August 7, 2013 — We are pleased to introduce Type & Grids, a free responsive HTML5 template by Jeremiah Shoaf. All of the content resides in a single HTML file, so setting it up is super-simple. Its extensive customization options set Type & Grids apart from other templates out there. Each type theme is meticulously handcrafted, with attention paid to the smallest typographic details. Read more…

August 6, 2013 — Your typography helps to create an experience for users before they’ve even read a word or clicked a button. The treatment of type creates an atmosphere and elicits a response much the same way as tone of voice does. It establishes a mode of communication and, in turn, the personality of the website. The choice of typeface will determine how people respond to your website. The following websites have very distinct personalities, largely established by the typography. Read more…

August 5, 2013 — Front-end Web development has been majorly affected by recent changes in coding techniques and approaches. In 2003, a competent front-end Web developer would have known HTML and CSS, possibly with a bit of copy-and-pasted JavaScript, and they built websites that would be viewed on desktop computers. In this article, Jen Kramer will focus on just two courses: an introductory graphic design course and an introductory HTML and CSS course. Read more…

August 2, 2013 — We’re constantly refining two interfaces simultaneously: one for visitors who load the website, the other for developers who have to tackle the code in the future. But we shouldn’t forget that developers are users, too. Therefore, our convention for naming and organizing files is critical if we are to ensure active development in the future. But do we really design the partials, files and directories that make up this interface with a particular set of users in mind? Read more…

August 1, 2013 — As designers we usually turn to different sources of inspiration. As a matter of fact, we’ve discovered the best one—desktop wallpapers that are a little more distinctive than the usual crowd “Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2013”) This creativity mission has been going on for over five years now, and we are very thankful to all the designers who have contributed and are still diligently contributing each month! Read more…

July 30, 2013 — Welcome to the second part of the sample chapter from Smashing Book #4. You might want to read the first part of this chapter beforehand — if you haven’t already. In part 1 we explored the infrastructure of the Internet and the make-up of a Web server. We left off at the stage where our Web server software is up and running again, and we’ve just double-checked this by telnetting an HTTP request and received the successful response code. It’s now time for… finding your website! Read more…

July 29, 2013 — “Cool” is a rather ambiguous term, and means different things to different people. But when working with data, the term “cool” is often directly juxtaposed with common charts and written off as “boring.” The emphasis on the instant visual appeal of an infographic over the clarity of the presentation of data is a troubling trend that plagues the modern incarnation of the infographic. Read more…

July 26, 2013 — We all make mistakes. Whether in our design and development work or just in life in general, we all do it. Thankfully, even the biggest mistakes carry valuable lessons. In this article, Jeremy Girard will share stories of some of the missteps he had made in the course of his career and the lessons he’d learned in the process. Read more…

July 25, 2013 — Automation saves precious time on repetitive tasks and helps us solve certain problems more quickly and easily. Kamil Khadeyev has known about Photoshop scripts for years but decided to really dive in a few months ago. He had avoided it because he thought it was the domain of smart math-minded programmers. He was wrong, and today he’ll show that, although it requires some basic programming skills, scripting isn’t hard to grasp. Read more…

July 24, 2013 — For those of us who design and build apps, websites and software, a great product means one that delights its users. But digital product development is complex. What can designers do to increase the overall quality and success rate of the products we craft and to elevate our team’s batting average? An answer lies in the way artists and composers have worked for centuries to create paintings and music — by focusing on a singular element: a motif. Read more…