SpyreStudios - Design and Development Magazine

Creative agencies have been popping up on the web in mass for nearly a decade. With more information available it’s no wonder we have seen such a rise in freelance talent. Design agencies and personal portfolios have become the modern resume of creative peoples.

In this wonderful gallery I’ve put together 24 examples of web studio portfolios. These layouts showcase some very attractive features which you may take into consideration for your own design. Modal views, responsive grids, jQuery galleries, and a whole bunch of other futuristic concepts make an appearance. And building on the framework of open source means you have dozens of pre-built code projects at your disposal!

Two Arms Inc.

Doing freelance design work for a family member or friend can be super stressful. While some freelancers have no problem working with family, others would say that family projects are miserable.

In fact, some freelance designers have a policy not to work for a friend or family member and regularly refer those design projects to colleagues.

There are times, though, when you can’t turn down a friend or family member without causing a major rift. This post provides some pointers to help make friend and family projects go more smoothly. If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Working With Friends and Family Can It Ever Work?

This digital age has brought about amazing advances in technology. Photography in general has grown into a huge niche with some very talented artists all around the world. I am a big fan of wildlife and nature photography in general – yet the best addition has to be aerial shots.

When you can witness things from another perspective it alters your view of reality. In this gallery I’ve put together 36 mind-bending photographs all taken from above the Earth’s surface. The feeling is incredible and only coupled by the excitement of witnessing these shots firsthand. Check out the showcase and let us know your thoughts in the post discussion area.

Daly City SF

Single page websites have become popular among designers these days. Today we have a roundup of single page websites. Enjoy!! If you like these websites you might also want to check out our previous posts below.

42 Awesome Single Page Portfolio Websites

30 Beautiful Single Page Website Designs

dylanjones

The popular design network Dribbble has grown substantially in just a few short years. Graphics designers and illustrators from all over the world have flocked onto the web seeking invites. But aside from the exclusivity their layout design has become a prominent factor of the entire branding.

I love the simplistic nature of their gallery-style photo boxes. It matches well with a community of designers excited to share their latest pixels with the world. In this tutorial I’ll go over techniques for constructing a similar design in HTML5 and CSS3. You can build a very similar page structure with just bare-bones essential CSS. Yet when we can utilize new browser-supported properties like box shadows the process becomes much more captivating.

Live Demo – Download Source Code

Web navigation is a vital piece to any layout. Designers have known this for decades, but not all menus are built equally. It’s very important to distinguish between design and functionality. Some web designers understand this and attempt to better their own skills. Meanwhile the cream of the crop can incorporate both design and functionality with ease.

I have collected this brilliant set of 31 website menus with amazing UX and aesthetics. You need to capture your visitor’s attention and offer them a simple solution for navigating your pages. I hope this collection can provide inspiration for upcoming web designers in the field of user experience.

Big Cartel