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Fizz or Fame: 10 Design Trend Predictions For 2014

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGULzVMdLDgzlbTvSYXP_x90zpk4HmUQoWDEWIL_UObZztm-nGGPYZIqpblereqHFjuau8pu8mmYzffz8Ixo3egy-VdG_c2z9YNf3PoWhUGAyIpEik0jF1TGExAenTnijjy80ofvjmCVl/s1600/fortune-teller2-800x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGULzVMdLDgzlbTvSYXP_x90zpk4HmUQoWDEWIL_UObZztm-nGGPYZIqpblereqHFjuau8pu8mmYzffz8Ixo3egy-VdG_c2z9YNf3PoWhUGAyIpEik0jF1TGExAenTnijjy80ofvjmCVl/s640/fortune-teller2-800x400.png" width="640" /></a></div><strong>Yes it’s that time of the year again, closing time where  every design blog under the sun pulls out the crystal ball in an attempt  to make some form of definitive predictions for the coming new-year.</strong><br /> As with any prediction, it’s never 100% accurate, no matter the  amount of market research involved. However if you keep your ear low  enough to ground, you should be able to make some educated assumptions.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /> Here are mine:<br /> <h3>1. Raster Icons Will Die</h3>Raster-based image icons are pretty much obsolete already, due to a <a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/11/svg-and-icon-fonts-the-future-of-iconography/" title="SVG and Icon Fonts: The Future Of Iconography">big list of reasons</a> that (for the sake of brevity) I’m not going to get into. However  they’re still being widely used by both designers and developers. Not  for long though, there are already two solutions (Icon Fonts and SVG  Icons) that are already on the rise. See this article <a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/11/svg-and-icon-fonts-the-future-of-iconography/">here</a>.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>2. Community Blogging Will Go Mainstream</h3>The concept of a community driven blog has been around for a while,  however it’s yet to be mass-popularized. If you don’t know what a  community blog is, It’s basically a website that’s curated by a few  individuals or organisation, but the content is provided through  community contribution.<br /> It’s becoming increasingly popular with sites like <a href="http://sidebar.io/">Sidebar</a> and <a href="https://news.layervault.com/">LayerVault News</a> being examples. The main advantage is that it gives you a broader view  on matters from a larger spectrum of opinions, rather than being  force-fed information like a traditional news or blog service.<br /> In 2014, I can pretty much guarantee you, this form of blogging will  become increasingly popular with more and more start-ups, and that’s not  just limited to the design community.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>3. Video Will Grow</h3>Don’t jump to conclusions, I’m not talking about video in web design  itself, rather video in the form of blogging, Google hangouts, news  services and talk-shows.<br /> The design and development community is a largely text-dominated,  video-introverted community. This leaves a massive void for growth for  related video services like YouTube channels and video-blogging. I’m  still yet to find a good YouTube talk-show that focuses on web design.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>4. The Year of Copy: More Text – Less Images</h3>There’s been a whole lot of study into imagery and its greater  ability to gain attention over text, advertising is testament to this.  However as users are continually bombarded with hundreds of images a day  while browsing the web, the eye becomes desensitized. A true intellect  makes judgement on content not context, and in 2014 this will become  more prevalent.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>5. 2014 Will Be The Year of Animated SVG</h3>SVG icons and animated graphics in web design have pretty much  exploded over the past few months, with a number web projects for making  implementation easier and more user-friendly. See <a href="http://snapsvg.io/">snap.svg</a>, <a href="http://iconizer.net/">Iconizer</a> and <a href="http://useiconic.com/">Iconic</a> to name a few.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>6. Pull-To-Refresh Will Become Obsolete</h3>If there’s one single statement that iOS 7 made, it’s that “Discreet  in-the-background loading is the way forward”. iOS 7 has its critics,  but ultimately it’s a well designed OS, particularly from a user  experience perspective. And it’s all about making the user feel more  comfortable. Users shouldn’t need to pull to refresh things – it seems a  bit archaic doesn’t it? Take a look at <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/3023421/why-the-pull-to-refresh-gesture-must-die">this article</a> by Austin Carr for more.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>7. Flat Design Will Evolve</h3>It’s pretty much a no-brainer isn’t it? Web design never stays stagnant. Sometimes it’s a radical change as in the skeuomorphic<b>-</b>to-flat  design change, but other times it’s steady progression. Flat design  will evolve, mostly through fear of an over-homogeneous web where  nothing’s unique any-more. What will it turn into? My guess is layered  design will be the next big step. It’s important to note however that  flat design in it’s most basic form and essence will still remain for a  while.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>8. More Parallax Websites</h3>Everyone loves the old parallax website. It has been around for a  while, however it’s still not being used as widely by more influential  websites. My guess is it will go more mainstream and become less of a  ‘just a novelty’ design.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>9. Windows 9 Will Be An Overhaul</h3>Let’s face it, Windows 8 sucks, particularly on a desktop. If you’re a  Mac user, you probably don’t care, but for everyone else still using a 4  year old OS (Windows 7), It’s imperative that Windows 9 is actually a  desktop class OS with more focus on UX. The metro design language is  nice for mobile, but it needs some serious UX work on the desktop. It’s  pretty much impossible to use, unless you like looking indistinguishable  flat icons all day. Microsoft need to do some serious hiring  and  firing.<br /> <hr class="space" /><h3>10. Collaboration Will Become More Important Than Ever.</h3>Collaboration is pretty much the essence of the modern web. Wikipedia  is probably the greatest example of it, however it doesn’t need to be  so limited. With developments in things like kick-starter and  crowd-sourcing – web based community designing will definitely grow and  become a more prevalent trend. For many, it may seem like you’re being  short-changed as clients are accessing an entire community rather than  hiring you as an individual for your skills. However there are always  new start-ups that create innovative markets. My guess crowd-source  designing will become more organised with more focus on groups.<br /> <hr class="separator" /><em><strong>What’s your take on these predictions? Did we miss any your think are important? Let us know in the comments.</strong></em><br /><br /></div>

Fizz or Fame: 10 Design Trend Predictions For 2014

Yes it’s that time of the year again, closing time where every design blog under the sun pulls out the crystal ball in an attempt to make ...

+ Read more »

30 Nostalgia Evoking 8-bit Pixel-Art Designs

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5DwW6pvq4VAEjF86ZRAxhe_80fqmUX17CCtlmiJZJv0l5-5gK77dsY2aY9tsJ9h_N7a6YWd8Bd0GHVWgEmSOKlPOpDjmf8V64ntWkS7n2qm_1GwHqZKRLNbuhNX7a7ZvrkMh9OCs381y/s1600/red_tornado_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyws-800x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5DwW6pvq4VAEjF86ZRAxhe_80fqmUX17CCtlmiJZJv0l5-5gK77dsY2aY9tsJ9h_N7a6YWd8Bd0GHVWgEmSOKlPOpDjmf8V64ntWkS7n2qm_1GwHqZKRLNbuhNX7a7ZvrkMh9OCs381y/s640/red_tornado_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyws-800x400.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong> Do you remember the good old days of the 80’s and 90’s? When  life was simpler, the sun shined brighter, you spent more time outdoors  and used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltaVista">AltaVista</a> as a search engine.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do you remember playing DK and two-player <a href="http://www.snesfun.com/double-dragon-2">Double Dragon</a> on Nintendo or <a href="http://www.classicgamesarcade.com/game/21651/prince-of-persia.html">Prince of Persia</a> on the Macintosh ? Do you remember going to the local arcade because the graphics were better and screens were bigger?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remember when I was about 8 years old, I arrived home from school  on day, only to find our house had been robbed. Much to my brother and  I’s despondency, a colossal void lay center of the living room where our  Nintendo had resided. It was a loss evocative of the damage caused by a  boy losing his pet dog, leaving my brother and me with faces like a wet  week-end. A few of days later, upon arriving home from school again, a  pleasant surprise awaited me in the living room. A brand-spanking new  Super Nintendo. It shined like the Holy Grail in a da Vinci painting,  totally inundating the void that was left previously. Dad had secretly  gone off and bought it for us. Boy, that was one of the greatest days of  my early childhood, a memory I will never forget.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course you may remember it differently, depending on your age and  cultural background etc.. but that’s pretty much my recollection of the  times. Whatever your memory does serve up, one thing’s for sure, if you  played video-games back then you would distinctly remember 8-bit style  graphics and rending.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So what better way to spark reminiscence than some old-school, retro  8-bit style poster designs. Today I’ve scoured the web to bring you this  awesome collection. Enjoy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="green_lantern__alan_scott_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyrs (1)" class="aligncenter  wp-image-10739" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/green_lantern__alan_scott_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyrs-1.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="flash_by_j_castaneda-d4hvymm" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10738" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/flash_by_j_castaneda-d4hvymm.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="mystique_by_j_castaneda-d3kkfp1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10740" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/mystique_by_j_castaneda-d3kkfp1.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="spiderman_by_j_castaneda-d3kdp1n" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10741" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/spiderman_by_j_castaneda-d3kdp1n.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="hulk_and_deadpool_by_j_castaneda-d3ja50h" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10742" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/hulk_and_deadpool_by_j_castaneda-d3ja50h.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="red_tornado_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyws" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10750" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/red_tornado_by_j_castaneda-d4hvyws.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="boba_fett_by_j_castaneda-d3j3azn" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10744" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/boba_fett_by_j_castaneda-d3j3azn.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="joker_by_j_castaneda-d4hvz3a" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10748" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joker_by_j_castaneda-d4hvz3a.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="2f6c168f9af866b38efa4cc9b7a37d99-d3fez8q" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10747" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2f6c168f9af866b38efa4cc9b7a37d99-d3fez8q.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="ae7a0dd5557f8569724a7a0eaf175cb7" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10749" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ae7a0dd5557f8569724a7a0eaf175cb7.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="burt_ward___adam_west_by_j_castaneda-d3i2dfb" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10746" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/burt_ward___adam_west_by_j_castaneda-d3i2dfb.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="c__reeve___g__hackman_by_j_castaneda-d3i8i5g" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10745" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/c__reeve___g__hackman_by_j_castaneda-d3i8i5g.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://j-castaneda.deviantart.com/"><img alt="boba_fett__s_death_by_j_castaneda-d3j3b9p" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10761" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/boba_fett__s_death_by_j_castaneda-d3j3b9p.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Make-Something-365/1056111"><img alt="f37151f34cad699a5bacff6c351c958d" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10752" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/f37151f34cad699a5bacff6c351c958d.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Make-Something-365/1056111"><img alt="25d9a7b33e62b877af0825bd8a714c0e" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10753" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/25d9a7b33e62b877af0825bd8a714c0e.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Make-Something-365/1056111"><img alt="cfcdc94f31072cee466fba4143a3c407" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10754" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/cfcdc94f31072cee466fba4143a3c407.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Make-Something-365/1056111"><img alt="05479957499b9a6e416e021d0c6bbf0c" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10755" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/05479957499b9a6e416e021d0c6bbf0c.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Jason-Beyond-The-Ultraworld/1869529"><img alt="af26a1fdc6f11025b08497427c3b1db1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10757" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/af26a1fdc6f11025b08497427c3b1db1.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Jason-Beyond-The-Ultraworld/1869529"><img alt="5298e91f9d71fe7a1711847e09cf288c" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10756" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/5298e91f9d71fe7a1711847e09cf288c.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Jason-Beyond-The-Ultraworld/1869529"><img alt="c4e3997daccf44f293cbd91e7ab9e8b0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10760" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/c4e3997daccf44f293cbd91e7ab9e8b0.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Jason-Beyond-The-Ultraworld/1869529"><img alt="f1af0b8d8274844217a76cac1b675dce" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10759" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/f1af0b8d8274844217a76cac1b675dce.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Jason-Beyond-The-Ultraworld/1869529"><img alt="1b98046c40c757c03c61ab61c4b5cba9" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10758" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1b98046c40c757c03c61ab61c4b5cba9.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/8-Bit-Poster-Series/6561277"><img alt="e90ee9c70dd8de90973904ce6fc420a4" class="aligncenter" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/e90ee9c70dd8de90973904ce6fc420a4.gif" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/Apple-Mac-Posters/3909073"><img alt="4d2d2bb40d9b697e7763de297953f569" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10773" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/4d2d2bb40d9b697e7763de297953f569.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="8bit14" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10774" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/8bit14-1024x640.jpg" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="8bit6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10775" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/8bit6-1024x576.jpg" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="sonic_tails_8bit_wallpaper_hd_by_lachriz-d46a0eq" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10776" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/sonic_tails_8bit_wallpaper_hd_by_lachriz-d46a0eq-1024x576.png" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="8-bit-black-mage-final-fantasy-minimalistic-hd-wallpaper-1920x1200-6881" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10777" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/8-bit-black-mage-final-fantasy-minimalistic-hd-wallpaper-1920x1200-6881-1024x640.png" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kare.com/index.html"><img alt="steve-jobs-rainbow-1983-2" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10778" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/steve-jobs-rainbow-1983-2.png" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="smiling-computer-blue" class="aligncenter" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/smiling-computer-blue.png" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/8-bit-motivation/8572809"><img alt="1e14c4f7a948dc17cfbaf060adbbc405" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10770" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1e14c4f7a948dc17cfbaf060adbbc405.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/8-bit-motivation/8572809"><img alt="b2e56befa51151cb04fad61a1c2dd54d" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10771" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/b2e56befa51151cb04fad61a1c2dd54d.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.behance.net/gallery/8-bit-motivation/8572809"><img alt="f5a4280adeac8becd7487f958b052810" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10772 aligncenter" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/f5a4280adeac8becd7487f958b052810.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><hr class="separator" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><em><strong>Do the 80′s and 90′s  hold a special place in your heart?  What do you remember of 8-bit rendering? Share your thoughts in the  comments.</strong></em></span></div></div>

30 Nostalgia Evoking 8-bit Pixel-Art Designs

Do you remember the good old days of the 80’s and 90’s? When life was simpler, the sun shined brighter, you spent more time outdoors and ...

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Using Color Swatches in Photoshop

Using Color Swatches in Photoshop

Today we will be talking about Photoshop color swatches. How to use them, where to get them and why you should be using them. Now this may...

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5 Essential Tips For Creating High Quality Flat Design

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="" class="home-feature-img" data-src-retina="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/free-UI-Kit-29.jpg" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/free-UI-Kit-29-800x400.jpg" /><br /><br /><strong>As a design savvy person you’ve most likely come across the  the term flat design somewhere in your online activity. Whether it be a  website, an icon set, a poster or user-interface, flat design is  everywhere.</strong><br /> A large amount of people are calling flat design a trend, something  that will come and go relatively quickly. Whether this is the case or  not, its important for designers to stay up to date and on top of  trends. Good designers don’t refuse the existence or the acceptance of  something they don’t like. Instead, they continually evolve their  skillet with trends insuring their individual style stays relevant.<br /> There are a number of articles on the web showing great examples of  flat design, inspiration here, examples there. However there are very  few explaining exactly how to achieve a flat design look.<br /> <div class="blockquote">		<blockquote>			<q>Flat Design is somewhat difficult to define as it doesn’t really  refer to one single concept. Instead it can be thought of as number of  concepts and practices that together, makeup an umbrella term. -Joseph Howard, pencilscoop.com 		</q></blockquote></div>Like any design theme, Flat Design relies on principles and we have  narrowed these down to 6 basic rules that should be followed.<br /> <hr class="separator" /><strong>Here is a quick recap of what we will be looking at.</strong><br /> <div class="bullet"><ul><li>Color Choices</li><li>Typography</li><li>Icons</li><li>Images</li><li>Space</li><li>Do Nots</li></ul></div><hr class="separator" /><h3>Color Choices</h3>Ok so first things first, let’s look into color palettes. There are a  lot of people out there saying that flat design must use bold colors.  This is untrue. Flat Design colors are not always bold, often they are  quite the opposite. Often colors are not solid hue’s but rather off  shades, with a significant amount of lightness, gray and lower than  usual saturation levels. You will often find that pastel shades work  quite well also. Lastly, solid bold colors can be used are are used with  success, take the Windows 8 design theme for example.<br /> To find out more about color palettes, read our tips on <a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/09/weekly-design-tip-photoshop-color-swatches/" title="Weekly Design Tip: Photoshop Color Swatches">Photoshop Color Swatches</a>.<br /> For a good list of free color palette resources check out this article <a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/04/10-quality-color-palette-resources-for-designers/" title="10 Quality Color Palette Resources For Designers">here</a>.<br /> Here I have created a color palette that works well in Flat Design. Save it your computer and use it for future reference.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="flat-color-palette" class="aligncenter  wp-image-6951" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-color-palette.jpg" /></div><hr class="separator" /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Typography</h3>Ok, typography and Flat Design, another important consideration.  Typography is a massive subject, with an almost endless amount of  information and details. We have written, significantly about typography  in the past, but for Flat Design there are some other considerations.<br /> Firstly, most traditional serif fonts will not look good and are not  well suited to flat design. Having said that, feel free to use  Slab-Serif typefaces like Rockwell or Sanchez. If you really want your  flat design to look authentic, go for some modern, clean, Sans-Serif  fonts.<br /> <strong> Some good fonts to use are:</strong><br /> <div class="bullet"><ul><li>Helvetica Neue</li><li>Myriad Pro</li><li>Open Sans</li><li>PT Sans</li><li>Proxima Nova</li><li>Eight-One</li><li>Continuum</li><li>Melbourne</li><li>Compass</li><li>Aller</li><li>Aleo</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="compass-font" class="aligncenter  wp-image-6960" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/compass-font.jpg" /></div><strong>If you would like to know more about topography, check out our other articles:</strong><br /> <div class="bullet"><ul><li><a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/04/an-intoduction-to-typography-basics/" title="An Introduction to Typography Basics">An Introduction to Typography Basics</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/04/a-comprehensive-guide-to-font-pairing/" title="A Comprehensive Guide To Font Pairing">A Comprehensive Guide To Font Pairing</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/09/30-fresh-and-modern-font-combinations/" title="30+ Fresh and Modern Font Combinations">30+ Fresh and Modern Font Combinations</a></li><li><a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/07/top-50-quality-free-fonts-for-designers/" title="Top 50+ Quality Free Fonts for Designers">50+ Best Quality Free Fonts for Designer</a></li></ul></div><hr class="separator" /><h3>Icons</h3>Icons make up an important part of any design, whether they are  glyphs, symbols or large logos. In flat design it’s important that your  choice of icons reflect your design theme. Over-sized icons can work  well, as well as smaller glyphs. One thing, ensure your icons have no  gradients and contain either completely sharp edges or strong rounded  ones.<br /> For a good list of icon pack resources check out out <a href="http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/07/ultimate-collection-of-free-glyph-icon-packs-for-designers/" title="Ultimate Collection of Free Glyph Icon Packs For Designers">Ultimate Collection of Free Glyph Icons</a>.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="flat-icons-example" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6958" height="400" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-icons-example.jpg" width="600" /></div><hr class="separator" /><h3>Images</h3>If you are going to include images, a good tip is to ensure they are  filtered or stylized. Often many flat design websites use full width  images that stretch the entire page. Image borders are a big no no in  flat design, so ensure your images cut off directly without any borders.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="app-screen-mock-up3" class="aligncenter  wp-image-6800" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/app-screen-mock-up3.jpg" /></div><hr class="separator" /><h3>Space</h3>Using space correctly is hard thing to get right, too much empty  space and your design will look bare. Too little and you run the risk of  making it look cluttered. It’s always easier to subtract rather than  ad, so a good practice is to include all the elements you want, and then  subtract until you are left with only the essentials.<br /> Traditionally, Flat Design uses large amounts of open space, so try to keep your designs nice and broad.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="website space" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6959" height="400" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/website-space.jpg" width="600" /></div><hr class="separator" /><h3>Do Nots</h3>There are some major considerations of things not do in flat design,  some more important than others. Remember, flat design isn’t a science.  As Morpheas says, ‘Some rules can be bent, others broken.’<br /> <strong>Here is some things that should not be done:</strong><br />  <ul><li>Try not to use gradients. If you need to, ensure they a subtle.</li><li>Don’t use drop shadows.</li><li>Don’t use borders on design elements.</li><li>Try to keep serif based fonts to minimum.</li></ul></div>

5 Essential Tips For Creating High Quality Flat Design

As a design savvy person you’ve most likely come across the the term flat design somewhere in your online activity. Whether it be a websit...

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A New Design Trend: Flat Design Gets Layered

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong> </strong><img alt="" class="home-feature-img" data-src-retina="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-design-outdated-hero-1000x600.jpg" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-design-outdated-hero-800x400.jpg" /><br /><strong>If you are a designer or developer, or just a  design savvy creative, it’s almost certain you have come across the term  ‘Flat Design’ at some point. But what you might not realize, is that  flat design has been around for a very long time.</strong><br /> How long exactly? Well windows Phone 7, is considered arguably the  first mass popularized flat UI and it was first released way back in  October of 2010. So that would make flat design at least 3 years old  now.<br /> So it shouldn’t come as any surprise that a 3 year old design theme  has already reached the peak of its existence. Flat design has  practically flooded design circles, <a href="http://dribbble.com/">Dribble</a>, <a href="http://www.behance.net/">Behance</a> and other popular design blogs, feature so much flat design content,  it’s enough to sore even the most loyal flat design enthusiast’s eyes.<br /> Since the inception of flat design, there have been other tributaries  that have developed, such as ‘Long Shadow Design’. But none that have  the potential to grow into a fully formed trend. Long Shadow Design is  nice, and can be thought of as the little brother of flat design, but  it doesn’t have the visual potential to carry a whole interface or  website for example. Can you imagine whole websites based on long shadow  design? I didn’t think so.<br /> Design trends and themes develop in an organic fashion. When trends  catch on, they are developed, tweaked and ultimately over-used until  something that is considered ‘new’ is created.<br /> So what’s next? Through much research and observation, I have created  the term ‘Layered Design’. We will get into exactly what this is later  on in this article, but for now let’s focus on flat design.<br /> <hr class="separator" /><h3>Flat Design</h3>Strictly speaking, there is a lot of design work being created that  is not, and should not be considered ‘flat’. I’m going to do the  improper act of quoting myself here, for the purposes of clearing up  some of the ambiguity that surrounds flat design.<br /> <div class="blockquote">		<blockquote>			<q>Flat Design is somewhat difficult to define as it doesn’t really  refer to one single concept or practice. Instead it can be thought of as  number of concepts and practices that together, makeup a design theme.</q>		</blockquote></div>Ok so now we have cleared that up a little let’s look at what flat  design is. Below are two examples; A set of flat style icons and a flat  design website. These are both considered flat design. There are no  gradients, no depth, no drop shadows, no layers and they use flat  colors.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="flat-design-examples" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7005" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-design-examples.jpg" /></div>This is flat design, it’s simple and effective.<br /> <hr class="separator" /><h3>Layered Design</h3>I believe Apple – with iOS 7, has created what will develop into a  new design trend, and that trend I am calling ‘Layered Design’. Layered  design uses flat design elements to form a foundation for its visuals,  but then uses semi-transparent layers to add depth.<br /> <strong>So let’s break down what layered design includes, and what it doesn’t.</strong><br /> <div class="bullet"><ul><li>Flat elements and styling are used to create a base.</li><li>Contrasting layers and depth are created by using semi-transparent elements.</li><li>Layering is used to give the user a sense of depth.</li><li>Focus on functionality is created by contrasting these elements from the rest of the design.</li><li>Drop shadows, gloss, borders and embossing are not used.</li><li>Simple, clean sans serif based typography is used.</li><li>Simple icons are used instead of buttons and other elements.</li></ul></div>I believe that this design trend will start to develop a lot further  throughout the rest of 2013 and into 2014, leaving flat design as a  relic. I also can bet you that when Apple releases its next desktop  operating system, this design theme will be featured heavily.<br /> When iOS 7 was released in beta a few months ago and all the flat  design enthusiasts cried out that it wasn’t flat enough. They should  have looked deeper into it and realized that once again, Apple was  pioneering not copying.<br /> <div class="blockquote">		<blockquote>			<q>‘I think there is a profound and enduring beauty in simplicity. In clarity. In efficiency.<br /> True simplicity is derived from so much more than just the absence of  clutter and ornamentation; it’s about bringing order to complexity.<br /> Distinct, functional layers, help establish hierarchy and order… The  use of translucency gives you a sense of your context. These planes,  combined with new approaches to animation and motion, create a sense of  depth and vitality.<br /> <b>- Jonathon Ive</b><br />  		</q></blockquote></div>This is really the definition of layered design. It is a solution to the lack of visual and functional hierarchy in flat design.<br /> <h3>Wrapping Things Up</h3>In summary, layered design is a lot more difficult to achieve than  flat design. In flat design, visual simplicity is exactly what it says  it is. It’s simple. But in layered design, visual and functional  simplicity is created through careful and precise considerations to  functionality and aesthetics, resulting in depth.<br /> If you look at how flat design has evolved thus far and how it  emerged, you will notice , like many things in design, it was the  solution to a problem. That problem being over complex UX and UI, with  too many conflicting visual themes. Originally, Flat Design was a true  minimalist approach and Microsoft’s Metro Design Language remains true  to that today.<br /> That being said, Flat Design has evolved out OS UX and UI into app  and web design. So it seems logical for iOS 7′s Layered Design theme to  develop in a similar fashion.<br /> I would like to see a lot more websites adopt Layered Design, and I’m  really excited to see how they look. At the moment, there are a few  examples of layered design in apps and UI but not so much in web design.<br /> There are already a number of Layered Design examples being created  on the web, and honestly I’m a little surprised that no one has caught  on yet. Below I have collected a list of examples of Layered Design. I  have also included a video featuring Johny Ive, the mastermind behind  Layered Design giving his thoughts. Enjoy.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="layered-design-examples-5" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7008" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-5.jpg" /> <img alt="layered-design-examples-4" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7009" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-4.jpg" /> <img alt="layered-design-examples-2" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7010" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-2.jpg" /> <img alt="layered-design-examples-1" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7011" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-1.jpg" /> <img alt="layered-design-examples-3" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7012" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-3.jpg" /> <img alt="layered-design-examples-6" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7013" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/layered-design-examples-6.jpg" /> <img alt="flat-vs-layered-design" class="aligncenter  wp-image-7014" src="http://cdn.pencilscoop.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/flat-vs-layered-design.jpg" /></div><hr class="separator" /><strong>Lastly on a note, if you would like to reference or write  about ‘Layered Design’, I ask that you kindly link back to my article  here as your reference point. Thanks.</strong><br /> <hr class="separator" /><em><strong>What do you think of Layered Design? How long will it be  before our websites start using it? Let us know your thoughts in the  comments section below.</strong></em></div>

A New Design Trend: Flat Design Gets Layered

If you are a designer or developer, or just a design savvy creative, it’s almost certain you have come across the term ‘Flat Design’ at ...

+ Read more »