Best Designs of 2007
April 24, 2007
Original post via Abduzeedo. Visit it to see even more great designs of 2007.
If you like the daily inspiration posts, you’ll love this one. Its a collection of some of the best designs of 2007.
CS3 Icon Replacement Sets
April 22, 2007
It’s no secret that the original CS3 icon sets are lacking in creative appeal. Many designers out there have come up with their own CS3 icon replacement sets. Many of the icon replacement sets are far worse that the original design, but there are a couple really cool ones out there.
Here are my top picks on the best CS3 icon replacement sets:
- CS3 Icon Replacement Set By: Mawz
A cool cube idea that plays off of the orginal cs3 icon set. - CS3 Icon Replacement Set By: Fast Icon
This isn’t an actual CS3 icon set, but it sure works well.
This is the one Im currently using! You can thank Jim for putting this together for us. - CS3 Icon Replacement Set By: Life Is A Game
One of the few well designed sets you may have seen floating around other blogs. - CS3 Icon Replacement Set By: Louie Mantia
A very popular pick for CS3 icons.
- CS3 Icon Replacement Set By: Adam Betts
Another one of the first and popular replacement icon sets.
Those are the best CS3 replacement icon sets out there if you ask me. If you see any other cool ones, let me know. If you have created your own cs3 icons, share them with some link love below!
Thoughts Aside:
People are more fascinated by images as compare to text. Like Window XP is more colorful then Windows 98 and so on. Therefore Adobe CS3 featured strategy is to permit the creative professionals to use the same content, such as photos or illustrations, in a variety of “channels,” including print, video, web and wireless internet service. Once can also design their own CS3 icons for different applications and designs such as wireless keyboard, mouse and so on. All the icons design for wireless printer, radio etc have been gathered and changed to Mac- and Windows friendly PNG and in different sizes. Same goes for wireless modem icon. As the technology is advancing by therefore, it have made convenient for people to use wireless internet anywhere where the wifi hotspot is present. Now one can get countrywide speedy mobile wireless internet coverage. Wireless internet can speed up via different ways but the simplest way is wireless internet booster. Experience the CS3 Family to make, produce and distribute on web, design, or mobile and discover new ways.
Photoshop Tutorials Worth a Damn
April 19, 2007
It seems that Photoshop tutorials sites are a dime a dozen. Many them are much like the majority of Wordpress themes out there, CRAP. Is it just me or do many of the photoshop tutorials you come across look like they are written by high school kids?
Well no longer do you have to wade through terrible photoshop tutorials that don’t teach you any real skills. Collis at PSDtuts has changed the way I will forever look at photoshop tutorials. He regularly creates outstanding photoshop tutorials that not only create amazing end results, but also teach good design. Finally a photoshop tutorial I can learn from.
Some of my favorites:
As if his great tutorials weren’t enough, he also posts a weekly round up of the web post. These posts showPSDtuts grade tutorials from other sites, as well as useful photoshop resources. Have a look a a past Best of the Web post.
Transcending CSS: The Fine Art of Web Design Review
April 19, 2007
Transcending CSS – Helping you become a better CSS designer.
Amazon.com $30.00
*This is not a paid review*
I’m a cheap guy and I have a hard time shelling out $50 for just about anything, especially a book. But shortly after picking up a copy of Transcending CSS: The Fine Art of Web Design, I was practically running to the checkout line. Transcending CSS was just the CSS design book I had been looking for.
Transcending CSS is the perfect CSS book for those who want to take their CSS design skills to the next level. If you know a decent amount about CSS, but aren’t sure how to put it all together the right way, then this is the book for you. Better still, is that Transcending CSS is written by a designer and not a coder or developer. Meaning that it’s written very visually and in a such a way that will captivate designers.
Some quick facts about Transcending CSS:
• Covers the CSS design process
• Talks about the importance of universal naming conventions
• You can download sample file from the book online
• Great for mid-level and experienced CSS designers
• Focus on semantics, compliance, and validity
Don’t take my word for it that Transcending CSS is an awesome book, just look at all these Technorati links.
Have you read Transcending CSS before? What did you think?
Want to get a copy of Transcending CSS? Check it out here:
How to Organize Your Graphic Design Files and Folders
April 19, 2007
Why Designers Should Organize Their Files
If you are a designer who works on multiple projects at a time, you know how important it is to stay organized. Saving files in various location, all with different file names, can be confusing and end up costing you time and money.
For most graphic designers there aren’t enough hours in the day, so every minute counts. Below I will show you my own method of keeping my files organized. Hopefully it will end up helping you organize your files, save you time, and make you more money!
How to Organize Your Folders for Graphic Design
I personally like to have a separate hard drive for all of my graphic design work. This makes opening/saving files much quicker. It also allows me to make backup copies of everything super fast. On top of all that, it adds a little extra protection. Should something happen to my main hard drive, there is a good chance the design hard drive will still be safe.
Not everyone can afford a separate hard drive right off the bat but, there are other things you can do. You could partition your hard drive so that you have another drive to dedicate to your design work. Or, you could always just create a file and name it something like “Design Work” or “Your Company Name.”
Once you get your initial “root folder” made, you can start creating the sub folders. Here is what I have in my root folder:
- Clients – Each client gets their own folder. ( I will go more into client folders later )
- Forms – Here is where I keep important forms such as contracts, invoices, and Copyright Agreements
- Stock – This is where I keep any images/videos that I pay for or download online
- Download – Any programs that I down load such as Wordpress, Joomla, Etc end up here
You can always add more folders to fit your needs. Web designers may have script folders, HTML folders, and more. The key here is to take some time to analyze your files and figure out how you can organize them to best suit your needs. Just remember, you might not figure it out on your first try. I re-organized my root folder countless times before I had it setup like I wanted.
Organizing Client Folders
Just having a dedicated folder for each client isn’t enough. Before you know it, that folder will be filled with all kinds of files and you won’t be able to find anything. Let’s assume for a minute that I am creating a complete brand identity, i.e. logo, business cards, stationary, etc. Here is how I would organize the clients’ folder:
1. Logo
a. Source Files – All PSD, AI, etc files go here
b. Samples – Any samples that get sent to the client get saved here
c. Artwork – Art work sent in by client goes here. Don’t save original stock images in here, leave them in the stock folder. Instead, save only modified versions that are specific to the logo.2. Letterhead
a. Same as above3. Business Card
a. Same as above
b. You get the idea4. Forms
a. Here I keep copies of any forms I send the client. I also scan signed contracts and keep copies of them in here for safe keeping.
Naming Your Graphic Design Files
Equally important to organizing your folders, is to organize your files, or should I say, file names. There are two things I like to do when naming my files, one is the use of keywords, and the other is strategic use of capital letters.
For example, let’s say I just finished a logo for a private jet charter company. I would save the files as such:
- SOURCE-logo_jet_plane_feb0407
- SAMPLE2-logo_jet_plane_feb0407
And so on and so forth. Even though we have special folders for samples and source files, I like to add this to the file name for easy identification. I have when I accidently email or upload the source file to the client instead of the sample, so this capitalizing helps me easily recognize the type of file I’m sending.
The date aspect of the file name is simple; Month, Day, Year.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. You should be well on your way to getting your graphic design files organized. I suggest setting aside a good portion of the day to really get everything organized. Creating a rough outline of organization system on paper first is also a good idea, as it will help save you some frustration.
Who knows, once you get your graphic design files organized, you might even feel like organizing your internet bookmarks, and dare I say, your email client?
Do you have any tips for organizing your graphic design files and folders?
How to Not Suck as a Web Designer
April 19, 2007
Make your life easier with a support network.
Why are there so many crappy websites out there designed by so called web designers? Some are so bad they really just make me want to vomit all over myself. Lucky for you, I put together a six step program to help you not suck as some of the other web designers out there.
Build a Support Network
Social networking sites pretty much suck. Most of them are over run with Ricky Martian layouts, glittery text, and losers. Fortunately, there are a few (and I do mean a few) good ones. I have been playing around with one called My Quire.
My Quire is Myspace meets Basecamp meets Windows XP. It really is a more sociable version of Basecamp or ActiveCollab. Because the site is geared towards projects, there are a lot of other designer, programmers, and developers on the site. This makes it easy to build up a network of people who are highly specialized in skills you know little to nothing about.
MyQuire is still very much in beta.
This support network can allow you to pass on projects that you don’t have the skills for (hopefully your network will return the favor). Should you come across a profitable project that you don’t want to pass up, but don’t have all the skills needed to complete it, you can partner up with someone in your network.
- Build a support network
- Focus on 3 skill sets
- Keep learning
- Pick a niche market
- Get a mentor
- Make sure your web site doesn’t suck
Other Places to Find a Support Network:
iStock Photo - Has a great community of photographer, vector artist, videographers, and more. Free Registration.
Graphic Design Forum - My favorite design forum on the web. Look me up under DannyNoSleeves.
LinkedIn - A great way to stay conntect with associates, build up a network, and keep tabs on clients.
Behance - The best Social Network for freelancers and designers.
Artician - Launching Soon
Focus on Skill Sets
- Concentrate on a specific skill
- Become a Guru in your field
In my opinion it’s better to be a guru in a specific field than a jack of trades. While many web designers know a little bit about everything and do just fine; I think this is holding them back. Think about it this way; if you only know a little bit about a lot of stuff, you only have a little bit to show off.
Instead of trying to learn the countless codes, programs, etc, that are associated with web design, try focusing on becoming the best CSS or Flash designer. By becoming a guru in your chosen field, you will make a name for yourself. And it’s that name that will put money in your pocket.
Keep Learning
- Keep up-to-date with styles and code trends
- Re-learn things you already know (you might learn something new)
- Teach others what you know (it helps you learn new things)
As a web designer it’s important to keep up with trends in style and code. You would be surprised at how many web designers out there still work with methods that are “so 1998.” Take CSS for example, this has got to be one of the best things to hit web design in a long time. Yet, there are millions of websites that are still being built with tables. Tables! Why God?
Learning Resources:
Lynda.com - Awesome collection of learning videos. $325 gets you all the videos and excercies files you want for a year.
PSD Tuts - The best photoshop tutorial site in the world.
Pick a Niche Market
- Focus on a certain industry or market
- Makes it easier to get clients
So many web designers go after any business that comes there way, which is fine. You gotta pay the bills somehow. Instead of designing any website that comes your way, why not specialize in a certain niche? You could work on targeted landscaping companies, software developers, salons, etc. What is the upside to doing this rather than not?
Specializing in a niche actually makes it easier to get clients. If clients can see some of your work that easily relates to their business, it gives them a better idea of what you can do for them. Say you just designed a website for a landscaping company; you could start searching for other landscaping business in your area. Once you find a few, all you need to do is send an email informing them that you specialize in websites for landscapers, send them a link to your recent work, and this should start a dialogue between you.
Find a Mentor
- Will help you learn faster
- A wealth of both design and business information
Finding a good web design mentor isn’t the easiest thing to do. Most web designers are just too busy to bother with mentoring someone. Your best bet is to find a local mentor that you can meet with face to face. If you aren’t lucky enough to find one of these, just start emailing designers whose web sites you like. Most will say they don’t have the time, but many will offer some advice or to look over your designs from time to time.
Just keep emailing designers until you find one that is willing to work with you. The next best thing to a mentor is a good forum. Search around the web for some good design forums. These are great places to get advice and feedback while you are on your quest to find a mentor.
Make sure your web site doesn’t suck
- Have other designers critique your site
- Have random people critique your site
- Always try to make your web site better
Just because you spent weeks’ designing your website doesn’t make it good. Use some of the forums you found from the step above and post your website. Have other web designers look over your site and give you their two cents worth.
It also can’t hurt to have some of your friends or even strangers look over your site. They can give you some of the best usability feedback on your website. Since they will be looking at your site as a customer and not as a designer, they will point out some important issues.
Design Float - A digg style website for deisgners
April 19, 2007
I had heard rumors of a dig style website geared toward designers, but never really took the time to hunt it out. Thanks to this post by CSS Juice I didn’t have to.
Design Float is pretty much a replica of the dig website, but for designers; designers being both web and print of course. On Design Float you can find all of the best design articles, tools, resources, and website all in one spot. No more looking through list of tags on a multitude of sites; now you have a one stop design destination.
How to Turn Your MySpace into a Blog
April 19, 2007
Tired of your crappy MySpace layout made by some 13 year old kid in homeroom? Glittery text not doing enough to show off your true personality? Well, here is MySapce layout worth bookmarking. This simple blog style MySpace layout uses the div overlay method to create a layout that is unique to say the least.
How to Start a Web Design Business
April 19, 2007
Our Articles
Business Tools
ActiveCollab vs. Basecamp
You have probably heard of the online application called Basecamp, a tool used to organize your project, clients and team members. While it is a great tool, it cost money to use. This is why I chose to work with ActiveCollab.ActiveCollab is a FREE tool that practically mimics Basecamp. So, for all you money strapped web designers out there, this will be your new best friend.
Reasons why ActiveCollab is great:
- Easily track and manage projects and clients
- Keeps all files and conversations in one central place
- Don’t have to send a million emails to the client
- Fully customizable with CSS
- New features are always being added
Go checkout ActiveCollab and see what you think. Once you get used to using it you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. If you end up creating your own theme, let me know. I’d love to check it out.
Tick - Time Tracking - A time management system that helps you keep on budget.
Freshbooks - Invoice your clients and manage your time. Send invoices via mail or online.
Suggested Reading
Helpful Links
iStock Photo - The best stock photo/video/vector site on the net. The header, wood image, and sun on this site are all from iStock Photo.
Graphic Design Forum Gets Face Lift
April 19, 2007
The best graphic design forum on the net recently got a face lift and a name change. This was do to some question as to who owned the name Graphic Design Forum. Petty really. regardless of the name and design, this is the best design forum around.
The new Graphic Design Forum goes by the name of Estetica Design forum.
