Freelance web designers have a lot of responsibility. It goes beyond building beautiful and functional websites. We must also think about things like accessibility, performance, and security. Not to mention the challenge of keeping clients happy. Because we juggle so many moving parts, we tend to take on more than we should. That often includes items that would be best handled by clients. Sometimes we do so for the sake of convenience. Or it might be that a client is uncomfortable with a particular task. But it’s a potentially risky situation. For one thing, what happens if you and your client ..read more

Metallic effects are both attractive and flexible. They’re often used to create an industrial or high-tech aesthetic. They work great as backgrounds, yet can also make even the tiniest elements stand out. Everyone from manufacturers to sci-fi bloggers can benefit. Traditionally, these effects required complex images. This could result in slower page load times. But that’s no longer the case. These days, some well-crafted CSS and JavaScript can do the job. It’s now possible to create beautiful metallic effects with minimal use of images. Curious about what’s possible? We’ve put together a colle ..read more

How Blogs Shaped the Web – A look back at the early days of blogging and how it impacted the online world. Fullscreen Clip Animation – Explore clip-path animations where a fullscreen image moves into a row/grid of smaller images, morphing its shape along the way. Modern Font Stacks – System font stack CSS organized by typeface classification for every modern OS. Jumping Through Hoops for Prospective Web Design Clients – What to do when someone pushes boundaries before becoming a client. CSS Nesting – Check out this time-saving feature now built into CSS. Shapes App – A copy-and-paste lib ..read more

With so many mobile devices on the market, we’re flooded with viewport sizes. That makes it especially challenging to design a fully-responsive website. CSS media queries have long been the go-to tool. But it’s getting more difficult to account for evolving screen resolutions. If a device fails to match the viewport range you’ve set, the results can be less than ideal. That’s where CSS clamp() can make a positive impact. It doesn’t rely on predefined viewport sizes. Instead, it provides a range of values and allows the web browser to scale an element as needed. clamp() doesn’t necessarily repl ..read more

Every web developer has tasks they’d rather avoid. Or ones that simply take up too much time. Quite often, they’re little things that get in the way of more important work. You could hire someone to help with these tasks. But that can be cost-prohibitive – not to mention inefficient. And there’s also the challenge of finding someone who is reliable. This is where the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT comes into play. While they can’t do everything for us, they can make quick work of common tasks. That leaves you with more time to focus on other aspects of your projects ..read more

Type Design Resources – Tips for everything from learning the basics to running your own foundry. Creating a Clock with the New CSS sin() and cos() Trigonometry Functions – Math nerds will want to explore the potential of these additions to CSS. 2023 Web Framework Performance Report – Comparing the real-world performance of popular frameworks. How to Improve Client Email Communication for Web Designers – Make the most out of the medium and get on the same page with clients. How AI Technology Will Transform Design – Answers to common questions and practical tips on how designers can make t ..read more

I’ll readily admit that I’m not a regular user of Microsoft Edge. The browser works just fine. But I’ve been a diehard fan of Firefox for years. The Chromium-based successor to Internet Explorer never gave me a compelling reason to switch. Thus, I was greatly surprised by a recent question from a client. They wondered why, when hovering over an image on their website, a small icon appeared. Was this a new feature? Usually, these types of issues are caused by an overzealous browser add-on. Or (gulp) maybe a malware infection. But neither of those scenarios applied here. My client noticed that i ..read more

Photoshop is a powerful tool for creating a range of stunning photo effects that can take your images to the next level. With the help of these tutorials, you will learn how to recreate various effects, including glitch, sepia tone, watercolor, tilt-shift, HDR, cinematic, bokeh, sketch, and many more. By mastering these techniques, you can add an artistic touch to your photos and make them truly memorable. Whether you’re a professional photographer, graphic designer, or just someone looking to enhance their photo editing skills, learning how to create these photo effects in Photoshop can be a ..read more

No one likes to lose a web design client. Especially when you consider the hard work that goes into finding one. And we can’t forget about all of the efforts it takes to provide them with great service. The whole experience can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Not to mention a hole in your revenue stream and a void in your schedule. It’s an unfortunate part of running a business. But it doesn’t have to be all negative. The reality is that there are times when losing a client is a net positive. It could, for instance, lead you to explore new opportunities. There’s also a chance for some self-re ..read more

The Most Popular Build Tools for Front-end Developers in 2023 – Discover tools that will help you build, test, and deploy front-end code. 8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Custom Text Paths – Examples of text path effects that mimic print design. Double Image Hover Effects with Clip-Path Animations – Effects that reveal images in clever ways. Scrollbar.app – This app makes it easy to create custom scroll bars. How to Help Your Clients Master eCommerce – Teach clients to manage their eCommerce websites and guide them towards success. A Guide To Accessible Form Validation – Items to cons ..read more