What are Variable Fonts?

Variable fonts are a new kind of font that allows for amazing new levels of flexibility. With just one font file you can alter thickness, width, or just about any attribute you can think of... all while keeping the file-size small (important for websites).

Do not limit your thinking to the standard options that you’ve seen before (bold, italic, extended, condensed, etc.). Font designers can make variable fonts do all sorts of cool things!

IMPORTANT: The information in this post has since become outdated. Read our more current article on this topic.

When designing digital products such as websites, apps, etc. there are many apps to choose from. Which one is right for you? While some people use Figma, InVision Studio, and others, in this article we’ll focus on what we consider the three industry front-runners: Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe XD.

Sketch

While some designers are just now making the switch to Sketch, it’s been around since 2010. Sketch is a Mac only app, which is fine with most designers, but PC users will need to look at Adobe XD or Photoshop.

Sketch is great for UX/UI design. You can design wireframes or finished visual designs, and turn those into clickable prototypes using Sketch’s recently added prototyping tools or InVision’s Craft plugin.

Sketch has very powerful symbols and styles, which enable you to easily create complex design systems that are flexible and manageable across large projects. It also has decent exporting options.

Sketch costs $99 (USD) and you get a year of updates as well as Sketch Cloud. After the first year, you can continue using your last update for as long as you want with no other payments. However, if you want another year of updates and Sketch Cloud, you must renew your license for $69 (USD).

Sketch is a great option for Mac users that want an affordable and powerful design app.

Learn more in our Sketch class.

Interested in a career in design? Confused about what career you should choose?

UX Designer, Graphic Designer, UI or Visual Designer, and Motion Designer are just a few job titles you’ll see on most design job boards. The challenge is that these job titles often overlap in job duties. There can be confusion about what different designers do. This guide will help you understand the different types of design and narrow down your choices.

This post was written by Erica Freedman, Content Marketing Specialist at SwitchUp.

In recent years, the coding bootcamp boom has saturated the market with a variety of programs. Many software engineering and coding bootcamps offer full-time, immersive programs that can cost as much as $17,000 and require months of time to complete. Individuals who are working in full-time positions may not have the ability to quit their current career to pursue a new one. Flexible options offer a potential route to achieving a shift, but some individuals may not need a full-length course to achieve their professional dreams.