Design Shack — Web Design Gallery, Articles & Community

Reviews / 29 Aug 2016

Build Your Best Online Store With Zoey

Have you shied away from taking a client’s business online because you weren’t sure how to build the perfect e-commerce website? Were the available tools just not quite right?

Zoey solves those problems. The all-in-one e-commerce website design tool can help anyone – particularly agencies, designers or junior developers – get a complex store online with no coding knowledge required. The tools help you navigate all the ins and outs of creating a storefront, product listings and even secure checkout without having to invest a lot of extra time in training or specialized tools. With Zoey, it’s all included! Here’s a look at how Zoey works.

Layouts / 24 Aug 2016

5 Website Layout Ideas That Never Get Old

There’s always that moment at the beginning of a website design project where you think “where do I start?” You’ll battle the desire to create something totally different and new versus something tested and reliable.

Realistically, there are a few layouts that just never get old. These patterns are generally accepted by users, easy to understand and provide a solid framework for pretty much any design and content type. Here, we’ll look at these five “timeless” website layouts and how to make the most of them for your next project.

Inspiration / 23 Aug 2016

25+ Modern Responsive Email Templates

If you want your next email campaign to stand the best chance of success, using a responsive design that looks good on any screen or device is really important. Responsive email design is notoriously difficult, so starting with a template can be a good bet.

It’s worth taking advantage of pre-made responsive templates that have already been tested on a variety of screen sizes and email clients, then customising them to your own requirements. These templates are crafted by highly skilled designers, and many of them include template builders with unique customization options to make tweaking them super-simple!

Business / 22 Aug 2016

Pros and Cons of Using Site Building Tools

Everywhere you look, there’s an ad for a different website building tool. These do-it-yourself options can be a quick and easy way to get a website online in no time, but they aren’t for every type of project.

Services such as Weebly, Squarespace and Wix (just to name a few) come with packaged website templates and tools that anyone can use to create a blog, online storefront, portfolio or any other type of website quickly and without having to hire a developer. There’s good reason these tools are growing in popularity, but they are not for everyone. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons today!

Business / 17 Aug 2016

Reality Check: Getting the Most Value for Your Money in a WP Theme

What does the value for money concept teach? Try this example: You’re in a restaurant, one of your favorite foods is a hamburger, and there are a dozen different hamburgers on the menu. Some cost more than others, but they all sound tasty.

Without giving it a second thought, you select the one that appeals to you the most. It may be the least expensive one on the menu, or the most expensive. It doesn’t matter. Selecting the one you’re in the mood for is what counts. That’s a choice based on value, not price.

As you eat the burger, it turns out to be exactly what you were expecting. If someone else had pointed out a different selection, and sold you on it, that might not have been the case. It’s the same in business. A smart business decision is based on value, and not the price tag.

Business / 16 Aug 2016

5 Tips for Better Freelance Negotiations

Every freelancer needs to master and practice the art of negotiation. From clients that want to haggle over process, to talking someone into a specific style of design or interface style for a project, working on your own involves constant negotiation.

Some of us are more adept at negotiating than others. But even if it is not a natural talent for you, there are some ways to beef up your skills so you feel more confident entering these discussions with clients.

Inspiration / 15 Aug 2016

10 of the Best Design Courses for Beginners

Today, learning to code is easier than ever, thanks to all the courses you can find online. The problem is, there are so many learning platforms out there, finding good courses can be a little overwhelming! But, don’t worry, we’ve here to help.

One particularly helpful provider is Skillshare — a online learning platform where you can learn to code from high quality instructors, but still on a budget. It’s a community-based learning platform for creatives. With over 1.7 million students and over 7,000 courses, this platform has quickly grown up to be one of the best places to learn new skills in a short time.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an expert looking to learn new skills, we’ve collected 15 amazing web design courses on Skillshare that you can learn to take your design skills to the next level.

Plus, for a limited time, you can get three months of access to Skillshare Premium for just $0.99

Inspiration / 9 Aug 2016

50+ Best Lightroom Presets of 2016

Lightroom presets are incredibly useful when it comes to making a smooth and easy workflow for photographers. The internet is filled with quality presets that you can use in Lightroom in no time, giving your photos a selection of gorgeous, professional effects.

Using the right preset, you can quickly achieve pretty much any look-and-feel that you could set your mind to. We scoured the web to bring you a selection of the best Lightroom presets. They’re all available for a few dollars each, but they’ll give your photography a special touch that you never thought you’d be able to get!

Inspiration / 8 Aug 2016

Find Design Inspiration for the Web… In Print

Design inspiration is everywhere. There’s nothing like subtle tactile elements that just make you want to drop everything and create something. This is true even for designers that only work on web or digital projects.

Replicating the look and feel of something real can provide stellar inspiration for projects. Just think of some of the ways real or printed design has impacted website design recently – material and 3D design styles have direct links.

Today, we’re going to look at things that can inspire you from print as you embark on your next web design project. (And maybe even teach you a few things about your web design projects.)

Business / 3 Aug 2016

Have You Ever Created Something Bad… On Purpose?

Be honest. Have you ever created something that was just bad? Now, have you ever designed something bad on purpose? It’s a strange concept, but one that we’re going to be exploring more today.

Sometimes designing something bad can actually yield a positive result. Not sure about that idea? Read on and you just might change your mind. (Then think about each example of a “bad design” and how you could fix it.)

Inspiration / 2 Aug 2016

20+ Best App Landing Page Templates

Whether your page is encouraging people to sign up, register, join, or subscribe, it’s likely to be regarded as a landing page. A carefully curated page that’s meant to serve as the stepping stone for having the visitor complete an action that further engages them with your product.

Landing pages can hold a huge amount of value, and if you’re looking to create a specific layout, we have just the collection to help you. We’ve tracked down 20 of the best looking landing page templates and site builders that you can use in your upcoming projects. These templates are easy to assemble and can be used in no time for creating your next design.

Business / 1 Aug 2016

10 Tips for Those Days When You Don’t Feel Creative

Today’s story is personal. I woke up, got ready for work, sat down at my computer and then just couldn’t design everything. I mean nothing looked good. I was embarrassed to even call myself a designer.

The harder I tried, the less creative I felt. Was I a design failure? Was my career over? All these thoughts flooded my mind. And then… I just decided to do something else for a while. Some days, you aren’t going to feel creative. It’s going to happen. Here are a few ways to overcome that “designer’s block” and move on to other projects (and work) until you get your mind right.