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Getting a tattoo is a big deal. Whether it’s a classic or unique design you simply love or a picture or symbol that marks a meaningful event in your life, bagging the best tattoo design is a long and sometimes difficult process. Here, we’ve pulled together some inspiration that’ll help you choose the tattoo design that’s right for you. To make things simple, we've split the article into themes: flower tattoos (this page), tribal tattoos, mandala tattoos, dragon tattoos, cross tattoos, skull tattoos, geometric tattoos, anchor tattoos, animal tattoos, and couples' tattoos. (If you're interested in watercolour-style tattoos, check out these 13 incredible examples). Each of the categories contains more traditional tattoo designs, as well as quirky original ideas. You can navigate to the section you want using the drop-down menu above. Click on the images to see more of each tattoo artists' work. Doodle art: 52 great examples01. Rainbow roses tattoo Morag at Purple Rose Tattoo This rose tattoo steers away from the standard red colouring, marking it as a classic design but with a modern twist. The intricate shading and delicate leaves add to its realistic execution. 02. Monochrome tattoo Hannah Louise Kyle This black and white rose tattoo again steers away from the classic red, offering up an elegant black-and-white design. The heavy line work keeps it to a traditional tattoo style. 03. Pink rose tattoo Esme Loasby The bright colours is what makes this flower tattoo design stand out, especially when you look closely at the clever colour gradient. Adding more than one flower always makes for a special piece. 04. Wildflowers tattoo Esme Loasby Speaking of choosing more than one type for your flower tattoo, this beautiful botanical creation proves that you can put a lot of elements into one piece and it’ll still work, provided you use a tattoo artist who knows what they're doing. 05. Rose and dagger tattoo Tom Butts If you’re looking for a more traditional design, this rose tattoo could be just the inspiration you’re looking for. The inclusion of the dagger adds an edge and makes it a bold, stand-out piece. 06. Red rose tattoo Sascha Roth A bolder choice is this rose tattoo design, with clever colour work placed just away from the careful lining. Including so much black might not work for some tattoo designs, or tattooees, but it works here. 07. Geometric peonies tattoo Mark Jelliman The linework on this trio of peonies is crafted with such elegance, it makes a real statement. It just goes to show that keeping things simple can often be the best approach when it comes to tattoo design. Next page: Tribal tattoo designs These great tattoo designs are all inspired by tribal artworks from around the world. Some of these stick to common themes from native American tribal art, for example, while others give them a contemporary twist. As before, click on the image to go to the tattoo artist's website or Instagram page. 08. Tribal mask-inspired tattoo Manu Dermagrafics This stunning leg piece was crafted freehand, and with its bold shapes, colour-blocking and seamless line work, it’s a tribal tattoo worth showing off. The shape itself compliments the shape of the leg, too. 09. Subtle shading tribal tattoo Paxii What makes this tribal tattoo design stand out is that through the thick line work and colour-filled shapes, there’s a subtle shading that brings it to life, adding new dimensions. 10.Thick framed tribal tattoo Mike Schwalger This custom Polynesian tribal tattoo sleeve is able to include a variety of different shapes and lines without making it look too busy. The thick line framing adds a more artistic flair. 11. Pared-back tribal tattoo Leo Braz Sometimes tribal tattoos can be simple. This piece signifies the serpent in the Marajoara tribe, with the back placement proving to be the perfect place to show it off. 12. Repeat pattern tattoo Sunset Tattoo Keeping with the simple theme, this half-sleeve tribal tattoo offers an intricate yet uncomplicated design. And with such a clean design, the pattern is as mesmerising as it is timeless. 13. Tribal collar tattoo Margaret River Tribal tattoo designs often demand a bold placement and this visayan tribal collar is a breathtaking example of how simple line work and intricate patterns can make a statement. 14. Modern twist Daniel Matsumoto This work, by Daniel Matsumoto, manages to put a modern twist on the classic tribal tattoo design. Mixing thin lines with block colour is a simple but unique way to make it pop. Next page: Mandala Tattoos Mandalas are peaceful, spiritual symbols in both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. With their intricate, nature-inspired patterns, it's no wonder they're a popular choice for tattoos. As before, click on the image to go to the tattoo artist's website or Instagram page. 15. Pointillist mandala tattoo Ricky Williams With its circular shape, placing a Mandala tattoo around the ear is a great way to make the most impact. The pointillism aspect in this design is stunning. 16. Hidden mandala tattoo Ricky Williams Mandala tattoos come in all sizes and this delicate design could be just the kind of thing you’re after. Sleek, delicate work that gradually moves into darker colour is a special touch. 17. Bold mandala tattoo Jayne Rogers The thick lines on this half-Mandala tattoo design make it the perfect way to go if you want to make a statement. Choosing to do a half design is also an option if placed around the ear. 18. Layered mandala tattoo Niky Brown Opting for a layering effect on this Mandala tattoo design enables it to take on a more 3D-design effect. Adding it some point work really makes this one inspiring. 19. Colourful mandala tattoo Mors Tattoo Taking on a more classic style, the colour work enables the Mandala tattoo to make more of a statement. Adding colour to the leaf exterior makes for a seamless execution. 20. Shaded mandala tattoo Renette Hammer Mandala tattoos circular shape enable them to be placed almost anywhere but the chest provides a nice canvas to really show them off. Pointillism is also a great way to add depth and subtlety. 21. Stained glass mandala tattoo Skylar Rose Wasserman If you’re after a Mandala tattoo design with a more colourful, unexpected twist, you could go for something like this. The stained glass window colour effect allows shades to blend into each other. Next page: Dragon tattoos Dragon tattoos might show the world how brave and fiery you are, they might celebrate your cultural heritage, or they might just exist because you think dragons are really cool (you're not wrong). Whatever your reason for wanting a dragon tattoo, check out these designs for inspiration and click on the image to go to the artist's website or Instagram page. 22. Whimsical dragon tattoo Alice Badger Sometimes, it’s best to look to the world of TV and movies for your tattoo design inspiration. This one featuring Haku from anime classic Spirited Away is a great place to start. 23. Fierce dragon tattoo Lydia Bruno Dragons are also the perfect way to start off a sleeve, thanks to the variety in which they can be presented. This colourful example leaves room all around for more designs. 24. Oriental dragon tattoo HH Orlando Tattoo Speaking of sleeves, this Japanese style dragon tattoo offers colourful inspiration. The detail on the scales is a particularly nice touch, as is the juxtaposing, delicate flowers underneath. 25. Symmetrical dragon tattoo Joe Fletcher If you love the idea of a dragon tattoo but you’re wary of getting the whole form tattooed onto, opting for the head could be a great way to show your beast appreciation. 26. Linework dragon tattoo Heritage Tattoos A dragon's serpentine body can make it a great option for a head tattoo. This simple, black-and-white linework tattoo design offers elegant inspiration if you’re willing to take the leap. 27. Abstract dragon tattoo Dámaris Argüelles Pérez A more experimental tattoo design could be just the dragon you’re looking for. This puzzle-like piece keeps it modern while also harking back to more traditional tattoo styles. 28. Etchwork dragon tattoo Byron Barker This etchwork dragon tattoo design harks back to a neo-traditional style of tattooing and works best when placed on the side of the body, allowing lots of detail. Next page: Cross tattoo designs Meaningful and beautiful, cross tattoos also come in a variety of styles. Choose a style that's right for you with these great designs. As before, click on an image you like to go to the artist's website or InDesign page. 29. Botanical cross tattoo Reny Tattoos Cross tattoo designs don’t always need to be in a standard, straight line. This example shows that cross tattoos can be moulded with another style to create something really beautiful. 30. Pretty cross tattoo Bruno Diego Another way to amp up a cross tattoo design is with layering. This delicate design incorporates illustrations of love hearts in an elegant and original way, making for a special piece. 31. Symbolic cross tattoo Hegotme This clever cross tattoo design references the crucifixion in a minimal but impactful manner. Adding the nails into the design is a great way to do this. 32. Curvy cross tattoo Kelly Kossuth Maybe you’re looking for a bolder cross tattoo design and this one from Kelly Kossuth shows how you can be both bold and minimal, thanks to thick line work. 33. Minimal cross tattoo Tattooist Uzi If minimal is more your style, this delicate cross tattoo design could be just the inspiration you need. Delicate line work and zero colour can still make an impact. 34. Shaded cross tattoo Slicecrust This classic cross tattoo design works well thanks to neat shading work and clean, thick lines. It’s a perfect design if you want one placed on your arm. 35. Artistic cross tattoo Steven Gilliard If you want to combine your love of being a designer or artist with your cross tattoo, then this clever piece could be right up your street. The dot work makes it pop. Next page: Skull tattoo designs If dragons weren't tough enough for you, how about a skull tattoo? Some of these skull designs are pretty scary, but others are actually really beautiful, and even cute. We're sure they'll all serve to inspire your scull tattoo design. 36. Skull and rose tattoo Phatt German Sometimes you want to add a bit more depth to a skull tattoo design. This skull, which has a rose design incorporated into its cap, does this very effectively. 37. Multi-layered skull tattoo Charlotte's Web Tattoos Another way to incorporate depth into a skull tattoo is this half-dead design, which sees a skull merged with a crying face. The addition of a clock makes it extra creepy. 38. Mexican skull tattoo Barbie Lowenberg If you’re wanting something a little less creepy, this cute skull tattoo – complete with floral decoration, in the style of Mexican Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) skull masks and decorations – is the perfect way to show off your love of the dead. 39. Delicate skull tattoo Uvethekid Sticking with the floral theme, this skull design offers a more freehand approach, with wavy lines. The difference in line thickness and the dotted shading is what makes it great. 40. Gruesome skull tattoo Kelly Violet If you’re looking for something truly bold, a half-sleeve skull tattoo design is one of the options you could go for. This one, illustrated with medieval weaponry, is jaw-dropping. 41. Baroque skull tattoo Siren1 Sometimes two skulls is better than one and this detail tattoo design effortlessly places them together without making it look crowded. Perfect for placing it on the arm. 42. 3D-effect skull tattoo Bali Namaste Tattoo Studio This small skull tattoo takes a different approach when blending two skulls together, giving off a 3D effect with a minimal and cute design – perfect for small spaces. Next page: Geometric tattoo designs For something a bit different, why not get an interesting tattoo featuring geometric shapes and patterns? They can be as colourful or as big as you like, as these great designs show. 43. Artistic geometric tattoo Expanded Eye Expanded Eye is a duo known for its incredible geometric tattoo designs. With splashes of colour, clever shading and breathtaking structure, this is the perfect geometric tattoo design inspiration. 44. Prisms tattoo Malvina Maria Wisniewska The great thing about geometric tattoos is they can be formed of simple structures but with a detailed execution. The interweaving line thickness on this design is a great example of that. 45. Honeycomb tattoo Miriam Frank Mixing shapes and colours into your geometric tattoo design can make for a pretty amazing final piece. By adding just the red to this piece, it ensures the design doesn’t go overboard. 46. Golden Ratio tattoo Michele Volpi The Golden Ratio describes the perfectly symmetrical relationship between two proportions and this geometric tattoo design is a gorgeous and clever way to pay tribute to its perfections. 47. Pared-back geometric tattoo Sarah Lu The simplicity of geometric tattoos also means that the hand poking technique can work really well. This simple but effective design puts a different spin on the arrow. 48. Kaleidoscopic tattoo Diego Favaretto If you’re wanting a larger geometric piece, this tattoo is a great example of one that works well when placed on the back. The never-ending detail on this one is particularly impressive. 49. Colourful geometric tattoo Sasha Unisex Of course we couldn’t feature geometric tattoo designs without mentioning Sasha Unisex – the tattoo artist who has become renowned across the world for her stunning, colourful geometric work. Next page: Anchor tattoo designs About as traditional as tattoo designs get, anchor tattoos are enjoying a retro resurgence. But, as these designs prove, a traditional theme doesn't have to result in a stale old-fashioned design. Click on any image to discover the tattoo artist behind the innovative design. 50. Anchor and heart tattoo Patryk Hilton If you’re after a classic tattoo staple, an anchor design is one of the best options. This traditional style piece is a great way to make a statement. 51. Exotic anchor tattoo Sam Ricketts Anchors can also act as a frame for a tattoo design, with this example proving particularly impressive. By using a simple anchor as your base, you can embellish it to your heart’s content. 52. Anchor and bird tattoo Sami Tutch You can always embellish your anchor tattoo design but in a more subtle, sweet way. This little anchor features cartoonish characters that make it perfect for a cute arm piece. 53. Watercolour anchor tattoo Tracy Burton If you want a splash of colour on your anchor tattoo design, adding in wave-like watercolour is a great way to include your love of anchors in the sea. 54. Sketchy anchor tattoo Elena Aiello Continuing the watery theme is this cute anchor tattoo design, that adds splashes of colour in a simple, hand-drawn style. The loveheart is also perfectly incorporated in the design. 55. Monochrome anchor tattoo Ecke Wunderland The detail on this tiny anchor tattoo design is so perfectly executed, it almost deserves more space. The inclusion of the paper boat is a delightful touch, finishing off the piece beautifully. 56. Geometric anchor tattoo Aracely Ramírez Ponce If you want the colour to be the main focus of your anchor tattoo design, this watercolour, geometric anchor is a great way to show it off. Next page: Animal tattoo designs Another popular choice, animal tattoos might honour a beloved pet, serve as a reminder of a great experience, or show part of your personality through your choice of a favourite animal. These animal tattoos again vary wildly in style, so if you find an art style that you like, click on the image to go through to the artist's website or Instagram page to see more. 57. Fox tattoo Lotte Vanns This simple, hand-poked design is the perfect way to pay tribute to your favourite animal. Thanks to this fox's long body, placing it around the knee is a great way to show it off. 58. Greyhounds tattoo Daemon Rowanchilde These racing greyhounds are stunning in their own right – thanks mostly to their meticulously drawn anatomy – but by placing them within another design, it makes the whole piece pretty breathtaking. 59. Dinosaur tattoo Kimsany The cartoonish colour-blocking on this brachiosaurus makes it truly unique. Complete with intricate line work and the perfect long arm placement, this is one way to get noticed. 60. Elephant tattoo Adrián Desgracia This sketchy design is great if you want to go for a sleeve design with a difference. The surrealist aspect of the elephant is also reminiscent of Salvador Dali’s work. 61. Whale tattoo Raphael Not sure what style to go for in your animal tattoo design? This is one solution: this unique killer whale design combines two different styles in one, with the animal's middle section drawn as shaded scales. 62. Bird tattoo Jason Corbett Pointillism is a beautiful option when it comes to bird tattoo designs. This one, perched just on the shoulder, keeps it simple with minimal detail and colour. 63. Dog tattoo Ricardo Romero Rios Lots of people get their best pal tattooed on them. This one, depicting man’s best friend, is a cute way to illustrate your love for your furry friend – and there's a sweet Up reference to boot. Next page: Couples' tattoo designs Not just the preserve of drunken nights out, matching tattoos are a popular way to mark your commitment to your other half. While some of these designs go sickeningly all-out of the slush factor, others are more subtle, fun, and perhaps even be tasteful enough to avoid the laser, should you break up (not that you will, obviously). 64. Pizza tattoos justinsams There’s no better way of combining your love of your partner with your love of pizza. This cute design may be a little cheesy for some but perfect for others. 65. Sun and moon tattoos Jessica Leigh Ozimek If you’re getting married, you might want to make things even more permanent with ring finger tattoos. This sun and moon tattoo design is a sweet way to show off your love. 66. Chatty tattoos Dream Tattoo Your best pal is always there to listen when you need it most. When you’re far away from each other, this simple tattoo design will remind you that they’re always there. 67. King and queen tattoos B9 Tattoo Studio Be the king and queen of all couples with these minimalist playing-card inspired tattoo designs. It’s best to keep it simple, especially when placed on the hands or wrists. 68. Foxes tattoos Farbenfroh Tattoo Art These playful partner tattoos are great if you’re thinking of getting a couples' tattoo on your leg. The hand-drawn, sketchy style and clever shading make these particularly beautiful. 69. Colour mode tattoos NYC Adorned If you’re looking for something with a designer twist, you couldn’t opt for anything better than these cute colour mode pieces (you might recognise these as belonging to Jessica Hische and Russ Maschmeyer). If you're screen-based, go for RBG, while print designers are more likely to favour CMYK. 70. Heart tattoos First Class Tattoo Studio How about combining your couples tattoo design with your favourite show? This Game of Thrones-inspired piece is a great way to show off two of the things you love. Read more: 23 designers and their awesome tattoos What happens when tattoo design meets illustration 13 incredible examples of watercolour tattoo art View the full article

Every now and then, graphic designers need to recharge their creative batteries – and there are loads of fantastic books out there that offer words of wisdom, design inspiration and refreshers on key principles and techniques. There are, of course, classic books from the great names of graphic design, but there are also plenty of books you might be less familiar with. Whether you'd like to know more about logos, go further with type, or get to know more about your favourite graphic designers, this list of great books for graphic designers has something for you. Get Adobe Creative Cloud01. Logo Modernism by Jens Müller Jens Müller compiles the greatest logo designs of the last century and their modernist influenceTaschen produce some truly spectacular books, and this one is no different. Bringing together approximately 6000 trademarks, registered between 1940-80, Jens Müller examines the distillation of modernism in graphic design and how these attitudes and imperatives gave birth to corporate identity. Müller includes a variety of logos, organised into three chapters: geometric, effect and typographic in order to both educate you as well as provide a comprehensive index of inspirational logo designs to inform your own work. 02. Two-Dimensional Man by Paul Sahre Paul Sahre tracks his exceptional 30-year career with a personal touch and plenty of humourPaul Sahre is one of the most influencial graphic designers of his generation and has operated his own design consultancy since 1997. Working out of his office in New York City, his clients have included The New York Times, Google and Marvel Comics and he lectures graphic design all over the world. His book, Two-Dimensional Man is part monograph, part autobiography, part art book and part reflection on creativity; combining personal essays discussing the realities of living creativity during his 30 year career and proving that throughout highs and lows, humour can be a saving grace. 03. Show Your Work!: 10 things nobody told you about getting discovered by Austin Kleon Kleon manages to condense all his helpful tips and tricks into one pocket sized manualIn his follow up to New York Times best-seller, Steal Like An Artist (another must-read), author and writer, Austin Kleon reveals what can be the most challenging part of your career as a designer - how to get your work seen. Kleon is full of helpful hints and tips on how to become findable, how to appeal to the community and use the network to sell your work. If nothing else, it's a useful little pocket guide to remind you to be open, generous, brave and productive! 04. The Graphic Design Idea Book: Inspiration from 50 Masters by Steven Heller and Gail Anderson A visual design bible to inspire and refresh your fundamental knowledgeThis book covers all the key elements of great design, featuring seminal works from acclaimed designers such as Paul Brand, Neville Brody and Stefan Sagmeister it's sure to spark inspiration and keep those creative juices flowing. Honing in on those professional techniques, author Steven Hiller and graphic designer Gail Anderson refresh your knowledge on colour, narrative, illusion, humour, simplicity, ornaments and more. 05. How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy Big names are featured in this packed bookSound advice from Adrian Shaughnessy on gaining employment, setting up as a freelancer, forming a company, dealing with clients, pitching and loads more. As graphic design books go, this is insightful, intelligent, accessible and simply full of great advice, with the author calling on such luminaries as Neville Brody, Natalie Hunter, John Warwicker and Andy Cruz to help pull together his ideas. 06. Just My Type by Simon Garfield The history and power of typographyGraphic designers are trained to look at type faces, but Simon Garfield's book will encourage you to look even closer, taking in the rich history of fonts, as well as looking at their powers. A well chosen font communicates to the reader on an almost subliminal level and it can make (or break) a design. 07. The Little Know-It-All: Common Sense for Designers by Silja Bilz Perhaps the most useful book a designer can ownDon’t judge this by its cover or size - it’s possibly the most useful book you’ll own as a designer. Everything from light, colour and perspective to law and marketing are covered in succinct, beautifully carved chapters. It’s the kind of book that you never stop reading once you start; the kind you’ll always refer back to, making it a winner on pretty much every level. 08. Illustration Play by Victionary The cover is gorgeous – and actually a good indication of what's insideFirst up, Illustration Play has one of the most beautiful, special and intriguing covers you’ll see, each one being individually stickered by hand. This is to echo the explorative approach taken by all of the illustrators featured in the book - looking at new ideas and ways to realise concepts within contemporary illustration. A lovely object. 09. Graphics Alive 2 by Viction:ary Graphics Alive is full of inspirationExploring the omnipresent power of graphic design and illustration in today’s society, Graphics Alive 2 (the first book also being great) is not only beautifully designed in itself, but also packed full of highly inspirational T-shirt graphics, shoes, signs, wallpaper and other everyday objects and ephemera that top designers have lent their eye to. An intense, head-hurting experience. 10. The graphic language of Neville Brody Neville Brody's book is on the reading list of every self-respecting design courseYou'll find this book on the must-read list on every self-respecting graphic design course, and with good reason. Neville Brody may now be president of D&AD and head up Research Studios' global studio network, but it was arguably his 1980s heyday that had the biggest impact on contemporary graphic design. First published in 1988, The Graphic Language of Neville Brody explores the thought process behind some of his best-known work, including his genre-defining art direction of The Face magazine. 11. Designed by Peter Saville Peter Saville's monograph covers The Factory era in detailLike Brody, Peter Saville famously built his reputation in the 1980s with iconic album artwork for Factory Records-signed bands such as Joy Division and New Order - but this 2003 publication was the first to chronicle his career. Starting in 1978, it inevitably covers the Factory era in detail but also explores Saville's design and art direction for the fashion and advertising industries, taking in brands such as Dior, Stella McCartney and London's Whitechapel gallery. 12. Love Song by Non-Format Modern Studio Non-Format's 2007 monograph is packed with imagery and insightAn iconic studio for the modern age, Non-Format is a fruitful transatlantic collaboration between Oslo-based Kjell Ekhorn and US-based Brit Jon Forss. This 2007 monograph is packed with awe-inspiring imagery and insight into the duo's creative process over five years between 1999 and 2003, from advertising work for Coke and Nike to stunning art direction for The Wire magazine. 13. Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far by Stefan Sagmeister Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far revolves around 21 thought-provoking phrasesAustria-born, New York-based designer Stefan Sagmeister has hit the headlines a couple of times in the few years with his nude promotional shenanigans, but his two monographs, published in 2008 and 2009, are all about his creative approach and output. Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far revolves around 21 thought-provoking phrases, transformed into typographic works for various clients around the world and has been since updated. His second text, Made You Look, is fully illustrated with a red PVC slipcase and spans 20 years of his graphic design in depth. The two complement each other excellently. 14. The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher The Art of Looking Sideways questions the way designers thinkAlan Fletcher, the legendary co-founder of Pentagram, penned various thought-provoking tomes during his illustrious graphic design career, but The Art of Looking Sideways is perhaps the best known - questioning the way designers think about everything from colour to composition. Once you've digested his seminal text, give Picturing and Poeting a go, exploring the link between imagery and meaning through a series of visual mind-teasers, games and visual puns, assembled from his personal notebooks and diaries. Another great work by Fletcher, Beware Wet Paint, is a more conventional monograph, looking back over 35 years of inspiring work and putting it all in the context of Fletcher's remarkable thought process. 15. A Designer's Art by Paul Rand A Designer's Art probes the process of graphic designHeralded by many as one of the fathers of modern branding, Paul Rand has several inspiring books to his name. Design, Form and Chaos is unfortunately out of print, but if you can track down a copy it's worth it to immerse yourself in his talent for simplicity, and to explore the thinking behind some of his best-known identities. A Designer's Art, meanwhile, probes more deeply into the process of graphic design in general: why it's important; the impact it can have on society; what works, what doesn't, and most importantly, why. 16. Perverse Optimist by Tibor Kalman Perverse Optimist is a weighty tomeWritten by Tibor Kalman and edited by Peter Hall and Michael Bierut, this is another notoriously hard-to-obtain volume which, like Rand’s Design, Form and Chaos, is sadly out of print. Dedicated to the visionary editor-in-chief of Colors magazine and creative director of Interview, Perverse Optimist is a weighty tome by any standards, and packed with high-impact images and insightful analysis of the art direction process behind them. 17. Pentagram: Marks Pentagram: Marks reproduces 400 identities the agency has createdUnsurprisingly, given its status as arguably the world's most famous design agency, Pentagram has attracted its fair share of monographs over the decades: seven so far and still counting Marks simply reproduces four hundred of the hugely diverse identities that the agency has created since 1972. An incredible cross-section of design history. 18. M to M of M/M (Paris) M to M of M/M (Paris) chronicles two decades of stunning workIt was a long time coming, but this definitive 528-page monograph of the iconic Parisian duo Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak, aka M/M (Paris), was worth the wait. Chronicling two decades of stunning work spanning the worlds of music, fashion and fine art, it's presented as a reshuffled alphabetical dictionary, starting and ending with M. The studio's highly distinctive, unique approach to type, print design, drawing and photography shines throughout. 19. Palette No.4: Neon, New Fluorescent Graphics by Victionary An ode to the neon colour palettePicking the right colour palette for your design work is always a difficult decision. Whilst some favour the more understated, others opt for the bold and bright. This beautiful 296-page book showcases the applications of fluorescent colours in the design world, examining where they work best. Including branding, interior design, and fashion, a total of 110 loud and colourful projects, by designers across the globe, are featured. 20. A Logo for London by David Lawrence All about the London tube logoLondon's Underground system is over 150 years old, and this book tells you all you need to know about the famous London Transport logo design. A Logo for London celebrates the instantly recognisable bar and circle, also known as the bullseye. With 250 colour illustrations, this charming and informative tome charts the history and development of the symbol from the early 20th century to the present day. 21. Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe by Tim Leong Your comic book questions are answered with an array of infographicsWhat is the Joker's favourite question for Batman? Are there more deaths by human or by zombie in The Walking Dead? Those are just some of the questions answered in this book via an array of inspirational infographics. Even if you're not a comic book fan, the variety of infographic styles on offer will bring you tons of inspiration. 22. Geometric Two by Kapitza Geometric Two is another book in Kapitza's inspiration bowKapitza is a multi-disciplinary design studio run by sisters Nicole and Petra Kapitza who share a passion for print, pattern, nature, minimalism and colour. Geometric Two is a pattern book that showcases their love of all things bold, bright and symmetrical. It's a treasure trove of new ideas for the colour and pattern enthusiast - ideal for print and pattern fans, art book lovers, students and professionals alike. 23. ExtraBold by Serial Cut There's even AR content with this bookEstablished in 1999, Spanish design studio Serial Cut has become renowned for creating slick, bold, homogenous artworks from seemingly opposing aesthetics. And these are beautifully presented in this attractive tome. The agency persuaded nine internationally renowned artists and studios to create exclusive work for this release - special remixes of Serial Cut's playful and energetic creative work. Ever-trailblazing, the studio has paired this, its first monograph, with a special augmented reality app. The ExtraBold app provides easy access to additional multimedia content for the 150 Serial Cut projects featured in the book, including 3D virtual figures, 'making of' videos, commercial videos, zoom images, and navigable websites. 24. Tangible: High Touch Visuals Exciting spatial and visual work by young creativesWe love the cover, the content… in fact, we love the whole idea behind Tangible, which is: "Graphic-inspired design, objects and spaces by creatives that are producing striking visual and spatial work". Although some of the work featured is bordering on bizarre, for the most part you’ll find a glorious exploration of a contemporary art form that’s as technically brilliant as it is thought provoking. 25. Left to Right by David Crow Visual communication rests on the power of semiotics, a concept that David Crow examines in expert detail within this seminal text. Dealing with the principles of written communication and its relationship to imagery, and rounded-off with an examination of audience understanding, Left to Right is a valuable assessment of academic yet essential design theory. 26. The End of Print: The Grafik Design of David Carson by Lewis Blackwell The End of Print: The Grafik Design of David Carson provides great insight into the iconic designer's processIf Brody and Saville defined the 1980s, Carson conquered the 1990s with his unconventional approach to page design, using distorted type and fragmented imagery that played with notions of legibility - particularly during his tenure as art director of Ray Gun. He went on to work with a stellar client list that includes Pepsi, Nike, Armani, Levi's, Sony and MTV. While the approach outlined in The End of Print is very much of its time, the insight that the book provides into the iconic surfer/designer's process is unrivalled. Liked that? Then read these next: Best free fonts for designers 25 logo design tips from the experts 10 top design-related movies View the full article

A new festival dedicated to celebrating GIFs is about to take place, and with it come 50 exciting and rather artistic animated GIFs that are sure to have you entranced. GIFs are of course a great way of communicating an emotion or sharing a reference (or for extra social media points, both at the same time), but few people would consider them an art form. Noise x GIF Fest 2017 aims to change this by celebrating the artistic worth of GIFs. Get Adobe Creative CloudThe event is well timed. Earlier this year GIFs hit a big milestone as the format turned 30. Traditionally for us humans, turning 30 is a big deal accompanied by appropriately epic celebrations. So it seems fair that GIFs, which have brought so much joy to us over the years, should be treated to a party in the shape of a festival, too. Adeline Tan (aka @yell0w)'s GIF goes on and on and on seamlessly Running from 4 October through to 11 October, GIF Fest is a festival inspired by the theme 'Spellbound'. It's billed as Singapore's largest GIF event to-date (we'd be intrigued to see how much competition it faced) and aims "to capture the richness of the GIF as an artistic medium and explore its role as a form of digital art, entertainment and creative communication." Entry to Noise x GIF fest is free As well as recognising GIFs as an art form, the festival will showcase 50 GIFs created by graphic designers, animators and photographers based on the event's theme. Over 500 GIFs were submitted to the festival following an open call for submissions, so the 50 chosen are a shortlist of the best around. “GIF Fest seems to have captured the imagination of a whole wave of artists and amateurs," says the founder and curator of the festival, Steve Lawler. "It’s been exciting to see them experimenting with new techniques and taking their work to the next level. Inspiring.” Lawler (aka @mojokoworld) even had a go at making a GIF himself, as his Instagram post above shows. RIP your eyes (GIF by Ella Zheng, aka @designerinsingapore) Dani Newman, community director at GIPHY, particularly loved Ella Zheng’s GIF (above). Newman says: “This GIF shows the potential of what is possible in just four frames of a GIF. It is beautifully designed and I couldn't help but to open up the file to enjoy each frame on its own and to keep from getting hypnotised.” Singaporean street photographer Aik-Beng-Chia (@aikbengchia) made this GIF ahead of his workshop The festival will host activities such as workshops, live performances and talks. The programme includes a workshop hosted by Aik Beng Chia, one of Singapore’s most followed street photographers on Instagram, on how to bring photos (like his cinemagraph above) to life. The talent on show is impressive. There's even, appropriately, a performance planned by indie-electronic musical duo .GIF. Get inspired by browsing some of these artistic GIFs by clicking left to right in the gallery, below. The GIFs will be showcased through large projections, large screens and secret rooms for attendees to marvel at in full glory. Related articles: The ultimate guide to GIF design 95 top Photoshop tutorials How to draw and paint - 100 pro tips and tutorials View the full article

The macOS Keychain attack, Signal's new private contact discovery service, the Deloitte hack, and a handful of mobile stock trading app vulnerabilities are discussed. View the full article

How often do you think about the skills you wished you spent more time on? Lucky for you, you can teach an old dog new tricks. You just need the right resources to continue learning, and there are few better tools for that than SitePoint Premium. Get a lifetime subscription to this valuable service on sale today for just $39.99 (approx £30). When you sign on to SitePoint Premium, you will find tons of courses and tutorials on the most important web programming languages, with actionable lessons waiting for you to dive in. These expert-taught lessons reach across the spectrum of skills that the tech-minded would love to master, from coding languages JavaScript and HTML to powerful tools such as Github and WordPress. New lessons are being added all the time so you'll never run out of new skills to learn. A lifetime subscription to SitePoint Premium usually retails for $450, but you’ll pay just $39.99 (approx £30) thanks to a special price drop. That’s a massive saving for endless access to lessons you'll love, so grab this deal while you can! 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. View the full article

Researchers at Duo Security are expected today at Ekoparty to reveal data and a paper that shows Mac users are not receiving EFI firmware updates at expected. View the full article

So you want to create better editorial designs? From grids and layout to font pairings, contrast, pace, visual hierarchy and more, the decisions you make as a designer dictate the way information is presented, shared and understood – whether you’re laying out a book, magazine, newspaper or digital publication. If there’s one thing we know from editorial design icons like David Carson, it’s that rules are made to be broken. But you have to know the rules first… Get Adobe Creative CloudHere, I’ll walk through some best-practice tips for improving your editorial designs. I tend to ignore whatever 'rules' exist, but I’ve developed the following opinions through nine years of mag-making alongside full-time agency roles. I'm a big believer in the importance of attitude alongside ability, so my 'rules' are a mixture of both... 01. Enthusiasm every time In the relaunch issue of The Recorder I commissioned one of my all time faves Neasden Control Centre to bring to life a tricky future-focussed featureNothing creates better work than passion for the subject. Of course not every project will speak to you personally, but I know my best work is done when I'm engaged with the subject. Find some enthusiasm for whatever story you're working on, the design will be better for it. If the subject isn't your cup of tea, find something in it that speaks to you and let that develop in you an appreciation for the content. 02. Let the grid guide you I find a blank page as intimidating as the next person, so having a flexible and well considered grid in place means there's always a 'way in' to begin the design... Think of it as a structure for aligning elements against, as and when you want. Grids enable you to stay organised, keep consistent across issues, and can help to enhance the legibility and readability of body copy. The human eye is finely attuned to spotting discrepancies in patterns, so when you chance a design and misalign an element or two, even if it isn't immediately obvious, it'll likely feel a little 'off'. A great grid will help you maintain cohesion throughout your layouts, helping multi-page articles hang together. Lastly, grids are also generally a gateway to good editorial design practice – gutters, margins, columns, baseline grids and so on. Also read: Mastering grids in InDesign CC 03. Types of type For the London issue of Boat Magazine we used Seb Lester’s Soho family, which he - via Monotype - kindly gifted usMagazines are a marriage of pictures and words. If fonts are the clothes that words wear, it stands to reason you'll want your text suitably attired. The right fonts can make or break a magazine, and pairing type is a art in itself. It's ultra-rare to commission bespoke type (like the 29 styles and weights Henrik Kubel developed for the 2015 NYTmag redesign) so for the vast majority of us its a case of figuring out how many fonts you require to do what you need. If in doubt, three is a great starting point. Fonts have distinct personalities: serious, casual, playful, elegant. Match the mood of your type to the purpose of your design. Create intentional visual hierarchy by pairing a display face for headlines with a more legible family, or two for body copy (perhaps a sans and a serif). Don't forget to check when investing in new fonts that extra features such as italics, extended or condensed versions are included or available (not to mention full punctuation and glyphs) to give your typographic voice maximum range. Also read: How to choose the right typeface for a brand 04. Collaboration or bust Few magazines are created in isolation – they're usually a product of teamwork – even if its just a partnership of art-director and editor. To be able to care deeply about a publication while allowing others to input into it means walking a tightrope of tensions! Be generous with each other, patient and encouraging, prepared to compromise – but stand your ground when required. Always try to see the bigger picture, and decide which battles to fight. Keep communicating or the work suffers. 05. Covers and mastheads The latest issue of The Recorder features a unique cover collaboration with Penguin cover designer David Pearson, finished with a spot UV varnishThe main event, the signature, the first and last thing people will remember! Covers have always been important but I'd argue they play an increasingly important role now, much like the album cover can represent a body of work, so too can the mag cover. Steven Gregor, aka GymClassMag, wrote brilliantly about how a carefully orchestrated cover can propel an issue to new levels of notoriety. If you have the opportunity to design a magazine cover from scratch then the masthead – or logotype – is the cornerstone to which everything else relates. With the ever decreasing importance of the physical newsstand and the ever increasing role of the digital thumbnail or jpeg – scale and legibility of your mags title is paramount. This shift also frees up new possibilities for positioning, no longer fighting to peep over the top of other titles on shelf, you can stick it practically anywhere! 06. Compromise carefully It can sometimes be seen as a dirty word, but most editorial projects are real 'client' work – not self-funded vanity projects. This means there are client concerns to accommodate, and often important commercial aspects to consider – so compromise is vital. Maybe that spread needs to be replaced with an ad? Or perhaps your branded content isn't branded enough? Whatever the compromise, make sure you're always answering the brief. The happier the client, the stronger a relationship you'll make and the more permission you'll have to do progressive things down the line. 07. Contrast is cool As powerful as contrast is, sometimes complimentary works just as well – like this Masqualero typeface mimicking the hand-drawn type of profiled superstar Gemma O'BrienThis is another obvious one, but it’s something so easy to overlook: visual contrast is one of the designer’s most powerful tools and easiest to deploy (although not always easy to get right). Take a look at titles like YouCanNow and Port to see what I mean – contrasts in scale, colour and tone can result in powerful covers and dramatic spreads. If you want to make an image loom even larger, reduce the title size – if you want to really shout about something – blow up the text till it falls off the page. 08. Setting the pace From grand masters like Carson and Brody, through to (slightly more) modern day marvels like Leo Jung and Matt Willey – there are countless examples of pace-makers controlling how we feel by clever control of visual pace. Slow a reader down by injecting a double page spread of imagery, speed things up by type-setting narrower columns, change the mood by inverting type or chill things out with generous leading... 'Editorial design 101' ideas they may be, but they genuinely work. 09. Illustration matters I've commissioned illustrator Zoe Barker for all three titles: she nails it every timeI've been fortunate enough to commission illustrators and every time I'm reminded of the classic formula and how it applies here: crap in, crap out. If you bumble a brief, fail to provide any insight or direction, or rush a deadline, you run the risk of losing not only goodwill but also quality of output. Illustration can bring to life an article when photography is impossible or inconvenient, and can go places a camera cannot – to new worlds, micro or macro, anywhere imagination can take you. Be prepared to learn new levels of diplomacy to get the best out of your contributors, and to spend copious amounts of time writing emails when you'd rather be designing. 10. A picture is worth… If you have the luxury of a photo editor your task is probably to maximise their talent – but presuming you don't – it's probably to learn to think like one. That means either art-directing shoots personally – or commissioning them – and then handling, editing and placing imagery to maximum effect. This role requires a mixture of conceptual and craft skills, to both understand what photography will move an audience and then the ability and confidence to style, crop and lay out photography to maximum effect. Everyone knows a picture can be worth a thousand words, so treat photography with the care and attention it deserves. 11. God is in the detail hese clean layouts for a profile of poster designer Jessica Svendsen in The Recorder featured 'throw-out' pages and a zingy spot colour neon green inkIf you're in the rare and privileged position to be producing a magazine about a personal passion this applies less – but when working on an editorial project that's rarely the case. The better you can understand your content, the more sensitive and nuanced your design can be. The more you know about your audience, the smarter you can be with your delivery. The deeper your knowledge of great editorial design, the quicker you can call on inspiration when trying out ideas – or know which cliches or tropes to avoid. Spend time with the content and you'll be able to put together the work much more intuitively. 12. Designing for the content This one might be up for debate, but I'm all about letting the content help shape the look of an article. WIRED UK is a superb example of this. Andrew Diprose and team bring to life the content of a story and investigation through a masterful interplay of dramatic type, image and layout. Hardly a new approach I know, but many of the big sellers of recent years have taken a more stripped back or formulaic approach. When there's an idea behind the work, it's much easier to know when it's done. Being aware of visual trends is helpful, but work with meaning has greater integrity and will hold up better as time passes. 13. Designing for the reader Another highlight from Issue 5 of the Recorder is this colourful illustration work by hot talent Bráulio AmadoPerhaps it shouldn't need saying, but designers can forget that they're not the totality of the demographic buying their work. Magazine audiences can be very broad, socially, geographically, age-wise, and as such some might not appreciate adventurous layouts or challenging typesetting. Adapting your style and producing legible and accessible work is vital to engaging your audience; the same goes for decisions around paper stock, page size and count, and so on. Every design decision should be made intentionally with the end user in mind – not design award judges or your designer mates on twitter. 14. Designing for yourself Lastly, but vitally, do what you feel is right and what you'd love to put your name to. Editorial can be one of those rare 'pure' design experiences where you can really shape a piece of communication and therefore totally affect the audience. When you produce something you're proud of (presuming your taste is good) it means you've probably nailed it. Learn to trust your instincts and be brave enough to push your design to an exciting new place – and of course, enjoy it. You could be digging holes in the rain for a living, but you're not. You're designing freaking magazines. My final takeaway? Don't forget to make the most of every editorial opportunity you get. Design should be fun, even if the content isn’t. Related articles: Create balanced page layouts: 7 pro tips 23 steps to the perfect website layout Best laptops for graphic design View the full article

The world’s most famous logos are designed to be memorable. From Apple to McDonalds, the logos of the biggest companies across the globe are meticulously crafted to conjure instant brand association. 25 logo design tips from the expertsSo how ingrained are these logos in our minds? To find out, custom signage firm Signs.com asked over 150 Americans to draw 10 famous logos from memory as accurately as they could in half an hour. The results range from close to comically skewed, with brand elements repositioned, re-angled and reimagined with fabulous freedom. To qualify as nearly perfect, all key features – the bite, the floating leaf and so on – had to be combined accurately (click the top-right arrows icon to enlarge this image) Nearly one in three people gave the Apple logo a stalk (it doesn’t have one), and 22 per cent put the bite on the wrong side; while one in 10 people drew the adidas trefoil logo – which was introduced in 1971 and still in use – instead of the three stripes version, which was launched in 1997. And nearly half the people tested thought the Starbucks mermaid doesn’t wear a crown (she does). Starbucks has used three logos since its formation in 1971 So what can we learn from this exercise? Primarily that brand colours are easier to remember than shape – more people correctly identified the colour palette than any other element. And that the most successful logos use colour (and colour theory) to differentiate from their competitors. Importance of brand colour Karen Haller, a leading authority in the field of applied colour psychology, highlights the challenge facing logo designers in our article The designer’s guide to using colour in branding: “People have an emotional connection with colour first. Then we take in the shapes, the logo, and we read the words,” says Haller. “If we sense a mismatch, it’s the colour we don’t believe, despite the beautifully crafted words.” So could you do any better? You can see some of the drawings below for each logo. And if you fancy having a go yourself, head over to Signs.com to take the quiz yourself (you’ll find it at the bottom of the page). Via LogoDesignLove. Related articles: How to pick the perfect colour palette every time 21 outstanding uses of colour in branding 11 places to find logo design inspiration View the full article

Colour is such a pervasive part of everything we visually encounter in the world, that for many designers it becomes an intuitive choice. If you think back to school though, you'll recall being told at a young age that there are three 'primary' colours – Red, Yellow, and Blue. We were all taught that any colour can be created by mixing these three colours in varying quantities. It turns out that this isn't quite right (although it's still workable enough in practice to be taught the world over to five-year-olds). Get Creative CloudHow colour is formed Colour theory stretches back to at least the 15th centuryUnderstanding how colour is formed and, more importantly, the relationships between different colours, can help you to use colour more effectively in your designs. The Bauhaus school understood this in the 1920s and 1930s, with staff and students going on to develop colour theories for evoking particular moods and emotions through choice of palette in design and architecture. The theory of colour is a discipline that stretches back much further than that - at least to the 15th century - and encompasses physics, chemistry and mathematics to fully define and explain the concepts. However, much of this is unnecessary to being able to use colour effectively. This quick primer will give you a handy overview of all the important aspects to help you start making informed decisions. Colour systems There are two primary colour systems – methods by which colour is reproduced: additive and subtractive (also known as reflective). We use both on a daily basis – the screen you're reading this article on uses additive colour to generate all the colours you see, while the book you're reading uses subtractive colour for its front cover. In simple terms – anything that emits light (such as the sun, a screen, a projector, etc) uses additive, while everything else (which instead reflects light) uses subtractive colour. 01. Additive Additive colour is based on red, green, and blue - RGB for shortAdditive colour works with anything that emits or radiates light. The mixture of different wavelengths of light creates different colours, and the more light you add, the brighter and lighter the colour becomes. When using additive colour, we tend to consider the building block (primary) colours to be Red, Green, and Blue (RGB), and this is the basis for all colour you use on screen. In additive colour, white is the combination of colour, while black is the absence of colour. 02. Subtractive Subtractive colour is based on cyan, magenta, and yellowSubtractive colour works on the basis of reflected light. Rather than pushing more light out, the way a particular pigment reflects different wavelengths of light determines its apparent colour to the human eye. Subtractive colour, like additive, has three primary colours - Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow (CMY). In subtractive colour white is the absence of colour, while black is the combination of colour, but it’s an imperfect system. The pigments we have available to use don't fully absorb light (preventing reflected colour wavelengths), so we have to add a fourth compensating pigment to account for this limitation. We call this "Key", hence CMYK, but essentially it's black. Without this additional pigment, the closest to black we'd be able to render in print would be a muddy brown. The colour wheel The modern colour wheel has been in use since the 18th centuryIn order to make it easier to see the relationship between different colours, the concept of the modern colour wheel was developed around the 18th century. These early wheels plotted the different primary colours around a circle, mixing different primary colours together in strict ratios to achieve secondary and tertiary colours. The colour wheel allows us to see at a glance which colours are complementary (opposite each other on the wheel), analogous (adjacent to each other on the wheel), triadic (three colours positioned at 120 degrees on the wheel from each other) and so on. Each of these relationships can produce pleasing colour combinations. There are many more pleasing relationships between colours based on their position on the wheel. There are free apps for picking a colour scheme, or you could use your designer's eye to pick your own. Click through to the next page for a little help on this. Next page: the three components of colour, colour gamut, and more... The three components of a colour The three component parts that help us define a colour are hue, saturation and brightnessYellow is yellow is yellow, right? Well, actually, no; there are many different colours we could refer to as yellow. Different shades or tints, saturations and hues are all possible while still being within the yellow part of the colour wheel. As a result, there are three primary component parts that help us define a colour: 01. Hue This is the position on the colour wheel, and represents the base colour itself. This is typically referred to in degrees (around the colour wheel), so a yellow colour will appear between 50 and 60 degrees, with the perfect yellow appearing at 56 degrees. Green, meanwhile, appears at 120 degrees on the wheel at so on. 02. Saturation This is a representation of how saturated (or rich) a colour is. Low saturation results in less overall colour, eventually becoming a shade of grey when fully desaturated. Saturation is normally referred to as a percentage between 0 and 100%. 03. Brightness This is how bright a colour is, typically expressed as a percentage between 0 and 100%. A yellow at 0% brightness will be black, while the same yellow hue and saturation at 100% brightness will be the full yellow colour. Colour gamut Colour gamut describes the range of potential colours a system can reproduceColour gamut is a way of describing the full range of potential colours a system can reproduce. It may surprise you to learn that the range of colours achievable in CMYK is different to that you can achieve with RGB. This is partially because of the nature of the two different systems, but also (in the real world at least) as a consequence of limitations in our technology - screens aren’t always capable of producing the same range of colours as each other, and pigments reflect light at a non-uniform rate as you reduce their saturation. Colour perception Finally, it’s worth looking at how different colours can affect the way we perceive other colours. A typical illustration of this features a mid-grey tone placed over a light grey background, and the same mid-grey tone shown over a dark grey background. The apparent brightness of the mid-grey is altered according to the context in which you see it - a trick of the eye, working to make sense of its surroundings. Hues works in the same way as tones when placed adjacent to other colours, allowing you to create different effects using the same palette of colours. Further reading There's more to explore in the world of colour, which is why we've got a tag for all of our articles on the subject of colour. Visit creativebloq.com/tag/colour to explore our latest colour articles, or read some of these highlights below. 01. The designer’s guide to using colour in branding Colour sells. Whether you’re working with a product, service or space, the ‘right’ combinations of colours can influence how someone feels, thinks and behaves – with powerful results. What are the ‘right’ combinations, and how can designers sidestep subjective debates to harness the power of colour more effectively in branding projects? Computer Arts magazine takes a look in this guide, speaking to experts in colour branding and looking at tools to help you make the right choices. 02. How to pick the perfect colour palette every time In the 1980s, colour psychologist Angela Wright identified links between patterns of colour and patterns of human behaviour. She went on to develop the Colour Affects System, which identifies links between four colour groups and four basic personality types, based on original research involving Aristotle, Newton and German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. If harnessed correctly, designers can use the Colour Affects System to control the message of their colour palettes and, crucially, kill subjective debate around colour in client meetings with evidence to back up their decisions. This guide from Computer Arts magazine's colour issue explains how it works… 03. How to manage colours in Photoshop This article provides a great overview for users who are new to colour management, with practical advice for managing colours in Photoshop. It explores how to convert your images from RGB to CMYK mode, and the effect this will have on the colours within your image; how to customise your colour settings to suit your particular needs; and how to sync your colour profile across all of your Adobe CC apps, add a particular colour profile provided by your printer, and preview a CMYK version of your design without losing any RGB information. Get Adobe Creative Cloud04. 10 colour management terms designers need to know Getting your colours right means getting your head around some tricky terms. There are a number of jargon terms that might baffle you - so we've put together this handy guide. Have a read, and you'll soon be able to sort your spectrophotometer from your tristimulus colorimeter... 05. 4 ways to master colour in logo design Colour is a universal language in design. It can help convey a brand’s personality, create market standout, and evoke an emotional response. This article reveals four ways to work with colour more effectively in your logo design work… 06. Outstanding uses of colour in branding Successfully 'owning' a colour is a big deal. With this in mind, we've explored how different brands around the world have staked their respective claims to 10 colours – in some cases with considerable success. 07. The best colour tools for web designers For web designers, one of the most important choices to make is over colour selections. Choose the wrong ones, and you might just lose out on an opportunity. But how do you know which colours work well together? To help with the important task of colour selection, this article points you in the direction of some of the best free colour tools on the web (plus one special bonus at the end for Mac users). View the full article

If ever you needed proof that 4K has moved from an experimental technology to the mainstream, it arrived this September in the form of two announcements from Apple. Firstly, Apple began rolling out 4K HDR content on iTunes mid-month, in the United States and other countries. Then a week later, it announced a major update to Apple TV, introducing 4K and high dynamic range (HDR) support for the first time. Along with 4K-capable apps from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, consumers now have a number of affordable options for streaming 4K content to their smart TVs. But 4K isn’t just about films and broadcast shows. With the latest laptops, tablets and even smartphones now featuring 4K screens and higher, consumers will increasingly be expecting all their multimedia content to be available at super-high resolution. In this post, we look at what this means for designers and creative agencies going into 2018 and beyond... 01. 4K will become the norm for video Even though GLOW is a retro show, its credits needed to be in 4KEven though it seems we’ve only just got used to HD, 4K is going to become the norm for video in 2018, whether we’re talking about movies, TV shows, commercials or social media campaigns. With the younger generation increasingly able to film their own 4K footage on the latest smartphones and sports cameras, they’re certainly not going to accept anything less from the professionals. And there are no exceptions, it seems. For example, when Shynola was asked to produce a credit sequence for Netflix’s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) – a drama inspired by a 1980s TV show – it was asked to make a title sequence “that looks like it’s in 4K but other than that could have come straight from the original show”, it told Creative Review. When even something that sets out to look purposely old-fashioned has to be in 4K, it’s a clear sign that it’s become the industry standard. 02. Larger screens will provide more opportunities for innovation There was once a time when, if you showed video on a very large screen, it looked blurry and unprofessional. But the rise of 4K means it’s possible to show pin-sharp images on larger and larger screens, and the industry is quickly taking advantage. One example is Samsung’s gallery at the recent IFA Berlin trade show, featuring some of the world’s best works of art displayed on 4K HDR screens. Another is how McCann and Framestore took a group of school children on a ‘field trip to Mars’ by essentially turning an entire bus into a VR headset. As you can see in the video above, they did this by creating scenes from the Red Planet in Unreal Engine 4, across a ‘driveable area’ of 250 square miles. They then rendered that in real-time on the bus using a combination of a GPS, accelerometer, magnetometer and laser surface velocimeter. Finally, they used specially 84-inch, 4K resolution screens backed by a layer of switchable film, allowing them to broadcast VR footage on to the glass. 03. Billboards will become more like Blade Runner A mockup of how the new-look Piccadilly Lights will look when upgraded to 4KIf you think 84-inch screens sound big, wait until the forthcoming revamp of Piccadilly Lights – the iconic advertising space in central London – is revealed this autumn. The new 790sq m screen will be the largest in Europe, and will be linked to a high-speed fibre Wi-Fi network, giving brands an easy way to display 4K content, including live video streaming and real time social media feeds. We’ll have to wait and see what that looks like, but it all sounds very Blade Runner. And it’s not just Londoners who will benefit from 4K big-screen advertising. Outdoor advertising company JCDecaux, for example, has announced it is updating its digital billboards across the UK to 4K. 04. Social media will push 4K forward Facebook is making a big push for video, and 4K will be an important part of the mixThe last couple of years have seen Twitter and Facebook make a big play for the future of video viewing. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has tried to reinvent the social network as a video platform, including high-profile deals to stream Thursday night NFL games. Meanwhile, Facebook has doubled down on its Facebook Live strategy, funding its own shows and exclusives from media partners. 4K is becoming an increasingly important weapon in this battle, most notably shown in Facebook’s announcement in July that you can now live-stream 360-degree video on Facebook in up to 4K resolution. That's along with The Live 360 Ready Program, a list of third-party 360-degree cameras and software solutions verified by Facebook. With these two companies continuing to wrest market dominance from the likes of Amazon and Netflix, expect much more technical and creative innovation to come in 2018. 05. Websites will need to be 4K ready too Using vector graphics rather than raster images where possible will help your websites look pixel-perfect on 4K screensAs more and more people start viewing websites on 4K screens, from smartphones to laptops to smart TVs, web designers will need to make sure their designs will responsively adapt to such devices. That’s partly about adherence to general responsible web design principles, such as using vector images wherever possible, but there are also other concerns relating to things like larger screen widths. Learn more by following our 4 tips for designing a 4K-ready website. 06. 4K will take over gaming Killer Instinct is the first 4K console fighting game for the XBox One X4K gaming has been a reality on the PC for some time now, albeit for those with a 4K monitor and a powerful enough desktop computer, equipped with the latest Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series and AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics cards. But in 2018, 4K will extend its takeover of the gaming world by colonising the console. Sony has been in the forefront of this revolution with the PS4 Pro, launched last November. This, although not offering ‘native 4K’, uses a clever form of upscaling to create 4K images. But all that will soon be eclipsed by the release of the Xbox One X, unveiled this July and slated for a November release, which will enable games to be rendered at true 4K resolution. 07. Marketing 4K will require creative solutions 4K video may now be the norm, but how do you market it to a public who have only just got used to 1080p? While the jump from VHS to DVD, for example, was pretty revolutionary, the move from HD to 4K is a little more evolutionary, so to visually sell the benefits of expensive 4K tech demands a huge amount of creativity and imagination. One interesting approach can be seen in the explosive ad for the Xbox One X, which had gamers drooling at E3 this year. Created by Ayzenberg Group, it begins by focusing on the actual tech inside the console, then we see these components morph into luminous pixel threads that gradually combine to immerse the player in a virtual world. Pretty stirring stuff, in short, whatever type of screen it’s viewed on. 08. We’ll need to start thinking about 8K Sony’s just unveiled its 8K camera, the UHC-8300While 4K has now entered the mainstream, things won’t stop there. The next stage of the resolution revolution lies in 8K, the current highest definition standard. 8K UHD has two times the horizontal and vertical resolution of the 4K UHD, with four times as many pixels overall, or 16 times as many pixels as Full HD. Right now, 8K resolution is mainly used as a way of creating 4K footage through cropping techniques and/or downsampling techniques. And while 8K cameras have been pretty rare until now, they’re likely to become increasingly available, with Sony unveiling its first 8K camera, the UHC-8300, at IBC 2017. Watch this space... View the full article

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Getting a tattoo is a big deal. Whether it’s a classic or unique design you simply love or a picture or symbol that marks a meaningful event in your life, bagging the best tattoo design is a long and sometimes difficult process. Here, we’ve pulled together some inspiration that’ll help you choose the tattoo design that’s right for you. To make things simple, we've split the article into themes: flower tattoos (this page), tribal tattoos, mandala tattoos, dragon tattoos, cross tattoos, skull tattoos, geometric tattoos, anchor tattoos, animal tattoos, and couples' tattoos. (If you're interested in watercolour-style tattoos, check out these 13 incredible examples). Each of the categories contains more traditional tattoo designs, as well as quirky original ideas. You can navigate to the section you want using the drop-down menu above. Click on the images to see more of each tattoo artists' work. Doodle art: 52 great examples01. Rainbow roses tattoo Morag at Purple Rose Tattoo This rose tattoo steers away from the standard red colouring, marking it as a classic design but with a modern twist. The intricate shading and delicate leaves add to its realistic execution. 02. Monochrome tattoo Hannah Louise Kyle This black and white rose tattoo again steers away from the classic red, offering up an elegant black-and-white design. The heavy line work keeps it to a traditional tattoo style. 03. Pink rose tattoo Esme Loasby The bright colours is what makes this flower tattoo design stand out, especially when you look closely at the clever colour gradient. Adding more than one flower always makes for a special piece. 04. Wildflowers tattoo Esme Loasby Speaking of choosing more than one type for your flower tattoo, this beautiful botanical creation proves that you can put a lot of elements into one piece and it’ll still work, provided you use a tattoo artist who knows what they're doing. 05. Rose and dagger tattoo Tom Butts If you’re looking for a more traditional design, this rose tattoo could be just the inspiration you’re looking for. The inclusion of the dagger adds an edge and makes it a bold, stand-out piece. 06. Red rose tattoo Sascha Roth A bolder choice is this rose tattoo design, with clever colour work placed just away from the careful lining. Including so much black might not work for some tattoo designs, or tattooees, but it works here. 07. Geometric peonies tattoo Mark Jelliman The linework on this trio of peonies is crafted with such elegance, it makes a real statement. It just goes to show that keeping things simple can often be the best approach when it comes to tattoo design. Next page: Tribal tattoo designs These great tattoo designs are all inspired by tribal artworks from around the world. Some of these stick to common themes from native American tribal art, for example, while others give them a contemporary twist. As before, click on the image to go to the tattoo artist's website or Instagram page. 08. Tribal mask-inspired tattoo Manu Dermagrafics This stunning leg piece was crafted freehand, and with its bold shapes, colour-blocking and seamless line work, it’s a tribal tattoo worth showing off. The shape itself compliments the shape of the leg, too. 09. Subtle shading tribal tattoo Paxii What makes this tribal tattoo design stand out is that through the thick line work and colour-filled shapes, there’s a subtle shading that brings it to life, adding new dimensions. 10.Thick framed tribal tattoo Mike Schwalger This custom Polynesian tribal tattoo sleeve is able to include a variety of different shapes and lines without making it look too busy. The thick line framing adds a more artistic flair. 11. Pared-back tribal tattoo Leo Braz Sometimes tribal tattoos can be simple. This piece signifies the serpent in the Marajoara tribe, with the back placement proving to be the perfect place to show it off. 12. Repeat pattern tattoo Sunset Tattoo Keeping with the simple theme, this half-sleeve tribal tattoo offers an intricate yet uncomplicated design. And with such a clean design, the pattern is as mesmerising as it is timeless. 13. Tribal collar tattoo Margaret River Tribal tattoo designs often demand a bold placement and this visayan tribal collar is a breathtaking example of how simple line work and intricate patterns can make a statement. 14. Modern twist Daniel Matsumoto This work, by Daniel Matsumoto, manages to put a modern twist on the classic tribal tattoo design. Mixing thin lines with block colour is a simple but unique way to make it pop. Next page: Mandala Tattoos Mandalas are peaceful, spiritual symbols in both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. With their intricate, nature-inspired patterns, it's no wonder they're a popular choice for tattoos. As before, click on the image to go to the tattoo artist's website or Instagram page. 15. Pointillist mandala tattoo Ricky Williams With its circular shape, placing a Mandala tattoo around the ear is a great way to make the most impact. The pointillism aspect in this design is stunning. 16. Hidden mandala tattoo Ricky Williams Mandala tattoos come in all sizes and this delicate design could be just the kind of thing you’re after. Sleek, delicate work that gradually moves into darker colour is a special touch. 17. Bold mandala tattoo Jayne Rogers The thick lines on this half-Mandala tattoo design make it the perfect way to go if you want to make a statement. Choosing to do a half design is also an option if placed around the ear. 18. Layered mandala tattoo Niky Brown Opting for a layering effect on this Mandala tattoo design enables it to take on a more 3D-design effect. Adding it some point work really makes this one inspiring. 19. Colourful mandala tattoo Mors Tattoo Taking on a more classic style, the colour work enables the Mandala tattoo to make more of a statement. Adding colour to the leaf exterior makes for a seamless execution. 20. Shaded mandala tattoo Renette Hammer Mandala tattoos circular shape enable them to be placed almost anywhere but the chest provides a nice canvas to really show them off. Pointillism is also a great way to add depth and subtlety. 21. Stained glass mandala tattoo Skylar Rose Wasserman If you’re after a Mandala tattoo design with a more colourful, unexpected twist, you could go for something like this. The stained glass window colour effect allows shades to blend into each other. Next page: Dragon tattoos Dragon tattoos might show the world how brave and fiery you are, they might celebrate your cultural heritage, or they might just exist because you think dragons are really cool (you're not wrong). Whatever your reason for wanting a dragon tattoo, check out these designs for inspiration and click on the image to go to the artist's website or Instagram page. 22. Whimsical dragon tattoo Alice Badger Sometimes, it’s best to look to the world of TV and movies for your tattoo design inspiration. This one featuring Haku from anime classic Spirited Away is a great place to start. 23. Fierce dragon tattoo Lydia Bruno Dragons are also the perfect way to start off a sleeve, thanks to the variety in which they can be presented. This colourful example leaves room all around for more designs. 24. Oriental dragon tattoo HH Orlando Tattoo Speaking of sleeves, this Japanese style dragon tattoo offers colourful inspiration. The detail on the scales is a particularly nice touch, as is the juxtaposing, delicate flowers underneath. 25. Symmetrical dragon tattoo Joe Fletcher If you love the idea of a dragon tattoo but you’re wary of getting the whole form tattooed onto, opting for the head could be a great way to show your beast appreciation. 26. Linework dragon tattoo Heritage Tattoos A dragon's serpentine body can make it a great option for a head tattoo. This simple, black-and-white linework tattoo design offers elegant inspiration if you’re willing to take the leap. 27. Abstract dragon tattoo Dámaris Argüelles Pérez A more experimental tattoo design could be just the dragon you’re looking for. This puzzle-like piece keeps it modern while also harking back to more traditional tattoo styles. 28. Etchwork dragon tattoo Byron Barker This etchwork dragon tattoo design harks back to a neo-traditional style of tattooing and works best when placed on the side of the body, allowing lots of detail. Next page: Cross tattoo designs Meaningful and beautiful, cross tattoos also come in a variety of styles. Choose a style that's right for you with these great designs. As before, click on an image you like to go to the artist's website or InDesign page. 29. Botanical cross tattoo Reny Tattoos Cross tattoo designs don’t always need to be in a standard, straight line. This example shows that cross tattoos can be moulded with another style to create something really beautiful. 30. Pretty cross tattoo Bruno Diego Another way to amp up a cross tattoo design is with layering. This delicate design incorporates illustrations of love hearts in an elegant and original way, making for a special piece. 31. Symbolic cross tattoo Hegotme This clever cross tattoo design references the crucifixion in a minimal but impactful manner. Adding the nails into the design is a great way to do this. 32. Curvy cross tattoo Kelly Kossuth Maybe you’re looking for a bolder cross tattoo design and this one from Kelly Kossuth shows how you can be both bold and minimal, thanks to thick line work. 33. Minimal cross tattoo Tattooist Uzi If minimal is more your style, this delicate cross tattoo design could be just the inspiration you need. Delicate line work and zero colour can still make an impact. 34. Shaded cross tattoo Slicecrust This classic cross tattoo design works well thanks to neat shading work and clean, thick lines. It’s a perfect design if you want one placed on your arm. 35. Artistic cross tattoo Steven Gilliard If you want to combine your love of being a designer or artist with your cross tattoo, then this clever piece could be right up your street. The dot work makes it pop. Next page: Skull tattoo designs If dragons weren't tough enough for you, how about a skull tattoo? Some of these skull designs are pretty scary, but others are actually really beautiful, and even cute. We're sure they'll all serve to inspire your scull tattoo design. 36. Skull and rose tattoo Phatt German Sometimes you want to add a bit more depth to a skull tattoo design. This skull, which has a rose design incorporated into its cap, does this very effectively. 37. Multi-layered skull tattoo Charlotte's Web Tattoos Another way to incorporate depth into a skull tattoo is this half-dead design, which sees a skull merged with a crying face. The addition of a clock makes it extra creepy. 38. Mexican skull tattoo Barbie Lowenberg If you’re wanting something a little less creepy, this cute skull tattoo – complete with floral decoration, in the style of Mexican Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) skull masks and decorations – is the perfect way to show off your love of the dead. 39. Delicate skull tattoo Uvethekid Sticking with the floral theme, this skull design offers a more freehand approach, with wavy lines. The difference in line thickness and the dotted shading is what makes it great. 40. Gruesome skull tattoo Kelly Violet If you’re looking for something truly bold, a half-sleeve skull tattoo design is one of the options you could go for. This one, illustrated with medieval weaponry, is jaw-dropping. 41. Baroque skull tattoo Siren1 Sometimes two skulls is better than one and this detail tattoo design effortlessly places them together without making it look crowded. Perfect for placing it on the arm. 42. 3D-effect skull tattoo Bali Namaste Tattoo Studio This small skull tattoo takes a different approach when blending two skulls together, giving off a 3D effect with a minimal and cute design – perfect for small spaces. Next page: Geometric tattoo designs For something a bit different, why not get an interesting tattoo featuring geometric shapes and patterns? They can be as colourful or as big as you like, as these great designs show. 43. Artistic geometric tattoo Expanded Eye Expanded Eye is a duo known for its incredible geometric tattoo designs. With splashes of colour, clever shading and breathtaking structure, this is the perfect geometric tattoo design inspiration. 44. Prisms tattoo Malvina Maria Wisniewska The great thing about geometric tattoos is they can be formed of simple structures but with a detailed execution. The interweaving line thickness on this design is a great example of that. 45. Honeycomb tattoo Miriam Frank Mixing shapes and colours into your geometric tattoo design can make for a pretty amazing final piece. By adding just the red to this piece, it ensures the design doesn’t go overboard. 46. Golden Ratio tattoo Michele Volpi The Golden Ratio describes the perfectly symmetrical relationship between two proportions and this geometric tattoo design is a gorgeous and clever way to pay tribute to its perfections. 47. Pared-back geometric tattoo Sarah Lu The simplicity of geometric tattoos also means that the hand poking technique can work really well. This simple but effective design puts a different spin on the arrow. 48. Kaleidoscopic tattoo Diego Favaretto If you’re wanting a larger geometric piece, this tattoo is a great example of one that works well when placed on the back. The never-ending detail on this one is particularly impressive. 49. Colourful geometric tattoo Sasha Unisex Of course we couldn’t feature geometric tattoo designs without mentioning Sasha Unisex – the tattoo artist who has become renowned across the world for her stunning, colourful geometric work. Next page: Anchor tattoo designs About as traditional as tattoo designs get, anchor tattoos are enjoying a retro resurgence. But, as these designs prove, a traditional theme doesn't have to result in a stale old-fashioned design. Click on any image to discover the tattoo artist behind the innovative design. 50. Anchor and heart tattoo Patryk Hilton If you’re after a classic tattoo staple, an anchor design is one of the best options. This traditional style piece is a great way to make a statement. 51. Exotic anchor tattoo Sam Ricketts Anchors can also act as a frame for a tattoo design, with this example proving particularly impressive. By using a simple anchor as your base, you can embellish it to your heart’s content. 52. Anchor and bird tattoo Sami Tutch You can always embellish your anchor tattoo design but in a more subtle, sweet way. This little anchor features cartoonish characters that make it perfect for a cute arm piece. 53. Watercolour anchor tattoo Tracy Burton If you want a splash of colour on your anchor tattoo design, adding in wave-like watercolour is a great way to include your love of anchors in the sea. 54. Sketchy anchor tattoo Elena Aiello Continuing the watery theme is this cute anchor tattoo design, that adds splashes of colour in a simple, hand-drawn style. The loveheart is also perfectly incorporated in the design. 55. Monochrome anchor tattoo Ecke Wunderland The detail on this tiny anchor tattoo design is so perfectly executed, it almost deserves more space. The inclusion of the paper boat is a delightful touch, finishing off the piece beautifully. 56. Geometric anchor tattoo Aracely Ramírez Ponce If you want the colour to be the main focus of your anchor tattoo design, this watercolour, geometric anchor is a great way to show it off. Next page: Animal tattoo designs Another popular choice, animal tattoos might honour a beloved pet, serve as a reminder of a great experience, or show part of your personality through your choice of a favourite animal. These animal tattoos again vary wildly in style, so if you find an art style that you like, click on the image to go through to the artist's website or Instagram page to see more. 57. Fox tattoo Lotte Vanns This simple, hand-poked design is the perfect way to pay tribute to your favourite animal. Thanks to this fox's long body, placing it around the knee is a great way to show it off. 58. Greyhounds tattoo Daemon Rowanchilde These racing greyhounds are stunning in their own right – thanks mostly to their meticulously drawn anatomy – but by placing them within another design, it makes the whole piece pretty breathtaking. 59. Dinosaur tattoo Kimsany The cartoonish colour-blocking on this brachiosaurus makes it truly unique. Complete with intricate line work and the perfect long arm placement, this is one way to get noticed. 60. Elephant tattoo Adrián Desgracia This sketchy design is great if you want to go for a sleeve design with a difference. The surrealist aspect of the elephant is also reminiscent of Salvador Dali’s work. 61. Whale tattoo Raphael Not sure what style to go for in your animal tattoo design? This is one solution: this unique killer whale design combines two different styles in one, with the animal's middle section drawn as shaded scales. 62. Bird tattoo Jason Corbett Pointillism is a beautiful option when it comes to bird tattoo designs. This one, perched just on the shoulder, keeps it simple with minimal detail and colour. 63. Dog tattoo Ricardo Romero Rios Lots of people get their best pal tattooed on them. This one, depicting man’s best friend, is a cute way to illustrate your love for your furry friend – and there's a sweet Up reference to boot. Next page: Couples' tattoo designs Not just the preserve of drunken nights out, matching tattoos are a popular way to mark your commitment to your other half. While some of these designs go sickeningly all-out of the slush factor, others are more subtle, fun, and perhaps even be tasteful enough to avoid the laser, should you break up (not that you will, obviously). 64. Pizza tattoos justinsams There’s no better way of combining your love of your partner with your love of pizza. This cute design may be a little cheesy for some but perfect for others. 65. Sun and moon tattoos Jessica Leigh Ozimek If you’re getting married, you might want to make things even more permanent with ring finger tattoos. This sun and moon tattoo design is a sweet way to show off your love. 66. Chatty tattoos Dream Tattoo Your best pal is always there to listen when you need it most. When you’re far away from each other, this simple tattoo design will remind you that they’re always there. 67. King and queen tattoos B9 Tattoo Studio Be the king and queen of all couples with these minimalist playing-card inspired tattoo designs. It’s best to keep it simple, especially when placed on the hands or wrists. 68. Foxes tattoos Farbenfroh Tattoo Art These playful partner tattoos are great if you’re thinking of getting a couples' tattoo on your leg. The hand-drawn, sketchy style and clever shading make these particularly beautiful. 69. Colour mode tattoos NYC Adorned If you’re looking for something with a designer twist, you couldn’t opt for anything better than these cute colour mode pieces (you might recognise these as belonging to Jessica Hische and Russ Maschmeyer). If you're screen-based, go for RBG, while print designers are more likely to favour CMYK. 70. Heart tattoos First Class Tattoo Studio How about combining your couples tattoo design with your favourite show? This Game of Thrones-inspired piece is a great way to show off two of the things you love. Read more: 23 designers and their awesome tattoos What happens when tattoo design meets illustration 13 incredible examples of watercolour tattoo art View the full article

Is service design more than just expensive brainstorming techniques? After all, not everyone has a leadership role in their design or product teams, and service design might sound like something for the stakeholders to philosophise about. “Better to get on with useful code and design techniques ,” some might understandably suggest. However, brand and product experiences are influenced by outside factors, some of which are beyond the design team’s control. Therefore, to consider all potential customer touch points and avoid fragmenting into disjointed experiences, design teams can start thinking of themselves as holistic service delivery units with all members contributing valuable domain knowledge such as business, marketing, design, code, server technologies and data systems. Service design creates opportunities for team collaboration as well as increasing the potential to successfully meet audience metrics or conversion and retention goals. What does AI have to do with it? The current rise in artificial intelligence and robotics is leading to the rethinking of, and sometimes the entire overhaul of, established product roadmaps and ecosystems, as well as their related user experiences, business logic, server infrastructures and data sources. These new paradigms lead to consumer-focused cognitive realms. Using service design as a discipline to account for the intersections of people, infrastructure, communication and physical components in planning and organising your product, results in a map or sequence of events and functions that effectively represent your product’s or organisation’s digital and physical interactions with its audiences. when designing our services, we must consider what customers do or do not understandAt the same time, it also offers an opportunity to generate ideas for innovation. Apart from honing a user-friendly and relevant product, service design can uncover ways for a company to stay competitive by aligning its capabilities to the service sustainably. Already, machine learning is making different media, data and transactions accessible in visual and auditory formats, pushing the boundaries of familiar human-computer interactions. This is encouraging designers to reframe current user experiences beyond traditional inputs and outputs to service. Introduction to service design Service design methods go hand in hand with tried and tested product design methods, while adding new facets to the design process. The different schools of thought generally converge around these general methods: Definition of actors (users) and actions (steps taken by users and behind the scenes) involved in the services that are being designed. Scenarios, use cases and sequences of actions and actors’ roles usually captured in a service blueprint. Components of the service, including people’s contextual information, interactions, technical systems, business logic and data sources. The variation in the methods above helps define the requirements for the product or service and its underlying system that supports it. They all, however, make wide use of anthropology and ethnography disciplines, including video-ethnography and other contextual inquiry techniques to really gain a deep understanding of users’ behaviour. Other familiar user experience research methods are widely used including contextual interviews, personas, task analysis and journey mapping to capture vital information about users’ lives and what they go through on a day-to-day basis to make the product or service relevant. The end result is a blueprint of the service that details the components and interactions of the product by using well-known techniques from software development to capture functional requirements of an app. This includes service scenarios and use cases, but also goes beyond that by capturing key user behaviour and expectations. Jump-starting a service design culture Service design methods allow us to develop and iterate a future for our customers with enough flexibility baked in to change direction and move forward in to comfortable team development cadences. With such a set-up, we can manage progress, research implementation of up-and-coming trends and technologies, and have the ability to deliver better and faster services with true business value such as lower operating costs and efficiencies. However, service design methods and strategy alone won’t get your organisation to the future your customers will exist in. A true service design culture must exist to get your digital teams working on what matters most while iterating on solutions and improving existing products. Service Design Tools is an online archive of methods in diagrams and deliverables formats that can be used for generating service blueprints, user journey maps and other service design artefactsAdditionally, considering artificial-intelligence opportunities in our products through service design methods puts us in tune with our customer expectations and gives us the ability to provide actionable users’ data to our stakeholders. As stated earlier, service design practices are generally related to the disciplines of product design, interaction design and systems design, and are represented in the following phases: 01. Discovery Here the aim is to first gain a full understanding of the problem(s) that need solving and the overall context. The discovery phase is very hi-octane in the sense that there is a lot of idea generation and sharing while uniting the teams, at the same time that expectations are constantly being reset, especially on the part of stakeholders. We understand their business dilemmas and work with them to remain flexible while maintaining integrity to the user experience and long-term vision for the product(s). Activities include: design workshops and customer journey mapping. 02. Design Findings from the previous phase are synthesised through arduous working sessions that sometimes turn into passionate arguments but eventually result in high-level concepts and other design artefacts. This is a good time for developers and system architects to weigh in with their valuable input as such decisions impact the technical architecture and business requirements, and result in support of an enhanced digital experience. The design team does well in establishing a systematic way to design aspects of the enhanced user interface that is immediately followed by A/B testing using remote services. The findings of such tests can be presented to the team along with the new designs. Such practice leads to addressing potential and sometimes blatant “design problems” that can easily cost more to fix once a product or app has been launched. If ever the team cannot come to a unanimous agreement on the design, prototyping and testing can resolve this. Activities include: user interface sketching, wireframes and prototyping. 03. Development At this stage, a unanimous agreement has been set by the team and developers sometimes pair with other disciplines to produce and deliver all components. After a solution is launched, teams observe the success against predefined goals and metrics, always keeping an eye out for future improvements. If there's one service design method that can lead to many gains, it's the ubiquitous customer journey mapWhere to begin If there is one service design method that can be easily exploited and leads to many gains, it is the ubiquitous customer journey map. I have personally been involved in journey map-design sessions where lead system architects and developers not only offered straight information about what can or can’t be achieved, but also were the most eager to share improvements and insights about the user’s journey with an unmatched empathy for the product user when describing this. Customer journey mapping A user journey map can define the ecosystem of users, processes, tools, systems and data that endorse the user experience. Consuming a service means consuming an experience, a process that extends over time. The customer journey truly illustrates how our audiences perceive and experience the product over time. It also considers people’s lives before and after they interact with the app, leading to valuable insights. A critical first step in creating a customer journey is to decide the starting and stopping points, as these serve as a safety net over which the service is explored, organised and visualised with the methods discussed in this article. When designing journey maps, identify and arrange the sequence of user manual and automated tasks to achieve a goal while engaging with a product. Journey maps promote a shared understanding of all the elements that make up user experiences including what a user is thinking, feeling and needing. However, instead of being a “catch all” or a design where every possible outcome is covered, journey maps are most useful when the end state of the journey achieves a desired goal, as this allows the design team to target specific user behaviours, attitudes and motivations – and what can turn them away. The effect of letting users drive their experiences Most of the time, users understand their needs better than anyone, although at times they might not be able to vocalise it like a designer would in creating a mental model. For example, when designing our services, we must consider what customers do or do not understand. This can lead to improvements in terms of support and organisational changes, even if we’re not the ones responsible for them. The thinking outlined in this article proposes some valuable techniques and insights that can lead to a service design transformation that feeds up the organisation. Start small by sharing with like-minded people, looking at issues that arise from another point of view and arguing using well organised information or proposing a user journey map. In time, others will get involved, moving the entire organisation closer to a holistic service delivery mindset. Related articles: 10 essential TED talks for UX designers 7 UX tools to try this year How to design a chatbot experience View the full article

Finally, it's the all-important day that you unveil your new product or service to the world. Congratulations! This is the moment you've been building towards. You might think you've reached the end of the road – and, shortly, you can enjoy a well-earned beverage of your choice – but really this point is just the beginning of the journey. How to launch a creative businessEmail a primer All being well, you should have an email list in place with an audience that has expressed an interest in what you're doing. A day or two before your launch, you can build anticipation by emailing your list (using one of the 10 best email newsletter tools) and letting them know that the countdown has begun. This primes your audience and ensures they're on the lookout for your launch email. Connect on social media Email is, of course, just one way to connect with your potential customers. Equally important are your other social media channels, which you should have prepared content for (check out our 5 golden rules for social media strategy article for guidance). If all goes well on the day of your launch, you'll be incredibly busy, so ensure you've prepared everything in advance. On launch day it's critical to share your story far and wide. Focus on getting the message out and engaging with your audience, and you'll maximise success. Contact influencers The Product Hunt community is perfectly positioned to promote your productTo help spread the word, it's a good idea to contact your influencers, priming them for your launch. An email or a direct message a day or two beforehand will ensure they're ready for the reveal and lined up to help spread the world. They will give your campaign a helpful boost. In our connected world we're incredibly fortunate to have a wealth of tools at our disposal that we can use to help promote the products we make. Tools like Product Hunt, Hacker News and other product galleries are perfect for driving traffic to your site. Product Hunt is a passionate community that's focused on sharing new products – it's an excellent tool to share your story, enabling you to reach others who might not be on your mailing list or following your social channels. Engage with followers Your goal is to get a conversation going and engage with potential new customers. Conversations work best when they're natural, not scripted. When replying, be courteous, and remember: you're not a robot so don't just copy and paste generic replies. Instead, respond to individuals individually and seek to nurture relationships. Your followers will appreciate your humanity and they'll support your cause by spreading the word. Clear the calendar for launch day Clear the decks for the day of your launch, ensure your calendar is empty and focus your mind on the day ahead. All being well, when you unveil your product it will – to use a well-worn phrase – fly off the digital shelves! This article originally appeared in net magazine issue 295. Buy it here. Related articles: How to turn your design studio dream into reality The designer’s guide to Brexit 21 free business card templates View the full article

The internet is overflowing with awe-inspiring design portfolios and creative resumes. To stand out in this tough market, it's important to make your online portfolio as impressive as you can. Get Adobe Portfolio free with Creative CloudIt's not just the examples of work that need to blow away your potential clients (although they do help) it's the way they're presented. You don't have to be a superstar creative director or web designer; a touch of creativity and innovative thinking will get you a long way. And there are plenty of free online tools, such as Behance, to help you build a portfolio without any coding knowledge. So, check out these inspiring examples of online design portfolios, both for individual designers and design agencies – to help you angle your own in just the right way… The best laptops for graphic design01. Daniel Spatzek We love how Daniel's bio zooms into viewDaniel Spatzek is freelance graphic designer and art director from Austria, and his site does a brilliant job of showing off both his design and web skills. Using plenty of WebGL and CSS tricks to bring everything to life, it's a selection box of hot web techniques that's packed with animation, but all put together in a restrained way so as not to overload the viewer. 02. Arturo Wibawa There's some exemplary use of SVG animation on Wibawa's siteArturo Wibawa's site is worth checking out just for the detailed breakdowns of projects he's worked on, complete with wireframes, flowcharts, palettes, fonts and plenty of information about his process. But it's also a slick, brilliantly executed site with loads of smart effects and visual tricks, including some masterful use of SVG animation. 03. Femme Fatale Nice Velvet Underground reference, tooBased in Paris, Femme Fatale is a creative studio focused on culture, luxury, editorial and art. It pitches itself as being somewhere between sophistication and simplicity, and its portfolio site reflects this tone excellently, combining swish parallax effects with bold imagery. 04. Alexandre Rochet It looks dark here but the colour soon kicks inAlso based in Paris, Alexandre Rochet is a French designer who's passionate about image and specialises in web design, identity and interface design. His site's packed with parallax effects and smart colour fades. What it sacrifices in straightforward navigation it more than makes up for in wow factor. 05. Bert Big and bold, Bert's site is in your face, with all the facts you needNetherlands-based Bert's creative specialists work on an international level in branding, design and development. The studio's single-page case studies are a joy to look at, packed with punchy imagery interspersed with informative chunks of text. 06. Yul Moreau Welcome to the neon jungleBorn in Seoul, based in Paris and raised by the 80s, Yul Moreau's site grabs your attention from the off with its splendidly garish background montage of retro video. The single-pager site does a brilliant job of showcasing the art director's work, combining video, images and clever scroll effects to show everything off nicely. 07. Steven Mengin Just watch this undulate for a few hours and everything will be fineTo be honest we could happily sit and gaze at Steven Mengin's WebGL splash page, with its gently undulating cloudscape, for hours. However, it's worth dragging yourself down the page to enjoy his work, ever so slightly spiced up with a light ripple effect on each image as you mouse over. Great work by Samsy. 08. Studio Schurk Studio Schurk brings humour to its animated site designAnimation studio Studio Schurk (meaning 'Studio Rogue') shows off its sense of humour in its bold and punchy site design. The animations highlight off the duo's talent while being interesting and fun. Scroll down to see their equally bold designs. 09. Melanie Daveid Melanie Daveid's site shows that simplicity come sometimes say it allUX designer and art director Melanie Daveid's portfolio is simple yet beautiful. Her intricate illustrated logo opens and closes the (almost) infinite scroll design that brings her resumé to life on your screen. "Artworks and illustrations were my gateway to the creative industry," she says, "which led to the foundation of my own studio and to first steps in the digital world." Something that is crystal clear from her portfolio. 10. A Dandy Punk The Dandy Punk expresses his multifaceted talents through a multimedia portfolioA Dandy Punk hasn't just created a beautifully intricate illustrated portfolio but an online presence and alter-ego. The site mirrors this, with the character "existing to inspire and motivate creativity, non-conformity, whimsy, intense curiosity, do-it-yourself mentality and everyday eccentricity in everybody." The best laptops for photo editingNext page: 11-20 on our list of brilliant design portfolios 11. Sean Halpin Sean's simple yet cute portfolio site contains everything it needs to in one neat designScroll through Sean Halpin's kitsch little green world to discover how he can help you build your perfect site. His design is simple and easy to read, yet effortlessly displays his skills and talent for bold, stand-out web design. 12. Christopher Lee Christopher Lee displays his passion for toys and 90s cartoons in his designsChristopher Lee doesn't just share his name a legendary actor, but apparently a creative talent too. His design site, The Beast is Back, showcases his punchy designs and illustrations influenced by 90s cartoons and urban street culture. 13. Resn Resn has a portfolio site unlike any otherNew Zealand-based creative digital agency Resn is known for its boundary-pushing websites, and its own portfolio is no exception – in fact, this bonkers creation is pretty difficult to sum up in words. The homepage features a glimmering, 3D gem, and when you hold down your mouse button, weird and wonderful scenes appear before you. Let go, and the site springs back to the gem. It lacks any kind of structure, so you're probably not going to want to go for this approach on your own site, but it's worth a visit just to marvel at the team's creativity (not to mention enviable technical skills). 14. Gisele Jaquenod Jaquebod's cute cartoons capture her personality perfectlyArt has dominated much of Gisele's life, and that is evident from her quirkly cartoon-styled portfolio. The designer's site expresses her personality, from her obvious love of animals to doodling. However, she doesn't overcomplicate things. The menus are simple and easy to navigate, and strategically, her Etsy selling page takes centre stage on the homepage. 15. Adhemas Batista Adhemas Batista's colourful work contrasts with a monochrome homepageA Brazilian-born graphic designer and artist based in Los Angeles, Adhemas Batista has worked with some of the world's biggest brands, including Adidas, Coca-Cola and Sony. His homepage design is monochrome, which makes for a powerful contrast with the riot of colour and pattern within the portfolio that follows. 16. Ryan Scherf Web developer Ryan Scherf's one-page portfolio site is simple but very effectiveIn-between web designing, developing, writing, teach and building, Ryan Scherf found the time to create this eye-catching portfolio site. A gorgeous example of a one-page site, simply scroll down past the beautifully illustrated landing page to a number of example websites that he's worked on, followed by contacts at the bottom. Simple but very effective. 17. Charlotte Tang Tang's portfolio lets her work do all the talkingToronto-based interactive designer Charlotte Tang 'strives to marry the love of web and graphic design by finding a harmonious balance between functionality and aesthetics'. And is something that she's clearly applied to her portfolio site. Users are greeted by little port holes, featuring a black and white taster of her work. Hover over each and they come to life in full colour. Click and you're led to a beautifully big image of said work, plus a short description. 18. Robby Leonardi Robby Leonardi stars in his own interactive design portfolioRobby Leonardi is a multidisciplinary designer based in New York City. Specialising in illustration, graphic design, animation, and frontend development, he has worked with the likes of Fox, Speed TV, FX Networks, myNetworkTV, and G4. He's laid out his portfolio site as a video game that the visitor can actually play. This incredibly fun interactive design portfolio will have you scrolling for hours. 19. Björn Meier A beautifully simple and easy to navigate portfolioThis beautifully minimal, easy to navigate portfolio from Björn Meier is a feast for the eyes. Designed by German based agency BASICS09, the portfolio went on to become recognised on the AWWWARDS. 20. Sadok Sadok's animated beard galaxy adds a comical touch to the siteProduct designer and coder Sadok has a beard full of secrets. But he also has a great portfolio site. Each project is summed up succinctly in a singe page, with the background echoing the work on show. It's a relatively simple site, but these touches help it shine. Next page: 21-30 in our list of inspiring portfolio designs 21. Marc Thomas Fun colours and a responsive layout make this a portfolio to die forThis portfolio from designer Marc Thomas teams a playful icons with bright shades. He manages to fit you need to know onto a single screen: details of his skills and current role, previous clients, and links to his social accounts and contact details. It's neat, memorable and packs a punch. 22. Rosie Lee Images of the agency's work take centre stage on this siteRosie Lee is a hybrid creative agency, with on- and offline expertise in branding, advertising and retail design. The agency's work takes centre stage on its website, with plenty of colourful, full-width images, videos and carousels showing off what it can do. 23. Studio Airport An unusual vertical carousel helps this site stand outStudio Airport is a design agency based in the Netherlands, with a strong online presence embracing airport graphics, large photographs and strong typography. There are quirky touches throughout its website, including an unusual vertical-scrolling carousel of its projects, and an About Us section in which the photographs interact with one another when the user mouses over them (scroll down the homepage for a look). 24. Paul Currah The design portfolio of Paul Currah is clean and simplePaul Currah is an award-winning multidisciplinary graphic designer, delivering creative, innovative and engaging solutions to communication problems across brand identity, print, packaging, environmental and digital. His scrapbook-style portfolio is a clean and simple offering, with each project photo fading in and out, showcasing different aspects of the creation. 25. Smart! The online portfolio of Smart! has a simple structureSmart! is a multidisciplinary team of professionals in graphic design, communication and information technology that have two offices in Buenos Aires and Peru. Their online portfolio has a simple structure, with the grey images turning to full colour once you hover over each project. We love that the selected images from each project are presented in a horizontal line. 26. Olly Gibbs The online portfolio of Olly Gibbs shows real attention to detailOlly is a London-based, multidisciplinary designer and illustrator who has already worked with the likes of Warner Bros, Muse, and The Salvation Army. It's the attention to detail within his portfolio that really makes it stand out. The sense of fun immediately showcases Gibbs' personality, whilst the typography and layout makes it work aesthetically. We especially love the 'About' section. 27. Pollen Pollen has won a slew of awards for its workDigital and branding agency Pollen has won a slew of awards for its work, and its online portfolio is beautifully structured and art directed. For each project, the team has put together a series of images, videos and short chunks of text, each of which is displayed alone on a full page – as the user scrolls, a new item jumps into view. 28. Viget The online portfolio of design agency Viget shows the power of photographyWorking as a team of 58 creative individuals, Viget has got some impressive projects under its belt. Set up by brothers Brian Williams and Andy Rankin and their Dad, Wynne 'Pop' Williams, Viget Labs was established back in 1999 when the internet was changing. The portfolio showcases just how important photography and user experience is within this industry. Pops of primary colour and subtle animation help create a playful, highly usable experience. 29. Super Awesome The online portfolio of web design agency Super Awesome is, well, super awesomeWith a name like Super Awesome, you'd expect this web design agency's portfolio to be pretty, well, awesome. And it's safe to say that it is! Making sites not suck since 2007, the team have gone for a cutting-edge layout reminiscent of print design, complete with vertically running text and staggered imagery. We love that the site isn't afraid to produce statements such as 'portfolios are boring' and 'we don't do meetings'. Bold, super awesome stuff. 30. Tawn The design portfolio of Ashleigh Downer immediately grabs the user's attentionIn a world of quick clickers and impatient scrollers, it's important to instantly grab the attention of your potential clients. Too much text on the homepage could scare away the curious, so it's a good idea to entice them with an image. Here, Ashleigh Downer does just that with a quirky landing page before showcasing her incredible collections. Remember, you want to make your visitors click, and you can't help but do just that with this portfolio. Next page: 31-40 in our list of great portfolio websites 31. Small Studio Small Studio portfolio is whimsical and interactiveSmall Studio is an award-winning creative agency, founded in Melbourne in 2007 by directors Paul Kotz and Todd Proctor, and it's portfolio is well worth a visit. The moment the visitor lands on the homepage, they are invited to cut the balloon's cord to send it flying into the sky, and there are plenty of whimsical and delightful moments to follow. 32. Bleed Bleed aims to challenge conventions with its workBleed states that it represents "a mix of cultures and disciplines to challenge today’s conventions around art, visual language, interaction, media and identity". This mode of thinking is implemented within its online projects. Full-screen imagery and large type engage the user whilst scrolling through the site, and its studio manifesto at the end is a nice touch. 33. Kendra Schaefer The online portfolio of Kendra Schaefer is packed with personalityKendra Schaefer likes to mix up her portfolio, but every version is packed with personality. The designer recently moved to China, and has embraced this as her theme. And with comments like "THIS SITE USED TO BE FUNNY, now it just feels sexually inadequate (guess who's over 30!)" it's clear she's maintained her sense of humour. 34. Cast Iron Studio The online portfolio of Cast Iron Studio is full of creative flairCast Iron Studio's portfolio is a modern delight. The studio has taken on a nifty little cast iron pan as their logo and evokes its environmentally responsible ethos with a simple, naturalistic design and infinite(ish) scrolling. Each project section goes in-depth into each aspect of the work, so there's plenty to explore, too. 35. DJNR The online portfolio of DJNR truly stands outThis is an online portfolio that really stands out from the crowd. DJNR crafted this highly interactive site, which includes a GIF of a working day that coincides with the bar running at the bottom of the page. There's also music and a highly eye-catching colour scheme. You can browse through all the projects on one page, which includes development, games, animation and design. It was even an FWA site of the day! 36. Strangelove The colours on this site complement each other perfectlyThe phenomenon of Pinterest has meant a huge rise in Pinterest-style layouts. This is far from another copycat site though – graphic designer Gareth Strange has managed to make this one his own. The homepage directly focuses on his illustrations, with the colours nicely complementing each other. The visitor is able to immediately gauge Gareth's design approach, which certainly makes for a successful portfolio. 37. Maria De La Guardia Maria De La Guardia's portfolio site is easy to navigateUX and visual designer Maria De La Guardia's portfolio site was built using the Craft CMS. It's an impressive lesson in clear navigation. It's split into sections – work, contact details, recommendations – all signposted with bright bands of colour. Meanwhile, the icon-studded homepage background lends personality. 38. Steven Bonner Steven Bonner's portfolio site barely includes any words at allIllustrator Steven Bonner's work deserves to be splashed across any screen. Thankfully his online portfolio does just that. In the most recent version of his portfolio, he's taken a confident approach and shunned words altogether, instead opting to let his work speak for itself. The homepage features a selection of tantalisingly cropped images of previous projects, and he invites the user to get in touch to find out more. 39. Jesse Willmon The design portfolio of Jesse Willmon is playful and funThis playful portfolio comes from designer Jesse Willmon. As soon as you arrive on the homepage, you know you're in for a treat. A cute aesthetic helps you feel welcome, along with a chatty tone, felt-tip font and colourful imagery. It only gets better once you click on the links, as Willmon's signature illustration style continues throughout. Next page: 41-50 in our list of 50 awesome portfolio sites 40. Seymour Powell The design portfolio of Seymour Powell offers a interactive visual insight into their workSeymour Powell is a multidisciplinary group of design researchers, brand experts, product, UX and UI designers, and makers. As you can see from the grab above, they're not afraid of a splash of colour. The site also features a modern take on the parallax trend of yesteryear. 41. Lounge Lizard Lounge Lizard's portfolio takes the bar theme and runs with itWebsite design and marketing agency Lounge Lizard has been making waves on the design circuit for almost 15 years. The team describe themselves as 'brandtenders', and this bar-themed portfolio is the perfect execution of their work and style. The site is packed full of case studies and information while still maintaining a fun, drinkable vibe. 42. Tim Lahan The design portfolio of Tim Lahan is perfectly laid outNew York based graphic designer and artist Tim Lahan presents his portfolio in a simple yet stunning way. Thanks to the sticky header, the important logo and information stays firmly at the top of your screen as you scroll through colourful examples of work. The drawings and designs are also perfectly laid out to really show them off; with no framing or barriers to distract the visitor or alter the work's effect. 43. Justin M. Maller Justin Maller's portfolio lets the vibrant imagery do the talkingThe Australian designer's portfolio site keeps things reasonably simple, and so lets his vibrant work – he's going through a delightfully crystalline phase at the moment – do the talking. It lets you get straight to the artwork; the only fancy stuff going on is a lovely little gradient at the bottom of the main index window, subtly fading everything in as it scrolls up. 44. Tim Smith HTML5 tricks bring this portfolio site to lifeBoasting 'Brain-powered graphics fun', Tim Smith's portfolio site uses CSS3 to mix a spotlessly clean look with some clever HTML5 tricks such as the cut-out titles for each piece, which disappear as you mouse over. We love the sidebar as well, featuring social links on the front page and then used for navigation between portfolio pages. 45. Delete Delete's action-packed site has plenty going onBig, bold and in your face, Delete's site opens with an animated introduction to the agency and a recent project. The rest of the portfolio meets the expectations created on the front page, with plenty of animation and graphic touches throughout. 46. Studio Contents We love the smoothly responsive images on Studio Contents' site The front page of Studio Contents' site seems basic – minimal text sitting on top of a big carousel image, with a grid of smaller images beneath that – but it's fantastically responsive and smooth with it, images resizing with the browser like a dream. It's all about presenting the work in the best possible way, and this does a great job. 47. Bob Galmarini Bob Galmarini took a template site and made it his own'Bright' and 'crisp' are good words to describe the personal portfolio site of Bob Galmarini, an award winning art director at {e} house studio. "Like a lot of other designers, my work has been hidden within the portfolios of the companies I have worked for," says Galmarini on the goal of his new site. "I needed a simple, easy to update place to host my body of work." Galmarini started with a template theme but heavily used CSS to make it unique. It’s a good example of how altering fonts, colours and other CSS styles can make a difference. 48. Hayk Check out the brilliant use of colour on Hayk's siteHayk is a full-time freelance designer who also happens to be a music producer by night. After high school he continued to study on his own, reading and gaining experience working as a graphic designer. This cleverly crafted portfolio has a lovely colour scheme and an ace scrolling experience. 49. Stereo A creative portfolio site for StereoLondon-based agency Stereo Creative has created this simple yet striking portfolio site. Each case study is well thought out and beautifully presented, with a carefully chosen slogan introducing each one. 50. Fieldwork A clean-cut portfolio for the team at FieldworkFieldwork is a focused team of makers and doers that specialises in crafting engaging experiences across digital, web and branding. Founded in 2012 by Loz Ives and Andy Gott, the company has worked with a number of brands including craft beer brewers and illustrators. Its lively portfolio is clean-cut, colourful and easy to navigate. Related articles: Get noticed: 6 tips for getting your portfolio seen 10 tips for building a killer portfolio website 5 quick ways to improve your portfolio dramatically View the full article

This may seem like an odd way to start an article on black and white drawings, but when I was a kid, my favourite drawing tool was a blue crayon. I drew everything in that one colour – the sky, the sea – and things that weren’t even blue, like my neighbour’s cat, our house, and my family. These monochrome drawings helped me develop the skills to know how to draw in black and white. Ballpoint pens make readily accessible and easy to use drawing tools for black and white pictures. They also present their own challenges and limitless possibilities, which we'll explore in these drawing tips. You might prefer to draw your black and white artworks in pencil or with marker pens, which we'll explore too (or if you'd rather try charcoal, check out these 10 expert tips for charcoal drawing). Have a look at the video below, then read on for nine tips for creating beautiful black and white drawings – or blue and white, if that's your thing… 01. Mind excess ink The right isn’t a drawing; it’s excess ink from my penBallpoint pens are great to draw with because we can make beautifully thin lines with them and create a lot of contrast. However, pens can also be very unforgiving: every mark is permanent – and so is every errant ink blotch! A big ink blotch could suddenly form and ruin your drawing forever. To prevent this, periodically roll the sides of your pen tip on a scrap sheet of paper to remove ink buildup. 02. Use various tones of black A variety of markers = a variety of tonesWhen drawing with markers, try to get a variety of black tones to work with in order to create a maximum range of values. Markers draw really quick and clean but can be a little difficult to work with if you're not used to the starkness and graphic nature of marker work. Hopefully these next tips will help you get over the learning curve quickly and with ease. 03. Support markers with pencils Sketch with non-permanent pencil before using permanent markerWhen working with markers, do a rough sketch of your idea in pencil first before making permanent marker pen marks. The great thing about sketching a marker drawing in pencil first is that after the marker ink has dried, you can take an eraser to the entire illustration and remove the initial pencil sketch, leaving the marker intact. 04. Keep your fading markers The unintended benefit of almost-expired markersBecause markers use so much ink, they tend to run out quickly. However, just because a marker is fading doesn't mean it's not useful anymore! Markers that are running out of ink are great for creating texture or blending together tones. I find them just as necessary in the drawing process as fresh new markers. 05. Harness the versatility of pencils Pencils are versatile for all the different marks they can makeBehold the humble pencil: so simple and basic yet so full of possibilities. Like handwriting, everybody draws differently from everybody else. Our various styles will inform how we use our pencils so experiment with different types of pencil marks to get the full range of use out of your pencil. This will be valuable especially when using different types of marks to describe textures and elements as completely different things. Drawing techniques: 7 fundamentals of pencil drawing06. Keep it light Light sketching helps you explore and refine your drawingWhen drawing with pencils, we tend to make lines too dark too early. We should sketch with light lines because these only suggest edges and borders; dark lines are for the later stages because they are definitive and not open to interpretation. Lines can darken prematurely if it takes a few tries to get the exact line you want. If that happens, slow down and be more careful; speed up again once you get the hang of it. 07. Use multiple pencils These are my preferred pencils: 4B, 2B, and HBWe can do a lot with one pencil but we can broaden our range of values if we use a variety of pencils. I prefer to use two or three different pencils, starting with a 2H. Pencils with the letter “H” have harder lead, which won’t mark my paper as much so their lines will have a lighter tone. “B” pencils make blacker marks than H, so I use these more towards finish. 08. Protect your work in progress The low tech way of protecting your work in progressJust like when drawing with ballpoint pen, a blank sheet of scrap paper can come in handy when drawing with pencils too. Pencil drawings—particularly those done with B pencils—can smudge very easily so I like to put a blank sheet of paper under the heel of my hand as I draw so as to protect my work in progress. 09. Draw thumbnails first The thumbnail (left) helps compose my drawing (right)Before I begin drawing in earnest, I like to first plan out my drawings using small thumbnails. Regardless of what drawing tool I’m using, thumbnails help me figure out composition and readability, which helps me avoid errors before I commit them to paper. Employing thumbnails also allows me to explore ideas quickly and by sketching small, I force myself to simplify and focus only on the important elements of my drawings. Related articles: Doodle art: 52 great examples How to draw and paint - 100 pro tips and tutorials 10 top traditional art tools for September View the full article

There are billions of people on social media, which means your audience is out there. Now is your chance to reach them. Social Media Marketing Masterclass 2017 is an online course that will teach you how to make the most of social media, and you can get it on sale this week only for over 92% off the retail price. Social media is an essential piece of any marketing professional’s job. You can learn how to make the most of platforms such as Facebook, as well as how these relate to Google and SEO. Discover how to bring your products and services to those who will be most interested in them with the Social Media Marketing Masterclass 2017. You'll find over 5.5 hours worth of lessons and 87 lectures will teach you how to use social media to drive traffic to your site and turn visitors into customers. You can get the Social Media Marketing Masterclass 2017 on sale for over 92% off the retail price. That makes your total just $15 (approx £11) rather than the usual price of $195. It’s a deal that will pay for itself in no time as you attract more customers, so grab it today. 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. View the full article

The written word has come a long way since its beginnings, when words were all crammed together wily-nilly. ITWASNTALLTHATLONGAGOHISTORICALLYSPEAKINGTHATANY WRITTENTEXTLOOKEDBASICALLYLIKETHIS. (That was “It wasn’t all that long ago, historically speaking, that any written text looked basically like this,” incidentally.) Best free fonts for designersEarly punctuation arose as a system of cues to a reader, since early written text was never read silently, but read aloud. This proto-punctuation began by hinting to the reader when he should take a breath, for example. FOR·A·WHILE·WE·EXPERIMENTED·WITH·THIS·WHICH·WHILE· A·LITTLE·EASIER·TO·PARSE·IS·REGARDLESS·MUCH·TRICKIER· TO·READ·THAN·A·MODERN·SENTENCE·WOULDNT·YOU·SAY It wasn’t long, though, before we had developed a rich, expressive and widely adopted system of glyphs that were used to make meanings clear and to make printed text look beautiful and elegant (although not all of us use them properly – read 10 typographic mistakes everyone makes for more). Discarding conventions These are not always mistakes, however. In recent years, as a society we’ve started both deliberately and inadvertently rationalising the list of glyphs we use, abandoning hard-won, useful and beautiful characters. We haven’t quite regressed back TOTHISSORTOFTHING but for lots of reasons we’re discarding many of the conventions of typography that previous generations would have insisted were the only right and proper way of doing things. What are these changes, and what do they mean for designers and to the rest of society? Let’s explore. A typesetter would correct typographic errors created on a typewriterUp-front, we should say that we’re not being prescriptive or didactic here; fashions, needs and limitations change in typography just as in grammar, and anyone who tries to hold back that tide of change is not just doomed but misguided. Communication is a live, writhing thing, and you will note, for example, that we’re using these new-fangled paragraph thingies here rather than setting the whole thing as a solid wall of text which is broken up only with ¶ (pilcrow) characters. But still, some people would rail against what they’d see as typographical mistakes and dumbing down. Let’s take the first example from our 10 typographic mistakes everyone makes piece – typographic or ‘smart’ quote marks. "These" are dumb (or neutral) quotes, while “these” are smart quotes. In the first example, both double-quotes are identical, while in the second you have 66 and 99-style pairs (although you might need to bump up the point size before you can see the difference). Typographically speaking, those dumb quotes have no role at all, and should never be used. They come from the days when typewriters were introduced, when adding separate keys for “, ”, ‘ and ’ would have added complexity and additional points of failure. The desktop publishing revolution And for a long time, it didn’t matter, because much of what would be produced on a typewriter would then be sent to a typesetter and set properly with curly quotes. But then computers came along, and to ease the transition their keyboards copied the layout that typewriters had been using. Even then, having only dumb quotes didn’t matter, for the same reason. Then, though, came the desktop publishing revolution, and then the internet, and the stuff that was being written on computers was being published directly, without the intervention of someone whose job it was to make sure text adhered to established standards and customs. And the computer itself wasn’t the answer. Sure, some apps – and even OS X – can convert dumb quotes to smart, but they can make mistakes. The only sure-fire way to get your smart quotes right is to type them manually – or at least to watch what your computer is writing, and correct it if necessary. But for most of us these days, that’s too much work for too little reward, since the meaning of a sentence won’t be impaired by some sub-standard typography. 'Bad' typography on the web Indeed, there are often many good reasons to use ‘bad’ typography like this. One is that there might be technical limitations imposed by, for example, a content management system, or the platform to which it will spit content out. Websites like this one are the readiest example of this. And what’s more, because websites will be viewed by people using a range of browsers on a raft of operating systems on a plethora of devices, by using the lowest common denominator, typographically, you’re giving yourself the best chance possible that characters will display. Sure, "these quote marks" might be ‘wrong’, but if you can’t guarantee they’ll display properly, some would argue it’s better than than ⍰these quote marks⍰ or something like them if your reader’s browser can’t handle “these quote marks”. What’s more, as more and more content gets repurposed across multiple systems – sometimes being copy/pasted, sometimes referencing a canonical file – then there’s a temptation to use whatever basic character set is common to all, even if the majority of the platforms can use richer typography. The best free web fontsTypography across borders A similar thing happens when we’re sharing documents internationally, where different text encoding standards might prevail. An example of Unicode scriptsThere are robust systems to combat this, however, at least at a technical level. The old ASCII system – which encoded 0–9, A–Z, a–z, some basic punctuation and control codes – has long since been superseded. For a time we had lots of per-platform text-encoding solutions, but as a world we’re beginning finally to settle on an agnostic standard, Unicode, usually specifically UTF-8. Unicode supports over 136,000 characters (with plenty of headroom for more) covering 100 scripts – versus 128 characters for ASCII – as well as right-to-left scripts, combining ligatures and a huge range of other typographic niceties, so so long as documents online and off correctly identify themselves as being UTF-8, say, there’s no excuse for dumbed down typography… at least technically. Choosing simplicity Regardless, people might choose to use a simplified system of typography. Smart quotes, for example, will of course break HTML (another score for Markdown, which doesn’t use quotes in its syntax). It’s also not unheard of for coders to denigrate richer typography even in content (as distinct from the back-end that powers it) and for them to brow-beat writers and editors into adopting simplified typography. That's either because they don’t understand or value typography, or because they’re not motivated to support rich character sets such as UTF-8, despite it being part of the HTML spec since 1997’s 4.0 declaration. Ultimately, though, the gradual abandonment of some of the established typographic conventions isn’t down to technological constraints. It’s because many people aren’t even aware they’re doing things ‘incorrectly’. After all, Unicode, a global perspective, the increasing pressure on foundries to make fonts with rich character sets, and capable tools mean that we can do proper typography with relative ease these days. But if you don’t know that you should write £29·99 instead of £29.99, that 90º is wrong but 90° is right, or that there’s a proper character for inches – 12″ rather than 12" – then even though modern systems make it possible to enter them, you won’t. There are fewer old hands around to educate, and with a move away from print to the brisk, throwaway nature of much of the internet, not only are typographic traditions being abandoned but fewer and fewer people even realise it. So what? you might ask. Like with grammar, even if it’s wrong, your meaning is usually clear; nobody will think ‘90º’ doesn’t mean ‘ninety degrees’ just because it uses the wrong symbol, just as “I ain’t done nothing” can be clearly understood even though it technically means the opposite of what it says it does. Future proofing Maybe so. But quite apart from the satisfaction that comes from doing things right, there is a cost in the future, too. Good typography, like good grammar, isn’t a frivolous decoration, there to constrain your meaning. It’s there to make your meaning unambiguous. Take, for example: 3 1/2". It’s supposed to say three and a half inches, and since we humans are good at decoding the world we can read it as such, but you could also read the numbers as ‘three, space, one or two’. And that mongrel of a double-quote glyph could signify any manner of things. Write 3½″, however, and not only is it easier to read now, but it will be easier to read in the future, by computers, which lack our intuition and fuzzy logic, as well as by humans. Honouring typographic conventions like this is thus a kind of metadata, and “metadata is a love note to the future”. ITSVERYHARDTHESEDAYSTOREADTEXTWHICHISSETLIKETHIS. But mix robust standards such as UTF-8 with established, hard-working typographic conventions today, and as well as looking beautiful and honouring the traditions of typography, you’ll ensure text is readable long into the future. Related articles: 10 typography tricks every designer should know 20 fonts every graphic designer should own 50 top typography tutorials View the full article

There's more to Instagram than beautiful snaps of avocado brunches. In fact, artists and designers have long been using the photo-sharing application to find an audience for their work. Now one of the biggest names on graphic design, Stefan Sagmeister, is getting involved by using his Instagram account as a design clinic. That's right, one half of the legendary and occasionally naked New York-based design firm Sagmeister & Walsh, Stefan Sagmeister is inviting designers to send him their work with a view to it being shared with his hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers. If your work is deemed worthy, it will be posted on his account with a short review written by the man himself. Once live, his legion of followers will be able to weigh in with their opinions, too. 50 brilliant design portfolios to inspire youSpeaking to Dezeen, Sagmeister revealed that the idea came about a while ago, but that he's only been able to put it into action during his year-long sabbatical. "Designers send in work they want to have reviewed," he told the site. "I select from the many that come in, either because they are very good and can be an example for others, or because I think they could be improved with some simple reconsiderations." Designs are largely met with helpful and constructive feedbackUnlike a lot of internet feedback, the vast majority of feedback on the work that Sagmeister shares is refreshingly positive. "I have found that the Instagram community was very helpful," Sagmeister added. "Most commenters genuinely want to improve the work, it has been very constructive. There's been very little snark." Followers of Sagmeister's Instagram account can expect work from designers to be shared several times a week. The designer aims to continue the clinic for the remainder of his sabbatical, so if you want to get your work appraised by one of the biggest names in the business, you've got six months left to get involved. Are you feeling brave enough? Related articles: How to craft a standout portfolio 9 brilliant freelance portfolios for 2017 32 graphic designers to follow on Instagram View the full article

The 19th century was a wonderful time for art. Artists were held in high regard and the public was educated about art. There was a very high level of skilled technique on display thanks to the rigorous academic training available. Artists such as Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Frederic Leighton and William-Adolphe Bouguereau created works of great beauty, classicism and elegance and drew upon inspirations found in contemporary life, but especially antiquity. They all followed a similar process, creating thumbnails, detailed drawings, life studies, colour studies and then the final painting. A great amount of planning and effort was expended before brush ever met canvas. How to draw and paint - 100 pro tips and tutorialsWe can learn a lot from these masters and not hurry through the process of creating an oil painting. Do not rush through the thumbnail stage. This is the best and easiest place to explore your composition. If you can, let your sketches sit for a day or two and then come back with fresh eyes. Once the thumbnails are completed, you can spend a little more time refining a sketch to flesh out the idea. Flaming June by Frederic Leighton, 1895, provided some inspiration for this art tutorial For this project, Birgitte Smoot not only modelled but also helped with the costume. Erin Bjorn made us a costume that was historically accurate, which helped elevate the whole effort from the beginning. We used Blue Ridge oil paints on a wood panel, using Rosemary & Co brushes, and a New Wave Art Expressionist Confidant arm palette. Paint what delights you and you will find an audience that feels the same way about your work. Follow these steps as we attempt to create a painting that echoes the masters and then go and create your own painting inspired by your favourite artists. You will learn more about them, and yourself, in the process. 01. Find inspiration Dolce Far Niente by John William Godward, 1897, also inspired this painting Study examples of the art you love from 19th century masters such as Leighton, Godward and Alma-Tadema. At this stage you're looking for inspiration for your painting. Confidences by Alma-Tadema, 1869, also got the creative juices flowing There is a richness in palette and a refinement of line that is very exciting in these paintings. How can you not be inspired by such beauty? These inspiring artworks will also help you to add some historically accurate details to your painting. The internet is another wonderful tool. You can find references for mosaics on the wall and floor as well as a bronze brazier online, giving you authentic details to put into the painting to add significant visual richness. 02. Test possible compositions Use thumbnails to explore compositions (click the top-right icon to enlarge this image) Explore how to compose your painting by sketching thumbnail images. We created many thumbnails for this painting – here are four of them. You can see they aren’t very pretty or particularly meaningful to others. A quick line or mark can represent a piece of furniture or figure. Imagination is important at this stage and adds a thrill as one imagines the possibilities. 03. Create a sketch to solidify ideas Develop your favourite thumbnail into a sketch Take one of the thumbnails and take it further as a sketch. We did this one in Photoshop, but you could also use charcoal or pencil. The goal at this stage is to solidify the idea so that you can gather proper references and direct the model. 04. Use photography as a tool An inspiring reference photo will help a lot, but use artistic license to interpret it as a painting Unless you have the enviable means to have a model in your studio full-time, photography will most likely be an invaluable tool. Do what it takes to get the very best photo reference possible, but don’t be a slave to your photographs. You are the artist, not the camera. Trust your creativity and use all the tools at your fingertips. 05. Draw out the composition Use a grid to draw your composition onto your canvas This painting is 12 x 16in so we made a 1-inch grid on the panel to draw our final composition onto. You don’t need to draw every detail, though we drew in much of the mosaic, hoping to take advantage of the dark lines in the final pass. Once it was drawn in, we inked the critical lines with a Pigma Micron pen. 06. Tint the canvas A golden imprimatura tint will add warmth to the painting Erase the pencil grid and start the imprimatura, or tinting the canvas with colour. This does a couple of things. It make it easier to judge the accuracy of subsequent layers of paint, and the warm colour will show through in places and help to add warmth and vibrancy in a subtle way. 07. Apply a colour wash A thin colour wash will help your drawing to show through Now apply a thin colour wash over the whole painting. A medium composed of five parts turpentine, one part damar varnish and one part stand oil makes the oil paint seem almost like watercolour, and it dries quickly. It also keeps the paint semi-transparent, to allow the drawing to show through. 08. Make the first pass Start with the head and hands as they will draw most attention The first pass of the painting is underway. Starting with the head and hands lets you establish the quality and value range on what is usually the most important part of a painting containing figures. When painting flesh under cool daylight, keep the shadows warm and lively. 09. Pace your effort You can go over areas again once they've dried When working through the first pass, it is important to remember that you will have the chance to go over everything again once it dries. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to add all the polish and finish in the first stage. It takes some experience but you will soon learn when you are just pushing paint around and when you are actually making progress. 10. Complete the first pass We're nearly finished now The first pass is now complete. Notice that areas are still flat and washy, but the values and colours are well established. The fun part really begins where each stroke seems to make a big impact and you can choose what parts you want to focus on. We're about 80% of the way towards the finish at this point. 11. Start the second pass A brush with a fine tip will help you add tiny details In an effort to paint like art heroes, it pays to be meticulous with the details. For the smallest details, buy a medium sized round brush with a very fine tip. This will let you get all the detail you need and the brush will hold a good amount of paint. Don’t just make marks, be thoughtful about how you are applying paint. Think about the correct colour, value and shape with each stroke. 12. Apply the final touches Add final details such as wrinkles We're almost at the end of the painting. This is the stage to refine the delicate transitions and add in subtle details such as the wrinkles in the hands and veins underneath the skin. You can also glaze and intensify colours, using transparent colours and no medium. The entire process for this painting, from the idea to finish, took 48 hours, with 44 hours of painting time. 13. Frame your work Don’t forget to find a frame to enhance your artwork (or make your own frame). This frame, from Masterworks Frames, is handmade and uses 16k gold leaf for a sense of history and grandeur. The arch of this frame influenced the composition of the painting. This article originally appeared in issue 9 of Paint & Draw magazine. Buy it here. Related articles: 15 tips to improve your brush skills 10 top traditional art tools for September 10 incredible online art schools View the full article

Making objects and typography appear as though they're reflected in the surface they're sitting on isn't complicated. It is, however, a little more complex to make it look convincing within the environment that it's placed in. Over the next few steps we'll run through how to use Adobe InDesign to quickly create an environment for your type to sit in that follows the basic rules of directional light. We'll then demonstrate how to place the type within the environment and create a reflection so that it appears convincing. Get Creative Cloud01. Create the basic scene Start by creating the environment that the type will sit within First we need to start by creating the environment that the type will sit within. Begin by drawing a large rectangle that fits to your document bounds by using the Rectangle tool. Now draw another one in a lighter shade that is half the height and sits flush to the bottom of the document creating the effect of a horizon line. Next use the type tool to draw a large text box and type out the word that you want to work with. Take some time when choosing the typeface, bolder sans-serif faces will have more impact than serifs. In the above example, we've used Gotham in its Black weight and then kerned the letters back by holding alt and the left and right arrow keys. 02. Set the light source Draw a large circle in the top-right of the composition by using the ellipse tool while holding shift Draw a large circle in the top-right of the composition by using the ellipse tool while holding shift. Fill this circle with a shade lighter than your background colour and then navigate to Object > Effects > Basic feather. Increase the feather width until you're happy with the results, in this case 30mm, then hit OK to apply the results. 03. Apply gradients to create depth Now select the background and apply a linear gradient to it by bringing up the gradient panel Next, select the background and apply a linear gradient to it by bringing up the gradient panel. By default this will be a black to white gradient. To make it a smooth gradient create three swatches that range from dark to light in your chosen colour covering the shadows, mid tones and highlights. Next, drag the swatches onto the gradient slider in the correct order so that the gradient gets lighter towards the light source. Set the angle to 30 degrees and then repeat the process for the horizon line but with a 90 degree angle and with its blending mode set to multiply. You may want to lighten the light source at this point. We made it white and changed its opacity to 50 per cent. 04. Apply a highlight sheen to the type Apply a gradient to the typography Next, apply a gradient to the typography using the lightest of your three swatches and white so that the white runs towards the light source, then apply a 30 degree angle to the gradient. Now navigate to Type > Create Outlines so that the type is no longer live text and will now act as a vector object. Copy the type and paste it in place so that it sits exactly on top of the original type. Fill it with white and then draw a large rectangle that covers the bottom half of the type. Use the minus function from the pathfinder panel to delete the bottom half of the type Now select both the top type and the rectangle and use the minus function from the pathfinder panel to delete the bottom half of the type. Reduce the opacity slightly and use the gradient feather tool to make the sheen more subtle, then finally apply an overlay blending mode to the sheen. 05. Create the reflection Now that the scene is set, creating the actual reflection effect is relatively easy Now that we've set the scene, creating the actual reflection effect is relatively easy. Simply select both the bottom type and the highlight and hit cmd + G to group them. Copy and paste them in place and, ensuring that the bottom reference point is set in the top-left, hit the Flip Vertical function found in the top bar and then set the blending mode to overlay. Now you can use the Shear X Angle tool, also found in the top bar, to skew the reflection away from the light source to give it a more realistic effect. Use the Shear X Angle tool to give the reflection a more realistic effect 06. Add further details You may want to take things a step further by increasing the contrast of the darkest and lightest tints We've covered the essentials in the above five steps but it's up to you how much further you take it. You may wish to add more depth as we've done above by increasing the contrast of our darkest and lightest tints. In the above example, we used the same method that we used to create the reflection to create a shadow behind the type. In this case, simply use your darkest swatch colour and set the blending mode to multiply. As a final tweak we added some yellow to the mid-tone swatch to make it a little warmer and more natural. View the full article

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Apple said that macOS' native Gatekeeper security feature would protect against a Keychain attack disclosed this week, but researcher Patrick Wardle said that won't help against Mac malware signed with an Apple certificate. View the full article

When running a design business, it is impossible to underestimate the importance of client relationships. From freelance creatives whose clients are other industry firms, to agencies blessed with rostered regulars – looking after your fee payers should be priority number one. Get Adobe Creative CloudAccording to the great Paul Rand, design is futile "unless it is acknowledged by those that the designer exists to serve – the clients". At its most basic level, a good client relationship means trust, communication and accountability. Client relationships should be a mutually beneficial partnership between you and your client. Your expertise and critical opinion should be valued, while your clients should feel they can trust you in creating the most suitable work for their products. Getting to this stage takes time, hard work and investment in a client relationship strategy, but it is easily achievable for creative outfits of all sizes. Illustration: Ola VoloClient relationships can be an uneven see-saw: you can produce the best work possible, on time and to budget and still lose a client, while you can watch others produce mediocre work and enjoy repeat business. It's unfair, annoying and disruptive. But it is avoidable. Investing in client relationships leads to repeat work, more money and strengthens word-of-mouth promotion. Strong relationships enable the creation of more satisfying, worthwhile projects, which is what all designers strive for and, appropriately, the best way to increase visibility and win new work. In short, strong client relationship skills are where it begins for growing your creative reputation, generating more turnover, and ultimately creating even more fulfilling work. The figures paint an even more convincing argument: according to BDI (British Design Innovation), for every client lost, UK design businesses have to spend around 20 per cent of a project fee on new business activity through promotional means and cold pitching. For repeat work, that figure is zero per cent. Understanding people "Every client is worth holding on to. Winning clients is difficult in itself, so holding onto them is absolutely critical," says Katy Cowan, managing director at Boomerang, the creative agency with a roster that includes retailers, manufacturers and healthcare accounts. "Essentially, business is about people," she continues. "So it's about understanding how to work with people, maintain healthy relationships and be someone that people enjoy working with. Of course, it's also about offering value – ensuring the work you are doing is making a real difference to your client." Winning new clients and establishing a solid working relationship with them takes time and effort, and is traditionally looked after by an account handler or client director. Yet it's vital that all relevant staff are aware of the client and contribute towards the relationship – from creative directors to artworkers. "It's critical that everyone involved in an account knows who the client is, who the contact is, and what the client likes and doesn't like," says Mark Haynes, a new business consultant who was previously client services manager at marketing services company Chime UK. "At Chime, we worked exceptionally hard to get under the skin of our clients' brands, and offer the type of service that fosters trust. You cannot allow even one person to stray off-brief and damage that trust." For agencies and studios like Boomerang and Chime, a client retention plan is critical. This can take the form of a top-sheet of essential client information, for example: contact points for different areas of the account. A more fully-fleshed client retention plan might include a history of the client and the work you've completed for them, as well as a creative overview of the brand and information on any strategic objectives that the client has highlighted. "Being able to pick up the phone and speak to the right person is vital," explains Haynes. "There might be an entirely different person in a different office who has sign-off on artwork, while budgets and strategy are handled elsewhere. You need to keep your communication channels open and make sure you speak to the right people about the right things." It's also advisable to identify some sort of hierarchy and make sure everyone in your business is aware of it. Ideally you need to ensure that, should one of your contact points be unavailable, you know who's next in line to consult. What's more, by identifying a hierarchy within your client's business, you are more likely to be able to cut out 'middle-men' and engage directly with the decision makers - whether that be a creative head, or a strategic or financial manager. Keeping clients Retention plans also generate new business organically. If an initial client brief begins as a rebrand, it can quickly escalate to a full 360-degree project if you prove yourself in the initial stages. "Most of our clients are retained," says Cowan. "The nature of our work relies upon ongoing support, as we provide an iterative service. For instance, we might build a website or app, carry out ongoing user testing and then add new features along the way." Client relationship management isn't about 'schmoozing', as Cowan points out. In fact, very few of those we spoke with gave the impression of Mad Men-style long lunches and big nights out on expenses. Successful client relationships are about communicating and delivering on your promises: basic project management skills. "We have regular meetings and we plan what we're going to do each and every month," says Cowan. "Internally, we use systems like Basecamp to project manage and we'll track time involved using FreeAgent. For some of our clients, we might use software to ensure smooth running – for example, for our social media marketing we use apps like SproutSocial." But don't be tricked into thinking client relationship management is just for agencies and design studios, however. Freelancers too need to treat their clients with care, as the freelance illustrator Steven Bonner points out. "Freelancing is just being a small business-owner so the principles of relationship management are the same," he says. "For me there's no magic to it: you simply treat people well and do what you say you'll do for them. If you deliver on your promises, are accommodating to reasonable requests and can do it all with a smile on your face, then you'll be fine." Bonner is a typographer, illustrator and designer who was won numerous international awards. For him, building and maintaining a relationship is about being professional, and being personable. "You've got to work hard to build relationships, then harder again to make them strong," he says. "It's a small industry where everyone knows each other, so building a good relationship with someone can be a great way of networking and getting a foothold in new companies." Healthy relationships However, it's important to remember that there has to be some give and take. Unhealthy relationships can come about, for instance, if a client never listens to your advice. If that's the case, it might be worth moving on. It's obvious when you find a client with whom you work well, but it's also important to spot bad clients early on. "Clients worth holding onto are those who brief and art direct really well," Bonner says. "Vague briefing and non-existent direction are the bane of a freelancer's life, as they eat into budgets, time and quite frankly, your patience. The good client is the one who understands how to work with you." Managing your client list doesn't just mean picking and choosing who to work with, though. As well as identifying those clients with whom it's possible to have a broader creative relationship, it's also smart to avoid stage managing too much. "It's not something we budget for necessarily, but we do often entertain clients," says Cowan. "It's nice to pop out for a coffee or lunch and offer to pay. I've just had an informal lunch with one of my biggest clients, and it was nice to chat over some sandwiches. Like I said before, business is about people, so offering that bit of give and take always helps to strengthen relationships." Above all else, client relationship management is about treating other people with respect. When your client asks you for a project update; shifts a deadline or drags its feet on a decision, professionalism means you don't get fiery. In fact, according to Bonner, the best relationship technique requires general good manners, and taking an interest in the person as well as the project. "Clients are people too," sums up Bonner. "And people like to deal with people that they can relate to. I'm not saying you need to be their best friend, but it's nice to be able to have a friendly conversation about other things too." Words: Tom Dennis This article originally appeared in Computer Arts issue 220. Liked this? Read these! Illustrator tutorials: amazing ideas to try today! Create a perfect mood board with these pro tips The ultimate guide to logo design View the full article

Back in September 2015, Google waved goodbye to the serifed logo that had served it well for years. In its place was a chunkier, sans serif typeface, complete with a 'G' symbol used across apps and other web domains. While it didn't take long to get used to the new logo, the 'G' letter symbol has been niggling keyboard critics over on Reddit. Brought to light in a thread by Reddit user A_freakin_t-rex, the images of the symbol (above) question the mathematics behind the shape and colour of Google's 'G' symbol. And while A_freakin_t-rex claims not to have made the image (taking credit only for posting it on Reddit's 'mildly infuriating' board), a stream of comments on the thread shows that other designers have taken issue with the symbol design. But what's the problem with the letter? Everyone can read it clearly; the colours communicate the main Google wordmark. Does a great logo design – or any design, for that matter – always have to be geometrically perfect? A closer look As you can see in the images above, the 'G' symbol isn't quite as circular as it appears on first sight. Where it curves in towards the limb, the bowl is slightly squeezed in as well. On top of that, the angles between the lettering and the colours don't line up. Thanks to grid theory and principles like the Golden Ratio, we know that establishing a set of guidelines for type, and the way in which elements should be positioned within a layout, creates visual harmony and helps viewers understand a design. The problem is that design principles like these are often slapped over photos or pieces of art by commentators as a stamp of endorsement; as if by obeying this set of logical design rules – and this set alone – the image in question is of good quality. Which isn't always the case. And especially with type. Optical vs metrical design A key part of typeface design involves managing the friction between reality (what your eyes see) and optics (what your eyes think they see). Take Helvetica’s ‘H’. The crossbar is positioned ever-so slightly above the centre – but it appears to be central. That’s because for a given weight of line, horizontal lines appear heavier than vertical lines. If you positioned Helvetica’s crossbar mathematically in the centre, it wouldn’t appear to be central. Many letterforms therefore need to be optically corrected so that readers don’t notice reality – the same principle is involved in kerning. Google itself explains the decision on its Evolving the Google Identity document: "The Google G is directly derived from the logotype ‘G,’ but uses increased visual weight to stand up at small sizes and contexts where it needs to share space with other elements." "Designed on the same grid as our product iconography, the circular shape was optically refined to prevent a visual 'overbite' at the point where the circular form meets the crossbar. The color proportions convey the full spectrum of the logotype and are sequenced to aid eye movement around the letterform.” See how Google's real logo (left) compares to a geometrically perfect version by maxt0r (right)To illustrate the point, user maxt0r created a new Google 'G' symbol that stays circular and divides its colours more evenly. The result is a subtly different logo with uneven visual weighting. Other users commented that the real logo has more character. Of course, this isn't the first time a global brand has sparked designers' OCD. Back in 2012, Twitter unveiled a new logo that relied entirely on two different sized circles for the shape of its bird icon. Circles are the secret behind Twitter's current logoAs Google's 'G' symbol suggests, there's a time for maths – and there's a time for optical trickery. Related articles: How to use logos in web design 5 expert tips to design the perfect logo 11 places to find logo design inspiration View the full article