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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.

Reviews / 8 Jun 2016

Showcase Your Work With Adobe Portfolio

Is updating your portfolio a chore? Is it one of those tasks you can never find time to do? Adobe Portfolio might just be the answer.

Adobe’s new portfolio tool – yes, the same Adobe behind industry standard graphic design and editing software – is easy to use and can help you get your work online in short order. Today we’re taking a look at how it works, why it’s a solid contender in this space, and how it can help you build a professional online portfolio.

UX Design / 6 Jun 2016

How to Create Memorable Micro-Moments

How many times a day do you look at your phone? Its a statistic that always amazes me, but the average person looks at their phone 46 times per day.

Every one of those glances is an interaction between the design and the user. These micro-moments are a vital part of the user experience. How an interaction such as a notification or alert works can make the difference between retaining a user and losing one. It’s your job to design these micro-moments in a way that is usable and memorable. Here’s how to do it.

Business / 1 Jun 2016

What Needs to Be in Your Style Guide? (And How Do You Enforce It?)

Everyone with a website needs a style guide. It’s that simple. If you’re wanting to instil more consistency in your project, and get everyone on the same page, your style guide will become invaluable.

Now that we have that out of the way, what exactly do you put in that guide? And how do you make sure other people on the team follow the rules so that your visual presence maintains consistency? That’s a little more complicated. Let’s dive into the topic today.

Graphics / 23 May 2016

What’s Flat 2.0 and Why Should You Care?

Just when you thought you had flat design figured out, everyone has shifted to talking about Flat 2.0. If you never took the leap into designing a flat project, now is the time.

Flat 2.0 is easier to use because it combines the best of flat design with additional user interface cues to help you create website design that’s beautiful and functional. It’s also highly adaptable and works with almost any concept. Unlike some of the purest flat designed websites, Flat 2.0 combines elements of flat with subtle additions to enhance user-friendliness. Let’s take a look at a few examples!

Graphics / 16 May 2016

Design Trend: The Modern Retro Touch

You’ve probably heard the saying “everything old is new again.” The same can be said about design and design trends. While the medium might change, many of the old styles can come back into fashion.

One example of this is modern retro design. Today, we’re going to take a look at what modern retro is all about and how you can make this most of it in your design projects. What’s really nice about modern retro is that it works across mediums. While we are seeing a lot of it in website design right now, modern retro adds a fun touch to print projects from business cards to poster design to party invitations.

Business / 10 May 2016

Data, Data, Data: How Do You Design It?

You are probably swimming in a sea of data. Analytics, reports, metrics and data-based facts are the new norm, and people can’t seem to get enough.

But how do you design with data? How do you take something that can be complex, requiring explanation, and break it down into something smaller and digestible without ruining the meaning of the information? It can be a tough task. Today, we’re going to look at different approaches to designing with data and hopefully provide some usable tips!

Trends / 25 Apr 2016

Design Trend: Square-Stacked Typography

Everywhere you look these days, it seems like someone else is using stacked typography. Particularly square stacked typography. It’s a common design trend that we’re seeing more and more.

The trend is hard to ignore, and is worth replicating because this aesthetic is charming and impactful. There are plenty of ways to combine words and lines of lettering to create a design that is attention-grabbing. Today, we’ll look at exactly how to make the most out of the square stacked typography trend with examples from the Design Shack gallery. Read on for some great examples, and helpful tips!

UX Design / 19 Apr 2016

How to Create a UI That Users Can Trust

What does trust have to do with web design? Quite simply, everything. In a world where people hear about digital security breaches almost daily, designing and creating a user interface that users can trust is imperative.

Establishing this trust will help create a solid foundation between you and the user, it can contribute to sales and product loyalty, it establishes a sense of quality and success and sets the stage for a long-term and valuable user relationship. So how do you do it? Today, we have ten things you can do to create a UI that users can trust (with trustworthy examples, of course).

Typography / 6 Apr 2016

What Does That Say? How Typefaces Add Meaning to the Design

Can something as simple as a typeface change the meaning of words and an entire design. Of course! A typeface can add a new level of emphasis or meaning to your message.

It can help you connect with users, establish brand, and set the tone for your entire project. The wrong typeface can leave a design feeling flat, disjointed or even give users the wrong impression about your brand. Now let’s take that knowledge and add a little practical application. (And look at a few examples of beautiful typography from the Design Shack gallery.)

Accessibility / 30 Mar 2016

Designing for the Web: Are There Colors You Should Avoid?

The web is a rainbow of color options. Color is a great tool for grabbing the attention of users, providing visual interest and impact and creating contrast for readability. Color is also at the center of many design trends, including flat and material styles.

But can you go wrong with color? Are there hues or combinations that you should shy away from? In a word … yes! Today we’re looking at colors or color combinations that you should avoid when designing websites and apps. (And on the chance that you’ve already made one of these mistakes, we offer alternative suggestions as well.)

CSS / 28 Mar 2016

Everything You Need to Know About HD Design

If you haven’t already taken note, the web is going high def. From images to backgrounds to user interface elements, high definition is the new normal.

It started with some of the retina and high-resolution screens, but access to faster connections has also emphasized this phenomenon, providing greater access to HD websites from any device. Are you thinking about and designing in high definition? Here are a few things to consider.

Graphics / 21 Mar 2016

Design Theory: The Rule of Three

One. Two. Three. Now stop counting and think about how elements grouped in threes can work for your projects. It’s an interesting concept but one that crosses multiple disciplines.

In public speaking, three points in sequence are crafted to drive home a point. In photography and art, the rule of thirds helps you visualize the canvas differently. Even the American Declaration of Independence is rooted in three rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How can you think more about groupings of three and implement this magic number into your projects? We have a few suggestions.