Archive for August, 2009

Every designer in the field has their own set of tools and tricks to increase productivity or to ensure the best possible and most accurate results.  One of the latest innovations from Adobe is the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR).  This environment brings what used to be traditional in browser rich internet application to the desktop.  This means that anyone can now have a set of mini applications that can connect to a web service run on their desktop.  This can assist designers in creating a faster and more productive workflow.  Below is a list of applications that designers can use to help get the job done faster and more efficiently.

NOTE: Adobe AIR is required to run these applications.  You can download Adobe AIR here.

1. Adobe Kuler Desktop

Adobe Kuler Desktop is one of the most powerful (and free) color choosing applications on the market.  Users can create their own custom color schemes from a color palette, derive them from an image, or find pre-made color schemes made by other designers.  Kuler also allows for users to import themes into Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.  Let your creativity and inspiration soar with this application!

To try the application before you download it, visit the Adobe Kuler site.

2.  ColourLovers Desktop Color Finder

If you don’t need all of the bells and whistles that Adobe Kuler provides, look no further than the ColourLovers Desktop Color Finder application.  According to the site

You can use the Desktop Color Finder to search our entire database of nearly 1 million named colors and more than 300,00 user created color palettes.

This is great when inspiration is only a color palette away.

3. Color Browser

Color Browser does an excellent job of organizing and arranging color schemes and palettes.  Play around with the application, create a library, and have a collection of colors to use in future projects!  The application can also allows users to backup their libraries by exporting them as a file.

4. Font Picker

Need a font, but not sure which one to use?  Font Picker allows users to view and select fonts installed on their computer in a visual and simplistic manner.  The user can remove fonts that they do not want to use for their project and compare side by side multiple fonts to select the right font for the project.

5.  Doomi

Doomi is a very simple, barebones to-do list application.  Simply type in the task and watch the list grow!  Check off tasks and they get stored in the Show Old area, just in case tasks need to be revisited.  There is also a built in timer for how long a user wants to work on a project. As you can see, I use the application personally. I’m really quite fond of it.  Also, looks like there’s a list of potential blog ideas for Planet Label.

6. FEAT (Freelancer’s Estimation Assistant Tool)

FEAT is a free application used for estimating the cost of a project.  The great thing about this application is the fact that is also puts into consideration a multitude of personal expenses such as insurance, taxes, and even sick days.  Profit margin and retirement funds are also factored into the mix.  The application also has a built in wizard for first time users.

6. MiniTask

For ultimate minimalism in user interface and usability in comparison to Doomi, look no further than Minitask.  At first you’ll notice limited functionality, but all of the application’s options rely in right clicking.  If you’re good with keyboard shortcuts, CTRL+N will start a new task item.

7. Ora Time and Expense

This application does a great job for managing and tracking times on a project.  The great features about this application is that it has a built in timer for when projects are being worked on and that expense reports and timesheets can be generated with it.

8. TimeLoc

Simple, smooth, and elegant best describe this small and handy little time management and expense application.  It will time and calculate how much a project can cost based on an hourly rate.

After evaluating the applications, I know that my workflow will change as a result.  Happy designing!

Adobe Fireworks is often misunderstood in the world of design and web development alike. According to Adobe’s features page for Fireworks,

Rapidly prototype websites, application interfaces, and other interactive designs with Adobe Fireworks CS4. Create, edit, and optimize web graphics more accurately and quickly than ever with an enhanced toolset. Demo your designs live on the web for your clients or e-mail them an Adobe PDF file generated from Fireworks. Integrate Live Styles and the improved Common Library for continual leaps in productivity.

It appears that much emphasis on Fireworks is taken on web design and development, but for those who would like to see what else Fireworks can do outside of web design, I’ve put together a list of tutorials I’ve found within the past year that can not only benefit designers, but introduce them to one of Adobe’s more mysterious applications they offer.

Furthermore, before we get started with the tutorials, it’s important and beneficial to know that Fireworks is both a raster and vector editor. To know more about both, please see our post on Raster vs. Vector.

1. How to use a Mask

This tutorial demonstrates how to use the masking capabilities that come built into Adobe Fireworks. The end result in this tutorial is an image that resembles a Polaroid photo. This can be great for adding a family photo album theme to any design.

2. Creating a Realistic Photo Effect

As an alternative to the Polaroid tutorial, this tutorial demonstrates how to make images look like traditional photographs. Be warned that this tutorial takes a little more skill and patience than the previous one, but if you are savvy in Photoshop, you shouldn’t have any problems.

3. Creating a Page Curl Effect

Use or create any kind of paper texture you want for this tutorial to create a curled corner effect. The tutorial uses aged paper textures for their example. You can find textures like this here.

4.  Creating an Old Photo

This really simple tutorial demonstrates some of the built in functionality of Fireworks.  This tutorial only requires about three steps to complete!

5.  Creating a Ribbon

This step by step tutorial demonstrates how to draw, texture, and add text to a ribbon.

6.  Digital Collage

This tutorial is great for creating modern design collages.  This tutorial is also a great example of how well Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Fireworks mesh together.  This tutorial is time consuming, so be sure to save it for when you have some extra time to spend on learning.

7.  Extracting a Logo

This tutorial demonstrates Fireworks’ feature of handling both raster and vector graphics.  You’ll learn how to take a raster logo with a white background and integrate it into a new image with added effects.

I hope that you enjoy this set of tutorials and give Fireworks  a chance in future design projects.  Happy designing!