Design Mode: A Free Portfolio Block Theme Designed for Freelancers and Agencies

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The count for WordPress block themes has reached 137. It’s a far cry from the 500 block themes WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden-Chomphosy set as a goal for 2022, but the number is steadily climbing as theme authors find their footing and discover how quickly block themes can be created.

Brian Gardner is throwing his hat into the ring again with his latest release. Design Mode is a new block theme created for freelancers and agencies to showcase their services and work. After its release, several of Gardener’s contemporaries, fellow theme designers, remarked on how refreshing it is to see a block theme with “real world use cases,” as so many seem to be geared at bloggers.

Design Mode features Outfit, a geometric sans serif Google font, designed by Rodrigo Fuenzalida, a Venezuelan type designer based in Santiago de Chile. It is used for both headings and paragraph text throughout the theme.

The demo gives the best idea of what the theme looks like with a curated set of images, titles, captions, menus, and buttons all filled with content. Once installed and activated on a new site, the theme looks very similar to the demo but has a placeholder image instead of the photos used in the demo. This is because the photos did not have the right licensing for distribution on WordPress.org, but the way it ships has the advantage of giving users a visual blank slate for those featured sections.

Design Mode includes 10 different patterns, which are essentially all Aspects of the design deconstructed into parts. There are multiple patterns for sections with cover, heading, text, and button, a query grid with three columns, a section with text and separators, a footer, and a header with site title and navigation perfectly spaced. The theme also conveniently includes a whole page pattern that will instantly reproduce the homepage in the demo.

Design Mode is an opinionated theme. Users can adjust colors for background, text, and links, and adjust various templates via full-site editing, but it does not come with additional style variations. Personal blogs may benefit from a kaleidoscope of style variations but a well-designed portfolio theme does not usually lend itself well to wide variations in style. In this case fewer options is a good thing that should preserve the simple palette the theme packages.

This is a very fast theme by itself. Gardner reports that Design Mode scores 99 and 100 on Google page speed for mobile/desktop. Depending on what plugins and optimizations a user has active, this theme could be a good choice for performance-conscious WordPress users.

Design Mode is Gardner’s third block theme in the directory. It bears some similarities to his black and white minimalist Avant-Garde theme but has more of a friendly showcase vibe that is suitable for personal portfolios, agencies, and any kind of service business that would benefit from an elegant, structured design.

Design Mode is available for free on WordPress.org or inside WordPress via the admin themes browser.

How to Use SQL to Analyze and Visualize Data?

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The goal of every business is to perform efficiently, maximize profit and make strategically-guided decisions. In the current business world, the competition is high, and every business needs every edge and advantage they can get to improve its odds of success.

Companies that want to stay in business and thrive in the current business world need to employ data analysis. Data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively.

How to Build a PHP Login Based on a User Account

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Websites must have a user login from the client to perform basic tasks. Modern websites use this component most of the time to provide convenience for users.

I will teach you today how to create a login system using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap (for the design).

How to Bolster Your Design Ideas with These Unlikely Sources of Inspiration

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We all know how frustrating it can be to feel creatively stuck. Whether you’re trying to come up with new ideas for a project or simply looking for a fresh perspective, sometimes all it takes is some out-of-the-box thinking to find inspiration to jump start your creativity.

Today, we’ll be covering a few unlikely sources of inspiration that can help you bolster your design ideas. These don’t include the super obvious choices like Awwwards or Best Website Gallery. Instead, these inspiring sources delve into less top-of-mind places and offer creative fuel in less conventional ways.

Enjoy!

Children’s Books

children's books as inspiration

Believe it or not, children’s books can be a great source of inspiration for designers. The vibrant colors and playful illustrations in these books can help spark new ideas and help you see things from a different perspective.

Take a Walk in Nature

There’s no denying that nature is one of the most beautiful things in the world. So why not use it as inspiration for your next design project? From the patterns of leaves to the colors of a sunset, there are endless possibilities when it comes to finding inspiration in nature.

Taking a walk in nature can also help clear your mind and give you some much-needed time to think about your project.

Music

Music may be a wonderful method to stimulate your creative thinking. Music may assist you access your creative side and produce some fantastic design ideas, whether you’re listening to your favorite album or looking at new artists.

Go to an Art Gallery or Museum

art gallery or museum - inspiration

Viewing art can also be a great way to get inspired. Whether you’re visiting a museum or simply looking at paintings online, observing other artists’ work can help you see things in a new light and come up with some fresh ideas for your own projects.

Go to an Antique Store or Vintage Shop

If you’re looking for some unique inspiration, take a trip to an antique store or vintage shop. Surrounded by old items, you may find yourself seeing things in a new way and coming up with some original ideas for your project. You could even browse vintage designs on Etsy to get some inspiration.

Look Through Fashion Magazines

Fashion magazines are another great source of inspiration, especially if you’re working on a design project that involves clothing or accessories. From the latest trends to classic looks, you’ll be sure to find plenty of inspiration in these magazines.

At the very least, you can find some really interesting color palette inspiration in fashion magazines.

Talk to a Friend

Sometimes doing something completely different than the work on hand can clear your mind enough to leave room for fresh inspiration. So go ahead and take a break from your project to chat with a friend. You never know, they may just have the perfect idea for your next great design.

People Watch at Your Local Coffee Shop

coffee shop inspiration

Another great way to get inspired is to watch people at your local coffee shop. You never know who or what you’ll see, and you might just come up with some creative ideas for your project by observing the people around you.

Take a Trip

If you’re really feeling stuck, sometimes the best thing to do is take a trip. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go somewhere far away; even taking a day trip to a nearby town can help you clear your mind and come up with some new ideas.

Get Some Sleep

If you’re feeling creatively drained, it might be time to get some sleep. Sometimes all you need is a good night’s rest to recharge your batteries and come up with some great new ideas.

Design Inspiration Can Be Found Almost Anywhere

Whether you’re looking for a fresh perspective or simply trying to get out of a design rut, these ten sources of inspiration can help you bolster your ideas and come up with some truly original designs. So don’t be afraid to explore new places and try new things; you never know where you’ll find your next great idea.