Articles by Smashing Magazine from February 2012

   Life and nature are one big transition. The sun slowly rises to mark a new day and then slowly sets to mark the end of the day and the beginning of night. We are created in...

Life and nature are one big transition. The sun slowly rises to mark a new day and then slowly sets to mark the end of the day and the beginning of night. We are created in the womb and from small cel...

Depending on who you follow and what you read, you may have noticed the concept of responsive text being discussed in design circles recently. Its not what you might imagine resizing and altering the...

   Depending on who you follow and what you read, you may have noticed the concept of responsive text  being discussed in design circles recently. Its not what you might ...

As Web designers and developers, each project we work with has a unique set of goals and requirements. But one goal we have for all of our projects is that we want them to make an impression on people...

   As Web designers and developers, each project we work with has a unique set of goals and requirements. But one goal we have for all of our projects is that we want them to ...

   Hicks Law has always been a popular reference point for designers. Youll find it cited in the endless lists of basic laws and principles that all designers should be famili...

Hicks Law has always been a popular reference point for designers. Youll find it cited in the endless lists of basic laws and principles that all designers should be familiar with. Given our assumed c...

After search engines, social media services are the second biggest source of traffic. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ have established themselves as the most heavily used social sharing websites, with D...

   Before drawing anything in a browser, ask yourself three questions:Do you need to support older browsers?If the answer is yes, then your only choice is Raphal. It handles b...

Before drawing anything in a browser, ask yourself three questions: Do you need to support older browsers? If the answer is yes, then your only choice is Raphal. It handles browsers all the way back t...

   In darts, hitting thebulls-eyeis harder to do than hitting any other part of the dartboard. This is because the bullseye is the smallest target. This same principle can als...

In darts, hitting thebulls-eyeis harder to do than hitting any other part of the dartboard. This is because the bullseye is the smallest target. This same principle can also apply to touch targets on ...

The work of Chip Kidd spans design, writing and, most recently, rock n roll. He definitely has the charisma to get ahead in that third field. He is best known for his unconventional book jackets, but ...

   The work of Chip Kidd spans design, writing and, most recently, rock n roll. He definitely has the charisma to get ahead in that third field. He is best known for his uncon...

After several grueling days I had finally finished the proposal. I sent it off and waited for a response. Nothing. After a few weeks, I discovered that they were just looking. Despite the urgency and ...

   After several grueling days I had finally finished the proposal. I sent it off and waited for a response. Nothing. After a few weeks, I discovered that they were just looki...

Gone are the days when WordPress developers, wanting to extend the CMS functionality, had to alter and hack WordPress source code directly, resulting in headaches when upgrading and sharing modificati...

The Web has entered an era of user-centricity. If businesses are to attract new customers and retain existing ones, they must create websites and apps that deliver intuitive and tailored experiences. ...

   The Web has entered an era of user-centricity. If businesses are to attract new customers and retain existing ones, they must create websites and apps that deliver intuitiv...

Update (30.04.2012): The Smashing Book #3 has finally arrived to our storage facilities. The printed Smashing Book #3 will be sent out on the 3rd of May 2012 at the latest. Due to logistical reasons, ...

   Yes, the brand new Smashing Book #3 is coming. The printing press is warming up, the illustrations are finished, and the chapters are being proofread. This third book is th...

   Have you ever looked at a bizarre building design and wondered, What were the architects thinking?  Or have you simply felt frustrated by a building that made you unco...

Have you ever looked at a bizarre building design and wondered, What were the architects thinking? Or have you simply felt frustrated by a building that made you uncomfortable, or felt anger when a be...

   Developing for the Web can be a difficult yet rewarding job. Given the number of browsers across the number of platforms, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. But if we ...

Developing for the Web can be a difficult yet rewarding job. Given the number of browsers across the number of platforms, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. But if we start coding with a little f...

   We’re well into 2012, and many designers and developers around the world are planning their travels for the year, which may include attending one of the many Web desi...

   Are you fascinated by dynamic data? Do you go green with envy when you see tweets pulled magically into websites? Trust me, Ive been there.The goal of todays tutorial is to...

   This special is the first in our series of Smashing Specials extended articles and studies dedicated to a specific topic. The special features current WordPress theme tren...

Are you fascinated by dynamic data? Do you go green with envy when you see tweets pulled magically into websites? Trust me, Ive been there.The goal of todays tutorial is to create a simple Web app for...

Before the very first page of a book has been read, you’ve already analyzed it in countless ways without even noticing. The paper stock, the thickness of the binding, the aroma, the color of the...

   Before the very first page of a book has been read, you’ve already analyzed it in countless ways without even noticing. The paper stock, the thickness of the binding,...

This special is the first in our series of Smashing Specials extended articles and studies dedicated to a specific topic. The special features current WordPress theme trends for 2012, covering past t...

   When conducting user research, we all know that asking the right questions is just as important as how you ask them, but how do you know exactly what questions to ask? What...

When conducting user research, we all know that asking the right questions is just as important as how you ask them, but how do you know exactly what questions to ask? What if the discussion topic is ...

   Custom post types add a level of flexibility to WordPress that makes this open-source Web development platform more useful on many levels. Whenever I have been faced with a...

Custom post types add a level of flexibility to WordPress that makes this open-source Web development platform more useful on many levels. Whenever I have been faced with a Web-based task, especially ...

Every now and then, we release useful freebies for all of our highly valued readers. Today, it is our pleasure to present to you Cuberto’s fantastic St. Valentine’s icon set exclusively de...

   Every now and then, we release useful freebies for all of our highly valued readers. Today, it is our pleasure to present to you Cuberto‘s fantastic St. ValentineR...

Like most well-designed things, the magic of an iPad app comes from a union of usefulness, usability and meaning. Games aside, the app must be useful by solving a problem that people actually have thr...

We always try our best to challenge your artistic abilities and produce some interesting, beautiful and creative artwork. And as designers we usually turn to different sources of inspiration. As a mat...

   Like most well-designed things, the magic of an iPad app comes from a union of usefulness, usability and meaning. Games aside, the app must be useful by solving a problem t...

   We always try our best to challenge your artistic abilities and produce some interesting, beautiful and creative artwork. And as designers we usually turn to different sour...

   Like most well-designed things, the magic of an iPad app comes from a union of usefulness, usability and meaning. Games aside, the app must be useful by solving a problem t...