Articles - Page 118

Inspiration / 9 Feb 2021

7 Top Web Accessibility Plugins for WordPress

Building more inclusive websites that provide equal experiences to all audiences, especially for persons with a disability, should be the main goal of every web designer.

According to the World Bank, more than one billion people, or 15% of the world population, suffer from some form of disability. And it’s your job as a designer to make websites accessible to everyone.

WordPress is a great software you can use to make accessible websites. The software itself is well optimized for accessibility and, more importantly, it allows you to easily implement accessibility solutions for your websites using third-party plugins.

In this post, we take a look at the best WordPress web accessibility plugins you can use to make accessible websites that serve all audiences equally.

Freelancing / 8 Feb 2021

How to Diversify as a Creative Freelancer

If the last year has taught us anything as freelancers, it is that diversification is a good thing.

Different income streams can help mitigate losses in other areas and provide multiple avenues for leads and new work. And while most of us know we need to diversify, are you actually doing it?

Getting started with new projects or income streams does take some work and planning, but it can be a worthwhile investment in yourself.

Let’s look at some ways – and things you can do – to diversify yourself as a creative freelancer.

Trends / 4 Feb 2021

Design Trend: Text That’s Not Readable

Let’s start with a definition. Readability is a measure of how easy a piece of text is to read. The level of complexity of the text, its familiarity, legibility, and typography all feed into how readable your text is. Readability is a key factor in user experience.

Why would we ever showcase a design trend that features text that’s not readable? Simply, because it is popular. Does it mean that it’s a good idea? It… depends!

You can read on, look at the examples, and decide if it is right for your projects.

Software / 28 Jan 2021

Best Drawing Software for Digital Artists (PC & Mac)

Finding the right drawing app for digital art is a process that involves a lot of trial and error. We want to help narrow that search by giving you this list of the best drawing software for digital artists.

Whether you’re a beginner just getting started or an experienced artist looking for a better drawing software, we have handpicked some of the best software you can use to craft professional art and designs.

When choosing a drawing software you also need to look for specific features like support for drawing tablets, compatibility with different platforms, and affordable pricing. We made sure to check for these features when creating our list. You’ll also find some of the best free drawing software you can use without touching your wallet. Keep reading to learn more.

UX Design / 26 Jan 2021

How to Use Website Personalization (Without the Creep Factor)

Website personalization can help you create more amazing user experiences or turn into a total creep-fest. It’s all about how you use data, cookies, and other useful information to design something that’s of greater value to the person who sees it.

There’s a very fine line between outstanding and out of bounds, and most of it comes down to respecting your visitor’s privacy and expectations.

Here are a few ways to use website personalization and delight users without being (too) creepy.

Business / 25 Jan 2021

8 Data Points That Will Make You a Better Web Designer

Website design is such a creative exercise that sometimes it is easy to forget all of the left-brain things that go into a stellar project.

A good design uses solid data and analytics to help shape decision making, map user journeys, and include just the right visual elements to make the most of the design for visitors. (Almost every new website project I take on begins with looking at the analytics of the current website.)

So what data points are important? And how do you use them?

These tidbits are extremely useful for new website projects, but you can also use them to help find and fix issues with existing designs. Data-powered visuals can make almost any project more impactful.

Trends / 21 Jan 2021

Fractal Art: A 101 Design Intro

Art elements rooted in math and algorithms might seem like a futuristic idea, but it’s a growing and popular concept.

Fractal art has been around since the 1980s but it seems to be having a moment with more designers looking to this style for backgrounds and main art elements. Another reason for the growth in popularity? Use of this style as an interior design element for wall hangings and more.

This can be a fun design element to think about and incorporate into projects. Here’s everything you need to know to get started with fractal art.

Business / 17 Jan 2021

5 Tips for Working With Design Influencers (Or Becoming One!)

Who do you look to on social media when you need extra design inspiration? Those are the people that you see as design influencers.

Have you ever thought about working with designers, illustrators, and photographers with a strong social media presence (or becoming one yourself)?

There are things you can start doing online now that will make it easier to work with influencers and show that your accounts are on trend in the design space.

Here are a few tips, plus a tool for helping you get started.

Business / 14 Jan 2021

9 Tips for a Successful Design Retrospective

Sometimes the best way to inspire a creative team is by looking back at projects. A design retrospective can help you evaluate projects upon completion, look back at workflows and results, and take lessons learned to future work.

Too often there’s a negative association with a design retrospective, while constructive criticism should be welcome, there should also be plenty of opportunities to highlight wins, big and small, from a project.

Here, we’re going to look at tips for making your design retrospectives more successful. You want them to be a welcome experience.

UX Design / 7 Jan 2021

How to Design With User Privacy in Mind (Tips and Best Practices)

When it comes to UX, how often do you connect it to privacy?

It’s a big part of the design process. From connected apps to e-commerce to forms, data collection is happening all the time. Users are accustomed to it and generally ok with these practices unless something goes wrong.

It’s your job to include privacy checkpoints and best practices in the design architecture of every website project. Not only will these protections help users, but they can help you feel better about the digital products and services you provide.

Instagram Templates / 21 Dec 2020

7 Best Instagram Tools for Designers in 2025

As one of the most popular social media channels, it is important to make the most of your presence on Instagram. This applies to business and individual brands.

Your photos, videos, stories, and reels can say a lot about you and your business. Much of that starts with a good design that’s representative of the work you do.

Here, we’ve collected seven of the best Instagram tools to help you make the most of creating and sharing online.

Reviews / 15 Dec 2020

Get Online Fast With the Duda Website Builder

Get ready to create a website in half the time it takes to build a WordPress site. Seriously! The Duda website builder is a professional-level tool that can help you get online fast, with all the performance and search engine optimization capability you need.

Here’s a look at Duda and everything the web design platform offers, including the key features, pricing, and more.