Firefox has some great extensions that help to make the lives of us designers simpler. If you have an interest in web design then you should check this list out and maybe think about downloading some of these great plugins.

Here is a list of the top eight web design extensions for Firefox:

Pencil is a great web design planning tool. It allows you to create design mock-ups simply by dragging and dropping elements into a document. You can then export this document as an image to show your clients.

Get Pencil here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/8487/

Screengrab is a great tool for taking quick screenshots. You can choose to capture part of the screen or all of it with one click, this can then be saved directly as an image on your computer or copied to your clipboard for later use.

Get Screengrab here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1146/

ColorZilla is a simple color picker for your browser. Use it to find out the RGB or Hex Codes of any items on a web page. It also features a handy colour palette tool so you can save your favorite colours to use at any time.

Get ColorZilla here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/271/

Measure it allows you to measure any part of a web page. It is extremely useful for when you are designing layouts and you need to know how much space you have to play around with. Simply click and drag from one place to another and get the height and width in pixels.

Get Measure it here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/539/

Aardvark gives you quick information about the layout of a web page. All you have to do is switch it on and then mouse over an area of a web page to get information on a specific element. You can use keyboard shortcuts to find out which parent divs elements belong to. Aardvark is very useful for CSS problem solving.

Get Aardvark here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4111/

Web Developer is a multi purpose toolbar which can help out with all things web design. You can use it to validate web pages, outline specific elements, edit CSS, disable Javascript, resize your window, disable images and much more. You are bound to find a use from at least a few of its features so it’s worth the download.

Get Web Developer here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/60/

Firebug is another multi-purpose web development tool. You can edit, debug, and look at CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page. This extension is extremely useful if you want to quickly test CSS changes in your browser without directly editing the required files.

Get FireBug here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1843/

FireFTP is a great FTP client that runs in your browser. It’s simple interface makes it easy to upload and download files from your server. You can easily set up and alter different accounts for each of your domains. If you are looking for an FTP client that is reliable and easy to use, FireFTP is a good bet and just like all other FireFox extensions it is totally free!

Get FireFTP here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/684/

Conclusion

So, there we have it, a list of 8 must have web design related extensions for Firefox. Which ones do you find most interesting? Any missing from that list? I’d love to hear from you!

Check out these articles for more handy Firefox extensions.

10 Essential Firefox Plugins for Web Designers

30 Best Firefox Addons for Web Designers and Developers

Refresh Studios first hit your computer screens back in 2006. The site had been on the slow burner since it was introduced. However, a couple of weeks ago I found the time to finally finish off the site. I hope you will agree, it now has a smarter look to it and has become a lot more functional.

The main change you might not have noticed immediately is the introduction of a WordPress, a Content Management System. Simply put, this makes it easier for me to update the site as all of the content has now become dynamic.

I have also added more detail on the services I offer along with a specialised web design quote form. The footer area has also been revamped with new social media links and RSS feeds.

If you didn’t remember the old site, here is a quick before and after mock up.

Alot of work goes in behind the scenes to create a successful logo. Constant feedback from the client is essential to the process. I have put together five steps involved in the process of creating a new brand for a client.

Finding out as much as you can about the business you are creating a logo for is crucial. Obviously you need to know the name of the company as it is central to the final logo in most cases. You might also want to know the company tagline, as again, this might appear in your final product. Creating a logo that is consistent with business documents, software and its website is very important so it is a good idea to research these mediums to ascertain the style and colours of your logo.

It can be beneficial to find out about the services offered by the company as this might affect the final design. Keeping the audience in mind is a good idea, as with any project, because the logo must meet the needs of the user. For example if the logo is for a company who’s main clients are elderly, any text needs to be clear and easy to read.

Once you have a clear brief, you can share it with the client and outline the goals you feel the logo needs to meet.

I feel sketching is a vital stage in most design processes. It helps you to get your ideas together in an informal setting. You can quickly develop ideas on paper which will help you produce a better final design further down the line. Sketching allows you to go in many different directions and explore lots of ideas for your logo.

It’s a good idea to share some of these early sketches with your client and compare your favorites with theirs to check that you are singing from the same hymn sheet.

Once you have decided on your favorite style it is time to move onto the computer to develop your design further. This is a great stage to start experimenting with different fonts and layouts for the logo. You can also start playing around with shapes and taglines at this stage.

Time to present your proposed logo to your client and get some feedback. This will be one of the last chances you have to find out how you can improve the logo. It is a good idea to get feedback from outside sources at this stage, especially other designers. Logo Pond is a great place to get lots of constructive criticism on your logo.

Finally it’s time to take in all of the advice and feedback you got from the last stage and perfect your logo. Add a bit of colour, some details and add those finishing touches to make the final design look the business.