Best Online Tools for Illustrators

Pencil, pen, sketchpad, caffeine, or perhaps some background music. These are the typical tools an illustrator uses, as you well know. But what about those looking to transition into the digital age?

Using online tools for illustrations is the next big thing within the industry. Computers and advanced technology is everywhere, so it’s time to get on board. Here, we take a look at some of the best online tools for illustrators. There is a nice mix of simple Apps to high-tech devices, so you’re sure to get inspired by something that fits you!

Doodle.ly
Love to doodle? Not willing to give up your pens, pencils, and markers? This app allows you to use all of these things on your mobile phone, making it a different yet simple way to create images.

Canva

Canva is an awesome tool that is easy to use for anyone, and that means that an illustrator can do truly marvelous things with it. You can create graphic images completely on your own, or use many of the design tools on the site and stock photos, etc. on the site. Good for posters, social media posts, multi-paged presentations, or just creating art, Canva is free and simple.

iPad

Tablets are the best tools for online illustrations. There are other tablets besides the infamous iPad by Apple of course, but the iPad probably has the most options for Apps available that are geared for illustrators and creators.

First things first, you need a good stylus. For those who are new to using tablets, a stylus is basically a pen for a screen. There are all different types and brands, and choosing one is exactly like choosing a new illustrating instrument. It has to feel right for you and fit in with your creating style. There are countless great Apps that allow you to directly draw on the screen and add lots of unique details.

Desktop Computers

Previous to this, we mentioned the tablet, which is very handy for on the go drawing, but the real art happens on an actual computer. Just like with the tablet, there are applications and programs that allow you to make what you want without a clunky mouse.

If you use a Microsoft desktop, chances are you can link what you’ve started on your iPad and finish it on the computer. The bigger screen makes for an easier work space.

GifBoom
“Gifs” are fun to look at and even more fun to make! GifBoom is “a network for visual expressions”. Essentially, they are moving pictures and can be used to promote a book or a project, or represent a piece of art or illustration.

It is a phone app, and therefore the creations are made directly on your phone. It’s also linked with social media, so you can share the gif you’ve just created on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Adobe Illustrator

No article of this nature would be complete without the mentioning of Adobe Illustrator. An all-encompassing tool that allows you to create illustrations and images across many different devices and then onto different interfaces, Abode Illustrator is a tool that you can’t live without.

The ability to create and manipulate graphs on this tool makes is perfect for an unlimited amount of uses. You can create and use business logos for websites, ads, products, and business cards. Photo realistic artworks, packaging designs, icons, infographics, digital maps, clothing designs, posters, and whatever else you can think of can be create with Illustrator.

All of these tools are designed for someone like you: an illustrator, creator, inventor, and innovative designer. There are so many amazing things you can do with technology and we hope that you now have a better idea of what technologies to use.

For most artists though, there is nothing quite like the old-fashioned pad of paper and pencil. Don’t feel like you need to or should throw it out. The greatest inspirations come from the things that are around us, many of them which are already familiar.

Bio:

Lucy Adams is an outsourcer from bestessays4u. She’s a generalist able to cope with a huge variety of topics, from business and marketing to education, writing, and literature. Lucy is an open-hearted and very responsive blogger, so you can expect a grounded response to your each and every request.

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Bet Safely Online With These Simple Tips

Everyone likes to play a good game now and then. This is especially true if that game involves winning some extra cash on the side. However, it is not always easy to trek out to the nearest casino, bingo hall or off-track betting site. With the advent of online gaming, playing your favorites, such as bingo, is easy. Although some people may have apprehensions about betting online, the risks can easily be avoided by following a few simple guidelines.

Some people think that betting online is dangerous and this activity should only be done in a live setting. However, playing a game online is a lot like real life. Websites have to adhere to the same laws, except that there is less overhead when it comes to running the site. Here are some basics to follow:

 1.      Do Your Research.
First and foremost, know a little bit about the company that you are about to create an account for. Do a quick Internet search and tack on words such as “safe” or “legal.” Make sure the company keeps its customers in mind.
2.      Check the Website’s Software.
Security is extremely important to a customer, and companies know this. Find out what kind of system the company operates on. Look for encryption software that uses 128-bit. This is the same format that the military uses to encrypt their data. Keep your information safe from others who visit the site.
3.      Added Security.
Many sites offer extra protection, such as session timeouts that log a customer off of his/her account after a certain amount of inactivity. These features go a long way when trying to protect your private information.
4.      Check the Legality.
Many states are legalizing online gaming. However, many websites already operate legally under federal law. If the company is in compliance, they will have a section on their website dedicated to it.
5.      Get Support.
If you are a newcomer to the world of gaming via Internet or you have a specific question about the game’s rules or even setting up an account, make sure that you can get help when you need it. Toll-free phone numbers or email addresses ensure that you can get answers and assistance quickly.
6.      Easy Access to Earnings.
Just because you are playing online doesn’t mean that it should be more difficult to receive your winnings. Open an account with a site that can directly deposit your earnings right into your bank account or offers the option of sending you a physical check.

It is thrilling to play games for money, such as Luckity's Bingo. This is especially true when it can be done in the comfort of your own home. Just remember that, as exciting and entertaining as it all is, you need to make responsible decisions when selecting and pursuing any website. Never use income meant for paying bills to bet online. Always set time limits for yourself and take breaks when you need to. Playing games online should be enjoyable, not stressful. With this helpful list of things to look for, playing your favorite game can be enjoyed whenever you want.

John is a huge fan of playing games online, and, like anyone else, loves the thrill of winning money in these types of venues. However, he has seen friends get themselves in bad situations by not checking the legitimacy and security of gaming sites, and thinks it’s very important for would-be gamers to do their due diligence before settling on a playing venue. He hopes his advice helps others stay safe and win big.

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The Heart Of Successful Entrepreneurship

Love your consumers and they will definitely love you back. In the world of entrepreneurship, there is no other way to be successful and to stay ahead than to captivate not only the eyes and the hearts of clients, but to also win over their trust. Your business may be wrapped up in gold and silver and the packaging may be perfect, but what determines the longevity of your business is your capability to respond to what your consumers need and want.

Surely, there are millions of online giants out there, but never should you think that you are not capable of reaching their position. Like you, they have started small once and one thing you should do is learn from their mistakes and triumphs because if life is a continuous process of growth and learning, so is entrepreneurship. It is never stagnant and you must never be complacent. Your main goal should be to properly deliver what your clients want and keep them happy. Your clients are the mirror of your business. If you are doing great, your clients are satisfied, but if it is the other way around, prepare for their frowns and grumps of dissatisfaction.

Online Engagement
The best thing about social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter is that they can be your channels and they can be your bridge to a better and brighter future. But first, you must also determine the goals and the target of your business before you choose a site that can be the best marketing strategy for your company. A lot of people have been successful because of these and all you have to do is strategize. Instagram, for example, is the major reason behind the success of many online clothing shops. Since a lot of Instagram users are engaged in looking for stuffs that can be bought online, a lot have taken this as an opportunity and created their own online clothing accounts.So if you are planningto create a web page of your own, look for a way to have a strong presence in the Internet, and make sure that the channels you’ll use are appropriate.

Reviews
The review of your online visitors/clients is a very important factor in determining your chances of succeeding online. Of course, no one wants a negative review, especially if there are comments from clients infuriated by your lousy service. This bad publicity could be a major factor that can bring your business down. In the first place, you should never give your consumers reason to despise your web page. Instead, you must provide them the best service you can offer and never forget to listen to what they have to say. Through this, you will be able to improve your company and maintain loyalty from your consumers. Also, once you here negative comments from them, you should not respond angrily because you must maintain professionalism at all times.
Listening is the heart of any successful relationship and it is your key to the longevity of your business. Through listening and giving the best of what you can offer, you’d get so much more in return—the trust and loyalty of your consumers. 

Dorothy Matthews is one of the people behind Big Drop, a responsive web design company  that will meet your expectations and suit your originality.

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The Evolution of Music and Video Content Consumption

Question: How many ways are there to consume music today?
Answer: More than you can guess. The way we consume content, including music, has undergone a few changes in the past decade or so. As recently as the years between 2000 and 2005, we connected to the Internet at a speed of about 56 kbps. Today, Internet connection speeds average about 2.6 mbps. What seemed like the greatest thing since sliced bread in 2000 would seem so frustratingly slow that today’s users would be utterly appalled by the length of time it took to load a single web page. Thanks to the speed at which we can connect to the world at large, we’re consuming a great deal of content in new ways.

Desktop PCs, while still used in business and office settings, as well as many homes, are often a last resort to mobile users. We prefer to connect on the go, without being chained to a desk, using devices such as smartphones and tablets. We’re consuming the majority of our content today digitally. Whether it’s music, video, news or even books—we turn to the World Wide Web first. Take a look at the infographic below for more details on how content consumption has evolved over the past 10 to 15 years.

TorchBrowser is a free and unique software that offers you powerful browsing together with built-in media downloading and sharing features.

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Instagram Launches Direct Messaging Service

 
Instagram launches a new feature called Instagram Direct, with that you can send pictures/videos to your friends individually.

Today, we’re excited to bring you Instagram Direct, a new way to send photo and video messages to friends.

How To Use It?

First Take a picture/video > apply filter if you want > once you're up to share screen you will see something like a tab page called "Direct" at the top.

When you select "Direct" it'll take you to Direct-user interface where you can add people you would like to share your picture/video. You must be following the person you want to share the picture/video with.

When you're done with it, tap on the green button at the top.

Watch Instagram’s co-founder Kevin Systrom Announcing Instagram Direct



Read Instagram's offcial blog post about Instagram Direct

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Developing Online Courses That Encourages Student Participation

Online courses provide learning institutions with a way to broaden their educational reach and teach more individuals. Nearly every type of learning can be taught in an online environment, giving instructors and course designers the freedom and flexibility to go beyond the limit of the classroom and teach in ways that would have been unimaginable before the commercialization of the internet. As the world of online courses continues to evolve and expand, not only in a K-12 and higher education setting but also in corporate training systems and other adult education environments, the challenge of ensuring participation by everyone is a constant concern.

Some of the bias against online courses is the inability of the instructor to physically engage learners in the same way as in the classroom. Some suggest that learners in an online environment simply turn their computer screen on are engaged in a monocratic process with no interaction with the learner. Whether that is actually true is an eye of the beholder opinion; however, the way in which an online course is designed has more to do with the level of interaction and participation an instructor will receive.

A Critique of Early Online Learning Environments
One of the problems with the earlier designs of online learning was the belief that the limits that are intrinsic to teaching learners in the classroom (i.e. size of the room, available supplies and equipment, time, etc.) do not exist outside of the classroom. The instructor's role, based on some technically designed course, was to provide their content in a static format, handout out a login and sit back and watch the learners learn. What took place unfortunately was with the lack of a human presence, such as a moderator or facilitator for the learning, learners were less apt to fully participate and as a result found the online experience dissatisfying. Much of the online learning that was created in the early days focused on the tools used in delivering the learning as oppose to a focus on the learner's needs. The missing element in this type of tool-centered learning was the social presence or process of socialization needed to sustain a learner's attention and motivation to participate in the course.

The Reason for Student Participation in Online Courses
Learning institutions are moving toward the development of learner centered courses that appeal to the different perceptions of learning (i.e. modalities of learning). The absence of an instructor's physical presence needs to be simulated in a way that gives online students the full sense of the classroom and classroom participation. Utilizing techniques that incorporate live discussion, multimedia webcasts, polling and other forms of interaction give students the opportunity to share their personal experiences with other learners. The institution of a pedagogical approach to online learning is important because of the demographics of the online learner. Undergraduates make up the vast majority of people who attempt at least one course online (82.4 percent). Those individuals who are of Generation X (born 1965-1980) are the majority of online distance learners (many using online courses as a way to learn new skills or finish previous degree requirements) with those in Generation Next (1981-2000) in line to become the largest population of online learning consumers. The age range for these two groups is 18 (those born in 1995) to 48, meaning that adult pedagogical learning models must be developed to produce greater student participation.

A Social Constructivist Approach to Encourage Student Participation
The word "constructivism" and social constructivism is being used more and more to describe the types of successful learning environments that yield effective student participation. A constructivist approach involves the construction of knowledge in a learning setting by including the importance of the learner's culture in relationship to the learning. Creating small groups and collaborations among online learners helps the learner discusses and debate learning in order to build on or reinforce existing knowledge. Changing the way online courses are developed to account for the needs of the learner will help make courses stronger, impactful and more able to deliver their desired outcome.

Sameer Bhatia is founder & CEO of ProProfs.com which is a leading provider of online training plateform  for building, Online testing, and applying knowledge. Sameer has a background in technology with a Masters in Computer Science from USC (University Of Southern California) and is an ed-tech industry veteran. You can find Sameer on Google+.

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Fascinating Finds on Ebay

If you search for it, you can find amazing stuff on Ebay! Here are some of the amazing things we’ve found on Ebay!

Joe Di Maggio’s passport! You’ll probably get arrested if you try and use it to fly abroad but for $4.8K it can be yours!

If you’ve always wanted to own a ballistic missile base but the estate agents have never been able to find the right one – you’re in luck! We found the former US ballistic missile base in Washington on sale for $750K. Not sure if the seller will budge on the asking price but try your luck.

Who doesn’t want to own their own town? We sure would but they’re rarely on sale! Well, we’ve found that a town in Texas called Albert is on sale for $3.5 million, we’d advise you to hurry up as buying a town is quite a popular activity.

Lady Thatcher wasn’t famous for having the most loyal fan group but her famous black handbag is on sale for £103K which gives the Hermes Birkin bag a run for its money! There is also a pre-historic skeleton that could be yours for just £61K! If you’ve always wanted Max the Mammoth’s skeleton – this is your chance to your hands on it but be gentle it is quite old!

Infographic brought to you by UK Packaging

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Freelancing: An Online Profession

Working for yourself is something so many people dream about and perhaps the best way to do this is by being a freelancer. Freelancers make money from doing something they love, in essence they make money from a hobby. Sound good to you? It sure sounds good to me (hence why I do this job). There is nothing better than waking up on a new day and making the money you need to live by doing something that you enjoy.

We live in the internet age and the internet is starting to dominate the freelancing profession, there are so many different platforms online and they are the best place for any freelancer to get noticed. If you are a freelancer or a budding freelancer it is so important to have an online presence, so many potential employers look to the internet to find the experts they need. If you are any good and you can present your profile in an engaging way then there is a really good chance you will get the client base you need for long term success.

Platforms

There are so many different online platforms available now for freelancers to showcase what they can do. We live in the internet age as I have mentioned previously and it is therefore essential that freelancers make use of the World Wide Web. It is by far and away the simplest way for an online expert to get what they can offer across to potential employers in the quickest time possible.

Take a look at Enthuse, they are a company that offer freelancers a blank canvas online from which they can upload their portfolio. The greatest benefit of this is the freedom to upload whatever you like, whether you are going to upload everything you have ever done or just a small selection (something I think is best) the option is there. Just do a little bit of research and ensure that you are willing to spend some time checking out what they best companies are.

Efficient

They are extremely efficient, like anything to do with the internet. You can upload your documents and files online with the greatest of ease, make sure that there are no problems with spelling and grammar and ensure also that if there is any video it is editing in a professional manner.

Cheap

Going about your freelancing career in this manner is extremely cheap, these platforms cost very little or nothing to set up and thus any money you make can be yours. If you are a credible freelance worker then uploading a strong portfolio on these websites really can help you get noticed. Building a strong client base is essential and if you can do that then the chance of building up further is there. We live in a world that is dominated with poor freelance workers, it is an unreliable industry and if you can showcase yourself as the opposite to that then you can be in for a potentially lucrative career.

Tom is a writer who loves to write about the technological developments that have occurred in recent years. He initially began working as a journalist for a local newspaper however soon started working freelance.

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A Guide To Online Success

Being successful online is sort of a skill in itself. There is so much competition nowadays that it is becoming progressively difficult to separate yourself from the pack. You have got to be proactive and have a grasp of both the market and your own company strengths. If you have this then you will be able to target the correct market and thus make money from what you offer. In addition to the traditional method of creating a website, there are other ways to promote such as social media and emailing. All of these must be explored as well as optimizing your website and securing a strong and memory filled domain in order to ensure that that your site is fully efficient and functional. This article will highlight what it takes to be successful online and how there are many options that need to be covered in order for this to be the case.

A Well Designed Website

This is of pivotal importance, your website has to be well designed, clear for the user and must work efficiently. To many this seems plainly obvious but there are so many companies out there who create websites for the sake of creating one rather than as a credible way of increasing the prominence and success of their company.

We live in a world dominated by the internet and thus it is increasingly important that company infiltrate this market and invest money at the same time. Employing a team of web developers isn't a bad idea, after all this is their job and the can make sure every feature works properly and it is designed in a way that can embrace your company image and ethos. Being successful online is a long term process and you have to have the product and presence to ensure that clients keep coming back. If you are successful in ensuring this, then the likelihood is you will have a fruitful time of it on the web.

A Strong Platform

There are many companies out there that offer domain platforms from which you can create your website, selecting the correct one for the right price is becoming very important. JaguarPC hosting services is one of doing it, the offer large memory and monitoring services for their customers at a good price. The list however is endless, there are so many different companies out there that may suit your needs better so it important to ask around and get what is best for you.

Use of All Available Resources

Facebook and Twitter are both so popular nowadays and using this as a tool to promote your company website can be a great way to increase your profit margin. Setting up your own profile and also paying Facebook to advertise are bother brilliant ways of raising awareness of what you have to offer. If you are credible about making money online then you have got to raise your company profile and show the world what you can do, above are three of the best and most efficient ways of doing this.

Andrew is an author with a love for modern technology, especially the internet. He has a degree in business and writes extensively about both technological developments and business strategy.

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