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Carrie Cousins

Carrie Cousins

Carrie is a freelance writer with years of experience in web and graphic design. Sports fanatic. Information junkie. Designer. True-believer in karma.

10 Poster Design Ideas & Inspiration

Poster Design / 22 Aug 2018

10 Poster Design Ideas & Inspiration

Creating a poster can be one of the most fun – or frustrating – design projects that you ever take on. Posters are a highly visible, public design project that can lead people to attend an event or generate buzz about something.

These designs are often large in scale and there’s nothing like seeing something you create in a physical form.

Here, we’ve rounded up some great poster design ideas and inspiration to get you excited about your next poster design project.

The Best CSS Gradient Generators for Designers

CSS / 20 Aug 2018

The Best CSS Gradient Generators for Designers

We’re taking a look at ten of the best CSS gradient generators that you can use to create a variety of gradient styles (and have the CSS output directly!). Coding a gradient by hand is no fun (especially once you get past a simple two-color gradient), so these tools are a must-have in your bookmark folder.

One of the trendiest elements in website design is using a gradient background or color overlay. A two-color linear gradient is the most popular variation of this trend. And while gradients might look fancy and complicated, they are actually quite easy to create and deploy… if you are using the right tool!

5 Tips for Making Better Video

Business / 20 Aug 2018

5 Tips for Making Better Video

Everywhere you look, there’s video. From social media sites to full-scale web projects, a video can be an integral part of today’s online user experience. We have five tips to help you make any web video better, and improve the quality of what you publish.

While some projects require the time commitment of a professional production, other uses are perfectly suitable for DIY. How can you create better video to use in web projects yourself, without a full crew or large investment?

Adobe Stock: A 101 Introduction

Reviews / 15 Aug 2018

Adobe Stock: A 101 Introduction

Navigating the world of stock images can be tough. There are a lot of sources and even more photos to sort through. Finding a reputable vendor for stock images that’s easy to use can be a lifesaver.

That’s where Adobe Stock comes in. Adobe – the same company you know for making software that you probably use daily – also offers stock photos, templates, and 3D assets to help jumpstart your projects. And the best part is that that assets are high-quality; you’ll actually want to use them.

Here’s a look at how Adobe Stock works.

Black and White Design: 10 Stunning Examples (+ Tips)

Graphics / 13 Aug 2018

Black and White Design: 10 Stunning Examples (+ Tips)

A black and white design scheme can be one of the most striking combinations for a project. The deep contrast and simplistic nature of these colors (or lack thereof) provide plenty of opportunities to explore other techniques to make the most of the design.

Black and white designs have always been pretty popular, shifting most recently to more minimalist styles with a mostly white background and black elements. But as you’ll see from this collection of stunning black and white design projects, there are so many other options to explore.

Copper: The Customer-Centric CRM

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.)

3D Typography: An Inspiring Design Trend

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).

7 Design Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Content

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!

Art Deco Graphic Design: A Classic Trend

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!

10 Ways to Simplify Your Design

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.)

Graphic Design Internships: 5 Places to Begin Your Search

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.

Brizy Takes the Stress Out of WordPress

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.