Carrie Cousins

Trends / 19 Dec 2018

Background Design Trends & Styles for 2019

One of the most important early design decisions you will make is what kind of background will carry a project. Should it be a single color, colorless, use trendy elements such as geometric shapes, gradients or wood grain patterns? Or would a solid background design can help make a project shine?

Staying on trend with background design styles is important as well. A trendy background choice shows that a website design is modern and the content is new. A modern visual framework can even signal a user that you are thinking about their needs and making the most of the tools that will make their experience better.

So how do you do it? Here’s a look at ten background design trends and styles for 2019, with a great option to try from each style.

Software / 14 Dec 2018

The 10 Best Photoshop Alternatives for Mac (2019)

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 2019, but not in any particular order. Have a read through to find the one that’s right for you.

Graphics / 12 Dec 2018

25 Clever and Funny Christmas Print Ads

Christmas is nigh upon us. You’re likely rushing around like a crazy person this week trying to get all your work done, finish up your shopping, preparing to travel, etc. Let’s take a minute to slow down and absorb some solid Christmas-themed design inspiration.

In this post, we’ll take a look at over twenty-five clever and/or funny Christmas ads. Some will make you laugh, others might earn an approving nod or even a roll of the eyes. All are definitely worth a look and are sure to get your brain in a creative mode.

Trends / 10 Dec 2018

Icon Design in 2019: 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 in 2019, plus some great examples of inspiring icons and design work.

Icon elements are shown almost everywhere, but sometimes get produced as an afterthought. That shouldn’t be the case. A 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 2019!

Trends / 5 Dec 2018

10 Typography Trends for 2019

Want to give your design a quick facelift? Using new and interesting typography trends might be the answer. Designers are opting for less elaborate typefaces and pairing them with bold color, cutouts, gradients, and even customizations to create lettering that stands out.

Changing typefaces or recreating an image or header in a trending style can give a design a fresh look without a full-scale overhaul. Not sure where to start? This list features eight of the biggest typography trends of the year with examples to use as inspiration for how to use them.

Here’s a look at the top typography trends for 2019.

Inspiration / 3 Dec 2018

25+ Christmas Desktop Backgrounds & Wallpapers

Decorating for the holidays can include more than putting up a tree and adding tinsel. Decorating can extend to the digital space as well with great Christmas desktop backgrounds and wallpapers.

We’ve collected dozens of great Christmas desktop backgrounds, so you can change your screen every day during the holiday season if you like. While many of these desktop backgrounds and wallpapers are free, others can be found using stock image services or graphic design asset tools or marketplaces. Happy holidays!

Inspiration / 28 Nov 2018

The 2018 Christmas & Holiday Gift List for Designers

The countdown is on. There are just weeks, days even, remaining until the holiday. We all know that designers can be tough to shop for, so our gift list should be a life-saver!

We’ve collected a list of super cool gift ideas for designers, to help you be the perfect secret (or not-so-secret) Santa this holiday season. We’ve got you covered with everything from 3D printing pens to metallic artwork!

Graphics / 26 Nov 2018

Christmas Graphic Design: 5 Tips for Classy Festive Design

From holiday cards to party invitations, to sales promotions, to baubles on a website design. It’s time to start thinking about ways to spruce up your graphic designs for the Christmas season!

The trick is creating something that looks classy and festive, not gaudy and overdone. Here are five tips to get you on your way with ideas to get you thinking about Christmas graphic design projects with some downloadable elements you can make your own.

Mobile / 21 Nov 2018

10 Tools & Apps for Testing Your Responsive Design

It’s never been more important to ensure your design is ready for every type of user—and device—before launch. While it can be tough to physically test on every device, there are some tools and apps to help you replicate a variety of responsive scenarios.

With free and premium tool options, there’s no reason not to test your responsive design before deployment. Just make sure to use that information to many necessary design adjustments! Today we’re running you through a selection of tools for testing a responsive design.

Software / 19 Nov 2018

How to Add Fonts to Photoshop (Mac and Windows)

There’s no need to be intimidated when it comes to adding fonts to Adobe Photoshop for use in projects. Whether you’re on a Mac, adding a font to Photoshop can be a straight-forward process.

Here’s we’ll walk you through how to add fonts to Photoshop (using a few different methods) so that you can speed up your workflow like a pro.

Business / 14 Nov 2018

How to Make a Poster in PowerPoint: 10 Simple Steps

In addition to creating presentations, did you know you can use PowerPoint to design other elements such as posters? Today, we’re walking you through exactly how to make a poster in PowerPoint.

While not everyone thinks about making a poster design in PowerPoint, it’s actually pretty easy—and is a viable option if you need something quickly, or don’t have other design software available. (Posters made in PowerPoint are frequently used in academic settings for assignments and event promotion on college campuses.) Today, we’re going to take you through the steps of how to make a poster in PowerPoint.

Software / 12 Nov 2018

Keynote vs PowerPoint: Which Presentation App to Choose?

It’s presentation time! Whether you are creating a template for your boss or prepping slides for a talk, using the right software can make the job a lot easier. We’re pitting Keynote vs. PowerPoint against one another to lay out the pros and cons of each.

For Mac users, there are two pretty obvious choices – Keynote and PowerPoint. But which do you choose? Each has its own set of benefits and costs, and they’re both great for different uses. Hopefully, we’ll be able to help you make the right choice.