Archive for month: May, 2020

Original Source: https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2020/05/20-unmissable-websites-may-2020/

The world is a strange place at the moment, but design moves on apace, and sites are still being launched.

Every month we post a roundup of the freshest sites we’ve come across in the previous four weeks. This month we’ve included some exciting portfolio sites, a strong selection of health and beauty sites, and some fabulous new takes on technology. Enjoy!

Lynn Fisher

We love the homepage illustration on Lynn Fisher’s website. It’s pretty cool right? Now try resizing your browser window and see what happens. Hats off to her, it’s not often we find such a knowing, humorous, responsive site.

Sonantic

We’ve seen a few sites in the last few months that have tried to present sound visually. Sonantic does a great job of doing exactly that, with an awesome animated logo, gradients, and random texture.

Zand Harirchi Architects

Based in Tehran, Iran, Zand Harirchi is a modern architecture firm with a confidently modern website to match. We can’t get enough of its thumbnails, which as well as piquing interest, are reminiscent of small windows.

Amino Mason

If you’re designing for a health & beauty product, the obvious route is clean and minimal. Amino Mason has gone the other route, producing a site that screams energy. It’s the epitome of modern Japanese design.

Cone

How many sites have you seen for apps that feature a small demo of the app inside a hastily debranded iPhone window? Now look at how expansive, and how filled with potential Cone feels precisely because it isn’t confined.

Queen Garnet

There are two things that make Queen Garnet stand out in its market. The first thing is the excellent brand typography that is completely different to the usual choice of sans-serif. The second thing is the beautiful product photography.

Mike John Otto

Mike John Otto is a designer, creative director, and artist. His portfolio leans towards high-end sound clients, which helps to explain the hypnotic wave form that fluctuates behind the content of this beautifully designed site.

Ester

We love the hand-drawn quality of the illustrations and animations on Ester’s site. The color scheme feels modern and suitably unisex, and we like the way its portfolio is presented in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner.

Goodfish

Crispy fish skins don’t leap to mind when we’re planning which chips to buy, but that’s what Goodfish is selling. The lettering, artwork, and copy are all enough to make us at least try it. Who knows, perhaps the taste matches the health benefits.

Limnia

Limnia is a making a name for itself in fashion circles for its modular jewellery. Its site does a great job of showcasing its product range with fullscreen video, and we love the way the content is divided up with a strong grid to mimic the product’s modularity.

Outer Reach

Stretching is so important for our physical, and mental health, but so many of us get it wrong, or don’t bother at all. Outer Reach is aiming to change that, and we love the way its hero video rotates through perspectives, as if we were already stretching.

Forward

Forward Journal is an online magazine dedicated to creativity. Unlike most blogs out there, it publishes rarely, and in editions, giving it the feel of a traditional print magazine and heightening the sense of occasion by limiting availability.

Minervo

There’s a distinctly latin feel to the Minervo website from Ecuador. The hot pinks and the sun-blasted desaturation of the color scheme feels suitably South American. We love the cropping on the custom typeface.

Helo

If there’s one thing we hate more than coding for IE, it’s coding for email. Helo is an email testing and debugging tool. Its site is an excellent example of how to do responsive design right.

Midi Fighter

Midi Fighter make a range of physical inputs for DJs and musicians who need reliable, and fun equipment for performing. The colorful site uses subtle illustration to expertly add dynamism to otherwise static product shots.

Future London Academy

There’s a long-standing, and highly respected tradition in this blog series that anyone who makes good use of yellow gets in. Future London Academy certainly does that, but what we really love here is the depth created by the typography.

Abbotsford Convent

Abbotsford Convent is a creative arts venue in Melbourne, Australia, situated in a former convent building. To honor the heritage the shapes employed in the UI blend creative motion, with architectural forms.

Lucky Beard

Lucky Beard has a surprisingly restrained color palette considering its penchant for bold statements. It’s hard to go wrong with animated geometry, and we really like the fact that the navigation has been relocated to the right.

USSR Design Almanac

The Soviet Union was, for a brief period — before Stalin denounced modernism as decadent — the world’s first design super-power. The USSR Design Almanac is a fascinating overview of this extraordinary, and often overlooked history.

East Fork

Okay we admit it, when we first came across East Fork’s website we thought it was about chocolate. Look closer and you’ll see these guys offer some really high-class home products, not least their unique pottery.

Source

p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;}
.alignleft {float:left;}
p.showcase {clear:both;}
body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;}

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/QTgx9Xm_JF0/

When you find the need to put together a presentation, it’s vital to have a solid template at your disposal. This is especially the case when preparing a pitch deck. After all, this is going to be someone’s first impression of you, your business, or your project. It’s key that whatever template you choose is high-quality and eye-catching.

That’s why we’ve done the hard part for you and sourced 16 pitch deck templates that offer real functionality and look great doing it. Each of these have a slightly different look that can be utilized for a wide range of businesses or projects.

Your Web Designer Toolbox
Unlimited Downloads: 500,000+ Web Templates, Icon Sets, Themes & Design Assets

DOWNLOAD NOW

Pitch Deck Keynote Presentation

This pitch deck offers a clean layout with a definitive style that can serve your presentation well. It’s got a lot of whitespace but plenty of key feature sections that can make your content stand out.

Nia Pitch Deck

The Nia Pitch Deck is lovely to look at. The layouts utilize angles to stunning effect to make your content look unique. It can be used for corporate work but skips the traditional boxy design.

Business Pitch Deck Keynote

Another option is the Business Pitch Deck Keynote. This one makes stunning use of a grayscale layout with colorful punctuation to make a statement.

Pitch Deck Powerpoint Template

If you’re looking for something clean, the Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template is a nice choice. Create bulleted lists, colorful charts, graphs, icons, and more.

Pitch Werk

Pitch Werk is another great option for making a presentation that makes an impact. Drop shadow effects on images, unique chart options, and image gallery layouts offer diversity in presentation.

Manola Pitch Deck Keynote Presentation

Or you can use the Manola presentation that offers an all-business pitch deck layout that gets your point across without being boring.

Lyon – Presentation Deck Template

The Lyon pitch deck is super simple but has the benefit of offering plenty of color options for backgrounds, text, and charts.

Pitch Deck Powerpoint Template

Your pitch deck will look professional and sophisticated if you use this option. It offers interesting design elements, however, that make it stand out. Check out the angular graphics on that pricing table slide, for instance.

Matrix – Minimal Powerpoint Presentation Template

If a darker look is more your thing, the Matrix PPT is lovely. Use full-width images, add delicate overlaid text and icons and more to get the effect you want.

Startup Pitch Deck Presentation

The Startup Pitch Deck Presentation offers plenty of colorful backgrounds, text options, and stylized numbering and graphics to keep your audience engaged.

Pitch Deck

The Scofe Pitch Deck is corporate-looking, with lots of whitespace, room for charts and maps, as well as a unified color story.

Pitch Deck Powerpoint Template

Another option worth checking out is this Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template. With curved graphical elements and interesting image segmentation, your presentation will be as engaging as it is informative.

Pitch Deck Keynote Template

This option includes 32 slides with a variety of style and layout choices. Include images, statistics, maps, charts and graphs, image overlays, bullet points, and more.

Spielburg – Pitch Deck

Still another choice is this Spielburg pitch deck. Its large, bold headings make it easy for your audience to stay abreast of the topic at hand. In addition, the easy flow of information is concise and attractive.

Bright Pitch Deck Keynote

You may also wish to consider the Bright Pitch Deck, which uses bold and bright colors to draw you in. Who ever said presentations have to be boring?

Fintech Startup Pitch Deck Presentation

Last on our list is the Fintech Startup Pitch Deck Presentation. This one offers bright, solid color to engage the eye, all while using subtle color variants to overlay text boxes, charts, and graphics. This one uses the best of web design to create a familiar presentation layout that works.

Getting Started with Pitch Deck Templates

Pitch deck templates can help you immensely when trying to put together a presentation that appeals to your target audience. Without it, you’ll be tasked with spending a lot of time custom designing something when you could be spending that time carrying out other operations of your company.

Hopefully, this collection of pitch deck templates will guide you toward an option that suits your needs and truly best represents what you’re about.

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/Ct5xTPNH1uQ/

Modern websites need to look and function well on every screen. That’s not exactly a newsflash, as web designers have been told this for years. But there is more than one way to go about accomplishing it, such as adaptive design and responsive design, which we will discuss in this article.

There can be some confusion when it comes to the terminology used to describe these techniques. As with so many aspects of design and development, we are inundated with buzzwords. Sometimes they become so mixed up that we (mistakenly) use them interchangeably. True, both adaptive and responsive design share a similar end goal: to ensure a great user experience on large screens, small screens and everything in-between. But they take very different approaches to get there.

Today, we’ll dig into those differences in an effort to help you choose the right solution for your projects.

What is Responsive Design?

The more commonly-used of the two techniques, responsive design rearranges content based on browser size.

CSS media queries are used to set one or more breakpoints – viewport resolutions at which selected elements of a website adjust accordingly. Breakpoints are often set to mimic the screen sizes of popular mobile devices, including phones and tablets.

One common example of this would be responsive navigation. Think of a full-width navigation bar displaying on larger screens (laptops and desktops). As the viewport shrinks, the menu could conceivably be set to adjust any number of ways to make use of the space available. Then, on the smallest of mobile screens, that same navigation is then hidden beneath a “hamburger” menu.

Responsive multi-column layouts are also quite popular. Designers often configure them to “stack” on top of each other on smaller screens. On mid-sized screens such as tablets, columns may remain in-tact or partially stack. The feature is actually built into CSS specifications such as Flexbox, which automatically adjusts columns according to screen real estate.

Advantages of Responsive Design

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using responsive design techniques is that users get essentially the same website on every device. That continuity allows frequent visitors to more easily find what they’re looking for.

In addition, adding responsive elements to CSS is relatively straightforward. It’s a matter of taking what’s on the big screen and adjusting accordingly for various breakpoints. Even older websites designed before the smartphone revolution can be retrofitted without too much trouble.

Lastly, since the content and URL of a given page is the same throughout the full spectrum of viewports, a responsive design is better for SEO. Thanks to that consistency, search engines tend to handle these websites a bit better.

Disadvantages

Going responsive is not all good news. Some website layouts may be fine on a big screen, but are more difficult to manage on smaller viewports.

Massive amounts of scrolling might be necessary – even if that isn’t quite as taboo as it used to be. Also, some interactive or code-heavy elements may simply be too slow and cumbersome to use on a phone.

What is Adaptive Design?

Adaptive design, also referred to as “progressive enhancement”, is the process of creating several fixed layouts for various screen sizes. In essence, a designer could create completely different experiences for phones, tablets and desktops.

The idea is that you start with something very basic and then “enhance” the experience for larger screens. The more screen real estate a user has, the more bells and whistles will become available.

One way to visualize the difference between adaptive and responsive design: observe how a given website reacts as you resize your web browser on a desktop device.

A responsive website will continually adjust content as you reach specific breakpoints. Columns may stack, containers and typography may scale.

With an adaptive website, there is an absence of a constantly-shifting layout. Instead, new breakpoints may bring completely new layouts – and thus, even some potential differences in content. For example, some items deemed unnecessary on a phone may be removed altogether.

Advantages of Adaptive Design

Implementing an adaptive design means really putting users first. By crafting a separate experience for a specific screen size, designers can limit the pain points that often come with responsive sites.

Mobile users, for instance, will see only the design and content elements that are relevant to them. The website should, in theory, be easier to navigate and content easier to digest on that smaller, touch-enabled screen.

Then, as more screen size and computing power come into play, those extra features are added in. Adaptive design is understanding that the web is not one-size-fits-all.

Disadvantages

Because you’re creating separate experiences, implementing adaptive design techniques can be very time-consuming. This is especially of concern for projects that are on a tight budget, deadline or both.

Then there is also the potential for an inconsistent user experience. Attention to detail is incredibly important here, as a website will need to provide a separate-but-similar look, feel and functionality. Missing a detail or making a few poor decisions in the design process could hamper the ability to use the website on one or more devices.

Speaking of devices, new ones are being released all the time. Some have unique viewports and could conceivably be served the “wrong” layout. Therefore, it may require routine checks to ensure your site is working with the latest technology.

SEO is also a concern for sites that serve up mobile-only editions using “m.yoursite.com” and the like. That won’t come into play in every situation, but still worth considering if your project is affected.

Choosing the Right Design Technique

How do you know which technique is the best fit for your project? In many cases, it may be a matter of time and money. To that end, responsive designs are quicker and cheaper to implement.

If you’re using third-party products like WordPress themes – which often come with responsive styles –  that decision has already been made for you.

However, adaptive design still has its place. For larger websites that have the budget and time resources, designers can craft an outstanding experience for every device using adaptive techniques.

Either way, the bottom line is ensuring that your website works well for every user. Thankfully, there are two highly-proven methods to make it a reality: adaptive or responsive design.

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/mHsqDL507q8/

These days, lots of people have found themselves working from home for the first time. Some have had to quickly transition from a traditional office to a remote one. With that can come a number of challenges.

Just carving out a space of your own can be tough. Then there are the struggles associated with scheduling, communication and trying not to alienate your household. It’s uncharted territory for sure.

But just because working from home is novel to you doesn’t mean you get a pass on productivity. There are still things that need to get done and bills to pay.

Today, we’ll share some tips to help you get the most out of that new home office.

The Freelance Designer Toolbox

Unlimited Downloads: 500,000+ Web Templates, Icon Sets, Themes & Design Assets
All starting at only $16.50 per month

DOWNLOAD NOW

Declare Your Space

The first part of the equation is in finding a place to work. This depends so much on your living situation.

Ideally, you’d already have an office setup or at least a spare room. Even a basement or an attic will do, provided they have the amenities you need.

In these cases, working from home becomes that much easier. A little bit of isolation can be a good thing as it helps you to focus on work without interruption. But this is not the case for everyone.

You might instead be stuck trying to write code at the kitchen table (complete with kids and pets running about). What then?

It’s going to be tough, but you have to make the best of the situation. You’ll have to claim some space for work purposes – at least during working hours. Set some guidelines for others and (kindly) help them understand your needs.

The important thing to remember is that this isn’t going to be perfect. Adjusting to a new working space is a process and will take some time. Eventually, it will start to feel more comfortable.

Set a Schedule, Create a Routine

Because you’re now working in a completely different environment, your daily rituals are bound to be thrown into disarray. The more distractions at home, the more wayward your schedule becomes.

Still, you’ll want to dedicate blocks of time exclusively to getting things done. It may not be the same as what you were used to. You might even have to split your workday into multiple shifts to accommodate children. There’s absolutely no shame in it. Clients and colleagues alike are probably facing similar situations.

Flexibility is going to be key in this area. Staying rigid and expecting things to go exactly as they did in your old office is going to be stressful. Instead, focus on what works best for you and your family. If you have to take a couple of hours off in the middle of the day, so be it.

That being said, look to establish consistency where you can. That means doing the same things at the same time each day, when possible. This will at least get you into a daily rhythm – which is a huge help when you have a job that requires creativity.

Stock up on Supplies

Web design and development can be done from just about anywhere. Yet, transitioning to a home-based office may require some sacrifices when it comes to hardware and software.

If you work for an agency, they may provide you with a powerhouse desktop computer and all the high-end apps you need. Out of the office, you might well be on your own to some degree.

This is actually a pretty big deal. We often set up our workflows in very specific ways. A disruption here means using unfamiliar tools with less-powerful devices to run them. There’s a certain amount of frustration that goes along with the territory.

Therefore, workflow may be the one area where mimicking your physical office makes the most sense. Even if you don’t necessarily have access to the same level of hardware, grab as many of your go-to apps as possible.

The familiarity will help you accomplish tasks without having to search out completely new methods.

Let the Positives Inspire You

Well, maybe you are stuck working on your couch and it’s far from ideal. But what are the bright spots? Perhaps your pet is by your side. Or your little one is drawing you a picture. There are still reasons to smile.

Sometimes, it’s all too easy to dwell on how we think things should be. That doesn’t lend itself to productivity, though.

Instead, look for the good things about your situation – no matter what they are. Something as simple as getting to listen to the music you want can stir up creative energy. The same can be said for taking the laptop out into the backyard.

Working from home is actually a pretty great opportunity. It’s a way to look at things through a different lens. And you may just find out why so many web designers prefer it to a brick-and-mortar office. There’s a certain freedom that you can’t get anywhere else.

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Designrfix/~3/tmkSuoiDTHE/why-students-can-be-good-at-social-media-marketing

Social media marketing isn’t just chatting on Facebook and posting cool pictures on Instagram. It is a modern discipline that demands particular skills and knowledge. And the students happen to possess the right skill set that develops naturally. Let’s see what it is! 1. Online communication culture Students, especially those who use distant learning a […]

The post Why students can be good at social media marketing appeared first on designrfix.com.