The best ideas come from great minds working together. But group brainstormings can be tricky. Senior members can end up dominating. People can be wary of contributing due to lack of involvement or fear of rejection. Every year, more than $37 billion is spent on unproductive meetings according to research compiled by online meeting service provider Fuze. … [Read more...]
Designer Shares 10 Lessons He Learnt From Working In An Agency
Agency life is not for everyone. The fast-paced, deadline-driven environment saps your creative juices faster than you can say "brand positioning". You do however learn a lot - like how to go three days without a shower, how to claim free meals by billing them to the client, etc. It's definitely an experience that every creative should go through before switching to the client … [Read more...]
24 Useful Design Tips That’ll Help You Create A Better Logo
Most small scale businesses on modest design budgets end up with amateurish logos that use stock art, are overly complex or follow trends that look outdated in a year. No use blaming the cheap freelancer, the owners themselves don’t know what they want. … [Read more...]
What Do The World’s Most Popular Logos Have In Common?
Logos may look different at first glance, but many of the world’s most successful brands share disciplined design choices. Across industries, clear patterns emerge in color, typography, shape, and structure. Strong logos are not accidental. They are built for clarity, memorability, and long term recognition. … [Read more...]
5 Color Choices You Must Avoid When Designing For The Web
When it comes to web design, colors play a vital role in increasing conversions, reducing bounce rate and ensuring a smooth user experience. We often see websites compromising on readability by using light-colored text on light backgrounds. Also, it's never ok to use red and green in excess, even if you're making a Christmas-themed website. … [Read more...]
How To Cut Anything Out In Photoshop
A young monk artist went up to his teacher who was reciting Photoshop keyboard shortcuts under a Himalayan tree and asked him "Teacher, when will I become a master artist like you?" The teacher replied "When you can select all the feathers of a morning sparrow without missing a single one, only then will you be a true Photoshop master." (source) … [Read more...]
What Different Colors Mean And How To Use Them
Did you know that blue is used for corporate and business designs because it represents dependability, trustworthiness and security? Orange is used to give a friendly impression without being overpowering. Darker shades of purple characterize wealth and luxury. TechKing has come up with a handy infographic that covers the psychology of different colors, their appropriate … [Read more...]
10 Useful Kerning Tips To Improve Your Typography
“Typography is an art. Good typography is art.” – Paul Rand. If you’re a typography freak like us, you’ll enjoy this handy infographic by Creative Market that shares some useful kerning tips and tricks to improve your typography. It covers some good points like kerning each letter individually, using visual space not actual space, and even a few unconventional hacks like … [Read more...]
8 Dos and Don’ts Of Creating Pixel Icons In Illustrator
Chennai-based UI/UX Designer M.A. Kather has created an eight-point visual guide that covers some basic dos and don’ts of creating pixel icons in Adobe Illustrator. Kather’s visual comparison of Photoshop vs Illustrator was previously featured on our site. This new series offers a few tips and tricks that’ll come in handy for design students, beginners and professionals alike. … [Read more...]
Have You Been Pronouncing These 30 Brand Names Incorrectly?
If your friend wants to buy a "porsh" someday, tell him or her to at least pronounce the name right. Here's a handy infographic by UK printing company Oomph that shows you the correct pronunciation of 30 famous brand names that most people get wrong. … [Read more...]
The Amazing Ways Color Can Alter Your Mind (Infographic)
Whether you're a painter, a graphic designer, or just doing up your home, it's essential to know the significance of various colors and the effect they have on our mind and moods. Here's an interesting infographic by Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics that shows us what different colors represent, their effects, usability and more. … [Read more...]
15 Graphic Design Terms That Most Designers Get Wrong
Graphic design has its own language, and most designers use it every day without thinking twice. But some of the most common graphic design terms are also the easiest to mix up. Font and typeface, letterspacing and kerning, opacity and fill, crop and trim — they sound similar, but they don’t always mean the same thing. Getting these terms right matters, especially when … [Read more...]
8 Positive Habits That Will Boost Your Creativity
Creativity is a way of life. You can't have a negative mindset 24/7 and expect to be brimming with ideas and solutions. Today's high pressure environment and erratic work lifestyle makes everyone run out of creative juice once in a while, but if you want to spring back into action, maintaining an optimistic outlook is key. … [Read more...]
This Incredible Drawing Pen Lets You Scan And Pick Colors From Objects Around You
An artist's tool is only as good as the artist. But a great tool can help an artist see things in a different light. Introducing Scribble, a color picker pen and stylus that let's you scan colors from any object and use them in your drawings. Check it out below. … [Read more...]
8 Beautiful Color Palettes For Your Next Design Project
Milan-based creative director Duminda Perera has created a series of minimalist color palette posters that are both handy and beautiful. Not only do they give you color ideas (with hex codes) for your next project, you can use these posters to decorate your studio, office or home. Check them out below. … [Read more...]
36 Inspiring Quotes On Typography That Every Designer Should Live By
Los Angeles-based graphic designer Bill Dawson has designed a wonderful collection of posters featuring typography quotes from famous designers and type artists. Titled 'Typethos', the project shares tips and words of wisdom from design greats such as Paul Rand, Erik Spiekermann, John Boardley and more. Check it out below. … [Read more...]
27 Useful Design Tips Explained With Beautiful, Inspiring Graphics
Poppie Pack, senior graphic designer at Canva, has put together a handy list of design tips complemented by beautiful images with inspiring quotes. From typography and layout to image editing and color usage, the list covers some crucial aspects of design that both newbies and professionals will appreciate. We've shortlisted 27 of our favourites to share with you. Check them … [Read more...]
Male Vs Female Color Perceptions And Preferences
Traditionally, baby boys are wrapped in blue and baby girls in pink. A few years later, you can tell a boy's room from a girl's room just by observing the color combos (and the cleanliness ;) ). As we grow up, gender color preferences are visible in everything from wardrobes to cars (though nowadays the line is thinning). … [Read more...]
How Humans React To Different Colors
Did you know that green is used for night vision goggles because the human eye is most sensitive to, and able to recognise most shades of that color? Pink makes us crave sugar. Red increases enthusiasm. People are often more productive in rooms painted blue. Grey represents non-involvement, giving it a formal authority. Ript Apparel has created a comprehensive infographic … [Read more...]
9 Cool Posters That Show The Differences Between Adobe Illustrator And Photoshop
Chennai-based designer M.A. Kather has created a cool series of minimalist posters that explain the differences between Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. The intent of this comparison is to show the process and purpose of each program, not to prove which one is better (because they both have different uses). Check out the series below. … [Read more...]
JPEG, GIF or PNG? Which File Format Should You Use When Saving Images
When saving images for web, it's crucial to know which file format to use - JPEG, GIF or PNG? Using the wrong format makes images blurry, increases file size and page loading time, which not only affects user experience but is bad for SEO as well. This handy infographic by WhoIsHostingThis.com acts as an excellent reference guide when it comes to selecting the right format … [Read more...]
14 Habits Of Exceptionally Likeable People (Infographic)
Having a charismatic personality is as important as talent and hard work when it comes to achieving professional success. In every office, there are those who are liked by one and all and those who are despised. Business Insider has come up with a great infographic that lists 14 habits of exceptionally likeable people. Needless to say, these tips apply as much to your personal … [Read more...]
50 Ways To Boost Your Brand (Infographic)
Here's something you might want to print and pin to your office wall or workstation. UK-based printing company Superlogo has come up with a simple but useful infographic that offers 50 valuable tips to help boost your brand. A few of these might be well-known, but most of them are often overlooked or forgotten in the everyday hustle. Plus, it's always handy to have them … [Read more...]
Veteran Designer Cracks Logo Design Challenge In 15 Mins; Shares Tricks Of The Trade
Aaron Draplin runs a one-man design shop called Draplin Design Co. in Portland, Oregon. He's known for his no-nonsense, straightforward approach to design and has worked with clients like ESPN, Nike, New York Times, Wired, Old Spice and Obama Administration to name a few. When online education company Lynda.com challenged him to create a logo for a fictional construction … [Read more...]
Blast From The Past: Web Design Trends You’ll Never Forget
Remember what websites looked like in the '90s? If you're thinking Comic Sans, Scrolling Marquees, Hit Counters, and Animated GIFs, you know what we're talking about. Thankfully a lot has changed since then, but there are some design elements that have lingered through the years, whether they've inspired new trends or trends that are hot on the comeback trail. Think the … [Read more...]
Watch How This Photoshop Artist Makes A Japanese Celeb Lose 60 Kgs In No Time
Here’s proof that the Photoshop diet works better than any other diet on the planet. YouTube channel Real Retouch has come up with an incredible video that shows a photograph of Japanese TV personality and cross-dresser Matsuko Deluxe being retouched to a level that he looks at least 60 kgs (132 lbs) lighter. It’s interesting to see how the artist uses various Photoshop … [Read more...]
Always Show Up For A Meeting 5 Minutes Late, Here’s Why
When it comes to the workplace, perception matters. You want to play your cards right and 'appear' busy. If you've been showing up for meetings on or before time, you're doing it all wrong. This brilliant graphic shows the correlation between the time you enter for a meeting and your co-workers' perception of you. The sweet spot is 5 minutes after the meeting has started. … [Read more...]
It’s “Wine”, Not Dark Red – Here Are The Correct Names Of All Color Shades
It’s lilac, not light purple. Just like it’s magenta, not dark pink. If you’ve ever struggled to describe a color beyond “light,” “dark,” or “kind of beige,” you’re not alone. Naming shades accurately is harder than it looks, especially when you’re working in design, illustration, branding, interiors, or makeup. That’s exactly why illustrator Ingrid Sundberg created the … [Read more...]
200 Legit Ways To Make Money Online
Here's the most comprehensive list of ways to make money online you've ever come across. From blogging and affiliate marketing to paid surveys and freelance, this excellent infographic from Survey Spencer just about covers it all. From our own experience, we can tell you about blogging - it's not easy to make money in the beginning. But if you stick to your niche and share … [Read more...]
People With Higher IQs Are Goal-Oriented And Persistent But Tend To Drink More, Sleep Late And…
This intriguing infographic reveals the good and bad habits of the world's smartest people based on numerous research findings. Good habits include persistence, goal setting, avid reading and metacognition. The bad ones include binge drinking, drugs, sleeping late and anxiety. People with higher IQs also tend to lose their virginity late (good or bad? you decide). Check it out … [Read more...]
15 Types Of Difficult Clients And How To Handle Them Effectively
Every agency has that one client from hell. The one who monopolizes your time, frustrates the entire staff, and makes unreasonable demands. If you've got more than one, you probably spend three out of four weekends in office. If we apply the Pareto principle (or 80:20 rule) to the agency-client relationship, 80% of an agency's resources are utilized in managing 20% of its … [Read more...]
110 Free, Flat And Minimalist Icons For Personal And Commercial Use
Add a touch of elegance to your next web project with these minimalist icons that'll make your designs look professional, classy, and cohesive. Thanks to WhoIsHostingThis.com for this useful freebie. Usage & Attribution: You can use these icons for commercial and non-commercial projects as long as you provide a link back to this page on their website. There are two … [Read more...]
How Managers Are Killing Productivity With Useless Meetings That Cost $37 Billion/Year
Every year, more than $37 billion is spent on unproductive meetings according to research compiled by online meeting service provider Fuze. Executives consider more than 67% of meetings to be failures, yet there are 25 million meetings per day in the U.S. alone. This infographic explains the causes and offers tips to improve workplace productivity. … [Read more...]
Learn How To Code And Watch Your Instructor Undress As You Progress
Here's a WTF concept that no one probably thought of until now. CodeBabes offers video tutorials in HTML, CSS, PHP, etc., but with a twist. Watch the lesson, pass the quiz and your instructor will lose one piece of clothing. That's right, the more code you learn, the less clothes they wear. Check out this promo video featuring CodeBabe Cami Li explaining the concept. … [Read more...]
13 Scientific Ways To Beat Work Stress And Increase Productivity
85% of the stuff we worry about never actually happens. 7 out of 10 adults say they experience stress or anxiety every day. 46% of them said they screamed at their spouse, partner or children when stressed in the last month. Excess workload and people issues are the top reasons for job dissatisfaction. So how can one overcome the odds and boost productivity? This infographic by … [Read more...]