Author: Carrie Cousins

What’s old is new again; that’s the theme this month with new tools for designers with a few new tools that are rooted in the “old” concepts of design theory. From working with typefaces, to a color wheel, this roundup is packed with goodies. And then there are some new “new” tools as well, including a couple of cool 3D elements. If we’ve missed something that you think should have been on the list, let us know in the comments. And if you know of a new app or resource that should be featured next month, tweet it to @carriecousins to be considered! Font Playground Font Playground is a tool to help you experiment with variable fonts and even export front-end code. Variable fonts, which are single font files that behave like multiple fonts, are gaining popularity, making this something y...

From light and bright designs to complex data visualizations and a new take on polygons, this month’s design trends are anything but ordinary. And they are so practical you can deploy them on single pages or for a complete design overhaul. Each of these trends shows and evolution of styles that’s been progressing for some time: minimalism to white and light color schemes, data “everything” to data visualization for the web, and a fresh look at poly shapes. Here’s what’s trending in design this month: 1. White and Light Color Schemes White and light color schemes seem to be popping up everywhere. (We could probably have dedicated an entire post to this design trend because there are so many designs featuring this color trend.) The main characteristic of this design trend is an aesthetic th...

What kind of projects are you working on? It might be the hotter days (with more time at a computer) that have me focused on ways to enhance productivity. In this month’s roundup of new design tools and information, you’ll find plenty of helpful items that relate to workflow. If we’ve missed something that you think should have been on the list, let us know in the comments. And if you know of a new app or resource that should be featured next month, tweet it to @carriecousins to be considered! UnDraw UnDraw is a curated collection of SVG images that you can use for free, without attribution. All of the images fall under the MIT license and the site is packed with scalable images for web projects. Embed tiny SVGs or edit the code and make each image your own before adding it to your design...

There are so many distractions when you are a freelancer. From kids coming into your home office or time sucks like Facebook, you need to focus and be more efficient. The key is arming yourself with the right tools for the job. Here, we’ve gathered a list of online time savers (productivity tools for the win!) plus tips for managing distractions. Create the Right Working Space Freelancers, if you want to work from home, you need an actual work space. Using the kitchen counter or just putting a desk in your bedroom is a recipe for distraction. (You’ll see the dishes piled up or find 10 other things that need your attention when what you should be doing is working.) Create a dedicated workspace—preferably one with a door and that isn’t used for anything else. Look for a room with a window. ...

One of the biggest concerns that freelancers have is that they can be isolated from others in similar fields. So can a professional network offer the additional resources you need to succeed? The answer is yes if you find the right group. Here are reasons why you should join a professional network and how to find one that’s right for you. You’ll Build Relationships The No. 1 reason to join a professional organization is to develop personal and business relationships. This can be vitally important to freelance web designers and developers because you most often work in isolation. A professional group can help you stay fresh in the design community as well as work with people who have different skills and strengths. You might find someone that you can refer work to when you are busy or a pe...

With the heat of summer comes a little bit of a design slowdown, but there are still plenty of projects worth your attention. Most of the major design trends happening right now feature structural components of website design, such a interactive layers or multiple columns of text. And there’s also this “little” international event that’s having some influence as well – the soccer World Cup. Here’s what’s trending in design this month: 1. Interactive Layers Designers are constantly trying to develop ways to keep users interested in the design for longer period of time. Using more interactivity is one way to do that. Pairing that interactivity with layered effects is another way to do it that has high visual interest. (It’s like putting the best of the visuals and interaction together.) Muc...

No summertime blues here. With so many new tools, the dog days of summer will be filled with playing with new elements and expanding your design portfolio. If we’ve missed something that you think should have been on the list, let us know in the comments. And if you know of a new app or resource that should be featured next month, tweet it to @carriecousins to be considered! Cool Backgrounds Cool Backgrounds is a pretty nifty tool to help you create a trendy background element with color and gradients and shapes. You can create images for blogs, social media and full website designs as well as desktop wallpapers. The options are beautiful without any changes but you can also create customizations in the still, and animated, background options. Just make what you like in-browser and downlo...