We, designers all know designing with grid is essential. This amazing 960 Grid System is so helpful and save my time so much nowadays when I do mocking up. The 960 Grid System is an effort to streamline web development workflow by providing commonly used dimensions, based on a width of 960 pixels. So I would like to share it with you guys! If you do web layout design regularly, you can’t miss it!

Cheers!

This is probably that fastest and easiest way to viewing images across the web!

The great add-on called PicLens by Cooliris allows us search images in full-screen using Google, Yahoo, SmugMug, Flickr, Photobucket, DeviantArt, and etc. The full-screen sideshow is an amazing cinematic presentation of the results on a kind of 3D wall. You can browse the results much quicker and easier than the way you used to, and it will never be the same again. Of course, you can zoom in and out all image that you like, then it takes you the web page where the image is on. It would be better to just try it than I explain how to use it here. Believe me, it’s great!!

Pic lens currently works on:

* Flickr, Smugmug, DeviantArt, Photobucket, Picasa
* Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, Friendster
* Image search on Google, Yahoo, Ask, Live, and AOL
* A growing number of Media RSS-enabled web sites.

Many of my reader might know already about it though, finally, we, Mac user can preview brushes without loading them in Photoshop but the ABR Viewer!!

If you have lots of brushes like me, you might have wanted to view all brushes that you have at a time without slowing down your computer. The standalone software ABR viewer generates a small thumbnail preview your brushes, no matter how many, so you don’t have to go through each brush to see whether you want to use it or not.

Windows users have been able to do it with the ABR viewer for long time but it has been not available for Mac users, but finally, thanks to Robert Redwood, we can finally download Mac and Linux version from easyelements.com for free.

This is definitely grate time saver and if you have many brushes you can’t miss it!

Cheers!

Since Adobe Streamline in the early 1990’s we can auto-trace bitmap images into vector graphics with smart technologies. For example Adobe Illustrator live trace function, Coreldraw, Cocoaportrait..etc. Obviously they are not as good as doing it by hand, so ultimately hand tracing is the best way to make precise vector arts.

However excellent geeks at Stanford developed a fantastic online Flash-powerd tool designed to convert bitmaps to vectors, Vector Magic, and the quality is just amazing!

We can upload GIF, PNG, or JPG, that you want to vectorize, and all you need to do is just answer simple questions. Then, you can download auto-traced vector graphic in EPS, SVG or PNG. And, of course, it’s free to use. This is amazing isn’t it? It’s much better quality than Adobe Illustrator live trace function and I think this is the top quality so far in auto-tracing technology.

However, in order to have precise vector graphics, we still need to modify and adjust the auto-traced vector graphic by using Pen Tool and Direct Selection Tool in Illustrator, so ultimately as I mentioned, practice with the Pen Tool and the Direct Selection Tool in Illustrator is essential but the Vector Magic is definitely save your time a lot.

Cheers!

Many of my readers may have already stumbled across the great site, misprintedtype.com V3 , but for readers who don’t know about it yet, I want to introduce the site.

From Brazil, Eduardo Recife has created many of grungy and nasty but wicked fonts and lets us download them for free!! These fonts are ones you shouldn’t miss! Check this out!

Cheers!

Cheers!

Urban Dirty is a delarge project by Paul Burgess. It is a great free texture stock photography site and it allows us to download gritty and grimy images for free. You can combine these excellent textures and play around with the layer styles in Photoshop so that you can create grate textures!

Cheers!

1. SLUM SILENCE - Taking It Back (Jason Hodge’s mix) [Goodfamily Rec.]
2. TOKA PROJECT - People [Robsoul Rec.]
3. JASON HODGES - My Style [Aroma Rec.]
4. JULLY BLACK - Sweat Of Your Brow (Jason Hodges Remix) [Aroma Rec.]
5. SOUND REPUBLIC - Pimp (Hodges in the Guesthouse) [Guesthouse Music]
6. FILTHY HOTJIZZ - Jurassic Filth [LEG]
7. NATURAL RHYTHM - Go Chicago [Dotbleep Rec.]
8. D T3CH - Chicago Soul (Remix by Jason Hodges) [Neighborhood House Watch]
9. ROB BROWN & LEON LOUDER - The Throw Dpwn (Thomas White) [Muzique Boutique]
10. TROYDON - City Slummin (Johnny Fiasco) [Greenskeepers Music]
11. LADYBUG MECCA - Dogg Star (Hodges Junction Re-Rub) [OM Records]
12. DJ BANG - Wanna Love You [Peaches Music]
13. HUSTIN BLOW - Life Has Changed [Herbal Essence]
14. LOOPITY GOOFS - The Morning [Patsada Rec.]
15. MASTIK SOUL & NATHAN COLES - Twisted Chicken [Warbled Music]
16. HIPP E - Dance Wit Me [Slip ‘N’ Slide]
17. BRETT JOHNSON & DJ HEATHER - Everything Electric [Dotbleep Rec.]
18. MIKE DIXON - House Alienz [Classic Rec.]
19. GREEN VELVET feat WALTER PHILLIPS - Shake & Pop (DJ Sneak) [Relief]
20. MR. ON vs JUNGLE BROTHERS - Breath Don’t Stop (Blakkat’s Blak-Acid Vox) [Positiva]
21. INLAND KNIGHTS - Boy [Drop Music]

Cheers!

Download MP3

1. DJ SNEAK - Funky Rhythm(Fries & Bridge Remix) [Robsoul Rec.]
2. JUSTIN MARTIN & SAMMY D - Swamp Thang [Dirtybird Rec.]
3. JT DONALDSON - Vanguard Nights [Vista Rec.]
4. HAZEL - Klub Connection (Fries & Bridge vs Chris Carrier Mix) [Robsoul Rec.]
5. DJ SNEAK vs MISTA D. [Leg]
6. SANTIAGO & BUSHIDO - Ghetto Fab in 05 [Uniform Rec.]
7. NO ASSEMBLY FIRM - Acid Attack [Robsoul Rec.]
8. FRIES & BRIDGES vs RICE & BEANS - Street Fame [Minaritymusic]
9. DJ SNEAK - Salsa Elektrika [Robsoul Rec.]
10. BRYAN JONE - Jackmaster Jazz Jockey [Blackcherry Rec.]
11. JONN HAWLEY - Jump To Tha Funk (Jason Hodge’s Funk Jump Mix) [Utensil Recordings]
12. INLAND KNIGHTS - Already [Drop Music]
13. NO ASSEMBLY FIRM vs WOOLY - Warm & Wet [Peaches International Records]
14. SWEET CRONES - Vince’s Big Con (NO ASSEMBLY FIRM Remix) [Robsoul Rec.]
15. ONEIRO - Shhh! (Slide on the Wild Side) [Classic Rec.]
16. HYDROPONIC SOUND SYSTEM - What It’s Supposed to Be [Icon Rec.]

Download MP3

1. INLAND KNIGHTS - Handwriting [Drop Music]
2. PHIL WEEKS - Hypnose (Tony Hewitt Afterdark Dub) [Robsoul Rec.]
3. DEL COSTA & PEDRO GOYA - Break [Thrasher Home Recordings]
4. COLETTE - Feelin’ Hypnotized (Jason Hodges Mix) [OM Records]
5. DIGITAL MINDS - We Gotta Believe [Nightshift Recordings]
6. JONN HAWLEY - Jump To Tha Funk (Jason Hodge’s Funk Jump Mix) [Utensil Recordings]
7. FILTHY - Deep In Detroit (Filthy’s Village) [LEG]
8. PUBLIC ACCESS - In The Place [Detour Recordings]
9. INLAND KNIGHTS - Already [Drop Music]
10. CHRIS CARRIER - Acid Anonymous [Robsoul Rec.]
11. DJ HOMEWRECKER - Step Daddy [Guesthouse Music]
12. THE DOPE HEADZ - Mas Da Man [Robsoul Rec.]
13. WOOLY - Acid Dolphins(Re-Edit) [Peaches International Records]
14. CHRIS CARRIER & HECTOR MORALEZ - School Of Acid [Robsoul Rec.]
15. FILTHY - Ch-Check It Out (T.O.Check It) [LEG]

Download MP3