Developing websites is much more than just a pretty face, and depending on what typed of features you’d like to implement on the site, there’s a lot of coding that goes into it. Many times designers turn to a WYSIWYG tool, however tools of that sort are more limited to advanced code. Being able to code a site using a variety of tools lets you simplify the coding process while you take a big bite out of saving time. (more…)
We all know the kind of dynamic and engaging functionality that jQuery can add to a user interface, but integrating jQuery does require some technical know-how. This isn’t a big deal for many of us, but some WordPress users prefer the simplicity of a plugin. The purpose of this article is to help you discover some of the useful WordPress plugins available that gives you jQuery powered functionality in an easy to implement package. (more…)
Color plays an important role in how we perceive the world around us. So when you choose to shoot a photograph in black and white, it drastically changes what’s in front of the lens. Without color, other elements of the photograph take on a bigger role in telling the story. Notice how lighting, contrast, and composition are much more important in these beautiful examples of black and white photography. (more…)
The CSS Awards is a design gallery that showcases only the most prestigious CSS websites. Like most galleries, you can find plenty of design inspiration, but The CSS Awards offers much more. What I think makes it so great is that submissions are judged by a panel of people, and scores are broken down into multiple categories. This means there is a better balance to the gallery since selections are not based on one person’s opinions. (more…)
During the past few weeks we’ve been publishing our “Best of 2009″ series in which we’re picking the best of the best in design resources created this year. This week our focus is on vector tutorials. Vector applications such as Adobe Illustrator that are used to create scalable graphics are ideal for creating such things as logos, characters, and icons. There were many great vector tutorials put out this year, which made it difficult to choose the best, but here are our picks. (more…)
You are the most important person in the world. Wow, I got you to read the second sentence. Your interest is now piqued and you want to read more. If you do read this article, you will learn exactly how important it is to create compelling web copy. Between you and me, most readers just scan, but if you find a way to hook them in the first sentence and reel them in on the second sentence, you have a good chance that they will read the third. They may even read the entire article. (more…)
Here’s another high quality vector pack for our WDL Premium Members. Flow, from the amazing designers at Go Media, is all about creating movement – and it’s not as easy as you might think! These images are super useful, well thought-out and appropriate in so many applications when you need that exciting element of motion. (more…)
Wix has given us two Unlimited Packages to giveaway to our readers, which are worth $149 each. If you’re unfamiliar with Wix, it’s a site that makes it super easy to create your own Flash websites that are highly customizable and search engine friendly. Their easy to use drag and drop tools require no technical skills at all. (more…)
Negative space is the space around and between the main objects in a design. This space often goes unnoticed, unless a creative designer is able to turn the negative space into a key element of the design. Logo designers often use negative space in a way that it becomes just as important as the positive space in conveying the meaning of the logo. Here is a showcase of logos that all possess creative use of negative space. (more…)
If you are designing web sites in the UK, you probably already know that the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) mandates web sites be accessible by visually and physically disabled persons. But even if you work in a locale that doesn’t have any accessibility requirements yet, web designers have an obligation to make their clients’ web sites available and accessible to anyone who wishes to visit. (more…)
