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Good typography is an art: choosing the best type to complement the meaning of the content, balancing sizes and spacing for optimum readbility, and not drawing attention to itself in the process. But now designers and artists are increasingly taking typography a step further, blurring the lines between words and pictures. There are several different [...]
It’s hard to believe that 2012 is coming to a close. We lived through the Mayan “apocalypse”. And we’re now looking at the start of another year. It’s traditional to make some New Year’s resolutions at the start of the year. 45% of Americans generally make New Year’s resolutions, while 38% absolutely never make them. [...]
Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers. The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of [...]
Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD. The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers. These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world [...]
It’s not uncommon for those who find themselves working in the creative arts to be thought of as magicians. After all, starting with nothing and winding up with brilliance (after pulling an all-nighter) is sometimes nothing short of supernatural. But YouTube sensation Brusspup has taken the art of illusion to a whole new level with [...]
In 2012, we covered a ton of new apps, resources, and more for designers and developers. In fact, we covered nearly 500 such resources! So rather than yhou having to go back through our archive of posts, we’ve gathered up the best of what was new over the past year in one place! We’re not [...]
An apple with a bite out of it is instantly recognizable — but delivering a logo with such iconic potential is more complicated than simply going from A to B. In fact, the road to a killer logo is often times a windy path. Take a look at this great infographic outline of the logo [...]
Any time you choose an artistic career path, such as web design, you are in for a mix of triumphs and challenges. One of these challenges is bound to be financial. But if you find ways to operate within a budget, you will be able to maximize the money you earn while doing the work [...]
When I walk into a design studio, there are several things I know I’ll see; tattoos, piercings and toys… lots and lots of each. Why do designers, as well as non-creatives, love toys? We love toys because they are the first art form to which we are introduced, they bring back a comforting feeling of [...]
Some promotional strategies start and end with Facebook or Eventbrite. Most event planners don’t go far beyond posting the event and maybe asking a couple sources to do the same. Sometimes people use newspapers or community calendars and some just use cheap flyers. Don’t get me wrong; there’s a lot you can do with Facebook [...]
Cartography (aka mapmaking) dates back to, quite literally, the cave man. The earliest maps consisted of cave paintings, rock carvings, and clay-tablet etchings before ever evolving into to two-dimensional paper drawings. Now anything other than the computer-generated kind smacks of archaism—unless, of course, it’s the forward-thinking work by British illustrator Jenni Sparks. Commissioned by online [...]
“Barry, wake up!” screamed Winny but he just groaned and pulled up the old comforter over his head. It was his first day off from the magical ministry and the last thing he wanted was some witch yelling at him. “Wake UP!” Winny bellowed again as she flicked her wand, making clothes fly into the [...]
Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers. The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of [...]
Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD. The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers. These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world [...]
Artists can do a lot with a blank canvas. But UK-based Ed Fairburn demonstrates that a canvas with lines, words, and markers works just as well—or maybe even better. Take for instance the figurative work Fairburn produced on Bartholomew maps, where a series of portraits utilize the maps’ features to produce a stunning finished product. Out [...]
With the ever increasing accessibility of smart phones, coupled with the rapid advancement of mobile internet technology, more and more people are reaching for their phones and tablets to carry out their everyday internet browsing. According to research carried out by International Data Corporation, mobile internet users are set to surpass wired internet users by [...]
Who could forget the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn peering through the shop window in Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Streisand and Redford’s goodbye scene in The Way We Were. Both were shot 40-plus years ago in the City That Never Sleeps—but journalist Christopher Maloney, on his addictive website FILMography, has shown that New York is [...]
The wonders of the QR code have been proved over and over for marketing and customer engagement. You see them all over, read about them in countless articles and have probably used them for a client’s project, but what about the fun side? Have you used them for your own amusement or to spread joy [...]
Since the dawn of the mobile web, the design and development landscape has changed drastically. Today, no one working in the field can argue with the lasting impact that this market will have on the future of the industry. This is an interesting shift to have watched develop, and many of us are eager to [...]
For some web designers, the process of creating a website for someone comes easy. You get a chance to really visualize how you feel about a company or client. However, one of the hardest things for almost every designer is creating a site for themselves. Designers want to show their creativity, skills, and express themselves [...]
Not a lot keeps Mark Zuckerberg up at night. When he slips between his — presumably luxury — sheets, rests his head and closes his weary eyes, it’s unlikely his sleep will be disturbed by worries over his cable bill or the cost of servicing his car. As his peers toss and turn, fretting over [...]
The first question to ask, is do you really need to send Christmas cards to your clients and business contacts, and if so why? The answer is ‘yes’, and for very good reasons. Leaving aside ‘the spreading good cheer’ aspect, sending holiday greetings is an easy way of showing that you remember, and appreciate, the [...]
Taking an entire movie and translating it into a single image is not an easy job. Identifying the elements which best represent 90 to 160 minutes of dialogue, action, character development and photography then reducing that down to its simplest form without losing the original meaning is an art in itself. This is exactly what [...]
Anyone involved in Web design or development will have come across the term “semantic” with reference to HTML5 and the Web in general. This often problematic term is understandably confusing to many of us, particularly since there is a distinct lack of consensus on its definition in certain contexts. In this article, we will explore what [...]
Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers. The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of [...]
Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD. The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers. These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world [...]
In a recently published article Jakob Nielsen thoroughly trashes Windows 8. This is not your typical Windows vs. Mac vs. Linux argument. There are no attacks on the security flaws, stability or even cost of the operating system. This assault is directed at the area for which Nielsen is famous: usability. Windows 8, he states, [...]
New site designs pop up every week, all over the web. Sometimes they fly under the radar for weeks before being found, and other times they’re broadcast all over the place almost immediately; which happens is largely dependent on who did the designing. Right now, subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) animation and scrolling effects are huge. [...]
At this time of year, there’s no better way to start the day than opening up a new window on your advent calendar and munching on some chocolate goodness. Well, maybe one better way… In the spirit of the season for giving, Treehouse — the online technology school — are giving away a new prize [...]
There are just 12 days until Christmas! If you’re still struggling to find that perfect gift for the designer/developer in your life, or if your loved ones could do with a few helpful hints, here are some suggestions sure to earn you (or them) that kiss under the mistletoe. We’ve put together a list of [...]
It happens to all of us: that rude awakening when we realize Santa is just a department store employee and the Tooth Fairy is really our parents. And when that fateful day arrives, a little wide-eyed innocence is lost and we inch our way closer to the realities of adulthood. But what would it look [...]
Whether as part of a registration form, a payment form, or a contact form, it seems we’re always asking our users to give us information. Unfortunately, a portion of visitors will see our form and, for whatever reason, decide to hit the back button. This could be because the form seems long and intimidating, they aren’t [...]
Today, Adobe announced some exciting new features in Creative Cloud, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Muse. Of particular interest to a lot of designers are the updates to Photoshop, while teams and agencies will be particularly interested in Adobe’s new Creative Cloud Team subscriptions. Despite the fact that Creative Cloud has only been available for a few [...]
Finger painting is sooo 20th Century. This millennium, it’s all about the finger portrait — at least according to the Italian artist named Dito Von Tease. Also known as Il Dito (“The Finger” in Italian), Von Tease has revolutionized the traditional avatar by snapping a pic of his naked finger before digitally dolling it up with [...]
While big data makes for useful applications, it can also stand in the way of clean, usable interface designs. With more and more web applications built upon mountains of data collected in the cloud, how can you deliver all that data without turning the resulting application into a visual train wreck? Balancing complex data needs [...]
Thumbnails are one of the purest pieces of usability the digital age has created. In essence a thumbnail is a preview, a promise of what you’ll see if you click the link. A small glimpse with less data, faster to load and less greedy for screen real estate than the full-sized asset. They’re ideal for images, [...]
The December edition of what’s new for web designers and developers includes new web apps, jQuery plugins, productivity tools, design tools, video editing tools, CSS and HTML frameworks, Photoshop resources, security tools, and some really great new fonts. Many of the resources below are free or very low cost, and are sure to be useful [...]
Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers. The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of [...]
Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD. The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers. These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world [...]
320, 768 and 1024. Do these numbers mean anything to you? No, it’s not the Da Vinci code, they are the widths in pixels that many designers associate with mobile, tablet and desktop screen widths. The problem I have with this is that my mobile isn’t 320 pixels wide, my tablet isn’t 768 pixels wide [...]
Every once in a while we all run out of ideas. It’s a stressful and frustrating experience. And it’s no coincidence that it often comes at the end of a long working week. However, Friday is a great day to finish up projects, draw in new inspiration and let those ideas percolate over the weekend [...]
Along with the introduction of CSS3 comes many new features that are available for use in creating great effects; one of the most useful is the transition property. The transition property is an important new development in CSS. It can be used to create a dynamic change effect on a div or class using a [...]
In 2006, while working at a design agency in Cardiff, Wales, I conceived of an idea to feature on our website the current weather conditions outside our office. I wanted to make our website fully engaging and to show our visitors and clients what we were experiencing in real life each day, in real time. [...]
We’re excited to report that for our sister site, mightydeals.com, we’ve managed to put together a very special deal with DesignModo, bringing you huge savings on their legendary The Bricks UI kit. The Bricks is a set of UI components and PSD elements tied together by four add-ons: Forms, Elements, E-commerce and Words. It’s extremely rare that [...]
“Whew!” exclaimed a recent client when he finally agreed to pay his entire fee, “I didn’t know artistic-types were such tough businessmen.” “Oh, we are,” I said calmly as I put his final check into my pocket, “We have to get tough with clients when they don’t want to pay for a professional job.” With [...]
As we reported two weeks ago, a closed-door meeting opened yesterday in Dubai that is debating control of the internet. For the next two weeks, members of the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union will debate a number of topics including whether they should increase their remit from telegrams and telephone calls to include IP-based networks [...]
Whether you’re a WordPress theme creator or just a consumer, it’s important to stay abreast of what’s going on in the wild world of WP theme development. One of the best ways to do just that is to follow trends in new theme designs from some of the leading theme designers out there. Checking out [...]
One of the biggest advantages to Adobe’s Creative Cloud membership is the regular updates Adobe offers to Cloud members. Those updates mean that you no longer have to wait a year or more for a major release. Although Adobe doesn’t publish a set schedule, so far, new updates have been shipping every couple of months. [...]
We live in such an exciting time in the world of the web. Technology and standards are moving forward at a rate that’s perhaps both faster and more exciting than ever. As things change, so do our habits, and one area that I think has seen bigger changes than most would have to be the [...]
Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers. The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of [...]
Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD. The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers. These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world [...]