DLC BLOG - Learn how to become a better designer with our tips, guides, and articles.

11 Best Mac Tips & Tricks

I just got a new Apple MacBook Air which reminded me how many customizations I rely on for my workflow. I’ve added my favorite tips and tricks below. Drop any additional tips in the comments at the bottom. 1. Doc & Menu Bar Customization I prefer the Doc to sit on the left si…

Resize an Image in Canva

There are two ways to resize an image in Canva. The first is one-click resize of the canvas. The second is the manual resize method. Good news, bad news: Resizing is easy but requires Canva Pro. Even if you already have a free account you can get a 30-day free trial here. Canva i…

How to Download Image(s) from a Google Doc

Downloading an image from a Google Doc can be a pain. If you want the highest quality image don’t take a screenshot. Either use the export to HTML option or Google Keep to get images saved to your computer. Download Multiple Images to Folder Downloading all images can be helpful …

How Much Is Photoshop & Illustrator?

If you’re trying to buy Adobe Illustrator (AI) or Photoshop (PSD), you may have noticed their pricing structure is pretty confusing. This guide will help you find the best configuration and price for your needs. If you are looking to use both apps you want to buy “Creative C…

Skillshare vs. Udemy vs. Lynda Review [Plus Discount Code]

Have you ever wanted to take a class to fine-tune your skills? Or maybe there was a hobby you had an interest in, but never had the time to learn? In this review, we put Skillshare, Udemy, and Lynda head-to-head and weight the pros and cons. Table of Contents The Basics Who’ll Us…

FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks vs. Xero [A Review of Which Is the Best]

There’s nothing like the freedom of running your own business. But delivering a product or service is only part of the job. Proper financial administration and bookkeeping can make or break your business. Table of Contents FreshBooks Review QuickBooks Review Xero Review The Compa…

75 Best Graphic Design Books (The Definitive List)

Graphic design books are published at an alarming rate but not all of them are worth your time. Don’t waste your time and cash on a book that repeats what you already know or doesn’t delve deep enough into the topic. Instead, pick up one of these “must-haves” for your creative li…

5 Best Logo Design Software Apps Reviewed

Do you have the right logo for your business? The best thing to do is to hire a graphic designer to help create a brand identity. The second best thing is to use a logo generator. That is what this list is for. Note that if you are a real graphic designer you should be using Illu…

Best Portable Laptop Stand (The Roost 2.0 vs Nexstand)

After buying both The Roost and The NexStand we recommend The Roost. Not only did they invent the innovative design but it is also smaller, higher quality, and better looking than The NexStand. Why am I qualified to write about these? Well, a few years ago my neck and back were h…

61 Best Instagram Hashtags for Graphic Designers

Instagram is a great way to promote your work as a designer. To get more exposure you can use hashtags related to your design. Looking to become a better designer? Sign up for our free daily logo challenge. We have used hashtags to gain over 50k new followers on our Logo Focused …

14 Best Free & Paid Mockup Generators Reviewed

Eighteen hours of testing. Fourteen mockup generators. One winner. TLDR: Our thorough investigation found that Smartmockups is the best mockup generator tool for designers and non-designers alike. When compared to other generators, it was the easiest to use and produced the …

10 Best Paper Notebooks for Designers

You’re in a meeting and it’s time to take notes. Don’t look like a junior designer with some crappy notebook from the dollar store. Get something that shows that you understand the value of fine design. Here are a few of our favorite notebooks. If you’re looking to sketch we sugg…

Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds for Working

We’ve tried the top noise-canceling earbuds and listed picked our favorites. Depending on your ecosystem (Apple vs. Android) and budget we can suggest either the Apple AirPods Pro or the Sony WF-1000xm3. For the budget-conscious we’ve included a few more options. 1. Apple Noise C…

Best Office Chair for Designers and Developers

Now that we’re all working from home due to the pandemic it’s a good time to invest in a good chair. My father is a chiropractor and always said there are three things that are worth spending money on, your shoes, your bed, and your chair. This is where you spend most of your tim…

Best External Hard Drives for Graphic Designers

2021 — if you don’t want to pay monthly for cloud storage you’re probably in the market for a new hard drive. Prices have plummeted over the past 7 years as manufacture squeeze more GB and TB into these little devices. We’re big fans of USB-C since that is faster than USB-C and …

15 Best Online Graphic Design Courses

If you’re trying to make it as a graphic designer, you can’t skate by on talent alone. In-depth knowledge of programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D Max, or Blender is required, and these aren’t that easy to learn on your own. Table of Contents Fundamentals of Drawing Anythin…

Best Printer for Graphic Designers (Laser vs. Inkjet in 2021)

What does the modern-day digital artist look for in the best laser printer for graphic design? Unfortunately, it can be a large number of things. Laser printers are the staple of graphic design due to their speed, print quality, high duty cycle, and low cost on a per-page basis, …

9 Best Online Portfolio Website Builders (Updated 2021)

If you are a designer, artist, or photographer you know that you need a website to showcase your portfolio. If you want to be taken seriously you need something to link to other than your Instagram. Last week I went down the rabbit hole of “how to make a portfolio website”. My mo…

Top 12 Best Graphics Tablets [Updated 2021]

You’re ready for your next project. Or, are you? When was the last time you updated your graphics tablet? A digital designer or artist is only as good as their tools. Don’t get stuck with subpar equipment. If your tablet is getting in the way of your creativity, it may spell disa…

99designs Review [Experience of Buying a Logo]

Do you need a new logo for your business? Or perhaps you are creating a flyer or new set of business cards that need a unique design. 99designs gives you the creative options that come from using the services of an actual designer, not just a pre-designed template. But is it wort…

Best Dry Erase Whiteboard

1. Quartet Magnetic Whiteboard Features The Quartet Magnetic Whiteboard is suitable for office, home, and school use. It’s a 17” x 23” board with strong magnets that can be installed both horizontally and vertically. It features a very smooth painted steel writing surface. Any co…

4 Best Mechanical Keyboards for Designers and Developers

Keyboards don’t always get as much attention from designers and developers as mice do. But whether you’re designing digital products or developing apps, the right keyboard can improve your productivity and eliminate some repetitive commands. What’s more, it can help you avoid the…

5 Best Mouses for Graphic Design – Maximize Control & Ergonomics for Any System

As a designer, the two things to look for in a mouse is precision and ergonomics. After reviewing dozens of mice we recommend the Anker Vertical Mouse. Not only does it look good but the vertical design helps to eliminate wrist movement and strain. Key if you’re spending 10+ hrs …

Pixpa Portfolio Builder Review [Updated 2021]

Thinking about using Pixpa to build a portfolio website? In this post we review the pros and cons. When it comes to websites, designers, photographers, artists, and creatives all have one thing in common — their portfolios are the lifeblood of their work. A great portfolio can se…

Best MacBook for Graphic Design (Pro vs. Air)

The new 2020 Macbook Air has made the choice between a Pro and Air a bit closer. We dive into the differences and what to look for. Gone now are the dreaded butterfly keys and in is new hardware that will keep your machine running fast for years to come. What You’re Looking for W…

Best Pantone Color Swatch Books for Graphic Designers

As a designer, you will inevitably find yourself needing to buy a Pantone color guide (swatch book). When that time comes you will probably be overwhelmed by what one to get. It’s a common question we see in Facebook groups all the time. First, let us answer Audrey’s questions: B…

10 Best Sketchbooks for Designers

Before you go to digital you should always start your designs on paper. It allows you to iterate faster and explore more ideas. After reviewing dozens of sketchbooks at the local art supply store, we have put together a list of our favorite ten. 1. Moleskine Art Sketchbook View P…

How Much Is Skillshare?

Skillshare comes with multiple pricing tiers. The paid plan starts at $15 a month though you can save 45% by buying a year membership upfront. In addition, they offer plans for companies and a free trial. Skillshare for Individual Users Skillshare is essentially free to use. Anyo…

The Logo Package [Full Review & Pricing]

The Logo Package is an Illustrator extension that allows you to automatically export a logo to multiple file-types and color formats. Export takes just five minutes and it easily pays for itself vs. the time it would take to manually export. In addition, it has a powerful RGB, CM…

Apple Pencil One vs. Two (Buyer’s Guide)

The first-generation Apple Pencil was released in 2015 and made a big splash in the design world. Any designer that worked on an iPad was eager to get their hands on one and it was a very successful product. Three years later, Apple released the second-generation Apple Pencil and…

Which is better Photoshop or Lightroom?

You don’t have to choose between Lightroom and Photoshop –– just get the special photography bundle that comes with programs for only $9.99 a month. That’s the cheapest Adobe Photoshop plan. If you are asking the question, “is better Photoshop or Lightroom” you are probably a pho…

A Complete Review of Hello Bonsai [Pros & Cons]

All creative freelancers know that actually doing their work isn’t the hard part. In fact, that’s where you have the most fun. It’s keeping track of everything that’s such a hassle. Every project requires proposals, contracts, and invoices. You spend as much time on creating (and…

8 Best Monitors for Graphic Design (LED vs. LCD in 2021)

As a designer, the most important things to look for in a monitor are size, resolution, and color accuracy. Now that it is 2021 there is no reason you should buy a 1080p resolution. Ideally, get a 4k monitor or at least a 1440p screen. Top monitor picks ASUS PA329Q 32” LCD Monito…

What Logo File Formats to Give to a Client

Logo file formats can be incredibly confusing to clients and designers. All the time, I see people mix up when to use a png vs. jpeg vs. svg. In this article we walk through exactly when to use each of the following six key logo file types. Bonus: export all these logo files in l…

11 Best Laptops for Graphic Design [Updated 2021]

After reviewing tons of laptops we’ve landed on the Dell XPS for Windows and Macbook Pro for Mac. Both computers can handle you running way too many Chrome tabs while running graphics-heavy applications like Sketch or Photoshop. Apple Comparision: due to popular demand we have re…

SmartMockups Review

SmartMockups has consistently won the top spot when we have reviewed the best mockup generators. What we really like about SmartMockups is that they are constantly are updating their product with new features and mockups. As soon as Apple releases a new Macbook they add templates…

PlaceIt Review, Features, & Pricing

PlaceIt was recently purchased by graphic powerhouse Creative Market. Since then they have slashed prices, added features, and greatly improved the product. It now has three main offerings a mockup generator, a logo designer, and a video maker. Features More than 51,100 templates…

How to Create a GIF in Canva

Creating a GIF in Canva is going to require a paid plan. If you only need to make one gif you can always buy just a month. In this tutorial, we will walk through how to turn your design into a moving gif. Step 1: Create Your Design In Canva, you’re not actually making a GIF. Inst…

Upload Custom Fonts in Canva

Step 1: Sign Up for Canva Pro The ability to upload custom fonts from your device is exclusive to Canva Pro and Enterprise editions. As such, the first thing that you need to do is to upgrade your account. If you choose monthly billing, Canva Pro costs $12.95 per month. For annua…

Canva Review, Features, & Price in 2021

Canva has continued to add release new features and increase their template catalogue. That is why Canva was our top choice after reviewing 10 other creative editing tools. Top Features Drag-and-drop editorFreemium subscription modelIntegration with third-party platformsOver 100 …

Canva vs. the Competition (Top 10 Design Tools Reviewed)

After testing and reviewing 10 popular online graphic design tools we have decided for most individuals and teams Canva is actually the best because as the market leader they offer continued product development, easy user interface, an attractive free and paid plan, and great mob…

Grammarly Review 2021 (Premium vs Free)

Do you want to avoid typos and spelling errors in all your documents without hiring a proofreader? Well, that’s exactly what Grammarly promises to deliver. And if you upgrade to a premium plan, it may even improve your style and diction. To get started with Grammarly download the…

37 Great Gifts for Graphic Designers

2021 Update: we’ve just updated this gift guide to include graphic design gifts that are in stock in this weird year. Buying gifts for creatives may seem difficult, but it’s really not. Beyond cool pens and notebooks, think “artsy” and maybe even “quirky” gifts that make their jo…

4 Best Stylus Pens for Tablet / Graphic Designers

These styluses are for tablets, touchscreens, and graphic tablets. These are not pens for writing on paper but rather drawing on digital screens. This will allow you to draw and sketch your designs easily to digital. 1. Bargains Depot Stylus View Price Maybe your creativity is on…

8 Best Desktop Computers for Graphic Design In 2021

An all-in-one desktop computer is great for a graphic designer because the manufacturer has calibrated the monitor color profile and machine perfectly. Apple is probably best at this and that’s why for 2021 after our research we recommend their 21.5 or 27 inch iMac. Best Computer…

How to Trademark and Copyright Your Logo

Learn how to trademark a logo and prevent others from using it illegally. Registering a trademark and copyright will protect your logo from infringement. A unique, creative logo is an integral part of your brand image. It helps you attract new customers and makes you stand out fr…