Post pobrano z: BBC 'The Tapestry’
Archiwum miesiąca: czerwiec 2018
How to Boost Profits for the Second Half of 2018
Post pobrano z: How to Boost Profits for the Second Half of 2018
We’re hitting the mid-mark of this year and if your profit margins aren’t what you had hoped and predicted, it could be time to make some changes. You might automatically think cuts in personnel and the like will be the first thing we’d recommend and, although some cuts will likely have to be made, there are plenty of areas in your business that you could tweak ever so slightly and see bigger dividends.
In the end, it really is all about the bottom line if you want to stay in business. Wondering how to boost your company’s profits for the second half of 2018? Read on for some suggestions.
Take Advantage of Customer Referrals
If you don’t have a referral system in place, now is the time to start. If people are happy with your company and/or products, they’ll likely want to tell others anyway. Reward them for it, see their motivation to do so increase, and watch more money roll in.
Cut the Fluff
If you’re offering costly services and products that are losing you money, what are you waiting for? Go leaner on your offerings and streamline what you do sell. You should also do an audit of your workflows and systems and cut out any processes that aren’t working well.
As this Inc.com article notes, “Every dollar you save by eliminating the cost of things that don’t add value to your company or to your customer drops directly to your bottom line.”
And, as painful as it may be, employee cuts could be necessary, too. You might have to run a bit leaner until profits pick back up. It’s also crucial to hire the right people in the first place. Transunion’s new employment background check service, ShareAble for Hires, is an easy online screening solution that takes just minutes to complete. It might seem like an oxymoron to invest in a service like this when you’re trying to cut costs, but placing a great employee in an open position now could save you thousands in turnover costs down the line-and improve productivity (and therefore profitability) at the same time.
Up Your Marketing Game
While cutting might be the name of the game in most areas, marketing efforts are the ones you want to increase. Boost your presence on social media, as that is the biggest way to reach customers these days. Using a social media marketing company like Metric Theory to streamline your social media efforts.
And people always like to get something for free, so offer tutorials, webinars, and podcasts whenever possible. Make sure to use a CRM tool like Zoho to measure which marketing techniques are working, and which ones aren’t.
Put a Sales Hat on All Team Members
Even if you have a sales department, spreading the word about your company and its happenings shouldn’t lie solely on their shoulders. Give all your employees a reason to want to brag about where they work. Whether you have some folks head up roundtable discussions or you offer incentives to anyone who regularly posts pertinent items on social media, everyone in the whole company can and should become walking spokespeople. In fact, you should hire Millennials, as they are known for sharing a lot about their work and work lives on social media.
Negotiate With Suppliers
Suppliers will often offer discounts for paying in cash and/or paying in full, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask about perks that you should be getting for vendor loyalty. Also, be diligent about checking your supplier bills. While it might not be on purpose, there are many times suppliers overcharge for goods or services. Catching these errors could save you thousands of dollars.
Up Those Prices and/or Drop Those Discounts
This can be a last resort but you can’t count it out entirely, as this will help your profitability. Customers know that overhead increases and, although you might lose the odd customer, the boost in profit margin more than makes up for this.
As an alternative, you might think about ditching your discounts. As Guest Writer Brad Sugars notes on Entrepreneur.com, “I once coached a men’s clothing store that regularly ran a 20 percent off promotion on men’s suits. If someone bought a $500 suit, the store lost $100 in profit. I counseled instead to give away a $100 shirt that cost $50. Customers perceived it as the same dollar value, but the store retained more money (and margin).” This same kind of logic can really be applied to any business.
Looking to end the second half of 2018 on a profitable high note? Follow these tips and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your bottom line changes.
All Images by Raw Pixel
Passing The VMware Certification Exams – The New Industry Standard
Post pobrano z: Passing The VMware Certification Exams – The New Industry Standard
The VMware certifications validate the candidates with virtualization concepts that facilitate the IT operations in IT infrastructure, cloud computing, data centers, and mobile devices. The VMware together with the EMC Corporation is among the mighty technologies under the Dell organization.
The VMware training and certification are divided into four distinct categories namely:
- Cloud- any certification that involves vCloud and its products.
- DCV- these are certifications that focus on the vSphere as well as vCenter technologies.
- Desktop mobility-this is concerned with the management and configuration of VMware environments such as the Horizon 7.
- Network Virtualization- the key aspect here is the networking as well as security software definition.
These categories are offered in four levels: the associate, professional, advanced professional, and design expert. The candidate starts from the associate to the expert level if one has successfully excelled in each of the preceding certifications. However, each level has several certification exams that lead to the award of a specific VMware certification. In some instances, the candidate needs to complete only one certification exam in order to receive the designated digital certificate.
The following are the certification exam that a candidate can channel through to receive a certification upon the achievement of the requirements:
- VMware Certified Associate(VCA)- it is the basic level of the VMware certification where the candidate will learn the VMware technologies. Anyone interested is required to have already passed the VCA-DBT (1V0-701) exam in order to claim a certificate.
- VMware Certified Professional(VCP)- it is the most common certification and a bridge to proceeding to the advanced certification under VMware track. One has to pass either 2V0-620 or 2V0-602.
- VMware Certified Advanced Professional(VCAP)- is designed for professions who have been utilizing VMware at an advanced level. It is a requirement for the candidates to pass 3V0-732 Exam.
- VMware Certified Design Expert(VCDX)- achievement of this certification involves commitment and ability to demonstrate the design of VMware architecture. It is mandatory for candidates to submit a design and defend his/her design against the review panel.
Why VMware Certification
The certification covers a variety of technological study which is not only available for those who have been in the industry for quite some years but also for those who are starting their career in the IT industry. The certified professional will advance their credibility with their clients, employers, and colleagues regardless of their existence in the industry.
Finally, VMware is an ideal program for the leaders in the virtualization arena. In fact, it is a must-have certificate which IT professionals in the virtual environment should possess. It is a proof of one’s competency in his/her place of work.
Proven Techniques to Tackle VMware Exam
Having decided to do any VMware certification exam, many questions may arise. The most common is how to prepare for a specific VMware Exam choosing the appropriate certification program. It is demoralizing when one registers for an exam with the intention of passing but yet fails. I have prepared the useful techniques that you can utilize to become a successful VMware expert, I got them first hand from the respected VMware experts.
Consider yourself
It is important to know oneself despite the fact that we sometimes compete with friends using the same pace. Do not read to complete a certain concept because your friend usually completes within a given time limit. Consider your own pace and the rate of understanding concepts than reading VMware as a fiction novel. Everyone’s ability differs.
Register for the appropriate exam
VMware has so many certifications that are related and connected in that one is a bridge to another. If you do not meet the requirements for the exam there is no need to do and fail because you will neither get certified nor advance your knowledge. Whatsoever the case, start from where you are familiar with.
Manage your time well
Time management is often the important step in our journey to excellence. It is the tool to reach our goals. While preparing to do the VMware exam, it is recommended to be stuck to the timetable you have created for efficient preparation. However, you should not squeeze your time so much that you cannot clearly understand the concepts within a given time or even get time for a break.
Find the training materials
The only way you can make yourself familiar with the course outline is training and preparing for Vmware Certification. The material can be acquired online in any format you like depending on your satisfaction limits. They are elaborative and concise. Many successful individuals recommend some specific websites which are good at the training of VMware courses. These sites are testking, prepaway and examcollection. They also offer valid VMware exam dumps and courses which are considered to be a great help to prepare for the exam.
Always have a course outline
The point of reference at all time during your studies is the course outline. It ensures that you are on the right track on the way to getting the certification. It is necessary to keep track of yourself and your learning. Without the study guide, you may end up learning other concepts that are out of the curriculum content.
Engage in discussion groups
The discussion that you have with friends or colleagues who have done the exam or yet to do is often beneficial. It is a chance to prove to yourself that you have understood some concepts. The discussion builds your ability to think critically and apply the right solutions to obstacles.
Conclusion
The introduction of the VMware certification has never been an unreasoned decision. It has helped in shaping the IT industry in various aspects that can neither be explained in writing nor in oral form, the rapid technological inventions explain better. All the effects of VMware concepts can be traced in all organizations in different spheres from virtual databases to cloud computing. The knowledge gained through the training designed for the VMware certification cannot be achieved by attending an institution only. VMware certification is an advantage for everybody from the IT graduate to the professional to keep pace with technological development as well as it boosts your personal growth.
Featured image by Nathan Dumlao
10 Sport & Healthy Lifestyle WordPress Themes
Post pobrano z: 10 Sport & Healthy Lifestyle WordPress Themes
People got used to saying that a healthy mind is in a healthy body. If you also believe in these words and want people to take them in their consideration, you should promote a healthy lifestyle on the web. Nowadays you don’t need to make a lot of efforts in order to create a tailor-made website. You can just take advantage of professionally-looking WordPress themes and get your success almost immediately. How can you put an emphasis on sports using these powerful ready-made solutions? Let’s find out reasons for a choice of this feature-rich platform together.
Why Work With WordPress to Build an Impressive Sports Website?
- If you’re interested in sports more than in coding, you don’t need to worry. For the reason that WordPress provides all people with a perfect chance to launch an attractive website without some amazing technical skills. Everything is pretty easy and understandable.
- Yet if you stuck at one or another stage of building your online-project, you can always get some help. To start with, it’s possible to get familiar with some information on your issue that is already presented on various forums. In addition to this, a lot of web-developers who have a perfect knowledge of WordPress are also ready to assist you in creating your website.
- Don’t forget that WordPress offers a bunch of amazing plugins that will enrich the functionality of your website. This means that you will be able to attract more people to your online-project and convince them of the importance of sports.
Are you ready to get your website into shape? Are you ready to make people become interested in sports and healthy lifestyle? In such a case, we want you to take a glance at these impressive ready-made solutions here and now. We are sure that you will find something out-of-the-ordinary and powerful in this collection…
ShapeForce – Excellent Sports Studio WordPress Theme
ShapeForce is a bold solution that will convince people of challenging themselves and taking up sports. With the help of the impressive bunch of powerful pre-made pages, it will be possible for people to find out more about your sports studio. You will also get a lot of plugins that will enhance the functionality of your online-project.
Bhakti – Marvelous Yoga WordPress Theme
Bhakti is an eye-catching template that will capture the attention of those people who are interested in yoga. The ultimate pack of Cherry Plugins will provide people with a full range of details about your services. Furthermore, you will get attractive bonus images that will allow you not to browse the Internet in search of a high-quality imagery.
Fastlek – Impressive Running Club WordPress Theme
A brand new theme that will make people believe that everything is possible together with your jogging club. With the help of multiple layout options, it will be possible to create the most stylish and powerful pages. Moreover, a great timetable plugin will assist you in building online-schedules and customizing the appearance of your events.
EirWorth – Remarkable Golf Club WordPress Theme
One of the most incredible golf WordPress themes that will make people become interested in this very sport. Thanks to a wonderful events calendar, it will be possible to create various schedules from the simplest to the most complex one. In addition to this, a feature-rich WordPress Live Customizer will allow you to tweak your colors and fonts.
Proshot – Bold Tennis Club WordPress Theme
Showcase a lifestyle that will keep people energized using this tailor-made theme. Thanks to a fully-fledged drag-and-drop builder, it will be possible to build pages without any knowledge of coding. You will also get a stunning TM Gallery to showcase your photos in the best possible light.
Hardrod – Vibrant Fitness & Bodybuilding WordPress Theme
If you think that your crossfit studio at its best, you should definitely pay your attention to this good-looking variant. With the help of four blog layouts, it will be possible to get more interest from your potential clients. A fully-functional WordPress Live Customizer will assist you in working with different aspects of your website.
Fitpress – Attractive Fitness WordPress Theme
Introduce the world of fitness using this unique and original template. A wide variety of Cherry Plugins will allow you to present your services and their benefits in the best possible light. A simple slider and post carousel will showcase your high-quality pictures in an eye-catching way.
Navy Blue – Bright Snorkeling WordPress Theme
In order to showcase your diving services, you just need to make use of this attention-grabbing template. People will be ready to request an appointment on the website thanks to a powerful appointment booking. Furthermore, different background options will certainly allow you to create a top-notch appearance of your online project.
FlexUp – Powerful Fitness Magazine WordPress Theme
A great solution that will impress your imaginations with lots of amazing features. A bunch of incredible bonus images will allow you to refresh the look of your website. Take advantage of different custom widgets to promote your website all over the web.
WildRide – Incredible Sports WordPress Theme
Be on the top together with this nice-looking and remarkable template. A video and audio integration will definitely make your website look more visually attractive. In addition to this, a Facebook Likebox, Instagram Feed, and Twitter Feed will allow you to catch the eye of people who adore social networks.
Promote a healthy lifestyle together with one of these vibrant templates. They have the power to bring you lots of new visitors who will definitely take up doing sports. For this reason, there is no need to lose your time. Just start building your amazing website here and now. We wish you to impress everyone with your attitude to sports and thanks for reading!
How to design websites with great user experience
Post pobrano z: How to design websites with great user experience
When a client hits on your site, statistical research shows that you have 8 seconds to capture his attention. Human attention span is decreasing rapidly with digital use. There is therefore only a short period of time to capture user attention.
This information is important to site designers who are able to understand how important it is to capture user attention quickly. Without this, your user will bounce off your site.
How do you create a website which is engaging enough to hold your viewers’ attention?
This article offers guidelines on constructing a website which will offer a great user experience.
Unique value proposition (UVP)
As a designer, you need to make your website stand out. The internet is saturated with websites or blogs which aim to grab attention. Your site will, therefore, need to make an excellent impression.
However, when it comes to internet design, it is not merely first impressions which count. Overall user experience is important to take into consideration. This means offering great value to your clients so that they become loyal visitors to your site.
Researchers share that when it comes to converting your viewers, value proposition is one of the most important elements. Your value proposition shares how your product or service will assist your clients to solve their problems. Your value proposition should also state why you stand out from your competition.
What is important to consider when creating your unique value proposition?
Location
Many internet designers consider the top part of a site, before the user scrolls, to be the most crucial area of your site. Research shows that viewers tend to track the site in an F shaped pattern. The majority of users place their attention on the upper left-hand side of the site.
These studies show why many designers place their most important information in the upper part of the site (above the fold). However, this part of the page shouldn’t feel cramped or chaotic. If the page is cramped, your user experience will be less pleasant.
There is a lot of competition to hold users’ attention online. This means that when you place content above the fold, you would need to include your value proposition here. Speak to your users and share what you offer from a user’s perspective. Keep your site clear, so that you don’t overwhelm your viewer.
If your information is easy to digest, your viewers will be willing to stay on your page.
Use imagery
Imagery can have a powerful emotional resonance. When you use imagery on your site, you will connect with your viewers on a deep level. A picture says a thousand words. Viewers are also far more able to process imagery quickly than they are able to process text.
When you show your viewers your message (rather than tell them) you will have a greater impact. Images, illustrations, photographs and screenshots can share complex information without being too demanding.
Video clips keep viewers over 100% more engaged. They are also a very effective means of sharing a message. Users will grasp and retain a message far more quickly if it is presented in video format.
An important tip: when you place visuals on your site, they have to be relevant. If your visuals are either irrelevant or contradict your audience’s expectations, they will be dismissed as irrelevant. If your visuals do not support your site’s value proposition, your site may seem to lack integrity.
Besides imagery, you should also take colors into consideration. Using muted colors, for example, may help you keep your visitors on the site. Nobody wants to see flashing colors in front of they eyeballs.
Unique content
There is so much information available online that brands often find it hard to connect with viewers. Marketers struggle to come up with content which will convert their viewers into clients.
Oli Gardner shares that in order to come up with original content, it is important to consult your customers. Your customer queries or topics can assist you to create a headline. By addressing their unique needs, you will be able to come up with original content which speaks directly to them.
Your clients will also be able to share why they chose to go into business with you and what they value about your service. Your clients will also be able to share their pain points with you so that you can address them online.
When you set up your content, it is also important to address keywords in order to increase your search engine rankings. If you structure your content around a client’s questions, you will save them time. This will create a positive experience.
When you offer up unique content, present it aesthetically, using appropriate typography and great imagery. An attractive and well laid out page will offer a valuable user experience.
Greater Use of Negative Space
Whitespace, or negative space, offers up breathing room to your site. It assists you to create a cleanly designed and sophisticated site. When you use whitespace well, your content will be clear, simple and easy to understand.
When you create a site, keep in mind that many readers are more interested in scanning information than actually reading it. When you create divide your content using subheadings and use whitespace to divide up your topics, your viewers will be able to select what they want to read most. Great use of negative space will, therefore, improve your user experience.
Mobile influences on desktop designs
As people are using mobile devices to explore websites, design trends for mobile are starting to reach desktop sites. At one time, hamburger menus or large and well-spaced typography was often limited to mobile designs. However, as sites are made to be responsive to mobile use, these features are now being placed onto desktop sites too.
Another change which may reach desktop sites is the change from a navigation menu on the top of the site to one on the bottom of the site. This keeps the buttons easily accessible.
Summary
When you’re designing a website, focus on user experience if you wish to achieve all of your site goals. Sites with a great UX have a high conversion rate. Ineffective websites are easily abandoned and will not achieve their site goals.
An understanding of psychology will help you to explore how users relate to your site. By focusing on user experiences, your viewers will have an enjoyable online experience and you’ll end up getting the conversion rates you need.
How to design websites with great user experience
When a client hits on your site, statistical research shows that you have 8 seconds to capture his attention. Human attention span is decreasing rapidly with digital use. There is therefore only a short period of time to capture user attention.
https://dribbble.com/shots/559643-Pair-s-new-homepage
This information is important to site designers who are able to understand how important it is to capture user attention quickly. Without this, your user will bounce off your site.
How do you create a website which is engaging enough to hold your viewers’ attention?
This article offers guidelines on constructing a website which will offer a great user experience.
Unique value proposition (UVP)
As a designer, you need to make your website stand out. The internet is saturated with websites or blogs which aim to grab attention. Your site will, therefore, need to make an excellent impression.
However, when it comes to internet design, it is not merely first impressions which count. Overall user experience is important to take into consideration. This means offering great value to your clients so that they become loyal visitors to your site.
Researchers share that when it comes to converting your viewers, value proposition is one of the most important elements. Your value proposition shares how your product or service will assist your clients to solve their problems. Your value proposition should also state why you stand out from your competition.
What is important to consider when creating your unique value proposition?
Location
Many internet designers consider the top part of a site, before the user scrolls, to be the most crucial area of your site. Research shows that viewers tend to track the site in an F shaped pattern. The majority of users place their attention on the upper left-hand side of the site.
These studies show why many designers place their most important information in the upper part of the site (above the fold). However, this part of the page shouldn’t feel cramped or chaotic. If the page is cramped, your user experience will be less pleasant.
There is a lot of competition to hold users’ attention online. This means that when you place content above the fold, you would need to include your value proposition here. Speak to your users and share what you offer from a user’s perspective. Keep your site clear, so that you don’t overwhelm your viewer.
If your information is easy to digest, your viewers will be willing to stay on your page.
Use imagery
Imagery can have a powerful emotional resonance. When you use imagery on your site, you will connect with your viewers on a deep level. A picture says a thousand words. Viewers are also far more able to process imagery quickly than they are able to process text.
When you show your viewers your message (rather than tell them) you will have a greater impact. Images, illustrations, photographs and screenshots can share complex information without being too demanding.
https://dribbble.com/shots/3457011-Mackey-Saturday-on-Freelance-TV
Video clips keep viewers over 100% more engaged. They are also a very effective means of sharing a message. Users will grasp and retain a message far more quickly if it is presented in video format.
An important tip: when you place visuals on your site, they have to be relevant. If your visuals are either irrelevant or contradict your audience’s expectations, they will be dismissed as irrelevant. If your visuals do not support your site’s value proposition, your site may seem to lack integrity.
Besides imagery, you should also take colors into consideration. Using muted colors, for example, may help you keep your visitors on the site. Nobody wants to see flashing colors in front of they eyeballs.
Unique content
There is so much information available online that brands often find it hard to connect with viewers. Marketers struggle to come up with content which will convert their viewers into clients.
Oli Gardner shares that in order to come up with original content, it is important to consult your customers. Your customer queries or topics can assist you to create a headline. By addressing their unique needs, you will be able to come up with original content which speaks directly to them.
Your clients will also be able to share why they chose to go into business with you and what they value about your service. Your clients will also be able to share their pain points with you so that you can address them online.
When you set up your content, it is also important to address keywords in order to increase your search engine rankings. If you structure your content around a client’s questions, you will save them time. This will create a positive experience.
https://dribbble.com/shots/3651278-Less-Is-More
When you offer up unique content, present it aesthetically, using appropriate typography and great imagery. An attractive and well laid out page will offer a valuable user experience.
Greater Use of Negative Space
Whitespace, or negative space, offers up breathing room to your site. It assists you to create a cleanly designed and sophisticated site. When you use whitespace well, your content will be clear, simple and easy to understand.
https://dribbble.com/shots/4337906-Feature-Page-Design-for-Invoicing-SaaS-Company
When you create a site, keep in mind that many readers are more interested in scanning information than actually reading it. When you create divide your content using subheadings and use whitespace to divide up your topics, your viewers will be able to select what they want to read most. Great use of negative space will, therefore, improve your user experience.
Mobile influences on desktop designs
As people are using mobile devices to explore websites, design trends for mobile are starting to reach desktop sites. At one time, hamburger menus or large and well-spaced typography was often limited to mobile designs. However, as sites are made to be responsive to mobile use, these features are now being placed onto desktop sites too.
https://dribbble.com/shots/3503732-Responsive-Lasso-Screens
Another change which may reach desktop sites is the change from a navigation menu on the top of the site to one on the bottom of the site. This keeps the buttons easily accessible.
Summary
When you’re designing a website, focus on user experience if you wish to achieve all of your site goals. Sites with a great UX have a high conversion rate. Ineffective websites are easily abandoned and will not achieve their site goals.
An understanding of psychology will help you to explore how users relate to your site. By focusing on user experiences, your viewers will have an enjoyable online experience and you’ll end up getting the conversion rates you need.
How to Create an Editable Line Chart in Adobe Illustrator
Post pobrano z: How to Create an Editable Line Chart in Adobe Illustrator
In the following steps, you will learn how to create a fully editable line chart in Adobe Illustrator and how to easily adjust its style.
First, you will learn how to create the starting line chart using the Line Graph Tool. Using the Group Selection Tool and the Graphic Styles panel along with some basic colors and effects, you will learn how to stylize the main components of your chart. Taking full advantage of the Appearance panel, you will learn how to add a frame to your chart and how to apply subtle shading and highlights. Finally, you will learn how to easily adjust the data on your chart.
For more inspiration on how to adjust or improve your final chart, you can find plenty of resources at GraphicRiver.
What You Will Need
You will need the following in order to complete this project:
1. How to Create a New Document and Set Up the Starting Chart
Step 1
Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 850 in the width box and 665 in the height box, and then click that More Settings button. Select RGB for the Color Mode, set the Raster Effects to Screen (72 ppi), and then click Create Document.
Don’t forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.
Step 2
Focus on your toolbar and double click the Line Graph Tool to open the Graph Type window. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click OK.
Step 3
Make sure that the Line Graph Tool is selected and simply click on your artboard to open the Graph window. Set both Width and Height to 350 pt, and then click OK.
Enter the data shown below and then click that Check button. Your graph should look roughly as shown in the following image.
2. How to Adjust the Text on the Chart
Step 1
Pick the Group Selection Tool and focus on the column of text from your chart design. Click once on one of those pieces of text to select it, and then click a second time on the same text to select all the text from that column. You can use the Group Selection Tool to easily select multiple elements with similar attributes from your graph.
Make sure that these pieces of text remain selected and open the Character panel (Window > Type > Character). Select the Krona One font, set the size to 15 px, and change the text color to R=81 G=90 B=95.
Step 2
Using that same Group Selection Tool, select the numbers from your chart. Focus on the Character panel, change the font to Krona One font, and set the size to 12 px and the text color to R=81 G=90 B=95.
3. How to Adjust the Line Separators on the Chart
Step 1
Focus on the bottom side of your graph and pick the Group Selection Tool. Select all horizontal and vertical paths (highlighted in the first image), go to the Appearance panel, and simply remove the existing stroke color. This should basically make your selected paths invisible.
Step 2
Focus on the left side of your graph, select that long, vertical path, and remove its stroke color.
Step 3
Using the Group Selection Tool, select the tiny horizontal paths from your chart (highlighted in the first image). Focus on the Appearance panel, set the stroke color to R=81 G=90 B=95, and then open the Stroke fly-out panel. Make sure that the Weight is set to 1 px and check the Round Cap button.
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add a second stroke using the Add New Stroke button. Select the bottom stroke from the panel, lower its Opacity to 20%, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the settings shown below and click OK.
Step 4
Make sure that your tiny horizontal paths are still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Add a new stroke, drag it below the other two strokes, and select it.
Change the color to black (R=0 G=0 B=0), lower its Opacity to 20%, and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the settings shown below (in the left window), click OK, and go again to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the settings shown below (in the right window) and click OK.
Step 5
Select only the bottom tiny path and focus on the Appearance panel. Remove the top and bottom strokes, select the remaining stroke, and increase the Opacity to 100%.
4. How to Add a Frame to Your Chart
Step 1
Pick the Move Tool (V) and select your entire graph. Focus on the Appearance panel and use the Add New Fill button to add a new fill.
Make sure that the fill lies below the Contents section and select it. Set the color to R=30 G=38 B=41 and go to Effects > Convert to Shape > Rectangle. Enter the settings shown below, click OK, and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Set the Radius to 20 px, click OK, and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown in the following image, click OK, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the settings shown below and click OK.
Step 2
Make sure that your entire graph is still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Add a second fill and drag it below the existing one.
Select this new fill, lower its Opacity to 70%, change the color to black, and go to Effect > Convert to Shape > Rectangle. Enter the settings shown below, click OK, and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Set the Radius to 20 px, click OK, and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the attributes shown in the following image, click OK, and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 15 px and click OK.
5. How to Stylize the First Line on the Chart
Step 1
Pick the Group Selection Tool and select the five segments that make up the top line of your line chart. Focus on the Appearance panel and select the stroke. Change the color to R=246 G=178 B=33 and make sure that the Weight is set to 2 px.
Step 2
Focus on your yellow line and select one of the black squares that indicate the end point of a line segment. Focus on the Appearance panel, remove the stroke color, and change the fill color to R=246 G=178 B=33.
Step 3
Make sure that your yellow square stays selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Select the entire path (simply click that Path section from the Appearance panel) and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 2 px Offset, click OK, and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 5 px Radius and click OK.
Step 4
Make sure that your yellow square is still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.
Add a second fill and select it. Change its blending mode to Soft Light and apply the linear gradient shown below.
Step 5
Make sure that your yellow square is still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.
Add a third fill and select it. Set the color to R=30 G=38 B=41 and go to Effects > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -3 px Offset, click OK, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the attributes shown below and click OK.
Step 6
Make sure that your yellow square is still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel.
Drag the stroke below the existing fills and select it. Set the color to R=30 G=38 B=41 and open the Stoke fly-out panel. Change the Weight to 2 px and check the Align Stroke to Outside button.
Step 7
Make sure that your yellow square is still selected and keep focusing on the Appearance panel. Select the yellow fill and apply the two Drop Shadow effects shown below, starting with the left one.
Step 8
Make sure that your yellow square is still selected, open the Graphic Styles panel, and click the New Graphic Style button.
Step 9
Pick the Group Selection Tool and select the other black squares that go along your yellow line. Once selected, simply apply your style from the Graphic Styles panel.
Step 10
Focus on the bottom row of your legend and select that horizontal path. Change the stroke color to R=246 G=178 B=33, increase the Weight to 2 px, and don’t forget to check the Round Cap button from the Stroke fly-out panel.
Move to the black square, select it, and simply apply your graphic style from the Graphic Styles panel.
6. How to Stylize the Other Lines on the Chart
Step 1
Move down to the next line from your line chart. Use the Group Selection Tool to select all segments of this line and change the stroke color to R=255 G=118 B=4.
Select the black squares that go along the orange line and apply your graphic style. Make sure that all these shapes remain selected and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the yellow fill and replace that color with R=255 G=188 B=4.
Step 2
Move down to the next line from your line chart. Use the Group Selection Tool to select all segments of this line and change the stroke color to R=190 G=74 B=124.
Select the black squares that go along the purple line and apply your graphic style. Make sure that all these shapes remain selected and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the yellow fill and replace that color with R=190 G=74 B=124.
Step 3
Move down to the next line from your line chart. Use the Group Selection Tool to select all segments of this line and change the stroke color to R=40 G=118 B=221.
Select the black squares that go along the blue line and apply your graphic style. Make sure that all these shapes remain selected and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the yellow fill and replace that color with R=30 G=118 B=221.
Step 4
Move down to the next line from your line chart. Use the Group Selection Tool to select all segments of this line and change the stroke color to R=0 G=165 B=0.
Select the black squares that go along the green line and apply your graphic style. Make sure that all these shapes remain selected and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the yellow fill and replace that color with R=0 G=165 B=0.
7. How to Add a Background and Edit the Chart
Step 1
Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create an 870 x 685 px shape. Fill this rectangle with R=81 G=90 B=95, send it to back (Shift-Control-[) and make sure that it covers your entire canvas.
Step 2
Finally, remember that you can always edit the data from your chart, and your design will not change.
Here’s how you can easily do it: Make sure that your chart is selected, right click anywhere on your artboard, and go to Data. Adjust your data and then click that check button.
Congratulations! You’re Done!
Here is how it should look. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects. Don’t hesitate to share your final result in the comments section.
Feel free to adjust the final design and make it your own. You can find some great sources of inspiration at GraphicRiver, with interesting solutions to improve your design.
Her Mother’s Eyes
Post pobrano z: Her Mother’s Eyes
Vue + TypeScript: A Match Made in Your Code Editor
Post pobrano z: Vue + TypeScript: A Match Made in Your Code Editor
Vue is so hot right now and I’ve been thinking of doing a serious project with it since quite a while, so when the opportunity popped up, I hopped in. But there was a little problem — one of the requirements of the project was to write it in TypeScript. At first, I was super stressed about how I was going to ever get started on this combo, but vue-cli made it so easy.
I’d be lying if I said this ride was super smooth. There were frustrations, hours of staring at the screen and some fistbumps with my table but after working with Vue + TypeScript for over a month now, I can say it was worth it — and if I had to code another app with Vue, I wouldn’t do it without TypeScript.
Prerequisites
This article is about pairing Vue and TypeScript and assumes some basic knowledge of both. If you haven’t had a chance to play with them yet and are curious, Vue has a great guide, and the TypeScript docs are a great place to start.
We need to have vue-cli installed globally, so we can quickly spin up Vue project. Install vue-cli by running the following command in your terminal:
npm install -g @vue/cliOnce we have that installed, we’re good to go. If you don’t have TypeScript installed, we don’t need to do that beforehand, as vue-cli takes care of that when you start a new project and choose TypeScript there.
Getting Started
Now that we have vue-cli installed, all we need to do to get a project with Vue + TypeScript started is to run vue create. While creating a new project, choose TypeScript and we’re good to go.
vue create <app-name>Here’s the result once our project spins up:
vue-cli also provides us the ability to choose Babel along with TypeScript for polyfills, CSS preprocessors, linter, unit testing libraries (I picked Jest, go Jest!) along with other config. You can even save your choices in a preset, to use it later, for another project.
Here’s a rundown of the handy questions you’ll get asked to configure the project:
One thing I’d like to mention is that vue-cli 3.0 comes with a user interface which makes it even more easy to create a new project. Run vue ui in terminal and vue-cli opens a UI where you can set up a new project.
What’s in the Box
After vue-cli is done, we get a nice directory structure of our app with all the setup already done.
- tsconfig.json: This is all set up and we can edit it to suit our requirements.
- shims-vue.d.ts: These shims are already set up to help TypeScript understand
.vuefiles (Single File Components) when they are imported. - vue-property-decorator: If you choose to use class-style components, vue-cli adds this plugin so we can use all sorts of decorators. This comes quite handy and make the code more readable.
- Class components: If you choose to use them, vue-cli sets the stage for you. Bear in mind that you would still need to register router hooks so class components can resolve them.
Sass Setup
One thing that I needed to set up and I wish was included out of the box was shared Sass partials. To avoid importing my Sass variables and mixins in every component, I had to load them in vue.config.js. shared.scss is the file exporting all variables and mixins that are used within the app.
Here’s where I landed with my Sass configuration:
chainWebpack: (config) => {
config
.module
.rule('vue')
.uses
.get('vue-loader')
.tap(({ loaders, loaders: { scss }, ...options }) => ({
...options,
loaders: {
...loaders,
scss: [
...scss,
{
loader: 'sass-resources-loader',
options: {
resources: [
'./src/styles/shared.scss',
],
},
},
],
},
}));Vue Property Decorator
The vue-property-decorator package exposes Vue properties and makes them available to use as decorators. In my application, I ended up using only @Component, @Prop, @Watch but there are others such as @Emit, @Inject and @Model, that make your code much more verbose when used extensively.
Vuex
Vuex has typings…nuff said! Vuex supports TypeScript to boot and, at first, I didn’t even know it. I started to look for proper ways to combine Vuex with TypeScript and stumbled upon Alex Jover Morales’ egghead.io course on Vue.js State Management with Vuex and TypeScript. It helped me understand the correct way of managing Vuex state when using TypeScript.
For example:
// actions.ts
import { ActionTree } from 'vuex';
import { RootState, ModuleState } from '@/types';
const actions: ActionTree<ModuleState, RootState> = {
// all your actions go here
};Vuex-class
This is yet another thing that I didn’t know existed when I first started but know wish I had found it sooner. I was creating getters for almost everything, but that didn’t feel right. I started looking for better ways to do this and found an interesting article by Francesco Vitullo which cleared up a few things for me. That’s where I found out about vuex-class which provides decorators for all vuex mappers.
So, now instead of writing a new getter for simply accessing a property in state, I could do this:
import {
State,
} from 'vuex-class'
@Component
export class MyComp extends Vue {
@State(state => state.bar) stateBar
}Development Experience With VS Code
With TypeScript, the coding experience on VS Code is so much better. There is no going back and forth to check what mutation types I declared in mutation-types.ts because VS Code can recognize them and suggest correct ones as I type.
The same goes for modifying state in mutations — with TypeScript, the editor knew what my state structure looks like and suggests correct properties.
If you’re using VS Code, I strongly recommend using the Vetur plugin because it provides Vue tooling and comes with other bells and whistles like syntax highlighting (this works great with Vue single file components) and linting right out of the box.
Final Thoughts
Just like everything else in the JavaScript ecosystem, Vue + TypeScript still has a long way to go. For example, I could not use vuelidate because it doesn’t have typings. But thankfully vee-validate provided a workaround, so I didn’t have to go down the difficult road of writing those myself.
In conclusion, I found the development experience to be much smoother and VS Code is a totally different beast when you work with TypeScript. I don’t really need to sing the praises of Vue — it is very easy to pick up and start building and saves days trying to wrap your head around the inner workings of a framework.
The post Vue + TypeScript: A Match Made in Your Code Editor appeared first on CSS-Tricks.
Design deals for the week
Post pobrano z: Design deals for the week
Every week, we’ll give you an overview of the best deals for designers, make sure you don’t miss any by subscribing to our deals feed. You can also follow the recently launched website Type Deals if you are looking for free fonts or font deals.
5,000 High-Quality Graphic Resources
You’re looking at 5,000 graphic elements including illustration, logo, seamless patterns, watercolor textures, backgrounds, badges, fonts, borders, florals and more. With so many resources at your fingertips, that means you can spend more time working on your designs and expanding your client base.
$14 instead of $3000 – Get it now!
Beautiful Solomon Font Family (12 fonts)
Fonts can be so much fun to work with. Whether you’re creating a logo, a T-shirt or a funky poster, having the right font can make all the difference. If you’re looking for something new, something clean, and something fun, you’ve come to the right place. This Mighty Deal offers up the Solomon Font Family, from Fontfabric, at a ridiculously reduced price.
$9 instead of $279 – Get it now!
50 Fabulous Fonts from Vintage to Modern
Meet the Summer Typographic Collection chock full of 50 fonts. You’ll be privy to a wide variety of styles ranging from vintage to cartoon, and script to monograms, not to mention a slew of extras like alternates and ligatures. No matter your latest project, you’re bound to find the perfect font in this collection.
$10 instead of $150 – Get it now!
50 Custom Clear Labels from StickerMule
Promoting yourself or your business is a sticky situation! This fantastic Mighty Deal from StickerMule will get you 50 Custom Clear Labels that clock in at 3″ x 3″ and are printed in full color, plus white ink for a “no label” type of appearance. You’ll get free worldwide shipping, free online proofs, free artwork setup and a super fast 4-day turnaround.
$9 instead of $65 – Get it now!
10 Professional Script Fonts
If you’re looking to give your typeface toolbox a boost, you’ve come to the right place. This deal features 10 highly legible PUA encoded fonts. Elegant in nature, these script fonts feature a variety of extra characters to give you some real flexibility in your designs.
$7 instead of $144 – Get it now!
International Artist Feature: Denmark
Post pobrano z: International Artist Feature: Denmark
Welcome back to our International Artist Series.
Today
we’re catching up with five incredible artists from Denmark, a Scandinavian country with a love of design. I
asked each artist how
their country and culture inspired their work, and they delivered great
responses.
Mani Zamani
Mani is a digital artist and product designer living in Vejle, Denmark. Drawing from his diverse inspirations, he creates futuristic handmade and digital crafts that are creative and intriguing.
See more in his portfolio and follow him on Instagram.
The PhoneMaster
I love the open
minded mentality in Denmark and the appreciation of art and design even on a daily
basis. There’s such simplicity and very quick access to almost everything.
Extraterrestrial Aristocrats
My works are a mix of what I daydream, or see and experience. I’ve lived in four different countries and although I never directly
pinpoint the culture of where I live in my work, I do use some visual
nodes from that specific area. Denmark has a rich design heritage and I
do appreciate the pure minimalism and pastel colors with accents
they use in their everyday objects.
The Zoo Series: Whale
Calm Kayak
I live in Vejle although I spend the majority of the day designing toys
for a toy company in Billund. I participate and organize workshops with a friend of mine in a cultural center here, and the community is very open to any new ideas that celebrate
creativity.
Melany Vilchynska
Melany is an illustrator and graphic designer currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Featuring bold colors and unique concepts, her illustrations are clever and inspiring.
See more in her portfolio.
Cosmo I
I am from Ukraine but currently live in Denmark. I
enjoy this country a lot, it is small but there are so many places you
can go and just catch pure inspiration. People are also an important
part of living „Danishly.”They are cheerful, they always smile to you
if you exchange glances, and they are always ready to help. I think their
secret is just that they have a positive approach to life.
Illustrations for Polish Magazine
I recently became more courageous in my artwork and have tried more techniques to find new ways to make my illustrations more rich and interesting.
Denmark is the country where people like to express
themselves and are not afraid of being judged. It helps a lot since we
are always thinking that something in our drawings may not be accepted or
warmly welcomed by society.
Psychologia dla Rodziców
Illustrations for Polish Magazine
Here, design is a key. Folks love to pay attention to every detail and
create comfortable and well-designed spaces around them. It influences every
aspect of life.Copenhagen is full of art museums and galleries which
are all separate worlds, presenting a variety of époques and artists.
But the first thing you learn is how to save money so you can buy only that
lamp which you saw in a small shop and have already started dreaming about.
Rune Elias
Rune is a visual artist and designer living in Copenhagen, Denmark. His work is subtle yet unique, and often communicates strong themes in various styles.
See more in his portfolio.
CPH:DOX Poster
I love the summer here which is the only reason I’m staying, the other 8 months are straight up hell!
Movie Poster: Where Have All The Good Men Gone?
I’m living in Copenhagen, hanging around with good and weird people,
which inspires me the most! The culture of hanging out at different
brown Bodegas definitely gives my work some edge. And it’s how people understand what they are seeing in
the easiest way.
No Title
Formaldehyde
The art community is always fun here. I mostly only mingle with the „art community” when there is free beer!
Michelle Carlslund
Michelle is an illustrator and poster maker living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Featuring flat illustrations with lots of patterns and textures, Michelle’s work is beautifully hand crafted.
See more in her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
The Golden Collection
Even though I am not very fond of winter I really love seeing the
seasons change in Denmark. The sense of euphoria that happens when we have the
first day of spring is the best. It is like everyone is in love with the
world all at once!I also love the Scandinavian design tradition; the
minimal, clean and functional designs using a lot of natural materials
like wood, metals and stone. My own work is a bit more colorful but it
looks really nice when you combine all the colors with the neutral and
calm surroundings.
Michelle Carlslund x Södahl
I think that the color palette I use is quite typical for Danish and
Scandinavian design. I adapted some of their clean
lines and simplicity and added it to my illustration style.Denmark is a really nice place to live as an illustrator because
we have a lot of dark winter months here. They’re perfect for
staying inside, coming up with ideas and drawing all through the
winter!
Forest Poster
Peacock
We have a lot of creatives and entrepreneurs in Denmark in many
different fields. I think the creative scene is quite innovative and I
see so many great things happening and ideas coming to life.
Johanna Wurm
Johanna is a creative designer living in Aarhus, Denmark. With a specialty in brand design and illustration, her work features heartwarming creations you’ll love.
See more in her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Spring Chinchilla Illustration
Denmark is a place of high standards in all aspects of life, which makes
my work both challenging and a great deal of fun. I am very lucky to have some great influences around me.
Cute Bunny Textile
People appreciate and
value design in Denmark and they are willing to pay for it. This gives me the
opportunity to constantly push myself to be better at my craft.
Branding for Aalborg Zoo
Kernehuset Branding
The art
community is very vibrant here. In my
experience, to fit into the Danish design culture you need to elevate the
quality, push your boundaries and do it with passion. People are open and passionate about their
work and it is common to work as a team.
Many thanks to the artists who took time to answer my
questions and share a bit about themselves and how their country and/or culture
has affected their work. You can check out more of their work in the links
below:
