Carrie Cousins

Reviews / 12 Jan 2020

Geocode and Embed Maps in Minutes With Positionstack

Mapping and geocoding can be a challenge when it comes to website and app development. But if you have the right tool, it’s a lot easier. That’s just what you get with positionstack, an accurate forward and reverse batch geocoding REST API that manages these tasks for you.

Forward geocoding is searching for a plain-text address or place name, and reverse geocoding uses latitude and longitude values.

Here’s a look at positionstack and how it can be useful for your projects.

Reviews / 5 Jan 2020

Aviationstack Provides Real-Time Flight Data

Never miss a flight again! Or at least help your website visitors ensure that they don’t. Aviationstck is a real-time flight status and global aviation data API that makes integrating airport information into your website or app a breeze.

This helpful API scrapes all the right data so that your website outsmarts the competition, and saves you a huge amount of work with queuing different datasets and locations.

Here’s a look at aviationstack and how you can make use of it in projects.

CSS / 3 Jan 2020

5 New CSS Techniques to Master in 2024

Web designers are fascinated with ways to try new CSS techniques and push the boundaries of what CSS can do. Well-planned CSS can control almost any aspect of a design, and contribute to better overall user experiences—with cleaner and more consistent code.

But what techniques are trending? What should you learn next? We have a few ideas for the latest developments to watch this year. Dive in, see what’s hot, and try some of these new CSS tips and techniques to give your next project an exciting edge.

Trends / 1 Jan 2020

How to Use the 2020 Pantone Color of the Year in Design Projects

It might be one of the best public relations moves in the design world. Pantone releases an annual color of the year that sets the tone for color trends for a 12-month cycle.

This year’s selection – Classic Blue – is a color that’s highly usable, stable, and instills confidence. A color close to this is likely part of a brand palette that you are familiar with.

Here’s a look at Classic Blue and how the color – and similar colors – as inspiration for using the color (or not) in design projects this year.

Reviews / 26 Dec 2019

Geocoding and Geoparsing With Geocodeapi

Do you need geocoding or geoparsing data for your website or digital application? An API is the solution.

Geocodeapi allows users to perform these tasks in a scalable manner using worldwide data. Here’s a look at the tool and how you can make the most of it for your projects.

Software / 17 Dec 2019

Zenscrape: Extract Website Data Visually

Almost anyone can pull information from websites using the code-free, visual tool, Zenscrape. The tool is probably one of the easiest of its kind and has plenty of practical applications for website owners.

Here, we’re going to take a deeper look at Zenscrape, what it is, how to use it, key features, and pricing.

Reviews / 12 Dec 2019

Sell Merch: How to Design, Print and Sell Custom Merchandise

Do you have a stellar idea for a shirt or water bottle design? Not sure how to get that idea into the hands of people who want to buy it?

You might need Sell Merch, a collection of tools and resources that are designed to help you get from idea to sales with advice on everything from how to get started to understanding printing and shipping.

Here’s a look at Sell Merch with some ideas for getting started with merchandise sales.

Reviews / 5 Dec 2019

Vectornator Pro Review: Create Illustrations, Logos, and More

Looking for an alternative when it comes to vector design software? Vectornator is a solid, new option for Mac users with a robust collection of tools that also work on iPads, iPhones, and desktop computers.

Today, we’ll take a look at this tool with the new Vectornator Pro release, which has even more features than the already-functional Vectornator X version.

Find out what this app has to offer, explore a few key features, and learn about how to take it for a spin yourself!

Reviews / 28 Nov 2019

Scrape Search Results in Real-Time With Zenserp SERP API

Do you need to scrape search engine results quickly and reliably? A search API can do the trick. Today, we’re taking a look at Zenserp’s SERP API and how you can make use of it.

SERP, or a search engine results page, data can be a useful tool for website owners. You can pull information into your project to provide a more robust user experience.

But completing this process manually is close to impossible. You need a tool to pull this data out for you, to help you move ahead with the important task of analyzing the information, and learning what it can tell you.

Trends / 27 Nov 2019

Vintage Graphic Design: Inspiration, Ideas + Modern Takes

Vintage graphic design is a nifty way to create an old-school feel for projects. Today we’re exploring the vintage graphic design trend, and how to use it in your design projects.

Vintage elements can include typography, illustrations, photo styles, and even entire aesthetic palettes. Further, there are different eras to choose from when you want to go for a vintage feel.

Vintage themes from different time periods can provide completely different visual properties and techniques to play with.

Let’s explore some of them!

Reviews / 27 Nov 2019

The Best Black Friday Deal Yet: UX Design Education

There’s a trend this holiday season to opt-out of a lot of the chaos and consider alternative gifts that have more meaning or create greater experiences. To choose something that can benefit yourself, serve a bigger purpose, and not just be another gadget that’ll wind up in the trash six months from now.

The gift of a UX education fits perfectly for anyone with a design background. The Interaction Design Foundation is offering a stellar Black Friday deal with 25% off UX courses for Design Shack readers.

It’s the perfect way to choose to spend money on something meaningful, that will bring you long-term value.

Want to know more about what you can give (or get) with this deal? Read on.

Figma Templates / 20 Nov 2019

What Is Figma? a 101 Intro

Figma is a cloud-based design and prototyping tool for digital projects. It’s made so that users can collaborate on projects and work pretty much anywhere.

While this tool looks a lot like other prototyping options, the key differentiator is the ability to work with teams on projects. To date, Figma is probably the best-suited option available.

Here’s a look at Figma, and how this tool might be beneficial for your projects and workflows.