10 Essential Web Resources for Graphic Designers
I know I talk about graphic design a lot as if I actually know what I’m doing. And I do to a certain extent, but I wouldn’t be doing anything productive if it weren’t for my little collection of online help sites for graphic designers. I figured I’d share my treasure trove because I’m just … Read more
A Quick and Dirty Guide to Architectural Design Styles (TIMELINE)
Architecture is awesome. The idea of designing places in which we live and work fascinates me so much so that I would have probably attempted some sort of career with it if I wasn’t absolutely retarded at math. I thought it might be cool/helpful/interesting/whatever to explain an overview of the more popular architectural styles throughout … Read more
I’ll Use Arial When Helvetica Freezes Over
Hipster fonts. All novelty. All cooler than thou. (9 fonts because round numbers are just so mainstream)
Queen Loser of the Festival
Everyone, South By Southwest season is finally upon us. Rather than making you an infographic of all the stuff you can readily find on the SXSW website, I decided to mix it up a bit. As I was perusing the 2013 music lineup for the festival, I began to realize that I had absolutely zero … Read more
Pattern + Color + Texture = A Beautiful Home
I’ve been really into apartment decorating ideas recently; read:ugly/cheap apartment needs a pick-me-up. After experimenting A LOT with interior design I’ve discovered there are a few solid (pun!) guidelines to working with patterns and textures in a room. Here’s what I’ve discovered. Start with one core inspiration piece. Whether this is a painting you want … Read more
Crash Course: Color Theory
So, colors. Use of colors can mean the difference between a solid, beautiful design scheme and a horridly offensive project. Choosing colors can be one of the most important and also challenging aspects of design. In this post, I’ll give you the quick and dirty on how to pick the right colors for your design … Read more
DIY: Taxidermy Deer
Oh Deer… It’s been a while since my last post– I’ve been super busy moving to the wondrous Austin, TX and playing some catchup on my life organization. I’m back though and wanted to do a post about a little side project I’ve been working on for some apartment decor. Lately my Pinterest has been … Read more
The power of patterns
In an earlier post, I wrote about inspiration and what to do when it runs dry (read the article here). I’m really not joking you when I say you can find inspiration in the weirdest places. My newest obsession? Patterns. Much to my own surprise, I came up with some really cool ideas that I … Read more
Crash Course: Usability testing II
If you haven’t done so yet, please visit my introductory piece to usability testing HERE. It may help make more sense as you read the following article. GOALS First, it is important to set goals for the test. Typically, these involve statements like the following: I will single out parts of the site that are … Read more
Crash course: Usability testing I
Although the ability to create a decent usability test is not usually up to a designer, it is the designer who inadvertently creates the results of one. What I mean by this is that a website’s usability is determined by the designer’s choices and ability to effectively communicate information through structure. A usability test consists … Read more
