Spun » Freelance

Amazing Photo Manipulations of Erik Johansson

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:36:52 +0000

Erik Johansson has a nack for photography but more-so he has a nack for photo manipulations and editing. He is a 25 year old freelance photographer that lives in Sweden. He works mostly on personal projects and commercial work. He says “I see myself as a photographer as much as… read more

15 Brilliant Tips to Help You Earn More

admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:00:17 +0000

15 Brilliant Tips to Help You Earn More

Minimalist Star Wars Galaxy Posters

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:48:58 +0000

I came across this awesome collection of minimalist poster designs from the Star Wars Galaxy and it really inspired me with the simplicity of the design and the complexity of the meaning. These posters were designed by Justin Van Genderen, a freelancer designer/illustrator from Chicago. Check it out!

Click here… read more

50+ High-Quality Free Magento Themes

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:37:27 +0000

Magento! is the eCommerce software platform, which enables you to build online stores, Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Magento the most popular eCommerce software available. Best of all, Magento is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone…. read more

Web Design Podcasts Which Will Improve Your Life

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:30:23 +0000

Last year we published a post on 7 Great Podcasts for Web Designers which went down well with our readers.

Since then, several of the podcasts have dropped off the radar including arguably the most famous one of all time: BoagWorld.

At the same time a whole load of new web design… read more

25 SEO Free Add-ons for Mozilla Firefox

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:00:29 +0000

25 SEO Free Add-ons for Mozilla Firefox

Happy Painter: The Work of Bob Ross

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:00:31 +0000

Happy Painter: The Work of Bob Ross

5 Ways to Help Your Clients Network

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:30:16 +0000

Another great thing about being a freelancer is the number and diversity of clients you can have. By introducing them to each other, you are creating valuable connections that will likely result in more work for you. If you can help your clients be successful, it’s almost a sure bet… read more

A Roundup of 30 Explosive Freelance Portfolios

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:00:54 +0000

A Roundup of 30 Explosive Freelance Portfolios

HOW TO: Be a Hybrid Designer/Developer

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:49:09 +0000

This series is supported by Rackspace, the better way to do hosting. Learn more about Rackspace’s hosting solutions here.

Good designers and developers rule the web — they’re the ones who build it, after all. And some of the most interesting and useful players in creating the modern Internet are hybrids… read more

Snowflakes Photography Inspiration

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:36:59 +0000

One of these days I was doing a search for images of nature on Flickr and DevianART and was really impressed with the photos I found of snowflakes. Snowflakes are agglomerates of frozen ice crystals falling through the atmosphere on Earth (Wikipedia). What really attracted me in the snowflakes is… read more

Benefits of Business Networking

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:30:52 +0000

Freelancing can get quite lonely and you may feel rather disconnected from the outside world. While many advocate working in an environment filled with others (such as your local Starbucks), the fact remains that you just don’t get the same benefits of being able to bounce ideas off of colleagues…. read more

Editing Opacity With Layer Masks

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:30:36 +0000

On screen, the colors of pixels are a mix of red, green and blue values. A fourth value, opacity, controls how pixels blend with pixels laid over them.

In image-editing programs such as Photoshop, changing the opacity of a layer is easy but not always precise.

Setting a layer to 50% opacity … read more

10 Ways Designers Can Make More Money

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:00:20 +0000

10 Ways Designers Can Make More Money

Crest Inspiration: 75 Creative Crests, Badges and Shields

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:00:53 +0000

Crest Inspiration: 75 Creative Crests, Badges and Shields

Freelancer’s Errors: A Few Tips To Work Better

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:00:50 +0000

Freelancer’s Errors: A Few Tips To Work Better

Interview with Featured Freelancer: Stef Gonzaga

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:30:19 +0000

For today’s featured freelancer, we are going to meet Stephanie Gonzaga. You’ve probably seen her comments of your favorite posts. She’s usually providing great feedback, useful tips, or much-needed words of encouragement. And her post about working for Clients in Other Countries was very well received!

We are pleased to present… read more

Why and How I Took the Plunge into Full-Time Freelancing

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:00:19 +0000

Why and How I Took the Plunge into Full-Time Freelancing

The Future of Ad Agencies and Social Media

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:40:02 +0000

This series is supported by Gist. Gist provides a full view of the contacts in your professional network by creating a rich business profile for each one that includes the most news, status updates, and work details. See how it works here.

To keep up with ever-changing advertising and marketing… read more

Showcase of Interesting Navigation Designs

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:12:22 +0000

Everyone is always looking for interesting and effective ways to organize their website and allow users to move about and find things. But there’s a fine line between unexpected and unusable. Three points to consider in any navigation scheme are consistency, user expectations and contextual clues.

If page is long and… read more

From Freelancer to Thought Leader in 5 Easy Steps

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:30:42 +0000

Why would a freelancer want to establish herself as a thought leader in her industry or client niche? Well even for the most bashful of us, the day often (and quickly!) arrives when pushing hours for dollars or pounds just doesn’t quite cut it anymore.

I’m not saying everyone will be… read more

The Graphic Designers Guide to Pricing, Estimating & Budgeting – Book Giveaway

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:25:05 +0000

This comprehensive guide to graphic design is packed with useful, creative methods for creating a profitable graphic design business. Veteran designer Theo Stephen Williams covers all of the details, from setting rates and dealing with competitors’ pricing to establishing and managing budgets and positioning the brand of the firm. This… read more

Be Healthy: Simple Exercises for Freelancers

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:06:00 +0000

Be Healthy: Simple Exercises for Freelancers

The Best of the Business Blogs: August 2010

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:30:48 +0000

At the start of every month, we’ll be rounding up the best posts from the business network of blogs and directing you to them. Here’s the best of business in July, including articles from WorkAwesome, the Netsetter and FreelanceSwitch.

The Netsetter

An Effective Marketing Plan: Getting Started

A well-conceived and properly implemented marketing plan is… read more

A Perfect Lie in Photoshop #2

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:16:19 +0000

Last year our friend and contributor of Abduzeedo Cameron Rad did a video tutorial called A Perfect Lie in Photoshop in which he showed us a really cool skin retouching technique. Even though the that tutorial was already cool he wasn’t satisfied and spent another year trying to come up… read more

Freelance Freedom #172: Page Count

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:30:10 +0000

Linkswitch #34: Finances, Style Guides, Press Releases

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:30:53 +0000

Blogging For Web Designers: Editorial Calendars and Style Guides

A few years ago, you might not have pointed out during a meeting with a potential client that you maintained a blog. Over time, though, blogs have evolved from the being a personal hobby to a serious work tool. In… read more

Our Favorite Tweets of the Week Aug 29-Sep 4, 2010

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:30:56 +0000

Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers.

The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick… read more

10 Just Released WordPress Themes

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:59:51 +0000

10 Just Released WordPress Themes

Best of the Week #135

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:58:31 +0000

It’s time for our best news of this week. We have a lot of graphic and web design, a bit of architecture, ads, tech news, awesome reads and other crazy stuff! So take a look at the links we’ve selected for your inspiration and to keep you updated about what’s… read more

Measuring Service: Quantifying Your Experience for Maximum Impact

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:30:12 +0000

As you build your freelance business, you get the satisfaction of touting the work you have already done when talking to new prospects for your services. Demonstrating that you have experience delivering the services your prospects are looking for can make all the difference in landing that next project.

Make sure… read more

How to Land More Projects with Smarter Follow-Up Steps

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:00:18 +0000

How to Land More Projects with Smarter Follow-Up Steps

Poll: Average Project Time

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:30:25 +0000

Over the past few months, I’ve been finding all types of new and exciting clients, with new and exciting projects. One of the things that I’ve noticed is the variety of projects that are out there. From quick projects – “The easiest $50 you’ll ever make” – to longer term… read more

How to Become a Pro Photographer: Part 2 – Getting Started

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:03:21 +0000

Image by Romain Guy

Getting started

Once you have the intention and the funds (see Part 1 of Becoming a Pro Photographer) in place it’s time to consider the legality, rules and regulations and all the red tape of what you need to do. In the UK the government provide a range… read more

Ask FreelanceSwitch #18: Job Estimating Tips, Pricing Quotes

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:30:19 +0000

In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, Travis King and Thursday Bram look at estimating and how to start charging for your work.

Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered,… read more

Sites of the Week #118 – Ronin Giveaway Winners

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:11:16 +0000

For this Sites of the Week, we’re announcing the winners for the Ronin giveaway, check it out below! Also we have selected some great sites such as Quipsologies and Relogik. As usual we would love to hear from you, keep sending your suggestions to us and we will be more… read more

50 Beautiful and Mysterious Underwater Photos You Have to See to Believe

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:00:42 +0000

50 Beautiful and Mysterious Underwater Photos You Have to See to Believe

In-Depth Review of Tumblr’s Custom Theming Ability

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:29:11 +0000

Tumblr. If you’re a savvy tech maven, you may have heard of, or had the chance to use, this powerful microblogging platform.

No wonder; millions of people have chosen Tumblr as their blogging service, and the average Tumblr user creates 14 original posts every month. Half of … read more

50 Fresh and Beautiful Ecommerce Websites II

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:56:39 +0000

Well-designed ecommerce and shopping cart websites are regularly referred to for web design inspiration by creative and experienced web developers. They are also being featured on various CSS website galleries, and in fact there are more than a few gallery sites that are solely dedicated showcasing beautiful and standards compliant… read more

Goal Planning: Is There Life After Freelance?

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:30:36 +0000

A goal without a plan is just a wish. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

You might have noticed it already, but I really enjoy living the freelance life. The freedom and the flexibility that I now have allows me to look at things differently. I may not have the security that comes from… read more

On the Concept of Process

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:35:40 +0000

I’m going to start this discussion of by revealing a secret about my own design work: I don’t have a process. At least, I don’t have a rock solid, time tested step by step formula that I follow for all my projects. That’s not to say that I shoot from… read more

15 Essential Back to School Podcasts

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:36:38 +0000

Alexander Hotz is a freelance multimedia journalist and public radio junkie based in New York City. Currently he teaches digital media at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Follow Alex on Twitter at @hotzington.

With another long hot American summer coming to a close, many students are scrambling to get back… read more

Blogging Basics for Designers: Choosing a Name and a Platform

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:59:12 +0000

Blogging Basics for Designers: Choosing a Name and a Platform

Keeping Clients: Ongoing Clients & Agency Work

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:30:44 +0000

By definition, the word “freelancer” implies that you are self-employed take on several projects from multiple parties. Many freelancers find this sort of a glamorous life, but in a sense I have to argue against it. In fact, there’s not too much that is desirable about scraping for food. And… read more

Working For A Web Design Agency

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:30:55 +0000

The most obvious job for a web designer is working for a web design agency, but if you’ve never done that before… then how do you know what to expect? Is it even the right path for you?

Setting foot in an agency for the first time can be daunting. It’s… read more

20 Useful Free PDF ebooks for Designers and Bloggers

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:50:44 +0000

Over the years I have a saved a decent sized library of useful design and blogging related PDF ebooks, I love them. I have voraciously collected them, and all stored on my mobile for whenever the chance of quick read arises. In this post I would like to share my… read more

Working on Your Business, Not Just in It

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:00:36 +0000

Working on Your Business, Not Just in It

10 Useful WordPress Plugin Recommendations Based on Personal Testing

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:00:51 +0000

10 Useful WordPress Plugin Recommendations Based on Personal Testing

Review: Toodledo Task Manager

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:30:06 +0000

First, let me share a little secret with you. I am a master procrastinator. I always manage to get the job done, and often to the best of my abilities, but if I don’t have that looming deadline, sometimes time slips through my fingers. I blame YouTube, Twitter, FreelanceSwitch, WorkAwesome,… read more

Finding Success Through Your Strengths

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:00:41 +0000

Finding Success Through Your Strengths

Thank You Our Valued Sponsors For Being With Us In The Month Of August

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:03:34 +0000

This is a post in which we want to say a big Thank You to the SmashingApps’ fastest growing community for regularly visiting our blog. Do you want to be the first one to know the latest happenings at SmashingApps.com just subscribe to our rss feed and be the one… read more

How to Become a Pro Photographer: Part 1

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:39:56 +0000

Image by Romain Guy

As lovers of photography – we can all admit to dreaming of chucking in the day job and setting up shop as a professional photographer, but for many of us it can remain just that – a dream. But for those with the talent, support system and… read more

10 Requirements for Working with Clients in Other Countries

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:30:36 +0000

Freelancers are given the opportunity to work for either clients within their respective areas or clients coming from abroad. Personally, as a freelancer living in Asia, I’ve worked only with clients who run their businesses a hundred miles away such as those in the US, the UK, and Australia…. read more

A Visual Explanation of 20 Logo Design Processes

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:14 +0000

A Visual Explanation of 20 Logo Design Processes

How to Properly Format and Deliver a Logo

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:00:42 +0000

How to Properly Format and Deliver a Logo

The Death of the Print-Only Freelance Designer

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:00:04 +0000

The Death of the Print-Only Freelance Designer

Legal Agreements: Do You CYA?

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:30:10 +0000

As a freelancer, it’s sometimes easy to do a deal on a virtual handshake and feel confident that you know exactly what your client wants. Usually, this is because they told you exactly what they “think” they want – but that’s a post for another day. For the most part,… read more

What My Law Career Taught Me about Freelance Writing

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:30:47 +0000

When I was a practicing corporate lawyer and dreamed of getting into freelance writing, I didn’t think that the two worlds had much in common. Sure, I knew that both jobs required a good deal of reading, researching and writing. But apart from that fundamental skill set, I imagined… read more

70 Latest and Creative Logo Designs for Design Inspiration

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:53:27 +0000

A Logo is a graphical element that, together with its logotype (a uniquely set and arranged typeface) form a trademark or commercial brand. Typically, a logo’s design is for immediate recognition. The logo is one aspect of a company’s commercial brand, or economic or academic entity, and its shapes, colors,… read more

25 new business cards – Best of august 2010

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:41:40 +0000

How to Make an Internet Web Page

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:30:39 +0000

Do you browse the internet often? Are you amazed at how many internet web pages there are in the world today? Don’t you wish you could get a piece of that action?

You’re probably thinking that in order to build an internet web page, you have to… read more

Super Stylish Posters by Protesto

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:00:01 +0000

There are all kinds of posters out there. B movies posters, gigs posters, and many others… and I truly dig a good poster design. Yesterday one of our readers, @henriquepetarli, suggested the work of Protesto.

Protesto is the Brazilian designer Michel Diniz de Carvalho, who’s been living in Norway doing some… read more

Know When to Stop Talking

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:30:49 +0000

I think I experienced a new first for me in my life of freelancing. I responded to a tweet looking for a copywriter to do some basic web copy.

I responded, and chatted with the client for a little bit, discussing his needs and my offerings. Things were moving in the… read more

How CEOs Will Use Social Media in the Future

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:36:54 +0000

Today’s CEO is not social. So says Forrester… read more

Promoting Yourself To… GASP!… Live People!

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:11:46 +0000

By Speider Schneider

A friend of mine started an organization named “Creative Connect,” a twice a month get-together for anyone in the creative field. He said it was to, “get people away from their computers and to get them talking at least twice a month.” Mostly designers, programmers, illustrators and photographers… read more

Freelance Freedom #171: Client Philosophy

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:30:15 +0000

Are You a Good Sport Freelancer?

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:00:02 +0000

Are You a Good Sport Freelancer?

Linkswitch #33: Photo Manipulation, Investing, WordPress SEO

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:45:02 +0000

Why I Stick to Pen and Paper for Goals and Tasks

Technology is great…but I sure do like pen and paper – as I mentioned to one of our readers who asked me what I use to keep track of things. For one thing, I remember things better… read more

Top 10 Fantasy Football Sites to Help You Win

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:43:42 +0000

Miranda Lin recently completed an M.S. degree from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and now works as a freelance writer and full-time sports fan.

While the opening kickoff to the 2010 NFL season is still over 2 weeks away, die-hard fantasy fans are already hard at work crunching stats and… read more

Best of the Week #134

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:18:06 +0000

Minimalism in Logo Design: Positively Perfect Negative Spaces

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:18 +0000

Minimalism in Logo Design: Positively Perfect Negative Spaces

International Freelancers Day: A Free Online Conference for Freelancers

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:30:56 +0000

There’s a very exciting online event happening in a few weeks. It’s the first-ever International Freelancers Day, to be held on September 24 and 25.

This two-day virtual event is the biggest-ever FREE online-video conference exclusively for solo professionals. It’s part of a global initiative to celebrate independent workers everywhere and… read more

Meaningful Work: Lessons from Eat, Pray, Love

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:30:18 +0000

Most of us who jump the corporate ship to be our own boss are looking for some kind of meaningful work and balance in our lives. We want to share our lives with our families, find our passions, and do what we love doing without all of the endless meetings,… read more

Profile: Getting into Character with Cartoonist George Coghill

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:00:49 +0000

From bad jokes to sultry devil girls, Cartoon Character Designer George Coghill knows how to inject some fun into life. He set aside some time to talk with us about everything from the importance of knowing how to run a business to what it’s like to see his characters come… read more

How to Find New Customers

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:30:15 +0000

A few posts back, I mentioned a handful of ideas that you can use to ensure you are able to line up work for the future. I didn’t mention anything about the ways that you can find new business offline, in your local community.

Here are a few ways to find… read more

Interview with Tim and Bram Vanhaeren from Into1

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:11:27 +0000

Tim and Bram Vanhaeren, belgium based artists, run a creative studio focused on graphic design. Read how the brothers get along working together

1. First of all we would like to thank you both for taking the time to provide abduzeedo.com with this interview. Please tell us more about your art… read more

Interview: Mark Julian Borg, A Freelance Web/Graphic Designer

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:01 +0000

Interview: Mark Julian Borg, A Freelance Web/Graphic Designer

Free Wireframing Kits, UI Design Kits, PDFs and Resources

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:07:54 +0000

To mock-up the user interface of a website, software or any other product, you’ll need some basic UI elements. And this is where wireframing kits and UI design kits come in handy. When you want to create a low-fidelity prototype for your projects, you can use these kits to give… read more

A Freelance Graphic Designer’s Burnout and Ways to Avoid It

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:59:23 +0000

A Freelance Graphic Designer’s Burnout and Ways to Avoid It

3 Steps To A Killer Freelance Social Media Process

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:30:06 +0000

You began with a glorious hallucination of what social media was going to do for your business, social life, and even writing ability. You tweeted, facebooked, and smothered Linked-in contacts with glowing recommendations. You commented on all the top blogs in your niche and dutifully updated your own blog on-schedule…. read more

Sites of the Week #117 – Ronin App Giveaway

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:58:25 +0000

For this Sites of the Week, we have a special edition with a giveaway from Ronin App, I’m sure you’ll love it! Also we have selected some great sites such as Organizze and Spring. As usual we would love to hear from you, keep sending your suggestions and don’t forget… read more

5 Good Ways to Close a Client Deal

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:25 +0000

5 Good Ways to Close a Client Deal

20 Green and Eco Infographics

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:00:13 +0000

20 Green and Eco Infographics

Logo Inspiration: Comic Characters

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:52:56 +0000

Everyone likes superheroes and other comic book characters. There is a plethora of stories and with subjects ranging from humor to the morbid. Comic books are deeply rooted in global culture, so that today we have several film adaptations of great box office.

Something that is very interesting is when we… read more

Freelancers: How to Get New Clients For Your Web Design Business

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:40 +0000

Freelancers: How to Get New Clients For Your Web Design Business

How to Find Your First Client

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:10 +0000

How to Find Your First Client

Advice from the Winners of The Money Book

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:30:59 +0000

During our recent review of The Money Book, we asked for your very best money-saving tips. The huge number of comments and savvy advice we received shows that our readership definitely knows a thing or two about saving pennies!

After careful consideration, Joseph and Denise, the authors of The Money Book,… read more

14 Resources for Free Fonts and Premium Fonts

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:30:38 +0000

You can’t deny that typography is important in design. You could have the most beautiful illustrations in the world, but if you use a font like Jokerman, your entire design will look iffy.

Now if you really want to blow your client away with an awesome design, you have to find… read more

Top 3 Ways I Find Clients

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:00:52 +0000

Top 3 Ways I Find Clients

20 Clever Eco-Friendly Product Designs

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:00:16 +0000

20 Clever Eco-Friendly Product Designs

Facebook Privacy: 6 Years of Controversy [INFOGRAPHIC]

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:38:58 +0000

The release of Facebook Places raised serious privacy concerns for users of the social network. Places allows… read more

Expense Tracking Tips

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:30:45 +0000

Over the weekend I was taking a quick look at my expenses. Being a freelancer has made me hyperaware of where money is coming in, and where it’s going out.

On my Mastercard statement, I found that I am paying for two different hosting plans, for two different websites. Since I… read more

How To Create The Perfect Logo Project Brief

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:00:48 +0000

How To Create The Perfect Logo Project Brief

4 Reasons to Track Time on Projects

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:30:09 +0000

I haven’t punched a clock in more than 10 years. And even when I did, I never cared much for the idea.

I guess I didn’t like the message it sent out: that I was being paid for my time — not for my ideas, creativity, excellent customer service and added… read more

20 Clever Eco Website Designs

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:15 +0000

20 Clever Eco Website Designs

Can You as a Freelance Designer Compete with Bigger Companies?

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:00:32 +0000

Can You as a Freelance Designer Compete with Bigger Companies?

Retro Illustrations by Janée Meadows

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:12:08 +0000

Janée Meadows is an award-winning freelance illustrator and graphic designer based in Los Angeles, California. It’s hard to peg her style, as it runs the gamut of photorealism to retro cartoons. Like the mockingbird, known for mimicking the songs and sounds of the animal kingdom; Meadows is known for her… read more

Freelance Podcasts

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:30:14 +0000

As you all know, the Freelance Radio podcast has come to an end. If you didn’t get to listen to them all, you can find the archive on iTunes here.

To fill the void left by the team, I’ve found a few options that can’t replace Freelance Radio, but they will… read more

5 Tips to Prevent Bad Debt

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:48 +0000

One of the great things that I have found about freelancing is the thrill of finding new clients. One of the roughest parts of being a freelancer is waiting to see if your new client is going to pay you for the services you provided.

Here are a few ways that… read more

50 Green and Eco Logos

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:47 +0000

50 Green and Eco Logos

15 Logos With Hidden Messages

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:45:59 +0000

Designing logos can be very difficult. When designing a logo you want it to stand out from the crowd yet still be really simple. Sometimes the designer is really clever and makes the logo very simple yet includes a hidden message within the logo that has deeper meaning. In this… read more

Interview: Online Editor and Freelance Designer Stuart Thursby

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:00:10 +0000

Interview: Online Editor and Freelance Designer Stuart Thursby

Remote Working from Anywhere

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:30:39 +0000

I know it’s not summer for everyone reading FreelanceSwitch right now, but up here in Canada it still is. And one of my favourite things to do in the summer is to camp, but this year it was a little bit different, since this was my first summer as a… read more

Theme Trust Launches

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:44:11 +0000

Just over 2 years ago, I left my full time job as a web designer to go freelance, and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It’s been a wonderful ride up to this point, as I’ve been able to work on many exciting client projects and… read more

DesignChat Guest – Erin Loechner

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:40:13 +0000

This week, Erin Loechner welcomes US to the conversation as she has been writing about design on blogs for longer than most. Erin is a freelance design writer/blogger whose work has been featured in Glamour, Dwell, Lucky and Nylon magazines. She muses daily on her award-winning website Design For Mankind,… read more

Philadelphia Tax Code Sparks Big Controversy with Small Bloggers

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:16:24 +0000

Do you use Google AdSense or other ad services on your personal blog or website? If you live in the city of Philadelphia, you might want to rethink that decision.

Last week, the Philadelphia City Paper published an article discussing the potential impact of the city’s Business Privilege Tax on residents… read more

Freelance Freedom #170: Client Conspiracy

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:30:05 +0000

50 Awesome New jQuery Plugins

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:55:33 +0000

The jQuery community never ever fails to let you down. Its constantly evolving, constantly improving and, thankfully, constantly releasing a tidal wave of fresh and powerful freely available plugins for every possible requirement.

Today we round-up the best and most powerful jQuery plugins from the last few months. You will find… read more

Tutorial: Create a Vector Infographic Poster

admin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:59:30 +0000

Tutorial: Create a Vector Infographic Poster

Linkswitch #32: Productivity, Elevator Speech, Contracts

admin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:30:20 +0000

How to Stay Productive When the Internet Is Down

The Internet went down this morning at the home office. If I were in a deadline situation, I would have packed the laptop into the car and headed for the nearest caffeinated wifi hot spot. But I was under no pressure… read more

Best of the Week #133

admin — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:55:38 +0000

Real Home Offices from FreelanceSwitch Readers

admin — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:30:35 +0000

A few weeks ago I asked you to send me some pictures of your office, the response was even more amazing than what we got for our last showcase of home offices. There was such great response, that unfortunately I’m unable to showcase everyone’s photo. I picked out some of the… read more

Prospect to Client Tracking Spreadsheet

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:30:53 +0000

If you don’t have a client tracking system in place to measure how long it takes to convert a prospect – your potential customer – into a client – a paying customer – you probably will have a hard time predicting what your monthly income will be.

I am not an… read more

Doing the Little Things to Please Clients

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:59:42 +0000

Doing the Little Things to Please Clients

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Job – And Leave It

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:30:12 +0000

I’ve noticed a rash of design professionals leaving their jobs lately to pursue creative freedom. Designer Frank Chimero, Helen Walters of BusinessWeek, Andrio Abero of Wieden+Kenndey, and Alex Bogusky of MDC Partners have all written high-profile accounts or made announcements about going on hiatus or quitting. There are countless others… read more

20 Back to School Apps and Tools for Students

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:29:28 +0000

It’s August, which means school is about to start for many high school and college students. You’ve all probably had a nice summer, but now it’s time to get back to pulling all-nighters, listening to boring professors, and attempting to learn something useful.

A lot of you may be dreading school,… read more

Designing Microsites: Factors To Consider

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:30:06 +0000

When creating a website, so many things need to be planned and considered before even beginning the design — content, audience, goals, usability, color schemes, and so much more.

The design of a microsite, on the other hand, would seem to be an easier task to execute. But… read more

Freelancing Vs. In-House: Which Do You Prefer

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:13 +0000

Freelancing Vs. In-House: Which Do You Prefer

Google Docs Templates for Web Designers and Developers

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:42:38 +0000

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If I am honest, I don’t really know how popular Google Docs is within the freelance community, but I have found that I have been using it a lot more recently. To the extent that I seem to have more documents stored online that I do on my hard drive… read more

Poll: Where Are You Finding Clients?

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:30:22 +0000

The last survey was quite fun, and seemed to generate some great discussion and results. This time, I’d like to suggest that we share where the majority of our clients are coming from. If you have any tips or tricks on ways that you convert a prospective client into a paying… read more

Design Makeover: S Virginia Higher Ed Center

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:14:52 +0000

A Smarter Logo

Client:
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center www.svhed.org

BEFORE

The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center’s logo is based on an abstract representation of the building itself, which stands on a hill overlooking a river.

The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center calls itself an “educational connector,” in the words of Communications Manager… read more

30 Creative and Inspiring Golf Logos

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:30:48 +0000

Sport logos are fantastic to work with – some of the world’s greatest brands are sport-related (think Nike, Adidas, ESPN and Everlast). Golf is a popular sport with wealthy and successful people – as such, golf businesses (such as golf clubs, golf courses and golf websites) can be extremely… read more

100 Magnificent Macro Photos

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:00:51 +0000

100 Magnificent Macro Photos

The Perfect Brainstorm: A How To

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:22:01 +0000

By Robert Bowen

Given our fields of interest and chosen professions, most of us have at least once in our lives had to brainstorm for one reason or another. But for those of us who apply this mental tool in our creative pursuits much more regularly, learning to do so effectively… read more

GridIron Flow: A Visual File Workflow for Designers

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:42 +0000

In my last software review, I covered Blast, an application that shows you the recent files you’ve open or modified. In a similar spirit – but with more of a creative, professional spin – I’d like to introduce you to GridIron Software’s Flow.

Flow’s main goal is to help… read more

What to Do When a Client Kills a Project

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:30:37 +0000

So, there you are, working away on a project, and oh, is it a good one. You’re having fun, the client’s loving your work, and then…

…the whole thing comes to a screeching halt.

A quick glance through my Projectus Interruptus file shows the following:

A university department’s website redesign gets scuttled because… read more

Create a Custom WordPress Design Using the Starkers Theme

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Create a Custom WordPress Design Using the Starkers Theme

Interview with Featured Freelancer: Michael Saathoff

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:30:23 +0000

In my ongoing quest to learn more about the various ways to freelance, I keep finding interesting and helpful people right here on FreelanceSwitch. I’m grateful that you have given me the opportunity to share what I have learned about these talented individuals.

Today I would like to introduce you to… read more

Head Up in the Clouds: Web Design that Uses Sky Elements

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:21:52 +0000

It is always amazing to designer incorporating different element of nature in their designs. This time the inspiration is cloud, sky and blue palette colors. In this post we are featuring some really beautiful website that used sky, cloud images and illustrations in their design.
Some of this website used… read more

10 Essential Free E-Books for Web Designers

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:27:10 +0000

While many may still prefer print for long-form reading, e-books are gaining popularity as a worthy digital alternative. Aside from all the usual benefits of digitizing a book (faster searches, less page-flipping, linked pages, additional resources, etc.), e-books are a huge help to digital and online professionals.

There are now e-books… read more

Review: The Money Book

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:30:45 +0000

Imagine if you will, just that morning you find out your car has given up the ghost and your only recourse is to consign it to the boneyard. Now after arriving home you find a burst water pipe and an impromptu swimming pool forming in your basement. Now… read more

The Web Design Community Offers Advice To Beginners

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:27:44 +0000

At one time or another, we are all newbies. That’s right: you can deny it all you want, but not one of us got into this game with a full deck stacked in our favor. We entered as newbies, born fresh after the start screen loaded. However, unlike in a… read more

Self-Motivating Through Creative Blocks

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:30:14 +0000

As designers, we need to be creative in order to be successful at our jobs.

Coming up with ideas and creative solutions to problems is what we do on a daily basis. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to do so.

Sometimes we get blocked creatively, and it seems like no… read more

The Stories and Facts Behind 7 Large Brands and Logos

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:00:11 +0000

The Stories and Facts Behind 7 Large Brands and Logos

Why Blogging Makes Sense for Designers

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Why Blogging Makes Sense for Designers

Create Additional Income Streams

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:30:59 +0000

I am loving the freelance life, but until my plan of winning the lottery becomes a reality, I will continue to be on the lookout for ways to maximize what’s going into my wallet while minimizing what’s coming out of it.

Raj Dash wrote an excellent article about creating multiple income… read more

Recession Survival Tips For Online Businesses

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:31:15 +0000

In a recession, companies go one of two ways: either they become the cautious cat, adopting a wait-and-see attitude, spending carefully on their marketing and less overall, cutting back, or they become the ferocious lion, bold, taking advantage of their competitors’ caution to seize opportunities in the tough market.

Whatever your… read more

Freelance Contracting with International Clients

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:30:29 +0000

It used to be that freelancers were limited to the cities we live in for clients. On occasion, some freelancers could land clients and handle projects through mail, but most companies preferred to work with someone based nearby. Technology has improved since then, letting most freelancers take on clients no… read more

10 Timeless and Effective Ways to Supercharge an Online Portfolio

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:09 +0000

10 Timeless and Effective Ways to Supercharge an Online Portfolio

Some Reasons You Might Not Want To Become A Web Designer

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:07:36 +0000

By Cameron Chapman

Web design is often an appealing career choice for artistic and creative people. It’s seen as a potentially lucrative opportunity to be creative on a daily basis. But there are drawbacks that many people don’t realize going into the field.

While most of these wouldn’t deter people who really… read more

50 Web Designers and Developers to Follow on Twitter

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:17:17 +0000

If your looking for some web designers and developers to follow on twitter, then your in the right place as this list contains 50 web designers and developers who are worth following. You’ll find that each one has a lot to offer and a unique perspective on their craft.

Gary… read more

Your Work Day Soundtrack

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:30:12 +0000

A friend of mine had an interesting post on her blog recently. She shared the soundtrack of her life, with each part of her world arranged by an individual tune.

As a freelancer, I’ve been trying to figure out if I am more productive with the music on, or with the… read more

The Future of Public Relations and Social Media

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:15:24 +0000

Public relations specialists were some of the first… read more

Cool Poster Designs by Subgrafik

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:47:27 +0000

Pawel Janczarek aka Subgrafik is an outstanding freelance illustrator from Poland, his style is a mix of illustrations and typography which makes each piece very interesting to enjoy. Check out some of these posters and fire up your inspiration.

For more from Subgrafik visit – Flickr

Vintage Movie Photography: 100 Glamorous Celebrity Photos

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:00:02 +0000

Vintage Movie Photography: 100 Glamorous Celebrity Photos

Freelance Freedom #169: Design Metaphor

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:30:41 +0000

7 Steps to Measuring Your Brand’s Social Media Health

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:55:32 +0000

Maria Ogneva is the Director of Social Media at Attensity, a social media engagement and voice-of-customer platform that helps the social enterprise serve and collaborate with the social customer. You can follow her on Twitter at @themaria or @attensity360, or find her musings on her personal blog and her company’s… read more

Wallpaper of the Week #113 by Justin Maller

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:09:27 +0000

The wallpaper of this week is an artwork created by Justin Maller called Ursus. Justin wrote a case study about this piece and you can check out the post, Ursus – Brief Process Examination by Justin Maller published here on Abduzeedo.

For more information about Justin Maller visit his Web… read more

25 Useful Videos and Presentations for Designers

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 19:40:35 +0000

With the huge number of design-related conferences and events around the world, the Web gives those of us who cannot attend them a great opportunity to listen and benefit from their great and talented speakers. To aid in this, here we present some of the best videos, interviews and presentations… read more

Increasing Creativity and Productivity with Your Morning Routine

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:30:54 +0000

The sun comes up and for most of us, it’s time for work. Or is it? How you start your work day can have a huge impact on the rest of it. Your morning routine is the lynchpin for either reducing or increasing creativity and productivity.

For example, on days I meet with clients,… read more

Linkswitch #31: New Business Ideas, Facebook Ads, Design Tips

admin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:30:11 +0000

Can You Make Ends Meet on a Single Income?

My wife and I made a conscious decision roughly 20 years ago to live on a single income. At the time, we just had our first child and we didn’t feel right leaving her at day care all day long. Also,… read more

The Best of the Business Blogs, July 2010

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:30:55 +0000

The Netsetter

50 Netsetters You Should Know About

There are thousands of… read more

17 Tips for Effective Freelance Business Planning

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:00:24 +0000

17 Tips for Effective Freelance Business Planning

5 Quick SEO Tips to Help Freelancers Get Higher Search Engine Rankings

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:00:01 +0000

5 Quick SEO Tips to Help Freelancers Get Higher Search Engine Rankings

15 Excellent Corporate Blogs to Learn From

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:57:58 +0000

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Creating and maintaining a corporate blog, or a blog of any sort for that matter, isn’t always the easiest of tasks and doesn’t come naturally to most… read more

You’re Fired! – Surviving a Bad Client or Freelancer Relationship

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:00:33 +0000

You’re Fired! – Surviving a Bad Client or Freelancer Relationship

Sites of the Week #115

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:37:33 +0000

For this Sites of the Week we have selected some great sites such as The Combine 2010 and Participatory Politics. Also we’re featuring the portfolio of Tuispace and much, much more! As usual we would love to hear from you, keep sending your suggestions to us and we will be… read more

Art Deco Inspiration: 30 Exciting Examples of Architecture and Patterns

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:00:14 +0000

Art Deco Inspiration: 30 Exciting Examples of Architecture and Patterns

Are You Freelance or Self-Employed?

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:30:13 +0000

One of the great things about having a spouse that works in the corporate world is the support you may receive, financially and emotionally. One of the worst things about having a spouse in the corporate world is the support you may have to give, which sometimes includes being present… read more

5 Free to Use Freelance Design Contract Templates

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:47:37 +0000

The most important and essential document a freelance designer should have is a rock solid and reliable contract. The worst thing is though, freelance web designers or graphic designers, especially when they are just starting out, can ill afford the expense of paying a lawyer to draw up a decent… read more

What Every Photographer Needs to Know about Social Media

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:05:12 +0000

An introduction to social media for photographers by Australian Freelance Photographer Gemma Carr.

How critical is social media/marketing to your photography business?

Photographers are busy people. So too are our clients. More so than ever before we have an abundance of information available to us at the click of a mouse. It’s… read more

What Would You Tell This Client?

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:59:37 +0000

What Would You Tell This Client?

Ask FreelanceSwitch #17: Becoming a Web Designer, Tough Clients

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:30:35 +0000

In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, Travis King and Thursday Bram look at client horror stories that make a freelancer’s blood run cold.

Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want… read more

The Real Secret to Freelance Success

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:30:09 +0000

Why do so many freelancers fail while others who face even greater obstacles succeed? Is it natural talent? Is it hard work? Is it sheer persistence?

I find these questions absolutely fascinating. That’s why I’ve spent a great part of my adult life studying freelance success.

But it wasn’t until I recently… read more

90+ Brilliant Fresh WordPress Site Designs for Design Inspiration

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:18:09 +0000

Many of you should know that instantShift is proudly powered by WordPress, as a Blogging and CMS tool. If you are in search of good CMS or a new web tool for your projects, we strongly recommend WordPress to you. WordPress is a great tool, and best thing is free!

Now… read more

10 Questions Adobe Won’t Answer About Business Catalyst

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:00:50 +0000

10 Questions Adobe Won’t Answer About Business Catalyst

30 Effective Logo Examples Featuring Animals

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:46:40 +0000

Animals have appeared in art throughout history. Some are revered as gods in some cultures while others have been long associated with particular traits and attributes. Animals are a great symbolic tool that designers can use for inspiration. The perception of animals in regard to business identity are no longer… read more

20 Killer Email Marketing and Promotion Apps

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:10:33 +0000

With so much competition in the marketplace, even a great product cannot survive by itself. Word of mouth is effective, but too slow. Print & electronic media promotions get a lot of attention but are too costly. Email marketing happens to be the middle ground with the ability to deliver… read more

What Types of People Raise Money for Web Startups? [INFOGRAPHIC]

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:44:15 +0000

In the United States, venture capital investment can be crucial for getting a company off the ground…. read more

Poll: Average Age of Freelancers

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:30:01 +0000

Call me a cyberstalker, a netcreeper, or a webpeeper – but I’ve been reading your comments and checking out your pages for a little while. Without exception, I have found anyone who shares a link back to their website is unbelievably talented. One of the things that I have noticed,… read more

50+ Great Social Media, Web Development, and Interactive Job Openings

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:00:51 +0000

If you’re seeking a job in social media, we’d like to help out. For starters, Mashable’s Job Lists section gathers together all of our resource lists, how-tos and expert guides to help you get hired. In particular, you might want to see our articles on How to Leverage… read more

20+ New Apps and Websites for Designers

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:30:54 +0000

New apps and websites seem to appear on an almost-daily basis.

Trying to find the best ones each week or month can be tough, especially considering how many come out that aren’t that great.

Here we’ve compiled some of the best apps and websites that have come out in the past few… read more

30+ Creative and Inspiring Poster Designs

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:03:25 +0000

Poster design gives a fantastic canvas for creativity. Like web designs, posters offer great scope for creativity and innovative graphic design. Posters are often created for DJs, events, nightclubs and other interesting subjects that lend themselves well to creative design work. This article is aimed to provide… read more

Are You Using FaceBook Ads to Promote Your Business?

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:30:19 +0000

I’ve been exploring a few different ways to promote my freelance venture, and I thought I would check with you folks to see if there is anything that I am doing wrong, or could be doing better.

One of my more recent attempts to drive traffic to my website was by… read more

How News Consumption is Shifting to the Personalized Social News Stream

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:19:58 +0000

In honor of Mashable’s five-year anniversary, this series is supported by IDG. Join social conversations to market your brand with IDG’s social advertising platform, IDG Amplify. Learn more about how it works here.

The social network of a reader is quickly becoming their personalized news wire. That’s because in the last… read more

How to Use Your Ideal Client Profile to Strengthen Your Business

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:00:08 +0000

How to Use Your Ideal Client Profile to Strengthen Your Business

Market Your Business by Being Two-Faced!

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:30:26 +0000

I’m a great believer in targeted marketing and specialization. Focusing on particular types of clients and offering services aimed tightly at specific needs enhances your appeal to those clients at the same time it improves your efficiency, resulting in better margins on your work.

But it is possible to market your… read more

Freelance Radio, Episode 46: The Final Episode

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:30:26 +0000

The final episode of Freelance Radio, the official FreelanceSwitch podcast, is now available! This episode, the panel (John Brougher, Dickie Adams, Kristen Fischer and Von Glitschka) answers questions from the mailbag before bidding farewell to the podcast. Subscriptions to the podcast are available via iTunes and an archive of all… read more

Weekly Design News – Resources, Tutorials and Freebies (N.49)

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:22:15 +0000

This is our weekly column in which we share our favorites posts, articles and resources with our readers all from the previous week.

If you would like to be kept up to date with loads of fresh design news and resources, you can follow us on Twitter, on Facebook or even… read more

I Have My Logo – Now What?

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:00:23 +0000

I Have My Logo – Now What?

Icon Design: 75 Mouthwatering Mac Icons

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:00:23 +0000

Icon Design: 75 Mouthwatering Mac Icons

When Does Pen and Paper Slow a Freelancer’s Productivity?

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:00:41 +0000

When Does Pen and Paper Slow a Freelancer’s Productivity?

How Freelancers Might Use Social Media In The Future

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:16:53 +0000

This series is supported by Gist, an online service that helps you build stronger relationships. By connecting your inbox to the web, you get business-critical information about key people and companies. See how it works here.

For freelancers, social media has been a real game changer, and brings networking to a… read more

How to Really Use Twitter to Find More Freelance Work

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:59:35 +0000

How to Really Use Twitter to Find More Freelance Work

Freelance Freedom #168: Time Tracking

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:30:59 +0000

Business Card Design Starter Kit: Showcase, Tutorials, Templates

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:11:29 +0000

Professionals in any field should always keep business cards on them because you never know when you’ll meet a potential client, partner or like-minded person. Despite their small size, business cards are one of the most powerful and handiest marketing tools. Not only do they create a link between you… read more

Designing Websites that Cross Cultures

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:26:18 +0000

Building a successful website is no small task, especially if you’re going into business – it takes time, effort and dedication, from working out your business plan and unique selling point (USP) through to designing and managing your website and optimizing it for search engine rankings.

So with all the effort… read more

[RFP] Interview with Featured Freelancer: Mike Vardy

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:30:24 +0000

Like I’ve mentioned a few times, I’m still a bit new to freelancing. One of the things that I love about FreelanceSwitch is the interaction and feedback from you, the readers. No matter what the article, the comments are positive, encouraging, and for the most part – useful! I probably… read more

30 Marvelous Photos of the Milky Way Galaxy

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:00:20 +0000

30 Marvelous Photos of the Milky Way Galaxy

Top 10 Freelance Job Sites For Web Designers And Developers

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:00:52 +0000

Top 10 Freelance Job Sites For Web Designers And Developers

The Pros and Cons of Giving Away Your Graphic Design

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:05:53 +0000

Tons of businesses and organizations are suffering in this economy, whether it’s graphic designers being laid off or nonprofits struggling to get funding. A number of my acquaintances who found themselves with extra time on their hands have turned to volunteering – some of them walk dogs at the local… read more

How To Differentiate Your Freelance Design Business

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:05 +0000

How To Differentiate Your Freelance Design Business

8 Tips To Create A Great Web Design Proposal

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:00:57 +0000

8 Tips To Create A Great Web Design Proposal

New Web Service Tischen Attempts to Rid the World of Unemployment

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:30:25 +0000

New web service Tischen is on a mission to rid the world of unemployment. The site provides users with a variety of ways to showcase their skillset on the Internet and make themselves available for contact with prospects, whether they be freelancers in need of clients or job seekers on… read more

Linkswitch #30: Pricing Tactics, Effective Marketing Campaigns

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:30:23 +0000

An Effective Marketing Plan: Getting Started

Effective marketing campaigns are the foundation for your business’ success. You might be the best at what you do, but if nobody knows about you and your offerings, and why they’re of value, then that shingle you hung up is going to come tumbling down.

Our Favorite Tweets of the Week Aug 1-Aug 7, 2010

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:30:58 +0000

Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers.

The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick… read more

Must Bookmark: 2000+ Amazing Inspirations for Designers

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 07:00:06 +0000

Must Bookmark: 2000+ Amazing Inspirations for Designers

23 Of The Best Logo Redesigns In 2010

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:00:36 +0000

23 Of The Best Logo Redesigns In 2010

Beginner’s Guide to Social Media Branding

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:30:50 +0000

Starting out in a freelancing career can be tough. Ranging from freelance authors to graphic designers and programmers, freelancing comes with many of the same hurdles. One large aspect is building your personal brand – how do you get people to recognize you for your skills? Thankfully the internet has provided… read more

Spun » Freelance

Amazing Photo Manipulations of Erik Johansson

15 Brilliant Tips to Help You Earn More

Minimalist Star Wars Galaxy Posters

50+ High-Quality Free Magento Themes

Web Design Podcasts Which Will Improve Your Life

25 SEO Free Add-ons for Mozilla Firefox

Happy Painter: The Work of Bob Ross

5 Ways to Help Your Clients Network

A Roundup of 30 Explosive Freelance Portfolios

HOW TO: Be a Hybrid Designer/Developer

Snowflakes Photography Inspiration

Benefits of Business Networking

Editing Opacity With Layer Masks

10 Ways Designers Can Make More Money

Crest Inspiration: 75 Creative Crests, Badges and Shields

Freelancer’s Errors: A Few Tips To Work Better

Interview with Featured Freelancer: Stef Gonzaga

Why and How I Took the Plunge into Full-Time Freelancing

The Future of Ad Agencies and Social Media

Showcase of Interesting Navigation Designs

From Freelancer to Thought Leader in 5 Easy Steps

The Graphic Designers Guide to Pricing, Estimating & Budgeting – Book Giveaway

Be Healthy: Simple Exercises for Freelancers

The Best of the Business Blogs: August 2010

A Perfect Lie in Photoshop #2

Freelance Freedom #172: Page Count

Linkswitch #34: Finances, Style Guides, Press Releases

Our Favorite Tweets of the Week Aug 29-Sep 4, 2010

10 Just Released WordPress Themes

Best of the Week #135

Measuring Service: Quantifying Your Experience for Maximum Impact

How to Land More Projects with Smarter Follow-Up Steps

Poll: Average Project Time

How to Become a Pro Photographer: Part 2 – Getting Started

Ask FreelanceSwitch #18: Job Estimating Tips, Pricing Quotes

Sites of the Week #118 – Ronin Giveaway Winners

50 Beautiful and Mysterious Underwater Photos You Have to See to Believe

In-Depth Review of Tumblr’s Custom Theming Ability

50 Fresh and Beautiful Ecommerce Websites II

Goal Planning: Is There Life After Freelance?

On the Concept of Process

15 Essential Back to School Podcasts

Blogging Basics for Designers: Choosing a Name and a Platform

Keeping Clients: Ongoing Clients & Agency Work

Working For A Web Design Agency

20 Useful Free PDF ebooks for Designers and Bloggers

Working on Your Business, Not Just in It

10 Useful WordPress Plugin Recommendations Based on Personal Testing

Review: Toodledo Task Manager

Finding Success Through Your Strengths

Thank You Our Valued Sponsors For Being With Us In The Month Of August

How to Become a Pro Photographer: Part 1

10 Requirements for Working with Clients in Other Countries

Top Articles On The Web Design Billboard In August’10

A Visual Explanation of 20 Logo Design Processes

How to Properly Format and Deliver a Logo

The Death of the Print-Only Freelance Designer

Legal Agreements: Do You CYA?

What My Law Career Taught Me about Freelance Writing

70 Latest and Creative Logo Designs for Design Inspiration

25 new business cards – Best of august 2010

How to Make an Internet Web Page

Super Stylish Posters by Protesto

Know When to Stop Talking

How CEOs Will Use Social Media in the Future

Promoting Yourself To… GASP!… Live People!

Freelance Freedom #171: Client Philosophy

Are You a Good Sport Freelancer?

Linkswitch #33: Photo Manipulation, Investing, WordPress SEO

Top 10 Fantasy Football Sites to Help You Win

Best of the Week #134

Minimalism in Logo Design: Positively Perfect Negative Spaces

International Freelancers Day: A Free Online Conference for Freelancers

Meaningful Work: Lessons from Eat, Pray, Love

Profile: Getting into Character with Cartoonist George Coghill

How to Find New Customers

Interview with Tim and Bram Vanhaeren from Into1

Interview: Mark Julian Borg, A Freelance Web/Graphic Designer

Free Wireframing Kits, UI Design Kits, PDFs and Resources

Top 3 Ways I Find Clients