They say January is the most depressing month of the year. I wouldn't agree on that. I've been full of fresh energy and inspiration that amazes even me. So this is a little bundle of inspiration that's been keeping me creative and fresh. Enjoy!

Grids, in graphic design, are very important. They are so important that one of my good friends actually did her Master's thesis on the subject of grids.


But what is a grid?

Basically grid is a two-dimensional structure made up of a series of intersecting vertical and horizontal axes used to structure content. The grid serves as an armature on which a designer can organize text and images in a rational, easy to absorb manner that is pleasing to the eye. So this makes them one of the essential tools in design.

Grid can help you easily design a poster, a brochure or a web page. And even when it doesn't seem like there is a grid by which something was designer, you better believe there is.
Once you find out how grids can help you, that's when you'll also realize how they can make your life miserable. There is nothing more frustrating than wasting you precious project time on something like creating a grid, especially in Photoshop, and no matter how skilled you are, you will never be able to hit that exact pixel you were set on. Or if you're distributing guides by "New guide" command you can get your calculations wrong, and who wants to be distracted by diving space in columns and rows with perfect blank space. Not me for sure!

But Google is your friend and sometimes it is easier to google a solution for your problem, than actually solving it by yourself. It is a typical designer's disease that goes by the name LAZINESS. There is no cure for this thing, if there was I'd be the first one to stand in line.

Until the cure is found, I will be satisfied with a tool named "GuideGuide".

It is a Adobe Photoshop plugin that makes grids for you! How awesome is that?? Thanks to Mr.Cameron McEfee, you can spend your valuable project time procrastinating instead of calculating and making grids. It works great with CS 5 and CS 6 version and the best part is that this plugin is totally free! So what are you waiting for?! Go and download it and when you realize how simple this plugin is to use you will cry tears of happiness.

Happy gridding!

This year, color of the year is Emerald. It is a tone of green that is light and bright and was named after the gem. First mention of the name can be traced all the way back to 1598 in England.
Like all the greens, emerald enhances the sense of harmony, well being and balance. It is also calming, healing, sophisticated, regenerative, prosperous, it means life, growth and it is the color of money.
Emerald can range from yellow-green to blue-green, but its main component remains green.
Using any shade of green can have soothing and relaxing feel to it and it is perfect for usage in fresh, spring designs and when we want to present something as healthy, rich and powerful.
It goes well with brown, beige and tan which produces a natural look. Combined with orange, yellow, gray and purple give a more retro, but when combined only with purple gives vivid and vintage look.
I'm already inspired by this color and will definitely try to incorporate it in my home as well in my design which you can see in my emerald color scheme.
Here are some of the things I'd like to own in this color.

Inspiration for home: