Carrie Cousins

Reviews / 1 Mar 2019

How to Create Your Own Stock Photos With Photo Creator

The problem with stock photos has always been that they are never quite what you envision. The new Photo Creator tool from Icons8 solves that dilemma.

This neat tool actually allows you to create stock photos with elements that you can choose, move, and place inside a basic scene.

The result is a “semi-stock” photo that does exactly what you need to tell a story in your design project. Here’s how it works, and how to use it to create a stock photo that perfectly fits your needs.

Layouts / 27 Feb 2019

10 Unique + Innovative Website Layout Ideas

The idea has been floating around for a while – web design has a sameness that’s just kind of boring. Let’s dive into some unique and innovative website layouts that can break the mold!

Blame user patterns, too many projects for too few designers, or just the desire of clients to have their site looks like something they’ve already seen and understand. But all is not lost. Even though some people are snoozing at what’s out there, designers are still experimenting and having fun with website design.

Today, we’ll break the routine and dive into ten website designs that feature unique or innovative ideas. If nothing else, it should break you out of any creative rut you might be having.

Reviews / 25 Feb 2019

Need a Logo Fast? Try Logobee

Rush jobs. We all know how they can sneak up on us as designers. The real pickle is one of those rush jobs includes a logo. Logobee provides a quick tool to help designers – and even beginners – create a quick, simple logo in just a few minutes.

Here’s a look at the tool so you can decide if it will work for you.

We’ll walk you through the features, how to use it, and explain where and when it can be helpful for designers and non-designers alike.

Business / 4 Feb 2019

7 Tips for Sending Better Email Newsletters

Email marketing is one of the top ways to communicate with an audience. You can inform users with stories and information, send discounts and coupons to encourage shopping, and help direct traffic back to your website.

But not every email newsletter is created equally. My inbox is just as full of poorly designed messages as ones that I’ll actually read. With so much inbox clutter, designing an email that will stand out—and is easy to read—increases your chances of success. (Open rates hover in the teens to 20 percent range for many industries, so you have to work hard.)

Starting with a well-designed email newsletter is the start. Here are seven tips for sending better emails, that more users (hopefully) will look forward to opening.

UX Design / 28 Jan 2019

What Are Dark Patterns? (And Why You Shouldn’t Use Them)

Dark patterns are website interfaces that cause users to interact with a website in a way that isn’t what they intended. They cause users to click through to a page, or even add an extra item to a shopping cart, without intending to.

From sneaky clicks to straight-up poor website practices, dark patterns are in more places than you might expect. Today, we’ll look at what dark patterns are, how to identify them and why you shouldn’t use this technique in your website or app projects.

If you think a dark pattern is a cute background image, you need to keep reading.

Instagram Templates / 7 Jan 2019

How to Use an Instagram Template

An Instagram template is a kit of pre-made designs to help you share different types of content on the highly popular social media channel.

While there are plenty of Instagram templates out there – for individual posts or to create stories – getting started can seem intimidating. How do you most effectively use an Instagram template to create engaging content?

Here, we have a guide that breaks it all down so you’ll be creating Instagram posts like a pro in no time.

Inspiration / 26 Dec 2018

20+ Creative Project Ideas to Get You Out of a Design Rut

It happens to everyone at some point – creative block. You know you’re in a design rut when nothing seems to work as you expect. Designs aren’t coming together. You’re frustrated and un-energized.

While these stages are completely normal, it’s important to have a few tools at hand to break out of a design rut. Here, we’ve gathered a list of creative project ideas to re-engage your brain and get you thinking more creatively again.

Graphics / 24 Dec 2018

Graphic Design for Kids: Tools, Games & Ideas to Get Them Excited

Do your kids ever ask about your work? How do you explain graphic design to them? Why not take it a step further and try to get them excited about graphic design?

Creative thinking is a skill that anyone can use. There are plenty of tools, games, and ideas in this article to help you start those conversations with your kids to help create another generation of design thinkers.

Mobile / 21 Nov 2018

10 Tools & Apps for Testing Your Responsive Design

It’s never been more important to ensure your design is ready for every type of user—and device—before launch. While it can be tough to physically test on every device, there are some tools and apps to help you replicate a variety of responsive scenarios.

With free and premium tool options, there’s no reason not to test your responsive design before deployment. Just make sure to use that information to many necessary design adjustments! Today we’re running you through a selection of tools for testing a responsive design.

Graphics / 7 Nov 2018

10 Things Only a Designer Would Notice (And Why They Matter!)

Don’t think your poor design choices won’t be seen. Keen graphic designers are judging your shortcuts and rolling their eyes.

Just because these are things that only a designer would notice, it doesn’t mean they aren’t important. (Do you really want all that judgement from your peers?) Here’s a list of things that make my skin crawl… Make sure you’re not guilty of these design faux pas!

Reviews / 5 Nov 2018

Codester: Web Design at Your Fingertips

A design marketplace can be a total lifesaver. From code snippets to graphic design elements, to themes and plugins, a good marketplace has all the little tools that you need in a pinch.

Codester is a marketplace that’s packed with everything you need to keep design projects moving forward. You can buy premium PHP scripts, app templates, theme and plugins to use for website and app design. Plus, they have some pretty awesome freebies and allow designers to sell their own items.

Want to know more? Here’s a look at what Codester is all about.

Graphics / 1 Nov 2018

SVG vs PNG vs JPG: Image Format Pros & Cons

When it comes to creating images for the web and other digital purposes, what file formats will give you the best result? You have to think about speed versus image quality and scale. So what should you use: SVG vs PNG vs JPG?

There was a time when you just used a JPG sized to fit the space at 72 dpi and moved on. Not anymore. High-resolution screens, multiple viewports and a need to have a snappy website have made it a much more complex process. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of each of these formats!