Carrie Cousins

Font Collections / 9 Feb 2023

Font Psychology: How to Use It to Create Persuasive Designs

You’ve likely heard the phrase “a photo is worth a thousand words.” If that’s true, then so is a typeface.

Font selection can greatly impact what you say through design and how easy it is to read, as well as the emotion and human psychology attached to it.

Even though words are meant to be read, they are also looked at and establish a visual connection.

Today we’re diving into the idea of the psychology of fonts, and how to use them to impact what message your design conveys.

Trends / 6 Feb 2023

Tropicalism: A Design Trend Coming Back in 2024

Tropicalism is a design trend that we are already seeing quite a bit of in 2023. You’ll know it thanks to bright colors, fun illustrations, and a breezy feel that makes you think of summer (and maybe a cold drink).

It’s a trend that draws inspiration from tropical landscapes, flora, and fauna. It is characterized by bright, bold colors, patterns featuring tropical leaves and flowers, and imagery of exotic birds and animals. The trend often incorporates organic shapes, textures, and materials to create a lush and tropical atmosphere.

The design trend extends to all elements of design, including website, illustration, and printed materials. Here’s a look at the trend and how to make the most of it in your projects.

Typography / 31 Jan 2023

The 2024 Guide to Responsive Typography Sizing and Scales

The true responsiveness of your website design is more than a framework that scales to each device, it also requires that typography adjusts to optimum readability as well.

Responsive typography will adjust so that text elements also change size and scale on websites. While that’s the technical answer, there’s also a greater design approach that is equally important, because just changing the size of a text element isn’t always enough.

Let’s dive into responsive typography best practices, a few guidelines, and some tools to help you create great type at any size.

Software / 30 Jan 2023

10 Ideas for Using ChatGPT as a Web Designer

ChatGPT might be one of the most talked-about tools of 2023 so far. It has academics worried about cheating in classrooms, writers worried about their jobs, and everyone concerned about the authenticity of online interactions.

But it does have some value, even for web designers. We’ll take a look at how ChatGPT might be useful for you, ways it might not, and what an AI dialogue and writing tool can actually do for website designers and developers.

Let’s explore what this next stage in the AI revolution can mean for you, as a web designer.

Inspiration / 26 Jan 2023

What Is Modern Web Design in 2024? 20+ Stunning Examples

What are the characteristics of a modern website design? It’s a pretty common question.

From clients asking at the start of web projects to designers trying to figure out how to incorporate the newest and trendy elements, figuring out what modern web design looks like is one of our greatest challenges.

The reality is that it is easy to say what modern web design is not. You know an outdated design when you see it for sure. Here, we’ve collected 23 examples of modern web designs to help shape a better idea of what it looks like in 2023. Enjoy!

Brochure Templates / 19 Jan 2023

Brochure Design Ideas & Inspiration for 2024

Almost every designer has created a brochure at some point. And there’s a strong possibility you’ll be asked to design another! Whether it’s for a client or to promote your own business, there’s an art to designing a brochure.

And then there’s an added challenge: brochure design isn’t just for print anymore. Digital brochures are just as popular as hard-copy versions. It’s quite common for clients to request a printed brochure with a digital shareable file of the same design.

Don’t sweat this design challenge though. We’ve put together some classic and modern tips so you can create a brochure design that looks great, and is easy to read.

Business / 16 Jan 2023

How to Be a Freelance Graphic Designer in 2024: A 10 Step Plan

Do you have dreams of ditching your day job and becoming a full-time freelance graphic designer? Start putting your plan in motion.

Most freelancers start with graphic design as a side hustle, but with determination, business planning, and a solid work ethic, you can build as much business as you want to create a sustainable career.

Here are 10 steps to help you get started. (Trust me, I’ve tested them all in my decade as a freelancer!)

Reviews / 16 Jan 2023

Emailvalidation: Automate Processes With an Easy Email Validation API

Do you want to ensure that your email lists are clean and verified? emailvalidation is flexible and reliable API that can help to take that burden away from you (and do a great job of it at the same time!)

Whether you are trying to validate a single email address, or an excel file containing thousands of addresses, emailvalidation can help. It’s packed with integrations, and is fully GDPR complaint as well.

Here’s a look at the tool, and how it might work for you.

Software / 14 Jan 2023

Best Free T-Shirt Design Software in 2024

When it comes to designing a shirt, you have two primary options – design it yourself using graphic design tools such as Adobe Illustrator or use software made for the job. The good news is that there are plenty of free t-shirt design software options to consider!

There are a growing number of platforms that specialize in t-shirt design and can help you create something that people will want to wear. Some of these tools integrate with a t-shirt sales portal as well, making the process even easier.

Here, we’re going to look at some of the best free t-shirt design software options available and how you can make these tools work for you.

How to Design a Logo / 13 Jan 2023

5 Logos We’d Love to See Redesigned in 2024 (And Why)

Sometimes a logo just doesn’t work. It happens to everyone from startups to major brands. (You’ll definitely know when you see these logos.) Maybe it’s too complex. Maybe it’s too generic and similar to other logos. Or maybe it’s just not dating in a timeless way.

So, we collected five logos from established brands that we think are in need of a redesign this year!

See if you agree with our takes on these marks. Logos are famously subjective—you might have a completely different opinion!

Software / 10 Jan 2023

20+ Best Free Portfolio Website Tools & Templates in 2024

Do you need a portfolio website right now? There are a variety of online tools and templates that can help jumpstart the process so you can feature your work online quickly.

This list is packed with options that provide free plans to help you get started. (Note that many do also offer paid options with the ability to customize or add premium features.)

Here are a few tools that can help writers, designers, photographers, artists, or pretty much anyone get their portfolio online this week.

Inspiration / 9 Jan 2023

35+ Inspiring Personal Portfolio Websites in 2024

I just love digging around portfolio websites for design inspiration. You can learn so much about the personality of a designer from the way a portfolio looks, and the interactions therein.

A portfolio site is also a great playground because it gives you the creative freedom you can’t always express with a normal client project.

Here, we have a roundup of personal portfolio websites that can impart a dose of instant inspiration. Explore new ideas, design trends, and themes that you can take and use in your own projects.