Designer's Toolbox

Designers' Toolbox is THE graphic designer's resource. It contains all things designer: names of various folds for brochures, HTML special characters, proof reading marks, a Lorem Ipsum generator, and so on (too much info to list in this small space). They make their money with the store, which sells handy templates (like forms or client contracts), portfolio hosting, and vector maps of this entire planet.

If it's designer info that you need, they've got it--or almost. I am still waiting for a metric/imperial unit converter... although they are readily available elsewhere on the (just Google the term).

Is This Building Sinking Into the Ground?

Is this parking lot straight or is it on an angle? You be the judge. According to Flickr's user, jpelletier (who uploaded the image), this stellar piece of modern architecture is located in Seattle, Washington.

Gorgeous Golden Migration

If you've ever witnessed a natural phenomenon, you know that it's quite awe-inspiring. Amateur photographer, Sandra Critelli, found herself in the midst of just such an experience: thousands of Golden Rays, migrating off the coast of Mexico, creating a fantastic mosaic of silent, gliding, fluid bodies. Here's the story.

I Want to Sleep With Common People... Like You

"I want to live like common people.
I want to do whatever common people do.
I want to sleep with common people.
I want to sleep with common people... like you".

The lyrics to this song by British pop band, Pulp are truly inspirational, and set standards to live by... and I just had to post it.

Here's the same song sung by William Shatner and Joe Jackson on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno... I like the complacency with which (the otherwise very uncool) Shatner "tells it" (better than the original version by Pulp).

What's Your Visual DNA?

Personality tests abound on the internet... everything from the Dr. Phil personality test, available on Facebook, to online dating services, like eHarmony, that claim to match you up, according to your personality test results. Here's a personality test with a new twist, from Youniverse.com (catchy URL): the Visual DNA test. It consists of a series of open-ended statements, starting with, "Art is...", and shows a series of thumbnail photos. You respond by clicking on the photo that you most feel best corresponds to the statement. As one friend put it, "not exactly CSI, but an entertaining diversion". I'm a Sophisticat. What are you? Find out.

ABCs of PMS (that's Pantone Matching System)

I've often been asked what Pantone colours are, and why I use them. This 4-minute Pantone "commercial" explains what a colour matching system is, and how to use Pantone's chips as color guides--an excellent piece of basic graphic design knowledge, if you don't already know it. The latest piece of exciting color news is about GoeGuide, which integrates Adobe CS' digital library.

Here's a handy dandy little tool for for the eager CSS learner: it's CSS Zen Garden... a series of CSS templates (read: cheat sheets), that allow you to completely alter the look and feel of a web site, by simply changing the style sheet. Examples are downloadable... Once again, the word "clever" comes to mind.

1971 Computer Savvy

In 1971, Ladybird published "How it Works... The Computer"--One in a series of "How it Works" books (other books in this series cover the motor car, the rocket, ocean liner and telephone, among other technologies of the time). "If you are interested in computers, their function and operation, but are discouraged by their complexity, you should read this book".

Topics discussed include, "What are Computers?", "Operation of Magnetic Tape Unit", and "Does a Computer Make Mistakes?". The entire book is scanned in and available for viewing at The Pointless Museum.

Mind Your Ps and Qs: Typography Top Ten

Here's a "Top Ten" list for anyone who lays out typography in any way, whether it's writing an article, or doing a magazine or web page layout: "Ten typographic mistakes everyone makes", by Christopher Phin, a talented purveyor of all things web-dev, and more. Yes... Having read through the article, and worked with some top (read: "picky") editors, I agree that everyone does, in fact, make these mistakes (including me). Ever wonder what the difference is between a parentheses and a bracket? How many mistakes can you find in this text? This is your chance to find out!

Artful Politics

Something moves me when I watch this video. Perhaps it's the prayer-like chanting of voices (echoing Barack Obama's "Yes We Can"), or maybe it's the black and white footage which recalls a memory of a time when the world felt safer--a time that much of the world struggled for its rights... Perhaps something calls to me from my childhood, that compells me to watch this vid. Whatever the draw, the creative person behind Dipdive executed a most artful, soulful, and hip delivery of any political message that I've seen.

Fashion Twist: Orthopedic Grandma Shoes

Who, but Dr. Zen, would design a shoe that "helps in the prevention of skin breakdown and other foot problems"? This design of leather-like, pudgy material boasts a secure closure, which "ensures the shoe stays on", and a fake lace velcro flap. How practical is that?

What Color is That Anyhow?

As a designer, I spend my days dreaming up fabulous color combinations. I'm intrigued by the way colors play with one another, when placed next to each other. Opposite colors have a sort of "electric" effect, while those in the same hue but of different tones can have a calming effect. Of all the possible elements of design, color is my very favorite.

Now, imagine not being able to see color the way you do... if you were color blind. I confess, I'd not given that much thought to it, beyond basic accessibility issues... until I found this web site: Vischeck.

Check individual images, or feed a URL into their form, and see what it comes up with. I tried it on StudioClaire.com (my portfolio site), and was surprised by what I saw!

I guess that until the day when someone recovers from color blindness and is able to compare before and after versions, we will never know exactly how differently we each view the same colors, tones and hues, but this online tool might give us a sneak peek at visual impairment!

Watch Your Users' Every Move

Watch users navigate through your site, by recording their mouse clicks, with a simple line of JavaScript added to the code, to make it go.

RobotReplay allows you to view your users' activity on your site, and learn where they do and don't go. This could very well take the guesswork out of some usability issues that lead to stagnant marketing efforts. It's anonymous, so Big Brother remains out of the picture, at least for now, and it's relatively effortless... It's like usability research, but without putting in the time.

Check out this nail-biting example.