Carrie Cousins

How to Design a Logo / 16 Jul 2019

8 Tips for Creating a Logo With Purpose

With so many logo design concepts, trends, and examples out there, how do you sort through all the clutter to create a logo that has a purpose for our brand or company?

It’s not always an easy task. The best and most memorable logos are not just designed well, they have purposeful meaning that creates a connection between the mark and organization it represents.

This can happen quickly with a brand that grows in popularity fast or steadily over time as a mark is established.

Here are some things to think about as you tackle creating (or recreating) a logo so that it has a purpose.

Business / 8 Jul 2019

7 Ways to Create a Website on a Budget

A great website doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can get a professional-looking design with a few pages – that’s enough to get started – with a small budget. Here’s how.

The good news is that you can create and design a website yourself using a tool such as an online site builder, or work with a professional while maximizing your budget. The key is to be realistic. A website is not free. Even if you do it yourself, you’ll need a domain, hosting, and other tools (many site builders have a monthly fee) depending on how you plan to create the website.

The best practice is to start with a little research, then set a budget. That way you know what you can afford and how to have conversations about planning the website design. Here’s how you do it!

Mockup Templates / 2 Jul 2019

How to Create a Brand and Social Graphics With Placeit

One of the biggest challenges in today’s online and digital landscape is getting your presence or business online fast. You need a brand, logo, and social media profiles that shine to help get your efforts off the ground.

Design tools can help. Even for those with little design experience, a good tool can help you create a logo and brand as well as create elements to share on social media.

Best of all, you can get started in just a few minutes. That’s where Placeit comes in.

Google Slides Themes / 1 Jul 2019

5 Quick Google Slides Tips & Tricks

If you aren’t using it already, Google Slides might quickly become one of your favorite tools. For anyone with a Google account, the presentation software is included to use completely free of charge.

It’s packed with tools to help you make great presentations with ease, and it supports downloadable templates to help you get started fast.

Make the most of this presentation tool with these tips and tricks that make Google Slides that much more functional!

Google Slides Themes / 24 Jun 2019

How to Embed a YouTube Video in Google Slides

You know that video can add extra spark to a website design, but it can also spice up a presentation. The challenge is that embedded videos can sometimes result in presentation mishaps if they don’t play properly.

It can be pretty embarrassing to run into one of these mishaps, but they are totally preventable.

Today, we’re going to walk through how to embed a YouTube video in Google Slides so you can nail your presentation, embedded video and all!

Photoshop Actions / 19 Jun 2019

How to Create Actions in Photoshop in 5 Minutes

A Photoshop action can save time and effort when you perform some of the same edits and tasks repeatedly. You can record almost any command into an action that you can replay for later use on different files.

Here, we have step-by-step instructions so you can learn how to create actions in Photoshop. (It really only takes five minutes.)

In no time at all, you’ll have a helpful Photoshop action that can save you time every day!

Reviews / 12 Jun 2019

Jumpstart Your Career With This UX Design Bootcamp

The next level of your career starts now. If you’ve been looking to enhance your skills or break into UX design, formalized training might be the next logical step.

Springboard, an online school designed for skills that today’s workers need, is accepting applications for the next UX Design Bootcamp. This is more than an online class, it’s an intensive course that includes a design project in the industry, one-on-one mentoring, and even a guarantee that you’ll find a job in the field.

Here’s how the program works.

PowerPoint Templates / 12 Jun 2019

How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Unique Ideas

A good presentation leaves you wanting more. It engages your thirst for information. These presentations are a mix of killer content, striking visuals, a charismatic speaker and—crucially—a memorable start and end.

And with the right tools, almost anyone can give a great presentation. When every minute matters, how you start and end your presentation can have a huge impact on what people take away from the time you’re talking to them (and whether it makes a lasting impression!)

Today, we’re breaking from traditional visual design techniques to think about how to craft a dynamic presentation, with a memorable beginning and ending.

UX Design / 5 Jun 2019

How to Design a Perfect Website Onboarding Process (With Examples)

Think about the last time you downloaded a new app or landed on a new website. Did you know exactly what to do? Did the design help you engage with the site in a meaningful way? A simple onboarding process can make all the difference.

It’s important to think about website and app design in terms of onboarding visitors to create the best experience possible. This can include anything from helping someone find an item in your online shop and understanding how to make a purchase, to playing a game, or signing up for an email.

Onboarding is the process of integrating any new user into the design flow so that they can have the best interaction possible with your website, app or digital product or service. Here’s how you design it (with examples for inspiration).

Trends / 5 Jun 2019

Isometric Design & Illustration: An Eye-Catching Trend

Icons form an integral part of any website design. From use in informational and navigational elements, to eye-catching parts of a larger design, icons and icon-based elements can be an attractive and interesting way to draw in users.

While icons have used a dramatically flat aesthetic for a while, more projects are shifting to isometric icon usage. This trend is appearing on websites and print projects across plenty of different industries.

It’s gaining popularity because isometric icons have a more realistic look while still using flat layers. It’s an almost perfect mix of flat and depth. Here’s a more in-depth look at this design trend and how you can make the most of it.

Business / 3 Jun 2019

Self-Care for Designers: Don’t Burn Out

In a world where work never seems to turn off, there’s a growing movement to prioritize self-care. It’s way too easy to neglect yourself when you have work and meetings and then all of the “life” things after work, from networking events to taking kids to soccer games.

The time to start practicing self-care is before you start to burn out. You’ll stay fresher and have greater mental capacity to tackle projects with creative spark.

But how do you do it? How (and where) can designers find time for self-care? We have a few ideas for you.

Graphics / 29 May 2019

10 Web Design Trends We’re Already Over

Design trends have to be used cautiously. Just as quickly as many trends come into fashion; they can fall out of favor and make a design feel dated.

Don’t ignore them completely — testing out trends can stretch your creative muscles and help you create something you might not have tried otherwise. But do be aware of what’s fresh, what’s timeless, and what’s out of date!

Here are 10 design trends that are over (or should be anyway).