Carrie Cousins

Instagram Templates / 15 Mar 2021

20+ Instagram Color Trends + Palettes to Stay on-Trend

Your Instagram color scheme can say a lot about your brand and design style. A unique color scheme can help your posts and stories stand out in a cluttered Instagram feed so that more of your followers visually know when you create content.

So, what kind of color scheme should you pick? Should you be aiming for bright and bold, or subtle and understated? Wouldn’t it be great if you could see a helpful collection of different examples? Look no further.

Here, we’ve rounded up 20 trendy options. (Plus, you can download any of these templates from Envato Elements if they strike your fancy.)

Microsoft Word Templates / 11 Mar 2021

How to Open, Use & Edit a Template in Microsoft Word

Templates are the super tool of regular Microsoft Word users. Templates establish a set of style rules and visual guidelines so that your documents have a unified look and feel.

Templates are a great starting point for elements such as letterhead other documents.

Here, we’ll look at how to open, edit, and use templates in Microsoft Word. The whole process is really simple, and can open up a whole new level of flexibility for how you work with Word.

Affinity Publisher Templates / 26 Feb 2021

What Is Affinity Publisher? a 101 Intro (+ vs. InDesign Comparison)

Designers working with desktop publishing may want to take a look at Affinity Publisher. The tool, which is now available for Mac and Windows platforms, is emerging as a powerful and flexible design option.

The tool is part of the Serif line of graphic design products, which also includes Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer, both super-capable platforms in their own right.

Here’s a look at Affinity Publisher and how it compares to a tool you may already be familiar with – Adobe InDesign.

Instagram Templates / 22 Feb 2021

How to Do a Giveaway on Instagram (+ Rules, Ideas and Tips)

Designing a giveaway or contest on Instagram can be fun, increase engagement, and help boost your presence online. But it’s more than just asking people to tag a friend to win a prize.

A great giveaway takes planning, a prize that’s worth people’s time, and an understanding of the rules to maintain the integrity of your social media account (that’s the really important part, to make sure you stay on the right side of the guidelines).

Here’s how to do a giveaway on Instagram!

Business / 16 Feb 2021

10 Tips for Presenting Designs to Clients to Keep Projects Moving Forward

It’s a common part of the job – presenting design work to clients. Practice doing it well so you can keep projects moving in the right direction and toward the finish line.

If you need a little push, these tips can help. We’ll be looking at how to lay the groundwork, approach challenging topics, clearly show your solution, and weave a narrative with your client.

Let’s dive in!

Trends / 4 Feb 2021

Design Trend: Text That’s Not Readable

Let’s start with a definition. Readability is a measure of how easy a piece of text is to read. The level of complexity of the text, its familiarity, legibility, and typography all feed into how readable your text is. Readability is a key factor in user experience.

Why would we ever showcase a design trend that features text that’s not readable? Simply, because it is popular. Does it mean that it’s a good idea? It… depends!

You can read on, look at the examples, and decide if it is right for your projects.

Trends / 21 Jan 2021

Fractal Art: A 101 Design Intro

Art elements rooted in math and algorithms might seem like a futuristic idea, but it’s a growing and popular concept.

Fractal art has been around since the 1980s but it seems to be having a moment with more designers looking to this style for backgrounds and main art elements. Another reason for the growth in popularity? Use of this style as an interior design element for wall hangings and more.

This can be a fun design element to think about and incorporate into projects. Here’s everything you need to know to get started with fractal art.

UX Design / 7 Jan 2021

How to Design With User Privacy in Mind (Tips and Best Practices)

When it comes to UX, how often do you connect it to privacy?

It’s a big part of the design process. From connected apps to e-commerce to forms, data collection is happening all the time. Users are accustomed to it and generally ok with these practices unless something goes wrong.

It’s your job to include privacy checkpoints and best practices in the design architecture of every website project. Not only will these protections help users, but they can help you feel better about the digital products and services you provide.

Business / 10 Dec 2020

When (And How) to Outsource Design Work to Someone Else

If it has ever crossed your mind that a certain element of a design project would be better if you had help, then outsourcing work could be a viable option.

Design agencies, small shops, and freelancers can all benefit from having a bench of partners that can help with projects. Successful outsourcing is based on a mutual relationship between parties that have a similar design style and work ethic.

This guide will take you through everything you need to know about outsourcing graphic design work.

UX Design / 3 Dec 2020

11 Tips for Creating a Usable Website Contact Page

Peek at the analytics. Chances are that your contact page is among the most visited on our website.

It’s for good reason. Visitors will seek out a contact page to get additional information about your company or business, find your location, or get in touch.

Now the bad news. This is an often-neglected part of the website design. Too many websites don’t take care of the contact page, resulting in missed opportunities and conversions.

You can remedy that right now with these tips for creating a usable contact page.

Reviews / 6 Nov 2020

Prototype Faster & Easier With Justinmind 9

Justinmind 9 is revamped and ready to help you create website and app prototypes faster. The new release is packed with features that will make work life easier. (And that’s something we could all use right now.)

Here’s a look at Justinmind 9 and all the features you’ll find with this tool.

Whether you’re looking to take your UX design to the next level, save time with the array of tools you use, or start building fully interactive prototypes, Justinmind is a tool very much worth considering.

Accessibility / 19 Oct 2020

9 Website Design Tips for Different Generations (Yes, It Matters!)

It’s a no-brainer for most designers that you plan a project based on a certain target audience. It might be for people who like soda or buy video games or have an affinity for athletic shoes.

But another consideration can often be overlooked – designing for different generational segments. Age can impact how people use websites, apps, and mobile devices. Generational differences can affect your design scheme, accessibility plan, and even the language and colors in the design.

If you haven’t thought about these differences, now is the time to start. With wider website audiences all the time, designing for different generations can help your project be more successful for more people.