Freebies Of The Month mostly year 2014 the month of Disember [sorry for long title]

When mass printing dominated the mid-twentieth century, the number of colors in an image was reduced by replacing gradients with dots. The technique was seized upon by pop artists, like Lichtenstein and Warhol, to such an extent that it’s entered our visual language.

However, despite it being one of the simplest ways to evoke retro printing, it’s not that easy a technique to produce in Photoshop.

Happily designer Matt Borchert has fixed the problem for us by providing Halftone Automater, a great set of Photoshop actions, free to download for WebdesignerDepot readers.

There are 12 distinct actions: dots, diagonal lines, and horizontal lines; each divided into small, medium, large, huge and gigantic sizes.

5 lessons fast-moving consumer goods can teach us about branding [kopipesediseng]

5 lessons fast-moving consumer goods can teach us about branding

Natalie Candy at Coley Porter Bell explains what designers can learn from the world of FMCG.

Brands need to innovate to keep up with changing consumer lifestyles and stand out from the crowd. However, often too much innovation is launched simply because it can be produced and it therefore often lacks relevance to the consumer and impact at shelf. When done well, innovation can prove hugely successful in building brands, but it has its risk with research suggesting between 70-90 per cent of innovation fails in the first year of launch.

We've picked five innovations from the world of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) that we believe have been built on solid foundations to prove a success. Those that have shaken up a category, answered a genuine consumer need, been driven by lifestyle trends, innovated through to point of sale and ultimately built brand value.

01. How to succeed where others fail

Tangle Teezer is now sold in more than 65 countries

Invented by former hair colourist, Shaun P, manufactured and made in the UK, Tangle Teezer is referred to as the 'life changing' hairbrush created to achieve what others have failed… to successfully detangle hair.

A massive success, the product is now sold in more than 65 countries and at a rate of 10 per minute and was awarded CoolBrands status this year. One to watch in haircare, its most recent launch is the first 'upright non-slip water-loving detangling hair brush'.

02. How to meet an unmet need

Nivea looked at things from the consumer's point of view

Life is busy, yet the beauty industry generally insists on adding more steps into the daily routine rather than making it easier. Nivea, thankfully looked at it from the consumer's point of view to revolutionise the body care routine.

They were aware that people only used body lotion occasionally either because there is not enough time in the morning or that they simply didn't like the feeling of a normal body lotion.

The solution was one to save time and improve the moisturising experience with the In-Shower Body Moisturiser. The range has taken a 2.8 per cent share of the body lotion category with £4m sales (in one year from launch) and has now extended into After Sun.

03. How to tap into multiple trends

Graze tapped into multiple trends to really deliver something new

Consumer lifestyles are constantly evolving and brands that are truly innovative stay one step ahead by tapping into trends and creating solutions accordingly. Every now and again a brand manages to tap into multiple trends to really deliver something new.

Graze.com achieved this and created a new phenomenon in snacking, which delivered against the trends for health, freshness, convenience and customisation. After achieving success in the UK, Graze.com launched into the US, where within a week they signed up 30,000 subscribers across 48 states and after three months smashed their first quarter targets with 100,000 new customers.

04. How to innovate through to point of sale

Developing an innovative product is one thing, but making sure it really stands out and attracts attention is another.

When Sony launched their W Walkman they threw out the rulebook and created a strategy that uniquely brought the idea to life. Rather than put a rational claim about being waterproof on the pack (which many brands would have done), they created an innovative point of sale that would create buzz about the brand. To showcase the waterproof qualities, the products were put in full water bottles in gym and pool vending machines in New Zealand creating a product display, distribution channel and talking point.

05. How to build brand value

Too much innovation is created for the sake of it, merely because the technology or product format is available. Successful innovation should drive brand value, be meaningful and relevant.

There tends to be a disappointing lack of innovation in the chocolate category beyond flavours, however in the last year Cadbury have shaken things up. Through the brand story of 'Joy', they've developed products to target different audiences with more exciting ideas, especially through Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations and Marvellous Mix-Ups ranges (a collision of sweets and chocolate to create a new confectionary experience), all the while staying true to the brand.

Words: Natalie Candy

Natalie Candy is a senior planner at Coley Porter Bell.

Design By Human

TOGETHER, WE GO FAR

As a Design By Humans Collective artist you receive some of the best royalty rates available. With your own easy to manage storefront within Design By Humans, you will be able to place artwork on quality products and reach millions of people who love and appreciate your art. Design By Humans will then produce and fulfill all of the custom products and ship them directly to your fans. You can do this all while keeping the rights to your artwork.

HOW TO BECOME A DBH ARTIST

Your application can be approved and your store activated within 24 hours, so you can start promoting your designs and selling right away.

WHEN YOU SUCCEED,
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE

We give you the tools and knowledge that you need to succeed and earn money through your DBH Collective storefront. We'll inspire you with updates from our Creative Director and trend reports that will make your store the best it can be.

You create awesome art and share it with your fans and we'll do the rest.

We are Hüman, you are Hüman.

Design By Humans is creative community of T-Shirt design lovers. From shopping for new graphic tees, organizing design contests and communicating fashion trends; we are a society of artists, fashion gurus and expressive humans. This is our network that we represent, create a free account today and be apart of our talented t-shirt designer community.

Apply Now!

Monday Blues

FYI Monday: Beautiful Typography Designs by André Beato

This post is part of the For Your Inspiration Monday series showcasing the most inspiring designs out there. Each week a new artist or design style will be presented in order to get your creative juices flowing for the upcoming week. I hope you enjoy the series.

André Beato is a Portuguese graphic designer and illustrator currently based in London. He specialises in vector based graphics and illustrated typography. The subtle use of textures and bold colour schemes really make the lettering come to life. For more inspiration make sure to visit andrebeato.com.

Written by Franz Jeitz

Franz Jeitz is a freelance designer and owner of Fudgegraphics. Originally from Luxembourg he now lives in London. Franz loves design, music and is a tea enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter.

Norway’s Sleek New Passports Contain a Surprise Design Feature By Kristin Hohenadel

Courtesy of Neue Design Studio

The winning Norweigan passport cover redesign from Neue Design Studio includes an update of the current red passport, plus a blue version for diplomats and a white version for immigrants.

This is Chrome’s Newest Easter Egg. And It’s Awesome

The Wi-Fi at the coffee shop I work out of most mornings is, like most public internet hotspots, patchy and prone to temporarily ‘drop out’.

We’ve already seen how Google plans to make intermittent connectivity issues less of a hindrance through cache page loading malarkey.

Helpful as this may be the latest Canary builds of Google Chrome comes with a little extra sweetener. Hidden within the browser’s new-look ‘Network Error’ page is a cute, endless running game. It even features the ‘lonely t-rex’ character used to illustrate the browser’s error pages.

This button-mashing game certainly helps me channel my frustration pass the time while I wait for the network to solve itself. If you use Chrome Canary on Windows or Mac (or run Chromium from trunk on Linux) here’s how you can try it.

How to Play The Endless T-Rex Runner Game in Chrome

Turn off your Wi-Fi connection (or use the developer tools in Chrome to simulate this). Then, open a new tab and load up a website. You’ll see the standard (though redesigned) Network Error page, topped by the lonely T-Rex glyph created by Google designer Sebastien Gabriel.

Typically at this point you’d close the tab and tut loudly, gesturing for the nearest barista to go and reboot the router. Instead, tap the space bar on your keyboard.

The lonely T-Rex at the top of the page will suddenly bounce. A stretch of land will appear before him. And then…he’ll start running.

Like other endless runner games the goal is simple: run as far as you can, for as long as you can, until you crash. You’ll need to keep mashing the space bar on your keyboard to help the T-Rex clear the conveyor belt of variously spaced, differently sized cacti.

Every 100 points marker is punctuated by a screeching high score blip.

As hidden novelties go, this is a welcome one. A fun way to fill in idle time.

Zodiaclaw by Zaher Almajed

Today's typeface of choice, Zodiaclaw, was created by art director Zaher Almajed. Inspired by lions claws, Almajed designed the font for 'those who want to be different'.

Almajed comments on Behance: "With some old classic European touches, Zodiaclaw is a humanist typeface that's based on traditional calligraphic forms, but with some new features in its shapes and strokes that provide a more open, elegant look."

Zodiaclaw is available to download for free over on Behance.

Words: Kerrie Hughes

Kerrie Hughes is content manager at Creative Bloq.

Know Thy Self: Opinion on Hajj Selfies by Suhaib Webb

Question:

It seems every week there is a new internet conflict. Over the last few days, people criticized me for posting my Hajj selfies. What is your opinion about this?

Answer:

That is a sad question, and I find it strange that people have the time to look at other people’s pictures and criticize them. With that being said, I will address this issue from four perspectives:

Are pictures forbidden?
Principles for understanding texts.
The importance of collective good.
Intentions should be left to Allah alone.
Are Pictures Forbidden?

Some may censure others from taking pictures because they believe that taking pictures is forbidden, invoking the “consensus” of the scholars. While it’s an opinion held by some scholars, there is certainly no consensus that taking pictures is forbidden. Al-Azār and other religious bodies, as well as the bulk of scholars, consider pictures allowable, as long as the picture does not present something evil.

Misuse of a Famous Text

Folks may mention the prophetic tradition in which he ﷺ (peace be upon him) curses those who “mold idols.” That is understandable because the word for idol making and the word for photography are the same in Arabic (taswīr). However, their meanings are different. During the time of the Prophet, taswīr meant to mold idols. Today, it means photography. Sadly, this reflects a person’s ignorance of the principles for iftā (the craft of issuing fatwa), the rules for interpreting texts, and his/her knowledge of Arabic.

An Important Axiom and Its Application

One of the most important axioms that guide the craft of issuing a ruling is, “Concern is given to the meaning, not the name.” This axiom has four applications:

1. Something declared harām (unlawful) in the Prophet’s lifetime stays forbidden, even if someone changes its name. For that reason, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Towards the end of time, a group from my community will seek to make alcohol permissible, calling it by a different name.” Thus, even though later generations changed the name, it is still forbidden because of its substance. The name is a non-factor
2. Something that was permissible during the time of the Prophet ﷺ then later generations gave it a name of something forbidden. That stays permissible, because concern is for the substance, not the name.
3. Something unknown during the life of the Prophet ﷺ, if understood to be forbidden by the scholars, stays forbidden even if later generations named it after something permissible.
4. Something that was not known during the time of the Prophet ﷺ that is permissible remains as such, even if later generations named it after something forbidden. An example of this would be qahwā (coffee) which was originally the name for an ancient intoxicant. Photography falls under the fourth category because it did not exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ. Using statements of the Prophet ﷺ as if they are referring to what is understood today as meaning taswīr is equivalent to putting meanings in the mouth of the Prophet ﷺ!

1. An axiom or postulate is a premise or starting point of reasoning. As classically conceived, an axiom is a premise so evident as to be accepted as true without controversy. The word comes from the Greek axíōma (ἀξίωμα) 'that which is thought worthy or fit' or 'that which commends itself as evident.'

An Example That Illustrates this Error

In the twelfth chapter of the Qur’an, the word sayyārah is found. Today, the word siyyārah means a car. At the time of revelation, it meant travelers.

“And there came a company of travelers; then they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said, “Good news! Here is a boy.” And they concealed him, [taking him] as merchandise, and Allah knew of what they did.” (Qur’an, 12:19) 

Based on the logic of those who take the word of the Prophet ﷺ used for idol making to imply its contemporary meaning of photography, the above verse would be interpreted as:

“And there came a “Lexus, BMW, Mercedes (any car)“; then they sent their water drawer..”

Shaykh Muhammad al-Shanqiti wrote “Photography did not exist during the era of the Prophet ﷺ or the great scholars of Islamic Jurisprudence. It became an issue afterwards. Thus, the sacred texts that the word taswīr appears do not imply what we know today as photography. That, because the word taswīr used during the Prophet’s time implied what it meant in that context: idols made of stone, clay, wood or drawn by hand. Thus, whoever explains the word used by the Prophet to mean photography has interpreted the sacred texts without their correct meanings, contexts and has spoken about Allah without knowledge.”

Another Axiom: A Conflicting Purposes Renders Analogy Problematic

One of the major sources of Islamic Law is qiyās. Qiyās was defined by al-Qādi al-Baydāwi as, “Connecting an act that has no ruling, to an act from the scared sources that has a ruling, because of a shared purpose.” What is important to us is the last part of his definition, “a shared purpose.” This means that if the traits are different, then the ruling from the sacred sources cannot be matched to the act that has no ruling. In the case of taswīr (idol making), we find that the reasoning for its forbiddance during the time of the Prophet ﷺ was “emulating (mudāha) creation,” and in other narratives, for explicit forms of worship. When we think of photography today, that is not its purpose. In fact, the general purpose of photography is to remember and recall things. Thus, this is an illogical analogy for which a ruling is not applied. 

The Name is Debatable

Shaykh ‘Abdūl Halīm Mahmūd stated that photography should not be called taswīr but “capturing an image,” because photography is “capturing light, not molding an image from clay or drawing one.”

Hajj Selfies

As for Hajj selfies, then there is nothing wrong because they are a form of remembrance of good: worshiping Allah alone, visiting scared places, love and fraternity, and acts of worship. 

An axiom states that “Anything that does not contradict the sacred law and helps a person remember God is commendable.”

Allah says, “And we certainly sent Moses with our signs, [saying], ‘bring your people from the darkness to the light and remind them of the days of God.’” (Qur’an 14:5)

A cursory glance at the reliable works of Qur’anic tafsīr (exegesis) shows that scholars from the earliest days consider this verse an encouragement to recall God’s grace and his blessing. That was the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbās, Sufyān Imām Mālik and others.

Do Not Judge People’s Intentions

In that vein, taking pictures of sacred moments is commendable as long as a person’s intention is correct. The job of the rest of the community is to assume the best and encourage good. While pictures are a debatable act, questioning a person’s intention, or having an evil assumption about a person doing good is highly repugnant.

Finally, these images are important tools for da`wah (calling to Islam) to be shared with neighbors, co-workers and friends. In an age where there are so many bad images of Islam everywhere, I find it astounding that folks would blame positive efforts that humanize our community and our acts of worship.

Allah knows best,
Suhaib Webb

Source : http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/worship/hajj/know-thy-self-opinion-on-hajj-selfies-by-suhaib-webb/

Vintage Vapours

Vintage E-Liquids - The Drifter

The Drifter is a blissful mix of succulent tangerines, delicious custard, velvety cream, and a hint of calming vanilla. It's fruity and savory flavor will take you on a journey you will never forget.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Sinner

Only the best of both worlds, The Sinner combines two kinds of cooling mint with smooth robust tobacco for a wickedly exquisite mix of flavor unlike anything you've experienced before.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Joker

A playful twist of sweet orange blended with two kinds of luscious cream and a hint of vanilla. Tangy, creamy, and delicious; The Joker is sure to put a smile on your face.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Legend

A legendary classic tobacco blend, with an added dose of sweet caramel and a dash of soothing vanilla. The Legend will ride into the sunset and leave you craving for more.

Vintage E-Liquids - The Dreamer

The Dreamer takes your flavor palate to new heights. Its entrancing strawberry blend, with delicate peach and pineapple notes to sweeten up the deal, make for a truly heavenly experience. 

Vintage E-Liquids - The Lover

Love is in the air with a refreshing trifecta of papaya, orange, and guava. Sweet and delicious, it's truly a perfect fusion of flavor you will fall in love with.

Attention to detail is what sets Vintage Vapours apart! As fellow vapours, the management and staff at Vintage Vapours understands what your looking for and are dedicated to exceeding your expectations.

Whether you visit our retail store in Lake Forest, CA or shop with us online, Vintage Vapours is committed to providing our customers with the latest devices and accessories, a huge selection of e-liquids, and the best customer service possible. We strive to be your one-stop shop for all of your vaping needs.

Shop with us and see for yourself!