Articles - Page 150 | Design Shack

Graphics / 12 Feb 2015

How Color, Type and Space Can Impact Mood

Do you ever think about mood when you are designing? Mood has impact in two ways – the mood of the project itself and the mood of users. Together they create an experience that connects each user to the project.

While you can’t always account for the mood of users, or their good and bad days, you can create an aesthetic that emphasizes the right mood for your project. Three basic design techniques – color, typography and space – are key components for establishing the mood of a project.

Layouts / 9 Feb 2015

Looking at Images: Phi Grid vs. Rule of Thirds

When you are thinking about images, do you consider framing and the shape of the crop? The answer does not lie in the shape of the box you just created on a design canvas. It has a lot to do with the content of the image itself.

How you frame and crop images can impact engagement and even how a person looking at the image feels about it (whether they know it or not). Here, we’re going to look at two different ways of thinking about images – using the phi grid and rule of thirds — and how you can apply them to your work.

This Week in Design / 6 Feb 2015

This Week in Design: Feb. 6, 2015

Design for many of us is a job. It requires long hours, plenty of stress and dealing with plenty of challenges. But design should also be fun. Sometimes it can be easy to forget that; this week in design is a reminder of all the joy that comes with being a designer.

Every week, we plan to a look at major product releases and upgrades, tools and tricks and even some of the most popular things you are talking about on social media. And we’d love to hear what’s going on in your world as well. Have we missed anything? Drop me a line at [email protected].

Freelancing / 4 Feb 2015

Freelancing 101: 10 Ways to Make Clients Look Good

A good freelancer does more than just great work, he or she does work that makes every client look good. That simple idea is what will help you get, retain and grow a freelance business of any kind.

But how can you make a client look good? And why does it matter? Making your clients look good will help you create lasting relationships and trust. It can also help you increase your earning potential. Here, we’ll look at 10 ways you can help out clients and possibly grow your freelance business.

This Week in Design / 30 Jan 2015

This Week in Design: Jan. 30, 2015

A typography algorithm, the Super Bowl, key performance indicators, “normal” design and neon lights – what do they all have in common? Each seemingly different element is part of a design trend that you should be thinking about. And this week in design we’ll take a look at each one.

Every week, we plan to a look at major product releases and upgrades, tools and tricks and even some of the most popular things you are talking about on social media. And we’d love to hear what’s going on in your world as well. Have we missed anything? Drop me a line at [email protected].

Design Dilemma / 28 Jan 2015

Design Dilemma: What Constitutes a “Rush Design Job”?

A recent article of mine on why you should charge more for those last minute calls that demand you work overnight, all weekend, or on holidays, brought up several questions from readers. One of them became a back-and-forth Twitter conversation. While the article pointed out that requests for rush jobs with quick deadlines were an opportunity to demand higher rates, one designer asked the definitive question… sort of.

Apparently the concept of “rush” was questionable to one designer. So, join us as we delve into another shocking explanation to a Design Dilemma, helping to answer your questions, queries and concerns about the murky world of design.

Business / 26 Jan 2015

How & Why Prototypes Are Mandatory for Good Design

Nothing brings you closer to the functionality of the final product than prototyping. While wireframes sketch out the blueprint and mockups show the feel and texture of the design, it is the prototype that brings to life the “experience” behind “user experience.” That beautiful call-to-action may look great on the screen, but you won’t know if it works on end users until the clickable prototype. Not only do prototypes help provide proof of concept, they more importantly expose any usability flaws behind the wireframes and mockups.

So how do we actually put into the practice this safeguard against emergency stakeholder meetings, endless revisions, and painful late nights in the development phase? While we previously touched upon proper prototyping in the Guide to UX Design Process & Documentation, let’s dive deeper into how prototyping can make or break a product’s success. In this piece, we’ll begin by looking at the most compelling reasons to prototype and how prototypes improve collaboration, design, and usability testing.

This Week in Design / 23 Jan 2015

This Week in Design: Jan. 23, 2014

Most of what you do as a designer probably starts digitally. The design is drawn with a tool such as Photoshop or InDesign or Illustrator. There aren’t many ways around it. So this week in design, we are looking more at digital and web design … and a bit of what’s next.

Every week, we plan to a look at major product releases and upgrades, tools and tricks and even some of the most popular things you are talking about on social media. And we’d love to hear what’s going on in your world as well. Have we missed anything? Drop me a line at [email protected].

Graphics / 21 Jan 2015

10 Tips for Designing Static Ads

Designing the perfect static ad is no easy feat. It might even be impossible. Designing ads can go against many of the things you think as a designer. Many companies want to cram as much information into a space as possible and many users put up roadblocks when it comes to viewing ads.

The catch is creating something that people want to interact with, despite the fact that it’s an ad. The advantage of a static ad is that is seems less obtrusive than some animated, audio or video options. They also have a classic style about them that makes designing fun. Here are 10 tips for creating an ad that people will look at, with some ads as they actually appear on popular websites.

Graphics / 19 Jan 2015

Find the Ideal Image or Video With Bigstock

Almost every designer has a need for a good catalog of images. From photos to vectors to video, stock art is a tool that is commonly used in a variety of projects. Having a good go-to place to find these images is vital for every designer.

That’s where Bigstock comes in. The stock image and video site has more than 22 million images, video, vectors and illustrations that you can download and use in design projects. Here, we’ll take a look at the service and even give you the chance to get started and download up to 35 images or videos for free.

This Week in Design / 16 Jan 2015

This Week in Design: Jan. 16, 2014

Welcome to the new age of design. This week in design we are thinking ahead with technology that may impact our lives from the recent Consumer Electronics Show to posters that make you want to travel to the moon.

Every week, we plan to a look at major product releases and upgrades, tools and tricks and even some of the most popular things you are talking about on social media. And we’d love to hear what’s going on in your world as well. Have we missed anything? Drop me a line at [email protected].

Business / 13 Jan 2015

Get to Know the New 17hats Tool

If you are a freelancer or self-employed professional, you are probably always on the lookout for tools that can make life easier. There’s just not enough time to get all your work done and then follow up with paperwork.

17hats, a new cloud software tool, takes a lot of the work out of that paperwork. It integrates contracts, invoices, questionnaires, e-mail, to-do lists, time tracking, bookkeeping, calendars and more into a single login. Here’s a look at the tool, some of the key features, pricing and information on how to try it out.