Archive for category: Random Stories

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/0UZO-ek0L5E/

The goal of any admin area (a.k.a. “Dashboard”;) should be to provide all the functions a user needs and doing so with their ease-of-use in mind. Using the popular Bootstrap framework, you can create an administration area that excels in both form and function.

Here are 10 free Bootstrap-based themes that will help to turn your custom admin area into a user-friendly powerhouse.

All the Admin Templates You Could Ask For

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AdminLTE

AdminLTE is a lightweight theme that prides itself on being both beautiful and useful. It’s fully responsive, includes a selection of six skins and is even optimized for printing.

Material Dashboard

Built with Google’s Material Design in mind, Material Dashboard is clean and colorful. The UI is inspired a bit by layered sheets of paper and uses light, surface and movement to create an easy-to-use dashboard.

AdminBSB – Material Design

Those looking for a very Google-like interface will love AdminBSB – Material Design. It follows the principles of Material Design while providing users with a familiar-looking GUI.

BootFlat Admin

BootFlat Admin features an attractive and easy-to-navigate dashboard area. As its name indicates, it uses the BootFlat flat UI kit.

Klorofil

Klorofil features lots of useful elements such as charts, timelines, notifications and ready-to-use page templates. It provides you with all the basics you’ll need to build a perfect backend to your site or web-based app.

Shoppy E commerce Admin Panel

Using vibrant colors and a flat UI, Shoppy is a great choice for a custom eCommerce dashboard. It’s fully responsive and includes lots of goodies like buttons, icons and animated charts.

Paper Dashboard

Unlike a lot of admin themes out there, Paper Dashboard is quite subtle in its use of color. That leads to a beautiful UI that may have a bit more of a calming effect than other, more cluttered choices.

Bluebox

There’s something to be said for simplicity in color scheme. Bluebox does it to near perfection in that the consistent use of blue makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. It comes with lots of UI elements while supporting Google Fonts and Fontawesome Icons.

Blocks – Single Page Admin

Blocks takes a different approach to the admin screen by utilizing a fully-widgetized UI. Also gone is the ubiquitous left-side navigation in favor of a much more subtle menu across the top. This just goes to show that there is more than one way to create an appealing admin layout.

Free Responsive Horizontal Admin

Free Responsive Horizontal Admin also eschews the standard left menu. The theme also makes nice use of white space and sports a muted color scheme. This could be a solid choice for those who need a more simple and minimal type of dashboard.

Admin Themes That Help You Take Control

Admin areas have, to some degree, gotten a bit stale – especially when you look at what some popular CMS are doing. Part of their problem is that you don’t necessarily want to make radical changes to a UI that millions are comfortable with.

So the real innovations are coming in the form of the roll-your-own dashboards, like the ones featured above. Building your own admin can free you up to take a few more chances than the bigger players out there. These Bootstrap-based themes are proof that there is still a lot of room for both improvement and different ideas.

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/abduzeedo/~3/iDjb__0FbhY/fresh-new-brand-identity-sweet-films

Fresh New Brand Identity for Sweet Films

abduzeedo
Jun 26, 2018

 

Elvis Benício and Diego Bolgioni were invited to create a new brand identity for Sweet Films. The goal of this rebranding was to adapt to the new strategic position and vision of the studio and communicate the message to the market. Sweet Films is a Brazilian boutique studio specialized in video production for advertisements. The design solution that they created included dynamic visual elements made up of fresh components and a new typeface.

The final deliverables included a visual identity guideline book, website (UI/UX), stationery and animated signature.

Credits
Motion graphic: Rafael Fernandes /
Graphic Design: Elvis Benicio, Diego Bolgioni
Brand identity

Concept.

After going through many possible ideas about shapes and graphic concept Diego and Elvis realized that it could be interesting to build a metaphorical connection with a fly (as a client) and something that looks yummy (sweet). From this starting point, everything pumped up in their minds and the process began to be playful, upbeat and consistent. The project was approved with success by the client without any changes. (all in!)

Stationery.

Social kit

Visual elements

Website

Signature

Before / after

branding

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/abduzeedo/~3/9lGDvEOeV1o/visual-design-inspiration-your-monday-morning

Visual Design Inspiration for your Monday Morning

abduzeedo
Jul 02, 2018

Monday is always the perfect day to spend some time to collect some visual design inspiration and set some goals for the week. With that in mind, there’s nothing better than getting tons of references. In the past, I used to go through books and magazines, but with the web now things are way easier. So for this post, I would like to share some of the UI design inspiration I have been collecting during the weekend for the upcoming redesign of Abduzeedo, which I will have more to share very soon. 

So for this post, I would like to share some references in web design, app design or simply put, pure design inspiration.

Visual Design Inspiration

visual design

Original Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/1stwebdesigner/~3/CI9_9MXM-Lc/

You can add some pretty crazy image sliders into your project with basic jQuery or even with free WordPress plugins.

They all have their own unique animations, custom interfaces and features. But if you can’t find what you want in a plugin, then you may be forced to build it yourself.

That’s what many of the developers featured below did when they built these incredible 3D-animated sliders. Here are 10 of my favorites from CodePen.

Slicebox

See the Pen Slicebox – 3D Image Slider by codefactory (@codefactory) on CodePen.

You’ve probably seen or heard of Slicebox before. This is a popular 3D slideshow plugin and it’s by far one of the most detailed.

This pen offers a live demo of the animated slider in action with most of the features still intact. It all runs on jQuery, while this specific demo works with just 50 lines of JavaScript.

But you can find an even more detailed example on the Codrops site. I’m a huge fan of this slider. If you’re looking for something with crazy 3D effects – this is your best bet.

Rotating Page Slider

See the Pen Rotating 3D Slider by Nikolay Talanov (@suez) on CodePen.

Developer Nikolay Talanov created this rotating slider with some very detailed JavaScript and even more complex HTML/CSS classes.

His code actually follows the BEM naming conventions for CSS, which use a double underline to separate blocks from containers. This makes it a lot easier to skim the code once you understand what you’re looking at.

But this slider may not work for everyone because it rotates the entire page rather than just a part of the page.

Still, it’s a really cool effect that would work very well on specific projects.

Smooth Perspective Slider

See the Pen Smooth 3d perspective slider by Alex Nozdriukhin (@alexnoz) on CodePen.

If you love parallax design on the web, then have a look at this slider created by Alex Nozdriukhin.

As you move your cursor around the page you’ll notice the slideshow element responds in kind. As you rotate your way through the elements, notice the custom animation effects.

This really is pretty smooth and it’s a darn creative use of web animation. However, you may have trouble finding a project that is a good fit for this type of slideshow.

3D Effects with jQuery

See the Pen jQuery 3D Effect Slider by victor (@vkanet) on CodePen.

This basic slider is proof that you can build something great with just a little bit of jQuery. It works on a timer interval, but can also be controlled with the included navigation arrows or dots.

It’s all pretty easy to customize if you’re looking to restyle the animation, as well. Just make sure that you’re up-to-date on the latest jQuery techniques before diving into this code.

3D Flipping Image

See the Pen 3D Flip Image Slideshow by Nik Lanús (@niklanus) on CodePen.

One interesting aspect of this pen is that it doesn’t work exactly like a slideshow. It’s built more to showcase the animation rather than a typical slider UI.

Still, I’d say that developer Nik Lanús has created an amazing design with a very attractive flipping animation.

You can force the images to flip by scrolling up or down on the page (this can all be controlled in jQuery). But it’ll take some work to move this animation effect into a full-blown image slider.

3D Cube Slider

See the Pen 3D Cube slider. Pure CSS. by Ilya K. (@fornyhucker) on CodePen.

I’ve never seen anything quite like this on the web – it has to be one of a kind.

With this 3D cube, you may be surprised how accurate and smooth the animations feel. Note that this script is a bit heavy, so you may have to give the pen a minute to load in.

But here’s the great part: this entire 3D cube animation works on pure CSS. No JavaScript required. How great is that?

Carousel Using TweenMax.js & jQuery

See the Pen 3D Carousel Using TweenMax.js & jQuery by John Blazek (@johnblazek) on CodePen.

You can build some incredible things with custom libraries like TweenMax.

One such example is this carousel, which works just like a typical 3D rotating album you’d expect to find in iTunes. The whole thing is controlled via JavaScript and it works with one of the many TweenMax animations.

Granted, this demo just uses placeholder text for each block – so it’s not all that pretty to look at. But you can easily swap out the text and create one heck of a custom carousel.

3D Slider in Pure CSS

See the Pen PURE CSS 3D SLIDER by Dmitriy Panfilov (@panfilov) on CodePen.

Here’s another radical slider with a super unique interface. This CSS3 slider is built on just HTML and CSS – making it even more impressive.

Creator Dmitriy Panfilov built this like an album stack where you click any of the lower elements to bring it into the foreground. It’s not your typical slideshow interface but it can work very well on websites with enough space.

But this really feels more like a practice project just to prove how much you can do with a little CSS ingenuity.

3D Image Gallery

See the Pen 3D images gallery by Bobby (@ImBobby) on CodePen.

If you’re looking for a rotating carousel with a smaller frame, check out this code snippet.

It works via CSS3 transforms and really does feel like it’s embedded into the page in 3D space. Note that the images may also take a few seconds to load, so it may require some patience on your part.

But what I like most about this snippet its portability. You can reformat the container element to whatever size you’d like – making this flexible and easy to add into any layout.

10. Carousel Cubed

See the Pen 3D Cube Carousel by Derek Wheelden (@frxnz) on CodePen.

Yup, another crazy cube carousel with some pretty whacky code.

This design created by Derek Wheelden relies on Sass and Bourbon mixins to simplify the animations. But all of the jQuery code is built from scratch, so you can easily reuse it without any preprocessing.

Again, this may not prove incredibly useful for every project you build. But the design is flashy enough to grab attention and certainly usable in the majority of modern web browsers.

This is just the tip of the iceberg with 3D effects on the web. If you’d like to see more, have a peek in CodePen for plenty of awesome 3D snippets that you can work with.

Original Source: https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2018/07/should-freelancers-join-a-professional-network/

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 person that will serve as a mentor to you. Professional groups often include members from all different career levels and that have varying experience. There’s a lot to learn from each other.

Professional groups of a more general nature—not field specific—can also come with benefits. These groups are also good for cultivating relationships, but rather than staying on top of design trends and changes, you might actually develop new clients with these connections.

Get Access to Development and Training

Affiliation with a professional group often comes with perks such as free or discounted training opportunities. From live training sessions and speakers to webinars and online training, this is often a major benefit of a professional group.

Professional organizations at a local level are often part of a larger, national organization, which provides many of these opportunities to members. Many groups also include large national directories and access to discounts – from health insurance to web hosting – for members, depending on the organization. These opportunities can often make training and tools that might seem expensive more accessible and affordable (even free in some instances).

Development and training can also extend to national events. Most bigger organizations have local, regional and national gatherings. These conferences are a breeding ground for training and large-scale networking. Often the most active members of an organization at the local level have easy access to these events (and the parent organization often will help foot the bill for participants).

“Free” Promotion for Your Brand

Think of professional networking as “free” promotion for your brand or freelance design or web development business. The more people you meet and talk with about work, the more opportunities you have to generate new business.

Whenever meeting with members of a professional organization, you should always be networking. Engaging in projects with the group will also show others how well you collaborate and what you are good at. (This can result in more freelance work and referrals from group members.)

Make sure to take advantage of opportunities to show off as well. Most professional organizations have some type of honors or awards each year. Make sure to enter your work. Whether you win or not, it puts your name and projects in front of your full organization and a panel of judges. (There’s no better opportunity to show the work you do to a wide – and industry connected – audience.)

Get Involved in the Community Locally and Nationally

A linkage to a professional organization is an easy way to get involved in the design community locally and nationally. You’ve got an immediate network and connection to an established group with events, public service projects and common goals. While not all groups are part of larger organizations, many are. Look for local or affiliated chapters of organizations such as these:

AIGA, the professional organization for design
Freelancers Union
International Web Association
International Council of Design
Graphic Artists Guild
Association of Registered Graphic Designers
The HTML Writers Guild
Interaction Design Association

How to Find a Professional Group That Fits You

Finding the right professional group can take a little time.

Start by looking for organizations that are rooted in things you believe in. What is the mission of the organization? What do they support or promote and is that in line with your goals?
Then look at the meeting and event schedule. Does it work with your calendar? There’s no point in joining an organization if you know you’ll never make any of the meetings.
Attend with a friend. Do you know someone already involved with a specific group? Most organizations allow potential members to visit an event or meeting without a financial commitment; ask a friend if you can tag along.
Think about the budget. Can you afford dues or costs associated with the organization? Costs to join professional networks range from free to hundreds of dollars annually.
Look at the big picture. Does the group have ties to a bigger national organization? It’s almost like interviewing for a job; do you see the potential for personal/professional growth?

When Not to Join a Professional Group

Professional networking groups are not one size fits all. Don’t feel like you have to be a member of a group just because it relates to your field. Professional networking groups and associations only help your resume if you are active and involved. Don’t join a group if:

You don’t connect with current members. Just like workplaces, professional groups have a culture of their own. Find people who feel like part of your tribe.
You don’t believe in the mission or projects the group takes on.
The organization has a bad reputation in your community.
You don’t plan on actually participating.
You don’t get value from membership. (This can happen with the best professional groups over time and sometimes you need to “phase out” of a current role and move on to something else.)

Conclusion

When making a choice to join a professional networking group, look for an organization with ties or a chapter where you live. You’ll almost always get more out of an organization where you get actual face time with other members than an organization that’s all online.

While there are benefits to both kinds of groups, make sure to pick a group that you actually benefit from personally or professionally and that you want to be a part of. You should want to go to meetings and events and spend time working with other members. That’s the true test as to whether a professional networking group is right for you.

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