Design Shack - Web design showcase, CSS tutorials and web standards





Dedicated Server Hosting Advertise


About

Design Shack showcases inspiring web design, alongside resources and tutorials for you to succeed in the same way. It is carefully curated and edited by Josh Johnson and David Appleyard.


Part of the Smashing Network

Latest Articles

25 Beautifully Designed Web Agency Sites

By Tom Walker, On 8th Feb 2010, 4 Comments

Getting noticed in an industry as competitive and overcrowded as web design is no mean feat. In order to stand out, first impressions need to be both targeted and executed to perfection.

To provide an insight into how it should be done, we’ve compiled a list of 25 of the most beautifully designed web agency sites. These amazing sites all have that “wow factor”, displaying cutting edge design alongside marketing savoir-faire. They are conscious of their target clientele, whether it’s large corporations or personal clients, presenting an understanding of their needs.

Read More



Creating a Well Designed Invoice: Step-by-Step

By Joshua Johnson, On 6th Feb 2010, 15 Comments

Boring paperwork is one of the necessary evils of being a freelance designer.

There’s simply no way around it, if you want to track and manage payments from clients, you’re going to have to setup an invoicing system. It’s not all bad news though; the fun part is that you actually get to design a custom invoice.

Today we’ll walk through designing an invoice from scratch. I’ll be as in-depth as possible and include everything you need to know from the absolute basics to advanced features and even a little design theory.

Read More



A Smashing Review of the Smashing Book

By David Appleyard, On 5th Feb 2010, 3 Comments

When Smashing Magazine first announced the release of their book, I have to confess that I was slightly sceptical. I enjoy their blog regularly, but didn’t really see how the concept would carry across to a book – or what topics it would cover.

I’ve spent a few hours reading through my review copy over the past week, and have been pleasantly surprised. Sven and Vitaly have managed to bring several talented writers on board to help put together a thoroughly interesting read.

This review will walk you through the book’s contents, and outline a few of the chapters I particularly enjoyed!

Read More



15 Design Tips to Learn From Apple

By Joshua Johnson, On 4th Feb 2010, 48 Comments

There is no shortage of companies that follow popular design trends to appeal to a mass market. Much more rare is the breed of company that actually sets design trends. Today we’ll examine the techniques of a company that occupies the top of the design food chain: Apple.

Below you’ll find 15 practical ways to follow Apple’s example in creating beautiful interfaces.

Read More



◀ Articles Archive

Community

Color Theory for Designer, Part 3: Creating Your Own Color Palettes

An article covering the traditional color scheme patterns (monochrome, analogous, complementary, etc.) as well as how to create custom schemes that aren’t based strictly on any one pattern.

View Post


Anatomy of the Perfect Sidebar

A quick but interesting look at the average amount of space given to specific items in a sidebar.

View Post


Viewzi Visual Search

Viewzi is an amazing visual search engine with multiple views and functions. Perfect for designers on the hunt for inspiration or a specific logo.

View Post


66 Examples of Perfect SlideShow Presentation in Web Design

A huge showcase of slideshows in web design.

View Post


The 5 Dimensions of Brand Personality

A discussion on sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness in brand development.

View Post


How to Repair Scratches, Tears, and Spots on an Old Photograph

“In this tutorial you will learn how to repair cracks, scratches, and spots so this photo of the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind, looks just like new.”

View Post


15 Fantastic Finds on the Google Code Repository

“I found a number of interesting scripts and other goodies that would be an asset in any website owner/website builder’s arsenal.”

View Post


The Benefits and Drawbacks of an Over Active Creative Mind

“But, how many of us have heard from someone that we have an over active mind and we come up with too many ideas? An over active mind can be both positive and negative. In today’s article we’ll explore both sides.”

View Post


◀ Community Archive

Gallery



◀ CSS Gallery Archive