One of the most important aspects of digital art is the selection of color. Color can transform a piece, set the tone, and create harmony. Color choice is not just about aesthetics but also about improving your artwork’s overall composition and cohesion. Installing and creating custom color schemes in Procreate is easy. You can import swatches from various sources (like the ones below) or create palettes directly within the app. Procreate’s intuitive color wheel and palettes allow for quick adjustments and seamless integration into your workflow, making it easy to experiment and find the perfe ..read more

Choosing WordPress to power your website is a smart move. You’ll gain access to a world of themes, plugins, and possibilities. There are also some responsibilities, though. Making sure your installation is up-to-date is among them. And software updates come frequently. Experts tell us to apply updates as they are released. Doing so improves website security, squashes bugs, and adds features. We may assume that hitting the update button is the right thing to do. But what could go wrong? Is there a potential for harm? That came to light during a supply chain attack on multiple WordPress plugins ..read more

As a platform, the web caters to creators. It’s a place to publish and share whatever we want. We’ve used it to fuel the rise of everything from blogs to influencer videos. The results are impressive. Think of all the careers kickstarted by online publishing. I am living proof. Writing and web design have provided me with income and a platform. I’m forever grateful. However, the rules of content ownership seem to be changing before our eyes. And it’s not the familiar trope of a spammer copying your text and images. These days, large companies are trying to stake a claim. Social media has been ..read more

WordPress’s immense popularity stems from its robust ecosystem of tools, ease of use, and flexibility. Themes and plugins are central to its versatility. Plugins, in particular, allow users to extend the functionality of their WordPress sites effectively. Plugins are, in fact, indispensable for adding complex features to a site, eliminating the need for extensive coding or high development costs. If the term plugin is new to you, you can think of it as an app or add-on for your website. The WordPress library, with over 50,000 plugins, offers extensive design capabilities, allowing you to unloc ..read more

Retrieving data from a WordPress site can be a nightmare. Site data could reside in several places. Pulling from these various sources isn’t easy. Websites that feature eCommerce or memberships are prime examples. Each plugin may store data in a different spot. Some create separate database tables. Others use the default WordPress locales. Export plugins exist that help in some – but not all – circumstances. For example, you might be able to export customer orders. However, grabbing additional data not directly related to those orders may not be possible. Writing a custom query is another opti ..read more

The great thing about being a freelancer is that you’re in charge. That can also work against you, though. You make all the decisions. So, who’s to blame when something goes wrong? Just take a look in the mirror. That’s OK. None of us are perfect. And I’m right there with you. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my quarter-century as a freelance web designer. Mistakes are learning opportunities. But it’s better to learn from someone who’s already made them. They can save you from repeating history. That’s why I’m here! With that, here are the biggest mistakes freelance web designers typically make ..read more

WordPress has been around for over 20 years. Part of its continuing popularity stems from how extensible it is. A skilled developer can make the content management system (CMS) do just about anything. Its plugin architecture powers shopping carts, forms, and photo galleries. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. Niche functionality abounds, so it’s no wonder it leads the pack in market share. But let’s take a step back. The ability to use plugins came about in WordPress 1.2. It was a new concept in those days. The project needed to educate developers on how things work. To encourage them ..read more

Not everything on a website has to be displayed straightforwardly. Sometimes, it’s prudent to hide an element. We can then reveal it automatically or via user interaction. That’s what makes reveal effects so compelling. They can serve dual purposes. The first is to keep our layouts nice and tidy. The second is to add a bit of flair to the user experience (UX). And there are many intriguing options for web designers. Using CSS and JavaScript offers a path to creating high-end effects. They not only look great, though. There are ways to build features that are performant and accessible as well ..read more

It seems like an odd mix on the surface. On one hand, WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that aims to democratize publishing. It’s right there in the mission statement. That harkens back to its roots as a blogging platform. We install the software and push our content out into the world. On the other hand, WordPress has become a tool to make money. Freelancers, agencies, and DIY users can build commercial websites with it. Developers create themes and plugins as part of an ecosystem. Just so we’re clear: A corporation can use WordPress to bolster its billion-dollar portfolio. Just ..read more

Analog film aesthetics hold a timeless appeal in digital photography, offering a distinctive look that can create a feeling of nostalgia and rustic artistry. The rich tones, subtle grain, and little imperfections of analog film create a depth often sought after by photographers. Achieving these effects can be challenging with modern digital tools alone, but Lightroom presets will help to simplify the process. They’re invaluable to photographers who are looking to replicate those classic film styles. These pre-configured Lightroom settings allow you to apply specific styles to your photos with ..read more