dazzyweb Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I just stumbled upon Gravit, an open source design tool. it is still in Beta but I think it has potential. gravit.io/ 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwired Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Or if you can afford it: adobe indesign Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyweb Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 pwired. Since Adobe dumped Fireworks and started the Creative Cloud(please lock me in) I am trying my best to break away from the chains of Adobe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwired Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Since Adobe dumped Fireworks and started the Creative Cloud (please lock me in) Yes, that´s true. But we can still keep a copy of Fireworks and keep on working with it. Even when it is no longer updated. What I hated is that adobe flash got dumped. I blame Apple for it because they never liked it that coders could make independent (outside the app store) applications in the browser. Flash action script 3.0 was very powerful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyweb Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Yes we can still keep a copy of fireworks for the very reason that the Creative cloud was not around before. What would happen today if Adobe discontinued one of their products? Would I need to keep paying a subscription to keep using a non updated software if they even kept it in the creative Cloud? Or they could just remove it from the Creative Cloud totally with no possibility to use it again. I think at the very least Adobe should have open sourced Fireworks to let others carry on developing it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formulate Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I'm a dinosaur. I use Photoshop for all my prototyping and design (although this is becoming more of a problem now that everything is responsive). For HTML/CSS, I hate things like SASS, Bootstrap, grids, frameworks, etc. I like being as close to the raw code as possible and having full control over everything I do. I find things like SASS just get in the way and it's just more stuff I have to learn. I'd rather just learn and know actual HTML & CSS to the highest level possible. I realize I could probably save time and make my life easier if I picked up a framework, but... ugh, I'm just not in that headspace. However, I do love jQuery and leverage that. Also, on the back-end of things I obviously don't do things from scratch and use CMS/CMF's like PW, ModX, etc. My typical workflow: 1. Client Engagement / Project Initiation stuff 2. Client fills out Creative Brief, we skype and discuss the brief 3. I create a 100% fully realized design for the home page, standard content page and any special pages. 4. I present the above designs as background PNG's in a basic HTML page so clients can review in their browser. This way the client sees in their browser exactly what they'll see once the site is built. Of course none of the links, etc. work, being a static image. 5. Revise designs according to feedback. Once all design work is signed off on, I then proceed with production. 6. Production stuff... 7. SEO / SocialMedia / Rep Marketing stuff... 8. Revisions, final tasks, backups, etc. 9. Project wrap-up I realize steps 3, 4 and 5 are seriously flawed this day and age. Especially with responsive design. I need to alter my front-end design workflow, but I've been so consumed by this thing called ProcessWire that's taking up all my learning time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teppo Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 @formulate: I wouldn't go as far as say that it's "flawed". That's still quite common workflow and more than enough for many projects. You didn't include wireframes, though -- that's a step I personally wouldn't leave out anymore The truth is that as fun and rewarding as working on prototypes and fine-tuning the UI can be, especially for more complex sites, for most "basic websites" that's simply overkill. When you already know how the site should behave in various situations (small screens etc.) reinventing the wheel every single time is more than unnecessary -- it's a waste of time (yours) and money (client's). ... unless, of course, the client wants to have strict control over every single aspect of the site, including how it works on various devices, in which case that prototype might be a huge time-saver for both of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beluga Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Posted without reading the previous posts and didn't notice EvolveUI was mentioned.. Well, to avoid having a post with no content here's an open source mockup tool that uses local storage in your browser: http://fatiherikli.github.io/mockup-designer/ https://github.com/fatiherikli/mockup-designer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwired Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Pencil http://pencil.evolus.vn/ http://pencil.evolus.vn/Features.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyweb Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Another new design tool Affinity to take on the Adobe cloud prison. Affinity Looks really good at £27.99 ($40). 20% off introductory offer until 9th October. At the moment it is just for mac. Dam I am starting to wish I had a mac. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onjegolders Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Another new design tool Affinity to take on the Adobe cloud prison. Affinity Looks really good at £27.99 ($40). 20% off introductory offer until 9th October. At the moment it is just for mac. Dam I am starting to wish I had a mac. I must be in the minority who like the new Adobe business model. But then again I'm a huge fan of monthly payments. Netflix subscription over Mountains of scratched DVDs etc. Yes you have to fork out £50/month but for anyone using these tools in any way professionally, it's nice to know all the tools are at hand. I have to say the system works very well too, nicely integrated. For me the prospect of paying thousands for tools that became outdated quickly was more of a turn off in the past than the current plan. As to whether the Adobe apps still have an edge over the competition, that's a different question PS: Affinity looks very interesting, the site does a great job too in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Hi, Affinity Photo (Mac) is available in Beta version now. For Windows users, Serif also has more or less equivalent applications. If you create a free account and download (or not. I don't remember if it's necessary. Perhaps you just don't need to install it.) the free version (normally an older version), some time later you can go on the application page, and click on the button to upgrade to the pro version. You then have a reduced price. And some moments during the year there are special offers for the current version, and you can also have the previous version for almost nothing (email offers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzyweb Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I now use Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo. Affinity designer was recently announced as the winner of the apple designer award. https://affinity.serif.com/blog/affinity-designer-wins-prestigious-apple-design-award/ Currently they are offering a 20% discount at a very reasonable £29.99/$39.99 I purchased a few days ago as I have a mac now (A windows version is planned in the future). Check out the website https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/ and watch the video. I think the words to the background song say it all to Adobe and anyone wanting to escape the adobe prison subscription. SET ME FREE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 (edited) Quote We're completely blown away - Apple have selected Affinity Photo for iPad as their App of the Year 2017! It's the most amazing news, and to celebrate we are running a 50% off flash sale, only available until Saturday! https://t.co/0lYCi8LDDe Quote SALE NOW ON! Celebrate our amazing 2017 with at least 20% off two of the year's hottest creative apps, Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer. (Offer ends 5 January) https://goo.gl/WyabWm Edited December 19, 2017 by Christophe Edited to add new information 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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