What is a Blog?

Many novices blogs are wondering. What is a Blog?

Definition of the blog:

First must check, here are a few definitions from other much wiser people to get us started:

Source

1. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/whatMakesAWeblogAWeblog
2. http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/blog/
3. http://www.computersprintersrepairshouston.com/glossary_of_terms.html
4. http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
6. http://www.wbupdates.com/2012/04/what-is-blog.html 

The blog , called by a contraction of Web Log (web diary in English), is a personal website in which one or more authors publish over time of the items (posts also call or tickets), organized into categories and displayed in the order reverse chronological . Blog visitors can then comment on the content of articles.

The blog is essentially personal : unlike forums, where each user is on an equal footing in relation to the publication of content, the blog allows a user (the author, also called blogger or blogger) to present their ideas to the world. Sometimes, however, several authors come together to publish articles around a theme even in a common blog.

The interface of blogs

Around the concept of blog have been created or been ratachées many features to facilitate usability and user interaction, in addition to traditional features available in web pages.

The categories are generic themes in which the author frequently publishes articles. You can view all items in a given category.

The pages provide functionality to the blog closer to a website: unlike articles, they are not displayed in reverse chronological order but apart from the rest of the articles. The pages are typically used to publish static information (contact the author for example) as opposed to items with respect to time and date of publication is more pronounced.

The BlogRoll is a list of links, usually located in the menu bar of the blog, and is pointing to sites of other bloggers, to be popular reference sites of the author.

The backlinks or trackbacks are a system that allows a blog to notify another that a reference was made ​​to one of his articles in the blog. When this system is supported by the platform, it allows a reader to see the reviews from other bloggers on the same subject as initially discussed by the first author.

Blogs are a massive use of son or feeds RSS , which can generate a résumédu content to be published in aggregate energy an RSS aggregator.

Want to try? Create your blog now!

Free set of icons from the iconcubic

Who does not love free icons? Probably the only one who has nothing to do with web design (or design at all). hardly belong among the indifferent, so you may well be useful sets of icons from the iconcubic . Company website iconcubic modest, at least the information, but there is one interesting detail - sets of free icons.

In total there are 8 files that you can use for your desktop or personal projects. For commercial application developers are asked to put their knowledge. Complete sets of icons is very specific, but may come in handy. For example, like these cute "cubes" (it is a pity that they are not enough). In 



addition, the extended set of icons for Mac:
Or this one set that can be used on sites / blogs related to photography, or photoblog (there you will find 6 icons):

There are more radical "stories." How do you, for example, one hell of a set? - "SovMAS", "model of the globe of the USSR" and "brutal folder." The set is called soviet, contains as many as 36 different icons.




Or developing the theme "vinyl aytyunse", "call to defend a city from Lenin" and "terrible weapons director ready to bring down the full force of military equipment":





Designers clearly nostalgic, this set is a kind of patch to the previous one, contains only 4 icons. These two latter sets can hardly be widely used, but if you're looking for something like that, they will be a godsend!

Also, there are icons of the exotics on national grounds (the developers seem to Asians):

The site iconcubic you will find a few more sets. Presented in a post offer complete downloaded here ( mirror). For some thematic sets of icons, it is possible to download them in various formats (Mac, PNG, Win), for others - can be accessed by only one of the options. By the way, except the free sets, are present in the project and pay packages of icons (surprisingly very simple and unpretentious.) It is also possible to order to develop a totally unique package. The total number of sets represented by icons not so great, but they are interesting and original, must see.

Extraordinary work in the style of 4D

No matter how much we age, somewhere deep inside us lives the child who once painted animals, inventing friends and wanted to receive a free game console, which is a thousand times pictured in my mind. Become adults, we forget how much we needed a little inspiration.After all, a desirable thing could produce a whole album of drawings. If you connect a child that the ease and skill to an adult, you can easily come up with unusual 4D works that have a very simple idea, but rather complex implementation.

This article contains 20 amazing work done in the style of 4D.

I. King Kong





II. Mad dog



III. Crazy Chef



IV. thirst for adventure



V. Bank Cola



VI. warrior with a sword



VII. "I'm not the bad guy"



VIII. And now it's a self-portrait



IX. Fully painted



X. Images that come to life



XI. Draw Sam

F

XII. draw hands



XIII. Do not stop me



XIV. Attack of the artist



XV. Draw a dream



XVI. Sketch of a dancer



XVII. Star Gate revived



XVIII. And it happens



XIX. Neville Longbottom



XX. gift of John Dalton




ENJOY

The causes of risks in placing paid links

Friends, I'm glad everyone who looked at my blog, " what is a blog | web updates! " Subject today is more to understanding some of the processes on the Internet (it can practice not to read). In the article, I briefly mentioned that there are risks to our site when we get revenue that way. In this paper we analyze the causes of risks in placing paid links on our resources.

The purpose of the search engines

Search engines tend to make place for the first position in the SERP quality sites that are:

• exactly fit the theme;
• useful, and users like.

What happens in this case?

If the user will find a quality site by Google or Yandex, it:

• hold at this site for longer time and possibly clicks on contextual advertising;
• will again refer to this same search engine when searching for new information.

What does it do?

The leading search engines Google and Yandex earn on contextual advertising. For them, the benefit to the user:

• while on the site, clicked on contextual advertising;
• returned again to the same search engine when searching for new information.

What will happen otherwise?

If in the TOP of search results of poor quality site, then the user:

• it quickly closes and clicks on contextual advertising;
• may refuse to service the search engine through which he had found this site.

How will this affect search engines?

In this case, profits will fall one search engine, which was found by low-quality site.

For this reason, search engines are struggling with poor quality blogs and sites that do not satisfy the users and try to artificially rise in the SERP.

What is meant by "artificial way"

Search engines Google and Yandex came up with different algorithms - based on what criteria to display sites in the first position in the SERP.

However, there are people (referred to as SEO-shnik), which became Google's algorithms to recognize and Yandex and adjust them for their sites. That is, they are technically create mechanisms that respond to the search engines. But it does not improve the quality of the information on their websites.

As a result, in the top of search results (ie the first page in search engines) began to leave the sites that do not meet the requirements of users.

For example, one of the criteria of usefulness of the site - a reference weight. That is, when a blogger or website owner of any interesting finds a useful site (or an article on another site) that he likes, he recommends this site (or article) on the resource. That is, makes from its website a link to his favorite site (or article). The more such links from different sites on the same site, the better and it is considered useful.

What did the SEO-shnik? They started selling links for the money. As a result, reference weight began to increase not only in quality but also in low-quality resources.

What is the result?

In the search results began to rise substandard sites (ie, they began to fall on the first positions in search engines.)

Surely, you noticed that. Enter keywords to search. In the first position out sites. You go to them.But there is nothing concrete on the topic that interests you or you are not interested.

Members began to behave as unprofitable to search engines:

• rapidly away from such sites without clicking on contextual advertising;
• search for information on other search engines (Google and if Yandex they could not find any suitable site on the first page in the SERP).

Accordingly, the revenues from the search engines have this fall.

All that I describe in the context of the total mass.

Conclusion

To summarize the above. Why do search engines want to raise in the search results most relevant to the best sites? To allow users spent longer on the site, clicked on contextual advertising, and were generally satisfied and went back to the same search engine. Then the income of the search engine on the content will grow.

For these reasons, search engines are trying to identify which sites are trying to artificially rise in search results, and to punish such sites.

So, my friends, we have examined the causes of risks in placing paid links - why search engines can be punished for this site.

How to inspire a designer

For many designers the winter - the time of gloom, a lousy mood, and the absence of any sign of inspiration, especially with such a wet and snow-free weather, as this year. I hear more and more from fellow designers and friends that the arms are lowered and there is simply no power to do - and I notice this on their own misfortune. However, above the nose, if we do not replenish the web creativity and beauty, it also begins to turn sour and grim. Today prepared for you a short article on how to overcome depression and to inspire a designer.

Try your hand at something new

Sometimes we notice that constantly revolves around the same workflow. Many have a standard set of programs used, and in them - the standard moves, techniques and technology. Why not enter for a variety of something new in your next project? New tools, software, plug-ins extend the time, take the next time something fresh. Having dealt with the new tool, you will not only raise their technical level, but also a moral step to step forward, and your project will be different from the others, you have made.Plus you get the experience for future work.



Attend a Conference

Conference - a great way to keep the creative spark alive. At any conference there is at least one colleague, designer, or a lecturer, who will open up new horizons for design. Looking at things from a new angle, you will definitely want to try anything to change, to bring, to add to your business process design. I bet you'll lope back to the desktop, eager to try out the new.

Again, what is important, not only speakers and organizers of the conference, because such activities - a great opportunity to establish new contacts, discuss with colleagues your ideas and plans for the future.



Read the blog design

Almost all designers follow the work of colleagues around the world. That's good, because otherwise it is impossible to stay in the stream of current trends and styles. In addition, many of the ideas presented by someone in the same light, you can touch up on a completely unexpected solutions, such as external and not related. Leafing through the galleries and blogs, you can enrich your instruments with new techniques and methods to learn the news and just enjoy the beautiful design - good emotions are always helpful!



Place the target

You do not need to prove that the sense of the work performed and the result - the best incentive for any of us. However, looming in the distant haze to meet target deadline is not always quite accessible to feel comfortable today. Set in front of the intermediate, easily achievable goals, or risk a completely demoralize the race for the "plan-up." So, initially set small, realistic goals, and as the performance of building up speed, passing to the more ambitious goals.



Photograph

For you as a designer means a lot of visual images. Not a bad solution - create a personal library of references, which you can view at any time. Shoot all you like - because you never tell me when and where the image can be useful. Keep an eye only for the fact that the photographs were of good quality, because so hurt when you have the picture you want, suitable in all respects - except quality. Many skills are required for that, today's digital cameras allow you to make decent pictures in the Photo absolute layman. And when the time comes full of creative exhaustion, you can always open a folder with pretty pictures, which will please the eye and add inspiration.



Look for the external and internal stimuli

We were all around creative, created as man and nature. Look for anything better than walking by, and often you will start to spark ideas and immediately understand how to solve a particular task before you.Will you go to a clearly creative place like a museum, or simply stroll the park or forest, you will find everywhere is something that can affect your feelings.

Most helpful is simply to break away from the computer and go live in the world in search of stimulus and inspiration. Take something that does not require special brain activity, and you can concentrate on your creative tasks. For example, many of the usual run helps to disperse stagnant creativity through his veins.



Engage in creative hobbies

Many designers say that the work is their hobby, however, proved that the secondary creative hobby very well affect the overall level of inspiration and finding creative solutions. Hobbies - is that no pressure on you, then no one makes and adjusts, you can simply take the soul. This can be anything - playing the guitar or other instrument, or work on a novel series of paintings, handicrafts, or even breeding colors. While you will be able to find new ways to express their creative nature, you will not feel tired from daily work.



Find a common language with the client

One of the biggest killers of inspiration and motivation - client testimonials. You gave it to us for the full, twisted soul, did everything that the client only wanted to - but from the still dissatisfied. This is one of the most difficult challenges facing the graphic designer: keep your nose higher, despite all these reviews. In order to cope with it, you will certainly possible to find common ground with the client at all controversial issues of the project. There are no situations with the only option, and you can always find a solution that will satisfy both - and the client's needs and your vision. You are not required each time to redo the root, often need only small changes, so that your client was happy.



These tips - just an example of the possible ways to stimulate their creative spirits, set out in Articles artfans . All people are different, and the universal recipe here you can imagine, all recommendations must adapt, and choosing what will work for you. In any case, we wish you a creative mood, good ideas and wonderful projects.

Metallic Text in Photoshop

tutorial, we'll do the original metal sign. The lesson is more suitable for beginners. You will learn how to add text to create a variety of styles and highlight using simple techniques.

The final result:



Step 1: Preparation of the document in Photoshop

Create a new document in Photoshop (Ctrl + N). The size of our document 600 * 400 px, but you can make it longer if you need it.

Step 2: Select the font

For labels, we will use a free font Lobster 130pt size and color # 214555;



Step 3: Add a layer style

Now let's add some style to our text layer, for this, go to Layers -> Layer Style ( Layer-> Layer Styles ) and set the following parameters:

The outer-shadow (Drop Shadow) :



-Inner Shadow (Inner Shadow) :



Note: the larger the size of the text, the higher the value is set for the parameters of the outer and inner shadow.

- Pattern Overlay . Save this picture:



Open it in Photoshop / select Edit-> Define Pattern (Edit-> Define Pattern) and name it somehow . (Or you can download the pattern here and install it in Photoshop). Double click the layer to open the Styles.

Now add this text fill, using the following settings:



-Contour ( Stroke ):



If you set all the parameters styles correctly, you must have the following result:



If your text is different from what you see here, check all settings.

Step 4: Create a background

We add our background a few settings to give it depth. Go to Layers - Layer Style (Layer-Layer Styles), or simply double click on the layer and add the following parameters:

-Inner Shadow (Inner Shadow) :



-Blend (Gradient Overlay) :



For the gradient, use the following colors:

1. # 667c85 (light blue)
2. # 475e68 (dark blue)

The result:



Step 5: Add highlight text

Press the «Ctrl» and click on the text layer thumbnail in the Layers palette to create a selection of text.

Create a new layer above the rest. Using the tool gradient (gradient) from white to transparent, drag it down.

Select the oval selection (Elliptical Marquee Tool) and create the same oval as shown below:

Go to Select - Inverse ( Select -> Inverse ), to invert your selection and click "delete", to remove unnecessary parts of the gradient. This should leave you highlight only the upper part of the text.

To make the highlight more natural, change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay (Overlay).

We should get this result:



The lesson was created based on loreleiwebdesign

Examples of high-quality typography posters

Typography is the decoration of the font. We present our collection of typographic works, collected from various sources. Here you can see how text can convey not only information, but even to have its own character and emotions. All work performed in different styles and carry a lot of inspiration.