The designer's guide to Gestalt Theory

In the 1920s, a group of psychologists in Germany developed a series of theories of visual perception known as the Gestalt Principles, or Gestalt Theory. Along with systems such as grid theory, the Golden Ratio and colour theory, the Gestalt Principles form the basis of many design rules we follow today.It's important for graphic and web designers to learn these principles. If you understand what they tell us about how we perceive visual objects...

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The best mouse of 2018: 6 top computer mice for designers

So, you've got your laptop and monitor sorted, and but that's not all you need for the perfect computer setup. You'll also need the best mouse you can afford to keep your workflow smooth and efficient. It's one of the most important tools you use each day, so it's essential to find a model that's both responsive and comfortable. So how do you find the right mouse for you? After all, there are thousands of variations of computer mouse out there...

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4 new digital design and video tools you need to know about

Earlier this month, creatives from all over Europe gathered for Adobe's Creative Meetup in London to talk new Creative Cloud innovations and be inspired by some of the UK's most creative minds. Creative Cloud Evangelist Rufus Deuchler kicked the evening off, regaling some of the magic of Adobe MAX, the world's largest creativity conference held earlier this year in LA. In an awe-inspiring talk, Deuchler teased the audience with news of major...

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Use Marmoset Toolbag to present models in VR

Marmoset Toolbag is by no means new to the 3D art industry. It’s been out for years, and it’s known for its robustness and ease of use, especially when it comes to showing off game assets and smaller, confined projects.Basically, Marmoset Toolbag is a live viewer that gives you instant feedback when you change lights, materials and so on. For me as an artist who’s used to making brush marks on paper or in Photoshop CC and instantly seeing...

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12 things no graphic designer should be without

As a creative, there are a few design tools that are essential to getting the job done. A great laptop for graphic design, a top drawing tablet, a trusty notebook for when you want to take things offline... these things are all necessary if you want to perform at your best. In this post, we answer the question: What would be the absolute worst things to not have during a day of work in the studio? Here are 12 things no designer should be...

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Create collage effects in the browser with CSS

If you've ever wished you could replicate the effects of a traditional collage maker in your website layouts, this is the tutorial for you.The web design tutorial will look at three CSS properties: mask-image, clip-path and shape-outside. Even if you have used them, don’t worry. I’ll show examples that will help you create effects you probably haven’t seen on many websites. My biggest inspiration in terms of using the...

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The beginner's guide to flat design

In the past, web designers put a particular focus on showing off their skills and design portfolios by packing sites with flashy illustrations and animations that supposedly wowed their visitors. Then came a shift toward skeuomorphic design, which attempted to bring real life to the screen, with faux-realistic textures, drop-shadows and real object characteristics.That gave way to flat design, which opposed all of these 'artificial' design...

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Learn Adobe CC software with this bundle

If you want to launch a design career, Adobe CC know-how is crucial. And that's exactly what you'll gain with Pay What You Want: Adobe CC A-Z Lifetime Bundle. You'll learn how to make photos look as professional as can be with Photoshop CC, you'll discover how to bring your video footage to the next level with Premiere and you'll find how to create cool effects in your graphic designs with After Effects CC. And that's just scratching the...

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How fan art can get you paid

Creating fan art is a popular way for artists to show their appreciation for a subject they love. You only have to glance at sites like DeviantArt or ArtStation to see plenty of inspiring tributes to pop culture icons. Reimagining famous characters is more than just a good way to keep your artistic skills sharp, though. It can also give your portfolio the leg up it needs to grab attention in your chosen industry.One of the main benefits of your...

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Acer Nitro 5 review | Creative Bloq

The Acer Nitro 5 (NH.Q3REK.007) is a gaming laptop by trade, which makes it an unusual option for creative work. So how does it fare against other laptops for graphic design? Well, there's a fair bit of method to this machine's madness. While it may have been designed for blasting through Fortnite or FIFA, the underlying hardware delivers a solid processor and a discrete graphics chip alongside a full HD screen for a reasonable price.That's the...

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