections representing each of them. And to finish the package off they added an A3 poster pointing out the third element making up TeYosh: BALLS.
There's an all-important third part, too
05. Lisa Dino
Lisa Dino's portfolio is a gorgeous little package
On its own, Lisa Dino's printed portfolio is an impressive and attention-grabbing piece of work, split into three separate categories: illustration, design, and 3D and packaging, or as she prefers to put it, draw, design and do.
Its three parts focus on her three main skills
The icing on the cake, however, is the self-promo vehicle she designed to go alongside her portfolio. Made entirely out of cardboard and paper, her creative kit consists of 'The tiny book of big ideas', coloured pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener, all of them placed neatly into allocated slots in her cardboard packaging.
This accompanying self-promo vehicle is a brilliant touch
06. ALU
Italian graphic design studio Happycentro created this beautiful handheld portfolio for ALU
Italian graphic design studio Happycentro was behind this beautiful, handcrafted portfolio for modular merchandising systems company ALU.
"All their products are mainly made in basic materials like aluminum," comments the team. "We then took inspiration from the material soul of these elements to develop ALU's ID. Starting from this basis, we chose to tell the brand through a series of keywords explaining their values."
Intricate paper cuttings feature on many pages in this paper portfolio for ALU
The result was this gorgeous book containing illustrations and typography made with paper cuttings.
Other pages feature photos, original sketches and moodboards, with a red thread connecting the identity and products through the entire project.
Red thread runs throughout the portfolio, connecting the identity and products
07. Nathan Hinz
Nathan Hinz's paper portfolio features window envelopes on each page
US-based graphic designer Nathan Hinz developed this beautiful, handheld portfolio back in the days before everybody went online. Each page is a window envelope, which displays an image and info of a project.
Hinz comments on Behance: "It allowed for a quick overview and served as a rich presentation in one book. It's completely handmade, mostly with found materials, my favorite being the spine made from orange duct tape I have never been able to re-find, sadly."
Hinz created this beautiful design out of found materials
The designer carefully selected his best work and crafted it into these display envelopes
08. Dyla Rosli
Dyla Rosli developed this infographic paper portfolio to assist in her search for work
Dyla Rosli is an intern graphic designer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In order to assist in her search for work, she developed this cool paper, infographic portfolio.
Using matt laminated art paper, Rosli selected her best work and carefully placed images of each into this template, along with illustrations detailing her skills and personal information.
The intern graphic designer carefully selected images of her best work to go into her paper portfolio
Rosil's design folds up neatly into this small CD cover size
09. Emil Kozole
Designer Emil Kozole created this clever printed portfolio to support his CD of work
Working in both print and digital formats, designer Emil Kozole created this printed presentation to support the CD with his work on. Knowing that many discs are overlooked, Kozole made sure the print part of his portfolio stood out.
Covering different areas of expertise, the designer divided the page into different categories and then, using transportation systems as inspiration, illustrated the cover with different coloured lines, with projects being each stop. If lines meet, it means projects fall into more than one category. On the reverse, each project has a photo and description.
Transportation systems provided the inspiration for the cover of Kozole's print portfolio
Emil Kozole's paper portfolio featured a transport system design on one side and project images and details on the other side
10. Another day
This 227-page portfolio features a selection of work from designer Yorick de Vries over a seven-year period
Another day is the graphic design studio of Yorick de Vries. Last year, de Vries created this colourful paper portfolio featuring a selection of his best projects from 2005 to 2012. Printed on three different paper stocks, the book is made up of three parts.
The first features just information, the second showcases project images and the final section covering examples of the designer's custom made typefaces. More like a catalogue than a book, this gorgeous, handbound portfolio is 227 pages of full colour prints. Awesome.
The book is divided into three sections; information, images and type design
The last section of designer Yorick de Vries portfolio features examples of his custom made typefaces
Additional words: Creative Bloq staff
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Our debut CG event Vertex is now just six weeks away, so we thought we'd celebrate by giving you the chance to win a ticket to Vertex for you and a friend.
Held at Olympia, London on Tuesday 13 March 2018, there's plenty to whet CG appetites.
You can't afford to miss our burgeoning schedule of top speakers, including Chaos Group Labs director Chris Nichols, Digital Domain founder Scott Ross and Allegorithmic founder Dr Sebastien Deguy.
And if that wasn't enough, how about masterclasses in game art from Creative Assembly's Danny Sweeney, digital doubles from The Mill's Adam Dewhirst and VR sculpting from Glen Southern. Find out more about the workshops in our article New year, new skills: learn new tricks at Vertex.
Plus you'll be able to explore the latest tech developments in the expo hall, get inspired at our panel and join our networking drinks, and finally utilise our recruitment fair to take your career to the next level.
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a ticket for you and a friend is answer a simple question on our competition page. Good luck!
For more about the event, check out our article Why Vertex is a must for CG artists and browse the Vertex event website.
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ATM maker NCR Corp. is warning that cyber criminals are hacking U.S. cash machines with malware that can drain machines dry of cash.
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Buy After Effects CC 2018 or sign up to Adobe Creative Cloud now
For motion graphics, animation and video professionals, After Effects is as important as Photoshop is to designers and photographers – if not more so. It’s an all-encompassing application with a professional toolset designed for anything from titling to character animation, compositing and more.
Its timeline and node-based approach makes it very easy to quickly animate anything. And as you delve deeper into the feature set, you can soon see why animators and artists on major motion pictures like Iron Man 3 and Oblivion make it their tool of choice (you can see how it was used on these films here).
The latest version, After Effects CC 2018, brings new VR and 3D options, data-driven animation and enhanced GPU settings. It also comes with a range of new features that create a more streamlined working environment and more intuitive user experience.
As motion design and animation continue to creep to the forefront of ‘must have’ skills in a designer’s creative arsenal, we’re likely to see increasing efforts from Adobe to maintain this standard. Let’s take a look at what’s new.
Data-driven animation tools
The new data-driven animation tools let you animate charts, graphs and infographics using imported data. You can import JSON files as assets and reference their values in expressions – and the graphics update automatically when the data is edited.
Although the data can drive all kinds of animations – visual effects, movie titles, weather reports and so on – the area in which we’ve found the tools most useful is infographic design and integration, which is an area most motion designers will have worked in at some point.
These tools aren’t just incredibly powerful: when mastered, they should also save you an enormous amount of time. However, if you’re unfamiliar with data-led design work, or the necessary format types, I would urge you to seek out an online tutorial because it isn’t for the faint hearted.
Importing the JSON data isn’t the easiest of tasks. If you have an alternate data file format, such as MySQL or Excel of CSV, you can convert it into JSON or MGJSON (motion graphics JSON) file format and import it into After Effects, ready to be used within any animation.
You may need to use some data conversion software for this, which will usually give you the raw JSON data. After Effects can't import this raw data, only a .JSON file, so once you have your JSON data you'll need to input it into an application like Adobe Dreamweaver and save it out as a .JSON file, ready to be imported like any other file and experimented with.
The benefit of working with individual .JSON files is that you can swap them around and the layers will automatically update. So if you assign parts of the data in your layers to different JSON files, then replace the one currently being utilised, the data (place name and data points) will automatically update, reposition and change, while keeping all the animation you had previously added. This means you no longer have to suffer hours of tedium by having to individually adjust text and object layers.
Create Nulls From Paths panel
Another interesting new feature to emerge in After Effects CC 2018 is the Create Nulls From Paths panel. This lets you build expression-driven animations, without the need to write said expressions yourself. The panel creates nulls from each path and shape point, giving you far more dynamic control over the way you animate.
To open the panel, go to the Window drop-down menu, and select Create Nulls From Path. The Nulls From Paths panel contains a variety of options. Select the path points on your object, and click Points Follow Nulls in the panel. You can also do this with vector shapes using the same process, but selecting Create Vector Shapes first.
The new Create Nulls from Paths panel gives you much more dynamic control when animating.
The main benefit of this is it gives you more control over your shape and vector layers within After Effects. You’re now able to individually animate each path null that you create. You can also add expressions to each null, giving you further freedom to explore different creative pathways and animatic styles.
It’s worth pointing out, too, that you can use this feature with the new data-driven settings by assigning different parts of the JSON code to different nulls. This means that if you were to make a line graph of weather statistics, you’d be able to assign the key parts of different data to different nulls, and they would automatically change position when replaced with a new JSON file.
360/VR Transitions, Effects, Titles
Adobe has also made further developments to its 3D and VR working space, enabling creatives to work faster in a new, meaningful way, while adding graphics into 360-degree spaces.
There’s a new integrated toolset for editing 360-degree VR footage, which includes a VR Comp Editor – which lets you undistort and edit stitched 360-degree videos – and a VR Extract Cubemap option. This converts 360 footage into a 3D cube formation to simplify motion tracking, object removal, and the addition of motion graphics, visual effects and more.
Performance enhancements
A small but important update sees new performance enhancements for layer transformations and motion blur. This makes After Effects much faster, without needing hardware updates.
As someone who regularly becomes tired of having to wait for layer previews containing fast blur, this feels like a positive move for Adobe. It also appears to recognise the financial issues some people may face, as optimising the capabilities of the GPU means you get a faster and better experience, without having to purchase additional hardware such as more RAM or an SSD.
The fact that Adobe is constantly trying to improve the performance on its software should create better customer satisfaction and further brand loyalty.
Other key features
- Visual keyboard shortcut editor
- Expression access to mask and shape points
- Motion graphics templates improvements
- Team Projects 1.0 support
- Enhanced 3D pipeline with Cinema 4D Lite R19
- Text input improvements
- New font menu with font previews
- Helpful Start screen
System requirements
A learning curve
After Effects is a complex application. Its toolset is undoubtedly brilliant and ultra-deep, offering motion professionals the tools they need to create striking broadcast and film-ready animations and titles.
While less numerous than earlier versions, the new features brought to After Effects CC 2018 are amazing. They might seem niche at first glance – and largely not created with a beginner in mind – but additions like data-driven updates will save hours of time while opening up new creative pathways. The Create Nulls from Paths feature will also dramatically streamline your workflow.
Of course, there’s a huge learning curve. This is an application that requires extensive training – and the new start screen helps beginners embark on their adventure into motion design with less stress.
But once you do get to grips with it, it’s blazingly fast (with the right computer and hardware configuration, like in any video work) and has an intuitive timeline from which you can control pretty much every aspect of your project. It’s capable of almost anything you can imagine.
Buy After Effects CC 2018 or sign up to Adobe Creative Cloud
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A new logo for the Malaysian tourism ministry has come under fire from designers online thanks to what many have cited as an amateurish look. The Visit Malaysia 2020 logo design (above) was created in-house by a member of the Malaysian tourism ministry for free.
Tailored towards attracting the attention of 36 million potential tourists, the logo mixes landmarks such as the Petronas Towers with comical graphics of native wildlife wearing sunglasses. These elements are incorporated into the Visit Malaysia 2020 name, along with the campaign's slogan: "Travel. Enjoy. Respect."
Following its launch at the Asean Tourism Forum 2018 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the logo has been criticised by designers on social media platforms, with many demanding that it is changed.
We did not pay a single cent
Nazri AzizCommon complaints have taken issue with how old the design looks, the disjointed composition, and the basic animal graphics. We are yet to see a single part of the composition that people approve of.
Despite the widespread derision the logo has attracted, Malaysian Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz does not intend to replace it. "I have no intention of changing. We are not going back. It was meant for foreign tourist and not locals. When I launched it in Chiang Mai they liked and praised it," he told The Malaysian Insight.
"We did not pay a single cent. The one who designed it is our own staff. I trust my staff that has more than 30 years in tourism in this matter."
The designer's previous work appears to include similar elements
One of the designers involved with the new logo, Rosli Hassan, has defended the branding by saying that he was just doing his job based on the idea that was agreed upon with the ministry.
Hassan's previous work includes the logo for Malaysia's Tourism and Culture Ministry, which appears to use a similar palm tree graphic that has been flipped and had the colour of the trunk changed. Following the backlash, Hassan says he has considered taking out a lawsuit against those who have tarnished his reputation.
Logos are a contentious topic with designers, even when a huge budget is involved. So is this design, built with zero budget, really deserving of so much hatred? Or is it just an easy target for designers who need to relax?
Visit Malaysia 2020 might not be a groundbreaking design, but it's funny, it's drawn people's attention in a similar way to the recent LA designer advert, and what's wrong with a retro design – even if the '90s look was possibly not deliberate...
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When you start a career in illustration, it's important to develop a striking portfolio, but it's also equally important to shout about it.
Every art director is surfing the web and social media channels now more than ever in the search for talent, and it's crucial for illustrators to be online and on their radar.
In a way, social media platforms can act as your CV/resumé. The potential client can have questions such as: Where do you work? What's your process? What are you interested in? You can tailor your content to answer those questions in a strategic and engaging way that's thoughtful, dynamic, and very you.
Social media can aid in work finding you rather than vice versa, and printed samples can also play a role, even in this heavily digital age.
John Bond is an illustrator, designer and (sometimes) animator living and working on the south coast of the UK
Having an online presence is really important in this day and age. For starters, it helps you to become more discoverable. It also allows you to link up, and communicate freely, with other people in your industry – and potential clients too. As much as I'd love to live a more 'offline' life, social media is a necessity for spreading your art, keeping in touch and discovering new opportunities.
Instagram has proven to be the best platform to post my illustrations. The speed and simplicity of putting something into the public domain doesn't come much easier. It still feels like the most convenient way of viewing work and finding new artists to me.
If I continue to draw the things I like and share them, it will, in turn, hopefully attract some projects and commissions that I'd really like to work on. I'm not sure I have a real strategy in place in terms of sharing my work online, but I try to post content (fairly) regularly, link images in with topical events, and make sure that I use some relevant hashtags or handles to attract attention.
John's work ranges from commercials to games, websites, books, prints and exhibitions, mixing hand-drawn illustration with bold graphic design
Although being online is important, it's equally important to send printed samples to potential clients every now and then. To be fair, I haven't done this in a while, but people will always enjoy receiving actual post.
There's a real personal quality to it, plus clients can appreciate that the time and effort involved is greater than just pinging over an email with a link to a website. It's something tactile, something 'in your face' and something that can't just be swiped or scrolled past.
Need some inspiration on how to use social media to get yourself noticed? The AOI can help; join today!
This article was originally published in issue 273 of Computer Arts, the global design magazine – helping you solve daily design challenges with insights, advice and inspiration. Buy issue 273 here or subscribe to Computer Arts here.
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During this Photoshop tutorial, I’ll be going over several key concepts that I use as an illustrator. I’ll be talking about rough concepts, clean line work, colour, light and shadow, and some of the pitfalls that people (including myself) tend to fall into while working through an illustration.
I’ll be using Photoshop and talking about some of the tools that the program has and how those different features can be of help.
01. Sketch a rough concept
Early sketches help establish the tone of the composition
Every good drawing begins with a solid foundation. Generating thumbnails and working through different concepts quickly helps me to clear my mind and find the best possible solution to any assignment I’m given.
(Try these 20 top character design tips and How to create new character designs in Photoshop tutorial to get you started).
02. Produce a refined sketch
Focus on the bigger picture before getting specific
After I’ve determined which direction I want to go in, I dive into the details. I’m working on a separate layer from what I’ve done previously, and I try to work – as best I can – from large to small. Big shapes to small shapes, general ideas to details. That way I don’t find myself devoting too much time to a weak drawing.
03. Bring in clean lines
Inking doesn't have to stick strictly to the guidelines
Inking is a process I relish. I try my best to keep the line work feeling fresh by avoiding the trap of tracing the sketch underneath. By making a conscious effort to make it feel like I’m drawing this for the first time, I’m able to retain the life that’s inherent in the sketch. I use the sketch as a guide, but not as a crutch.
04. Lay in flat colours
Flat colours are a good opportunity to make a harmonious composition
On a layer beneath the clean line work, I lay down flat colours without thinking too much about the form. This comes in handy when I want to adjust the colours or values separate from each other. It’s important to me that all of the colours are harmonious with each other before light and shadow come into the equation. Although a light source can help to harmonise any combination of colours, I find that creating a harmonious colour palette to begin with makes me a better artist.
05. Duplicate and lock a layer
The current colour layer is moved to the bottom
At this stage, I create another layer identical to the colour layer by dragging my current colour layer down to the new layer icon at the bottom of the layer menu. This can also be done by going to Layer>Duplicate Layer. I then lock the transparency of the layer by clicking the chequerboard icon at the top of the layer menu.
06. Fill with grey
A grey layer is useful for making shadows
Once I have two identical colour layers, I fill the one on top with a mid-value grey. Because the transparency has been locked on the layer, the grey only fills the pixels that are opaque, giving me a grey version of what I’ve already painted. This comes in handy in the next step.
07. Create shadows across the figures
The grey layer lets you focus on form
I duplicate my colour layer again and fill it this time with white, then I change the layer mode to Multiply. The Multiply layer mode darkens all of the layers beneath it. White doesn’t show up on a Multiply layer, but any value darker than white does. This is how I create my shadows separate from my colours. The grey layer over the colour layer enables me to think purely about form without the distraction of the colours.
08. Create highlights with the help of Screen layers
Highlights are created in a similar way to the shadows in the previous step
I create highlights the same way as the shadows, but rather than use a Multiply layer, I create a duplicate layer and set it to Screen mode. The Screen mode does precisely the opposite of the Multiply layer. Anything lighter than black will lighten any values on layers that are beneath it.
09. Think about surfaces
Different surfaces have unique reactions to light
As I consider the highlights and shadows in this piece, I’m also thinking about the way the light reacts to the different surfaces. The silk dress has the strongest highlights and crispest shadows, whereas the fur of the panda diffuses the light so that the highlights and shadows are much softer.
10. Create patterns
A traditional Chinese textile pattern helps to break up the textures
At this point, the illustration is suffering from a lack of visual texture. The girl’s hair provides a little bit of a break from the solid blocks of colour, but not enough. So I design pattern to add to the girl’s clothing, based on what I’ve seen of traditional Chinese textiles.
11. Shape the pattern to the form
The wrap tool comes in handy when designing costumes
To me, the hardest part of designing costuming is creating patterns or graphics that need to wrap around folds and creases in fabric. Fortunately, Photoshop has the very handy Warp tool. To use the tool, I make a selection, then hit Cmd+T, then right-click and select Warp from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can go to Edit>Transform>Warp. By dragging your selection around, you can conform it to all sorts of shapes. Usually, I make selections based on where there are breaks or folds in the fabric.
12. Create a background
A simple green background brings the whole composition together
Environments are my least favourite thing to do. That’s mostly because I’m not as practised with them and I’m not as comfortable creating them as I am with other things. In this case, the background is blessedly simple and the green in it is easy to bring out in the characters to help harmonise the whole image.
This article was originally published in issue 154 of ImagineFX, the world's best-selling magazine for digital artists – packed with workshops and interviews with fantasy and sci-fi artists, plus must-have kit reviews. Buy issue 154 here or subscribe to ImagineFX here.
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You have a clear idea in your head of that killer image that will complete your next design, but the client is getting impatient and you need it fast.
iStock by Getty Images has millions of exclusive, royalty-free stock files – but if you don't have time to browse them at your leisure (time is money, after all), you need as many tools and techniques at your disposal as possible to narrow down your search.
Here Brenda Bazylewski – senior manager, contributor engagement at iStock – shares her expert advice to help you find that one image in a million, so you can get back to the most important bit: designing.
Read on to discover four great ways to find the perfect image, fast...
01. Be specific
Sometimes, finding the right image is a matter of visual comparison. Say you have a moodboard of references, or previous iterations of a design that need to continue in a similar vein.
If this applies to you, iStock's Search by Image tool is a great first port of call – just drop your reference image into the search tool and go from there.
Typing broad terms such as 'dog' into iStock returns almost 780,000 images
However, one of the most important tools at your disposal when searching for an image is your own vocabulary. We all know the saying 'a picture is worth a thousand words', but here it works in reverse: the more accurately you can describe what you want, the quicker you'll get there.
"If you start too broadly, you can always refine with your keywords," explains iStock's Brenda Bazylewski. "For example, 'dog' returns almost 780,000 images, but when you add 'brown' that result drops to 155,000."
Adding an extra layer of description narrows down the search results to the most relevant images
Another, even more dramatic, example that Bazylewski gives is 'fitness', a hugely common search term with over 4.5 million results on iStock. "But if you're only looking for a man and a woman, you can add 'couple' or 'man' and 'woman' and bring your options to under 300,000," she adds.
And while a search for 'business woman' returns over a million images, Bazylewski points out that simply adding 'portrait' to your search query brings those results down to 300,000.
Of course, we're still talking about hundreds of thousands of images in the above three cases – which is where iStock's Refine panel really comes in handy.
02. Use the Refine panel
Before using the Refine panel, typing 'fitness' returns 4.5 million results
Once you've narrowed down the main theme as descriptively as you can, the next step is to apply a laser-focus and define the specific components of the image you want. Here's where iStock's Refine panel is an essential tool.
Whether you're designing a website, a brochure or a poster, if you're at a fairly advanced stage of the design you'll likely have an area the image needs to fill – or at least a clear idea of whether it's portrait or landscape orientation that you need.
Checking 'square', 'horizontal' or 'vertical' gives an immediate shortcut, or you can pick the 'panoramic' options if you have particularly tricky dimensions to work with, such as a tall, thin banner ad. Other options include determining the number of people featured, or refining by colour palette to ensure your chosen image complements the rest of your design seamlessly.
Ticking a couple of options in the Refine panel narrows results down enormously
"If we use the fitness example, we can reduce the number of files very quickly," explains Bazylewski. "Start by looking at our Signature collection, which is a selection of premium, handpicked files that you can only get from iStock. Selecting Signature takes you down to a million."
By using the Refine panel, you can quickly and easily narrow this down further. "Only need a vertical image with two people? Select those options and you have 25,000 files to choose from. But wait, you forgot that you want outdoor fitness. You can still add 'outdoors' to your keywords and narrow things down even more. From 4.5 million to 12,000 in less than five clicks!"
03. Mix up the sort order
Your initial results page may through up some great options, but they might not be particularly unique
With all the search refinement tools in the world, image discovery is still to some extent organic and intuitive – you might not know exactly what you want until you see it, after all – and you can spot the perfect shot at a glance among the other results.
Once you've refined your search as much as you can using the above techniques, it's surprising how effective it can be to shuffle them around. You will see different images if you switch between the three options in the Refine panel: Best Match, Newest and Most Popular.
Sort the images in different ways to see different results quickly
Most Popular will show you the files that have been downloaded the most, which gives you the reassurance that the images have passed through the discerning filters of fellow designers – although as a result, they are likely to be used more frequently elsewhere. If you're looking for something more unique, or you've tried a similar search before, Newest might be the best option.
Best Match, as the name implies, is iStock's recommendation based on all the other factors you've defined, and if you're really short on time, could help cut to the chase. "It's a mix of images based on popularity, newness and relevance that we think will suit your needs, based on the search terms you've entered," says Bazylewski.
04. Have fun exploring
Photographer Iza Habur has a colourful collection of images
All of the above tips will help you find the perfect image quickly, but they also assume that you know precisely what you want before you start. This isn't always the case: you might be looking for something more abstract, or a particular mood that is hard to define in terms of subject.
iStock's millions of images are available to you because of its talented network of contributors. If you're commissioning a bespoke shoot, chances are you'll pick a specific photographer because of their style or approach, and it's no different here.
"Allow yourself to go down the rabbit hole," is Bazylewski's advice. "See an artist you like? Jump into their portfolio." She gives five examples of expansive photography portfolios that it's easy to get lost in, including izusek, geber86, kate_sept2004, wundervisuals and leopatrizi.
Leonardo Patrizi is another iStock contributor with a great library of shots
While this is a more serendipitous way of discovering a particular shot, and may not seem as clear-cut a time-saver as our other tips, this approach does help you filter by the artistic style and vision of the individual photographer – something harder to define by keywords and settings alone.
"Start a Board of your favourites – you never know when they might come in handy," urges Bazylewski. "There are literally millions of great images to be found."
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15 inspiring examples of screen printing
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Illustrators have long enjoyed a love affair with screen printing. Aside from being a creatively fulfilling process, screen printing can also open new revenue streams – with illustrators able to sell multiple limited-edition prints for art lovers' interiors without a huge price tag.
The screen print medium is perfect for illustrators to explore through side projects, running alongside freelance or full-time work. Fresh and experimental ideas can be explored, and then sold via your personal website, Etsy, within galleries or elsewhere online.
If you'd like to try it yourself, check out Get Started with Screen Printing. In the meantime, here are some great examples of screen printing to inspire you...
01. Rose Blake
This print is a tribute to Phil Everly from Everly Brothers
Rose Blake is a graduate from Kingston University and the Royal College of Art. She has gone on to become part of the This Is It collective and runs the website Studio Music. Her hand pulled screen prints are characterised by a whimsical drawing style that packs plenty of wit and sincerity.
02. Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson's hand drawn print make clever use of etching and overlaying
Joe Wilson honed his print skills at Leeds Metropolitan University and went on to develop a style that harks back to woodcut printing. Thanks to a keen attention to detail he has scooped awards and landed commissions from a range of big brands. This piece, Birds Overlay, is a prime example of his draftsmanship and creativity in action.
03. Holly Wales
The print is split into four parts to achieve a sense of voyeurism
Holly Wales is a London based artist who describers herself as an "illustrator and educator". Her prints are mainly based on hand drawn illustrations that are built up with multiple colourful layers. This print inspired by the 1967 film The Graduate showcases how Wales can combine different elements into one strong overall composition.
04. Steve Wilson
This Polaroid camera appealed to Wilson thanks to its intricate details
Often found trawling through the vintage shops of Brighton for inspiration, Steve Wilson has an eye for the experimental. He describes his work as being "somewhere between pop and psychedelia", and it's easy to see what he means in this shockingly vibrant print of a Polaroid camera. We can't help but admire how long it must have taken to line up this intricate print.
05. Ben Rider
This print is Rider's interpretation of Aguirre, The Wrath of God by Werner Herzog
Ben Rider's punk inspired prints are bursting with energetic colours thrown together with a pleasingly rough composition. His distinctive style has seen him work for the likes of Film 4, Heineken and Samsung, yet he still finds the time to teach. By creating work by hand Rider hopes to stand out from what he describes as a homogenised slick corporate world.
06. Clare Halifax
Flat patterns predominate in Clare Halifax's screen printsHaving studied both printed textile design and printmaking, Clare Halifax's screen prints combine her interest in textiles with her highly detailed drawings of architectural landscapes around Britain. Flat patterns always feature in Clare's limited edition screen prints evoking visual elements such as sea and sky. Clare's prints are sold internationally and in galleries and shops across Britain.
07. Alice Pattullo
Alice Pattullo's prints evoke a wonderful sense of British historyUsing screen printing as a predominant medium, Alice Pattullomakes work that is inspired by British folk and superstition as well as mid-century design. Her illustrations have a wonderful sense of Britishness within a historical context. Her illustrations are often quirky with a rich sense of muted colour, often combining a love of typography with narrative storytelling.
08. Katja Spitzers
Katja Spitzers' line drawings are humorous and endearingKatja Spitzers is Berlin-based illustrator working mainly as an editorial illustrator in her home country but also producing screen prints for the likes of Nobrow Press and numerous international galleries. She is a versatile illustrator working across many mediums but is well known for her nieve line drawings which are often humorous and endearing. Here is a beautiful example of her recent screen printed calendar.
09. Stuart Kolakovic
Stuart Kolakovic's work is inspired by Eastern European folk artRepresented by Heart agency, Stuart is a UK-based illustrator who is inspired by his Eastern European heritage and all its folk art implications. Most aspects of his work include narratives of weird and wonderful characters and strange mystical animals, rich in pattern and form. His screen prints are vivid in colour, beautifully composed and much coveted.
10. Ping Zhu
Ping Zhu's screen prints have an air of 1950s illustration for children about themPing Zhu is a Brooklyn, New York-based illustrator. Her work has a hint of 1950s illustration for children and benefits from clever and inventive use sweeping brush marks. She currently has a screen print for sale at Nobrow Press, to which she is an occasional contributor.
11. Peter Blake
Peter Blake's work combines contrasting imagery from different erasFamous for his pop art of the '60s, Peter Blake is as relevant now as he was then. He now produces mainly collage-based screen print juxtaposing imagery from contrasting times and eras in one quirky and whimsical image. His prints sell internationally and can be found in limited editions in galleries and online.
12. Nicholas John Frith
There's a childhood feel to the screen print work of Nicholas John FrithNicholas John Frith works as an editorial illustrator for the likes of The Wall Street Journal and Penguin Books, and alongside his day job also produces an ongoing series of screen prints. Often just using two muted colours, these prints have a childhood feel, with animals, woods and fairytale characters all common themes.
13. Luisa Uribe
We love this interpretation of Little Red Riding hood by Colombian artist Luisa UribeLuisa Uribe lives and works in Bogota, Colombia since graduating from the University of Loughborough in the UK. She works prominently for children in her home country. Whilst working at The London Print Club she produced this fantastic screen print of Little Miss Riding Hood, using just red and blue to create an interesting graphic overlap in two contrasting forms of wolf and girl.
14. Laurie Hastings
Laurie Hastings is renowned for her intricate, line-drawn screen prints
Living and working in London, Laurie Hastings combines her intricate line drawings of people and places with the process of printmaking, often using just one colour in a dreamy and delicate repetition of pattern within natural environments.
15. Ester Mcmanus
The screen prints of Ester Mcmanus have a slightly scary edge to themEster Mcmanus is mainly a comic book illustrator working and living in the UK. Her prints have a fantastic edge, slightly scary and compelling with a rich use of pattern and graphic sensibilities. Fairy tale like scenes and odd creatures and characters to create intriguing visual narratives.
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