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February 2020

  • Domestika Maestros: Milton Glaser
    Design

    Domestika Maestros: Milton Glaser

    One of the 20th Century’s most influential designers, from ‘I Love New York’ to work with Dylan and Obama, his talents have helped define graphic design today It’s not common for a designer to see not one, not two, but three of their designs go viral but Milton Glaser (New York, 1929) has experienced just that. The influence of his work, which stretches from editorial design to branding, passing through interior design, is impossible to calculate. The New York Magazine, the ‘I Love New York’ logo, and the iconic posters of the Barack Obama presidential campaign are just a few of his creations. We sat down with him in his New York studio to discuss just some of the many hits of his career.

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  • Download Free: ‘Rude Font’ Typography, by Miguel Nieto
    Typography, Calligraphy and Lettering

    Download Free: ‘Rude Font’ Typography, by Miguel Nieto

    Graphic designer Miguel Nieto shares his typography, Rude Font, with the Domestika community for free Miguel Nieto (@miguelnieto) created Rude Font to fill the need for a typography inspired by the ads at the turn of the 20th century. He imagined a modern adaptation of the classic advertising publications with a touch of street style. The typography found its shape and now we can download it for free as members of the Domestika community.

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  • Podcast and radio: similar but not the same
    Music & Audio

    Podcast and radio: similar but not the same

    Podcasts are quickly becoming a substitute for traditional radio, but both media outlets are somewhat different You could call podcasts and radio distant cousins; it's almost impossible to ignore the similarities. Both are media outlets that have audio and voice at their core (although - for a brief period of time - video podcasts were also a thing, before YouTube killed them). It's also easy to see that both are not exactly the same. A radio show can be turned into a podcast, split into small pieces to listen to on demand. And a podcast can easily be broadcast on a radio station, providing it has enough quality. But something, or several things, sets them apart - both outlets have different constraints which end up affecting the final product.

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  • 10 apps that we used to obsess over but are now vintage
    Web & App Design

    10 apps that we used to obsess over but are now vintage

    We review some smartphone apps that you probably still have but no longer use In a world that moves at the crazy-fast speed imposed by the Internet, the popularity cycle of mobile applications seems to be getting shorter and shorter. The proof of this is that it doesn't take long to recall a good number of apps that were incredibly popular years ago but are hardly talked about anymore. We decided to pay a small tribute to ten of these apps. They are examples of compelling interface designs and clever concepts that conquered hundreds of thousands of people around the world but faded away in our memories. 1. Angry Birds Back in 2012, the name of this mobile video game was literally on everyone's lips. One of the most downloaded games in history, Angry Birds conquered millions of people around the world with its simple and addictive mechanics. Unfortunately, after knowing in 2014 that the US Security Agency had used player data to build surveillance databases, and a sequel not very well received, the game gradually disappeared.

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  • Berlinale 2020: 4 Films That Will Inspire You to Pick up Your Camera
    Film & Video

    Berlinale 2020: 4 Films That Will Inspire You to Pick up Your Camera

    With the Berlinale Film Festival kicking off next week, we take a look at the competing films that will inspire you to reach for your camera With the Oscars now done and dusted, conversations are steering away from film accomplishments in 2019 and towards ones-to-watch in 2020. What does this year hold for international cinema? The line-ups for the major film festivals indicate the talent and titles we should be keeping an eye out for.

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  • A Quick Guide to Sharing Your Creative Work on Instagram
    Illustration

    A Quick Guide to Sharing Your Creative Work on Instagram

    Discover the best times to publish and other key tips for creatives looking to improve their Instagram page Nubia Navarro, better known as Nubikini (@nubikini), is a Venezuelan graphic designer and lover of typography, letters, and photography. Since discovering her true passion while taking a course in experimental typography, she hasn’t stopped experimenting, working on projects for Adidas, Coca-Cola and UNICEF. Instagram has become her favorite platform for sharing her lettering work, given that the social media network allows her to show her creative process and passion for letters, and connect with her followers. Standing out on Instagram isn’t just about creating quality content, you also need to know which are the best times to publish it, and familiarize yourself with the different formats you can use to generate engagement. Drawing on her own experience, Nubikini has created a list of her top tips for presenting your creative work on Instagram:

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  • 5 Inspirational Quotes from Logo Design Master Sagi Haviv
    Design

    5 Inspirational Quotes from Logo Design Master Sagi Haviv

    We collected some of the best ideas from a talk given by Haviv, who came to Madrid to share his knowledge and career Sagi Haviv is a partner and designer at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, a legendary studio responsible for the design of brands such as Mobil, PBS, NBC, Showtime or National Geographic; Haviv counts the logos for Animal Planet, US Open or Conservation International among his most well-known creations. The designer, one of the most influential names worldwide, spent a few days in Madrid to shoot his next course with Domestika, and took the opportunity to participate in the event Domestika Presents: Sagi Haviv, a design talk at the IED in Madrid. We collected some of the most inspiring phrases from the event, during which Haviv captivated the audience with his experience and knowledge.

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  • Challenge: Draw Marina Abramović in 10 Minutes
    Illustration

    Challenge: Draw Marina Abramović in 10 Minutes

    Artist José Rosero accepts Domestika’s challenge to draw an express portrait of the famous conceptual artist José Rosero (@rosero) has faced many challenges over the course of his career. He is a renowned illustrator who has had work published in various magazines, newspapers and other publications. He is also the director of CasaTinta (Bogotá), a space dedicated to illustration and visual arts. The task we challenged him to was just another excuse to pull out all the stops. Will he manage to draw the famous conceptual artist Marina Abramović in 10 minutes? In 5 minutes? In 1 minute? Find out by clicking on the following video!

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  • How to Install New Brushes in Adobe Photoshop
    Illustration

    How to Install New Brushes in Adobe Photoshop

    Here, we explain how to install new brushes in Adobe Photoshop so that you can expand your collection Photoshop is the go-to program for editing images, given its wide range of tools and options for improving and adding effects to your photos. That said, it is also among the most popular software tools for digital illustration. The Brush is perhaps Photoshop’s most useful and versatile tool. While the program offers a great range of default options, once you discover that you can load and create personalized brushes, the possibilities become endless. This means you can expand your library with more options, different thicknesses, brushstrokes, tips, opacities, and even textures–your drawing options are infinite. Installing new brushes in Adobe Photoshop is extremely easy. Here we explain how it works, step by step:

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  • What Does Each Color Mean in Cinema?
    Film & Video

    What Does Each Color Mean in Cinema?

    Find out what emotions are provoked by each of the colors most used in your favorite films, and apply them to your projects Cinema acts upon us in ways that are both conscious and unconscious: art direction and subsequent color grading, for example, are used to construct a universe of a particular color, related to the theme and intentions of the film. Because, yes, each color awakens very different feelings in us, whether we realize it or not. So, with the help of photographer Nay Jiménez (@nayjimenez), we propose a selection of colors and their respective meanings, so that you can apply them when analyzing your favorite films or take them into account for your own audiovisual projects. Ah! And don't forget: in this case, we're talking about movies... but the different psychological effects that all these colors generate are not limited to the cinema, but are found in all visual arts for thousands of years. This set of emotions can also be applied to disciplines ranging from painting to embroidery, to interior design or branding. Red Traditionally, red has been associated with intense and uncontrollable feelings: love and romantic passion, violence, danger, rage or ambition for power are themes that are often associated with this color. In general, as we see, it is related to the forbidden, the controversial, the sexual... so it will be very present in violent or passionate stories, romantic or otherwise.

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  • Domestika Creatives: Zach Lieberman
    3D & Animation

    Domestika Creatives: Zach Lieberman

    We caught up with the American digital artist who has a passion for finding poetry using technology Art = non-stop investigation. This is one of Zach Lieberman’s mantras. The creative and educator has spent the last twenty years playing with code to create new interactive experiences; and experimenting with animation, 3D, and tools for creative collaboration. Known for such projects as his Daily Sketches or the open source tool openFrameworks, Lieberman invited us into his New York studio. Join us and watch the video here:

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  • 10 designers and 3D artists you should know
    3D & Animation

    10 designers and 3D artists you should know

    We asked the Domestika community in Instagram who are their favorite 3D designers We asked our community who were their favorite 3D artists and designers. Here are the character creators, VFX specialists, animators, surreal artists and even toy designers that we all admire. Mikefly (@mikefly) Popular cultural references, TV characters and carefully modeled objects abound in Mikefly's work. Senior Designer at the Mexican creative studio La Sociedad, his personal style exudes charm and playfulness in equal parts.

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  • What is Screen-printing and What Materials Do I Need?
    Craft

    What is Screen-printing and What Materials Do I Need?

    Discover what tools and materials you need to make your own screen and start printing your designs at home. The word “serigraphy” (also known as screen-printing) comes from the Latin word for “silk”, sericum, and the Greek word for “to write” or “to draw,” graphé. It’s a technique that enables you to print a design onto fabric using ink and a mesh screen. You can reproduce this design onto different surfaces without losing any quality. While this artisanal process is usually carried out in specialist workshops, the truth is that anyone can make their own screen; screen-printing is a technique that is simple enough for you to try at home. All you need are a few basic materials. Here, we explain how:

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  • What is a brand?
    Design

    What is a brand?

    It is a basic concept but it can also be confusing. Here you'll learn, finally, how to use the term "brand" correctly There is a lot of confusion surrounding terms like logo, brand image, isotype or branding. That's why many prefer to use "brand" as a generic concept that encompasses everything. But what exactly is a brand and what does it represent? Christian Pacheco (@kimbal) helps us better understand this concept to start using the correct term in each case.

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  • The Story of Logos II: From Coca-Cola to MTV
    Design

    The Story of Logos II: From Coca-Cola to MTV

    What do the most recognizable logos of the 20th century have in common? Find out in the second part of “The Story of Logos” After learning about how logos have been a part of our world for longer than we previously thought, in part two of “The Story of Logos”, we focus on the development of the discipline–from its origins at the end of the 19th century to the present day. Find out more in the following video:

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  • How To Make Your Own Snapchat Filter
    Design

    How To Make Your Own Snapchat Filter

    Download Domestika's Snapchat filter and discover how to create a filter from scratch with Lens Studio and the advice of designer Pau Jimenez Halfway through her architecture degree, Spanish designer Pau Jiménez realized that she was fascinated by the world of virtual design. That was the beginning of her career creating artistic filters for social networks such as Instagram or Snapchat, a self-taught path that has earned her her place among Snapchat's Official Lens Creators, an international group of outstanding filter creators. We asked her if she would like to pay tribute to Domestika in her own way, by creating a custom filter for Snapchat. Pau agreed and shared with us all the necessary steps to build a filter in Lens Studio. In this article, she will guide you through step by step, so that you can create your own custom Snapchat filter from scratch. Although, with practice, it's a skill within everyone's reach, being able to operate 3D or 2D element creation programs is essential, since that is what we’ll be using to create the materials with which we'll later build the filter in Lens Studio.

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January 2020

  • History of Logos I: Learn About the First-ever Logo
    Design

    History of Logos I: Learn About the First-ever Logo

    Discover how two thousand years of history have influenced the most recognizable logos today, in part one of “The Story of Logos” The omnipresence of brands has come to define both the 20th and 21st centuries. Decades ago, brands began to creep into our public life and, now, thanks to the evolution of digital technology, they invade every corner of our private life. Each one has its own visual identity: its logo. But why do some logos have so much more of an impact on us? What was the “first” logo in history? Does this question even really make sense? Discover the answer in the following video–part one of The Story of Logos–which focuses on the “prehistory” and origins of this form of graphic communication.

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  • The 14 Most Inspiring and Creative Books
    Domestika

    The 14 Most Inspiring and Creative Books

    We asked the Domestika community what books inspire them most and boost their creativity Books have always been a great tool for creation. Not only because of the knowledge they contain, but for their ability to spark creativity. That is why, through Domestika's Instagram profile, we asked the community what their favorite books are when they seek inspiration. Here are 10 of them, ranging from artistic compilations, to stories about personal experiences or comics:

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  • Where to Download 3D Objects for Free
    3D & Animation

    Where to Download 3D Objects for Free

    3D illustration and design expert Zigor reveals a few of his favorite sites to download material for limitless 3D projects 3D has become a crucial model for digital production, whether that’s in 3D printing, animation, video games, architecture or industrial design. Below are a few of the best platforms for finding 3D objects online, recommended by designer and illustrator Zigor Samaniego (@zigor), for anyone starting out in the professional world of 3D needing resources to realize renders when working on Cinema 4D. Thingiverse Considered to be the largest community of 3D printers in the world, Thingiverse is a free website where users share all kinds of digital material and anyone can generate new material on it and then print it in 3D. The site has a repository of more than 1.4 million 3D models created by its community and the designs are regulated by Creative Commons licenses. In addition, all objects have a description and instructions on how to print them.

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  • Exercises for Working with Volume in Photoshop
    PLUS Teacher Illustration

    Exercises for Working with Volume in Photoshop

    Gemma Román gives you the secrets to testing the opacity and flow of Photoshop brushes and improving volume. Photoshop has become a tool that’s very helpful for digital illustrators thanks to the amount of options that it offers and their potential. One of digital artists’ favorite tools within the program, are its brushes. Although the default brushes might seem somewhat basic, they have incredible potential. Gemma Román (@gemmaroman) shows us a clear example of this in this series of exercises for working on depth, color and shadow through flow and opacity with Photoshop brushes. By observing the global value of the brushes and how they behave, you can study the parameters that you need to keep in mind to create gradients in your illustrations that will make them infinitely more interesting and give your work a professional finish.

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  • Origami for Beginners: Materials and Basic Folding Techniques
    Craft

    Origami for Beginners: Materials and Basic Folding Techniques

    Discover the basic materials and folds to get started in this ancient technique with endless possibilities This traditional and peaceful Japanese art is directly linked to the Japanese mentality regarding reconciliation between countries at the end of World War II. Origami is the art of folding paper without using scissors or glue to obtain figures of various shapes, many of which could be considered sculptures. “We associate origami with a children's game but it is also a contemporary design technique that inspires functional and decorative products in fashion, furniture, architecture or jewelry", explains Estela Moreno (@cartoncita), an artist that excels at giving modern touches to traditional artisanal techniques. Estela Moreno shares with Domestika some of the secrets that you should keep in mind when you start out in this ancient art: from the most appropriate materials to basic folding techniques that will help you start building complex creations in paper, like the great masters do.

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  • The Best Graphic Tablets of CES 2020
    Marketing

    The Best Graphic Tablets of CES 2020

    From affordable options without screens to futuristic computers, these are the tools creatives will use in 2020. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest and arguably the most relevant tech shows on Earth. It’s a week-long trade show where most of the high-tech devices we will see in stores during 2020 are announced. Graphic tablets, an invaluable tool for artists and designers, are not an exception and this year's show left four devices that promise to transform the way we work, allowing us to draw faster and with more precision. Let's take a look at them.

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  • Typographic Anatomy: the Different Parts of a Letter
    Typography, Calligraphy and Lettering

    Typographic Anatomy: the Different Parts of a Letter

    Learn the correct terms for the different parts of a letter and familiarize yourself with its anatomy to better work with them Although letters are part of our daily lives and we see them written in millions of ways, with different typefaces and shapes, there are many of us who do not really know their anatomy. Learning to name each of its parts correctly is just one of the things that we must consider if we want to work with them.

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  • The 5 Best Animated Shorts Nominated At This Year’s Oscars
    Film & Video

    The 5 Best Animated Shorts Nominated At This Year’s Oscars

    Some of the best animated shorts of the past year are just a click away The Oscars may be the world’s most famous awards show but there are still some categories that most people tend to miss, despite the considerable talent on show. One such category is Best Animated Short Film, which in this edition includes a range of extraordinary works animated in 2D, 3D or stop motion. Most of them are available for free viewing on the Internet: you will find all of them in this list. 1. Kitbull, directed by Rosana Sullivan To calm its fans and give its most talented employees a chance to shine, last year Pixar launched Sparkshorts, a program of animated short films that premiered on YouTube throughout 2019, all developed within the company but never shown in movie theaters. One of them is Kitbull, the story of the unlikely friendship between a dog and a cat, which combines 2D and 3D techniques to great effect.

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  • What is a 3D Rendering?
    3D & Animation

    What is a 3D Rendering?

    You may have heard the word render a thousand times, but you might still not know what it means exactly. Here, you'll find the answer. In general terms, rendering for a 3D and CG job, also known as 3D rendering, is the process of reproducing an image based on three-dimensional data stored in a computer. This takes raw information from a 3D scene (polygons, materials, textures and lighting) and calculates a final result, which is known as "output" and is usually a single image or a series of compiled images. A rendering can simulate realistic lighting, shadows, atmosphere, color, texture and optical effects such as light refraction or blur seen on moving objects. It may also not be realistic at all, made to transform the output into something that looks like a painting or an abstract image. What is a 3D rendering used for? 3D renderings give audiovisual creators new possibilities. It allows videos to be made without having to record real locations or objects. Industrial designers use them to simulate specific situations and use cases. For architects, they are a powerful way to visualize buildings, complexes, houses or even to recreate ancient structures. Advertisers and graphic designers use them to get more striking results. They are also used in video games, digital art, medicine or even in gastronomy, to offer more immersive experiences.

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  • Creative Ways to Reduce Climate Change
    Craft

    Creative Ways to Reduce Climate Change

    We asked creative experts how we can continue to create while reducing our impact on the environment While the climate crisis has been at the center of international politics for years, it could be said that it is at its most crucial moment. It is an issue that increasingly dominates more headlines, brings together mass protests around the world, and fuels grassroots movements that hope to implement measures and put a stop to the catastrophic consequences that we’ve been told will occur, should things continue as they currently are. Climate change is a global issue that affects the whole planet, and while it is difficult to unify every voice around the world with regards to how (or if) we should try to solve it, there are many steps we can take as individuals–in our creative pursuits as well–that will help to reduce our impact and reduce the problem. To learn more about what we can do, we reached out to several creatives to discover how to be more environmentally conscious when it comes to designing, working, and creating. We are the most invasive species to have walked this planet, and now it’s time to show some gratitude and speak up. It’s time for human beings to contribute and be part of a whole, and not just see everything as theirs for the taking. Pablo Salvaje.

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