• Website Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Recent
    • Archives
  • Shop
    • Catalog
    • Order

ASK Design Blog

Designer | Artist | Teacher

  •  
    • Blog Home
    • Web Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Art
      • Licensed Art
    • Links
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy

    New Post

    Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Willow Pond painting on easel

    Igniting a Creative Flow

    It's been a busy year and I've had very little time for my artwork. When weeks turned into months, I began to really miss that creative energy. Towards the end of August, I finally got myself outside to paint … [Read More...] about Igniting a Creative Flow

    More Posts from this Category

    Web Design

    Add to Menu items: category

    Displaying Category Pages in WordPress

    Displaying category pages is a great benefit of using categories and tags to organize your content. A category page lists all of the posts assigned to a specific … [Read More...] about Displaying Category Pages in WordPress

    More Posts from this Category

    Graphic Design

    AI appearance panel: fill options

    Text Gradients in Adobe Illustrator

    Three methods In this tutorial, I'll show you three ways to create text gradients in Adobe Illustrator. We use the same word for each method so you can easily compare the results. Gradients are a nice way to enhance the typography and add visual interest. 1. Text Gradients Using the Appearance Panel The first method was shared by a student in my Digital Design Essentials class. … [Read More...] about Text Gradients in Adobe Illustrator

    More Posts from this Category

    Art

    Red Roses 1

    Loosening Up My Painting Style

    One of my painting goals for a few years has been to loosen things up and be more expressive. I want people to understand what they're looking at, but I don't want a photo-realistic style. For me, it's about painting from the heart. Regardless, I do tend to get caught up in the … [Read More...] about Loosening Up My Painting Style

    More Posts from this Category

    Igniting a Creative Flow

    November 9, 2023 by ProfK 3 Comments

    Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Willow Pond painting on easel

    It's been a busy year and I've had very little time for my artwork. When weeks turned into months, I began to really miss that creative energy. Towards the end of August, I finally got myself outside to paint at Mount Auburn Cemetery. I went to Willow Pond and immediately felt a spark of inspiration return. My connection to the natural world ignites my creative flow! The Scene I love Willow Pond. There are lots of birds and wildlife. Reflections in the water intrigue me with their colors and … [Read more...] about Igniting a Creative Flow

    Filed Under: Art, Inspiration Tagged With: creative flow, en plein air, inspiration, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, pastel painting, Willow Pond

    Displaying Category Pages in WordPress

    October 12, 2023 by ProfK Leave a Comment

    Add to Menu items: category

    Displaying category pages is a great benefit of using categories and tags to organize your content. A category page lists all of the posts assigned to a specific category. This is a nice assist to users who are interested in a particular topic, thus improving their overall experience on the site. In addition, category pages enhance the site SEO (Search Engine Optimization). View Posts from a Single Category When logged into the WordPress site, go to Posts > All Posts to view a … [Read more...] about Displaying Category Pages in WordPress

    Filed Under: WordPress Tagged With: categories, SEO, user experience

    Benefits of Using WordPress Categories and Tags

    August 12, 2023 by ProfK 2 Comments

    WordPress Categories Page

    Categories and tags are significant organizational features for your WordPress site. Using them enhances the ability of users and search engines to find your content. Once people find your content, categories and tags help them further discover related material on your site. In this post, we'll dive deeper into their similarities and differences. Taxonomies That Add Structure Categories and tags are default WordPress taxonomies that add structure to a WordPress site. Taxonomies are … [Read more...] about Benefits of Using WordPress Categories and Tags

    Filed Under: WordPress Tagged With: organize content, SEO, taxonomies, user experience

    Create an eBook with Kindle Create

    July 12, 2023 by ProfK 9 Comments

    Kindle Create homescreen

    Kindle Create Basics I encountered a steep learning curve when creating an eBook with Kindle Create. After sorting through a lot of information and trying various methods, I developed a process that works really well. This blog post takes you through my process and, hopefully, eases some of the pain points for you. Start by bookmarking Amazon's Getting Started with Kindle Create page and use it for reference. You'll get a good overview of the requirements, features, and troubleshooting. The … [Read more...] about Create an eBook with Kindle Create

    Filed Under: Graphic Design, Software Tips Tagged With: eBook, fixed layout, Kindle Create, pdf, reflowable book

    Late Summer Painting of Zinnias

    June 12, 2023 by ProfK 4 Comments

    Emerging (2215) • pastel • © Anne S. Katzeff 2022

    The Joys of Painting in Late Summer I had a wonderful time painting zinnias late last summer, in the Asa Gray Garden at Mt. Auburn Cemetery. So many flowers were cheerfully blooming and showing off their colors. Birds were singing and chipmunks were scampering. I could hear the gentle flow of the water fountain a few feet away. I got totally immersed in my surroundings, enjoying the sounds as much as the sights. Challenges of Late Summer Painting En Plein Air There are challenges, of … [Read more...] about Late Summer Painting of Zinnias

    Filed Under: Art Tagged With: AsaGrayGarden, bugs, flowersblooming, intensityoflight, MountAuburnCemetery, paintinginlatesummer, pastelpainting, summerheat, waterfountain, zinnias

    Painting in the Shade

    May 8, 2023 by ProfK Leave a Comment

    Oakleaf hydrangea painting in progress

    Last summer, my friend, Dari, invited me to paint in her garden, which is full of attractive flowers and plants. How wonderful it is to have friends like her! On hot, sunny days, I prefer painting in the shade to stay cool. Yet, the change in light and temperature do alter one's perceptions. The primary challenge on this July afternoon was to capture the colors of Dari's beautiful hydrangea which lives in the shade. I didn't want the painting to be too dark. Work in Progress Initially, I … [Read more...] about Painting in the Shade

    Filed Under: Art Tagged With: highlights, hydrangea, paintinginshade, pastelpainting, shadows

    Learning Opportunities in Web Redesign

    April 12, 2023 by ProfK Leave a Comment

    TFord MultiDevice Website Mockup

    In this web redesign project, the client requested that I update their site with a fresh, new look and a parallax scroll effect on the home page. Parallax creates a 3D viewer experience. The use of movement gives the illusion of depth and space. As this would be my first parallax design, I relished the opportunity to learn more about it. Brainstorming Phase Brainstorming for me is a process of taking notes and drawing thumbnails while researching. For this redesign, I spent several hours … [Read more...] about Learning Opportunities in Web Redesign

    Filed Under: Web Design Tagged With: Adobe XD, Bootstrap, parallax, Pinterest, prototyping

    Favorite Books of 2022

    March 16, 2023 by ProfK 4 Comments

    Our bookshelf

    I read 43 books this past year. It was a great mixture, too. Some I loved, some I disliked. I am a member of two book clubs, which provides me with ample variety: UMass-Boston and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Then, there are the recommendations from friends and family. Keep them coming! Here are my favorite books of 2022.   Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane THE BACKDROP is two NYPD cops working together briefly as partners. They have very little in common, and aren't … [Read more...] about Favorite Books of 2022

    Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Ask Again Yes, Black is the Body, Cloud Cuckoo Land, In the Sea There are Crocodiles, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, The Book of Soul, The Flight Portfolio, The Magician's Assistant, The Music of Bees, The Night Watchman, These Precious Days, This Tender Land

    Next Page »

    Primary Sidebar

    Affiliate Disclosure

    This website contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you use these links to make a purchase.

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Looking for Something on this Site?

    Search the Web

    New Book Published!

    Kornegger book: Inside the Rainbow

    Art and design for book cover and interior

    Inside the Rainbow: Soul Connection in Nature, by Peggy Kornegger

    BUY THE BOOK!

    Peggy and I have completed our 3rd book together! This one is about soul connection in nature. Peggy is the writer, I'm the designer and artist. I think it's pretty darn special and hope you agree 🙂. Printed book and eBook are both available on Amazon.

     
    kornegger loseyourmind front cover
    Several of my paintings are in this book (including the cover)
    BUY THE BOOK!
     
    Check out my blog post about designing books: Self-Publishing Adventures

    Amazon Affiliate

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Photo, Video & Design Software

    Affiliate Partners

    We receive compensation when you purchase a service or product via the links on this blog.

    Web Hosting

    WP Engine
     
    Bluehost Website Hosting

    Testimonials

    I received the notecards on Friday and it was on my to do list today to email you my deep appreciation for them. They are amazing and I am so glad to have them to share. I am sure I will order more in the future. You are such a gifted artist and I thank you for sharing in a way others can use the art.

    — Shari Spokes

    Your new pastel "Lettuce Lake” is really beautiful. Very, very nice.

    — Tony from Belmont, MA

    My dear sweet sister. I can’t tell you how much I love your pictures. I so much wanted something and was so sorry that I couldn’t pick something out at your sale. On the other hand, I so much wanted something that you had chosen for me. Its been on my mind and suddenly, your beautiful pictures arrived. They are beyond beautiful and I cried when I saw them. Sending you love and my bestness.

    — Marti from Reno, NV

    Copyright

    © 2000-2023 Anne S. Katzeff. All rights reserved. Unless noted, all artwork and text are copyrighted by the artist. Images may not be reproduced, manipulated, or used in any way without Anne’s written permission.

    Categories

    Graphic Design

    • AIGA
    • Design Is History
    • Janice Moore
    • Mass. Contractors

    Web Design

    • A List Apart
    • Adobe Color Tools (formerly Kuler)
    • AWWWards
    • Smashing Magazine
    • underthesite
    • www schools

    Tech-Computer

    • Adobe TV
    • Orramac
    • Teknoziz

    Comments

    In an effort to reduce spam, comments are restricted. Please email Anne if you have a comment or question that you are unable to post. Thanks for understanding.


    Archives

    Typography

    • 1001fonts
    • Adobe Type
    • Adobe Web Type
    • Bitstream
    • Dafont.com
    • Emigre
    • Font converter (free)
    • Font Spring
    • Font Squirrel
    • Google Fonts
    • I Love Typography
    • identifont
    • Typeinspire
    • Typewolf
    • Typoretum

    Photography

    • Creative Commons

    Footer

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Contact

    Website
    Email

    Subscribe to RSS Feed

  •  ASK Design Blog
  • Connect and Share

  •  
  • Legal

    Privacy Policy
    Cookie Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Built on the WordPress Genesis Framework · Customization and design by ASK Design