Adult coloring is all the rage right now. If you haven't tested out this fad for yourself, we've got the perfect way for you to give it a try -- for this weeks freebie, we tried our hand at making our own coloring page. We went with a fun floral pattern, but we're considering a geometric coloring page next -- what do you think?
Another Friday, another link roundup! Here's a few things that came in handy at Hue & Tone this week:
One | Looking for a last minute Valentine's Day card? Use these four free printables to design your own! The ombre XOXO print is our personal favorite.
Two | Typewolf is one of the best sources for everything typography + fonts. With carefully curated lists and resources, you’ll find everything from unique ‘top 10’ lists to font profiles (complete with mixing & match suggestions).
Three | Last week, we went in depth on our love of textures. If you’re looking for some textures to play around with in your designs check out this free sample pack.
Four | No matter what your goals, these eight inspirational TED Talks are a must watch.
Five | This week's mood board was one of our favorites! We've been reminding ourselves all week that there's no single answer to a design problem.
We'll be back Tuesday with a fun, interactive freebie!
“Its not easy taking your own advice, accepting what you don't like hearing, & seeing the grey amongst the black & white.”
― April Mae Monterrosa
During an especially busy week, it's important to remember that everything isn't black and white. This mood board is inspired by the idea that when it comes to a design problem there's no right or wrong answer -- only different potential solutions.
For a twist on our usual Friday Links we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Greensboro things! We’ve been in Greensboro a little over a year, and while we still have a mile long list of things to try out, we definitely have some favorites -- here’s a quick list of everything we’ve been loving!
Favorite Spot: Our office at Revolution Mill!
Haven’t seen our space yet? Drop in and see us! You’ll get why we love hanging out in our office.
Favorite Restaurant: Boba House
We recommend the springs rolls and Hawaiian stir fry, but everything we’ve sampled at this healthy and compassionate eatery has been vegan heaven.
Favorite Brewery: Red Oak
We might be a little bias because they’re a client, but you can’t beat the clean, unfiltered taste of a Red Oak beer!
Favorite Coffee: Green Bean
A GSO staple, the Green Bean regularly makes lists “best coffee shops” and “must go to” lists. We love them for their amazing baked goods, vegan cream cheese, and close proximity to the office!
Favorite Local Non-profit: CSDHH
There’s so many great local non-profits to pick from, but after working with CSDHH, we were blown away by their commitment to empower and inspire change for the deaf community.
What did we miss? Where do we need to try? Leave us a comment and let us know!
( Love Greensboro? Drop us a line and we’ll send you some I <3 GSO stickers! )
On your computer screen or in real life, there’s no better place to find inspiration than in natural texture -- there’s an abundance of hues, patterns, and finishes to draw from for inspiration. Whether you’re looking to spark an idea, or looking to make your work pop, textures are the way to go. With the right license you can can even incorporate them into your work!
Not convinced? Here are just a few of the reasons we love textures:
1 - Unique color inspiration. Nobody knows how to blend colors better than Mother Nature does. Next time you’re feeling stuck look to landscapes for creative new color palettes!
2 - Unusual shapes. Textiles are one of our favorite sources for out of the ordinary shapes. Next time you’re out shopping for your home snap a few close-up pictures of different fabrics, throw pillows or hammered metals.
3 - Texture is everywhere. Look around -- from floor to ceiling, you’re surrounded by different textures. Get up and take a walk around your building… or just take a closer look at your corkboard or cracked leather chair.
A sampling of all the textures a few feet from our office!
4 - Bold shapes. Things like fabric swatches are perfect when you need a little logo inspiration! The variation you’ll find is unparalleled -- and textures are easy to play around with, so don’t hesitate to be a little daring!
5 - Simple details. Subtle textures are great if you just need to add little depth to a print ad or graphic. The understated variation in a swatch of linen or a close-up of cork might be all you need to take a Facebook graphic from blah to engaging!
6 - It’s trendy. Texture can help you achieve a trendy, vintage look. While every designer needs to use their own discretion about getting on the vintage bandwagon, if you’re looking to elevate a flat vector to a hipster masterpiece, a little worn concrete overlay might be all you need!
7 - Pattern inspiration. Texture’s manmade cousin, vector patterns are great for everything from branding to print collateral to websites. Use nature’s organic patterns to inspire your sketches or draw inspiration from the patterns you see in a print!
Next time you’re feeling stuck, turn to textures. Consider asking your client what kind of materials they use in their daily work and let it to inspire your design. You never know what you’ll end up with -- once, we created a logo based on a brain scan!
Looking for some inspiration? Check out our “Patterns” board on Pinterest.
No reason to delay, here's our Friday links!
One | It’s easy to fall into a rut and start using the same colors -- so when you need a little inspiration check out these 50 creative color schemes.
Two | Glitter has been trending for months -- if you want to get in on the trend without going through the trouble of photoshopping your own glitter, these free textures are perfect for you.
Three | We’re big fans of Evernote and use it to organize all of our meeting notes, screenshots of inspiration pieces, and even emails. If you’re looking to become a paperless operation, or just want to keep your desk tidy, check out how another Evernote power user maximizes the app to stay organized.
Four | Automated emails are a great and easy way to communicate consistently with your customers and clients. Get started with MailChimp or see if the email marketing service you already use has an automation option!
Five | This one isn't actually a link, but we couldn't wait to show off our new business cards + postcards + stickers! We used Moo for the printing and are obsessed with their Printfinity option!
Want us to send you some of our new stickers? Shoot us your mailing address and we'd be happy to send you a handful!
The snow has had us dreaming of spring -- and it's definitely showing up in our work! It can be a hard realization that some days you just need to slow down and take some time to regroup. Over the last few snow days (and sick days) we've been working to strike a balance between being persistent and but also being flexible!
For those of you who also need a reminder to be both fierce + flexible, we've designed this free wallpaper! Just click for full resolution downloads!
We hope everybody has a great week! Have a saying you want to see on our Freebie wallpaper? Share it in the comments!
When we were approached by Tawney Weir, the creative force behind Little Toro Designs, we were immediately inspired by her southwestern flair. This owner + maker + designer was looking for a place to not only showcase her product, but also Little Toro's modern desert aesthetic.
As a business owner, there's nothing better than working with someone who is equally passionate about their craft. After our first short conversation, it was clear that Tawney's work was both inspired and sustained by the unique blend of cultures around her.
Click the image to see the site live!
Who Little Toro Is: Metalsmith jewelry handcrafted in Tucson, AZ. Inspired by the nature and culture of the southwestern desert.
What They Needed: A clean + modern website that embodies Little Toro's desert chic style without distracting from the product.
What We Delivered: A customized Squarespace site with e-commerce capabilities. By highlighting Little Toro's beautiful editorial photography (by Puspa Lohmeyer Photography) we were able to not only keep the product front and center, but also capture the essence of the brand.
The takeaway? When inspired editorial photography meets clean web design, e-commerce magic happens.
If you feel like your website could use a refresh, get in touch -- we'd love to do a free assessment of your current website!
We’re tempted to say it’s been a busy week around the office… but aren’t they all busy? Without further adieu, here's our round-up of Friday links.
One | We love our office and wouldn’t want to have our business anywhere else… but full disclosure, we’re drooling over these shots of Code and Theory’s new office. Maybe it has something to do with our Andy Warhol obsession?
Two | This list of 10 ways to brainstorm new ideas comes in handy -- when you do creative work all day you’re bound to run out of steam every now and then. Our go-to method when we need to brainstorm is to take nothing but a blank legal pad (no phone) to our favorite coffee shop, set a timer for 30 minutes and see what we can come up with!
Three | Death to the Stock Photo is one of the first sources people mention for cheap + not-tacky + actually useful stock photos. We see it mentioned constantly, and have even highlighted it a couples of times ourself -- but Death to Stock has come in handy so many times this week that we want to give them another shout out.
Four | While doing research for the latest e-Book cover project, we ran across this custom Book Illustration Competition -- and now we’re stoked to see the submissions/winners.
Inspired by the chill in the air, these winter color schemes are light, celestial and a little ethereal. Check out the hex coordinates below to use these colors in your own graphics, branding, or website.
Which of these color schemes is your personal favorite?
Color Breakdowns:
Image One: #6D6CA7 | #A5789C | #D2BAC0 | #E5E2EB | #F6DAC6
Image Two: #828189 | #B2B5C4 | #FBF1E8 | #D8CDD1 | #A28E8D
Image Three: #535D69 | #87A4B1 | #C4D1DA | #E5E2EB | #D2BAC0
We hope everyone’s had a productive week back at work after the holidays. Here’s a few links that caught our eye this week:
One | Good, free fonts can be hard to find. This list of 60 free minimalist fonts highlights a handful of unique + clean + modern finds -- ones that you won’t see on more basic free font lists.
Two | A lot of my clients are new to the design world -- and while I always take the time to walk them through some of the basics, a handful have asked for reading they can do on their own. This guide will help familiarize you with some basic typography terms. It’s the perfect primer for people having trouble communicating with their designer!
Three | For the past few weeks my social media feeds have been overrun with predictions for what 2016 will bring. Out of everything I’ve read, this collection of design trend predictions is one of my favorites.
Four | We’re working on a few new freebie wallpapers -- in the meantime spruce up your tech with this list of best desktop wallpaper sites.
Five | I’ve recently developed an obsession with adult coloring books -- they’re perfect when you need a quick break from work. Michael’s has a wide selection, and carries a few coloring books that feature less intricate patterns (perfect for beginners)!
After almost a month offline, we're back -- and our site is better than ever. We've added a few fresh graphics, updated our portfolio, and created a more informative homepage.
Best of all, we have a bright new set of quote templates to share with you. Optimized for social media, this set of three templates features pop art inspired colors. The high contrast between the colorful accents and dark grey background makes for a can't miss graphic that will stand out on any social media feed.
While we're always a fan of clean and simple, we have a soft spot for this playful diamond pattern (perfect for fashion bloggers)!
Download the Adobe Illustrator file here to start customizing!
Have a request for a freebie? Tell us in the comments section!
As we head into the holidays, we'll be blocking out some time in our schedule to work on Hue & Tone as a business.
That means the website will be down temporarily as we work on some improvements -- which also means we'll be taking a short break from the blog!
The site will come down on Friday, December 11. If you need us while it's down, don't hesitate to reach out via phone or email:
hannah@hueandtonecreative.com
336-365-8559
Don't forget to grab your holiday resources before the site goes down! We're wishing you all the very best holiday season, and can't wait to be back for a new year on the blog.
Happy holidays from Hue & Tone Creative!
The season is in full swing, so we wanted to offer a few fun freebies as a way to say thank you for supporting Hue & Tone this year.
First, here's a wallpaper to help you get in the spirit. Just click on the image below to download a high-res version.
And, if you're looking for something to post from your social media accounts, here's a graphic that will work for brands/businesses/organizations or personal accounts. We'd love to see what you'd do with it -- tag us on Facebook or on Twitter/Instagram at @hueandtone.
It's been an incredible year and, again, we're so grateful for the support and friendship Hue & Tone has received from the Greensboro community and beyond. Wishing a wonderful holiday season to each person reading!
It's Friday once again! Here's our weekly roundup of links on a few of my favorite things: design, creativity, and entrepreneurship...plus anything else that strikes my fancy!
One | Love this rundown from Fast Company on six myths about creativity. I love number five (click on over to see what it is).
Two | Good design is really about solving problems. Here's how to solve them like a designer.
Three | Maybe it's a little meta to mention this on the blog, but I love this guide to blog post ideas. It's not a list of pre-formed ideas (those are helpful, but everywhere) -- it's a framework for developing your own.
Four | Another on the service-y/helpful side of things: how to change your domain name without losing SEO.
Five | Can we talk about this gorgeous lettering?! Love.
Roundup of this week's blog posts:
In North Carolina, December is kind of a transitional time.
It's not that it's still fall...but there are some leaves still on the trees, and the bite in the air is just starting to get intense.
Here's a mood board inspired by that move from the browns and taupes of fall to the cooler colors of winter.
Working for yourself is not the same as working by yourself -- it takes a ton of meaningful connections with smart, creative people to make it happen. I'm all about in-person connections, but blogging provides a powerful way to learn from people all over who are walking a road similar to yours.
With that in mind, today I wanted to share a few of my favorite design blogs! check these out if you're looking for new bloggers to follow. And, while you're at it, let's be blog friends. Follow Hue & Tone on Bloglovin'.
The ladies of Braid Creative -- who obviously nailed the search for a fabulous name -- share smart, easily applicable tips on branding, entrepreneurship, and all things creative.
Favorite Post: When Everyone is Doing the Same Thing
2. Paper & Oats
Kelsey of Paper & Oats puts a bold, personal spin on posts about productivity and entrepreneurship, and is unapologetic about finding and sticking to her own creative niche.
Favorite Post: Why I'm Scrapping All My Design Services
3. Elembee
When it comes to blogs about nitty-gritty topics like branding and design, there's fun and then there's comprehensive. Elembee is both. It's jam-packed with ideas but never a chore to read -- and the weekly emails are great, too!
Favorite Post: It Will Never Be Good Enough. Do it Anyway.
In addition to a clean, colorful blog design that makes my day every time I see it, Love Plus Color is a great stop for unique, easy-to-consume posts on all things visual.
Favorite Post: The Mood Board Monday series
What are your favorite blogs? Bonus points if they focus on design, branding, or entrepreneurship.
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Here's our weekly roundup of links we're loving.
One | A good thing to work on if you've got holiday downtime: tips on making a media kit that'll impress your clients.
Two | Why everyone needs a passion project, even if you've got a 9 to 5.
Three | Something encouraging and sparking with a little creative magic: Amanda Palmer on working in the arts. "When you're an artist, nobody ever tells you or hits you with the magic wand of legitimacy. You have to hit your own head with your own handmade wand."
Four | What makes a good designer -- the illustrated version.
Five | This could be a fun project (also useful if holiday downtime exists in your world) -- how to digitize hand lettering.
Have a great weekend. I'll see you all soon on the blog.
Since it's a holiday week, we'll be around a little less here on the blog...but I did want to share these Thanksgiving-themed color palettes with you. You really can do Thanksgiving without relying on a ton of oranges and browns. These palettes build in hints of turquoise, cranberry, and peach so they still look like the holiday, without blending in with every other Thanksgiving graphic out there.
Color Breakdowns:
Image One: #b95825 | #0a5946 | #2b8472 | #d1c863 | #745b47
Image Two: #5d1e4d | #960844 | #d8be8d | #be8335 | #b95825
Image Three: #d1a29c | #324e59 | #ded8c8 | #cc8664 | #644737
It's Friday and you know what that means...time for some links on design, creativity, & other things we love here at Hue & Tone! Without further adieu...
One | If I only had thirty seconds to offer you a piece of essential career advice, it'd be this: don't use a Microsoft Word template for your resume. Here are some good tips as you move beyond that.
Two | Travel is not a huge part of my life these days, but I'd like to incorporate more of it eventually. I'm reading through these tips on how to prepare your business for extended travel.
Three | Why you should cultivate creativity in your business: "No matter how good somebody is or how brilliant they are, they're going to be wrong sometimes."
Four | I love these thoughts on the difference between graphic design & other kinds of design: "Graphic design is about communication, and there's something about communication that is fundamentally social or even civic in its nature."
Five | We'll close with something a little more practical: these subtle brushes.
Recap of this week's blog posts:
Current read:
Design is a Job by Mike Monteiro
That's all for this week! Have a great weekend -- see you Tuesday!