kerning, the game

Are you up to the challenge? Are you design nerd enough to think this is fun? If you are like me and answered yes to both questions then you are in the right place.

"Your mission is simple: achieve pleasant and readable text by distributing the space between letters. Typographers call this activity kerning. Your solution will be compared to typographer's solution, and you will be given a score depending on how close you nailed it. Good luck!"

Now get to Kerning! 

What was your score? :)

pinterest, are you a pinner?

Pinterest seems to be one of the hottest new things on the web but with good reason. As a designer I use this virtual pinboard as a source of inspiration. Type in any keyword you can think of and it will return with thousands of images and boards created and pinned by other pinners. You can even follow people or like their pin rather than repinning it to your board.

I currently have only 9 boards but find great pinners almost everyday. It takes the 30 minute search for a cool idea down to 2 minutes. After signing up for Pinterest just install the plug-in for Firefox so you can pin your interest as you search.

Did I mention that Pinterest is free? The only drawback is that it is crazy addictive. I even have the app on my iPhone (I don't think it is available on droids yet).

Get pinning! Just be sure you tag your pins so others can find it. You can thank me later. :)

Adobe Muse (get it while it's free)

Adobe finally caught on to the fact that not all web designers know how to code. Most web designers would like to build the darn thing themselves and just can't figure out the code mumbo jumbo.  So, Adobe has come out with a easy to use program for all designers called Muse. If you know how to use Illustrator, InDesign, or any other Adobe program you will most likely be able figure out Muse.

"Create websites as easily as you create layouts for print. You can design and publish original HTML pages to the latest web standards without writing code. Now in beta, Muse makes it a snap to produce unique, professional websites. - Adobe" 
Yeah, what they said.

Since this is in beta form IT IS FREE...for now. Follow me to get your free download of Muse before version one comes out and see how easy it is for yourself. I cracked this sucker open and played around for only 10 minutes and noticed how easy it was to edit various types of menus and sideshows. I am excited to build a site in this tool. 

With muse you can set-up your site-map, have design freedom, and make your site interactive with not one custom line of code. FINALLY!

Happy creating! Feel free to share your thoughts and sites after taking this sucker for a spin. 

free periodical eye candy

If you are in need of inspiration or just want to pass the time, check out pdf-mags.com. This site is a "infobase for PDF magazines made all over the world." There are magazines that cover almost every topic from architecture & art to writing. You could spend hours on this site and not scratch the surface. Enjoy!

30 new free typefaces! sweet! (reblog)

Smashing Magazine always post the best new free typefaces. I get excited with every new typeface and dance around, passing out smiles to all that see me. They do all the work and I gain the benefits with beautiful well designed typefaces. Enjoy!
30 New Free High-Quality Fonts

tracking the real-time color trends

Color lover? You may like colorlovers.com. It's a site that, "indexes the color trends as they happen. Whether it's magazine covers, street fashions, web designs, handmade goods or interior looks... There are thousands of inspirations to guide your color decisions."

Spec This!

Do you ask a lot of printers for quotes? Do you sometimes leave important information (like PMS colors) out about your project by mistake which can alter the real price of a job? Spec This can eliminate that problem once and for all.

It is a free online print estimation tool. Fill out the form for any print project under the sun, and Spec This will send out your project's info to any printer(s) you specify so they can provide you with a quote. (Don't worry, you'll get a copy too.) Check it out! It's FREE!

iDesign iPhone, thousands of free stunning iPhone wallpapers

iDesign
The wallpapers are updated daily so be sure to check back often.

MAKE A STATEMENT...

...with 20 Fonts Ideal for Big and Powerful Headings.
Enjoy your new toys.

Whooo, perrty. ;)

the key is in the numbers (typeface)

A lot of designers look for inspiration for design projects and just want a load of creative work in one spot. This is a series of just that. I have gathered the best of the best and posted it here. There are tons of blogs out there with the best 10, 30, 70, or 100 or more of well designed projects. The key is to follow search results that start with numb3rs.

Don't hate the repeats.

I love a sentence that has the words "free" and "typeface" in it. Here are some resouces filled with free well designed typefaces.

17 Remarkably Professional Looking Free Fonts 

hvdfonts.com

26 Must-Have Free Fonts

myfonts.com

ripetype.com

HOW sweet it is...

It is so sweet to go home to a free set of books from HOW. I won the August Sweepstakes! In each issue, HOW features the latest must-have books for designers. I was the lucky winner that received the August set of books. THANKS HOW!

Free + Font = Freakin' Awesome

Who loves free typefaces?
I DO!
Who loves a lot well designed free typefaces in one place?
ME! ME! ME!
Follow me to your dream come true: 15 Beautiful High-Quality Free Fonts
::deep breath:: Ah, don't you love the smell of free?