An Unedited Passion for Creativity
When reflecting on my creative intake and output over the past year, they simply stand out: the three guys that cursed a lot but admittedly got me fired up creatively. Simple as that, but with warnings:
- You may have already happened across these.
- I don't agree with all that is being said.
- Explicatives fly. You may be offended. The cursing may make them more memorable than they actually are.
- I most assuredly did shed a tear over #2 (the part about the dad).
- #3 was posted at the end of 2008, but I didn't come across it until earlier this year.
#1: Now is the Time
#2: The Clackity Noise
#3: America Is F*****
Let us know if something has you passionate going into the new year.
Practical Uses of CSS3
We are certainly at an interesting point in time with the web. There are new techniques being created every day, and as developers, we have the privilege of deciding how and when to use them. I'm the new guy at Viget (only been here a few weeks), and every company is different, so it is interesting adapting to Viget's standards. Some companies utilize progressive enhancement more than others, and I love that we utilize it when we can.
One big item for me is how much we use CSS3. Yes I know, it is not fully supported across all browsers. If you still want everything to look exactly the same across all browsers, you should probably just close this article and not read about CSS for another 10 years. A user is not going to pull up your site in two different browsers to compare the experience, so they won't even know what they are missing. Just because something is not fully supported, that does not mean that we can't use it to an extent. In this article I'll show you some practical uses for CSS3.
Conquering Shopify Design
I recently had a chance to implement a custom design for a Shopify storefront. This was my first time using the e-commerce site, but Shopify's known to be easy to customize and work with, so I was excited to dive in and take on the challenge. I was ready for Mount Everest or Iditarod levels of difficulty; Triathalon-hard at least. But luckily, Shopify makes customizing a shop's design very easy even for the less-than code savvy like myself, and its customizing tools make the process as painless as possible.
10 T-Shirts You Want To Buy a Designer
Are you looking for that perfect gift for an artsy loved one? Or your brother in-law who wears skinny jeans and is always on his iPhone? Or maybe even your Grandmother who's looking to spice up her social life? Look no further. I've compiled a list of ten fabulous design related t-shirts that is so good it will make you want to sing the intro to the Lion King... TWICE.
1. SYV
ZOMG, It's Scott Hansen. If I ever meet him in real life I'll be forced to give him a bear hug.
2. Word
Word. To. Your. Mom.
Genius Ways To Use Photoshop Smart Objects
In my "Breaking Bad Habits in Photoshop" post, I briefly talked about Photoshop's Smart Objects. It seems like many designers are still ignoring them. Maybe you're confused about how and when to use them, or too ingrained in your existing ways of doing things to explore. I sympathize. But whatever the excuse, if you aren't using Smart Objects for your comps you're missing out. They are an easy way to save yourself from tedious maintenance tasks in your Photoshop docs. Keep reading for ideas on speeding up your workflow with smart use of Smart Objects.
Continue reading "Genius Ways To Use Photoshop Smart Objects"
The Winter Scrooge: A Design Reading List
Ah, the holiday season has arrived. This past weekend in Washington, DC we saw our first snow of the season blanket the area. This of course leads to an instantaneous rush (and complete loss of sanity) to the market for toilet-paper, milk/eggnog, and whisky. With the mad rush to prepare for various holiday traditions, a fury of frantic activity settles into the DC area. Traffic accidents go through the roof, air-travel becomes a nightmare, and shopping for anything, anywhere, anytime, becomes a mammoth feat of personal self restraint.
Continue reading "The Winter Scrooge: A Design Reading List"
2009