Web Designers posts

It’s like biting your nails. It’s like sucking your thumb. It’s like cursing too much. We all have some bad habits, some we just cannot seem to shake. I’m not sure why that is. I mean, no matter how wrong you know it is or how bad it is for you, it’s just impossible to stop.

And have you realized that half the time you don’t even notice? Tomorrow,...

Anyone who writes about web design or runs a web design blog (like this one) is bound to get questions from new designers on a pretty regular basis. And most of us try to answer those questions as time allows (which, unfortunately, isn’t as often as I’d like).

Since time can be an issue, I’ve pulled together some of the most common questions that get asked over and over again, and tried to answer them. These include things like where to learn to design, what skills you need, and...

It’s not just me; I’ve asked around: You will probably be your own very worst client. Ever.

Every trade has a similar story to the point where it’s almost cliché: the carpenter’s house is falling apart, the mechanic’s car is a rattling jalopy, and the barber is a balding chatty guy who’s always forcing loved ones into drawn-out awkward small-talk. It only makes sense then that the web designer’s site would be mired in all sorts of miserable problems.

Working on your own site is incredibly hard! You’ve just worked all day on other people’s websites, now you’re going to do yours, on your own time — for free. Ugh! Add to this the pressure of doing your “best work”; you start thinking of incredible ideas and scope-creeping the...

Responsive design has some definite buzz of late, and with good reason. It promises to simplify the increasingly complex task of adapting websites for the countless new devices multiplying by the minute.

By considering a few common variables like screen size, adapting a site to its visitors’ particular needs becomes a matter of some clever CSS planning and Javascript rather than the detailed design of numerous, parallel sites. For anyone whose faced the logistical minefield of multi-site coordination, responsive design is, to put it...

Is it me or Friday is becoming freebie day here at WDD?

Check this out, today we’re giving away the super awesome and exclusive Silver UI Kit. It includes checkboxes, radio buttons, buttons, sliders, switches and more. You can resize them to any size you like! Cool!

The set was designed by Michael Reimer, a professional web designer from Canada. You can view more of his work at his new site bestpsdfreebies.com where he offers a radically awesome and free collection of PSD resources. You can follow him on Twitter to get the latest freebie updates.

The Silver UI Kit is free to use on any personal and commercial projects. Redistribution is not allowed,...

Ever wondered what the difference between east coast designers and west coast designers?

How designers in New York or D.C. differ from their counterparts in LA or Seattle?

After all, we know all about the differences between east coast and west coast rap (and the rivalry that runs along with it).

But who knew there was the same kind of divide among designers?

This infographic,...

Everything changes. The Internet and web design are certainly no exceptions to the rule.

As we move through the days and months ahead, it’s likely that in short time we’ll find ourselves talking about new design developments that haven’t rolled across our lips or screens yet.

We asked some of the leading web and user experience designers in the field for their predictions about what we might expect to see in the web design world in 2012.

Joining us are: Adelle Charles, Whitney Hess, Lis Hubert, Randy J. Hunt, Franz Jeitz, Michael Martin, Eric A. Meyer, Sarah B. Nelson, Jason Pamental,...

Designers of all types can gain inspiration from animals found in the wild. Many great designers exhibit behaviors similar to the movement, characteristics and instincts of nature’s creatures.

Accomplished designers understand that there is no greater and more perfect creation than what can be found in nature. Designers that adapt the behaviors, instincts or habits of animals into their approach will find that they will develop designs that are innovative and efficient.

This...

In partnership with Uprinting, today we’re posting a 3 minute short survey to collect data about graphic designers and an awesome chance to win a brand new 13″ Apple Macbook Pro! (includes free shipping).

The survey will be used to learn more about the design community and create several posts and infographics about it.

The results will keep designers up-to-date with the latest graphic design practices, trends and technology by collecting...

I remember being 13 years old and just learning the joys of Photoshop 5 and 6. Looking back, I was so terrible, but in that moment you couldn’t you tell me a thing. That was when message boards and online forums were extremely popular, and you were not cool at all unless your signature (affectionately referred to as ‘sig’) was in top trendy style. I remember downloading brushes and patterns daily and fooling with every filter.

I decided to call myself a designer then, and fortunately, I stuck with it—I had my hands in a bunch of other things I sucked at at the time, one of which was softball. I’m glad I eventually cultivated my design hobby and got serious about it.

It seems like when kids (and some adults) get their hands on some version of Photoshop or Illustrator or what have you, they automatically deem themselves designers. Now, I’m not one of those people who get mad at the newbies coming in and ruining stuff because I’m all about community and I want to see everyone succeed—but I will say, you can’t just...

Even if you’ve never heard of Andreas Shabelnikov, you’ve almost certainly seen some of his work.

Originally from Latvia, he’s a freelance interactive designer and photographer who’s been involved in a number of high-profile site designs, including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Last Airbender, Sweeney Todd, and the Stardust movie site.

Here Andreas talks about how he got started designing for...