Awesome Sites for Finding Web Design Jobs

In our economy there are a lot of designers and developers looking for work, whether it is full-time employment, contract work, or freelance opportunities. Fortunately, there are a number of great places to find these types of positions. In this post we'll look at several sites that include specialized job boards that include web/graphic design and web development opportunities...

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from Vandelay Design http://www.vandelaydesign.com/web-design-jobs/

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from Web Design Ledger https://webdesignledger.com/hostgator-giveaway/

Video Overlay Effect in Premiere Pro

In this tutorial, we’re going to learn how to create a video overlay effect in Adobe Premiere Pro.

The Steps (1-11)

1. Create a New Project in Premiere Pro.

2. Go to File > Import and select the video footage that you wish to import into the project.

3. Drag the imported footage on to the Timeline to create a Sequence. The settings for the Sequence will be determined by the footage that you are importing.

4. To create the colour overlay, go to Title > New Title > Default Still, and specify a name for the new Title.

5. Once the workspace appears for the new title screen, select the Rectangle Tool and create a shape that is 100% the height and width of the workspace. There are a number of different options that can also be specified on the right-hand side in the Title Properties window.

6. Select the Fill Type dropdown, and change Solid to Linear Gradient. On the Gradient Slider displayed below, Double-click each of the swatches individually to select a different colour.

7. Left-click anywhere on the Gradient Slider to add a new colour swatch on to the gradient. Similarly, you can Left-click and Drag an existing swatch off of the Gradient Slider to remove it altogether.

8. For this tutorial, Double-click both of the default swatches on the Gradient Slider, and set one swatch to pink, and the other swatch to purple. Both colours should now blend into one-another seamlessly.

9. At the top of the Title Properties window, you can also adjust the Opacity to allow the video footage to show through the gradient overlay that we’ve created. For this tutorial, the Opacity was set to 70%.

10. Left-click the ‘x’ in the title bar at the top of the screen to exit out of the title workspace and return to the main project view (doing this will not close the application).

11. The new Title should now be listed in the Project Folder, and can be dragged on to the Timeline. Drag the newly created Title on to the Timeline above the existing footage. By default, the Title will have a preset length, but by Left-clicking and dragging on the right end of the Title, this can be increased/decreased to match the length of the footage underneath.

Download Adobe Premiere Pro.

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from Web Design Ledger https://webdesignledger.com/video-overlay-effect-premiere-pro/

WDL Shop: Get a 1-year subscription to Adobe CC Photography Plan

Looking to perfect your photo editing skills? This week on the WebDesignLedger Shop, we’re featuring a 1-year Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan + Training Bundle for only $129.99. That’s an 89% discount off the sticker price of $1,200! This bundle gives you full access to the benefits of the Adobe community with access to an extensive library of video tutorials to get you up to speed quickly and help master new skills.

 

What’s included:

• Photoshop and Lightroom 12-month subscription. Perfect to help you fine-tune your photo editing skills. ($120 value)
• Photoshop CC Camera Raw Training ($180 value)
• Photoshop CC Color Management Training ($180 value)
• Photoshop CC Fundamentals Training ($180 value)
• Photoshop CC Selections Training ($180 value)
• Lightroom CC/6 Fundamentals Training ($180 value)
• Lightroom CC/6 Slideshow Training ($180 value)

Your subscription will be available for instant digital download after purchase. There are 5 days left to grab this amazing Adobe bundle so hurry to the WebDesignLedger Shop before it’s before it’s gone!

 

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from Web Design Ledger https://webdesignledger.com/1-year-subscription-adobe-cc-photography-plan/

Best Business Analytics Tools You Shouldn’t Miss

The ultimate goal of any business is profit, and a crucial step toward that goal begins with consistent analysis of consumer behavior. For effective analysis, businesses often look to top-notch business analytics tools.

The modern market is saturated with available analytics tools. Available programs vary in price, structure, and user interface. The tool that best fits your needs may differ, depending on your goals, making the final decision a challenge.

If you’ve found yourself wishing you could view and compare analytics programs in one place, wish no more. Below you will find a collection of varying business analytics tools and information regarding each. ..

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from Vandelay Design http://www.vandelaydesign.com/business-analytics-tools/

Multi-Color Gradients in Adobe Muse

Add Multi-Color Gradients to your Adobe Muse website. No Coding Skills Required.

 

In this tutorial I go over how to add a multi-color gradient to your Adobe Muse website. We will be using the “Gradient Background” widget found at http://museforyoushop.com.

1. Drag and drop the “Gradient Background” widget onto your Adobe Muse website from the library panel. If you do not see the library panel go to Window—>Library.

2. If you would like to add a gradient to the background of your website type in “html” in the graphic style section.

3. Click on “Drag Gradients” in the widget to visit the “Drag Gradients” website. Here you can create a custom gradient background with as many colors as you’d like. There are also a few presets that you can choose from.

4. Copy the “Drag Gradients” code and paste into the “Gradient Background” widget.

5. Preview page in browser and view the gradient background on your website.

6. If you would like to assign a gradient to an individual element on your Adobe Muse website simply assign a graphic style name to the element via the graphic styles panel, and change the graphic style name in the widget to match the element. This will assign the gradient to that element. This works well with rectangles or circles added using the rectangle tool or ellipse tool in Adobe Muse.

7. Done.

Gradients can add a nice touch to your website. One of my favorite designs is the multi-color gradients used at http://stripe.com. Now with the “Gradient Background” widget you can add a similar effect to your Adobe Muse website.

Watch the video above for a demonstration on how to add multi-color gradients to your Adobe Muse website.

For more video tutorials and widgets for Adobe Muse visit: http://museforyoushop.com.

Happy Musing :).

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from Web Design Ledger https://webdesignledger.com/multi-color-gradients-adobe-muse/

What Website Makers Have Been Missing Until Now

Written by Kira Goldring

When the first cell phone was created in 1973, no one would have guessed that just forty years later the majority of the population would unfailingly rely on them for a plethora of things that have nothing to do with calling another person. In the last decade or so, a device that began as a means of communicating with others on the go has morphed into a mini-computer that can be carried around in your pocket, answer most of your questions, and entertain you ’till the sun goes down. And carried they are; these ubiquitous smartphones have generated a forty percent increase in mobile phone users over the last fifteen years, for the underlying reason that they serve our needs. Yes, that 1973 cell phone was a wonderful first step for mankind, but it was apparent that that’s all it was: a first step. The smartphone, on the other hand, was the real prize.

In the realm of DIY website making, we are still stuck on that first step; we’ve only succeeded insofar as to create basic websites to self-market our brands, a nice feat in itself but not even close to enough. What we are still lacking is the autonomy to push the boundaries of website making; if we want to add things like an online database or web applications to our websites, we’re right back at square one—needing to appeal to external, expensive resources, hire third-party developers or acquire widgets to do the job for us. It’s time to revolutionize the way we think about website makers and the capabilities they afford us, to realize that what they allow us to do barely scratches the surface of what we need to be able to accomplish independently. Until now, website building has just been the pretty face on a much bigger canvas that has never been painted before: a complete online business environment.

 

For the first time in website-making history, Simbla has bravely jumped into the revolutionary bath and came out unscathed, by integrating a UI/UX environment with a brand new online database that can also produce web-based applications. This unprecedented combination is what will drive the future of website making, i.e. the ability for SMBs to create an entire online business environment by themselves, without having to turn to outside sources for help.

Before we broach the subject of this unparalleled database, let’s explore some of Simbla’s more well-known features as a website maker. Their UI/UX platform encompasses a number of useful tools to assist anyone from beginner to expert in making their website:

• Responsive—The websites are compatible with both computer and mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets, so you only have to make your website once.
• Drag and Drop—So easy a baby could do it. Simply click on the design blocks you like, drag them wherever you want them positioned onto your page, and voila—your layout is complete. Unlike with some of the other website makers available, Simbla’s platform doesn’t lock the users in to using rigid or strict templates when choosing the design of their sites.
• SEO friendly—Because Simbla’s sites are HTML5 based, all the content you insert is read as text which is picked up by search engines like Google. On top of this, Simbla provides a number of features that further enhances your site’s SEO.
• Design tools—Graphic designers, you’ll enjoy this one! To ensure that your websites appear sleek, Simbla offers a theme maker, which will instantly change the overall look of your website while preserving the content, background images that include video backgrounds, and an easy-to-use parallax effect.

 

Designer heaven

 

But the newest and most key feature on top of all of this is the addition of an online database builder to Simbla’s website-making package. This means you can now create your own database tables, define columns, add records, organize the data in an efficient and intuitive manner, and control who has permission to access it and how, by managing who can modify, create, obtain and remove data sets. You’ll have the ability to decide who the users are and establish their roles, and you won’t be limited to choosing one setting for everyone; you can individually customize who can perform which actions by assigning rights to different users, such as “read,” “delete,” “create,” “get,” and “update.” Setting up the database and its permissions is simple, and it can be easily incorporated into your website.

 

The future of third-party web widgets is at stake here, because the database you create with Simbla will give you the option to use “database widgets” that will connect to your online database and allow you to do things like create a login page for registered users, create a search form filtering the returned results and allow users to view, edit and add records. The newly registered users will then be shown in the database area. Owing to the sizable amount of options the widgets offer, users can choose to combine these app widgets and create their own basic data-driven applications, or produce more complex ones by utilizing a custom JavaScript API to suit their individual needs for database requests. In addition to the tailored applications users can construct, Simbla is in the midst of creating ready-made web applications that users will be able to choose from to perform complex processes, such as managing leads and clients, controlling sale processes, utilizing a straightforward blog system and more.

New features on the way

 

This integration of web-based applications with a database builder and UI/UX environment is a mind-blowing leap for SMBs: Finally, the smartphone of website makers has arrived. The possibilities it can afford you as a business are vast, cementing the point that Simbla has journeyed where no other website maker has before. You can now have your cake and eat it too: It’s time to upgrade from simply making websites to establishing a complete online business environment—you owe it to yourself. Thanks to Simbla, your need has finally been met.

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Read More at What Website Makers Have Been Missing Until Now

from Web Design Ledger https://webdesignledger.com/website-makers-missing-now/

T-Shirt Guru’s Strange Recipe For Success

After five years running the online-only t-shirt company, Lonely Kids Club, Warwick Levy opened his first brick and mortar store this year. It’s a huge feat, especially for someone who describes himself as “the most disorganized, useless dude ever.” Levy is not a morning person. He’s not much of a mid-day person either. He doesn’t fit the mold of the stereotypical, up-and-at-em entrepreneur: the dogged business yogi with their life planned out on the latest calendar app.

And yet he’s managed not only to run a successful business; (within an oversaturated market no less) he’s managed to grow it, all while remaining committed to handmade local production with zero sweatshop involvement, a principle that sets the company apart from competitors while posing an added set of challenges...

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from Vandelay Design http://www.vandelaydesign.com/strange-recipe-success/

Best Resources To Find UI/UX Design Inspiration

Designing a custom interface from scratch is not a simple task. Even professional designers browse other interfaces for inspiration and idea generation. But it can be tough knowing where to look for this kind of inspiration, especially since the web is saturated with hundreds of design resources.

In this post I’d like to share a handful of resources to find free UI and UX design ideas online. These sites are all free to browse and frequently updated with new ideas.

Whether you’re designing for mobile apps or website layouts there’s no shortage of inspiration. You just have to know where to look to find the best stuff.

UI/UX Galleries

Whenever starting a new project one of my first destinations is a related inspiration gallery. These galleries curate designs and organize them based on subject matter, colors, design features, and other similar properties.

For website ideas I prefer siteInspire just for the humongous collection of 4000+ different websites in their gallery. You can search by subject matter, design styles, or just browse the whole collection page by page. But Unmatched Style is another decent choice.

Mobile designers have a little more to choose from because there are so many design mockups and quality mobile apps out there.

The difference is that most mobile apps follow design patterns rather than specific interface features. These patterns are easy to repeat once you understand how they work. But you really need to study mobile app design to put together working ideas.

Pttrns and Mobile Patterns are two websites both made to serve mobile designers. They showcase quality mobile app design patterns that you can repeat and restyle for your own applications.

Many of these patterns actually come from real applications showing designs from prominent app screens. This offers inspiration that’s not only beautiful but also feasible to re-create since an existing app already uses the interface in real life.

UI Parade is a similar concept but with spec mockups rather than real applications.

All of these mobile design galleries feature quality interface patterns, color schemes, typographic choices, and icon designs to help you build usable interfaces of your own. They can even influence website layouts in instances where the design patterns can be device-agnostic.

Another personal favorite of mine is UI Garage which catalogs mobile-specific interfaces and design patterns all in one place.

These galleries go to great lengths to help you search by category and UI element like signup forms, empty state pages, launch screens, and checkout forms(among dozens of other options).

UX Archive is somewhat unique in that it presents real application flows from start to finish. So you’re not just looking at the designs. You’re looking at the entire user experience flow moving from the first page to the last page.

This may not be as useful to interface designers, but UX designers & animators will really appreciate the storyboard-style layout of this gallery.

Another alternative is to peg down a niche specific inspiration gallery suited to your needs. There are so many great galleries on the web and new ones launch every day.

Here’s a handful of specific niche sites you might enjoy that target inspiration for unique digital interfaces.

• Media Queries — responsive website layout inspiration
• Really Good Emails — email newsletter inspiration
• Land Book — landing page inspiration
• Siiimple — minimalist web design inspiration
• iOSpirations — iOS and OS X app UI inspiration

Best Design Blogs

For more specific design galleries I’ll browse through blogs for showcases and hand-curated collections. These galleries get a lot more specific with ideas like feature film websites and targeted small business websites.

I’m always looking for blogs that actually have a unique inspiration category for organizing their galleries. You can find this on many big design blogs like Speckyboy, WhatPixel, Line25 and Hongkiat.

There is no right or wrong way so sort through these galleries. Some people might browse the category page by page, others might prefer to nitpick through inspiration galleries based on specific needs.

There’s almost no limit to how many custom inspiration galleries you’ll find on blogs.

The most useful galleries are categorized by certain design properties you’re looking for. These can include small business designs or specific colors or certain types of layouts(like minimalist or grunge or retro).

Even SpyreStudios has its own inspiration tag for browsing through websites and design galleries.

And it’s likely that all your favorite design blogs have their own inspiration categories too. You’ve just gotta find them and bookmark them for future reference.

Here are some honorable mentions for inspiration categories on other design blogs.

• Smashing Magazine
• Vandelay Design
• Creative Overflow

Design Communities

I’m surprised how few design communities are online in today’s age. While there aren’t a large number of these communities, the ones that are online really pack a punch.

Dribbble is the most populated and offers the most volume when it comes to design inspiration. Users upload new content every single day and there’s likely over a million unique shots of mobile apps, website layouts, and other product/illustration designs.

I also like Behance although it’s admittedly lower quality than Dribbble. Behance is a completely free network while Dribbble is invite-only so they both have different content requirements for publishing. However they’re both fantastic options and if you’re looking for inspiration you should consider browsing through both.

Sometimes I’ll also check out the Awwwards galleries since many of them are hand-curated by a combination of user votes and editorial votes.

Awwwards has its own blog with inspiration galleries there too. But the site’s main purpose is to showcase the best designs from around the web.

The problem with Awwwards is that many of the designs tend to “push the limits” of traditional interface concepts. This means you probably won’t find classic layouts in the site, but rather examples of experimental or avant garde designs.

It’s still one of the best communities for design inspiration so it belongs in this list. Just be wary of how many ideas you borrow since the designs can be rather intense.

And lastly there’s the newer social news community of Designer News. This community is 100% powered by user voting so the links end up on the front page based on popularity of the community.

Many of the posts do relate to product launches and breaking news. But often times you’ll find a post with the prefix “Site Design”. This means it’s a post showcasing a specific design(or redesign) of a website.

I’m a huge fan of Designer News and I think the post quality is incredible. If you’ve never checked it out before then I’d give it a very high recommendation.

Social Profiles

Very few social networks offer prominent inspirational content. But the few that do are fantastic. Twitter and Facebook are big networks but they’re made for communication and branding rather than inspiration.

One great choice is Instagram where you can actually search via their native web API. For example you can search the tag wireframes to find wireframe sketches posted to Instagram.

In that process you might stumble onto a cool wireframes IG account which specializes in posting wireframe inspiration. This is the type of stuff you won’t find in Google images and Instagram makes the perfect network for photo curation.

Another social site I adore is Pinterest. The userbase tends to be shoppers and “mood board” type users but there’s a great deal of web design inspiration too.

In fact, a search for web design shows hundreds of custom boards dedicated to website design inspiration. The same can be said for UI/UX design, mobile app design, icon design, and basically every other form of digital design.

Pinterest is heavily trafficked and mostly full of people who love beautiful things. If you’ve never used Pinterest for design inspiration it can be rather hectic at first. But once you learn how to search and find what you’re looking for it can turn into one of your favorite tools.

The last site I want to recommend is Tumblr. I haven’t found too many social profiles on here that curate beautiful design, but there are some and they do the job well.

Mobile Design Inspiration is a Tumblr account dedicated to UI/UX mockups and custom animations.

It’s updated regularly with Android/iOS inspiration sourced from all over the web. Tumblr blogs like this one can save you a lot of time scouring Dribbble and Behance since it curates all these resources in one location.

And if you have the time you might even setup your own social channels to share inspiration ideas for others.

The design community is made up of great people who are willing to dedicate themselves to the craft. And it’s this dedication that makes finding quality inspiration so easy and fun.

Inspiration & Beyond

All of these websites should get you started on the right path to finding quality interface design inspiration. Over time you’ll learn which sites offer the best results for your projects and you’ll end up going there first.

But there is no wrong way to find inspiration so just dig in and go to town! And don’t forget that you always have Google, by your side which may just be the #1 inspiration resource finder on the web.

The post Best Resources To Find UI/UX Design Inspiration appeared first on SpyreStudios.

from SpyreStudios http://spyrestudios.com/best-ui-ux-design-resources/

Radical 80s Resources To Make Your Designs Tubular

It’s official; we’re proud of the 80s again. Time to find the old cassettes, load up on John Hughes movies, and finally dust off that picture of your mom’s mullet. With a resurgence in side-scrollers, synthesizer beats, and visual throwbacks, artists have the opportunity to create work that is both fresh and nostalgic. Below are resources (most of them free!) to give your designs that bangin’ 80s flair...

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from Vandelay Design http://www.vandelaydesign.com/best-80s-resources/

5 Unexpected Places To Find Design Clients

Finding design clients isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it requires the same amount of creativity we put into building our best designs. But that’s what makes freelancing so amazing. It’s filled with untapped resources that can help you find fresh collaboration offers and new design clients. All you need to do is put your creativity to use.

#1: Partner up with tech experts at a coworking space

Working at home can be quite enjoyable. You’ll be surprised how attending meetings in your PJ’s can suddenly become a normal thing. And how quickly you’ll adapt to a new morning routine that starts right about when you’d usually take your lunch break. It’s all a dream come true until the loneliness steps in.

Sooner or later you’ll realise you maybe miss your old office. Luckily, you don’t have to get your job back. All you got to do is find a cosy coworking space.

There are thousands of coworking spaces all across Europe and the US where tech experts, startup owners and working nomads build their products.

Go out of the house for a change and meet some new friends at your local coworking space. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to partner up with other great minds and join forces to create something amazing together.

#2: Create online course and expand your auditory

You’ve probably never envisioned yourself as a teacher. Truth is, most people don’t. It’s a role we tend to dislike and connect to our childhood years spent under the close guidance of strict councillors.

Still, the ability to inspire and educate others is a quality not many can boost with. If you’re an expert in your field, you’re a problem solver and you love sharing your knowledge you’ll definitely love coaching. And doing it from the comfort of your own home is even more delighting.

Today, there are hundreds of platforms, like Udemy and Teachable, where you can create and distribute your online courses. And even earn something on the side. But the real bonus that comes with it is connecting with people. You’ll find that most of your students will usually be experts in different fields that might be interested in having a professional help them with their graphic tasks.

#3: Grow big by completing small task

You just quit your job to start your own freelancing business but you can’t find any clients? Don’t worry that’s absolutely normal. Yet, this doesn’t mean things should stay that way.

While places like AirTasker are famous for providing small handyman, housekeeping and delivery jobs, there are also many people who seek designers there. And there’s always Fiverr which is focused mostly on digital services. You’re probably wondering what’s the catch? Why are there so many people offering their services for a few dollars at most?

Truth is, most of those small tasks lead to bigger ones. You design a stationary for John and next thing you know he wants you to create his brand identity and website, too.

#4: Get new clients through a coupon website

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of coupons?

It’s probably not exactly related to design but that’s the charm of it. People in sites like Groupon and LivingSocial are in for the deals. They’ll take anything that offers quality and affordability in a single package.When the market is not flooded with quirky design studios that offer to create you an awesome logo for a dime, your chances of getting a few clients suddenly raise.

But be prepared for a huge load of work. You might end up having more clients than you’ve bargained for. Design them a great product and provice a memorable experience and people will come back to you with more requests.

#5: Give away freebies to the designers community

People love free goods. They love them so much they’d gladly tweet about them or like them in return.

Designing for the community is a type of charity work that doesn’t necessarily pay off but doing it feels great, nonetheless. But there’s something that often gets overlooked. When you put your heart and soul into creating your  product, it will inevitably get noticed.

You don’t need to get shared by big magazines to discovered by people. All you have to do is do what you love with passion and soon, you’ll be able to find a lot of new design clients.

You’ll also love these articles:

10 Things Every Web Developer Should Do to Woo High-Paying Clients

Keep Scammers & Bad Clients Out of Your Freelancing Business

 

 

 

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from SpyreStudios http://spyrestudios.com/unexpected-places-find-design-clients/