Color Scheme Generator 2 improves upon the older color palette generator that had lived on pixy.cz. This is an extremely useful tool for all designers, and it is great to see that it has a new home at Wellstyled.com.
Design
Change Multiple Text Layers in Photoshop
Wow, this is immensely helpful: Change Multiple Text Layers in Photoshop. As stated in the short article, if you want to make the same change to multiple text layers within Photoshop, you can skip the need to change each layer individually, or create an action. Simply follow these steps:
1. Link all of the text layers
2. Make sure one of the linked layers is currently selected
3. Hold down the Shift key while clicking on on the option bar to make the change
Very cool!
Thanks to Corrie Haffly for posting this on SitePoint.
graphicPUSH: Capturing and Optimizing Screenshots for Print
The Grammar of Ornament
I received some excellent books for my birthday this year, including The Grammar of Ornament, a stunning mixture of design knowledge, history and inspiration. The book, first printed in the middle of the 19th century, discusses a wide swath of ornamental styles and design from a wide array of sources and eras, including ancient Byzantinium, Greece, and Egypt, Imperial China and the European Renaissance.
While I have already spent a lot of time flipping pages, marvelling at the color reproductions, I have also started reading the book from cover to cover, just as I do with any other history source. The Grammar of Ornament provides an amazing opportunity to learn more about the history of those design elements we see throughout our day. All the better that it proves to be a great fount of ideas, even for those of us who design for an electronic medium.
The Man Behind the FedEx Logo
The Man Behind the FedEx Logo – An interesting and humorous interview with the man who designed the FedEx logo.
Color Index
One of the greatest things about sharing a love of design with Sarah, is the fact that we share various books, sites and creative inspiration on a daily basis. She was kind enough to get me Color Index for my birthday, which provides 1100 color combinations with their RGB and CMYK values. I absolutely love the power that this book, alongside the Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color provide. I have come to discover color combinations that would never have occurred to me, yet prove to be exactly what I need for a specific project. It can be hard to move beyond favorite colors or combinations without some visual inspiration. A quick flip through the pages of this book solves that problem!