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It’s that time again when industry experts, including the team at Code Computerlove, predict what will be the key trends in the year ahead. Parallax scrolling has had its day and responsive web design is firmly integrated into the mainstream, so what's the next big thing in digital?
Here, we take a look at the technology-related themes that are dominating trends talk, and share our predictions on what will be the five most significant shifts in digital techniques during 2018.
01. The year of the MVP
The MVP (minimal viable product) approach has been around for a while now but we’re expecting to see its adoption accelerate in 2018, becoming the widely accepted way that digital is done. So why will this year be the tipping point?
The concept behind an MVP has always been the right approach for digital platform owners, but unfortunately it’s been misunderstood or misused in the wider industry, so stakeholders have been wary of developing their digital products in this way. The MVP approach isn’t about saving money, cutting corners or accepting sub-standard work; it’s the recognition that digital products shouldn’t be released to customers in a ‘big bang’.
MVP is one component of lean software delivery and is better referred to as ‘continuous delivery’. By releasing any new features and functionality as soon as they are ready to realise their value, you create a better experience for end users, more revenue for the business, or both.
This iterative, continuous approach also means we only build things that work, as the success of every iteration can be measured, and the user data then determines the development path. The rigour of continuous releases removes much of the risk from the launch process and keeps the technical platform stable – as well as being easy to roll back in case of error.
Without a doubt, more businesses will start to adopt this approach in 2018, especially as more brands and agencies share their success stories. It will be difficult to ignore the benefits this offers.
02. Everything data
A 2018 trends forecast wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the UK's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), but this is just the tip of the data iceberg. Although ‘big data’ has been a trend for a number of years, there are still a huge number of organisations – in fact, the majority – that are still not efficient at using their data in a sophisticated way.
GDPR is an opportunity for businesses to reassess their data and hopefully turn its value up a notch. It’s frequently the case that businesses have a data tool, but aren’t using it effectively. The situation is not helped by the fact that there is a shortage of web analysts in the industry, so many businesses are sitting on expensive tools, with mountains of data, with no way to use that data effectively.
The ultimate goal is to know all there is to know about your customers
To borrow Avinash Kaushik’s 10/90 rule (first released eight years ago), for data to be meaningful, 90 per cent of the process needs to be spent on the intelligence behind the data. With data, it’s about knowing the information you need to define the problem, getting that information, then knowing what to do with it when you have it.
There will be lots more investment this year as brands try to use data to greater effect, with the ultimate aim being to understand customers even better than they know themselves. Smart data insight won’t just be the domain of large businesses; 2018 will see businesses of all shapes and sizes turning data insight into more meaningful experiences with customers.
03. A shift in the agency-client dynamic
What’s the point of having a sports car if you can’t drive it yourself? This is what a large number of organisations are realising as they plan their budget allocation and digital tactics for 2018.
As companies work to complete their digital transformation, they’re increasingly looking to bring the creation and management of their digital systems in-house. These ‘products’ are business-critical so it’s too risky to give them entirely to a third party. Moreover, having invested in new technologies and systems, having the skills to use them to their full potential will ensure that they can get ahead and grow. This requires knowledge and new skillsets.
As a result, agencies are already redefining their relationships with clients, developing genuine partnerships that involve close collaboration rather than taking the problem away and then coming back with the answer. During this collaboration, successful agencies will look to augment their clients' internal teams, offering a blend of services that complement the internal capability.
2018 will see greater investment in people-centric digital knowledge programs, design sprints and collaboration projects that ensure individuals and departments alike have the skills to use digital systems and the technologies to grow.
The role of the ‘digital agency’ will evolve to augment the client skillset, empowering clients to be masters of their continuous delivery. Agencies will become part of the process that focuses on continuous improvement and innovation.
04. Addressing the problem of legacy systems
Many businesses won’t be able to ‘put up and make do’ with out-of-date legacy systems beyond 2018. Consumer expectations have been raised by digital-first businesses; customers will no longer accept bad user experience, slow websites or poor customer service. They will vote with their feet, or (more likely) their cursor.
Hundreds of enterprises each year face facts and accept that their legacy IT systems and databases just aren’t up to the job of creating meaningful digital experiences and interactions with customers. In 2018, the trend for overhauling an entire CMS will be more prevalent than ever.
More companies will wave goodbye to clunky legacy systems
But changing the CMS alone will not result in a better experience for customers. Careful consideration needs to be made when it comes to implementing a new CMS.
The temptation is to replace what is there, in its entirety, in one release. This will often coincide with a completely revamped customer experience. However, this comes with considerable risk to businesses that rely on websites to acquire new customers and support old ones.
Instead, we suggest a controlled rollout of the CMS and new experience, driven by data and measured against positive and negative impact on customers and business performance. By releasing in stages and using insight as part of this process, the business risk is minimised and customer experience can be improved much more quickly.
05. Being anti-trend and saying no
The deluge of new consumer technologies and channels to market often results in brand owners jumping in feet-first and 'creating an app' or, most recently, saying 'we need a skill for Amazon’s Alexa' – fuelled by a fear of missing out.
While being ahead of the curve with new digital experiences can be a game-changer for some, jumping on the trends bandwagon without proper consideration is a bad idea. Make sure the technology is ready to offer a meaningful and worthwhile customer experience, and that it's a solution that adds value to your customer experience.
Will your product actually benefit from working with the latest hot tech?
We still see many businesses approaching digital work with an end product in mind, rather than viewing it as an experiment to see what works for them. It’s difficult from an agency perspective too, as an answer of ‘not yet’ can feel like a failure, but the right thing to do next can be nothing at all.
Discovery projects are being widely adopted by some of the larger brands – effectively saving thousands of pounds in wasted development time, had they commissioned a full build. We do think that the voice, AI and AR spaces will grow substantially in 2018 (see our 8 tips for designing voice interfaces and How to build a chatbot interface for advice in these areas), but we will also see businesses saying no if they need to.
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It stands to reason that responsive web design requires responsive typography to suit. But what does that actually mean, and how do you implement it? Font size, spacing and layout should work together to create an elegant, legible text setting in each viewport. But how? We asked seven leading web designers.
For a more in-depth explanation, take a look at our article on the rules of responsive web typography.
01. Size your body text appropriately
Differences in font size should reduce for smaller viewports, as in this site by Fresh Tilled Soil
"Use a scale for different screen sizes," emphasises UX strategist Jason Pamental, author of Responsive Web Typography. "Get that right and everything else will flow from there." So how do you get it right?
UX designer Clarissa Peterson, author of Learning Responsive Web Design, suggests starting with the browser’s default font scaling. "Set your base font size to 100%, and each browser will make that a font size most users will be able to easily read on that device."
Typically, 100% is the equivalent of 16px. On desktop, that may look surprisingly big, but most of us have trouble reading smaller text once we reach middle age – why not make it easy? "If the text feels too big, that likely just means you need to adjust the scale of everything else," says Clarissa. We'll come back to that thought.
02. Consider the reader
Viewports differ in more than physical or pixel dimensions. Think about how the user interacts with the display.
Off the desktop, there's less space to play with, but the user is closer to the screen. "Your typography should scale with regard to reading," advises art director Brian Hoff. "Generally, I scale my fonts down when going from desktop to mobile. People tend to hold their phones closer to their face. Think about how people will consume the content and adjust the typography accordingly."
"We should be similarly cognizant of how we treat type on larger screens, like televisions and console gaming systems, which we view from a distance" but may have relatively low resolution, says Aaron Gustafson, web standards advocate at Microsoft and author of Adaptive Web Design.
"In situations like that, it may make sense to render type – and even adjust the layout – using vw units, which are proportional to the width of the viewport."
03. Watch your measure
The width of a body text block, or 'measure', affects how comfortable it is to read. "When you have viewports that can grow (or shrink) indefinitely, the length of a line can become uncomfortably long (or short)," notes designer Elliot Jay Stocks. "It’s a mistake a I see a lot of people make."
A guideline of 45 to 75 characters per line is often quoted from Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style. Studies have found longer lines, up to 95 characters, are read faster on screen, but it’s not clear if that means readers enjoy reading more or understand better. There are too many variables to draw firm conclusions, so it makes sense to err on the side of moderation.
If you're designing mobile-first, you'll tend towards a short measure to avoid text getting too small. On desktop, you may want to let lines get longer in bigger windows. A max-width declaration can avoid this getting out of hand, but shouldn't be necessary if you progressively increase padding.
You can also balance font size against measure to control the number of characters per line. Here’s a CSS media query example from Stocks:
04. Adjust line spacing
Line height, traditionally known as 'leading', is often neglected. What's just enough to keep lines distinct at one scale or measure may be too much at another, losing the reader's eye as they try to move from one line to the next. "No-one enjoys reading between the lines," says Hoff.
"Unpleasant gaps" can be avoided, suggests Stocks, with "some very clever maths to make sure your values are directly proportional to your font size" – or "just do it by feel". "Optimise line-heights at different break points," recommends web designer Marko Dugonjić.
05. Use visual variation other than size
Page layout and typography should adapt in harmony to work at different scales
In an expansive desktop design, you might make headings several times bigger than body text for clarity and drama. On a mobile screen, oversized headings just push body text down, breaking continuity and demanding excessive scrolling.
Dugonjić suggests alternative ways of achieving visual hierarchy. "On small screens, format subheads using style variations – uppercase, small caps, italic, bold – at the same font size. Indent paragraphs and use white space to separate sections."
06. Choose fonts wisely
This sample site by Marko Dugonjić shows the scope of responsive typography
Working at multiple scales demands even more of your typefaces. Besides ensuring any webfonts render well on all platforms and have sufficient Unicode scope for your site's planned internationalisations, it's worth looking for greater typographical flexibility.
Multiple weights, small caps and condensed variants will give you options for better results in different viewports, suggests Dugonjić, whose Benton Modern sample site demonstrates responsive type pushed to its limits. Just don't go mad, warns Pamental. "Choose fonts sparingly. Don’t load too much, and make sure to test real type in the browser on various platforms" for appearance, page weight and render speed.
Web Font Loader, co-developed by Google and Typekit, can help you control the loading experience. Don’t overlook fallback for when webfonts fail. Anna Yeaman at Style Campaign, a creative agency specialising in responsive email design, recommends testing web-safe fallback fonts and tweaking media queries to minimise reflow.
07. Use a type test rig
Tools like Typetester make it easier to try font, size and spacing combinations
Juggling type libraries and CSS isn’t conducive to creative flow. Dugonjić's Typetester is now a fully-fledged WYSIWYG web typography editor. You can use it to test, compare and design with over 2800 web fonts from Adobe Edge, Adobe Typekit and Google Fonts. Then export your designs as fully responsive HTML and CSS snippets.
08. Set type in context
Layout can break the most meticulous typography. Remember "the white space around the words – where you eye can rest – and use of imagery," says Gustafson. This is where the responsive designer needs to be particularly alert. "On a narrow screen, images might reduce readability. A floated image could wrap long words below it rather than next to it."
Width and padding values will need to vary with viewport size to keep layouts feeling visually 'right' as well as managing line length. When setting break points between multi- and single-column layouts, a wider single column with horizontal space may be more comfortable on medium-size screens.
09. Learn from others
Compare existing designs to see how type settings adapt to viewport size
A blank canvas needn't be your springboard. Back in 2015, Yeaman surveyed 50 responsive emails to compare the choices other designers had made in typeface, size, spacing and other factors, and found the results instructive. Whatever the nature of your project, there'll be exemplars in its field. The consensus isn't always optimal, but it's not a bad place to start.
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If you think of Microsoft Excel as boring old spreadsheet software, it's time to look closer. This program is way more powerful than it might appear at first glance; there is a reason it's trusted in just about every workplace, after all. Learn your way around the essential piece of software with the Microsoft Excel and Advanced Excel Bundle of courses. You can get lifetime access to these courses on sale now for just $29 (approx. £21).
Microsoft Excel is integral for all sorts of tasks at all levels of businesses (and it can even be used by canny artists to create digital artworks). You can learn how to make the most of Microsoft's powerful program by working your way through the Microsoft Excel and Advanced Excel Bundle. You can get lifetime access to this 48-hour deep dive that will teach you the ins and outs of this program. You'll also receive a diploma after you complete the courses to prove your skills.
You can get lifetime access to the Microsoft Excel and Advanced Excel Bundle on sale now for just $29 (approx. £21). That's a massive saving of 95% off the full retail price of this essential training, so get this deal 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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Content marketing can play a big role in helping to promote your business as a brand, and can be a key part of crafting a killer self-promo campaign. By sharing content that others find value in, you can build brand awareness and help others – and at a low cost, to boot.
One of the wonders of the web is its low barrier to entry. In today’s connected world it’s possible to share your thinking with a global audience who are just a click away. The web offers a wealth of content, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for another voice: yours.
With your product behind you, you have an opportunity to build brand awareness through sharing content focused around your core beliefs and values. By sharing the lessons you’ve learned on your journey you can not only inspire others, but also raise awareness of your product or service.
By writing around topics that relate to your product or service – not to mention the invaluable experience you gained getting your idea off the ground – you can help others and you can draw in a potential audience.
Developing a content strategy focused around a series of core themes is a great way to build content of value and grow awareness of your brand. By investing a little time in establishing a core message that is focused around ‘pillars of content’ you’ll establish a content strategy that will serve you and your brand well.
Mediums and messages
Hosting your own content is a good idea, as you'll own everything and there’s no chance – should the blogging service you choose be acquired and shut down – that all your hard work writing will go up in smoke. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t cross-post to other services.
Medium is a great tool, with an extensive community, that’s worth exploring to increase your reach. Medium not only offers a beautifully designed writing environment, it also – importantly – enables you to broadcast to a much larger audience.
Jason Fried, co-founder of Basecamp, highlights the benefits of using Medium in a short article titled (appropriately) Medium Has Been Great for Us, stating: “We hosted Signal vs. Noise on our own site for nearly 15 years... People often ask me why we switched to Medium. There were a variety of reasons, but one was reaching a new audience, and another was aiming for wider distribution.”
"Sharing your experience can prove a valuable way of reaching new audiences."
Of course, Fried’s audience – thanks to the considerable reach of Basecamp – was extensive to begin with, but the benefits of moving to Medium that he shares are hard to argue with. As he summarises: “the results couldn’t be better. More readers, wider distribution, new audiences.”
Regardless of the platform you’ve chosen – self-hosted, a third-party tool or a combination of the two – sharing your experience can prove a valuable way of reaching new audiences.
Your product is an extension of you and your values. By sharing content focused around your values and interests you can raise awareness of your brand and – as a welcome by-product – drive a few sales in the process. As Fried puts it: “Win, win, win.”
This article originally appeared in issue 298 of net, the magazine for professional web designers and developers – offering the latest new web trends, technologies and techniques. Buy issue 298 here or subscribe to net here.
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Despite the evolution of human-computer interaction, forms still remain one of the most important types of interaction for users. People who use your application or website have a particular goal, and often the one thing standing between the user and their goal is a form. Every day, we use them for our essential activities – to complete purchases, to sign up for social networks, to provide feedback on a product we've bought, and more.
As a result, it's very important for us to be able to complete online forms quickly and without confusion. The less effort we have to spend, the happier we are. As designers and developers, we should strive to produce faster, easier and more productive form experiences for our users.
In the second of my two articles exploring how to build better forms (find the first one here) here are my 10 tips to design forms that are user-friendly.
01. Only ask what's required
Cutting the amount of required information makes the form easier to fill out. You should always question why and how the information you request is being used. Try to minimise the number of fields as much as possible, because every field you add to a form will affect its conversion rate. Limiting the number of questions and fields make your form less loaded, especially when you request a lot of information from your users.
02. Order the fields logically
Think of your form like a conversation; you want to group and order the fields in an order that makes sense to the user
It's helpful to think of a form as being similar to a conversation. Like any normal conversation, it should be represented by a logical communication between two parties: a person and your app. Details should be asked for in an order that is logical from a user's perspective, not that of the application or database. For example, it's unusual to ask for someone's address before their name.
It's also very important to group related questions in blocks, so the flow from one set of questions to the next will better resemble a conversation. Grouping related fields also helps users make sense of the information they must fill in.
Pictured above are examples of two registration forms. Long forms can feel overwhelming if you don't group related fields – compare the form on the left to the improved version on the right.
Grouping needs to be carried out visually as well as in the code. For example, you could use the <fieldset> and <legend> elements to associate related form controls:
03. Keep labels short
Field labels tell users what the corresponding input fields mean. Clear label text is one of the primary ways to make UIs more accessible. Labels tell the user the purpose of the field, but they aren't help texts. Therefore, ensuring they scan easily is a priority – you should design succinct, short and descriptive labels (keep them to a word or two).
04. Don't duplicate fields
Don't make your users type in information twice – you'll only frustrate them by wasting their time
This problem is particularly common for registration forms: almost everyone has come across a form that requires you to type an email address or password twice. Historically, this was designed to prevent mistyping errors. However, most users simply copy-pasted the necessary field whenever the app allowed it. And if the original field's data contained an error, it was duplicated.
05. Highlight optional fields
Ideally, it's best to have no optional fields. In line with rule number 1, if a piece of information is not required, there's no point in wasting a user's time. But if you do use them, you should clearly distinguish which input fields cannot be left blank. Usually a small mark like an asterisk (*) or 'optional' label is enough.
06. Be careful with defaults
Avoid including a static default unless you believe a large portion of your users (eg 90 per cent) will select that value – particularly if it's a required field. Why? With this approach you're likely to introduce errors because people scan forms quickly online. Don't assume they will take the time to parse through all the choices. They may blithely skip by something that already has a value.
The only exception for this point is smart defaults – like those that preselect the user's country based on their geolocation data – which can make completion of the form faster and more accurate. But you should still use these with caution, because users tend to leave preselected fields as they are.
07. Minimise the need for typing
Typing is a slow and error-prone process, and it's especially painful on a mobile, where users face the constraints of limited screen estate. And with more and more people using small screens, anything that can be done to prevent unnecessary typing will improve the user experience. Where appropriate, you can use features like autocomplete and prefill for data, so users only have to type in the bare minimum amount of information.
Filling out your address information is often the most cumbersome part of any online registration form, thanks to multiple fields, long names, and so on. Save your users from having to type in their entire address by implementing prefills for these fields. Libraries like Google Maps offer a simple JavaScript API to achieve this. You can find a working solution here.
08. Use real-time validation
Alert users immediately if they make an error – don't make them wait until they've completed the whole form
In an ideal world, users fill in forms with necessary information and finish their job successfully, but in the real world, people often make mistakes. It's frustrating to go through the process of filling out an entire form only to find out at the point of submission that you've made an error.
The right time to inform someone about the success or failure of the data they've provided is right after they submit the information. This is where real-time validation comes into play. It alerts users to mistakes straight away and makes it possible for them to correct them faster, without having to wait until they press the 'Submit' button.
And remember, validation shouldn't only tell users what they did wrong; it should also tell them what they're doing right. This gives users more confidence to move through the form.
Parsley is an excellent JavaScript form validation library. It is open source and UX-focused, so you can override almost every default behaviour to fit your exact needs. In the following code is a simple Parsley validation example for a 'Message' field. The field should be at least 20 characters, but no more than 100.
You can find the complete code sample here.
09. Avoid fixed input formats
The most common reason for forcing a fixed format is validation script limitation (the backend can't determine the format it needs), which in most cases is an implementation problem. Rather than forcing the format of something like a phone number during user input, you should make it possible to transform whatever the user enters into the format you want to display or store.
10. Don't use Reset buttons
Little good ever came from including a Reset button right next to the Submit option
A Reset button almost never helps users. It's hard to imagine that someone would want a button that undoes all their work, let alone that they'd want that button to be sitting next to the button that saves it. The web would be a happier place if virtually all Reset buttons were removed.
This article originally appeared in issue 288 of net magazine, the magazine for professional web designers and developers – offering the latest new web trends, technologies and techniques. Subscribe to net magazine here.
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You're reading Linecons – Free Vector Icons Pack, originally posted on Designmodo. If you've enjoyed this post, be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google+!
Linecons is a set of remarkable free vector icons. The set contains 48 fully scalable vector icons with outline styles. You can use these icons when creating web and mobile interfaces. They will suit any site themes and any design. Each icon is thoroughly pressed in its specific and new style. If you need professional […]
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Starting out in 3D can be daunting, with a bewildering array of choices to make, from which software to use, Mac or PC, where to get feedback and so many more.
3D World veteran expert Mike Griggs is on hand with these invaluable insights into how to put your best foot forward, either as a newcomer or as a seasoned pro looking to re-establish yourself.
01. Ask the basic questions
One of the biggest problems about learning how to use 3D applications is that, well, it is really hard, as essentially an artist is creating new realities within the computer. A lot of 3D training therefore expects a level of understanding, which can be difficult for new artists to attain. So never be afraid to ask the simple questions as they can be glossed over by a lot of training.
02. Learn how a camera works
So much of 3D is based on replicating a certain cinematic or photographic look. Therefore understanding how a real camera works, from framing to f-stops, is a fundamental skill that all 3D artists should obtain.
03. Find software that works for the project
It is so easy in the 3D community to be swept up in the ‘what is the best software debate’. The issue with this is that for every artist who ‘gets’ Autodesk Maya, there are just as many who ‘get’ Maxon’s Cinema 4D or Pixologic’s ZBrush. A better approach is to think about what the project needs or what field of 3D art is of interest to you and start looking at the software that is used in those areas.
04. Training first, hardware second
If you have a fantastic £5,000 workstation sitting on your desk, it is depreciating in value the second you switch it on. Clever investment in training or render farms can minimise hardware investment for an artist and deliver more flexible workflows for clients.
05. Use social media for feedback
Social Media has been a boon for 3D artists, with many communities in Facebook, Behancé and ArtStation among many others popping up to show an artist's best work. Instagram is gaining a lot of traction as well, so don’t be scared to ask for feedback via these mediums, as even the best artist can be taught new tricks.
Learn more from Mike Griggs at Vertex 2018
Another way to kick-start your career is to look into training and advice. Mike Griggs will be holding a workshop at Vertex on 3D fundamentals that could be just the thing you need.
But why do we need to learn the fundamentals for 3D when surely the software has become so good that the basics are irrelevant? The truth is that as the tools for CGI have become more powerful it enables one artist to now have the potential skill set of a studio from 10 years ago.
With so much of CGI it is easy to get siloed into one discipline. If an artist knows in principle how to create a standalone VFX shot from shoot to final output, the tools that they have implemented throughout the entire process make them a much better all rounder artist (and business person), which is highly desirable in this increasingly popular creative discipline.
The real world has a lot to teach CG artists; for example learning how a camera works is directly transferable to setting up a shot in 3D, while life drawing is key to sculpting and character animation. A good CG artist should see a computer and its software as just another tool amongst many, which will let their talent shine and enable them to create more and better work.
To book a ticket to Mike Grigg's workshop at Vertex 2018 head over to the Vertex site, where you will find information on all the day's activities, from keynote talks to the panel discussion and recruitment fair.
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Intel is grappling with a processor design flaw impacting CPUs used in Linux, Windows and some macOS systems.
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If you're looking for the best ZBook deals on the internet, then you've come to the right place. We've collated the best deals from the most reputable retailers for HP's powerful range of mobile workstations, right here. Ranging from the wildly powerful, top-of-the-range, new 2-in-1 ZBook x2, through to the lower-specced but excellent HP ZBook 15 models, you’ll find the right ZBook for your needs and budget in this buying guide.
Why get a ZBook? Well, with levels of power far superior to most standard laptops, the pro-grade ZBooks combine the graphics and processing capabilities of desktop PCs with the convenience, portability and flexibility of laptops – making them ideal devices for creatives, especially if you're often travelling. They’re stylish too, with a sleek design.
The HP ZBook range also comes with an optional HP DreamColor display, which features out-of-the-box colour calibration, plus sRGB, BT709 and full Adobe RGB coverage. If you’re a professional creative, you want this screen.
Read on for the best HP ZBook deals on offer right now...
HP ZBook x2 deals
HP revealed its wildly powerful ZBook x2 tablet back in late 2017. The hybrid 2-in-1 workstation is a potable powerhouse that takes on Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 and Apple’s Macbook Pro as the professional creatives’s mobile workstation of choice.
It isn’t as sleek as the Surface Book 2, but the ZBook x2 boasts an Intel Core i7 (Kaby Lake) processor with Turbo up to 4.2GHz, backed with up to 32GB of system RAM. The GPU is an Nvidia Quadro M620.
HP is touting it as the most powerful detachable PC ever made. What this means is that you can remove the keyboard and use the screen as a tablet. Using the Wacom EMR stylus you can then sketch on the touchscreen, and use the included Quick Keys, which feature 18 Adobe app shortcuts that makes using Adobe's suite of creative software easier than ever.
Throw in the ZBook x2’s 4K, antiglare touchscreen, and you’re looking at an incredible machine for designers and artists. Just make sure you select the optional 10-bit one-billion color HP DreamColor display.
It's currently only available in the US – but as soon as UK prices become available, you'll see the best ones here.
HP ZBook Studio deals
The HP ZBook Studio G4 Mobile Workstation really shows off what workstations are capable of, bringing huge amounts of power into a sleek and light design that's easy to carry around.
The understated design of the HP ZBook Studio G4 Mobile Workstation is fantastic, and it houses some seriously powerful components that makes it feel smooth and responsive when you're working on it. You can choose from 7th generation Intel Core or Intel Xeon processor options, and it comes with up to 32 GB DDR4 memory and 2 TB of storage with dual HP Z Turbo Drives for super-fast boot up time.
To top it off, the ZBook Studio also features a fantastic 4K screen that will show off your digital art in all its glory – although it isn't touchscreen, like the ZBook x2. Again, make sure your choose the optional HP DreamColor display for the most accurate colours.
The HP ZBook Studio G3 Mobile Workstation is a slightly older, less powerful, version of the G4 above, but it's still an excellent machine, especially for digital creatives and professionals thanks to the excellent components and build quality. It also means there are some very tempting deals to be had for the HP ZBook Studio G3 Mobile Workstation if you shop around.
HP ZBook 14U and 15U deals
If you're looking for a great value ZBook, then the HP ZBook 14u G4 Mobile Workstation is well worth considering. It doesn't have the cutting edge components, or thin and light designs as some of the other ZBooks, but it costs a lot less as well. This makes it an excellent choice if you want a powerful mobile workstation without breaking the bank.
The HP ZBook 15u G4 Mobile Workstation is another good value ZBook which costs a lot less than its more powerful (and more stylishly designed) brethren. If you don't mind a bit of compromise when it comes to power and design, then you'll like the HP ZBook 15u G4 Mobile Workstation a lot, and it still has the chops to handle demanding creative applications, and with the 15.6-inch screen doing an excellent job of displaying your work.
If you want to save a bit of extra money, then you may want to consider the older HP ZBook 15u G3 Mobile Workstation. It's still got plenty of power, but it uses older components which aren't quite as quick as the ones found in more modern ZBooks. The display also doesn't compare as well as other ZBooks when it comes to colour accuracy, so if that is important to you, you may want to consider buying an optional HP DreamColor display to use with this device.
HP ZBook 15 and 17 deals
The HP ZBook 15 G3 Mobile Workstation is a mobile workstation that puts performance above all else. That means that it can be quite expensive, but there's still some brilliant deals to be had, especially as it's now not the latest model on the market. You still get plenty of excellent features, and this is a laptop that will handle creative software with ease.
The HP ZBook 15 G4 Mobile Workstation is the newest version of the ZBook 15, and it boasts upgraded components that make it a more powerful workstation than its predecessor. This does mean that it costs a lot more, though it's still not as expensive as the stylish HP ZBook x2 or ZBook Studio range. This is a great mid-range ZBook, then for people who want performance, but don't care too much about thin and stylish designs.
The HP ZBook 17 G4 Mobile Workstation combines cutting edge components with a gorgeous 17-inch display, making this an incredibly accomplished mobile workstation for creative professionals. The performance is nothing short of spectacular, though you will be paying a price premium for such a powerful machine. For many people, that cost will be well worth it.
While the HP ZBook 17 G4 Mobile Workstation is a fantastic machine, there's no getting away from the fact that it's also very expensive. If you don't mind a slightly older model, then the HP ZBook 17 G3 Mobile Workstation is a fantastic alternative. It still has a huge 17-inch display, that can come in 4K resolution, and although the components it uses are a little older than the G4 model, it's still a formidable machine when it comes to performance.
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It's the eternal quest for graphic designers the world over: Something like Helvetica, but not Helvetica.
Of course, the giant of Swiss typography – which started life as Neue Haas Grotesk, designed by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann in 1957 – is ubiquitous for a reason. It's clean, bold, legible – and safe.
In fact, it's so neutral that many designers default to it because of its lack of discernible personality: it can be used in countless contexts and soak up the emotion of the imagery, colours, shapes or other design elements around it, conveying that timeless Swiss style without ever dominating, and communicating a message without distraction.
Helvetica is ubiquitous for a reason. It's clean, bold, legible – and safe
There's no doubt that it's a versatile, well-designed typeface. But defaulting to it effectively ignores an enormous resource of potential choices that can deliver subtle twists of personality that Helvetica just can't. And the fact is, it's not always suitable for every application.
The good news is that there are literally thousands of beautifully crafted sans serifs just waiting to add that something extra to your designs, whether you're looking for more personality, warmth or versatility: here are 10 of the very best Helvetica alternatives.
01. Akzidenz Grotesk
Akzidenz Grotesk is the 'grandfather of Helvetica'
This is one for the real type purists. Released in 1898, over half a century before Helvetica was even thought of, Akzidenz Grotesk is one of the typefaces that helped kick-start the whole neo-grotesque movement of the early 20th century. It’s the grandfather of Helvetica, basically, as well as inspiring many other typefaces in the so-called Swiss Style.
Akzidenz is smaller, rounder and less dense than its 1950s successor, so although extremely clean and neutral, it's that little bit friendlier and more approachable.
02. Neue Haas Grotesk
Neue Haas Grotesk shares the same typographical DNA as Helvetica
Released in 1957 in the footsteps of Akzidenz Grotesk, Neue Haas Grotesk is essentially Helvetica before the digital age: they share the same typographical DNA.
But compare it to Helvetica Neue – which, after decades of tweaks and expansions to the family to cater to different platforms and uses, is where we've ended up – and the softer, more graceful curves, varied letter widths and more natural italics give it that little bit more style and character when set next to its boxier modern counterpart. It comes in a versatile family of 44 fonts.
03. Univers
Univers is smaller and more spaced-out than Helvetica
Like Neue Haas Grotesk, Adrian Frutiger's masterpiece was released in 1957 as a fresh take on Akzidenz Grotesk. While the modern-day Helvetica is famously dense – with tightly packed letterforms, a tall x-height and a bold, attention-grabbing outlook – Univers is smaller and more spaced-out.
Subtle variations in stroke width add more interest and variety amongst the different letterforms, pulling it further out of the neutral zone that's proudly occupied by Helvetica. Different weights and variations within the family are defined by a numbered suffix, with 'Univers 55' the regular weight and width.
04. Aktiv Grotesk
Aktiv Grotesk is the 21st century equivalent of Akzidenz Grotesk
Whereas Helvetica (or rather its predecessor Neue Haas Grotesk) was styled in response to Akzidenz Grotesk, Aktiv Grotesk is the 21st century equivalent – positioned by its designer Bruno Maag specifically as an alternative to the ubiquitous typeface that he openly despises as the 'vanilla ice cream' of a designer's type library.
A relative stranger to Helvetica until moving to the UK, Maag grew up using Univers as his go-to Swiss Style sans serif. Accordingly, his self-dubbed 'Helvetica killer' is pitched somewhere in the middle of the two – with a fractionally taller x-height than Helvetica, and slightly squarer edges than Univers.
05. FF Bau
FF Bau was designed to suit modern typographical needs without ever sacrificing personality
Designed by Christian Schwartz for FontShop International in 2002, this modern alternative to Helvetica has more in common with the Swiss giant's quirkier, warmer 19th century ancestors – such as Akzidenz Grotesk – than with its modern-day incarnation.
Designed to suit modern typographical needs without ever sacrificing personality at the altar of practicality (a criticism all-too often levied at Helvetica), FF Bau sports a distinctive double-storey 'g' and a lowercase 'a' that keeps hold of its tail in all available weights.
06. ARS Maquette
ARS Maquette was designed to be 'unpretentiously simple'
Designed in 1999 for public release in 2001, ARS Maquette has developed into one of ARS Type's flagship creations, renowned for its clean, stylish simplicity. It was described by its designer Angus R Shamal as "unpretentiously simple and universal in nature".
In response to feedback from users clamouring for more versatility from the typeface, Shamal expanded the basic five-weight family further in 2010, introducing true italics and wider language support while retaining the open, readable quality of the sans serif. It’s a worthy modern alternative to Helvetica.
07. Proxima Nova
Proxima Nova combines modern proportions with a geometric look and feel
Mark Simonson's 2005 reimagining of his now-discontinued 1994 typeface Proxima Sans is intended to "straddle the gap between Futura and Akzidenz Grotesk", and combines modern proportions with a geometric look and feel.
Where Proxima Sans included just six fonts, its 21st century upgrade boasts a considerably more impressive and useful 42: six weights in three widths, with true italics.
Within the character set it blends even, rational curves on letters such as the lowercase 'e' or uppercase 'G' with more playful, quirky stems on the 't' and 'f'. Its upward-aimed bowl on the lowercase 'a' is also completely unique – all details that combine to give it the kind of personality that Helvetica can only dream of.
08. National
National pays homage to classic sans serif typefaces
It may be deceptively simple, humble and quietly effective, but National – only the second commercial release from New Zealand-based type foundry Klim – also has its fair share of subtle, character-building details that pay homage to classic sans-serif typefaces from the days before even Akzidenz Grotesk.
It won designer Kris Sowesby the Certificate of Excellence from the Type Designers Club (TDC) in 2008, and boasts an extensive character set with a broad range of accents, numerals, alternate forms and small caps across all styles.
09. Brandon Grotesque
Brandon Grotesque draws on the heritage of the geometric sans serifs of the 1920s and 30s
Sporting a perfectly balanced combination of sharp, pointed apexes and smooth, rounded stems, HVD Fonts' Brandon Grotesque is most often used at its thinner weights, although the bolder fonts in the family assert plenty of clout that make them more than a match for Helvetica in the display face stakes.
Brandon draws on the heritage of the geometric sans serifs of the 1920s and 30s, but never feels too overtly 'Art Deco' in style, bringing its own style to the party. With just 12 fonts, the family may seem limited in scope, but it didn't hold it back from winning a TDC Award in 2011 – and its weights are perfectly considered and balanced.
10. Slate
Slate is both beautiful and legible
The work of award-winning type designer Rod McDonald, Slate is functional and legible, but also elegant and pleasing to the eye. It draws on his experiences developing two commissioned typefaces - a large sans serif family for Toronto Life magazine, and another family intended primarily for on-screen use for Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
McDonald later set out to combine the "soft, quiet" magazine face with the more legibility-focused web font approach, and Slate is the end result: a humanist sans serif that's both beautiful and exceptionally legible, and feels consistent without ever looking overly engineered.
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The humble pencil is a ubiquitous and versatile drawing tool. To get the most out of it, there are some important considerations when picking your best pencils, which we will cover here, followed by an introduction to the most fundamental unit of drawing – line.
So whether you're just learning how to draw or a seasoned pro, these tips will provide a sound foundation for novices and some useful reminders for more experienced artists.
01. The Shakespearean question
2B or not 2B? That is the question
2B or not 2B? Picking the right grade of pencil for your drawing will help you make the best sketch possible. Graphite pencils are available in a scale of hardness from 9H (hard, pale) to 9B (soft, dark) with HB and F in the middle of the range.
Typically, the H grades are suited to technical drawing, while B grades are ideal sketching pencils. Start off with a 2B or 3B pencil for the exercises in this article.
02. Sharpening
Make sure you always have a sharpener on hand
Some drawings require a fine, sharp point for pinning down a crisp line, others a broad, flat side to the pencil lead for blocking in tone. Sometimes, a blunt point can serve your purposes.
Whatever your preference, ensure you always have a sharpener on hand – if you use a regular handheld sharpener, make sure that it is sharp and that you have several with you if you go out to draw; a desk-mounted helical sharpener will last much longer and typically grinds the pencil to a longer point. If you use a craft knife, always cut away from your body.
03. Pencil holds
Experiment with different ways to grip your pencil as you draw
Different pencil holds are suited to different marks, experiment with different ways to grip your pencil as you draw and work out ideal grips for different methods of mark making. It is important to consider where you are making your mark from – fingers, wrist or shoulder?
04. Consider your lines
When you make a mark, give some thought to the speed at which you make it
The kind of mark you make will significantly affect the feel and look of a pencil drawing. When you make a mark, give some thought to the speed at which you make it. Also think about the weight that you put into the stroke – a heavy line is dark and definite; a lightly drawn line is pale and exploratory.
When you are starting out, try to avoid uncertain, feathery marks. Here are two exercises (numbers 5 and 6) to help you explore line – they could be applied to any subject and are great for all levels.
05. Blind contour drawing
The first exercise is blind contour drawing
The first exercise – blind contour drawing – is a common, playful exercise that helps you to draw unselfconsciously, making bold marks without feeling anxious about the outcome.
Set up a subject in front of you and fix your eye on the top of it, placing your pencil on your paper. Without looking down at the paper, trace your eye around your subject, following its edges and contours, and as you do so, let your pencil follow the same journey on the paper.
Draw in a single, unbroken line and don’t look back at the drawing until you are finished – it will look strange and misproportioned, it is supposed to! Repeat the exercise regularly as a warm up to get your hand working together with your eye.
06. Continous line drawing
This second exercise is a development of the blind contour drawing
This second exercise is a development of the blind contour drawing and involves the same continuous, unbroken line. This time as you draw, flick your eye down to the page regularly as your line explores the contour of your subject.
Start with a light, playful line, and as you become more confident in the shapes that you are observing, put more weight into your mark, aiming for a variety of line weight across the picture. Don’t aim for precisely accurate proportion, instead aim for an honest process of looking and mark making, without overthinking the drawing.
This article originally appeared in Paint & Draw issue 12 – buy it here.
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Whether you’re looking for somewhere to work or just some case-study inspiration, the United States has plenty of world-class design studios to choose from.
In this post, we’ve gathered together 20 of the best design agencies of the present day. Some are huge global players, some are small and niche, and most are somewhere in-between. But all are known for their stellar work, their big-name clients and their original, innovative approaches to design problems.
01. Pentagram New York
Pentagram is one of the world’s biggest names in branding and design
Independently owned, global design studio Pentagram was founded in London in 1972. But its uniquely decentralised structure means its New York office, which recently moved to Park Avenue South, is its own entity.
Launched back in 1980 by Colin Forbes, one of the original UK founders, the studio is behind some of the world's famous visual identities, including MasterCard, Windows, The MoMA, and Verizon.
There are eight partners in the Manhattan office, including well-known names like Michael Beirut, Paula Scher and Emily Obermann, and each runs an essentially autonomous operation. Recent projects include identities for the superhero movie Justice League, pan-European sports channel Eurosport, and the new Federal Films division of Republic Records.
02. Sagmeister & Walsh
Sagmeister & Walsh’s work always makes a big impact
Sagmeister & Walsh is a boutique design studio in New York with just a little touch of magic about it. The studio's most recent iteration launched in 2012, when Austrian-born Stefan Sagmeister promoted his employee of two years Jessica Walsh to partner.
It’s a full-service studio creating strategy, design and production for big commercial clients, as well as arts organisations, publishers, musicians and non-profits. They’re also known for some pretty quirky side projects of their own.
Above all, S&W’s work is consistently attention-grabbing, stunningly original and achingly hip; lighting the way for those who believe that corporate work doesn’t have to mean bland conformity.
Recent projects include an innovative visual identity for fashion brand Milly’s; ‘Ladies, Wine Design’, an initiative aimed to foster creative women; and a special cover for the New York Times Magazine themed around Donald Trump’s inauguration.
03. Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv
This New York studio holds legendary status in the design community
Iconic US design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv holds legendary status in the world of trademarks and branding. Founded as Chermayeff & Geismar in 1957, by Yale graduates Ivan Chermayeff – who sadly passed away in 2017 –and Tom Geismar, the design agency has created logos for the likes of NBC, Mobil Oil, New York University, The Museum of Modern Art, Xerox and National Geographic.
Recent projects include a major monograph, Identity and logos for the ‘Leonard Bernstein at 100’ celebrations; ClearMotion, a next-generation suspension system for cars and trucks; and the Oceano Azul Foundation, which is dedicated to sustainable oceans.
04. Landor
Landor is known for both its top-class work and its influential industry reports
Headquartered in San Francisco, Landor is one of the world’s biggest and most influential brand consulting firms. Founded in 1941 by Walter Landor, Landor now has 26 offices in 20 countries.
It’s been a member of WPP, the world's largest marketing and communications firm, since 1989, and is known for its annual brand trends reports. Clients include the likes of Alaska Airlines, FedEx, General Electric, Huawei and Sony.
Recent projects include the branding of new companies including the financial powerhouse S&P Global, formerly McGraw Hill, and Covestro, a multibillion dollar spin-off from Bayer’s materials science division.
05. Meta Design
MetaDesign has spread the design principles of Erik Spiekermann and co across three continents
MetaDesign is an international design consultancy founded by Erik Spiekermann. Uli Mayer-Johanssen and Hans Ch. Krüger in Berlin in 1979. Its San Francisco office was established in 1992 around Bill Hill and Terry Irwin, and the company, a member of Publicis Communications, now also has branches across three continents.
Among the most visible engagements for MetaDesign in the US in 2017 included a logo redesign for Japanese food corporation Ajinomoto, and the launch of the Loggly brand, a cloud-based log management and analytics service. The studio has also been working on website redesign engagements for UCSF and San Francisco City Clinic.
06. Huge
Huge has made a big name for itself in digital design
Headquartered in Brooklyn, Huge is a digitally focused studio providing a range of strategy, marketing, design and technology services. Founded in 1999, it now also has offices in 14 countries worldwide.
Huge is well named, in terms of corporate influence at least. Its client list covers nearly 20 percent of the Fortune 100 and includes the likes of Coca-Cola, Google, Unilever and Nike.
Highlights for the studio in 2017 included winning McDonald’s global UX account, a global campaign for LG’s V30 phone, and the announcement of a new office in Chicago for 2018.
07. Firstborn
Firstborn was one of the early pioneers of online design and branding
Firstborn is a creative agency headquartered in New York. Founded in 1997, it focuses on delivering a wide range of digital services for big-fish clients such as L’Oréal, Mountain Dew, Bloomberg, Jet and Supercell.
The medium-sized studio is a part of the global network of Isobar, as well as the Dentsu Aegis Network, a subsidiary of Dentsu Inc.
2017 was a typically strong year for Firstborn, in which it became digital AOR for Pepsi and digital consultant for S&P Global; designed a new consumer channel for health brand Nature’s Bounty; and masterminded an Instagram series for a new Adidas shoe launch.
08. House Industries
House Industries combines the physical and the digital to create original and innovative work
Founded in 1993 by Andy Cruz and Rich Roat, House Industries is a foundry and design studio based in Delaware. With one foot in physical design and one in digital, its offering centres around traditional skills in drawing, painting, and lettering.
This studio’s client list includes Hermès, The New Yorker, Lego and Disney, and its work is in the permanent collections of The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.
2017 highlights for House Industries included a show at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the release of its tongue-in-cheek self-help book, ‘House Industries: The Process of Inspiration’.
09. The Office of Paul Sahre
The Office of Paul Sahre deliberate shuns the idea of specialisation
The Office of Paul Sahre is a design consultancy based in New York City, launched in 1997 by the eponymous designer, who purposely abstains from specialisation in favour of a problem solving approach that can take any form or function. One famous example was a monster truck-style hearse built for the band They Might Be Giants.
Other past clients have include The New York Times, Google Creative Labs, This American Life, Simon and Schuster Aids and Marvel Comics. The big 2017 highlight for Sahre was completing his monograph, Two-Dimensional Man: A Graphic Memoir, which documents his three decades of work as a designer.
10. Happy Cog
Happy Cog has long been a thought leader in the web design community
Born in 1999, during the early ‘wild west’ days of the internet, Happy Cog has built a solid reputation within the design community for its promotion of common web standards and, more recently, responsive design.
Based in Philadelphia, the agency continues to design award-winning websites, digital products and experiences for nonprofits, higher education, media companies, and global brands.
Notable projects in 2017 included a new design language for materials science company Gore-Tx and a digital redesign for wedding attire company David’s Bridal.
Next page: 11-20 top US design studios
11. Siegel+Gale
Siegel+Gale focuses on keeping things beautifully simple
Founded in 1969, Siegel+Gale is a branding firm headquartered in New York City. It also boasts offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai.
The studio is perhaps best known for its tagline, “Simple is Smart”; a principle it famously put into practice in 1979 when it helped the Inland Revenue Service simplify people’s tax forms. It’s also at the core of its highly regarded Global Brand Simplicity Index, which it releases annually every April.
Siegel+Gale’s commercial clients include American Express, Disney, Dow, Four Seasons Hotels, Microsoft, Motorola and Pfizer, while non-profits include Girl Scouts of the USA, Legal Aid Society, Florida State University and the Museum of Arts and Design.
12. Hugo & Marie
Hugo & Marie is a mix of design studio and artist agency
Hugo & Marie is a multi-disciplinary creative studio and artist representation firm based in Brooklyn. Founded in 2008 by Mario Hugo and Jennifer Marie Gonzalez, it says it aims to “interweaves the values of its founders and artists with the character of its clients”, which include famous names such as Stella McCartney, Lorde, Coldplay and Rihanna.
Recent work for the studio includes a brand campaign for Glenmorangie whisky, a visualisation project for Swedish multi-instrumentalist Thunder Tillman, and an online presence for fashion designer Mira Mikati.
13. Fantasy Interactive
Fantasy Interactive is at the cutting edge of user experience and new technology
Fantasy Interactive is an independently owned, digital design studio based in San Francisco and New York City.
Founded in 1999, the award-winning company is nowadays firmly focused on user experience, working on everything from automotive user interfaces to artificial intelligence, consoles to mobile operating systems. Its impressive list of clients includes names such as Xbox, Google, Twitter, Spotify and Huawei.
Recent projects for the studio, which is often abbreviated to f-i or fi, have included a collaboration with OgilvyOne to launch Chrome in Asia, a product site for Wacom, and a companion website for Sony’s Connected World campaign.
14. Big Spaceship
Big Spaceship offers high-class digital services to discerning clients
Founded in 2000, Big Spaceship is a Brooklyn-based design studio that provides a mix of product design, brand communications and content to its clients, who include Converse, Dannon, Google, Hasbro, Nestle-Purina and Samsung.
Highlights of 2017 for the studio include expanding its executive team, getting selected as digital design partner for budget airline JetBlue, and winning MediaPost’s OMMA Agency of the Year award.
15. The Barbarian Group
The Barbarian Group is now on an even keel after a rocky couple of years
The Barbarian Group is an interactive design studio originally founded in Boston in 2001, but currently headquartered in New York City. Its most celebrated projects to date include the Subservient Chicken for Burger King, AnyFilms for Samsung, and the Beer Cannon for Milwaukee's Best. Since 2009, it’s been owned by Cheil Worldwide.
After a wave of disruptive departures in 2015-2016, which led some to question the future of the company, things stabilised somewhat in 2017, with work for Pepsi, Etihad Airways and IBM being among the project highlights.
16. Stink Studios
Stink Studios works across film, design, technology and strategy
Found in 2009 and originally known as Stink Digital, Stink Studios is a global digital company headquartered in London and New York, which also has offices in Berlin, Los Angeles, Paris and Shanghai. The studio works across film, design, technology and strategy for clients include Google, Spotify, Twitter, Ray-Ban and Nike.
Recently the studio has been partnering with WeTransfer to create “A Message from Earth”, a site paying homage to NASA's 1978 extraterrestrial communication. It’s also helped to design Facebook for Creators, a new platform designed to help video creators develop their skills.
17. R/GA
R/GA likes to focus on the big picture for its forward-facing, global clients
R/GA is a full service digital agency headquartered in New York. Founded in 1977 by two brothers, Richard and Robert Greenber, its global network now spans 18 countries, with 2,000 employees representing over 20 nationalities. Clients include McDonalds, Unilever, Nike, Johnson & Johnson and YouTube.
Sharply focused on staying at the cutting edge of new technologies, R/GA teamed up with Verizon in 2017 to launch Verizon Media Tech Venture Studio, an incubator for companies aimed at disrupting digital entertainment and media.
18. Code And Theory
Code And Theory is one of the industry’s most innovative studios
Founded in 2001 by Dan Gardner and Brandon Ralph, Code And Theory is a digital-first creative agency that designs products, content and campaigns across multiple platforms. Its clients include Bloomberg, LA Times, Vogue, Hearst Publications and Comcast.
Picked as one of the “10 Most Innovative Companies in Design” by Fast Company, it employs more than 375 people in offices in New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, London and Manila. Recent projects include a new global website for Maybelline New York, a campaign for Burger King; and a motion graphics theme for NBC News for Snapchat.
19. Brand New School
Brand New School puts the focus on motion and interactivity
Despite the name, Brand New School is not actually a school, but a creative design and production studio that creates ads, interactive media, branding and music videos. Founded in 2000 by Jonathan Notaro, it has offices in New York and Los Angeles. Clients include Coca-Cola, Apple, Google, Nike, Gillette, Ford, and Starbucks.
Recent projects include animated spots for Nike to celebrate Children’s Day in China, launch imagery for Google’s new phone, and a spot-motion spot for a Quaker Oats campaign.
20. IDEO
IDEO wants to use design thinking to solve the world’s biggest challenges
IDEO is a design and consulting firm that is, in its own words, “committed to making a positive impact”. It was created in Palo Alto, California, in 1991, as part of a merger between three companies led by David Kelley, Bill Moggridge, and Mike Nuttall.
Pronounced “EYE-dee-oh”, the studio now employs more than 700 people in nine locations around the world, and applies human-centered methodologies to ‘big picture’ challenges, such as healthcare, education and government itself.
Recent projects include launching an innovation lab to help Peruvians, designing a new digital content platform for The Times and Sunday Times, and helping European fashion platform Zalando expand its services.
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Hot on the heels of the Doctor Who Christmas special, which saw the debut of Jodie Whittaker in the lead role, online fans thought they were getting a bonus treat with the unveiling of the show's new logo (above). Sadly this wasn't the case, as the new logo design was revealed to be a piece of cleverly promoted concept work by graphic designer Jake Johnstone.
Tweeted by Johnstone with the tantalising caption: "So the new Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who logo is very 80s. I like it!", the design was quickly spread among fans who had been fooled by the logo.
Perhaps it was the lighthearted wording of the Tweet, or maybe it was the strength of the design. Either way, the logo was well received by fans of the show.
This is no mean feat. While fans were eager to welcome the new Doctor Who with amazing art, it doesn't take much for fan enthusiasm to turn. (We'll probably get a few comments pointing out that she's called the Doctor, not Doctor Who...)
However, as you'll read in any portfolio guide, misleading people with false information about a project – whether by implying a personal piece was commissioned by a client or that you did everything on a team project – won't get you far in the creative industry.
And a day later, Johnstone pointed out that his design was just a concept.
Johnstone, a self-taught London-based designer, is no stranger to making his work take off with promotional tactics. Having worked as a freelancer on political campaigns, including a design that went viral at the last election, it seems that he knows exactly how to get his design work noticed.
As for his concept Doctor Who logo, Johnstone admits that it was the product of pure boredom. "I was sat at home, had exhausted Netflix and thought I'd give it a try," he tells Creative Bloq. "I started designing [Doctor Who logos] years ago as a result of having a pretty crap Doctor Who blog, doing the website banners and such, so the show has always had a place in my heart."
Designing Doctor Who logos
All in all, the logo took 30 minutes to make in Photoshop, with Johnstone grabbing a few stock textures from Shutterstock. Pairing the Gotham font with a modified Josefin Sans turned out to be a winning combination, especially when he found a clever way to tie the concept design to the real show.
"The colours were swatched from the recent promotional image that the BBC released of Jodie in costume as The Doctor," Johnstone reveals. "I figured that being the only official image we have seen from the new series, that the colours would instantly resonate and look familiar with other fans. I think I was right judging by most of the reactions."
His hunch paid off. Hundreds of fans gave his design their approval, with some even incorporating it into fan art. Even when it was revealed to be a fake logo, the whole furore prompted other fans to get involved and share their take on the Doctor Who logo.
Johnstone was flattered by the reaction, but says he felt guilty that some people thought that the logo was genuine. "Even though I suggested it was official I didn't expect it to go as viral as it did," he explains.
"The excitement really reminded me of the days when I was a proper Whovian and it was fab to see that Doctor Who fans are still as passionate as I remembered. The most humbling thing is that my initial design kick-started a movement for other fans to come up with their own logo which people have shared online with each other."
Setting a precedent
However, there is a precedent for the work of Doctor Who fans being picked up and used by the show itself. After all, the title graphics for Peter Capaldi's run was based on a fan's concept YouTube video. So does Johnstone think he could be getting a call from the show's production team in the near future?
The official logo has already been completed by the BBC's extremely talented team
Jake Johnstone"To be honest, I don't think so," he admits. "I've been told by a friend that works at the BBC that the official logo has already been completed by their extremely talented team and that it's totally different to mine or any we have seen before.
"I think that's the right step. The real logo needs to be much more thought-out and less obvious than the one I did, but it would be awesome to have some creative input into the show one day. I'm not expecting that to happen but it would be awesome if it did."
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Whether you’re looking for somewhere to work or just some case-study inspiration, the United States has plenty of world-class design studios to choose from.
In this post, we’ve gathered together 20 of the best design agencies of the present day. Some are huge global players, some are small and niche, and most are somewhere in-between. But all are known for their stellar work, their big-name clients and their original, innovative approaches to design problems.
01. Sagmeister & Walsh
Sagmeister & Walsh’s work always makes a big impact
Sagmeister & Walsh is a boutique design studio in New York with just a little touch of magic about it. The studio's most recent iteration launched in 2012, when Austrian-born Stefan Sagmeister promoted his employee of two years Jessica Walsh to partner.
It’s a full-service studio creating strategy, design and production for big commercial clients, as well as arts organisations, publishers, musicians and non-profits. They’re also known for some pretty quirky side projects of their own.
Above all, S&W’s work is consistently attention-grabbing, stunningly original and achingly hip; lighting the way for those who believe that corporate work doesn’t have to mean bland conformity.
Recent projects include an innovative visual identity for fashion brand Milly’s; ‘Ladies, Wine Design’, an initiative aimed to foster creative women; and a special cover for the New York Times Magazine themed around Donald Trump’s inauguration.
02. Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv
This New York studio holds legendary status in the design community
Iconic US design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv holds legendary status in the world of trademarks and branding. Founded as Chermayeff & Geismar in 1957, by Yale graduates Ivan Chermayeff – who sadly passed away in 2017 –and Tom Geismar, the design agency has created logos for the likes of NBC, Mobil Oil, New York University, The Museum of Modern Art, Xerox and National Geographic.
Recent projects include a major monograph, Identity and logos for the ‘Leonard Bernstein at 100’ celebrations; ClearMotion, a next-generation suspension system for cars and trucks; and the Oceano Azul Foundation, which is dedicated to sustainable oceans.
03. Pentagram New York
Pentagram is one of the world’s biggest names in branding and design
Independently owned, global design studio Pentagram was founded in London in 1972. But its uniquely decentralised structure means its New York office, which recently moved to Park Avenue South, is its own entity.
Launched back in 1980 by Colin Forbes, one of the original UK founders, the studio is behind some of the world's famous visual identities, including MasterCard, Windows, The MoMA, and Verizon.
There are eight partners in the Manhattan office, including well-known names like Michael Beirut, Paula Scher and Emily Obermann, and each runs an essentially autonomous operation. Recent projects include identities for the superhero movie Justice League, pan-European sports channel Eurosport, and the new Federal Films division of Republic Records.
04. Landor
Landor is known for both its top-class work and its influential industry reports
Headquartered in San Francisco, Landor is one of the world’s biggest and most influential brand consulting firms. Founded in 1941 by Walter Landor, Landor now has 26 offices in 20 countries.
It’s been a member of WPP, the world's largest marketing and communications firm, since 1989, and is known for its annual brand trends reports. Clients include the likes of Alaska Airlines, FedEx, General Electric, Huawei and Sony.
Recent projects include the branding of new companies including the financial powerhouse S&P Global, formerly McGraw Hill, and Covestro, a multibillion dollar spin-off from Bayer’s materials science division.
05. Meta Design
MetaDesign has spread the design principles of Erik Spiekermann and co across three continents
MetaDesign is an international design consultancy founded by Erik Spiekermann. Uli Mayer-Johanssen and Hans Ch. Krüger in Berlin in 1979. Its San Francisco office was established in 1992 around Bill Hill and Terry Irwin, and the company, a member of Publicis Communications, now also has branches across three continents.
Among the most visible engagements for MetaDesign in the US in 2017 included a logo redesign for Japanese food corporation Ajinomoto, and the launch of the Loggly brand, a cloud-based log management and analytics service. The studio has also been working on website redesign engagements for UCSF and San Francisco City Clinic.
06. Huge
Huge has made a big name for itself in digital design
Headquartered in Brooklyn, Huge is a digitally focused studio providing a range of strategy, marketing, design and technology services. Founded in 1999, it now also has offices in 14 countries worldwide.
Huge is well named, in terms of corporate influence at least. Its client list covers nearly 20 percent of the Fortune 100 and includes the likes of Coca-Cola, Google, Unilever and Nike.
Highlights for the studio in 2017 included winning McDonald’s global UX account, a global campaign for LG’s V30 phone, and the announcement of a new office in Chicago for 2018.
07. Firstborn
Firstborn was one of the early pioneers of online design and branding
Firstborn is a creative agency headquartered in New York. Founded in 1997, it focuses on delivering a wide range of digital services for big-fish clients such as L’Oréal, Mountain Dew, Bloomberg, Jet and Supercell.
The medium-sized studio is a part of the global network of Isobar, as well as the Dentsu Aegis Network, a subsidiary of Dentsu Inc.
2017 was a typically strong year for Firstborn, in which it became digital AOR for Pepsi and digital consultant for S&P Global; designed a new consumer channel for health brand Nature’s Bounty; and masterminded an Instagram series for a new Adidas shoe launch.
08. House Industries
House Industries combines the physical and the digital to create original and innovative work
Founded in 1993 by Andy Cruz and Rich Roat, House Industries is a foundry and design studio based in Delaware. With one foot in physical design and one in digital, its offering centres around traditional skills in drawing, painting, and lettering.
This studio’s client list includes Hermès, The New Yorker, Lego and Disney, and its work is in the permanent collections of The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.
2017 highlights for House Industries included a show at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the release of its tongue-in-cheek self-help book, ‘House Industries: The Process of Inspiration’.
09. The Office of Paul Sahre
The Office of Paul Sahre deliberate shuns the idea of specialisation
The Office of Paul Sahre is a design consultancy based in New York City, launched in 1997 by the eponymous designer, who purposely abstains from specialisation in favour of a problem solving approach that can take any form or function. One famous example was a monster truck-style hearse built for the band They Might Be Giants.
Other past clients have include The New York Times, Google Creative Labs, This American Life, Simon and Schuster Aids and Marvel Comics. The big 2017 highlight for Sahre was completing his monograph, Two-Dimensional Man: A Graphic Memoir, which documents his three decades of work as a designer.
10. Happy Cog
Happy Cog has long been a thought leader in the web design community
Born in 1999, during the early ‘wild west’ days of the internet, Happy Cog has built a solid reputation within the design community for its promotion of common web standards and, more recently, responsive design.
Based in Philadelphia, the agency continues to design award-winning websites, digital products and experiences for nonprofits, higher education, media companies, and global brands.
Notable projects in 2017 included a new design language for materials science company Gore-Tx and a digital redesign for wedding attire company David’s Bridal.
11. Siegel+Gale
Siegel+Gale focuses on keeping things beautifully simple
Founded in 1969, Siegel+Gale is a branding firm headquartered in New York City. It also boasts offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai.
The studio is perhaps best known for its tagline, “Simple is Smart”; a principle it famously put into practice in 1979 when it helped the Inland Revenue Service simplify people’s tax forms. It’s also at the core of its highly regarded Global Brand Simplicity Index, which it releases annually every April.
Siegel+Gale’s commercial clients include American Express, Disney, Dow, Four Seasons Hotels, Microsoft, Motorola and Pfizer, while non-profits include Girl Scouts of the USA, Legal Aid Society, Florida State University and the Museum of Arts and Design.
12. Hugo & Marie
Hugo & Marie is a mix of design studio and artist agency
Hugo & Marie is a multi-disciplinary creative studio and artist representation firm based in Brooklyn. Founded in 2008 by Mario Hugo and Jennifer Marie Gonzalez, it says it aims to “interweaves the values of its founders and artists with the character of its clients”, which include famous names such as Stella McCartney, Lorde, Coldplay and Rihanna.
Recent work for the studio includes a brand campaign for Glenmorangie whisky, a visualisation project for Swedish multi-instrumentalist Thunder Tillman, and an online presence for fashion designer Mira Mikati.
13. Fantasy Interactive
Fantasy Interactive is at the cutting edge of user experience and new technology
Fantasy Interactive is an independently owned, digital design studio based in San Francisco and New York City.
Founded in 1999, the award-winning company is nowadays firmly focused on user experience, working on everything from automotive user interfaces to artificial intelligence, consoles to mobile operating systems. Its impressive list of clients includes names such as Xbox, Google, Twitter, Spotify and Huawei.
Recent projects for the studio, which is often abbreviated to f-i or fi, have included a collaboration with OgilvyOne to launch Chrome in Asia, a product site for Wacom, and a companion website for Sony’s Connected World campaign.
14. Big Spaceship
Big Spaceship offers high-class digital services to discerning clients
Founded in 2000, Big Spaceship is a Brooklyn-based design studio that provides a mix of product design, brand communications and content to its clients, who include Converse, Dannon, Google, Hasbro, Nestle-Purina and Samsung.
Highlights of 2017 for the studio include expanding its executive team, getting selected as digital design partner for budget airline JetBlue, and winning MediaPost’s OMMA Agency of the Year award.
15. The Barbarian Group
The Barbarian Group is now on an even keel after a rocky couple of years
The Barbarian Group is an interactive design studio originally founded in Boston in 2001, but currently headquartered in New York City. Its most celebrated projects to date include the Subservient Chicken for Burger King, AnyFilms for Samsung, and the Beer Cannon for Milwaukee's Best. Since 2009, it’s been owned by Cheil Worldwide.
After a wave of disruptive departures in 2015-2016, which led some to question the future of the company, things stabilised somewhat in 2017, with work for Pepsi, Etihad Airways and IBM being among the project highlights.
16. Stink Studios
Stink Studios works across film, design, technology and strategy
Found in 2009 and originally known as Stink Digital, Stink Studios is a global digital company headquartered in London and New York, which also has offices in Berlin, Los Angeles, Paris and Shanghai. The studio works across film, design, technology and strategy for clients include Google, Spotify, Twitter, Ray-Ban and Nike.
Recently the studio has been partnering with WeTransfer to create “A Message from Earth”, a site paying homage to NASA's 1978 extraterrestrial communication. It’s also helped to design Facebook for Creators, a new platform designed to help video creators develop their skills.
17. R/GA
R/GA likes to focus on the big picture for its forward-facing, global clients
R/GA is a full service digital agency headquartered in New York. Founded in 1977 by two brothers, Richard and Robert Greenber, its global network now spans 18 countries, with 2,000 employees representing over 20 nationalities. Clients include McDonalds, Unilever, Nike, Johnson & Johnson and YouTube.
Sharply focused on staying at the cutting edge of new technologies, R/GA teamed up with Verizon in 2017 to launch Verizon Media Tech Venture Studio, an incubator for companies aimed at disrupting digital entertainment and media.
18. Code And Theory
Code And Theory is one of the industry’s most innovative studios
Founded in 2001 by Dan Gardner and Brandon Ralph, Code And Theory is a digital-first creative agency that designs products, content and campaigns across multiple platforms. Its clients include Bloomberg, LA Times, Vogue, Hearst Publications and Comcast.
Picked as one of the “10 Most Innovative Companies in Design” by Fast Company, it employs more than 375 people in offices in New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, London and Manila. Recent projects include a new global website for Maybelline New York, a campaign for Burger King; and a motion graphics theme for NBC News for Snapchat.
19. Brand New School
Brand New School puts the focus on motion and interactivity
Despite the name, Brand New School is not actually a school, but a creative design and production studio that creates ads, interactive media, branding and music videos. Founded in 2000 by Jonathan Notaro, it has offices in New York and Los Angeles. Clients include Coca-Cola, Apple, Google, Nike, Gillette, Ford, and Starbucks.
Recent projects include animated spots for Nike to celebrate Children’s Day in China, launch imagery for Google’s new phone, and a spot-motion spot for a Quaker Oats campaign.
20. IDEO
IDEO wants to use design thinking to solve the world’s biggest challenges
IDEO is a design and consulting firm that is, in its own words, “committed to making a positive impact”. It was created in Palo Alto, California, in 1991, as part of a merger between three companies led by David Kelley, Bill Moggridge, and Mike Nuttall.
Pronounced “EYE-dee-oh”, the studio now employs more than 700 people in nine locations around the world, and applies human-centered methodologies to ‘big picture’ challenges, such as healthcare, education and government itself.
Recent projects include launching an innovation lab to help Peruvians, designing a new digital content platform for The Times and Sunday Times, and helping European fashion platform Zalando expand its services.
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Knowing how to make an app has never been more vital. We've covered the best iPhone apps and iPad apps for designers elsewhere on the site – but here we're looking at how to make them. Why? Because apps are everything.
Without an app, a PC is a typewriter, and a smartphone or tablet is a slab of glass and metal. If you’ve been bitten by the app bug and hanker to make your own, getting started can be intimidating. This feature points you at tutorials, explainers, resources, and videos that can help you learn how to make an app.
We’re not forcing you towards Apple’s maw either. Although we do cover how to create apps for iOS and macOS, there are also tutorials for Android and Windows here, along with a cross-platform list covering concepts and ideas every app can benefit from, and technologies that can be deployed across a range of platforms.
In some cases you’ll gain knowledge, but some tutorials even leave you with a complete (if simple) app to mess around with. You can skip to the section you want using the dropdown menu above.
The only restrictions on your part are the kit required to work on the tutorials (which may be as little as a device like an iPad Pro to watch videos, and a whirring brain to take everything in) and time. Money isn’t generally an issue, because all of these tutorials are freely available – or at least freely accessible using trials.
How to make iOS apps for iPad and iPhone
Apple’s iOS platform remains the best bet on mobile for innovative and production-oriented apps. If you want to learn how to make an app for iPhone or iPad, check out the links below.
01. Watch Apple developer insights
Get some background to app-making with Apple developer insights
Rather than immediately delving into making an app or game, it pays to find out what makes them successful. Apple’s developer insights videos have creators of hit apps share how they built sustainable businesses, cultivated communities, and kept their products fresh through regular updates and feature innovations.
02. Create a Messages stickers extension
If you’re desperate to get cracking and make something, this YouTube video by The Code Lady is a good place to start. In just a few minutes, it leads you through the process of using Xcode to fashion a simple Messages extension. It’s not a ‘proper’ app, sure, but it’s a toe in the water.
03. Start developing iOS apps
This course breaks down the elements of building an app
This course by Apple is broken down into sections that give you a grounding in building interface elements and working with table views. The end result is a simple meal-tracking app, with which a user can add, remove or edit a meal, along with specifying a name, rating and image.
04. Make iPhone apps (even if you have no experience)
These tutorials are a great way to start making an app
Chris Ching’s guide for his own Code with Chris site is a series of videos to take you through the process of creating an app. Unlike many guides, it starts with no assumptions. But in carefully working through the friendly tutorials, you’ll learn Xcode, Swift, interface design, user interaction, and computer logic.
05. Develop iOS 10 apps with Swift
You'll need a bit of coding knowledge for this course
Available through iTunes, Stanford’s course on developing for iOS has been updated for iOS 10 and Swift. The course comprises a series of lengthy video-based lectures with supporting material. Note that you will need some knowledge of C and object-oriented programming to be comfortable with the course.
06. Create your first iOS game
In this series of seven videos from Awesome Tuts, you go through the process of creating a simple endless runner gravity flipper game. What you end up with is basic, but gives you insight into working with backgrounds, players, character movement and collectables. Keener on apps? Check out Awesome Tuts’ Uber clone.
07. Design for all Apple screen sizes
This will help you get a handle on Apple's screen real estate
Although penned during the iOS 8 days, this article full of developer insight remains relevant to those targeting multiple Apple screen sizes. And you should – the best modern apps work on anything from the smallest iPhone to the largest iPad. Savvy developers also think beyond, to the world of the Apple TV and even Apple Watch.
08. Understand iOS accessibility
Accessibility is all-important when making apps
Accessibility is a fundamental component of all Apple’s output, and iOS devices are no exception. The best apps are aware of – and utilise – key accessibility technologies. This video series runs through many of them and also how to audit apps to ensure their functions are discoverable to and useable by all. (You’ll need a free trial to view this Lynda tutorial – or sign up and subscribe.)
Next page: How to make an Android app
Android is the Windows of the mobile world, enjoying a colossal user base and huge market share. To get in on the Android app action, check out the links below to learn how to build an app.
01. Watch Android developer insights
Gen up on Android with the developer insights
The Android Developers YouTube channel is a great starting point for immersing yourself in everything about Android development. It houses videos from live events, along with a bunch of demos and tutorials, covering everything from improving accessibility for all users through to dealing with the ins and outs of Android Wear.
02. Build your first Android app
Get stick right in to Android app-building here
This rather comprehensive official Android website offers a slew of training guides. Work through the documentation and you’ll learn how to create an Android app, support various device types, deal with interface elements, and more. Also related and noteworthy: the Material design site, outlining the platform’s modern vision for aesthetics.
03. Follow the 10-day Android app program
10 days to learn how to build an app? Sign us up!
Looking at swathes of documentation? Not sure where to start? Adam Sinicki’s post for Android Authority breaks down the process of Android app development into 10 simple steps. Well, mostly simple – one is ‘learning the basics of Java’. But although 10 days is perhaps pushing it, a few weeks isn’t, if you’re dedicated.
04. Create a voice-controlled Android app
This course will teach you how to build a voice-controlled app in 12 minutes
One of the futures of apps involves bellowing at devices rather than stroking them with a digit. This course runs through how to create a voice-controlled Android app in just 12 minutes. The course costs $3, but you can watch for nothing if you sign up for a free trial.
05. Understand responsive Android app interfaces
Get responsive with this app-building tutorial
A weakness in many Android apps is their inability to scale well. And yet Material Design lends itself neatly to responsive designs that should work on any device, from tiny smartphones to huge tablets. This tutorial gets you started on creating apps that more fully adapt themselves to varied screen dimensions and orientations.
06. Learn about Android’s thumb zone
The most fun you can have with one hand
Once, smartphones were small enough that the average thumb could reach the entire display. Not so much now. iOS suffers from this problem, but Android more so, due to the tendency towards increasingly large devices. This Smashing Magazine feature outlines how best to cater for one-handed smartphone usage.
07. Switch from iOS to Android app development
Perform the old app switcheroo with help from this article
For the most part, iOS is where the money is, but Android’s where most users are. It’s therefore a smart move to at least consider shifting iOS apps across to Android. If you’re wavering, this article outlines the main considerations for making the move, noting that you can in fact utilise a great deal of your existing experience.
08. Discover Android app dev dos and don’ts
This broad advice on how to build an app is priceless
Jessica Thornsby’s piece for Tuts+ is quite general in nature, but it offers vital and sage advice on subjects such as designing for multiple devices, considering languages, accessibility concerns, and thorough testing. You won’t end up with an app after reading it – but any apps you do make will be better.
Next page: How to make a Windows app
Although Microsoft’s mobile aspirations were all for nothing (sorry, Windows Phone fans), Microsoft’s still dominant on the desktop. Moreover, its ambitious universal approach to development means apps you create potentially have reach across a wide range of platforms.
01. Get started with Windows apps
Head to Windows Dev centre to kick things off
Microsoft’s Windows Dev Center is the natural starting point for anyone keen to make windows apps – for PCs, tablets, phones, and more. There are explainers about Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app development, insight into Windows conventions, and a bunch of code examples.
02. Understand Windows app development
This great series will help you expand your app-making skills
For those entirely new to Windows development, this set of dozens of videos walks you through the process of creating UWP apps. Neatly, the series is also peppered with challenges to help improve your skills. (Note that it assumes you know the basics of C#.)
03. Create your first Windows app
Learn how to make an app that speaks
If you want to quickly get something working, this tutorial has you create a simple ‘Hello, world’ app for UWP using XAML and C#. Also, rather than just fling up a dialog to say hello, this little app will speak.
04. Make a Windows clock app
Creating this simple app will teach you plenty of skills
Another tutorial for creating an app, but this one for Tuts+ goes a bit further. Vivek Maskara leads you through the process of making a clock, where the background gradually shifts colour by converting the time to a hexadecimal value.
05. Learn the basics of universal Windows app development
Another great Lynda.com app-building course
This Lynda.com course introduces you to the concepts behind UWP development – and it also helps you learn C# along the way. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a fully working app you can install – and ideas for taking your skills further.
06. Create a UWP game with DirectX
Learn how to craft a game with this tutorial
Sadly, this tutorial from Microsoft doesn’t leave you with a playable game at the end. Still, you do at least learn to work on the major components of a game: creating a game loop, rendering, controls, audio, and adding imagery.
07. Make multilingual Windows apps
This 12-minute video rapidly leads you through the process of creating a multi-language Windows app. The example has a text button that can be displayed in more than one language, but the general principles extend to any app.
Next page: How to make macOS apps for Macs
Apple is perhaps more known for iOS apps these days, but the Mac’s still going strong – and importantly for app developers, has an audience keen to pay for quality software. So make some!
01. Check out the Mac App Programming Guide
Don't let the lack of recent updates put you off checking this out
Alarm bells might ring on spotting the lead image here, which sports an old-style OS X Dock. And indeed, Apple’s guide’s not been updated since 2015. However, it still provides a decent overview on the fundamentals of creating Mac apps, so give it a read.
02. Learn about macOS Human Interface Guidelines
The HIG is the bible of MacOS development
A key factor in the Mac’s success has been the intuitive nature of Mac software, driven in part by consistent interface components. Much of the magic is down to the Human Interface Guidelines, which should be considered a bible of sorts for any serious Mac developer.
03. Create apps with Swift 3
Learn the basics of building an app for MacOS here
This Lynda.com series takes you through the basics of building a Mac app. It starts with Xcode, and introduces the important concepts you’ll need to learn in order to create a Mac app. You’ll also learn how to get apps on to the Mac App Store and optimise them for the Mac’s full-screen mode.
04. Create your first macOS apps
This series for beginners is pretty comprehensive
We’re in full-on developer mode in this raywenderlich.com series for beginners. The first part leads you through a tour of Xcode before building a ‘Hello, world’ app. After that, you’ll create a timer, beefing up your interface and user interaction smarts.
05. Master macOS windows
Windows are key to understanding Mac app building (ironically)
Still on raywenderlich.com, this feature focusses purely on windows – the containers for Mac apps. It explores apps with single windows, library-style interfaces, and multi-window demands, and how to work with them all. A related (and more recent) tutorial delves into view controllers, which are useful as building blocks for complex user interfaces.
06. Build a show/hide macOS app
If you just want to get on and build a quick project, this six-minute video is ideal. Crack open Xcode, follow along, and you’ll end up with a little app that shows/hides all other apps.
07. Create a word reversing macOS app
Another super-quick project, this video takes under ten minutes to lead you through the entire process of building an app that reverses text strings you input. Hungry for more? Check the author’s feed, because she’s uploaded a bunch of other Swift tutorials for macOS and iOS.
08. Add Touch Bar support to macOS apps
The Touch Bar is Apple’s most recent Mac-oriented input innovation, and we like what developers are doing with it. Want to enhance your own apps with Touch Bar goodness? This quickfire video tutorial from Zappy Code shows you how.
Next page: App dev tips and cross-platform thinking
This final grab-bag of links is all about articles with general advice on making apps, and those technologies that enable you to create once and deploy to multiple platforms.
01. How to build a Progressive Web App
PWAs combine the benefits of native and web experiences
Progressive Web Apps combine the benefits of native apps with the perks of the web. PWAs can be saved to your homescreen (just like a native app) and thanks to Service Workers, they can run offline. However, unlike native apps, they don't need updating – which is a win for UX and for security. This tutorial shows you how to build a Progressive Web App for yourself.
02. How to name your app
Naming your app is not to be rushed
What’s in a name? Quite a lot as it turns out. What your app’s called isn’t only important from a search standpoint, but also in terms of recognition in stores and on a device. This Creative Bloq article outlines how to pick the right name – and the difference doing so can make.
03. Get to grips with mobile app onboarding
The right onboarding process can make sure people engage with your app
The majority of people's phones are littered with apps they installed, played around with once, then forgot about. If you want to make sure your app doesn't end up being abandoned, take a look at this guide to mobile app onboarding. It walks through how to show users how your app works, and (where necessary) get them to commit to it without putting them off.
04. Design better app icons
Getting your app’s icon right is of paramount importance. Icons are what grab people’s attention on stores, and what they prod on a device display. Michael Flarup’s talk from Generate outlines best practice for icon creation. And if you need a little inspiration, check out our feature on the best iPhone app icons.
05. Understand the power of colour
Colour usage is key to usability, accessibility and branding
Given the penchant for relative minimalism in modern operating system interfaces, colour is vitally important. Nick Babich’s feature explores how to create an effective colour scheme through utilising colour theory and strong use of contrast. Need some apps to help? Check out Creative Bloq’s favourite free apps for picking a colour scheme.
06. Discover the best wireframing tools
Wireframing helps you turn your sketches into a workable app
You can’t – or at least really really shouldn’t – just delve into making an app without thinking things through. One of the more important components of planning an app is wireframing – stripping down your intended product to focus on functions and interactions. This Creative Bloq piece lists 20 tools to help you do so.
07. Build a game in Unity
You need to learn Unity if you want to build a game
How often have you fired up a great game and seen the Unity logo appear? This is for good reason – Unity is a powerful tool for cross-platform games development. At raywenderlich.com, there are explainers on the technology, along with how-tos that enable you to create your own Unity games.
08. Discover GameMaker
GameMaker is another great utility
GameMaker is another tool for creating games that can be exported to a range of platforms. The link above takes you through to a page housing videos that help you get to grips with the technology, creating an exciting arena shooter while doing so.
09. Build an app using NW.js
Learn how to create a web app with this article
Although we never quite hit the moment where web apps became ubiquitous, many apps do have a foundation of native web technology. In Julian Motz’s Sitepoint article, you’ll use the NW.js framework for creating a cross-platform desktop app.
10. Develop cloud apps using Xamarin
This is for advanced app-builders
Xamarin is another cross-platform framework, albeit aimed at mobile. Adrian Hall’s free and open-source book is intended for C#-savvy users who’ve already built with Xamarin, and want to take their efforts further by utilising cloud services. If you’re not there yet, the introduction links to resources for getting that foundation first.
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What were the biggest web design trends of 2017, and what will be big in 2018? As the year draws to a close, we asked leading designers and studio heads to share their views, perspectives and predictions.
Just as when we brought you 10 huge graphic design trends for 2018, this isn’t about following the creative herd: it’s about taking stock of where the industry is right now. So whether you follow these trends or not, it’s useful to know what they are…
01. Web animation
This animation by Chris Gannon is part of Twitter's official GIF app
“Animations have been huge this year; they’ve really been taken to the next level,” says Mireia Lopez, creative director at digital creative agency DARE.
“We’ve see design teams animating, prototyping and learning neat coding to use more intricate prototyping tools like Framer in order to communicate concepts to clients and explain digital journeys to developers. There are lines starting to be blurred between designers and developers, and I definitely think we’ll see a rapid blend in the year ahead.”
Bruno La Versa, senior digital designer at social media management platform Lightful, agrees. “Storytelling and personality is something that new and old brands are working on in order to capture users’ attention, and animations are starting to play a bigger role in this,” he says.
“Animations have shown and will continue to show the brand's strength in our digital world, giving a strong personality to the brand, making it less static and more dynamic.”
And as a part of this trend, we’re seeing the return of the animated GIF. “It seems the world is ready (and indeed is crying out for) animation of everything, whether it be comedy loops of cats falling off tables or adding a sense of fun to the logo in your email signature,” says Lee Fasciani, founder and director of Territory Projects.
“The basic animated GIF is here to stay, for now, due to its ability to be read by almost anything,” he adds. “Now designers are harnessing this ability to enliven HTML emails, messages, web pages and so on. A well designed, crafted and executed GIF sequence can make any user take notice, and there will be more to come in 2018.”
To get on board with the trend, check out our 5 steps to mastering web animation and 10 brilliant web animations by Chris Gannon.
02. More adventurous colours
Design Studio’s work for the Premier League is full of bold colours
“Over the past year we’ve seen an increase in the use of bold colours being used across digital platforms,” notes James Bearne, creative director of Kagool. One great example is that of DesignStudio's new branding scheme for The Premier League's 2016/2017 season.
"A confident departure from the previous identity, the striking visual treatment didn’t stop at the website or its app; it came roaring onto the pitches with billboards, social media and more.”
And this won’t slow down in 2018, Bearne predicts. “With new tools like Khroma helping us to find more interesting ways of using colour, it seems likely we’ll see more designers exploring how colour can be used to deliver exceptional experiences.
"What will be interesting to see is how colour can be used alongside customisation and personalisation to create truly unique experiences for consumers that tick several boxes at once.”
03. Inventive typography
The typography cutout trend in action on the Danbury website
In the battle for eyeballs, typography is a powerful weapon, and its use on the web has broadened out this year, says Kelly Morr, senior manager of content strategy at 99designs.
“Typography is powerful and the bigger the better. So while neo-grotesque sans-serif styles like Helvetica remain in vogue, designers are branching out, turning to the huge variety of typefaces available.”
She predicts that 2018 will see the return of serifs to the screen. “We’ll also see more and more sites using contrasting serif and sans-serif fonts to create dynamic parallels in the name of UX, take for example GE’s gorgeous web design.”
The fact that device resolutions are getting sharper, amping up the legibility factor, is also opening the door for a rise in custom fonts. “Designers are opting for typography with tons of personality not only for emphasis, but also for aesthetic effect. All of this, plus the drama afforded by oversized typefaces, goes to show that 2018 will not all be about subtlety, and we can expect to see bold trends continue to develop.”
Another type-related trend identified by Gee Guntrip, studio manager at Hyped Marketing, is that of typography cutouts. “The technique uses a block of colour over a still or moving image that appears through clear lettering,” she says. “Choosing the right typeface and limiting the number of letters is paramount to making this work.
“For example, Danbury has done this really well with a bright text cutout that draws the user’s attention to its video. Comedie Francaise uses the typography effect on text hover. And Nurture Digital showcases video through letters.”
04. Data storytelling
IKEA and Apple recently teamed up on an augmented reality home design app
“2017 has been a great year for design,” says Craig Taylor, senior data visualisation design manager at Ito World. “We’ve witnessed a boom in animated visualisations and an increased appetite for data representation from a 3D perspective. But what use is this data, beautiful or otherwise, if it’s not digestible and ultimately usable?”
Enter what Taylor calls the information storyteller. “There is now a huge emphasis on effective storytelling through design, conveying often complex information as simply and as engagingly as possible to a variety of audiences,” he explains. “Designers are thinking outside the box with new, bespoke creations – the muted palettes of old ditched in favour of vibrant colour transitions paired with minimalist yet bold typography.”
So what does 2018 hold for information design? “Greater accessibility to new technology will undoubtedly see an increase in the number of designers using animation as a means of storytelling,” believes Taylor.
“And with AR and VR advancements ushering in the prospect of simulated exploration of virtual models, it’s important that we remember to keep information and data at the heart of what we do. If we get this right, the overlapping spheres of data science and design will allow for ever increasingly informative, grounded and clear examples of data visualisation.”
Lee Fasciani agrees that AR and VR have much more to offer going forward. “Technology has enabled us to more readily mix our real world with our screen-based world,” he says. “We’re moving on from an increasing desire to add video to our digital experiences; layering them with a depth and richness unachievable not so long ago.
"A mixed reality brings us firmly into the ‘new’, with large tech firms committed to innovating in AR, future design will need to consider our world in all four dimensions. We are seeing the start of this mixed reality in popular games and more function applications such as IKEA Place.”
05. Standardisation between design tools
InVision Studio is the latest addition to the explosion in design tools we’ve seen this year
In 2017, it seems like not a day has gone past without a new app, tool or feature from the likes of InVision, Adobe XD, Figma, Axure, Marvel, Vectr and others. And that includes Sketch, whose open file format update, Sketch 43, has been a real game changer. (You can learn more about that in this guide.)
“Let’s just say that, if you’re still using Photoshop for UI Design, you probably need to take a look around you,” says Bruno La Versa. “2017 has been the year of the new design tools: Figma, Webflow, InVision Studio just to name a few. The explosion in design tools highlights how design is becoming a core element to how businesses operate.”
Bearne, however, notes that this trend does pose a particular challenge for agencies. “2017 has seen a plethora of tools race forth in the hope of being the ‘chosen tool’ for the industry, but simultaneously, the flood of products has become frustrating, as all have claimed to live up to huge expectations.
"This has created an issue for inter-agency working, where teams have different processes, as each was tested to discover if it could replace Sketch. The market has, in turn, become saturated with options but little guidance on how to create efficiencies.
“The launch of InVision Studio – set for January 2018 – will be interesting, as we’ll see if it can use its collaborative platform to finally bring a standardisation to the design process. What will happen to Sketch if InVision is as good as it looks? Has Photoshop’s fight for survival finally come to end?”
To learn more, read our post 30 web design tools to speed up your workflow in 2018.
06. Flat design 2.0
Flat design is giving way to semi-flat design, aka Flat 2.0
Flat design isn’t dying, but in 2018 it’s certainly having to learn to adapt to stay relevant, believes Morr. “This new, so-called Flat 2.0 or semi-flat design, relies on adding nuance and depth to its prior ascetic identity. How is it doing that? By indulging in a few design taboos: gradients and shadows. But don’t worry, it’s only in moderation.”
Since 2007, gradients have conjured images of corporate Powerpoint presentations, 00s era web headers, and dated logo designs. “But in 2018 they’re back, albeit evolved,” Morr continues. “Gradients are now rocking vibrant, updated colours palettes and softer, subtler transitions. They’re making a splash on brands like Instagram, Stripe, and even Apple’s iOS icons.
"Thanks to headway made in web browser functionality, we’re also seeing a revival of shadows. Like gradients, shadows were shelved in favor of minimalism and 2D design. Realism and skeuomorphism are still out, but in 2018 designers will be experimenting more and more with updated, softened, and stylised shadows in their work.”
She offers the Scale website by way of example. “The interface has a strictly minimal layout, but features soft, oversaturated gradients, and makes heavy use of shadow-based microinteractions,” she explains. “Not only are many of the clickable buttons accentuated with elongating shadows, but shadows also emphasise media and break up the page. Depth helps determine visual hierarchy, and can point users to input fields and calls to action on screen.”
Flat design was a radical departure from the skeuomorphism and hyperreality of the 00s, but has the pendulum swung too far? “In 2018, we’ll continue towards a best-of-both-worlds situation,” Morr believes, “in which clever reintroduction of shadows and gradients can add both functionality and beauty.”
07. Playful illustration
In a web of cookie-cutter sites, illustration helps a brand stand out
We’ve been seeing a lot more illustration on websites in 2017, and that’s no coincidence. “Brands want to stand out and illustrations are a fabulous way to inject personality into a website,” says Morr.
“They are visually engaging without getting in the way of functionality and simplicity; illustrations come in infinite shapes, sizes, styles, and are a dynamic element to look out for in 2018 and beyond. We’re learning not to neglect playfulness in the name of a straightforward user experience.”
This trend isn’t only about being whimsical, though. “Illustrations can be extremely practical ways of presenting or explaining information. Nobody wants a boring website, and custom drawings are a human touch that can breathe life into otherwise dry content.
"The marketplace is saturated and competitive, and web design needs to strike a balance between personality and functionality; illustrations are the perfect way to showcase who you are, just look at funemployed.life.”
08. The evolution of AI
As chatbots become more and more sophisticated, ‘artificial narrow intelligence’ is transitioning into ‘artificial general intelligence’
Artificial intelligence is no longer a matter for sci-fi. AI has already worked its way into mainstream web design, through technologies like conversational interfaces (chatbots). Indeed, according to eBay product designer Elaine Lee, you may already be using AI in your day-to-day work without even knowing it.
As she explains in this post, what’s called ‘artificial narrow intelligence’ (ANI) is already hard at work powering voice assistants like Google Home and Apple’s Siri. It also runs recommendation technologies for the likes of Amazon, Spotify and Netflix, not to mention smart home devices, self-driving cars and chatbots.
“As people become more accustomed to interacting with bots, we are seeing a rise in the use of conversational interfaces in design,” says Jim Bowes, CEO and Founder of Manifesto. “Looking forward, machine learning and AI will be introduced into many of the systems we interact with over the next couple of years.
“As a medium, design will adapt to this in a number of ways,” he predicts. “In some cases it will aim to demonstrate artificial intelligence, and sometimes design will work to make AI seem natural and invisible. I think we will see a large amount of design that will seek to demonstrate greater intelligence when, in actual fact, no true AI is being used. This will often be achieved by making better use of context in digital journeys.”
If you want to learn about creating your own chatbot, check out our How to build a chatbot interface post, How to design a chatbot experience tips and these 5 essential chatbot learning resources.
09. Asymmetric layouts
Spotify kicked off this trend back in 2015, and it's been growing in popularity ever since
The responsive design movement of the 2010s has revolutionised web design and enabled designers to build sites that adapt seamlessly to different devices. “This year, we’ve seen an increase in designs that rebelled against the constraints of responsive design with an attempt to be more ‘creative’,” says Bearne.
“You could almost hear the client feedback, saying: ‘Can it be less boxy’, and designers responded.” New technologies meant that in 2017, the traditional rules of web design were getting broken left, right and centre.
But Bearne suggests the trend is approached with caution. “Designs that pushed limits in asymmetry really came to the fore in 2015,” he notes. “In that year, Spotify used an asymmetrical design to deliver its ‘Year in Music’. It felt right in that situation, and added to the creativity and bold character of the brand. Unfortunately, its most basic form has started to become a normal approach and has made its way onto more websites, and not necessarily for the better.
“What has been highlighted in 2017 is a drive to constantly differentiate and break away from rules. Good designers accept rules; they like them, they work with them. But they also find ways to push them and to create new ways of presenting content. It’s something I hope continues into 2018.”
10. Making the most of mobile
Mobile is only going to become more important to web designers in 2018
2017 was a landmark year for the mobile web, as its usage finally overtook that of desktop browsing. And that means web designers will be more focused than ever on the mobile audience next year and beyond.
“As we move into 2018, I expect innovations to fully utilise mobile functionality we’ve never seen on the desktop,” says Morr. “2018 will continue to see designers develop clever ways to organise information beautifully and intuitively, leading to more sophisticated user experiences, with focuses on micro-interactions and gestures over icons and buttons.
"Simply put, intuitively navigable sites convert better; G-Star has put this into practice extremely well.”
Lopez offers a specific example of how mobile-first is not just an airy principle but something that needs to be baked into the core design process. As we mentioned earlier, animations are now more and more present in web design – “but sometimes, it’s too much. There’s a danger of overdoing it and relying on motion to define an experience.
"Designers need to consider how mega animations and transitions are going to translate into browsers and devices like mobile, where there’s no hover states and content needs to adapt to reduced screen sizes.”
Check out these 10 tips for better mobile UX design to learn more.
11. Kinetic emails
Kinetic emails are improving the way brands like Adidas communicate with customers
“This has been the year that, in the UK at least, people finally moved on from just making their emails mobile-responsive and started looking at what comes next,” says Rob Pellow, head of digital design at Adestra.
“In fact, while there are still brands that come to us to ask about making their campaigns and templates mobile responsive, nearly all of them are asking the question: ‘What else can we do?’”
It’s been the first year, he says, that Adestra has seen regular use of ‘kinetic’ emails: using CSS3 and HTML to create interactivity within an email. This trend stems from the fact that users are so comfortable with the UI language of mobile apps and websites, they’re happy to see it in other places, including email.
“With these new opportunities have come the first steps towards treating a single email campaign as a journey in itself; B&Q treated us to another impressive carousel that worked in more email clients than ever before, Litmus gave us the ability to have a basket process in its summit email and Rebel (formerly Rebelmail) is now selling the ability to complete the whole checkout process within the email – the only web page you see is a confirmation page at the end.
"This is starting to change what email means to people because, if we can deliver these sorts of experiences here, we can combine these things with a level of personalisation that websites can only dream of. Who says email is dead?”
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They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but it's just not true. It's never too late to learn a new skill. It doesn't matter if you're hoping to further your career or just want to pick up some skills for fun. The eduCBA Tech Training Bundle has the courses you need to pick up new abilities that you've always wanted, and you can get a lifetime subscription on sale for 95% off the retail price.
When you log in to the eduCBA Tech Training Bundle, you’ll see more than 800 courses, all packed with actionable and professionally-taught lessons waiting for you. Topics include programming, web development, software testing, mobile apps, networking, ecommerce, design, data and more. New courses are being added all the time so you'll never run out of skills to learn.
You’ll have unlimited access to it all, including mock tests and quizzes, giving you the ability to learn whatever you’d like, whenever you'd like. Work your way through these courses that cover everything tech, from coding to design to IT and much more.
A lifetime subscription to eduCBA Tech Training Bundle usually retails for $797, but you’ll pay just $39 (approx. £29). That’s a saving of 95% off the full retail price, a great deal for unlimited access to skills that could change your career, 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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In an increasingly digital age, an innovative business card has the power to make a real impact on a potential client, collaborator or employer.
Take a chance encounter at a networking event, say. Sure, you could follow them on Twitter and give them your LinkedIn profile, but maybe the Wi-Fi is patchy – what then? A physical card in their pocket the next morning is a sure-fire way to jog their memory.
Working in tandem with a brilliant design portfolio and creative resume, your business card shows people what you're about – as well as how to get in contact with you. But there are rules to abide by. Follow our commandments and make your business card the best calling card there is...
01. Thou shalt not bombard
Stripped-back business card for Luka Žanić Photography designed by Studio8585
It’s very tempting to try to cram as much as possible onto your business card, trying to sum up exactly what you or your company does. Don’t. Keep it succinct, maybe with just your brand message and logo on one side and your contact details on the other.
Remember, if someone has your business card, it’s very likely they have met you and already know what you’re about. A card simply serves as a reminder. So keep it simple – you just want to jog their memory and point them to your website, or somewhere they can find more information.
02. Thou shalt not be too social
You exist on all social media platforms, right? So why not tell people? Well, because it's important to exercise caution.
Don't put your personal Facebook or Instagram on your business card – your prospective clients don’t need to know what you had for breakfast or that you spent the weekend at the boozer. And you really don't want to direct potential clients to a Twitter stream full of work rants.
Only include social accounts if they're professional. If your social media accounts show off your work and industry knowledge, go ahead – your clients will have another avenue to reach you.
03. Thou shalt not use old stock
Hey Studio designed these beautiful business cards for Estampaciones Fuerte
There’s nothing worse for a client or prospective employer than getting a crumpled, smudged business card that you’ve had at the bottom of your bag for months. So keep them in the box they were delivered in or get yourself a cool business card holder (you don’t have to reveal this if it seems a little over the top).
Also, if your contact details have changed (maybe you’ve changed phone number) get your cards re-printed; don’t try to patch up your cards or write your new number on the back – it looks scruffy and unprofessional.
04. Thou shalt not design for everyone
It’s very easy – with economies of scale – to design and print one business card for everyone, but it might not always be the best idea. Think about your client base; is it all the same kind of companies in the same kind of industries? Nope, thought not. Business cards for typography designers shouldn't look the same as business cards for UX designers, for example.
So if you’re looking at pitching to more heads of marketing and fewer creative directors, tailor your cards accordingly. And if you’re pitching to luxury clients, your card needs to reflect that (check out these gorgeous examples of letterpress business cards for inspiration) as a flimsy stock will just get binned.
05. Thou shalt reinforce your brand
Make your logo the only image on your business card – like Snask has done
Try to make your logo or branding the only image on your business card. If you're printing double-sided (which you should do), the reverse needs to include your contact details.
You are synonymous with your brand and your clients or peers need to associate you with it immediately. So don’t stray from your brand’s colours in any way – it’s just confusing.
06. Thou shalt not scrimp on legibility
Make sure your name and contact details are clearly displayed – as with this card for Tag Collective
Unless you’re a calligrapher, there’s no reason whatsoever to use a script font on your business card. It may look fancy but if it can’t be taken in at a glance you’ve just negated the point of your card. Our advice? For your details use a clean, sans-serif typeface. But not Arial, please. (That said, a well-chosen serif will also look fantastic.)
In summary, just make sure your name and contact details are clearly displayed. And keep your main text above 8pt.
07. Thou shalt not gimmick (unless it’s a really good one)
Giving your business card a gimmick is a great way to stand out – just make sure it's a good one
It’s very tempting to give your business card a gimmick – and if it’s a good one that suits your business it can be a good way to stand out. Many illustrators and designers over the years have used different materials to great effect – metal, plastic, you name it. But – and it's a big but – don’t push it too far.
A business card is designed to put in a wallet, purse or pocket – so an odd shape could make it hard to store and ultimately cause it to be discarded. Your card should make people people to raise their eyebrows, in a good way.
08. Thou shalt not over-complicate
Go back to commandment five – where we preach about you reinforcing your brand. Oh, and go back to commandment four as well, where we tell you not to design for everyone. This commandment kind of combines the two – you need to be very careful not to influence your clients into thinking you only work in a certain style by the graphics and typography you use on your card.
If in any doubt at all when going to meet prospective clients, keep your card very simple, with your mark on one side, your contact details on the other, and perhaps a special finish such as an emboss or spot varnish.
09. Thou shalt not go budget
If in doubt, keep your card simple and classy – as Firmalt did for its business cards for Atelán
Whatever you do, get your business cards professionally printed. Even if you have a top-of-the-line printer, your cards will still look unprofessional due to inconsistencies in cutting. Go to a local printer and explain exactly what you want – even the likes of Vistaprint offer metallic and foil finishes and spot UVs –and make sure your card is printed on top-quality stock. Costs are reasonable, and well worth it.
10. Thou shalt be original
This is perhaps the most important commandment of all – the ‘thou shalt not murder’ of business card design. Whatever you decide to do with your design, make it about you. Make it original and make it memorable. Whether this is through your unique message, a well thought-out format or a subtle die-cut, make your clients remember you and ensure your card doesn't get throw into the bottom of a bag to be recycled six months later.
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A researcher with the Twitter handle ‘Siguza’ published details of a macOS local privilege escalation vulnerability dating back to 2002 that could give an attacker root access to systems.
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VMware released three patches fixing critical vulnerabilities affecting its vSphere cloud computing virtualization platform.
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The life of a happy and fulfilled designer is all about learning new skills and pushing your creative energy in new directions. But there are certain core talents everyone needs to know to get the most out of life. That's the message behind this infographic from Business Insider, which runs through 30 of the most important traits every 'grown up' should have under their belt.
Ranging from money management tips to interpersonal skills, this infographic also includes artistic talents, such as picking up Photoshop tutorials. While some of these skills are a bit more difficult than others (learning a foreign languages requires a bit of travel before it truly sticks), it's worth noting that there isn't an age target on this infographic. As long as you're pushing yourself and trying new things, it's all good.
One of the strengths of being a creative person is possessing a diverse range of skills, but how many of these essentials have you mastered? Click the icon in the top right of the infographic to see the full-sized version.
Click the icon in the top right of the infographic to see the full-sized version
While there are undoubtedly useful skills on this infographic, we can't help but think that there needs to some more artistic entries. Especially seeing as making art – any art – has been proven to improve a person's mental wellbeing. Pick up your best pencils and give it a try.
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The dawn of a new year is a good time to evaluate how your career is going and how you can bring it to the next level. So what should you learn, and how? There's no easy answer. The skillsets of senior designers vary enormously, and almost everyone has knowledge gaps in some areas.
In this article, we'll explore photography, animation, business skills, coding, and prototyping and UX. Whether you're a freelancer aiming to secure better commissions or a jobbing designer looking for a promotion, mastering any of these will help take your design career to the next level.
We'd recommend you start by weighing up the pros and cons of the different study areas that appeal to you. Ask yourself: Do I already have some experience or knowledge in this area? How much will training cost? Can I get the boss to pay, and let me train in work time? And – perhaps most importantly: How much does it excite me?
Once you've answered all these questions, your choice of what to study should be crystal clear. Read on to make 2018 the year you take charge of your design destiny.
Photography
Photography is an invaluable skill for all creatives
Most designers can take decent pictures, and with a high-quality camera on every modern smartphone, you might think that's enough. But working to improve your photography skills can really help boost your career, says graphic designer Jacob Cass of Just Creative.
"As a designer, it helps you become more aware of composition, colour, light and allows you to start thinking in a different visual medium," he points out. "It also allows you to reduce your dependency on stock photos and earn more cash by charging for your services."
For Mark Dearman, design director at True, the latter was the clincher. "I was finding relying on stock photography very limiting," he explains. "Often clients wouldn't have the budget to commission their own photo shoots or bespoke illustration, so I was limited to stock. I decided to improve my photography skills to allow me to create my own assets."
01. Trial and error
Learning new skills could make you feel superhuman (Illustration: Flavio Montiel)
How did he go about it? "I own a lot of books by photographers and I've read plenty of articles, but it was trial and error mainly. I'd take some photos, then analyse them and work out what I needed to do to improve."
"I've learnt a lot from my mistakes. There really is no substitute for taking lots of photos. I always liked the famous quote by Henri Cartier-Bresson: 'Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.'"
02. Ask questions
Another thing you can do, says graphic designer and photographer Matthew Holland, is ask questions. "I'm on Twitter and Instagram a lot," he explains.
"I share a lot of other people's work, ask them how they've achieved this or that, as well as reading blogs or magazines and looking at YouTube. I recently came across Digital Rev TV, who are very funny and put a great twist on learning photography."
03. Study the fundamentals
In general, it's a case of practice makes perfect. "Start shooting and never stop," Cass advises. "Study the fundamentals from books and online. Understand how light works and how you can make it work for you."
Once you've done that, it's time to learn how to edit your photos. There are plenty of apps available for that – take a look at our list of the best photo editor apps to figure out which is the best one for you.
04. Read up
Learn what's what on your DSLR
There are plenty of resources about to help you improve your photography skills, whether you're a hobbyist looking to up your game or a total beginner. If you're looking for the right tools, take a look at our guide to the best cameras for creatives. Then check out these resources:
- Photography cheat sheet helps unlock DSLRs' potential
- The best photography websites
- 10 ways to improve your photography
- How to shoot print work for your portfolio
- Build your first in-house photo studio
Chris Gannon makes animations like this for the web
Motion graphics and animation are becoming more and more integral to design and branding, and learning those skills yourself has obvious benefits.
"In simple terms it makes you more visible," explains award-winning illustrator Simon Spilsbury. "Nowadays, with moving imagery all over social media, it's even more important to have the ability to make your work move."
Rob Hampson, designer at digital agency We Make Awesome Sh, had a specific reason for wanting to learn the fundamentals of animation. "I've always found explaining to clients and developers my animation ideas for UI elements quite difficult," he explains. "I thought I would learn the basics of After Effects so I could very quickly explain my ideas visually."
Illustration by Flavio Montiel
It's a similar story for designer and illustrator Jessica Draws. "I'd been creating static infographics, illustrations and graphics for a while," she explains.
"But I noticed an interest from clients in interactive and animated videos, which I had no skills or experience in. I knew it was important to stay on top of these skills, otherwise clients were going to look elsewhere."
01. Take a course
She and her husband invested in a week-long course in After Effects. "It was extremely effective, but what really pushed our skills was actually doing the work," she says.
"We took on a couple of personal motion graphics projects to practise with and offered a regular client, who we were creating static infographics for, a free animated version."
02. Learn by doing
"I really think the best way to learn is by doing," she says. "Don't be put off by the financial commitment. Really, you don't need to invest anything more than your time. Put some time aside each week to learn the software but set yourself a brief first as it's much easier to learn new software if you have a goal to get to."
03. Watch tutorials
"There are so many great tutorials and videos online," Hampson adds. "Typically I would just video search for what I wanted to achieve in Google – something like 'create a pulse animation in After Effects'.
"I prefer to watch video tutorials because I can see exactly what the author is clicking on and the micro-steps it takes them to achieve a task. This video was very useful, for example."
04. Read up
Illustration by Flavio Montiel
- 40 amazing After Effects tutorials
- How to move over from Photoshop to After Effects
- A beginner's guide to designing interface animations
- How to prepare Illustrator graphics for After Effects
- Export After Effects animations to HTML5
- Get started with animation in After Effects
- Understand the 12 principles of animation
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Illustration: Flavio MontielIt's not just creative skills that can help boost your career; getting a handle on the business side of things can be just as important. When he joined Moving Brands as a design intern, Jed Carter never thought he'd be very involved with copywriting, but it's a skill he's developed through the creation and curation of presentation decks and the agency's weekly newsletter.
"It's certainly the most surprising skill I've picked up," he says. "I now understand and appreciate the fine art of crafting a sentence that has the potential to persuade someone to buy your idea."
01. Business writing
John Simmons of branding and UX consultancy 3sixty was inspired to attend a business writing course from Dark Angels. "From lengthy proposals to a simple headline, we have to read and write at work," he says. "Making it compelling communicates our thinking and makes work more productive and fun."
He describes the course as life-changing: "It provided a safe place to discover hidden abilities. Each of us left confident we would transfer these skills to work."
02. Analytical skills
Analytical skills can also make you more useful to your employer. Yuriy Oparenko, a designer for Sennep, recently added a Google Analytics Individual Qualification to his skillset.
"I've always been interested in not only making things look beautiful, but how to make them work," he explains. "Being able to understand Google Analytics allows me to learn how people behave online and make more informed design decisions."
03. Qualifications
Oparenko studied through Google Analytics Academy. "I wouldn't say it's too challenging, but it requires some preparation and prior experience with Analytics," he says. "The exam is 90 minutes long and you can't pause it, so you need to dedicate a decent amount of time to it."
04. Read up
Illustration: Flavio Montiel- 7 pricing models – and which you should choose
- How to work smarter not harder
- 20 top tools for freelancers
- Learn the art of negotiation
- How to market yourself as a freelance designer: 7 top tips
- How fan art can get you paid
Illustration: Flavio MontielYou're a graphic designer, so you don't need to worry about web design, right? Wrong. It's an increasingly important skill for designers – and it can be the thing that sets you apart when you're competing with other designers for a job.
"You can find jobs as a graphic designer if you don't know how to code, but I still think it's a crucial skill for designers – maybe even more than ever before," says freelance graphic and web designer Mirko Humbert.
Don't panic, you don't need to be a fully fledged programmer, "but you do have to be 'code-literate' to do anything related to building websites or apps," says Humbert. "This is what will help you land a job, or new projects if you are a freelancer."
01. Start with free resources
There are plenty of resources to get you started. Creative director Matt Rice of London studio Sennep recommends Codecademy. "It a great place to start for beginners and the lessons are free," he explains. CodePen is another good place to start experimenting. "It's a good resource for inspiration in terms of more playful things you can do with code," Rice adds.
02. Study the masters
That was more or less how Rice originally approached coding. "I took people's cool experiments, looked at the code and tried to work out how they were done, or a least manipulate them to create something myself," he explains.
03. Learn by doing
Coding is largely a question of learning by doing, Humbert believes. "Build real-life projects that give you results you can share in your portfolio," he advises. "For example, you can try to build a WordPress plugin that you can then share with the community, and get some feedback from an experienced developer."
04. Read up
Illustration: Flavio Montiel- 16 top online coding courses
- Nail your HTML with this cheat sheet
- 9 of the best resources for learning HTML and CSS
Illustration: Flavio Montiel
Many people find coding is a lot easier and more fun than they imagined, but it does depend on where your natural talents lie. If your brain just doesn't work in that way, fear not: you no longer need to be able to code to bring your interactive ideas to life.
01. Start prototyping
A moving prototype is a great way to see how your design might work in reality. "Making static designs come to life helps you understand pain points in your design and discover what works and what doesn't. Some tools we've been using at Sennep include InVision, Marvel, Flinto, Pixate and Atomic," says Sennep's Matt Rice. For a more in-depth look at some tools that help you design moving prototypes without dabbling in code, look here.
02. Do an intensive workshop
A related field is UX, or user experience. UX is essentially about designing systems that users find easy and pleasurable to interact with. Rosie Isbell, senior experience designer at Wolff Olins, boosted her UX skills a few years ago by completing a UX workshop run by Adaptive Path.
"It was 'intensive' but really hands-on, which meant I was able to bring it back into the work I was doing the very next day," she says. "It really encouraged me to continue to focus on service and experience design and push this within my projects and career." The latest iteration of the course is called SX Intensive, and explores how to design multi-channel experiences.
03. Read up
Joseph Bramall of Well Made Studio first embarked on learning UX and frontend development by searching around the web and Twitter for courses and workshops.
"I ended up buying A Practical Guide to Information Architecture by Donna Spencer and going on a UX Bootcamp course run by Leisa Reichelt, who has some amazing projects under her belt. From there I went on a massive self-initiated learning drive," he recalls.
"It's helped my career loads. I've been able to take more responsibility for projects, communicate better with suppliers and other designers and have more control over the way things work and who we work with."
04. Be inquisitive
For those wishing to boost their UX stills, Bramall advises: "Be inquisitive, read as much as you can, and remember to focus, UX is a broad field and you won't be able to cover it all. Take small steps and you will get to where you want to be. Join UX and web design groups and take an active interest in it."
05. Read up
Illustration: Flavio Montiel -
The term 'artworker' can mean different things to different people. But in general, it's more of a technical, detail-oriented role than that of an illustrator or graphic designer, both of which are more focused on conceptual ideas and creativity.
An artworker, in turn, will take those creative design concepts and edit and rework them, format them, and then package them into a finished piece of work. This usually involves such tasks as adjusting colours, tweaking typography, addressing inconsistencies, correcting spelling and grammar, and getting files print-ready.
Note though, that artworking isn't just done by those with an official 'artworker' title. Even if you're a junior designer, the chances are you'll get handed a lot of artworking tasks.
What artworkers do each day
Dane Beasley, artworker at Hogarth Worldwide in London, offers an insight into what day-to-day life of an artworker looks like: "We work on editing documents that have already had the creative and design signed off," he explains. "We then use the rules of the client to implement a far stricter layout.
"Headlines, body copy, logos and imagery should all be working together in a way that respects the client's brand guidelines and the print specifications. Everything should be aligned, with no widows at the end of paragraphs. The copy should be tracked to fit within the space required. In short, we're the middlemen between creative and design."
Beasley says he's worked with a range of brands as an artworker. “The bulk of the documents I’m involved in are brand internal communications, so brochures and research documents across an array of different markets. My daily tasks range from minor copy changes, text positioning, removing unwanted letters and spaces to resizing documents, delivery checks, print/proof checks and creating first-stage artworks.”
Dane Beasley's daily tasks range from minor copy changes through to delivery checks and creating first-stage artworks
Artworking is usually highly formalised. At Birmingham agency LIFE, everyone has an artwork spec sheet for every job. "It's a basic guide and means nothing is missed," explains Glynn Harvey, creative artwork group head at LIFE. "You read it constantly as you artwork a job and then again before you do a PDF to print. It's vital to read, read and read again."
You also need to keep communicating throughout the process, he adds. "As most jobs are time pressured, it's important everyone with a stake in the job knows and understands what stage it's at, and how much resource is required to get it to the printers."
How artworkers perfect print designs
That final stage, preparing files for print, is of crucial importance, says Elizabeth Lennon, artworker at Hogarth Worldwide. "I'd typically check that the artwork matches the print spec and the page size is correct with bleed on images," she explains. "I'd check the correct fonts are being used and give a quick overview of line endings. If the file has cutter and fold guides, I'd check these work correctly, but if unsure, I'd create a mock-up.
"I'd also check that any spot colours will print correctly and check the colour separations in Acrobat. I'd then package the open artwork and print PDF, ready to send on through to the printer or to the client."
There are a number of standard tasks you perform every time you prepare files for print, says Michele Stocks, in-house designer for PR agency Nelson Bostock. "For instance, you make sure everything's in CMYK, and that there's at least 3mm bleed. You make sure all the artwork and important information is housed within the set margins. If you haven't done this, you risk your text, artwork or logos being cut off by the cropping process, or for white lines to show around the edges of your pages because you didn't have any bleed on it."
Back and forth
There's also a lot of back and forth involved, Stocks adds. "You'll often have to liaise with the printers – or the clients if they're having it printed themselves – to make sure you understand the nuances of how they want it printed.
"For example, with one client I have to have a specific amount of colour density, because their paper is so thin, you can't have too much colour or it won't look right."
Wieden+Kennedy's FINLANDIA social media campaign was based around outstanding characters whose combined ages made 1,000 years
It's also about having a wider appreciation of what the design is aiming to achieve, points out Jody Burson, artworker at Wieden+Kennedy London. "Whatever job you're working on, it's essential to know where it will sit in the world," she says. "There are different considerations when artworking a print job for a billboard poster rather than a digital file for social media or a piece of 3D packaging. Plus you always need to refer to the client's brand guidelines to ensure you're adhering to their requirements."
“The FINLANDIA social media campaign [pictured above] was based around outstanding characters whose combined ages made 1,000 years,” says Burson. “I had to create individual posts for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, taking into account how they could work across all three platforms. The files were set up in the RGB colour space and all images had to be in RGB too.
“I made minor adjustments to graded images to ensure the copy was legible on such busy backgrounds. I also cropped the images and considered the logo’s placement so it was consistent, adhered to brand guidelines and would be prominent enough on all types of devices.”
In summary, artworking is not just a narrow technical role, but something that should draw on the broad range of your design knowledge and creative skills. "The work is often fairly meticulous, but there are also opportunities to be creative and free," stresses Burson. "Every job I work on challenges me and gives me new opportunities to learn."
Harvey concurs. "It's not just sitting in front of a screen resizing ads, which is what I once thought an artworker did," he says. "You take the big creative idea and use your knowledge and experience to not only point out what can't be achieved, but to enhance projects and add that wow factor, especially with print finishes and cutter guides."
Five tips to be a better artworker
01. Communicate
“I’d advise any new designer to communicate properly with the print company,” says Kayleigh Cripps, marketing graphic designer at Find Me a Gift. “Every printer is different, and they all have their own set of guidelines: don’t just assume they all expect a 3mm bleed! Allow yourself extra time for error, and don’t rush.”
02. Do a test print first
“I’d also strongly recommend doing a test print first, especially if you’re producing brochures, booklets, or anything else where you’ll be printing a large quantity,” adds Cripps. “It will save you time, and money, in the long run.”
03. Understand your tools
“Creative suites are continually updated, so you will never know everything there is to know about a single program, like InDesign,” says Burson. “But the more you practise, the more you will discover easier and quicker ways of working.”
04. Seek advice from colleagues
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” adds Burson. “Most of what I’ve learned has been from continually speaking to those around me and always asking questions. There are always multiple ways of achieving the same result. By speaking to others you’ll discover the most efficient.”
05. Get into a flow
“Learn to focus and be methodical, as you’ll need a keen eye for detail,” says Beasley. “Feel the flow of the work and you’ll fall right into it. It can be robotic, especially handling a large amount of files, so start slow and then you’ll flow into the work a lot smoother and faster.”
This article was originally published in issue 272 of Computer Arts, the global design magazine – helping you solve daily design challenges with insights, advice and inspiration. Buy issue 272 here or subscribe to Computer Arts here.
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Ever wanted to design and publish your own books? We certainly have. Leading designers Tony Brook and Adrian Shaughnessy thought the same too. So, in 2010, frustrated at mainstream publishers, they launched Unit Editions.
Since then the progressive independent publishing venture has gone from strength to strength, proving with its high-quality books on graphic design that print is far from dead. The success of Unit Editions also shows that, despite the market for free ebooks, you don't have to be in the money to tackle the print sphere and publish your own books.
Here, we talk to Shaughnessy about how he and Brook ventured into the world of self-publishing without losing money, and how, with a bit of self-promo savvy, you could design and publish your own books too.
01. Find your audience online
Manuals 2: Design and Identity Guidelines followed hot on the heels of Unit Editions' sellout Manuals 1
The success of Unit Editions has been made possible by the internet. Bar a few bookshops around the world that the duo have a personal relationship with, the books are only available through the Unit Editions website.
"If we couldn't do that, we wouldn't be here, or we'd have to borrow half a million pounds to set up a publishing company. But because of the way the internet has blown away so many barriers, we can do it," explains Shaughnessy.
"We bypass [the book trade] completely and deal directly with the people who are interested in our books. So if we produce a book on, say, Total Design, the Dutch group, there's probably only 2,000 people in the world that are interested. We can find those people, through social media and the internet. If we had to use conventional media channels it would be prohibitively expensive."
02. Pool your resources
Unit Editions' Type Plus investigates the practice of combining typography with images to increase effectiveness and impact
When we spoke to Shaughnessy [in February 2015, when this article was originally published], Unit Editions had just three permanent staff: a designer, an editorial coordinator and social media specialist. However, Unit Editions is lucky in that it can also rope in extra help from the Spin team when required, to bump the numbers up to five or six.
"Somebody once said a really good thing to me: nothing succeeds without the right number of people. I think you can muddle along for a while with just a few hands, but at some point you need the right number of people and I think we're moving towards that," says Shaughnessy.
03. Think global
Unit Editions' Supernew Supergraphics is a collection of the best architectural, environmental and interior graphic design
In the company's early days, because money was tight, the pair outsourced printing to China. "Chinese printing is fantastic, and very sad to say, substantially cheaper than printing in the UK and Europe," says Shaughnessy.
However, since then it has started printing in Europe sometimes. "I would love to print everything locally, but it does push the price up," he continues. "We'll still print in China for certain things, but where possible we'll print in the UK or Europe, simply because we get it quicker."
04. Be your own client
The compact edition of Unit Editions' wildly successful deluxe version of Herb Lubalin: American Graphic Designer (1918-81)
Going it alone does come with plenty of perks. "We don't have anybody breathing down our necks. We don't have anybody telling us how our covers should look or we've used the wrong colours," smiles Shaughnessy.
"It goes back to our frustrations with mainstream publishers who will tell you things like: 'Oh you can't do that cover because it needs a photograph on it.' Or 'I want to see what a manual looks like.' We know designers don't need that kind of signposting, so we can just go ahead and do it, but it's having the confidence to do it.
"You have to be very confident about what you're doing and also you have to be respectful of your audience. You have to know what people want and what they feel and what they think. And if you make a mistake, it's your fault – it's your problem."
05. Be prepared to put in the hours
Type Only, published by Unit Editions
Shaughnessy's closing advice to would-be publishers? You can do it yourself. "You can. You really, really can. The internet, social media, allows you to tell everybody that you've done this and I would just urge people to realise that they can do it themselves."
That doesn't mean it's going to be easy – you'll need to be prepared to put in the legwork. "I did four hours on Christmas day," he continues. "I can't step off the treadmill at all. It's constant, constant work. But it's what I want to do, so I don't find it a strain. So I would say to people: just do it yourself, if you can!"
Watch the interview
Watch the rest of our interview with Adrian Shaughnessy of Unit Editions in the video above.
This article was originally published in Computer Arts, the global design magazine – helping you solve daily design challenges with insights, advice and inspiration. Subscribe to Computer Arts here.
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How to add texture to your pastels with primers
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Using pastel primers to create surfaces for your art means you can build a more textured surface to work on than paper, which holds more layers of pastel. Primers also allow you to vary that texture, helping you to add interest and even to add drama to your pastel artworks.
For me, the most exciting thing about them is the way that I can create an underpainting to work over, which gets my paintings off to a lively start, and takes away that 'fear of the blank canvas'.
By underpainting first, you combine drawing and painting skills even more than before, and inject a mixed media feel into your work. This can lead to unexpected developments and unplanned outcomes, keeping the experience fresh and exciting. So read on to breathe life into your pastel work.
01. Choose a pastel primer
It's easiest to buy your primers ready-made
Many artists prepare their own textured grounds, using various mixtures of gesso, pumice, or grit and acrylic primers, but it is easier to buy them already prepared. I like the Art Spectrum Colourfix range, which has 20 colours, plus a clear version. They can be brushed or rolled on, and thinned with water to adjust the texture.
02. Mix two colours for a tailored tone
Use a cheap decorator's brush with a bit of water to apply your primer
Loosely mixing Raw Sienna and Sand Colourfix Primer with a cheap decorator's brush gives a lovely soft base colour for portraits. Using mount card as the base, use a little water on the same brush to brush the primer on. Speed really is essential in this process, as the primers dry extremely quickly. Remember that the more water you use, the less texture you'll have.
Primer gives your an excellent base colour for portraits
When painting Nathaniel, I build up many layers, using Unison Soft Pastels, Conté crayons and pastel pencils. You can use a pencil eraser to rub out, and even add water to your pastel work. A pastel primed surface is a strong and forgiving surface.
03. Create texture with Golden Acrylic Ground
A layer of Golden Acrylic Ground is great for adding texture
This quick sketch of birch trees was done over a layer of Golden Acrylic Ground for Pastels. This product has no colour, so you need to add your own, or underpaint the first layer with acrylic paints, for example. I like the way that on this piece, the rough brushstrokes show through.
04. Create bright surfaces
Coat layers of acrylic with Clear Colourfix Primer for a bright background
When I want a bright surface to work on, I paint two or three layers of acrylic paint – in this case, System 3 Acrylic in Ultramarine. When dry, I coat with Clear Colourfix Primer, which looks milky as you paint it on, but dries transparent. This clear primer can be painted over many other types of paint or surface, so is also great for collage.
A blue background can make your foreground colours really pop
It can liven up your work to use background colours that are unexpected. I like the way that blues are part of the shadow colours for white animals, they also look good behind black, and make browns and oranges (a complementary colour for blue) jump off the page. Remember that you don't have to 'colour it all in' – create a feeling of space by leaving some areas unpainted.
05. Tint primers with acrylics
The more colour you add to your primer, the less texture you'll get
Pastel primers can be tinted with any water-based paint or ink. Keep in mind that the more paint you use, the less texture you will have to work with when applying pastel. You can let the primer dry and then wash colour over it to retain texture. In this base for a seascape, I loosely paint Yellow Ochre and Burnt Umber acrylics and primer together.
06. Treat primers as paint
Paint in a base with Colourfix Primers Sand and Deep Ultra
To create the feeling of a windswept day up on the high moor in this piece, I loosely paint a base using Colourfix Primers Deep Ultra and sand, treating them like paint and using my cheap decorator's brush.
Don't hang about!
The finished underpainting dries in about 20 minutes, so I have to work quickly and cannot dwell on detail or worry about strokes.
Make sure that some of your underpainting shows through
Once the underpaint is dry, I work into the piece in some areas with Unison soft pastels, limiting my palette, and making sure that I leave areas of the underpainting showing. It is easy to get carried away and cover it all up, but that would lose a lot of the life and energy.
Be careful not to overdo it
I add more definition to the rocks, by creating sharper edges and using strong lights and darks. By adding figures, I create a sense of scale to the piece. I want the painting to have a light, sketchy feel, so I am stopping at this point. They say that paintings are never finished, they just stop in interesting places.
07. Use shades of primer to add depth
Here, different shades of primer add depth to the finished painting
This painting, Deep Roots, is a much larger pastel, worked over pastel primers as in the previous example, but with more depth and definition. I paint a dark blue under the rocks to emphasise their strength and weight, and cream under the sky to create contrast. In the bottom right-hand corner, I leave the brushstrokes of primer showing.
This article was originally published in issue 12 of Paint & Draw, the magazine offering tips and inspiration for artists everywhere. Buy it here.
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