Design

We have been thoroughly impressed by the responses in the first round of our contest. Among the 600 entries, there are literally dozens and dozens of entries that all deserve a prize, but in the end there can only be one ultimate winner. Or rather; in this initial round there are two winners.

After closing entries for Round 1 in our Photoshop contest, I think it is safe to say that it’s been the most successful first round ever with 600 entries. Here are a few highlights among the huge number of incredibly creative images.

The Crestock Photoshop contest is over, browse all the entries and find out who won the various rounds here. Thanks to everyone who participated, there would have been no contest without you!

How about checking out the 2008 Photoshop Contest?

With Halloween about to creep up on us from behind brandishing an over-sized kitchen knife, we've put together a fine selection of dark and unsettlling images that are perfect for any Halloween related design project. You might get some fresh ideas for this year's Halloween costume too.

Today marks a major day in the history of stock photography. This morning, after months of conceptualization, design, re-design, usability testing and development, Crestock Ver 3.0 is now live. The user interface is completely different and so much more intuitive that the GUI you find on at least 90% of the other big guns in the stock photography industry, with a plethora of new features.

Following on from our incredibly popular 13 Fantastic Free High Res Wallpapers published earlier in the year, we are now pleased to offer another 17 fantastic hi-res wallpaper images, courtesy of some of our most talented contributors.

As a designer, you’re probably familiar with all these gadgets that are available in various online stores – some are useful, some quite brilliant and a few downright indispensable.

And then there’s the opposite side of the spectrum. Let’s just say that the world's stupidest gadgets came in for review today.

Read enough photography forum critiques and you will start to believe that blur is bad. In fact there seems to be a cult of sharpness ...

Two trends you will have noticed over the last couple of years. The first, every other person you meet now has a digital camera. As a consequence, the second trend is at least half of these people want to learn more about their new-found photography passion.

Hundreds of websites and blogs are out there hoping to satisfy this demand but some stand out as shining beacons amongst the seas of recycled claptrap and copy and paste mediocrity.

Graphic designer and photographer James Thew, aka Solarseven on the love of art, dinosaurs and the hard choice of where to go for an exotic holiday.