Insect photography is challenging under the best circumstances. Think about it: you’re taking photos of something that is likely smaller than your little finger (and at largest is still probably smaller than your hand), has no reason to cooperate, and likely views you as a predator or is oblivious to your presence entirely. And even if you’re taking photos of dead insects, it still takes a lot of skill (and a good macro lens) to get the right focus and lighting.

The photographers who managed to snap the photos below all deserve some serious respect. They’ve managed to capture the beauty and complexity of some of the most beautiful specimens in the insect world. Look at their coloring, their structure, the way their bodies are segmented, and let them inspire your designs. Whether you simply borrow a color scheme or go for something a bit more obvious, insects can serve as a wonderful source of artistic inspiration, one that is often overlooked.

Here are more photography related entries you might be interested:

• Macro Photography Part I
• Tilt-shift Photography
• Urban Decay Photography
• Night Photography
• Black & White Photography

Full list after jump.

Insect
by FockLove

Insect
by PauliusC

Insect Series 3
by Grugster

Insect 08
by Josgoh

Insect
by Phaedrus-42

Insect vs Spider
by Afri

Insect
by TheRedGirl

The Insect
by VerzaubertRocken

Leaf Insect Shot 2
by Jakwak

Unidentified Insect
by Gerald Yuvallos

Insect.
by Drvall

Insect On Wood
by Rockinxrebecca

Green Insect
by Abank

Insect
by Fuegomujer

Insect 01
by Josgoh

Insects With Attitude
by MJIphotos

Insect
by Diganta Talukdar

Spotted Cucumber Beetle
by Wolfpix

Metallic Green Insect
by Srini G

Insect Macro
by Publicenergy

Death To A Dragonfly
by Greekchickie

Dragonfly_Z19789
by Ennor

Dragonfly
by CW Ye

Nasty Insect
by Geaannunziata

Green Insect
by Jaszczura

Insect Eye To Eye
by Saddogeyes

Insect 7
by Mewlo

Insect.
by ZWincik

Insect 03
by Harry-Schoemaker

Spiny Leaf Insect
by Duskmoth

Macro – Dead Insect
by Noitu-lover

Cricket Macro
by Martin_Heigan

Insect Macro
by Salendron

Insect 33
by Josgoh

Hylotrupes Bajulus
by Selley

Tiny Red Cricket
by Garion

Insect Macros_021
by Josedeluna

Insect Macro
by Aidiwz

Shy Hopper
by James Jordan

Dead Insect
by Baton101

Insect Photo 3 – Set 3
by Blookz

Insect
by Mega-Ale

Rays Of Dawn
by Ageofloss

Mr. Insect
by MrStuart

He Can Fly
by Viand

Bottle Fly On Red Flower
by Erica_Marshall

Hawker Dragonfly Macro
by Mushi_king

Fly Extreme Macro
by Martin Heigan

Blue Fly in Flight
by David Reece

Blending In
by Kibondo

Bee
by DoeLay

Resting Insect
by Pusakal1402

Third Insect
by Owczak

Dragonfly
by HVargas

Dragonfly.
by Le-Voyageur

Dragonfly
by Jaydehawk

Red Dragonfly
by Sh0ggy

The Hanging Dragonfly
by SubterfugeMalaises

Dragonfly
by Indja-art

Halloween Pennant Dragonfly
by Motleypixel

Cinnabar Moth (Tyria Jacobaeae)
by Nutmeg66

Columbia Silk Moth
by Furryscaly

Male Golden Birdwing Butterfly Bangkok
by Travlinman43

Grey Dagger Caterpillar (Acronicta Psi)
by Nutmeg66

Saddleback Caterpillar
by Cotinis

Cuckoo Wasp (Chrysididae) Pollinating Euphorbia Flowers
by Martin_Heigan

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee – Bombus Vosnesenskii
by Maxi Millipede

Transparent Butterfly
by Thefost

Copper Butterfly
by Reini68

Butterfly In Hand
by DigiDragon

Minimalism has been a popular website design style for years. It has so many benefits; minimalist sites load faster, take fewer server resources, and are often faster to develop than more graphically complicated designs. Plus, they give a professional, clean impression to visitors.

Many people still view minimalist designs as boring. But there’s a real art to effective minimal website designs, something not all designers can effectively master. When you limit the number of graphic elements you use and put the focus on negative space and typography, a good eye for spacing and proportion becomes crucial.

Below are more than 100 excellent examples of clean, simple and minimalist website designs. They run the gamut from simple brochure-style sites to ecommerce and portfolio sites. What they all have in common is a design aesthetic where less is more.

Rainfall Daffinson
A white background with red accents.

Ben Hulse Design
Dark gray background with white and gray lettering.

Amy Levy PR
White background with gray and red lettering.

Brand Spanking New
A black and white color scheme with gray, orange, and pale blue accents.

Frieze Magazine
A minimalist grid design.

Indie Labs
A dark gray, white and sky blue grid-based design.

Rikcat Industries
An entirely black and white design.

The Morning News
A minimalist magazine-style site.

Mark Boulton Design
A mostly black and white site with colored accents.

Jonnotie
A gray and maroon design.

Finch
A mostly black, white and gray design.

Maqina
A single column portfolio site.

Chama Inc.
A simple black and white design with an emphasis on typography.

Jon Tan
Another simple black and white design with orange accents and great typography.

Mark Wieman
Gray and White with mustard-yellow accents.

Cameron.io
A simple dove gray and white design with red accents.

Postmachina
Black background with gray and white text.

Concentric Studio
A simple design with a lot of white space.

DS.Emotion
A simple design that makes good use of drop shadows and red accents.

Kyle Sollenberger Design
Uses a soft color palette and slightly oversized text.

David Sutoyo
A soft gray, white and dark blue design.

Brad Young Photography
A dark background with soft gray and blue typography.

The DECK
A black and white design with strong typographical elements.

Hot Meteor
A simple design with retro elements.

The Portfolio of Matt Bango
Another simple design with blue accents and an emphasis on typography.

Vesess
Another black and white design with gray and red accents.

Design Intellection
A grid-based design with excellent typography.

Surfstation
A soft color palette and a two-column design with lots of white space.

The Old Fashioned
A black and white grid-based design.

CRW / Corporate Risk Watch
Uses a textured background and some hand-drawn elements.

Being Wicked
A mostly black and white design with oversized typography.

Eduardo de La Rocque
A dark gray and white, single column design.

Pixelumbrella
A rarely-seen minimalist grunge design.

NineZero
A narrow, single-column design with a lot of white space.

SimpleBits
A simple design with a textured header and a focus on typography.

Poccuo
A grid-based design with blue, gray and black text.

Davroc Interiors
A design composed entirely of shades of bluish-gray.

Sascha Eggenberger
Hand-drawn elements in black and white with blue accents set this design apart.

Nathan Carnes
A subtle color scheme and textures with black and gray typography.

Nathan Borror
Makes use of colored and geometric accents while still retaining plenty of white space and a simple design.

Beseku
A black and white design with an emphasis on typography.

NZ Venues
A subtle dark gray and white design with small, multi-colored accents.

Chris Garrett Media Ltd
A dark design with subtle gradients in the typography and blue accents.

DesigningTheNews.com
A black and gray design with a focus on typography.

3by9
A multi-colored minimal design with colorful accents and lots of white space.

Typographica
A black, white, and gray design that places emphasis on the images it displays and uses a grid-based design.

Theme
A magazine/grid-style design with orange accents.

Monty Lounge Industries
A blue and gray design with an emphasis on typography.

Berit Somme
A black, white and gray design that places the emphasis on the portfolio pieces.

el Candor
A black and white grid-based portfolio site.

Design by Silnt
A grid-based design in shades of gray.

Pixelcraft
A cream-colored background and black typography keep things simple.

Klipp og Lim
A grid-based design with a portfolio slideshow in the header.

Ole Martin Kristiansen
A dark background with subtly-colored typography.

SiteInspire
A gray site with bright red accents.

MediaFlex
A dark background with white typography that leaves the emphasis on the images.

Vudumedia
A black, gray and white grid-based design.

AREA 17
A black, white and gray design with some dark blue typography.

just.dot
A grayish-brown background and a grid-based design.

LegiStyles
A dark background with an emphasis on typography and tomato-red accents.

Visualbox
A subtly-patterned dark-gray background with bold white and gray typography.

Flush
A dark gray, slightly-grungy design.

Designme
A dark background with gray and white typography.

Designjunction.in
A dark background with lighter typography.

deCode
A dark, textured background with hand-drawn elements and a bit of a retro vibe.

72 Rivington Street
A bold, black and white grid design.

Analogue Motion
A grid-based design with a subtle color palette and typography.

Astheria
A subtle blue, gray and white design with plenty of negative space.

Cade Martin Photography
A white and gray design with the emphasis on the typography.

Daniel Howells
A subtle design that focuses on the typography.

Eightface.com
A black and white design with red highlights.

Fever
A gray background with gray and red text.

Fell Swoop
A white background with black and red typography and tons of negative space.

FRKT
A black and white design with subtle textures.

Jamie Gregory
A grid-based deisgn that focuses on typography.

Joni Korpi
A gray and black design with an emphasis on typography.

Matt Hinchliffe
A black and white design with light blue accents.

Martin Hipp
White background and green accents.

Stefan Persson
A grid-based design with orange accents.

Strange/Beautiful
A gray and white grid-based design.

Voce antica
A white and gray two-column design.

Inkcover Blog
A black and white design with oversized typography.

Allday.cc
A very simple black and white design with minimalist navigation.

Final Eyes
A black, white and gray single-column design.

80/20
A gray color scheme with green accents.

Craig Wilson
A very simple black and white design with hand-drawn elements.

Pomade
An extremely minimalist design with black text and red accents.

SOFA
A grid-based design that emphasizes typography.

The Typographic Desk Reference (TDR)
A minimalist sales page that utilizes modal windows.

I love Typography
A simple design with olive green typography accents.

Artypapers
A white background and subtle gray and pink color scheme.

Sisson Studio
A brown and tan grid-based design with a white background.

We Love Typography
A grid-based design with a white background.

Gordymac
A blue and gray design with plenty of white space.

National College of Art & Design: Postgraduate Study
A gray design with circular images and white text.

Minimalissimo
Black and gray typography with plenty of white space.

Wide Angled
A grid-based site that puts the emphasis on the images it features.

Hair Ott
A gray, black and white design with a Flash slideshow in the header.

Tim Parkin
A grid-based design with a white background.

Selldorf Architects
A simple black and white design.

LUXUX
A grid-based portfolio site.

Fluid
A grid-based design with a white background and simple typography.

Saturday
A simple design with a Flash slideshow.

The May Blog
A simple gray and green color scheme on a white background./p>

quadrifolia
A very bold green and white design.

Dhyr.Hagen
A bold gray and white design.

Nonesuch Records
A simple black and white design with an emphasis on imagery.

About Author – Cameron Chapman is a professional Web and graphic designer with over 7 years of experience. She writes for a number of blogs, including her own, Cameron Chapman On Writing. She’s also the author of Internet Famous: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Online Celebrity.

A great wave of excitement is sweeping across all Apple fans as they await for the official launch of the latest amazing Apple product by year end. Yes, it is the eagerly anticipated Apple Tablet, which was reported to be commercially available this coming November. Some of us may have seen the prototype online, and few will disagree that it is yet another beautiful creation by Apple.

In terms of the design and the aesthetic value of IT wares, there is little dispute that Apple create some of the finest and most creative design for their products that few or no other competitors can match. Over the years, product concept designs by hardcore Apple fans began to surface as Apple started to stand out among its competitors. Although these designs are not going to be marketed as actual products, it reflects the deepest wishes of die-hard Apple fans.

Here is a fine compilation of some of the best, coolest and most creative Apple concept designs created by fans. Don’t you just wish these are available in the market?

Desktops and Laptops

Mac Mini (Slim)

Mac Mini is super-slim concept design of the actual Apple Mac Mini. It has all the features of the original machine but is a lot slimmer. Connect the Mac Mini to a Apple LED displays and you will have a powerful Multimedia computer in-front of you. By Isamu Sanada.

Apple iView

iView is concept Mac design with curved display that is made for best orientation with the curvature of a human eye. It has a dual-sided display and 2 web-cams on both sides of the display. By Nuno Teixeira.

Apple Tribook

The tribook has exactly what the name and the picture suggest, it has three screens. One is the regular laptop-style screen and the other two can be folded to save the space when they are not in use. It is possible that the fordable screens use the Apple’s patented transparent screen technology, that way when they are folded – it can still be used a simple Macbook too. By Adam Benton.

Transparent iMac

A truly futuristic iMac concept design with a transparent display. Equipped with a transparent 30-inch display and a wireless keyboard with light-sensitive illuminated keys, this Concept design can also be set to various levels of translucency and can fade during sleep modes. By Adam Benton.

MacBook Mini

MacBook mini is a smart concept design goes one further to make MacBooks smaller. It features a foldable trackpad which saves up the space when you are not using the keyboard. One other mockup of the MacBook mini by the same designer is a sliding trackpad, which sounds like a better idea than the foldable one. By Isamu Sanada.

Mac Air

Now this is something purely innovative. An Apple Tablet concept that doubles as a desktop, just awesome. It Sports a 5.2-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen TFT display and can be hooked to a wireless Keyboard, a mouse, a super drive and a Time Machine to turn it into a fully functional wireless Desktop. By Isamu Sanada.

Mac Mini

Concept is to discard the drawbacks which a iMac mini user would nark about the owned machine. And the mark about the Mac Mini is the I/O ports. This concept design makes the ports reachable easily and the V-shape design makes sure that it will remain cool while you are using it. That’s because the hot air will pass through the legs instead respiring from back lying on the top. By Sait Alanyali.

Mac Tab

MacTab can be used as a standalone tablet as well as a laptop with a physical keyboard. It boasts a very thin wireless keyboard that can be easily removed from the tablet and put back to cover the screen when transporting it. The hinges on the back side can be used to support the tablet while in ’standing’ position and it can be used for placing the keyboard too. By Yann Le Corroler.

Tablets

Mac Tablet

This Mac Tablet concept has an optical drive and a slider-style Physical keyboard. It comes sports a physical keyboard which can hide inside the device itself. By Isamu Sanada.

Macbook Touch

Yet another concept design by Isamu Sanada. The MacBook Touch is actually an iPhone concept design with a bigger screen and I/O ports. By Isamu Sanada.

Foldable Macbook Touch

This concept has a foldable design that makes it a Tablet-cum-Macbook. It features Flexible OLED technology which makes the foldable, full-size display possible. When in notebook mode, one half of the screen is converted to a touch screen keyboard and trackpad. By Tommaso Gecchelin.

MacBook Mini

This MacBook Mini is a tablet Concept that Apple is always asked to develop into a product that would be a perfect design. This concise tablet can be used to view pictures, listen to music and watch movies in High Resolution. Moreover, surfing the internet will delineate the great fun.

Apple Netbook Concept

This concept is a belief rather than a imaginary concept and the rumours all around gab about this product being the new Apple Tablet. By Adam Benton.

Mac Pad

MacTab is a concept Apple tablet design that is equipped with a QWERTY physical keyboard. The keyboard can be easily closed, thanks to the slider mechanism. By Maverick18x.

Apple TouchBook

This concept may be a reality soon as the rumours are that the two companies, Apple and Verizon, are looking forward to develop a wireless iPhone. The device is expected to be thinner, lighter and much affordable than the iPhone. The product may be launched by the end of this year and it will be the best to view pictures, listen music and watch HD videos.

iPhones

iPhone Elite

When Apple was to launch iPhone, a reporter asked Steve Ballmer what he though about it – He laughed and said, “A Phone without a Keyboard?”. If only he could see this concept design of iPhone. iPhone Elite has a dual slider mechanism. It has a bigger camera and a full QWERT physical keyboard too. By Mat Brady.

iPhone 4G

Mix iPhone with iPod Touch and through in some Macbook Air too. You get a slim iPhone 4G like this one. It has a front camera for video-conferencing and retains curves of a Macbook Air. By Rodolphe Desmare.

iPhone Video

This Photoshop creation is a concept about iPhone Video. This one won’t be much diverse from the iPhone, but some extra buttons on its left and some additional effects for the sleek screen and home button make this look better than the iPhone. By Chromatix.

iEye

The iEye is a concept mobile phone which boasts a shutter button onto the camera making it over iPhone constraints. The phone curbs a glut of features that take in 720p HD video, 5.1-megapixel stills, 12GB of flash memory, and a large-capacity lithium-ion battery hardwired inside. Moreover a 30 pin connector boosts its aptitude in connectivity for easy file transfers. By Adam Benton.

iPhone Nano

What can be a copulate when a iPhone and Nano are parents? The iPhone Nano. It’s a pretty good concept which can be abstracted from the image below. It’s a concept mated from a iPhone 3G and Nano G4. By FreshAndContent.

iPhone Pro

A unibody iPhone with pretty slick looks and flatter body. The iPhone 3.0 or iPhone Pro comes in two versions, aluminium and glass.

iPods

iPod Chimera

This concept is by far one of the best and most sophisticated iPod concept. Apart from the sleek and slim looks, it also has earpieces that are able to play wirelessly. Made up of entirely Titanium, iPod chimera has a scratch/smear resistant display that is able to play 720p HD videos.

iPod Nano 4G

Not much creative but a good idea about a iPod Nano 4G. This concept is splendid with some more sleek curves and great combination of colours. Indubitably, the design will come with many more features and as the image suggests, an accelerometer as well. By Chromatix.

iPod Shuffle

This concept is a portrayal of an iPod Shuffle wrist wrap dangling and would be found on all the joggers and runaway models on the roads, strapped on their arms. An iPod shuffle with a Mp3 bracelet and a wireless ear piece that might look prettier on arms of girls. By Isamu Sanada.

hiPod Concept

hiPod is a wrist watch style iPod that has a foldable display that becomes a digital watch when closed. It has the regular iPod dial-navigation and comes with a pair of wireless earpieces. By Isamu Sanada.

Miscellaneous Apple Concept Gadgets

Apple iRing

With this concept iRing design, you are able to control your iPod via bluetooth. You can control playback and volume on any of your Apple media devices using the touch-sensitive strip. It sports an OLED status display which can be use to toggle between ‘pause’ and ‘play’. By Victor Soto.

iVault

iVault concept entices you to own it in an affordable price of about $499 and will store hundreds of thousands of songs, videos and pictures. You are able to sync it with your Laptop/Desktop wirelessly just like Apple’s Time Capsule.

iCal Watch

The concept is a marvel of its own . It syns with iCal via Bluetooth so that you won’t miss and appointment or a meeting. Moreover the watch has a touch screen making it a snap to use.

iSticks

The set of iStick speakers are compatible with all Apple products and when compared to Harman Kardon speakers, it seems better to opt for and much reliable with iSub in a combo arrangement.

iLight

The iLight concept has a touch-sensitive panel which can be used to control the torch. Single tap to turn on, another to turn off, flick fingers forward and backward to control the luminosity, and double tap to lock the touch-panel. By Miyoshimasato.

A good portrait reveals something about its subject beyond the immediate appearance of the photograph. It includes layers of meaning and depth that portray the person as a whole, not just the superficial initial impression. Great portraits give us an idea of who the person really is, beyond what they’re trying to outwardly depict.

Portraits done in black and white add an additional layer of complexity to their subject. The choice to appear void of color says something about the person, though what it says varies greatly between people. Below are 100 stunning black and white portraits to give you inspiration in your designs. The range of subjects and what their portraits say about them run across the entire spectrum of the human experience, and you’re sure to find something that resonates.

More photography entries we’ve previously published:

• Urban decay photography
• Tilt-Shift Photography
• Photos of Paris
• Beautiful Night Photography
• Breathtaking Fireworks Photography

Complete showcase after jump.

Funeral
by ultramaryna

The Queen
by zemotion

black and white . bricks
by beautifullydestructed

I’ll tell you a story…
by alejka

Laughing with
by iNeedChemicalX

Bitter Sweet Symphony
by iNeedChemicalX

Black Desire
by UnaObsesion

FANatic new
by Nigrita

On my mind
by liquidsunnyday

Smoke on the moon
by azarova

The running man
by Mattrobbyattack

Lyrical
by moodychick

06
by bezglowa

I’m free
by dashka-takes-photos

Sarmata
by polska

Aye Aye C’ptain
by TFraser

Secret garden II
by electricbird

Ethiopia-Dassanetch
by marjanvanthielen

Close your eyes
by Kvikken

Dilan
by kentsiz

The last smoke…
by rocker-sanjog

In the cold light of morning
by DisposableMe

Black & White Portrait
by Lars Willem Veldkampf

Landon BP Black & White Portrait
by Steven Hart

Fisherman
by womanish

The Girl and the Baby
by OneOnOne Photography

Nathan
johnny nikon

Antonino
by sam cartelli

Nikkormat
by Studio d’Xavier

Old man with a cigarette
by LouisWu

Dancing in Bare Feet
by dfg photography

Turkish Market Seller
by keith

Jinny in Black and White
by TXphotoblog

Oh my friends you haven’t changed
by Ornelia Olivieri

liviachicca
by Ornelia Olivieri

TRP: Me and My Camera
by Studio d’Xavier

6/100 Duff
by Studio d’Xavier

Portrait of a Punk Girl
by Havovubu

Damian
by Burgunda

Passin’ the Time
by Joel Bedford

8037
by Dmitry Medvedev

Day 30
by Murraynewphotos

Untitled Girl Portrait
by tuturuuu

Untitled Portrait
by MOSH S.K

Gau
by USELESSNANO

Crying Girl
by LouisWu

I hate my obvious freckles
by nikki psych ward

Market stall worker
by StephenQi

Gioty
by paranenormalus

Stare
by violin-sonata

AH
by Krstnn Hrmnsn

“The Pigeon Man”
by Elliotphotos

Che Boris 2
by FrankZimper

Black and White
by mariemadeame

Binki
by Pichead

Black Swan
by zemotion

Black
by BittersweetDisease

Eye black and white
by Ashleigh07Art

Black and White
by KarinePaula

Another Amber
by Jibby!

Sophie in black and white
by Palindroom

Julia
by photomek

Hush now
by iNeedChemicalX

Black Lava
by CRISTYNNA-NECROPOLIS

New Hope Childrens Home
by nick barta

Black white portrait
by lafaette

Black and White
by Fragoline

Black and white
by lkopuz

White 2
by Coffeestain

Hearts turn black and white
by iNeedChemicalX

Menja lady, Sheka forest, Ethiopia
by ngari.norway

Freedom In Black And White 1
by kreestal

Untitled Portrait of a Girl
by Lisa Askew

Wisdom
by pastaboy sleeps

Warmth
by pastaboy sleeps

Et l’anarchie de julien
by salusmarc

Black Cherry
by waga27

GPS 8 Rose Black and White
by Rubarb

Black and White II
by Orzz

Summer BW
by larafairie

Movie Star Black and White
by Adam25Toronto

Girl in a white dress
by LesiaV

White + Black
by maliciousfaerie

JOE!
by Martin Quiroz Photography

Black and white
by infernalphotography

Deitra 04
by Jason Stair

Warm Place II
by SynthTwins

Beth – Silhouette
by larafairie

Zoe
by c1po

Jana
by LudovicMazet

Manu
by LudovicMazet

Sells Hamsters
by Roman Abramovich

Black and White
by lucaspagnuoli

Black
by johnwaters

Black and white
by zakharova

Paint it black and white
by krecique

Black Hole Sun
by berzerker-sk

Black Sun
by fatallook

The peter pan
by muszka

Black Math
by rabatz

About Author – Cameron Chapman is a professional Web and graphic designer with over 7 years of experience. She writes for a number of blogs, including her own, Cameron Chapman On Writing. She’s also the author of Internet Famous: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Online Celebrity.

When one speaks of retro art, images of art styles derived from advertising and propaganda posters from 1930s to 1960s usually flood the mind. The simple graphics made from oil paints reflect the less advanced technology of that time. This period is also a time of significant turbulence in our modern history, when major events such as the rise of communism and World Wars were taking ground. It is then not surprising that many posters serve as propaganda tools for the ruling governments. These propaganda images eventually contributed to the development of different retro art styles.

Many of the following retro art pieces that you will see are actual posters produced during those time. We’ve searched a couple of sources to compile a great list of retro art styles comprising not only of propaganda art pieces, but also a few other kind such as advertising posters. In addition, we have separated these pieces into two main categories, Western and Chinese retro art. Full list after jump.

The West: Retro Posters from the West

Here we have Soviet posters during the rise of communism as well as propaganda posters during World War II. There are also some miscellaneous ones like film and product ads, along with some retro-inspired art.

This is the Enemy

Guns of Russia

We’ve Beaten Them Before

Eyes of the Home Skies

Unwilling Volunteers

We Can Do It

Here They Come!

The Soviet Regime

The Power of Propaganda: Wartime Posters

Syd Mead Concept Design for US Steel

Say Yes! to Analog Design

Soviet Flag Over the Reichstag

Retro Never Dies

Reach Out and Touch Someone

Jantzen Swimsuit 1949

Le Facteur ATC

Kultura

Gorbachev

Glory To Our Army

I Wake Up Screaming 1941

Lenin

You Behave!

People and Army are One!

We Will Not Allow This to Happen Again!

Smoke Cigarettes

Great Stalin is A Flag of the USSR’s Friendship

Everything for the Victory – Women of USSR for the Front

Motherland is Calling!

To Defend USSR

Liberated woman – Build Up Socialism!

Fortunello

Beatles Badge

Hotdog

1953 Advertising Calendar for Hotpoint Appliances

Birds!

1924 Lenin Poster

Lenin

1940 Stalin

The East: The Chinese Art of Propaganda

As a result of over 5,000 years of China’s history and culture, Chinese art has always been uniquely different from the West. Here you will see how traditonal Chinese art evolved into retro art that still maintains its distinct culture while incorporating Western art elements to spread communism.

Propaganda

Mao is Always Right

Revolutionary Committees are Good

The Working Class is the Main Force in the Campaign

Win Honor for Our Great Leader Chairman Mao

Sharpening the Knife

Down with the Capitalist

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army

Learn from the Spirit of Daqing

We’ll Definitely Beat the World Record

Communism

Chairman Mao

Develop New Mountain Areas

An Eye for an Eye

Our Victory is Certain

Down with American and Soviet

The Chinese People are Not Easily Humiliated

The Revolutionary Movement

Smash the Old World; Establish the New World

Great Victory

Gutian Conference

Endless Production

Brilliant Light of the Red Sun

Chairman Hua

Chairman Mao

Double Happiness

Learn Science From Young

I Love the Blue Sky of Motherland

Military Spirit

Film Poster: Home

Film Poster: Beyond the Sea

Art Comes From Life’s Struggles

United As One People

These propaganda artworks were collected from Life.com, Flickr, Crestock, kaladarshan, Chinese Poster Online and other websites.

One of the things that makes a great designer is the ability to see beauty in unlikely places. And images of urban decay can really put that ability to the test.

Whether it’s images of abandoned buildings or simply a disregarded alley or nook, there is beauty to be found in the derelict and forgotten areas of the world’s cities. The images below give only a small taste of what’s out there, ready to inspire your next design project.

Urban Decay in Tacoma
by anthonyh2006

Urban Decay at a Marin School
by CourtneyAllison

Urban Decay: Nature Juxtaposed with Industry
by Irit

Day 10 — Urban Decay (or Regrowth?)
by brianjmatis

Urban Decay2
by grigjr

Urban Decay — Sofas and Chairs
by byonder

Urban Decay 11 — Courtyard
by grigjr

Urban Decay – 01 — Graffiti
by scotto

Urban Decay — Aerosol Cans
by ridethespiral1

Urban Decay — Red Chair
by secdoover

UrbanDecay
by entengruetze

Urban Decay — English Academy
by ghostrider-in-ze-sky

Urban Decay: American Auto
by paperdolldreams

Urban Decay: Rusted Factory
by JoeCollver

Urban Decay – 14: Warehouse
by scotto

Urban Decay: Arches
by VSprink

Urban Decay: Black and White Doorway
by downhill

Urban Decay: Smoke Stacks
by snake.eyes

Urban Decay 5: Sunlight Effects
by ghostrider-in-ze-sky

Urban Decay Boston
by tarotist

Urban Decay: Three Towers
by bloodfilledlungs

Urban Decay: Water Fountain
by Enzo D.

Urban Decay New Set – 1
by ro-stock

Rust in Peace
by thespook

Decay VIII
by Benjinoman

Queens Urban Decay 207a
by chaserpaul

Urban Decay 3: Stroke-on-Trent
by CarolAnneS

Urban Decay 2: Peeling Plaster and Brick
by rosetigerdragon

Decay from the "Urban Exploration" Project
by MuffYz

Urban Decay, Velluters
by Xavi Calvo

Urban Decay (Moscow)
by happy-dee-dooo

Urban Decay: Broken Window
by B Rosen

Urban Decay 008: Peeling Paint
by MarcoFiorentini

Old Colonial Mansion Opposite the National Museum
by remittance_girl

Stuffed If I Know
by MIAD

Dodgey Ladder
by MIAD

Urbex Self Portrait
by James Loesch

Blue Door, Yellow Wall
by Stoxasths

Setting Up the Fair
by Stoxasths

Krampnitz
by James C Farmer

The Old Soccer Stadion
by Static_P

In the Heart of the Plant
by NARIBIS

MF
by Static_P

West Park – Still Life 2
by Romanywg

Abandoned Asylum
by andre.govia

Lier Mental Hospital – Old Wheel Chair
by Anders V. Tøftemo

The Next Mission
by Romanywg

West Park Reflections too
by Romanywg

Green: Peeling Pain
by James C Farmer

Please Close the Doors After Leaving
by James C Farmer

Beelitz: #1
by James C Farmer

Way Out
by James C Farmer

Beelitz: #2
by James C Farmer

Concrete Stairwell
by Chris Leithead

Rust Macro at Filey
by tina_manthorpe

Brooklyn Rust: The Brooklyn Bridge
by Digital Agent

Locked Rust Blue
by tina_manthorpe

Cracked Sidewalk in Front of Charlotte Street Arts Centre in Fredericton
by Chris Campbell

Bowling Alley
by keiththrn

Abandoned in Cork
by slinky2000

Abandoned Building
by Isaac E

Denbigh Abandoned Asylum
by andre.goby

Pripyat, Ukraine Chernobyl
by robot fotomat

Nuclear Winter in Chernobyl
by Stuck in Customs

Pripyat Amusement Park, Ukraine Chernobyl
by robot fotomat

Swimming Pool in the Abandoned School in Pripyat’ / Chernobyl
by Danny–Boy

Urban Decay 8
by ghostrider-in-ze-sky

Abandoned Building in Pripyat’ / Chernobyl
by Danny–Boy

Chernobyl/Pripyat, Ukraine: Ferris Wheel
by 8333696

Abandoned Building in Pripyat’ / Chernobyl
by DannyBoy

Watcher
by borderfilms (Doug)

OH Dexter City – Abandoned School
by scottamus

Abandoned City Methodist Church, Gary, Indiana
by Timothy Neesam

Pripyat – Abandoned City
by Dazzababes

Abandoned City: Paper Circles
by eruthnum

Abandoned City: Kitchen Stove
by eruthnum

City Meth: Gary, Indiana
by Noel Kerns

Abandoned Building in La Habana, Cuba
by vormplus

Hospental, Abandoned Building: Switzerland
by Tuuur

Abandoned Row Houses – Perlman Place (Baltimore)
by sann235

NYC Ghetto: Bushwick Brooklyn
by izakokomari890

Flats to Let 1987: South Bronx
by Urban Photos

Grungy Wall Texture
by iammi-z

Rust Texture
by code1name

Grunge: Wooden Door
by jazza

Lisbon Balconies
by hbrinkman

Old Wood: Grungy Wooden Structure
by jazza

Deserted Houses
by barunpatro

Old Tower
by cyborg1us

Old Stavelot: Ardennes, Belgium
by hbrinkman

Museum? A Rundown Shack in Sofala, NSW, Australia
by drakemata

Street Urban Decay: Porto City, Portugal
by saavem

Tangled Wires
by drog1998

Abandoned Warehouse 5: Gatke Building, Warsaw, IN
by freschje

Miami, Arizona
by kevinzim

New Orleans Alley post Katrina
by bonesdog

Ruins
by Marinela

Utrect: Canal in Holland
by martwork

Old Door in a House in Limache, Chile
by philhxc

Urban Winter: Saarbrücken, Bürgerpark
by Author

About Author – Cameron Chapman is a professional Web and graphic designer with over 7 years of experience. She writes for a number of blogs, including her own, Cameron Chapman On Writing. She’s also the author of Internet Famous: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Online Celebrity.

The joy about being a photographer is being able to capture life in a single image. Our eyes skim very briefly on facets of life but sometimes we fail to notice the intricacies that make the wonders of this world so remarkable. Simple things like looking at a bee settle onto a flower or looking at the rainbow spectrum in an insects eye, or even taking just a closer look at the human eye: the window to the soul. We walk around, not taking a moment to just enjoy this little bits of life.

Here we have collected a number of macro shots that hope to inspire and remind us of the little things that can just make you feel in awe. Have a great weekend ahead :-)

Animals, Insects/Bugs

A detailed view of Zoology and the tiny cretures we see everyday.

Butterfly
via Gustav Persson

Brown/Tan Damselfly Face
via Opo Terser

Ladybug
via Michael Shpuntov

Mantodea
via Vladimer Shioshvili

High Tech Jumper
via Coder

Eye of Gecko
via Alan M

S Y R P H E
via tywak(break)

Kahlil Gibran
via alphacygni

Art Deer
via dedalus11

Butterfly
via GOLDENORFE

Mr Attitude
via Cyrus khamak

Green Colorize 329
via Marcus Wallinder

Ladybird Traffic Jam
viaThe Heartland

Head On
via CharlesLam

Ladybug 6182
via jciv

One Exposure
via Kristoffer Jonsson

Treble Clef
via Glynn m

Ranita Curiosa
via Ricardo Rico

Punk Moth
via Lord V

Green Colorize 223
via Marcus Wallinder

Wolf Spider
via Michael Shpuntov

Pad 3
via Michael Shpuntov

Human & Nature

Taking a closer look at the beauty of Mother Nature and the Facets of Human Life

A Sea of Stars
via Sugargrl14

Stranger
via Fabalina

I Am Purple2
via dini25

Jade
via Konaboy

Keep Straight
via OzureFlame

Dandelion Clock Against Neon Lights
via dedalus11

Macro
via my-shots

Opposites Attract
via HD

Purple Rain
via ForbiddenSorrow

Spirals
via jciv

Nerves Autumn Leaf
via dedalus11

Grass Drops
via ViaMoi

Tiny Fireworks
via v1ctory_1s_m1ne

Fly Amanita
via SwitchOn

Motion
via cynicalsunshine

Those Eyes
via Michael Shpuntov

Glittery Ball
via ninazdesign

Here are some Amazing detailed close ups by Joakin Kraemer. You can view more his works here.

Sweet Misery

COLDNESS

I Am A Dreamer

Time After Time

Your The One

Objects and Food Shots

One need never “Object” to viewing or receiving “Food”.

Clothing Line Clip
via jciv

Pencil Sharperner I
via dedalus11

Christmas Lights
via Corey DiNardo

Cuore
via midamida

Ferro flambè
via Andrea G. AKA Zenguru

Ornament
via John-Morgan

Retired
via Frans Persoon

Summer Refreshment
via frankieleon

A Bit of Whitening
via Michael Shpuntov

Corn
via jciv

Vitamin C for Scott
via Michael Shpuntov

The Big Apple
via Mike Golding

More in Photography

Here are more photography related articles we’ve previously published:

• Tilt-Shift Photography – 80+ Beautiful Examples, Tutorials and More
• Fireworks Photography
• Beautiful Night Shots
• Fresh Creative and Inspiring Photographs
• 50 Great Photographers

Article by: Linora – A part time actress/blogger and real estate agent all packed into one.

credit: ilovecolors

Blogging is such a huge activity on the Internet and in fact Technorati the Internet search engine for blogs managed to track 112.8 million blogs in June 2008. Amazingly, the popular trend of blogging began a decade ago in 1999 and has stayed ever since. This large influx of bloggers, along with the inquisitive nature of people to explore and seek out another’s opinions or comments, explains why blogs are one of the most visited type of websites on the internet.

Undoubtedly, content itself plays the biggest role in attracting visitors to follow a blog’s posts. People visit blogs to check out what the blogger has to comment about recent events, the current affairs, his or her personal story and the likes. Still, a good design can be how a blog first captivates people enough to be aware of its presence. In other cases, bloggers want to stand out from the vast number of blogs in the blogosphere. Making improvements to the content may be an abstract task, so the easier way to distinguish the blog from others is to work on the design.

When we talk about design, the key word is ‘impression‘. A visually attractive blog leaves behind a deep impression among people such that the person remembers it enough to actually revisit the site another time. This list of absolutely gorgeous-looking blogs below was compiled to provide you with some ideas on what you can do to come up with an attractive and well-designed blog.

All for Design

Gary Nock

Dew’s Blup

Best Blog Box

Base6 Design Studio

Big Bad Collab

Learning How to Live

Cosmic Diary

Hey Indy

Fritz Quadrata

I Love Colors

Leihu

Nine Lion

Starcatcher

Productive Dreams

Twirk Ethic

Rin-Wendy

Tarek Shalaby

Ali Felski

Duirwaigh Studios

Pays Sud Gâtine

Boompa

Blogfulbliss

Bearskinrug

Assault Blog

Agami Creative

Belvoir On For Britain

Ayaka Ito

Outlaw Design Blog

Lord Likely

WebScienceMan

SketchBlog

Rockatee

The Superest

Steve Mullen Creative

Qwert City

Guns & Donuts

Getting Crazy

Hugs For Monsters

That Indie Dude

Lewro’s Blog

Le Bloe

Istok Pavlovic

Kev Adamson

Planet Nasendackel

Marchand de Trucs

Le Blog De Gruny

Leffet Crea

Keven Lupien

Markup & Style Society

Brown Blog Films

Kris Colvin

Brandonmuth

Blog What? Design

Brad Frost Web

The Darling Tree

New Era Cap Talk

Gisele Jaquenod & Birdie

via Koen Demuynck

There’s no hard and fast rule to achieve creative photography nor there are guidelines and steps to think out of the box. But one thing’s for sure, for those who create some of the most creative photos in the world, they have great passion for photography and some good few years of practices and experience.

Here is a collection of some really creative photographs that truly inspires. Full list after jump.

Sharad Haksar – Sharad is named one of the best photographers worldwide, here are some examples of Sharead Haksar’s creative work.

Creative photo manipulation. Created by Erik Johansson, 23 year old computer engineering student from Gothenburg, Sweden. Click here to visit Erik’s portfolio.

Fly Girl – Vincent Koh

Trompete – Marcus Hausser

Alexandre Dubosc – Photographer from France.

Chema Madoz

Romain Laurent

Koen Demuynck – Belgian Photographer

Rajala

Creative Tempest

Who hasn’t dreamt of visiting Paris once in this lifetime? Dubbed the ‘City of Light‘, Paris is one of the, if not the most, romantic city to ever grace the earth. Any tourists to this beautiful and culturally rich city will be overwhelmed with excitement by the thousands of places this city has to offer. Wherever one goes, a good photo spot is simply around the corner for one to capture the moment forever.

One famous photography spot is the magnificent thousand-feet Eiffel Tower, the global icon of France. This awe-inspiring 320-metres iron structure was built a century ago in 1889 by renowned French engineer, Gustave Eiffel, and it remains as one of the most visited and photographed monuments in the world today. Other than the phenomenal Eiffel Tower, Paris is also home to several other major attractions such as the Arc de Triomphe, Basilica of Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, The Bastille, Louvre Museum, Opéra (Paris Métro) and La Défense. The list of places for picture-taking seems never-ending.

As you can see, Paris is superb for professional and amateur photographers alike. For this very reason, we thought it will be inspiring to have an excellent collection of photos of this amazing city that might be of interest to you.

Eiffel Tower

The triumphal arch

Concorde Square

Madeleine

Opera

La Defense

Bastille

Invalides

Lafayette

Louvre Museum

La Seine

Notre Dame

Hotel de Ville

George Pompidou Art Modern Museum

Moulin Rouge

Sacred Hearth

Cite de Ciences

More of Paris

About Author

Luis Lopez is an independent graphic and web designer living and working in Paris (France). He is doing a master degree in animation and special effects. Also you can visit his blog or follow him on Twitter.

via creattica

As the world gets flatter each day, business and start-up are blooming like mushrooms. This can only lead to one possible situation – competitions are tightening up. There’s only one chance to give a good first impression to your potential clients. Business card speaks for a brand and they are a good and effective tool to impress and maintain relationship with clients. However if your business card is plain and dull, it can only tell so much of your company’s image.

There are no rules for creative card design. Custom shapes & cuts, spot UV, matte finishing etc are all playing factors but the crucial part is always an eye-catching design, whether it’s graphical, typographical or just simple great ideas.

In today’s article, we proudly present a series of truly creative business card design together with tutorials and template that you can start with. Here’s a list of a collection of 100+ Creative Business Cards, Templates and Tutorials. Full list after jump.

Examples of Creative Business Card

Wood, Plastic and Metal. These unorthodox materials for a business card can draw susbtantial attention to anyone looking at it for the first time. The texture itself feels unique too, and all these can leave behind a good impression for the company.

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Standard size, just creative designs. Unsurpingly, visually captivating designs imprint on a person’s memory deeper than dull or plain designs. A creative tagline that gives people food for thought can also be remembered better.

Doing the Google thing – If you are pretty confident in the ranking of certain keywords, why not try these? Here are several examples.

Minimalist. A minimalist approach to business card design attempts to focus a person’s attention to where it matters most: The company’s or organization’s name or logo. Despite such simplicity, the design can still be creatively done through careful arrangements of wordings and logo.

Creative cuts & custom shapes. Not your usual 3.5 x 2 inches business card, but definetely rocks!

Free Card Templates

If budget is a concern, here are some business card templetes you can start with, but do check with respective owners though. These templates come in Photoshop PSD and Corel Draw CDR format. You can convert .CDR to .PSD.

Black Card
by elhadibrahimi

Modern business card
by psdgraphics

PnP consult
by logotypes

Gold and Black Business Card
by elhadibrahimi

Codex
by CODEX007

Business Card Template
by alpha-100

Tutorials to Design your own card

It’s always utmost satifying if your business card is a creation of yourself. Here are some tutorials to give you an idea how to design a business card right from scratch.

Business Card layout
by alfoart

Design a Print Ready Business Card for Designers
by Chris Spooner
Follow this walkthrough in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign to create your own double sided business card design, resulting in a print-ready file to send to your favoured print firm.

Grungy Business Card
by luxa
This tutorial will walk you through setting up a vertical grungy business card template, front to back and ready to print.

Print-Ready Business Card Using Only Photoshop
by Collis
Design up a simple business card in Photoshop and get it ready for print with crop marks and bleed.

Cardboard And Torn Paper Business Card
by pshero
Create a nice cardboard effect and play with a neat torn edge effect.

Business Card Design Project Walkthrough
by Chris Spooner

Making your business cards dynamic in Illustrator
by Veerle Pieters
(Illustrator tutorial) Smarter way to have your business card print-ready.

Further Readings

Last but not lease, we’ll leave you with some interesting and useful articles on business card design.

• What makes a good business card?
  Is it originality? Legibility? Simplicity?
• Business Card Lesson Plans (Resources, Checklists, Variations)
  Don’t stop with a basic business card, explore other options, create multiple cards, and learn how differently business cards have been used in the past and in other business cultures.
• 8 Ideas For Unique And Affordable Business Cards
  There are other more affordable ways to make your business card pop. One of the easiest ways is by creating a well-designed memorable card with clear content.
• Vertical or Horizontal business card?
• Double duty business cards
  A marketing-smart business card doubles as a brochure that presents your unique selling advantage and moves people to action.
• What information should go on a business card and where?
• Business Card Design: Better Than A Plain Ol’ Business Card
  Going to web conferences is a great opportunity to make new contacts and exchange business cards. Unfortunately, we have an industry filled with creative people who have no creative marketing for themselves

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and that is definitely true when it come logo design. A well-thought logo design can effectively use a simple icon to leave a deep enough impression for the public. Most logos communicate ideas to people, for instance the kind of quality services a company can provide for its customers. A memorable logo is always a plus if one wants to ensure first-time visitors to their websites will return in future.

While there’s no easy answer as to what kind of logo design is the most effective and impressionable, it is probably intuitive to assume that creatively designed logos are more likely to stand out. However, that does not necessary mean that a logo has to be very elaborated. A simple logo with an innovative play of wordings can be as intriguing as a aesthetically pleasing logo. This is the beauty of logo designs.

Here is a compilation of 80 creative logos of different variety, all categorized under these groups: Wordmark, Symbolic, and Combined mark. Enjoy!

Wordmark Logos

As you shall see, these logos involve the creative arrangement and modification of words to enhance the name of the company they represent. Unlike symbols and icons, text-based logos are effective in the sense that the name is clearly spelt out for easier recognition.

Adjika	Alight
Tiny Mouse Design	Soft Facade
Bison	Killed Productions
White Crimson	Look
Summit	Peeled
Cahoots	E-fly
Unlock	Studentsknow.com
Mother	Talkmore
Sleep Records	Greener
Families	Brazil Vs. Argentina
Leadshouse.fi	Drip
Fit	I Hate You
Hole	Eighty Three
Duotone	Coffee Cup
Click. Recording Studio	Boot
bigSHIFT	Armored Stripes
Nosey	Foot
Mummy	Cuda Crazy
Goosebumps	Logotip

Symbolic/Iconic and Combine Mark Logos

Using symbols and icons, the logo desingers attempt to establish an association between the brand name and the image. One advantage of symbolic and combine mark logo is that there is more room for creativity than text-based (wordmark) logos which only play around with words. Some logos, however, actually incorporate both text and icons to form a unique logo design.

Sidewinder	Turtle Island
Illusion Studio	Spear nose creature
Page Fold	Denim Blog
Full Time	Plastic Whale
Raumfilm	Nenlu
Silent Monkey	h2O
AntiParticle	Ecard
Prison Break	Flook – Fishing Club
Cow World	Round 5
Schizophrenic	Act
Crowds & Clouds	Threesome
SwanSongs	eBreakfast
Horror Films	Green Labs
BarCode	Swing Studios
Fish	Squared Eye
Food Writers	Chair – Sit
Harness Racing Victoria Concept	Get wired
Saporo Sushi	Ogden Plumbing
Artfire	Ecoki
Diced	DevelUp
Metroplex	LocKey
Fold It	Wiesinger Music
The Thirsty Peacock	8 Fish
Cossack Spring Pea	Conserve Rain Water

Everyday, an average internet user is bombarded by advertisements, images, news, etc. With the booming number of internet websites over the years, it is not surprising for any internet user to be overwhelmed by such information overload. Online companies are competing with each other to attract more visitors to their site, and equally important, retain them. To achieve this, marketers online have to constantly come up with unique ideas to captivate viewers so that they can remember their website.

Designing a captivating logo or symbol is one way to leave deeper impression for site visitors. However, text logos or symbol logos are way too common for the vast array of websites on the net, so some marketers are resorting to using cute, catchy and adorable animals as mascots for their website. Mozilla Firefox, an internet browser, is one good example. The trademarked orange fox mascot is so popular that it is usually the first thing that pops into mind when we hear of the browser.

For those who are interested in finding more about using Animals as Web Mascots , here are 21 fine examples for your reference.

Mailchimp

Site visitors are bound to be attracted by this well-designed delightful chimp that greets them on the very first page. Apart from that, this chimp mascot is illustrated in such a way that it roughly represents what the website is all about (i.e. email marketing). This is an essential component since the impression made to one will also provide information on the website service. People will then effortlessly remember what the website is about upon recognizing the mascot.

Elune Art

Sometimes, simplicity is the best design. This website features a brown owl mascot with a soothing light blue background. Such plain design is pretty straightforward and therefore conveniently remembered by visitors. So long as people have no problem identifying what the mascot character is (in this case, an owl), they will be able to apply that character to represent a particular website, thereby forming an impression that lasts.

Beefinance

This little bee logo is suitably used for this financing website because first of all, the golden-colored bee reminds all of us of the color of coins which in itself is a symbol for money or finance. Most importantly, the bee fits well into the tagline of the company: Taking the sting out of debt. In other words, this website has created a simple yet memorable mascot that customers could remember by relating to the ’sting’ of being in debt as well as the color of money.

Blogbuster

Everyone knows what an octopus is, but this eight-footed sea creature distinguishes itself from other animals in terms of its unique features. As such, a website that utilizes it as a representation will be able to catch visitors’ attention. Hence, a pink and adorable octopus like this should be able to build an impression that lasts well enough to enable visitors to call to mind the website and its content.

Bonifac

Cute designs and themes is a must for a website that deals with toys for kids. Even though the customers are parents themselves, it is still necessary for web designers to create the appropriate ambience to grab parents’ attention. These delightful monkeys and the accompanying color theme for this website are likely to encourage visitors to explore further and keep the website in mind.

Branded07

With their vibrantly colored beaks, toucan birds are one of a kind. Upon entering the web desing site, visitors are greeted by two aloof-looking toucan birds on the right of the page. Despite the unresponsive expressions, the two birds are still able to pull off as an adorable pair. Such contrasting nature of the mascot design can instill a sense of curiosity for anyone who stumble across the website.

Cow and Monkey

Witn a witty name and a comical mascot design, this website is able to create a unique branding that lasts. One couldn’t help but be amused to see the two cartoon characters peering out and looking straight at you as one travel from page to page. Both cow and monkey are well designed along with a beautiful background. Such design attracts visitors and inject a sense of professionalism. Humorous contents are also most easily remembered.

Cowurl

Once again, this simple webpage uses cow as a mascot. Although a cow does not seem to have any direct association with their URL shortening service, employing an lovable cartoon cow to represent the website beats using just words (e.g. www.tinyurl.com). Once someone becomes aware of this website, he or she will link it to the image of this cartoon cow, thereby facilitating recall.

Fernandolandi

For this particular web design site, the bird not only serves as logo for visitors to remember by, but also as an example of the site’s portfolios. In this case then, the mascot is appropriately used to represent what the website actually provides. This is a effective approach to motivate site visitors to explore further.

Mixturtle

A green turtle with a spiky mohawk hairstyle smoking a cigarette for a music search engine may not be appealing for some, but it is peculiar enough to raise eyebrows. Such odd or even bizarre mascot may perhaps be distinctive enough for visitors to bear in mind this site. Regardless of whether the design is pleasing to the eye, the mascot has fulfilled its purpose so long as people are able to remember the website through it.

Mozilla Firefox

Among the many Mozilla softwares, Mozilla Firefox probably has the most well-known mascot logo for its open source web browser. The trademark fox mascot circling the globe symbolizes the function of the browser to connect worldwide. The design for the fox itself is also very well-done with the color of its fur matching the color of the flames of a fire. An attractive logo like this for a software or a website is a superb strategy for effective branding and marketing

Octonauts

What better way to captivate visitors than to animate the mascot? By animating the cover page of the book that this website is selling, visitors are more likely to be drawn to the adorable characters and induced to find out more about them. Although the animation is minimal, it is sufficient enough to bring to life these characters and interest any potential customers.

Oldloft

This is yet another web design website with an amazing design that focuses on the whole package. The website is well-decorated with a greenish-yellow cloudy background along with a couple of lovely animal characters raising a flag labelled ‘www’. The illustration of animals raising the flag together is deliberately used to emphasize on their company’s tagline ‘let’s work together’. The nicely designed mascots with their symbolization of their mission will clearly form a deep impression on any site visitors.

Owltastic

A simple design of an owl mascot is used here, but the overall ambience brought about by applying light colors onto the site’s background as well as the owl is able to bring out a soothing experience. The owl serves as a symbol for the website for the masses to remember by. Simplistic designs like this can be effective as long as people are emotionally engaged into the whole package and recognize what the mascot is in order to associate it with the website.

Pojeta

What is striking about this website is the immense background covering the sky, sea and beneath the sea. On the same page, the monkey, toucan bird and the porcupine fish sits on top of the website’s title within the same page. Overall, the page is a humorous display of various mascots that is bound to tickle the first time visitors of the site. A lighthearted design like this will stand out from the sea of ordinary websites in the internet.

PSDgator

Clear-cut mascot design like this is easy for anyone to call to mind. This bespectacled alligator is seen here working on converting PSD (photoshop document) to CSS and HTML format, which is pretty the service that this website is offering. One advantage of such uncomplicated and straightforward design is that visitors know what to expect at first sight.

ReadWhale

Why choose a whale as a mascot for a community website for book lovers? Perhaps the website is making a metaphorical point in that the amount of written literature in the world is neverending like the sea which the whale lives in. In other words, the whale mascot is put in for avid readers to identify with, as if it is consuming the sea of books in its huge body. This is a design that took efforts to incorporate in a good representation for the website’s content.

Silverback

A large picture of a buffy ape in tight-fitting shirt holding on to an evaluation clipboard greets the visitor on the site’s main page. One can’t help but spend some time observing the delicate and pleasing illustration of the ape. The more time one examines the mascot, the more memorable it becomes. Mascot designers for website can best leave a deeper impression in visitors but arousing their curiosity.

Squared Eye

This is again another website that chose a whale as their mascot. According to the author, this blue whale, Levi, was designed to emphasize the company’s appetite for detail. We all know the blue whale is the largest living animal (and thus having the biggest appetite). In short, the designer brilliantly selected the blue whale to articulate what the company believes in- A Monstrous Appetite for the Tiniest Details.

Tweak!

A likely reason why this wide-eyed cartoon bird is used as a logo and symbol is because as one could see, the name of the site is "Tweak!". In this case, the website is a podcast site offering bits and pieces of advice on small improvements to life and business. However, one can use the same name to refer to the breaking sound of tree branches. The mascot bird seems to be petrified, as if it just heard a ‘tweaking’ sound, indicating that the branch it is grabbing on is about to break. This hilarious transfer of the site name to a mascot is a interesting way for people to associate for better recall.

Zootool

The zoo theme is chosen for this particular website tool because the word ‘zoo’ rhymes with ‘tool’, and naming it ‘zootool’ makes it easier for one to remember. Therefore, this website packaged itself into a zoo theme, such that users who signed up for their personal organizer service actually ’start their own zoo’. The Rhinoceros mascot is thus pictured on the right to create the make-believe to further solidify their site name. This website example shows how the appropriate choice of mascot can work hand-in-hand with the site’s name to bring out effective marketing.

We are sucker for creative advertisements, particularly those that convey messages with sense of humor, or deliver ideas in ways we have never expected. Here’s something light to digest for the weekend surfers – 60+ creative and smart advertisements we’ve collected around the web. Some of these advertisements come in series, click on the #number to view more.

You might also be interested in these following articles:

• 28 Nice and Creative Tech Advertisements
• 70 Creative Advertisements That Makes You Look Twice
• 12 Creative Advertisements from Big Brands
• Pepsi ads, Pepsi vs Coke ads

Wonderbra – You have 918915 friend requests

Terra News – Be the second one to know
More: #1

Motorola – Ming8, Now with GPS, thankfully
More: #1

CareerBuilder.com – Don’t Jump

Chevrolet – A designated driver is Death’s worst nightmare
More: #1, #2

013 Netvision – Extremly fast internet

Axe Shower Gel – If you use a woman’s soap, you’ll smell like one
More: #1, #2

Berlitz Language School – Now you understand English
More: #1, #2

Apple iPod – Play your music

Brighton Language School – Fix your broken English
More: #1

Nikon S60 Camera – Detects up to 12 faces
More: #1

Mambocino Coffee Co – Cialdi, Extra Strong

Bootcamps Australia – Make fitness part of your life

Samsung MP3 Player
More: #1

Allianz Insurance – It is hard to protect yourself from hail. But easy to ensure
More: #1, #2

Nissan

WWF – When you leave the light on, you’re not the only one who pays
More: #1, #2, #3

WWF – How tough is one hour without light?
More: #1, #2

Volkswagen Crafter
More: #1

Sony Alpha900 DSLR – Capture the truth with a 24.6 megapixel Alpha90
More: #1, #2

Sanyo Xacti CA8 Digital Underwater Camera – See what’s under the sea
More: #1, #2

Polish Chamber of Tourism – We’ve already been in your place. It’s time for you to visit us. Make history – Visit Poland
More: #1

NIKE ACG – Heavy as a feather
More: #1, #2

Levi’s Low Rise
More: #1

Lenovo – The Lenovo IdeaPad comes with Face Recognition Security

Coop’s Paint – Life in full color

Oxygo Gym – Long time no see

Dash Courier – The Carolinas’ most reliable same day delivery service
More: #1, #2

DIRECTV Plus – Watch it when you want to
More: #1

Heineken – History is made in Rome

Most web designs starts off with a pen and paper before its taken over by Photoshop. However, we’ve noticed a new trend (probably not too new) where designers are bringing back sketches as a form of design. Without a doubt, hand-drawn art is one of the popular styles adopted into web designs. Nothing is better than using these sketchy designs to convey and reflect individual styles.

In this post, we’d like to show you 50 great examples of how hand drawing and web design can fit beautifully together. Full list after jump.

K4 Laboratory

Esteban Muñoz

Studio IMG

Espuma Restaurant

Agami Creative

Biola Undergrad

Kusoyama

XM Radio – Wild Ride

WeFail

Web Designer Wall

Dean Oakley Web Design

Fat Heads Creative Studio

Booma Web Design

Boompa

Casio Exilim Lab

Bootb

Richard Stelmach

Dax and Alice

We Are Not Freelancers

Von Dutch Originals

Toucouleur

Simon Reynolds

Teresa Walsh

Satsu Design

St. Francis is Happy in Greenville

Squidfingers

Flossy Yannik

Pointless Ramblings

Philippe Mignotte

QuakeQuizSF

Mplusz

New Art for a New Era

Christian Sparrow

Matt – Multi Account Twitter Tweeter

Mariska

Lucuma

Mikimottes

Mobious

Kutztown University

Kitty Attack

Look Designs

Idiotic Adventures of Philippe and Pierre

Lionite Internet Ventures

Get ready to rox

Elan Snowboards

ARS Media

It Looks Good

Jesus Rodriguez Velasco

Kinetic Singapore

Bearskinrug

via wikipedia

Tilt-shift photography is a method of photography that utilizes tilt-shift lenses to overcome the restrictions of depth of field and perspective that normal lenses provide. A tilt-shift lens allows for the rotation of lens against the image plane (tilt), as well as the movement of lens along the image plane (shift). By applying Scheimpflug principle, tilt-shift photography is able to obtain a very shallow depth of field using tilt and a large aperture.

Tilt-shift miniature faking is one of the most popular applications of tilt-shift photography. This is a process in which a photographer manipulates the angle of a tilt-shift lens to distort the focus of a scene to be captured by the camera, thereby creating an illusionary depth of field usually produced by macro lenses. This makes the particular scene appear smaller than it truly is.

Due to the popularity of tilt-shift miniature faking, it is often misunderstood to be synonymous with the tilt-shift photography method itself. In reality, there are other effects that can be achieved from this method. For instance, tilt-shifting is widely used to capture architectural scenes because of its unique ability to remove perspective in photos and manipulate the plane of focus.

We present here 60 cool examples of tilt-shift photography for your reference.

Tilt-Shift Photography

Nakayan’s tilt-shift Tokyo 箱庭日比谷線
by pinboke_planet

t

Eiffel Tilt-Shift II
by ArnarBi

Tikal Miniature
by roevin

Vatican Stairs
by Toshio

Oregon State Beavers Tilt-Shift Miniature
by wikipedia.com</p>

Mini-cars on a mini-street
by nahadef

Miniature living room
by countlazarus

Cleveland Clinic Miniature
by House Photography

Tilt-shift house
by pernillep

School Walk
by hello hayley

Dirt bikes race start
by wakeboy

New York City Miniature
by Daniele Pesaresi

Real world in miniature: Construction site
by Super tourist

Street in Downtown LA
by CFrancisco

Small Worlds at the Technisches Museum Vienna
by bre pettis

Tilt Loader
by entropy462

Real Macro
by deMiguel

Landschaft30
by Matthias Focks

Mini Traffic
by Studio Skitz (Steven Hsieh)

Toy train
by rolohauck

Two-Bump
by cityshrinker

Kid’s store
by Stevo Arnold

Clock tower
by Rolo Hauck

Houses on a slope
by mcsixth

Bigrig
by Hamish D. Grant

Canal Grande
by jjjohn

River boat on the Mississippi
by djnekokittie

Tilt Shift – Puente del Inca, Mendoza, Argentina
by Al Zuwaga

Vegas mini six
by californiabirdy

Tilt-shift ─ Jhongjhu Port
by Yueh-Hua 2009

old_city-hall_sheraton
by wvs

Peering into the Miniascape
by rawheadrex

The Corniche in Muscat Oman
by Eric Lafforgue

Southern Cross Station
by JamesDPhotography

Small houses
by Hờ Nim</p>

Small People
by ChristofferEngström

serralves 08
by ronyjux

Harvard Book Store – Tilt Shift
by Carmel Kozlov

Man in the woods
by Cheapshooter.com

More Tilt-Shift Photos

Can’t get enough of these amazing tilt-shift photographs? Here are more:

• 50 beautiful examples of tilt-shift photography
• 41 Amazing Tilt-shift miniature faking photographs
• Tilt/Shift Photography Links

Tilt-shift lenses (D.I.Y)

Not surprisingly, tilt-shift lenses can be quite expensive, costing $1000 and above. Here are some alternative methods you can go for:

• Build A Tilt-Shift Lens for Your SLR for Cheap
• Build a Tilt-Shift Camera Lens for Peanuts

Tilt-Shift With Adobe Photoshop

If tilt-shift lens is not within your budget at this time, how about some Photoshopping to get your photo to look really tilt-shifted.

• Tilt-Shift Photography Photoshop Tutorial
• Fake Model Photography
• How to Make Fake Miniature Scenes
• Tilt-Shift Miniature Fake Technique in Photoshop CS
• Tilt-Shift tutorial

Further Readings on Tilt-Shift Photography

Here are some other articles and links about tilf-shifting photography you might be interested in:

• Introduction to Tilt Photography
• Using a tilt shift lens. A short video on using tilt-shift lenses by renowned photographer Tony Sweet.
• Focus on tilt shift lens. A comprehensive PDF article explaining how tilt-shifting actually works from David Summerhayes.
• View Camera Movements: Why Tilt and Shift? Another well-illustrated article on tilt-shifting.
• Using tilt shift lense to Control Perspective & Control Dept of Field.
• Tilt, Shift Lenses, Tilting At Windmills

More Photography related

Here are more photography related articles you might be interested:

• 60 Examples of Beautiful Night Shots
• 50 Great Photographers You Should Know (with portfolios)
• 100 Most Breathtaking Fireworks in The World

When the sun goes down and sky gradually turns dark doesn’t mean you’ll have to keep your camera in the bag. In fact, it is during the night where some of the most beautiful photos are snapped. No doubt shooting under low light is challenging, but by getting familiar with the shutter speed, exposures, lightning and taking advantages of surrounding objects often help compensate the light and create amazing output.

Here’s a collection of 60 Examples of Beautiful Night Shots, taken by avid and professional photographers who jumped into action when the sun sets.

You might also be interesting in these following articles:

• 100 Most Breathtaking Fireworks in The World
• 50 Great Photographers You Should Know (with portfolios)
• 100+ Funny Photos Taken At Unusual Angle

Cities

Poisonous Darts
by 13thWitness

94th Floor, Chicago, IL
by shutterBRI

Kuala Lumpur City Centre
by Christopher Chan

Hong-Kong night citiscape lights from Victoria Peak
by QT Luong

New York City, USA
by QT Luong

Toronto Skyline
by CarbonSilver

Eiffel Tower
by kayess2008

City of Lights
by paul (dex)

City Night View
by inoc

Metropolis
by VJ Spectra

Rush Hour
by Stuck in Customs

Escarpment
by VJ Spectra

Kowloon
by VJ Spectra

Merlion Night Scene
by fravenang

Rays From Above
by VJ Spectra

Wow Macau
by VJ Spectra

Reflections

A Night at The Bay Bridge
by MattGranz

Red Bull Illume
by CarbonSilver (gbenz)

Night Photography
by bob west

Night Waterfront Cityscape
by 32tsunami

Westmister Palace, London at night
by QT Luong

Sea Of Tranquility
by VJ Spectra

Night Sky
by VJ Spectra

City of Niagara Falls
by Jon Ramsey

Positron
by Kamuro

Night Life
by marcelgermain

Singapore
by Christopher Chan

Sydney Opera House
by shrillian

The Louvre at Night
by dealived

OAKA Main Entrance View
by NikGr

Ghent by night
by nonkelduvel

Florence Night scene
by choongcheehuei

Manarola
by VJ Spectra

Blue Hour
by веканд

Symphony
by VJ Spectra

Shoot that Bridge
by tomalu

Misc

Another late night Drive
by John A Ryan

The Glass House
by darklogan1

Candelária Nights
by Leonardo Paris

Pigeon Point Lighthouse
by Susanne Friedrich

Aurorus Reflectus Colosseo
by Stuck in Customs

Railway
by mara-mara

Night Walk
by Gerrit Wenz

Milan Train Station at Midnight
by Stuck in Customs

Capitol View
by Todd Klassy

Invisible Sun
by jrtce1

ExPort
by VJ Spectra

Night at Loch Lomond
by guillaume-dauphin

Fireworks

If you are fan of firework photography, check out this entry we’ve previously written: 100 Most Breathtaking Fireworks in The World

Liftoff
by VJ Spectra

Engage
by VJ Spectra

Australia Day
by VJ Spectra

Light Trails and Star Trails

Berlin at Night
by d5e

Quantum Photonic
by VJ Spectra

Poteet Strawberry Festival 2007
by bceichman02

Interstellar Overdrive
by VJ Spectra

Intersection
by VJ Spectra

Curves
by VJ Spectra

Human Pendulum
by Kirpernicus

Star Trails
by bob west

At the size of 48×48, Twitter avatars definitely have more rooms for creativity compared to a 16×16 website favicon. Having a nicely designed Twitter avatar is fairly important, especially when it comes to profile branding and attracting new followers.

If a nice Twitter avatar is what you are looking for, we’d like to take a bit of your time to show you some of the really nice Twitter avatars we’ve come across before you start creating one. Here are 100 Extremely Creative Twitter Avatars from the twittersphere, ranging for cartoon and faces, icons, symbols and typography.

Cartoon and faces

Icons