News & Trends

Instagram's new profile cards make it more fun to share your account (1 minute read)

Instagram has introduced a new digital profile card feature that allows users to share their accounts through a QR code. Users can personalize their cards, which display their handle, picture, and bio, with additional links, a background image, and even a favorite song, turning them into dynamic digital business cards. This feature provides a cohesive way to share interests and information with others, which benefits creators seeking to enhance collaborations with businesses.

Adobe Max 2024: All the Major Announcements Around Design and AI (6 minute read)

Adobe introduced significant updates at the Adobe Max 2024 event, including its first generative AI video model in Premiere Pro. Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign received new AI tools, while Frame.io's collaboration platform saw its most significant overhaul since 2015.

After Selling His Last AI Startup to Meta, Beyond Presence's Founder Nabs $3.1M to Build Lifelike Avatars (5 minute read)

Beyond Presence, a Munich-based startup, is developing hyper-realistic avatars using AI and smartphone technology for real-time conversations. It raised $3.1 million in pre-seed funding led by HV Capital. The company's product, set for a public beta release soon, aims to revolutionize customer service, recruitment, and e-learning.

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Opinions & Tutorials

There was a profound belief in the power of the polymath during the mid-century period (7 minute read)

The mid-century modern period embraced interdisciplinary collaboration, with architects and designers working across fields to create integrated projects. While the polymath model has faded over time, there has been a resurgence of multidisciplinary work in contemporary design that reflects the innovative legacy of figures like Charles and Ray Eames and Alvar Aalto.

Photoshop adds a bunch of AI features including a 'Distraction Removal' tool (3 minute read)

Adobe has introduced new AI tools for Photoshop, Lightroom, and InDesign similar to those from Google, Apple, and Samsung to streamline the creative process, including "Distraction Removal" and "Generative Remove" features. Despite criticism over its AI policy, Adobe continues to claim it respects creators' rights.

The Future of Voice User Interfaces and UX Design (5 minute read)

Voice user interfaces (VUIs) transform UX design by offering hands-free, natural interactions across industries like healthcare, automotive, and smart homes. Despite challenges like privacy concerns and context interpretation, VUIs continue to evolve with advancements in AI and natural-language processing, promising more personalized and efficient user experiences.

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Generate Any 3D Model with AI (Website)

Anything World's 3D Mesh Generation tool allows users to create 3D models from text prompts or images effortlessly.

AI-Powered UI Generation (Website)

Augment UI is an AI-powered platform that speeds up front-end design. Users can chat with it to create and edit components in real time and update them directly in the app.

Themes, Starters, UI kits, and Tools for Static Site Generators (Website)

Statichunt is a directory of themes, templates, and tools exclusively designed for composable sites. Browse through hundreds of options and find the perfect fit for your project.

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Miscellaneous

Bala crafts a radical label for category-first grasshopper beer (4 minute read)

Bala, a Mexico-based branding studio, was tasked with designing the label for Cerveza Cru Cru's GOSE beer, which features grasshoppers as a key ingredient. Using semi-abstract illustrations and an acidic color palette, its design reflects the beer's unique, salty flavor while avoiding literal depictions of grasshoppers to intrigue consumers and convey the eccentricity of the product.

The Broken Promises of Design Systems: Why Following the Rules Won't get you to Great Products (3 minute read)

Design systems have failed to deliver their promise of accelerating cohesive, high-quality experiences. Instead, they stifle creativity, overwhelm teams with maintenance, and limit innovation. While AI is advancing, design systems remain stuck in the past. The future lies in creating adaptable, dynamic designs beyond rigid rules.

Train Your Creativity Like an Olympic Athlete (4 minute read)

Applying an athlete's mindset to creative work enhances productivity and sustainability. Strategic training cycles of focused sessions, rest, and intense work periods lead to long-term growth. Balancing exertion and recovery while embracing a cyclical approach helps maintain creativity over time, much like athletes preparing for peak performance.

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Jason Sturgill's playful doodles are a reminder to embrace imperfection (2 minute read)

Portland-based illustrator Jason Sturgill, known for his playful, poignant art, draws on his personal experiences with cancer and bipolar II disorder to create works highlighting mental health awareness and life's imperfections.

AI Design System – Are We There? (11 minute read)

AI transforms design systems by automating tasks like code generation and component resizing, improving efficiency.

Study Shows that Viewing Real Art in Museums Stimulates Brain Much More Than Reproductions (3 minute read)

Viewing art in person stimulates the brain ten times more than viewing reproductions, enhancing consciousness and emotional connections, particularly with masterpieces like Girl with a Pearl Earring.

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Thanks for reading,
Jae Lee, Matej Latin & Ralph Brinker