Articles - Page 248

Interviews / 28 Jan 2010

In Depth With Adii: The Growth of a Rockstar

Today we’re starting a new series of interviews, in which we’ll have an in-depth and fascinating conversion with various industry leading figures. We’re kicking things off with Adii Rockstar, a WordPress guru and the man behind WooThemes.

We’ll be discussing Adii’s early days as a designer, the rise and growth of WooThemes, a standard working day, his favourite hardware and software, and a number of new projects he’s beginning to get involved with this year.

Business / 25 Jan 2010

20+ Outstanding Mac Apps for Designers

Like every good designer, I’m a complete Mac addict.

Ok, that’s probably going to get me into trouble, not every good designer uses a Mac. But honestly, you should. The strong emphasis on beautiful design in Mac apps is hard to overlook and is in fact a necessity for anything that makes its way into my applications folder.

There is a never ending sea of amazing Mac applications available online. Here’s a list 20, undoubtedly incredible apps that will make your life as a designer a lot easier. When possible, I’ve included both high quality professional apps as well as their free alternatives.

Competitions / 23 Jan 2010

Winner Announced: Win a Copy of Designing With Web Standards (3rd Edition)

Congratulations to our randomly selected winner, Benjamin Alijagić. We hope you enjoy the book and want to thank everyone who entered. We’ll have another competition coming soon!

Today we’re bringing you the chance to win a copy of the fantastic Designing with Web Standards (3rd Edition) by Jeffery Zeldman. It’s a brilliant book for better understanding the importance of web standards, written by a real industry leader.

Read on for more information, and to find out how to enter.

Business / 21 Jan 2010

20 Gorgeous Examples of E-Commerce Done Right

E-commerce sites are notoriously busy and overcrowded.

Today we’ll be examining a ton of online stores that break this trend by being both functional and attractive. Each of the examples below has a unique lesson to teach us about good e-commerce design. Let’s get started!

Business / 20 Jan 2010

How to Make a Confident First Impression With Clients

When it comes to winning new clients, “confidence is key.”

Forgive the trite expression, but in this case it couldn’t be more true. Potential clients will judge the quality and professionalism of both you and your work based on their first contact. Screwing this up could mean spending months reshaping that individual’s image of you or even result in losing the client altogether.

Today we’ll go over some tips and techniques you can use to make a positive, lasting first impression with your clients.

Business / 18 Jan 2010

10 Pitfalls to Avoid When Using Stock Photography

Stock Photography is a tricky beast. The presence or lack of good stock imagery can make or break a design. My best advice is to use custom photography/artwork whenever possible.

However, I’m a big fan of stack art because there are tons of scenarios when it makes good sense to purchase someone else’s work over taking the time to create your own. To keep it classy, here are ten things to avoid when you’re working with stock images.

CSS / 13 Jan 2010

10 Amazing Examples of Innovative CSS3 Animation

CSS3 has brought about a number of aesthetically impressive new features. Perhaps the most fun of these to play with is CSS animation, which allows you to perform many motion-based functions normally delegated to JavaScript. Join me on my epic quest to discover the coolest, most innovative, and more importantly, nerdiest use of CSS animation on the web. Begin!

Business / 11 Jan 2010

17 Easy Ways to Backup Client Work

This article will showcase several ways to backup your irreplaceable client work using both offline and online solutions. Find the solution that fits your budget and workflow best and start backing up today.

CSS / 8 Jan 2010

12 Killer Tips for Designing in the Browser

How do you mockup a website?

The typical workflow starts in Photoshop and then transitions over to HTML and CSS to mimic the original PSD as best as possible. However, there is a growing trend in web design to scrap the Photoshop step in favor of creating the initial comp right in the browser with your favorite editor. I’m sure right about now your head is buzzing with reasons why this approach would limit your design, but there’s actually a lot more you can do right in the browser than you might think. This article will provide you with the tools and tricks you need to create brilliant, working mockups as your very first step in the design process.

Graphics / 5 Jan 2010

10 Techniques for a Fantastic Footer

A strong footer can leave your visitors with a lasting positive impression.

There are tons of creative ways to boost the cool factor of your footers by focusing on both form and function. Below you’ll find 10 simple ideas to inspire you towards footer greatness.

Articles / 29 Dec 2009

5 Realistic Resolutions for Web Designers

It’s that time of year again, where we all have the chance to reflect on the past twelve months and plan ahead for the year to come. It always leaves me feeling fired up, and I’m already excited to what’s in store for 2010.

There’s always a danger of setting resolutions, or goals, that are slightly unrealistic and far fetched. Today I’ll be taking a look at various goals and projects you may want to consider as a web designer – ranging from starting up a personal side project, to spending a little more time out of the office!

News / 26 Dec 2009

Happy Christmas!

I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the site this year, written an article, or submitted their design. We’re certainly ending this year on a high, and are looking forward to everything we have in store for 2010.

I hope that you have a wonderful rest over Christmas, take the time to recharge your batteries, and start the New Year full of fresh, creative inspiration.

Thanks for reading Design Shack, and Happy Christmas from myself and Josh!