Carrie Cousins

Trends / 2 Jan 2020

50 Best Website Color Schemes of 2020

Does it ever seem like certain website color schemes just get all the attention? As with every other aspect of web design, there are color schemes that tend to trend more than others. Bright colors, stark palettes, and even some mismatching schemes are elements of color that are trending.

Here’s a look at some of the best website color schemes of 2020 (in no particular order). For each, we’re also sharing the color codes that make up the key elements of the design, so it’s easy to play around with these color schemes yourself too!

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.

Inspiration / 30 Dec 2019

15 New Year’s Resolutions for Designers in 2020

Happy New Year! Today, we’ve got a nifty guide to resolutions that are specifically for designers. What changes do you hope to make in 2020?

Did you know that people have been making resolutions to improve themselves and their lives since the time of ancient Babylonians? I’ll admit to making a few of these myself… now if I could only manage to keep them all year! Good luck with your resolutions and have a wonderful New Year.

Trends / 26 Dec 2019

10+ Top Graphic Design Trends of 2020

What’s hot in graphic design? One of the things people always want to talk to me about is graphic design trends. Here’s preview of what’s going to be hot in 2020.

It’s such an interesting topic because there are trends that change slowly over time – just look at the long evolution of flat design to where we are now – and others that seem to flip overnight. Should you always rush to use the latest graphic design trends in your work? Of course not. But it’s helpful to pick up new ideas, find inspiration, and see what types of techniques and styles are shaping our industry.

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.

Freebies / 25 Dec 2019

10 Best Free Stock Video Sites in 2020

Need video? From moving images for your own website, to b-roll for clients, having a solid place to find quality stock videos is a must. Today, we’re going to help you “stock” your toolkit with ten places to find amazing, free stock video for a variety of projects.

We are giving you basic information about using stock videos from each vendor; make sure to check specific license agreements before using any stock image or video. These can vary quite a bit, and it’s worth making sure that any video use is a good fit for your project license-wise!

Trends / 23 Dec 2019

10+ Video Marketing Trends for 2020

Almost every marketing prediction, resource or how-to guide for 2020 includes the same advice: video needs to be part of your strategy. But what type of video marketing is most important right now?

From super-short (micro) video clips, to live video on social media, to full-production ads and stories, we’re going to look at some of the top video marketing trends for the year and how you can incorporate them into your design and marketing plans.

Let’s dive in, and embrace video as the new marketing channel you need to get right!

Trends / 19 Dec 2019

Icon Design in 2020: The Key Trends

Icons might be one of the most important – and underrated – examples of design in your portfolio. Here’s a look at icon design with some inspiring examples.

Icon elements are shown almost everywhere, but sometimes get produced as an afterthought. That shouldn’t be the case. Great icon design can be distinctive and add finesse and flair to a project.

Let’s take a look at what’s new, and what’s hot in icon design in 2020!

Software / 18 Dec 2019

The 10 Best Photoshop Alternatives for Mac (2020)

You don’t have to use Adobe Photoshop on your Mac to edit images like a pro. There are plenty of Photoshop alternatives for Mac that you can download or use in-browser to create just the right images and graphics for your projects. And some of them are completely free!

None of these are necessarily one-size-fits-all solutions. Each tool tends to serve a specific purpose; Do you want to edit online or on a desktop? Are you editing photos or multiple file types? Is all the work for web or will images get printed?

Here’s a list of the best Photoshop alternatives for Mac in 2020, but not in any particular order. Have a read through to find the one that’s right for you.

Trends / 18 Dec 2019

15+ Portfolio Design Trends in 2020

When was the last time you updated your design portfolio? (If you’re like me, it’s probably been a while.) Maintaining a fresh portfolio is a good way to show off your skills to potential clients and can be helpful when looking back on work for annual contest entries.

If you’ve fallen behind with your portfolio design, or just need a new portfolio in general, this is a great opportunity to create something using trendy techniques and visuals.

A modern portfolio using design trends can make a great impression. A portfolio is also a representation of your skills — so design wisely! Here’s a look at some of our favorite portfolio design trends for 2020.

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.

Trends / 16 Dec 2019

15 Photography Trends in 2020

Photography trends can be a major influence on how print and digital designs come together. From filters to styles to photo angles that are trending, this part of the visual aesthetic can greatly impact how a project comes together.

Photography trends are dictated by a few things: Visual style of photographers, techniques that are gaining popularity in projects, the ability for images to work with other design elements, and even things such as social media filters.

The same photography trends that you might see in stock images (which we use as examples here) parallels to custom photos as well. Understanding photography trends is important for any designer because you’ll want to discuss photo options (and looks) before you begin a photoshoot for any design project to ensure that your visions are on the same page.