Loading
- The colorful chaos
- How Strategic Use of Color in Web Design Can Increase Conversions
- 16 Branding Ideas for Your Online and Offline Locations
- Fashion and Jewelry Trends Still Under the Millennial Pink Domination
- Freelancer's best friends - Tools to make you faster and more efficient
- Camille Walala: Colorful art inspired by African tribes
- Colors and flags
- Top designer programs
- June and July edition: Colours have feelings too
- The Emotional and Behavioral Effects of Color
the colorful chaos
He is now known as one of the greatest artists of the 21st century. He has implemented a technique which was not established beforehand. He has explained that art is meant for all, and that expression of an art form comes from the person within, and not the academy or expensive paint.
His name is Pollock, Jackson Pollock. Years of research gave us a perspective on his work and the structure he used in painting. He has been promoting that art is for everyone, and one does not require a special equipment or paint to deliver a piece of art.
[caption id="attachment_52493" align="alignnone" width="400"]
Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org[/caption]
His technique, the Pollock technique, is nowadays taught in the art academies, as he created the most famous paintings of the 20th century. Where can we find structure within this technique?
First of all, for the purpose of drip painting, he was using synthetic, industrial paint typically made for car sprays or interior design purposes. This type of paint was easier to drip over the canvas, and it was also cheaper. His paintings were progressing over time, he would have layers and layers of paint on the canvas, letting one layer dry, and then drip the next one. The authenticity of his work is this three-dimensional atmosphere on the canvas, which comes with the fact that his paintings cant really be reproduced.
[caption id="attachment_52494" align="alignnone" width="560"]
Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org[/caption]
Regarding the colors, Pollock was using black and white as a primary contradiction between his and everyones elses practices. Although black and white are dominant colors, he was often surprising us with unexpected colors splashed across the painting, such as orange, yellow or green. He also used glossy colors in the final layers, to outline and highlight significant surfaces.
In some of his paintings, such as Number 3, 1949: Tiger, it is difficult to understand in which order was the colors applied to the canvas. He was using them in different stages, letting the colors communicate over the process of making a painting. Although there were an original structure and a decided technique of his art, it seems like he often let things happen, making decisions at the moment.
[caption id="attachment_52495" align="alignnone" width="560"]
Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org/reflection-of-the-big-dipper.jsp[/caption]
Although at a first glance these paintings may seem chaotic and without systematic order, what we can learn from Pollocks technique is how to understand space, shapes, colors, and movement of a still art peace. His basic contradiction made by black and white created a space for living colors to interact and mix on the canvas, giving an impression of a living painting, a painting that moves and tells a story.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings. 
Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org[/caption]
His technique, the Pollock technique, is nowadays taught in the art academies, as he created the most famous paintings of the 20th century. Where can we find structure within this technique?
First of all, for the purpose of drip painting, he was using synthetic, industrial paint typically made for car sprays or interior design purposes. This type of paint was easier to drip over the canvas, and it was also cheaper. His paintings were progressing over time, he would have layers and layers of paint on the canvas, letting one layer dry, and then drip the next one. The authenticity of his work is this three-dimensional atmosphere on the canvas, which comes with the fact that his paintings cant really be reproduced.
[caption id="attachment_52494" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org[/caption]
Regarding the colors, Pollock was using black and white as a primary contradiction between his and everyones elses practices. Although black and white are dominant colors, he was often surprising us with unexpected colors splashed across the painting, such as orange, yellow or green. He also used glossy colors in the final layers, to outline and highlight significant surfaces.
In some of his paintings, such as Number 3, 1949: Tiger, it is difficult to understand in which order was the colors applied to the canvas. He was using them in different stages, letting the colors communicate over the process of making a painting. Although there were an original structure and a decided technique of his art, it seems like he often let things happen, making decisions at the moment.
[caption id="attachment_52495" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo from https://www.jackson-pollock.org/reflection-of-the-big-dipper.jsp[/caption]
Although at a first glance these paintings may seem chaotic and without systematic order, what we can learn from Pollocks technique is how to understand space, shapes, colors, and movement of a still art peace. His basic contradiction made by black and white created a space for living colors to interact and mix on the canvas, giving an impression of a living painting, a painting that moves and tells a story.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings.
Anyone can put up a website for any reason, but most webmasters do it to get conversions. Getting visitors to sign up for a newsletter, fill out a contact form, and buy products or services their site is offering is what gets webmasters going, and web design plays a crucial role in acquiring those conversions.
A website’s design is an essential factor in getting visitors to check it out. Ease of navigation, mobile responsiveness, and the way the call-to-action button looks are just some of the many elements that can either attract or turn off users.
The same goes for color and how web designers use it in their work. Colors are a powerful tool in web design because they make quite an impact on human attitudes and emotions.
With strategic color use, web designers can make a website project an air of reliability. Creating a sense of urgency or making people feel passionate about something is also possible if the web designer uses specific colors in a particular way. Whatever reaction or emotion a websites design elicits from visitors, you can bet that the colors the designer used have something to do with it.
Industrial psychology has a sub-field called color psychology, which revolves around analyzing the emotional and behavioral effects that colors and color combinations produce. With an understanding of color psychology, a good web designer can use certain colors and the human emotions associated with them to trigger specific reactions from visitors. More often than not, the right use of these colors in web design can lead to conversions.
To be able to use color strategically, a web designer must know which values and emotions are commonly associated with what colors. Here’s a guide on some basic colors that you can refer to when designing a website.
RED
Are you working on a page for a clearance sale which will last for a limited time only? Use red to make visitors feel like they have to rush immediately to the store or miss out on the opportunity. When used in marketing materials that scream about huge discounts, red can create a sense of urgency.
BLUE
In the business world, the use of blue is common since it projects security, stability, reliability, trust, and intelligence, among other things. Blue is also cool to the eyes, which is probably why many people associate it with calmness and serenity.
BLACK
Black is elegant, sleek, and glamorous, which is probably why ad campaigns for high-end products use it frequently. Black is great for projecting power and authority as well.
WHITE
The healthcare industry uses white heavily because it symbolizes hygiene and cleanliness. White also represents innocence, purity, and virtue.
YELLOW
If you want to draw visitors in by projecting cheerfulness and warmth, then you should use the color yellow in your design. Go a little easy on the color though, because a color as sunny as yellow can get a bit overwhelming.
GREEN
Websites dedicated to environmental causes typically use green. Green is also popular among businesses that would like to convey decisiveness to potential customers.
There are many colors out there with emotional associations determined by color psychology. Study them, use them strategically, and help improve your conversion rates.
_ABOUT THE AUTHOR_
_Anthony Tisara is the Outreach Manager at My Biz Niche, the go-to Phoenix-based digital marketing agency specializing in effective SEO and stunning web design solutions built to capture your target audience and generate more leads. He enjoys traveling with his family and organizing weekly trivia events with his friends._ 
Figuring out how to brand your business so it’s easily recognizable to consumers is challenging. Not only do you need consistency across both online and offline locations, but within the messaging itself.
You compete against millions of businesses. With more than 30 million businesses represented on Facebook, for example, you need a plan to stand out from all the noise the typical consumer is inundated with, or you’ll likely be overlooked.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can integrate both online and offline marketing to create a voice for your brand and reach your target audience.
1. OFFER CUSTOM CONTENT
Don’t just churn out generic content or retweet other people’s content. If your goal is to drive people to your website, then you have to give them a reason to go there. Content is still king when it comes to offering something custom to your customers. Seventy-eight percent of people are more likely to trust a company offering custom content versus generic.
2. MAKE YOUR LOGO MEMORABLE
There are some brands whose logos are so recognizable you instantly know what company is tied to the ad or image. Think about some of the popular brands out there, such as McDonald’s or Walmart. You instantly thought of their logo, didn’t you? Your goal is to make your logo just as memorable. This is accomplished with color, specific typography and exposing the consumer to the logo over and over again.
Guitar Studio’s logo is memorable in that it incorporates what they do by adding musical instruments into the logo itself. The text is bold and simple, but the colors are black and red, which catches the eye over a white background.
3. WRAP YOUR VEHICLE
Out-of-home advertising, such as wraps on vehicles, has a six to one return on investment (ROI). The overall look should match your brand identity. A professional can help you match colors and typography so your vehicle is as recognizable as your website or storefront.
4. SHARE YOUR VALUES
What do you value as a brand and as an individual? This should clearly tie into your company’s overall purpose. If you aren’t passionate about something, consumers will see that. However, you also have to communicate your purpose so they know what you’re striving toward.
.
Life Is Good has a basic philosophy of spreading good vibes. You see this in everything they do, from the clothes they make to the message on their website to sharing photos of their customers and how they treat their employees. It’s an overreaching message for their brand that you’ll see over and over again. They also donate money toward helping improve the lives of children.
5. SPONSOR LOCAL EVENTS
Sponsoring local events is a great way to get out in your community and start building relationships on a local level. As with other advertising opportunities, remain true to your brand image with the same logo, colors and message. Local events can include fundraising, little league and school events.
6. OFFER TRANSPARENCY
Consumers care that a brand means what it says and is open and honest. If a brand offers total transparency, around 94 percent of people say they will likely remain loyal to that brand. Make transparency part of your overall branding efforts both online and offline.
McDonalds deals with all sorts of rumors about their mega-brand, so they came up with a transparency campaign in Canada to answer any questions consumers might have and tagged it "Our food. Your questions."
7. POLICE YOUR BRAND’S USAGE
One of the worst things you can do is let other people represent your brand in a way that is unflattering to you. If you don’t stop these imposters, then you risk the general public thinking you endorsed whatever they said or did. Disney is notorious for protecting their name and trademark, and rightfully so. You should be as well.
8. SHOW THEM YOU CARE
People feel an emotional connection to brands they think care about them. Sixty-five percent of consumers say if a brand cares about them they are more likely to form a long-term relationship with that brand.
Harley Davidson is well known for their amazing customer service that goes on long after that initial purchase of a new motorcycle. Once you buy a motorcycle from them, youre considered part of their "Harley family." There is a Harley Owners Group (HOG) that you can join. This allows you to connect with other Harley owners and share tips and maintenance ideas.
9. PUT YOUR STAMP ON EVERYTHING
If you want people to become familiar with your brand name and logo, you need to put it everywhere. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, put your logo on the bags you place purchased items in, at the top of the sales receipt and all over your store. For online, add your logo to social media, your website, and any email you send out.
10. GIVE OUT FREEBIES
Find brand ambassadors to help you spread the word about your brand and what you do. This means passing out things such as hats and T-shirts with your brand logo and message on it, but also developing an insider pool of people who will help you spread the word.
11. START A REWARDS SYSTEM
Want to drive loyal customers to buy more often? Develop a rewards system for everything from referring new customers to purchases they make. Brands such as Starbucks do a good job of blending online and offline marketing by offering an app that rewards loyal customers. They also have a “frappy hour” they send out push notifications about.
12. THROW AN ONLINE EVENT
Facebook allows you to schedule events, create private groups and host a party online. Optionally, you could also install chat software on your site and host an online event on your own server. The key to throwing an online event is to get people in the door. You can do this with free prize drawings, a special guest speaker and mentioning the upcoming event on social media and to your private mailing list.
13. HOST AN IN-PERSON PARTY
In real life, you can host a party for local media to get the buzz going about your brand. Invite any influencers in your area as well. For example, if Mary has always been your number one fan and regularly sends people into your store to try what you have to offer, invite Mary to your VIP party.
14. WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Print out some door hangers or flyers about what you have to offer and invite the neighborhood to come see you at your place of business. Even if you’re on an extremely tight budget, printing these items doesn’t cost much. All it will take is a little of your time.
15. GIVE SPEECHES
Be a guest speaker both online and offline. This allows you to reach new people one or a few at a time and tell them about what you do. First, you must find a topic that people want to know about and that ties into your niche. Then, you develop some talks that teach others but also promote what you do and your business.
16. TRADE ADVERTISING
Seek out like-minded business owners who run businesses that are similar to yours but not direct competition. For example, a bakery might team up with a wedding planner. You then trade advertising in one another’s newsletters and refer people to one another.
BRANDING IDEAS
These are just a few branding ideas applicable to both online and offline branding efforts. Keep your eyes and ears open for additional opportunities to get your brand message out there. The more people hear about you, the more likely they are to consider doing business with you.
Lexie is a graphic designer and typography enthusiast. She spends most of her time A/B testing websites and creating style guides. Check out her blog, Design Roast, and follow her on Twitter @lexieludesigner. 
Guitar Studio’s logo is memorable in that it incorporates what they do by adding musical instruments into the logo itself. The text is bold and simple, but the colors are black and red, which catches the eye over a white background.
3. WRAP YOUR VEHICLE
Out-of-home advertising, such as wraps on vehicles, has a six to one return on investment (ROI). The overall look should match your brand identity. A professional can help you match colors and typography so your vehicle is as recognizable as your website or storefront.
4. SHARE YOUR VALUES
What do you value as a brand and as an individual? This should clearly tie into your company’s overall purpose. If you aren’t passionate about something, consumers will see that. However, you also have to communicate your purpose so they know what you’re striving toward.
.
Life Is Good has a basic philosophy of spreading good vibes. You see this in everything they do, from the clothes they make to the message on their website to sharing photos of their customers and how they treat their employees. It’s an overreaching message for their brand that you’ll see over and over again. They also donate money toward helping improve the lives of children.
5. SPONSOR LOCAL EVENTS
Sponsoring local events is a great way to get out in your community and start building relationships on a local level. As with other advertising opportunities, remain true to your brand image with the same logo, colors and message. Local events can include fundraising, little league and school events.
6. OFFER TRANSPARENCY
Consumers care that a brand means what it says and is open and honest. If a brand offers total transparency, around 94 percent of people say they will likely remain loyal to that brand. Make transparency part of your overall branding efforts both online and offline.
McDonalds deals with all sorts of rumors about their mega-brand, so they came up with a transparency campaign in Canada to answer any questions consumers might have and tagged it "Our food. Your questions."
7. POLICE YOUR BRAND’S USAGE
One of the worst things you can do is let other people represent your brand in a way that is unflattering to you. If you don’t stop these imposters, then you risk the general public thinking you endorsed whatever they said or did. Disney is notorious for protecting their name and trademark, and rightfully so. You should be as well.
8. SHOW THEM YOU CARE
People feel an emotional connection to brands they think care about them. Sixty-five percent of consumers say if a brand cares about them they are more likely to form a long-term relationship with that brand.
Harley Davidson is well known for their amazing customer service that goes on long after that initial purchase of a new motorcycle. Once you buy a motorcycle from them, youre considered part of their "Harley family." There is a Harley Owners Group (HOG) that you can join. This allows you to connect with other Harley owners and share tips and maintenance ideas.
9. PUT YOUR STAMP ON EVERYTHING
If you want people to become familiar with your brand name and logo, you need to put it everywhere. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, put your logo on the bags you place purchased items in, at the top of the sales receipt and all over your store. For online, add your logo to social media, your website, and any email you send out.
10. GIVE OUT FREEBIES
Find brand ambassadors to help you spread the word about your brand and what you do. This means passing out things such as hats and T-shirts with your brand logo and message on it, but also developing an insider pool of people who will help you spread the word.
11. START A REWARDS SYSTEM
Want to drive loyal customers to buy more often? Develop a rewards system for everything from referring new customers to purchases they make. Brands such as Starbucks do a good job of blending online and offline marketing by offering an app that rewards loyal customers. They also have a “frappy hour” they send out push notifications about.
12. THROW AN ONLINE EVENT
Facebook allows you to schedule events, create private groups and host a party online. Optionally, you could also install chat software on your site and host an online event on your own server. The key to throwing an online event is to get people in the door. You can do this with free prize drawings, a special guest speaker and mentioning the upcoming event on social media and to your private mailing list.
13. HOST AN IN-PERSON PARTY
In real life, you can host a party for local media to get the buzz going about your brand. Invite any influencers in your area as well. For example, if Mary has always been your number one fan and regularly sends people into your store to try what you have to offer, invite Mary to your VIP party.
14. WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Print out some door hangers or flyers about what you have to offer and invite the neighborhood to come see you at your place of business. Even if you’re on an extremely tight budget, printing these items doesn’t cost much. All it will take is a little of your time.
15. GIVE SPEECHES
Be a guest speaker both online and offline. This allows you to reach new people one or a few at a time and tell them about what you do. First, you must find a topic that people want to know about and that ties into your niche. Then, you develop some talks that teach others but also promote what you do and your business.
16. TRADE ADVERTISING
Seek out like-minded business owners who run businesses that are similar to yours but not direct competition. For example, a bakery might team up with a wedding planner. You then trade advertising in one another’s newsletters and refer people to one another.
BRANDING IDEAS
These are just a few branding ideas applicable to both online and offline branding efforts. Keep your eyes and ears open for additional opportunities to get your brand message out there. The more people hear about you, the more likely they are to consider doing business with you.
Lexie is a graphic designer and typography enthusiast. She spends most of her time A/B testing websites and creating style guides. Check out her blog, Design Roast, and follow her on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
.
Call it pastel pink, salmon rose, peachy blush or flamingo cerise, the verdict is in: Millennial pink is – still – the color of the moment. Try as they may to unseat it, this color isn’t going anywhere.This sweet, candy-like shade is not really a newcomer on the color trends scene – in fact, it’s been around for the better part of the decade. From rosy packaging to pink sunnies and trendy drinks and from bling to runway trends, Millennial pink is everywhere – and it shows no signs of slowing down.
PINK IS IN: THE BEGINNINGS
Back in 2015, Pantone announced rose quartz as one of the two colors of the upcoming year – with serenity, aka chalky sky-blue being its co-lead. Arguing their choice as society’s understanding of femininity… changing the way people think about the female experience”, Pantone definitely boosted the popularity of the shade. But by 2015, Millennial pink was already the hottest shade around – and some say it all started with Paris Hilton’s love for the shade in the early 2000s.But not all agree and other sources associate the origins of the pink movement with Tumblr’s pink-everything aesthetic. By 2016, major brands were designing or packaging everything pink: from Diesels Spring 2016 ad campaign to Glossier’s new product range, the color was already on top.
PINK-INFUSED FASHION TRENDS
From the hottest catwalks of the world to the red carpet, Millennial pink is everywhere. And when it comes to garments, the famous shade features a wider range of tones, from the softer, pastel ones to brighter, candy-like hues. Millennial pink has been a staple at New York Fashion Week for years now, where collections from Rebecca Minkoff, Anna Sui, Reebok, Club Monaco featured the shade extensively. Another group .that totally embraces the femme shade: fashion bloggers, who rock the shade on repeat, both as a statement shade (in its hotter versions) and as an elevated, luxe neutral.
JEWELRY TRENDS: ROSE GOLD TAKES THE LEAD
.
Blush shades of pink have been slowly and steadily taking over the latte and hazelnut hues and gaining a place as veritable neutrals. And the same thing is happening in the jewelry niche, where rose gold jewelry has been slowly taking over the classic white and yellow tones – especially during the hotter seasons. From dangly earrings to lariat necklaces and stackable rings, rose gold is totally trending. The reason? The simple fact that no other shade looks as good on sun-kissed skin as rose.
PINK SUNNIES, BAGS AND HEELS
.
The color of iPhones and Acne Studios shopping bags is also scoring big in the accessory department. While a while ago, golden pumps were making a sparkly splash, these days; it’s all about those rosy heels with high levels of luster. Joining the pink club: the trendiest sunnies, with the IT celebs rocking the rosy-shaded shades on their pap strolls. Pink backpacks, pink totes and blush handbags have become staple rather than statement pieces, since the shade can definitely double as a neutral.
ROSE-HUED GEMS AND PEARLS
.
Say goodbye to classic whites and welcome the sweet shades of pink when it comes to updating your jewelry collection. From rosy beads to pink pearl stud earrings and peachy salmon gemstones, the trend knows no bounds. Whether you’re on the market for a pearl ring or a gem necklace, embrace the seductive, fun and saccharine shade of Millennial pink.
NEXT IN LINE: MILLENNIAL LILAC IS THE NEW PINK
According to various color forecasters, Millennial pink has already peaked. And the next iconic shade in line is either hot, 90’s pink or soft and mysterious Millennial lilac. But even if you’ve upgraded your wardrobe with an excessive amount of candy pink pieces, no worries – as this sweet shade and its purple cousin look like a trendy unicorn-like dream when combined.
Back in 2015, Pantone announced rose quartz as one of the two colors of the upcoming year – with serenity, aka chalky sky-blue being its co-lead. Arguing their choice as society’s understanding of femininity… changing the way people think about the female experience”, Pantone definitely boosted the popularity of the shade. But by 2015, Millennial pink was already the hottest shade around – and some say it all started with Paris Hilton’s love for the shade in the early 2000s.But not all agree and other sources associate the origins of the pink movement with Tumblr’s pink-everything aesthetic. By 2016, major brands were designing or packaging everything pink: from Diesels Spring 2016 ad campaign to Glossier’s new product range, the color was already on top.
PINK-INFUSED FASHION TRENDS
From the hottest catwalks of the world to the red carpet, Millennial pink is everywhere. And when it comes to garments, the famous shade features a wider range of tones, from the softer, pastel ones to brighter, candy-like hues. Millennial pink has been a staple at New York Fashion Week for years now, where collections from Rebecca Minkoff, Anna Sui, Reebok, Club Monaco featured the shade extensively. Another group .that totally embraces the femme shade: fashion bloggers, who rock the shade on repeat, both as a statement shade (in its hotter versions) and as an elevated, luxe neutral.
JEWELRY TRENDS: ROSE GOLD TAKES THE LEAD
.
Blush shades of pink have been slowly and steadily taking over the latte and hazelnut hues and gaining a place as veritable neutrals. And the same thing is happening in the jewelry niche, where rose gold jewelry has been slowly taking over the classic white and yellow tones – especially during the hotter seasons. From dangly earrings to lariat necklaces and stackable rings, rose gold is totally trending. The reason? The simple fact that no other shade looks as good on sun-kissed skin as rose.
PINK SUNNIES, BAGS AND HEELS
.
The color of iPhones and Acne Studios shopping bags is also scoring big in the accessory department. While a while ago, golden pumps were making a sparkly splash, these days; it’s all about those rosy heels with high levels of luster. Joining the pink club: the trendiest sunnies, with the IT celebs rocking the rosy-shaded shades on their pap strolls. Pink backpacks, pink totes and blush handbags have become staple rather than statement pieces, since the shade can definitely double as a neutral.
ROSE-HUED GEMS AND PEARLS
.
Say goodbye to classic whites and welcome the sweet shades of pink when it comes to updating your jewelry collection. From rosy beads to pink pearl stud earrings and peachy salmon gemstones, the trend knows no bounds. Whether you’re on the market for a pearl ring or a gem necklace, embrace the seductive, fun and saccharine shade of Millennial pink.
NEXT IN LINE: MILLENNIAL LILAC IS THE NEW PINK
According to various color forecasters, Millennial pink has already peaked. And the next iconic shade in line is either hot, 90’s pink or soft and mysterious Millennial lilac. But even if you’ve upgraded your wardrobe with an excessive amount of candy pink pieces, no worries – as this sweet shade and its purple cousin look like a trendy unicorn-like dream when combined.
Today, being a freelancer is a new labor choice. Freelancers have brought a new style and freedom to working hours, they have adapted their work to the lifestyle and changed the way we see employment. However, to be a freelancer is not as simple as it sounds. It means that you have to organize your schedule, manage your time yourselves, send your own invoices and have a structure in your day-to-day work. Ahead of you are chosen tools which are very helpful for freelancers.
Its imperative to start with recommending a very handy and elegant Evernote - one app to save it all, offering storage for your notes, organized in notebooks, where you can also save photos, links and anything else you need for your project. You can share Evernote notebooks with other partners on the project, and you also get it synced for up to 3 devices for free, enabling you to create on the go.
The simplicity of using Evernote is now followed by Asana, a smooth project tracker where you can keep note of your tasks and check them done. Asana also lets you use it for the team, where you can assign tasks to each other. While using Asana, it is quite handy to have a separate app, that looks as elegant but doesnt take up much memory, to keep your personal daily to-dos apart from the work ones. For this purpose, wed recommend you take a look at Dreamie Planner app or its similar alternatives.
Another great platform worth mentioning is Trello, which is an online tool for collaboration between an unlimited number of coworkers. It is great for brainstorming sessions, offering you features like boards, lists, and cards, where you can also post pictures and links.
When it comes to time management, it seems like not many people have learned how to organize their hours, and this might be a side effect of studying in formal schools (just saying). But worry not, cos internet has provided us with various free tools we can use to organize our time. Starting with an app as simple as pomodoro technique based - Tomato Timer or Focus Booster or alternative apps in the store with an option to customize your pomodoros.
When speaking about time management, we cannot leave out Rescue Time, a software that keeps track on how much time in a day you are spending using different applications and websites. It will give you a whole new perspective on how you should reorganize your day and increase your productivity. Along with Rescue Time, we also recommend Toggl, another free time tracker. Toggle will help you arrange how much time you are spending on each project, and also add your hourly wages, so at the end of the day, you know how much you worked, and how much you made.
If you are looking for something new and experimental, you can also try Hubstaff for 14 days free trial. This software is partnered with Zoho invoice software, which is a very easy system to write invoices if you are a freelancer. It is also good to mention Harvest here, which is primarily a time tracker, but also has made it easy for you to synchronize and send invoices for your per hour payment by using this app. A winner when it comes to creative app names is certainly Pancake, another all-inclusive tool, whose invoices are using most standard payment gateways, such as PayPal. Pancake doesnt charge you on a monthly base, they only have you paying a one-time fee when you begin to use it, for an unlimited access to its features.
When it comes to invoicing software, we can recommend Freshbooks, which enables you to create invoices very quickly, and you can try it for free for 30 days, so see for yourselves. Another app worth mentioning is Xero, which is also synced to PayPal, enabling your on-time payments.
Similar to Pancake, we shouldnt forget to add Bonsai to this list. They also give you all kinds of management solutions, with the ability to accept payments from clients. They also have a free trial period available. Yet another cool alternative to this software is ClientSpot, where you can manage different clients and insert your deadlines.
On the side from PayPal, another extra safe way to process your payments would be Google Wallet, which also charges a very small fee, and it can be connected to all your Google accounts, which is quite handy.
These are some cool and practical software to help designers and other freelancers get well organized and be as practical as possible. There are many alternatives which are better suitable for a variety of personality types.
WHICH ONES ARE YOUR FAVORITES? ARE YOU USING ANY OF THE PROGRAMS WE MENTIONED? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings. 
Its imperative to start with recommending a very handy and elegant Evernote - one app to save it all, offering storage for your notes, organized in notebooks, where you can also save photos, links and anything else you need for your project. You can share Evernote notebooks with other partners on the project, and you also get it synced for up to 3 devices for free, enabling you to create on the go.
The simplicity of using Evernote is now followed by Asana, a smooth project tracker where you can keep note of your tasks and check them done. Asana also lets you use it for the team, where you can assign tasks to each other. While using Asana, it is quite handy to have a separate app, that looks as elegant but doesnt take up much memory, to keep your personal daily to-dos apart from the work ones. For this purpose, wed recommend you take a look at Dreamie Planner app or its similar alternatives.
Another great platform worth mentioning is Trello, which is an online tool for collaboration between an unlimited number of coworkers. It is great for brainstorming sessions, offering you features like boards, lists, and cards, where you can also post pictures and links.
When it comes to time management, it seems like not many people have learned how to organize their hours, and this might be a side effect of studying in formal schools (just saying). But worry not, cos internet has provided us with various free tools we can use to organize our time. Starting with an app as simple as pomodoro technique based - Tomato Timer or Focus Booster or alternative apps in the store with an option to customize your pomodoros.
When speaking about time management, we cannot leave out Rescue Time, a software that keeps track on how much time in a day you are spending using different applications and websites. It will give you a whole new perspective on how you should reorganize your day and increase your productivity. Along with Rescue Time, we also recommend Toggl, another free time tracker. Toggle will help you arrange how much time you are spending on each project, and also add your hourly wages, so at the end of the day, you know how much you worked, and how much you made.
If you are looking for something new and experimental, you can also try Hubstaff for 14 days free trial. This software is partnered with Zoho invoice software, which is a very easy system to write invoices if you are a freelancer. It is also good to mention Harvest here, which is primarily a time tracker, but also has made it easy for you to synchronize and send invoices for your per hour payment by using this app. A winner when it comes to creative app names is certainly Pancake, another all-inclusive tool, whose invoices are using most standard payment gateways, such as PayPal. Pancake doesnt charge you on a monthly base, they only have you paying a one-time fee when you begin to use it, for an unlimited access to its features.
When it comes to invoicing software, we can recommend Freshbooks, which enables you to create invoices very quickly, and you can try it for free for 30 days, so see for yourselves. Another app worth mentioning is Xero, which is also synced to PayPal, enabling your on-time payments.
Similar to Pancake, we shouldnt forget to add Bonsai to this list. They also give you all kinds of management solutions, with the ability to accept payments from clients. They also have a free trial period available. Yet another cool alternative to this software is ClientSpot, where you can manage different clients and insert your deadlines.
On the side from PayPal, another extra safe way to process your payments would be Google Wallet, which also charges a very small fee, and it can be connected to all your Google accounts, which is quite handy.
These are some cool and practical software to help designers and other freelancers get well organized and be as practical as possible. There are many alternatives which are better suitable for a variety of personality types.
WHICH ONES ARE YOUR FAVORITES? ARE YOU USING ANY OF THE PROGRAMS WE MENTIONED? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings. PRINT - DESIGN - INTERIORS... three keywords that best describe Camilles work and life.
Her work is easily recognizable and inspiring. The color combinations she uses are lively and playful and her unique style is influenced by the African tribes and the Memphis Movement from the 80’s. She personally describes it as TribalPop.
ABOUT CAMILLE
A graduate in textile design from the University of Brighton, Camille Walala established her studio and brand in East London in 2009, and has since evolved from textile-based work to art direction, interior design and large-scale civic art and installation projects.
Drawing on influences including the Memphis Movement, the Ndebele tribe and Victor Vasarely, Walala has an irrepressible enthusiasm for playful, graphic patterns that invoke a smile. Her dedication to positivity, optimistic typography and bold use of pattern and colour have seen her transform urban landscapes across the world, and earned her clients ranging from Converse and Armani to Nintendo and Facebook.
Drawing on influences including the Memphis Movement, the Ndebele tribe and Victor Vasarely, Walala has an irrepressible enthusiasm for playful, graphic patterns that invoke a smile. Her dedication to positivity, optimistic typography and bold use of pattern and colour have seen her transform urban landscapes across the world, and earned her clients ranging from Converse and Armani to Nintendo and Facebook. 
Follow Camilles work: website | Instagram
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CAMILLES ART? DOES IT INSPIRE YOU? DOES IT MAKE YOU HAPPY? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.
When talking about colors and their meanings in different cultures, we should acknowledge the colorful representation of countries, which can tell us a lot about the history and the people. While having in mind everything we know about color psychology, lets take a look at a few interesting examples of what colors represent in flags.
Everyone is familiar with the look of the US flag - the thirteen stripes represent the thirteen founding states, and fifty stars current fifty states. The colors for this flag were taken from the British flag, and later on, the meaning was assigned to them such as courage, purity, and justice. It is interesting how in the Philippines flag blue is for peace, truth, and justice, while red is for patriotism; but originally these colors are meant to acknowledge the help of the US during the revolution.
For some countries, colors stand for a political system or revolution. At the flag of China, the color red represents the communist revolution, while the stars stand for communist party and the people. Just the same as China, the flag of Vietnam is red for communism, and the star represents the power of the people in Vietnam.
Something similar is happening in the flag of Bangladesh - the circle is for the sun, while its color is red for the blood of the people who fought for independence. The green, on the other hand, stands out the beauty of nature in Bangladesh. Color green also appears in the Nigerian flag, to represent natural resources, while the white color stands for peace.
Some flags are storytelling. Egyptian flag begins their story with British occupation (red), followed up with bloodless revolution (white), and ending with Egypt being independent (black). The color blue in the flag of Congo is telling us about peace while there is this red strap over the flag to respect the rebellion which led them to peace.
In some multicultural countries, colors symbolize a variety of religions which citizens respect. In Pakistan for example, green is for the Islamic population and white represents the minorities. Also in India, green is for the Muslims, and Safran color represents Hindu population.
There are also some examples of philosophy expressed through colors in the flag, like in Indonesia. The color red in the Indonesian flag stands for courage, but also the human body, and the white for purity and the human soul, which then means that combined they make a whole person.
It is amazing how we use colors to express respect for great events in national history, as well as to express ideology. This colorful marks for national identity are a part of human behavior since the tribes, and it is another great visual implication for everything we have in common, as well as how beautifully diverse we all are.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COLORS OF THE FLAG? DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER FLAG COLOR MEANINGS? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings. 
Everyone is familiar with the look of the US flag - the thirteen stripes represent the thirteen founding states, and fifty stars current fifty states. The colors for this flag were taken from the British flag, and later on, the meaning was assigned to them such as courage, purity, and justice. It is interesting how in the Philippines flag blue is for peace, truth, and justice, while red is for patriotism; but originally these colors are meant to acknowledge the help of the US during the revolution.
For some countries, colors stand for a political system or revolution. At the flag of China, the color red represents the communist revolution, while the stars stand for communist party and the people. Just the same as China, the flag of Vietnam is red for communism, and the star represents the power of the people in Vietnam.
Something similar is happening in the flag of Bangladesh - the circle is for the sun, while its color is red for the blood of the people who fought for independence. The green, on the other hand, stands out the beauty of nature in Bangladesh. Color green also appears in the Nigerian flag, to represent natural resources, while the white color stands for peace.
Some flags are storytelling. Egyptian flag begins their story with British occupation (red), followed up with bloodless revolution (white), and ending with Egypt being independent (black). The color blue in the flag of Congo is telling us about peace while there is this red strap over the flag to respect the rebellion which led them to peace.
In some multicultural countries, colors symbolize a variety of religions which citizens respect. In Pakistan for example, green is for the Islamic population and white represents the minorities. Also in India, green is for the Muslims, and Safran color represents Hindu population.
There are also some examples of philosophy expressed through colors in the flag, like in Indonesia. The color red in the Indonesian flag stands for courage, but also the human body, and the white for purity and the human soul, which then means that combined they make a whole person.
It is amazing how we use colors to express respect for great events in national history, as well as to express ideology. This colorful marks for national identity are a part of human behavior since the tribes, and it is another great visual implication for everything we have in common, as well as how beautifully diverse we all are.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COLORS OF THE FLAG? DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER FLAG COLOR MEANINGS? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings.
Every graphic designer has his/her own preference when it comes to a set of programs to express creativity. Whether your criteria is how easy it is to use, how flexible is the user interface for you, or how many preferences it has, we usually make our pick and get used to one program forever and ever.
For years, Adobe seems to be designers first choice all over the world. Users like Adobe Photoshop as its easy to use, basic features are making the whole experience smooth and most of the tools are quite effective. Photoshop is a beginners first choice, it is simple for use to for RAW format images and rendering is also pretty easy.
Designers also love Adobe Illustrator. It is a great tool for branding, mostly used for logos, typography etc, but it could also find application in video illustrations. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows, but a very expensive tool to get.
Besides Photoshop and Illustrator, Adobe InDesign is common in designers practice. It is used for magazine and book covers, flyers and brochures, for digital as much as printed versions. It takes some time to get in the game with this program, as for most of Adobe software, so we dont recommend it for when you need your publication ready for tomorrow and youve never used InDesign before.
One of the most used alternatives to Photoshop would be GIMP. One of the many cool advantages is that its compatible with different operating systems, on top of being simple to use and that interface is very adaptive to modern users. An alternative for Illustrator is Inkscape, which is a free tool for dealing with vectors, and also available on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Another great choice for vector graphic designing is CorelDraw, which is a very popular software and its features are rated as outstanding. Users are quite satisfied with how easy it is to use, and also the training videos are making it even more simple. Regarding the price, there are different subscriptions available, while the downside is there is no Mac version of this program. Other apps from this provider are Corel PaintShop and Corel PhotoImpact.
Some other apps with cool features are also a very old ACDSEE Photo Editor, then Serif PhotoPlus and Serif DrawPlus, CyberLink PhotoDirector, Xara, Vector with the free basic plan, Google Sketch-up for easy 3D modeling and more interesting features with Pro plan.
WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITES? HOW EASY ARE ADOBE PROGRAMS TO USE, COMPARED TO THEIR OPPONENTS? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings. 
For years, Adobe seems to be designers first choice all over the world. Users like Adobe Photoshop as its easy to use, basic features are making the whole experience smooth and most of the tools are quite effective. Photoshop is a beginners first choice, it is simple for use to for RAW format images and rendering is also pretty easy.
Designers also love Adobe Illustrator. It is a great tool for branding, mostly used for logos, typography etc, but it could also find application in video illustrations. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows, but a very expensive tool to get.
Besides Photoshop and Illustrator, Adobe InDesign is common in designers practice. It is used for magazine and book covers, flyers and brochures, for digital as much as printed versions. It takes some time to get in the game with this program, as for most of Adobe software, so we dont recommend it for when you need your publication ready for tomorrow and youve never used InDesign before.
One of the most used alternatives to Photoshop would be GIMP. One of the many cool advantages is that its compatible with different operating systems, on top of being simple to use and that interface is very adaptive to modern users. An alternative for Illustrator is Inkscape, which is a free tool for dealing with vectors, and also available on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Another great choice for vector graphic designing is CorelDraw, which is a very popular software and its features are rated as outstanding. Users are quite satisfied with how easy it is to use, and also the training videos are making it even more simple. Regarding the price, there are different subscriptions available, while the downside is there is no Mac version of this program. Other apps from this provider are Corel PaintShop and Corel PhotoImpact.
Some other apps with cool features are also a very old ACDSEE Photo Editor, then Serif PhotoPlus and Serif DrawPlus, CyberLink PhotoDirector, Xara, Vector with the free basic plan, Google Sketch-up for easy 3D modeling and more interesting features with Pro plan.
WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITES? HOW EASY ARE ADOBE PROGRAMS TO USE, COMPARED TO THEIR OPPONENTS? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
About the author
Nina Petrov is an activist, poet, performer and mathematician. She communicates with the world mostly through words, movement and equations, but sometimes also by speaking very loudly. The only truth she could say about herself is that she keeps changing every day, never stops learning and interacting with her surroundings.
June and July together were months full of color! We asked how palettes made you feel on our Twitter channel, and you answered. Thank you for being so active in expressing your opinion Colourlovers! Lets review the questions that we asked and the winning palettes.
*
* Which palette was the saddest?
*
* Which palette was the most #MYSTICAL?
*
* Which palette looked most like #BETRAYAL?
*
* Which palette screamed #JEALOUSY?
*
* Which palette looked like #SUN the most?
*
* Which palette made by Napkin guy was your favorite?
*
* Which #GREEN palette was your favorite?
*
* Which was the best #ICECREAM inspired palette?
*
* Which was the best summer palette inspired by #SAND and #SEA?
*
* The best palette inspired by #EMPTYSPACES?
*
* Which palette screamed #PASSION?
*
* What palette is best to describe todays #MOOD? (23rd July)
*
* What was the best palette inspired by the #MIND?
*
JUNE
1. EMOTIONS - WHAT COLOR PALETTES MADE YOU FEEL
The saddest palette : Since when
https://bit.ly/2HcjpqX
The most mystical palette : his mystical beard
bit.ly/2suG0ux
The palette that described #betrayal the best: Anger Management
bit.ly/2Jgss0h
The palette that screamed #jealousy: jealous*
bit.ly/2sDp3Ow
2. RESEMBLANCE - WHAT COLOR PALETTES LOOKED LIKE
The palette that looked like #sun the most: Here Comes the Sun
https://bit.ly/2sViGWa
3. FAVORITE OF NAPKIN GUYS PALETTES
Favorite Napkin guys palette was: take my breath away
bit.ly/2tbTYRF
4. BEST COLOR INSPIRED PALETTE - THE BEST GREEN
Favorite #green palette : A Dream in Color
bit.ly/2K4HQME
JULY
1. EMOTIONS - WHAT COLOR PALETTES MADE YOU FEEL
The best #passion palette: infatuation
bit.ly/2uQMUul
2. RESEMBLANCE - WHAT COLOR PALETTES LOOKED LIKE
The best #icecream palette: Icecream Truck
bit.ly/2KAoCPa
The best #sand and #sea inspired palette: shifting sands & sea
bit.ly/2uqAZmK
The best #emptyspaces palette: my empty space
bit.ly/2Lk2SaI
The best #mind inspired palette: Clouds in my mind
bit.ly/2NYAsAT
3. THE MOOD OF THE DAY PALETTE
The palette which described the #mood of the day (23rd July): Flat ideas
bit.ly/2LfwMO5
So, Colourlovers, what do you think about the palettes? Do you see any pattern? :D
_Share which one is your favorite. We cant wait to hear from you!_
About the author:
Ana is the community manager and editor at Colorlovers. She is a part-time traveler and part time web and graphic designer. She is passionate about photography and nature - a never-ending source of inspiration.
The most mystical palette : his mystical beard
bit.ly/2suG0ux
The palette that described #betrayal the best: Anger Management
bit.ly/2Jgss0h
The palette that screamed #jealousy: jealous*
bit.ly/2sDp3Ow
2. RESEMBLANCE - WHAT COLOR PALETTES LOOKED LIKE
The palette that looked like #sun the most: Here Comes the Sun
https://bit.ly/2sViGWa
3. FAVORITE OF NAPKIN GUYS PALETTES
Favorite Napkin guys palette was: take my breath away
bit.ly/2tbTYRF
4. BEST COLOR INSPIRED PALETTE - THE BEST GREEN
Favorite #green palette : A Dream in Color
bit.ly/2K4HQME
JULY
1. EMOTIONS - WHAT COLOR PALETTES MADE YOU FEEL
The best #passion palette: infatuation
bit.ly/2uQMUul
2. RESEMBLANCE - WHAT COLOR PALETTES LOOKED LIKE
The best #icecream palette: Icecream Truck
bit.ly/2KAoCPa
The best #sand and #sea inspired palette: shifting sands & sea
bit.ly/2uqAZmK
The best #emptyspaces palette: my empty space
bit.ly/2Lk2SaI
The best #mind inspired palette: Clouds in my mind
bit.ly/2NYAsAT
3. THE MOOD OF THE DAY PALETTE
The palette which described the #mood of the day (23rd July): Flat ideas
bit.ly/2LfwMO5
So, Colourlovers, what do you think about the palettes? Do you see any pattern? :D
_Share which one is your favorite. We cant wait to hear from you!_
About the author:
Ana is the community manager and editor at Colorlovers. She is a part-time traveler and part time web and graphic designer. She is passionate about photography and nature - a never-ending source of inspiration.
.
It is difficult to dispute the importance of color to branding-related endeavors. Color is evocative, creates an attraction between consumers and products and is capable of boosting recognition of a brand significantly.
The fact of the matter is that colors have the ability to produce feelings of happiness or sadness, sensations of thirst or even fatigue. Designers need to grasp the ways in which different colors can psychologically impact everyday people, including the audience a client intends to reach. It is worth reviewing the manner in which color guides our decisions, emotional reactions and moods.
Warmer Tones
Sitting adjacent to one another on the color wheel are hues of yellow, orange and red. These are known as warm colors, and they are known to bring about a feeling of energy, gladness and hopefulness. It is also necessary to note that orange and yellow may cause irritation to some peoples eyes, and they can work to boost appetites.
Consider some of the more popular fast food establishments and their frequent use of red and yellow in packaging, logos and the like. What is the reason for this? The goal is to prompt feelings of hunger and an impulse to eat something immediately.
Stunning Reds
Dynamic and warm in nature, red routinely sparks the full emotional spectrum. Many think of it as a color of love and passion, but also of risk and rage. This is a color that can set heart rates racing and generate a sense of real excitement. If a design element needs to receive a significant amount of attention, such as an online security alert, it is wise to render it in red. Used as an accent, however, red should be applied moderately, since it has a tendency to feel overwhelming at times.
Oranges
This is a color grouping that generates happy, vital feelings in those who see it. It is an attention-grabbing hue, but it does not feel quite as powerful as red. Orange is forceful, but maintains balance and friendliness. For effective calls to action and invitations to subscribe to or purchase a product, orange can be an ideal choice.
Sunny Yellows
In terms of the warm color family, yellow might just be the tone with the most energy. It conjures thoughts of sun, laughter and light. Yellow accents are great for producing an optimistic vibe in viewers. Of course, yellow does reflect large amounts of light and may feel harsh or irritating at times. Thus, this color should be used in a measured way in order to draw attention just where it is needed.
Cooler Hues
Purple, green and blue comprise the cool color family. These tones generally produce feelings of calmness and serenity, though they can also be seen as somewhat sad. Many feel that purple is great for promoting creativity, given that it blends relaxing blue with fiery red. Clients needed to generate an aura of beauty, healthfulness or safety ought to think about using these types of colors.
Grassy Green
This color has long reflected feelings of wealth, health and regeneration. Green is pleasing to the eye and can help in the creation of balanced designs.
Beautiful Blues
Tranquility, spirituality and trust are all feelings elicited by the color blue. While darker blues are great for generating a professional look for corporate clients, when used to excess, the effect can be rather cold. Lighter tones of blue create an approachable and friendly vibe.
Powerful Purples
Long recognized as a color connected to royalty and wealth, purple tends to lend a soothing air. Therefore, it is a popular choice for cosmetic and personal care products. Deep purples are perfect when a sense of luxury is required.
Comfortable Neutrals
White, tan, black, gray and brown are essential colors for the backgrounds of great web design. White, black and gray are great for pairing with bright tones. When texture is part of the design scheme, brown or tan backdrops are key.
Designers must always remember that responses to color are very subjective and may differ substantially depending on the cultural background of the viewer. Because of this, designers must never fail to research their intended audience and make deliberate color choices based on their findings. 