Articles — Smashing Magazine

Free Cheat Sheet For Designing Web Forms

October 7, 2011 — Created by Joe Leech and released for Smashing Magazine and its readers, this sheet contains an Omnigraffle template, as well as Photoshop (PSD) and PDF examples for you to download and use as you wish. Read more…

D Bnonn Tennant wrote

16 Pixels Font Size: For Body Copy. Anything Less Is A Costly Mistake

October 7, 2011 — In this article, the author explains why 16 pixels should generally be the minimum size for body copy in modern Web design. Read more…

Tim R. Todish wrote

Not Your Parent’s Mobile Phone: UX Design Guidelines For Smartphones

October 6, 2011 — The way mobile devices are being used is changing all the time, and users are increasingly expecting exceptional experiences from the applications they use. In this post, Tim R. Todish brings us guidelines to help you create a great experience in your mobile application. Read more…

Justin Tadlock wrote

How To Create Wordpress Meta Boxes

October 4, 2011 — In this tutorial, Justin Tadlock walks you through everything you need to know about meta boxes: from creating them to retrieving custom meta data on the front end. Read more…

Vitaly Friedman wrote

22 Creepy Halloween Icons [Freebie]

October 4, 2011 — Icon set for you to use on your website at Halloween time! Help your clients and their users get in the mood for the coming holiday with a spooky atmosphere. Read more…

Lara Swanson wrote

Improve The User Experience By Tracking Errors

October 4, 2011 — Improving your forms, 404 pages and error messages will improve your website’s overall user experience. In this article, Lara Swanson walks you through how to add error tracking using Google Analytics, and how to assemble the data and analyze it. Read more…

Christian Heilmann wrote

A Quick Look Into The Math Of Animations With JavaScript

October 4, 2011 — Christian Heilmann brings us a quick introduction to using exponentials and sine waves and to plotting things on a circle. Have a go with the code, and play with the numbers! Read more…

Jon Savage and Simon H. wrote

How To Use Textures In Web Design

October 3, 2011 — Texture overuse has left a bad taste in the mouths of designers, but the truth is that it is a simple and effective way to add depth and increase the effectiveness of websites. Read this post to know how to use textures in design. Read more…

Daniel Pataki wrote

WordPress Essentials: How To Create A WordPress Plugin

September 30, 2011 — By following the theory laid down in this article and using only a handful of functions, you will create a rudimentary plugin to track your most popular posts. In this post you will go through the basics of using plugins perfectly well. Read more…

Vitaly Friedman wrote

Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: October 2011

September 30, 2011 — A selection of free desktop and creative wallpapers for October 2011 created by artists from all around the world. Get some inspiration! Read more…