Carrie Cousins

Reviews / 6 Aug 2018

Copper: The Customer-Centric CRM

Are you tired of your CRM? Or are you looking at CRM options, but just don’t know where to start? Do you want a tool that helps you connect to customers in a more authentic way?

A strong customer relationship management system is less about records and data and more about a tool that can help you build relationships with potential customers or clients. Today, we’re going to dive into Copper, a customer-centric CRM that does just that.

(If you like what you see, Copper is offering a free trial so you can try it for yourself.)

Trends / 6 Aug 2018

3D Typography: An Inspiring Design Trend

An injection of realism can take a design project to the next level. With so many VR and realistic style effects gaining popularity, it is no surprise that 3D typography is part of this design trend.

Three-dimensional typography has extra depth and can be a great display option. While 3D type isn’t necessarily made for readability, it is a fun design trend that is worth a try. Here’s a look at how to get started with 3D typography (with some pretty cool examples for inspiration).

Inspiration / 1 Aug 2018

7 Design Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Content

Design mistakes can happen to anyone. Maybe you’re trying to finish a project too quickly, or you’re working on a complex site design where something gets merely overlooked. But, when they happen, you have to fix them… immediately!

Some design mistakes can ruin your content, cause users to abandon your site, or lose trust in the information you provide. It can be tough to recover from if you don’t make corrections. And so you aren’t confused, each of today’s tips comes with an example of a design that does it right from the Design Shack Gallery!

Trends / 25 Jul 2018

Art Deco Graphic Design: A Classic Trend

Add some old-school charm to design projects, with an art deco-inspired design. Traditional, classic, and vintage styles are on-trend now, making art deco elements a fun and easy way to add a touch of something the evokes classic feelings while maintaining a modern touch.

Art Deco graphic design might be a trend, but it is not a new style. The style dates to the 1920s with the greatest popularity of the style lasting for about 15 years. Art deco took off in part due to a culture where advertising was gaining popularity. Art deco graphic design was a mass-produced style and was in everything from magazines to the lines of car styles to architecture to the clothing styles associated with the roaring 20s (such as flapper girls).

Read on to find out more about this trend, and how art deco graphic design is making a comeback!

Minimalist Graphic Design / 25 Jul 2018

10 Ways to Simplify Your Design

It’s no secret that simple is often better when it comes to website design. An interface that’s simple to understand—and just as simple to use—is more likely to turn visitors into active users who will return to your site later.

But how do you simplify your website? Even if you aren’t building something new from scratch, the trick is to set goals and then look at the path to reaching them for users. Anything that gets in the way of that path should be eliminated. Anything that makes understanding what a user is supposed to do should be removed from the design.

That’s what we’re going to look at today – a few tricks that you can use to simplify your website design. And these ideas work for existing sites and new builds. (This article features examples of stellar simple designs, visit each site for even more inspiration.)

Business / 23 Jul 2018

Graphic Design Internships: 5 Places to Begin Your Search

Most students know that the right internship can get them on a path to the right job after graduation. Internships provide valuable work experience that help you get an idea of what daily life as a graphic designer looks like—and what skills you need to be successful.

The main difference between an internship and a job is the temporary nature of an internship, which is limited to a specific time frame or a number of hours worked.

The challenge with internships is that not all of the “jobs” are posted in regular job search locations, although some companies do post internship listings on job search websites. So where do you begin your search for the perfect internship? You’re going to have to do some homework.

Reviews / 19 Jul 2018

Brizy Takes the Stress Out of WordPress

Creating a website shouldn’t be a chore; it can actually be fun if you use the right tools. Brizy is a WordPress page builder that looks great, features drag-and-drop tools and helps you create a website quickly and easily. What more could you want?

Brizy is great for beginners because you don’t need to dive into the code. But more experienced designers also like it because the tool can help you build advanced designs quickly and easily. Here’s a look a Brizy and how the WordPress page builder works.

Inspiration / 18 Jul 2018

Graphic Design Is My Passion: 20 Meme Picks

Graphic design is my passion. Seriously. Isn’t it yours too, if you are taking the time to read Design Shack? Whether you use the phrase seriously or in jest, there’s a pretty fun movement on the web of memes that depict this statement. And they probably don’t look like what you’d expect.

The lesson in this ironic meme is that you need to maybe take it down a notch. Graphic design should be fun.

Software / 16 Jul 2018

4 Unique Placeholder Image Services for Designers

A placeholder image service is a quick and easy way to find images to insert into web projects so that a wireframe or prototype looks more real. It can help other people envision the project and help keep it moving forward.

Most designers try to do everything they can to help a client or non-visual team member see a project during the design, mockup and prototyping process. Often that means putting something together before the content itself is complete.

Here, we’re going to look at four different (and unique) placeholder image services for designers to help you move projects along as efficiently as possible. (Plus, we have a list of reasons why a tool like this might be helpful.)

Font Collections / 9 Jul 2018

80s Fonts: A Retro Typographic Trend (+ Examples)

Everything about my childhood seems to be cool again. The Netflix hit Stranger Things seriously evokes feelings of the 1980s, people are buying classic Nintendo game consoles again, and everything 80s is totally rad, even when it comes to design projects.

And what makes that 80s connection quickly? It’s typography. This decade definitely had a pretty distinct feel. We’re taking a look at the 80s retro font trend with plenty of great typographic options for your projects.

Inspiration / 9 Jul 2018

25+ Real-Life Tools for Web Designers and Developers

There are countless resources for web designers and developers on the market, but which stand out? We’ve tried to pick some that are new and interesting, based on our experience with web designers and developers.

Below you’ll find short reviews and recommendations of real-life tools for web designers and developers. There are WordPress themes, website builders, design bundles and many more links that we hope you’ll find useful for your next project!

UX Design / 4 Jul 2018

How to Become a UX Designer

So you think you want to be a UX designer? But maybe you don’t know exactly where to start. Whether you are a student thinking about the future, or in the midst of your design career looking to make a change, the process is pretty similar.

If you put in the work and time, you can develop your skills and start doing more UX work. Today we’re exploring what a UX designer does, along with tips, ideas, and suggestions for how to start out on your journey to becoming a UX designer.