Entries Tagged as 'Design'
Tutorial: Create A Fun Ink Splatter Vector
Published August 30th, 2010 in Design - 22 Comments
Today we released a set of ink splatter vectors on Vandelay Premier and in this post we will be covering the process of creating these vectors. The process is not very difficult and it should be easy to follow, but it does take some time.
Here is a preview of the final result of this tutorial.
13 Ways to Challenge Yourself in Your Career as a Web Designer
Published August 25th, 2010 in Business, Design - 41 Comments
A career in web design or development requires a constant effort to improve and to stay on top of new technologies and changes within the industry. No matter how much you improve or how many new things you learn there is always something else out there that can make you better at your work and improve your career.
Fortunately, most designers and developers receive challenges on a daily basis in the normal course of their work, especially those who work for a variety of different clients. However, there are times when a designer should focus on learning and improvement outside of these normal activities. Perhaps no project has come up that will provide an opportunity to hone skills in a particular area, or maybe you have something specific in mind that deserves extra attention.
In this article we will look at some of the ways that you can challenge yourself as a designer. This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list, there are certainly countless possibilities in this area, but it is intended to give some ideas to those of you who are interested in trying new things or improving on existing skills.
Some of the most beneficial things that I have done in my career have also been the most uncomfortable. For most of us it is easy to get in the habit of doing things in a familiar way or avoiding projects that push us beyond our comfort zone. There are times, however, when those challenges and discomfort lead to invaluable opportunities that can have a significant impact on our futures.
1. Accept Clients for Freelance Work
If you are currently working for an agency or as an in-house designer, managing some clients of your own on a freelance basis would certainly provide some outstanding learning opportunities. With your own clients you will need to consider things like pricing your work, securing the client, project and time management, financial management, communication with the client, possibly outsourcing some of the work, and meeting deadlines.
Some of these things, like time management, communication and deadlines, are likely already a part of your daily work as an employee, but when you are managing the client and the project on your own they will probably have a different type of significance.
Free Set of High Res Plain Brown Paper Textures from Vandelay Premier
Published August 18th, 2010 in Design, Site News - 18 Comments
A few weeks ago we launched Vandelay Premier, a membership-based site that provides premium-quality design and career resources. Today we’re releasing a free set of 4 plain brown paper textures as a sample of what is available for members. These textures can be downloaded and used by anyone, and the standard Vandelay Premier extended license applies to this free set as well.
25 of the Best Calligraphy Fonts for Designers
Published July 7th, 2010 in Design - 24 Comments
Having the right fonts is critical to successful web and graphic design. Fortunately, there are a lot of quality free fonts that are available for use. In this post we’ll feature 25 of the best calligraphy fonts for download. Be sure to check the restrictions of any font before using on a commercial project.
35 High-Quality and Free Paper Textures
Published July 5th, 2010 in Design - 13 Comments
Paper textures are extremely useful and versatile in web and graphic design. Whether it is brown paper, notebook paper, wrinkled paper, or something else, they are frequently used by designers. In this post we’ll feature some of the best free paper textures. Always be sure to check the license and terms before using.
For more textures please see:
35 High-Quality and Free Concrete Textures
Published June 28th, 2010 in Design - 28 Comments
Concrete textures are great for adding some character to your web and graphic design projects. In this post we’ll feature 35 concrete textures from various sources. If you see something you like, click on the image and you will be led to the source. Be sure to read the license or terms of use, especially if you are planning to use it for a commercial project.
25 Beautiful and Free Thin Fonts
Published June 14th, 2010 in Design - 28 Comments
Typography is a critical aspect of web and graphic design, but finding the right font can often be a challenge. If you’re looking for a quality thin or light font, this post should be an excellent resource for you. Here you’ll find 25 free thin fonts. As always when dealing with freebies, be sure to check the license before using it in your own work.
45 Free Wood Textures
Published June 11th, 2010 in Design - 24 Comments
The use of textures can be an easy way to add character to a design. Wood textures are particularly common in web design, and in this post we’ll featuring 45 free wood textures. If you’re looking for a texture to use in your own work hopefully this will be helpful. As always when you are dealing with freebies, be sure to read the license before using it.
35 Excellent Adobe Fireworks Tutorials
Published June 1st, 2010 in Design - 17 Comments
Adobe Fireworks often gets overshadowed by Photoshop, but it too can be an excellent tool for designers. If you’re not experienced with Fireworks you may want to browse through some online tutorials to get a feel for the program. In this post we’ll feature 35 of the best tutorials for Fireworks.
How to Create a Stylish Navigation Bar in Adobe Fireworks
25 Examples of Amazing Packaging Design
Published May 28th, 2010 in Design - 32 Comments
Packaging design can make a profound difference on the sales of a product and how it is viewed by customers. In this post we’ll provide a showcase excellent package designs for your own inspiration. Web designers often need to turn to offline source of inspiration rather than only seeking inspiration from other web designs.
You may also be interested in:
- Design Inspiration: Splatter Effects
- Showcase of “Green” Typography
- Design Inspiration: Lighting Effects – Part III
