Articles - Page 156

Browse hundreds of articles, tips, and inspiring design collections. Find helpful design advice, or the perfect resource for your next project.

Freelancing / 21 Jun 2016

How to Become a Faster, More Efficient Designer

It seems like the demand to get more work done (and in less time) is a constant battle. For freelancers, juggling client needs and deadlines can be tough. It can make you question whether it is possible to become a faster, more efficient designer.

Chances are that you can. There are time sucks lurking around every corner when you work as a freelancer and identifying these traps can help you avoid them and work more efficiently. You can also learn to better use available tools and shortcuts to maximize your time. Here are a few ways to do it.

Business / 20 Jun 2016

The Benefits of Paid vs. Free Stock Images

Are you ready to take your design projects to the next level? A great visual presence is the best way to make a first impression and grab hold of a user.

From web-based projects, to posters, or even packaging or billboard design, a great photograph is your best entry point. But where do you find high-quality images if you aren’t a great photographer? And how can you get them fast? What are the pros and cons of finding a commercial stock images vs. a free one? Let’s take a look…

Business / 13 Jun 2016

7 Things You Didn’t Learn in Design School (But Use Every Day)

So many of the skills that get you through a day on the job weren’t things you necessarily learned in the classroom. From working with other people, to tools, to listening to your gut, there are a lot of skills that you develop along the way.

Whether you came up through design school or are more of a self-taught designer, there are a lot of things you probably didn’t formally learn (but know and use every day). If you are still in school or thinking about going into a design-related field, you’re in luck because you can start thinking about these things now. It’s never too late to learn and expand your marketability. (As a bonus, this post is filled with every day projects from the Design Shack Gallery; go check them out.)

Business / 9 Jun 2016

Billing Is a Breeze With Invoicely

While one of the best parts of the job for a small business or freelancer is getting paid, one of the worst parts is the paperwork you have to do ahead of that payment. If you are still creating manual invoices, it might be time to look at a cloud-based system that can help you keep track of clients and streaming invoicing.

Invoicely is a powerful online invoicing tool that many small businesses can use for free. The software has been used to send more than 2 million invoices in the past 30 days. Today we’re going to take a look at how it works, and decide if it’s a good solution for your freelancing business!

Reviews / 8 Jun 2016

Showcase Your Work With Adobe Portfolio

Is updating your portfolio a chore? Is it one of those tasks you can never find time to do? Adobe Portfolio might just be the answer.

Adobe’s new portfolio tool – yes, the same Adobe behind industry standard graphic design and editing software – is easy to use and can help you get your work online in short order. Today we’re taking a look at how it works, why it’s a solid contender in this space, and how it can help you build a professional online portfolio.

UX Design / 6 Jun 2016

How to Create Memorable Micro-Moments

How many times a day do you look at your phone? Its a statistic that always amazes me, but the average person looks at their phone 46 times per day.

Every one of those glances is an interaction between the design and the user. These micro-moments are a vital part of the user experience. How an interaction such as a notification or alert works can make the difference between retaining a user and losing one. It’s your job to design these micro-moments in a way that is usable and memorable. Here’s how to do it.

Business / 1 Jun 2016

What Needs to Be in Your Style Guide? (And How Do You Enforce It?)

Everyone with a website needs a style guide. It’s that simple. If you’re wanting to instil more consistency in your project, and get everyone on the same page, your style guide will become invaluable.

Now that we have that out of the way, what exactly do you put in that guide? And how do you make sure other people on the team follow the rules so that your visual presence maintains consistency? That’s a little more complicated. Let’s dive into the topic today.

Graphics / 30 May 2016

Working With 3D Visuals in Web Design: A Primer

The hottest — and possibly most-talked about — gadget out there these days is the 3D printer. It’s a tool that is likely to revolutionize the way products are made. But there’s another three-dimensional topic making waves in the design world as well — 3D visuals.

Even though website design actually lives in two dimensions, it’s not stopping designers from flexing their creative muscles and pushing the limits of the screen with more objects and projects that have a real-life feel. Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of the 3D trend.

Reviews / 25 May 2016

Solopreneur Review: A WordPress Theme for Bloggers

Solopreneur is a WordPress theme aimed at bloggers with an entrepreneurial spirit. It features a remarkably straightforward setup process, combined with a sleek and modern design. You’ll also find a few extras to help you grow your following and promote your projects better.

In this Solopreneur review, we’ll be putting this theme through its paces to help you decide if it’s the right choice to help you successfully connect with your target audience and effectively communicate what you have to offer online.

Graphics / 23 May 2016

What’s Flat 2.0 and Why Should You Care?

Just when you thought you had flat design figured out, everyone has shifted to talking about Flat 2.0. If you never took the leap into designing a flat project, now is the time.

Flat 2.0 is easier to use because it combines the best of flat design with additional user interface cues to help you create website design that’s beautiful and functional. It’s also highly adaptable and works with almost any concept. Unlike some of the purest flat designed websites, Flat 2.0 combines elements of flat with subtle additions to enhance user-friendliness. Let’s take a look at a few examples!

Graphics / 16 May 2016

Design Trend: The Modern Retro Touch

You’ve probably heard the saying “everything old is new again.” The same can be said about design and design trends. While the medium might change, many of the old styles can come back into fashion.

One example of this is modern retro design. Today, we’re going to take a look at what modern retro is all about and how you can make this most of it in your design projects. What’s really nice about modern retro is that it works across mediums. While we are seeing a lot of it in website design right now, modern retro adds a fun touch to print projects from business cards to poster design to party invitations.

Inspiration / 11 May 2016

30+ Vector Borders & Dividers

Decorative borders, dividers, and flourishes can glorify your print designs. These decorative borders and edges can be used for any type of design purpose, such as wedding invitations, greeting cards, or for posters and advertisements.

The packs we’re featuring today contain elements of wreaths, laurels and borders in the form of vector brushes, single vectors and smart objects that can be used for any kind of design activity. You’ll be spoiled for choice!