Words before pixels: Roger Wong on why the most important design tool might be a text cursor. https://ow.ly/afmP50YF4nV

Bulandundonnelly on the myth of the sudden creative breakthrough. https://ow.ly/CQ4150YF4mJ

Sami Niemelä on why design processes have always been mostly symbolic. https://ow.ly/NSa850YF4kV

Designers, it’s your time to shine! Enter the 2026 Design Competition by May 8th. Let’s celebrate your creativity! https://ow.ly/CPOe50YpiGW

EXHIBIT: Illustrator and adjunct professor Laura Salafia talks about learning new techniques to evolve her work and the importance of human-made art in the age of AI. https://ow.ly/SUTA50YE0U9

CA Winner: ArtCenter College of Design student Selina Yu. “Infringe”
An interactive installation exploring hair as art and culture. Visitors move through shifting fringe as imagery and type respond to touch, creating a dynamic, tactile experience. https://ow.ly/Slsc50YoaJ2

Carlos Segura on the decline of automotive branding. https://ow.ly/agCm50YEyvB

John Boardley provides a brief history of the dust jacket. https://ow.ly/5jtu50YEyqw

Jessica Goldman on how we are perpetuating our own burnout problem. https://ow.ly/mmQG50YEymA

FEATURE: By pushing boundaries and executing divisive ideas, globally based creative agency Uncommon Creative Studio has discovered the formula to being memorable. https://ow.ly/z7QH50YE0Mh

CA Winner: Rochester Institute of Technology student Melson Miranda. “exploreRIT - an interactive timeline of the history of RIT”
exploreRIT is an interactive timeline experience that captures RIT's architectural evolution. https://ow.ly/NVtl50YoaB8

Akanchha Tripathi on why taste is a point-of-view under pressure. https://ow.ly/LmOF50YCVaz

Matthew Beynon on the myth of the solo creator. medium.com/@matthewlbeynon/the-myth...

Elizabeth Goodspeed on why design writing needs designers writing. https://ow.ly/j7no50YCV1C

An overheard quote from our 2026 Interactive Annual.

EXHIBIT: A multifaceted campaign by creative agency Kurppa Hosk immerses fans into the world of Marathon, a refreshed video game IP from Bungie. https://ow.ly/pOES50YAXeP

CA Winner: Macao Polytechnic University student Yang Li. “The sound of the ocean”
"Sound of the Ocean" is an immersive interactive experience project that integrates artificial intelligence and environmental education. https://ow.ly/eLUG50YoawZ

Ryan James on the new craft gap. https://ow.ly/Htst50YChl3

@uixsadiq.bsky.social on how reading fuels creative thinking. https://ow.ly/9X4150YCh08

Filip Mishevski on the many paths in the life of a designer. https://ow.ly/gcib50YCgQi

WEBPicks: FLOT NOIR and Thomas Carré embodied the spirit of MERSI Architecture with a site that puts intention above form. https://ow.ly/wxC550YAWT3

CA Winner: Pensacola Christian College student Geovany Hernandez Barahona. “GridForm”
Gridform is a web-based ASCII pattern generator built with JavaScript, HTML5 Canvas, and CSS. https://www.commarts.com/project/38688/gridform

Friction: Diego Aguirre on how pressure and resistance help define your creative voice. medium.com/@diegoisthename/friction...

Taste travels: Matt Dunn on how ideas move through culture. https://ow.ly/q6Nz50YBUq9

Christopher Butler on why AI doesn’t threaten craft—the temptation to skip iteration does. https://ow.ly/s9p750YBTIW

EXHIBIT: By ad agency Erich & Kallman, this spot features the real story of an Abuelita serving food to her community from her Toyota Tundra. https://ow.ly/LzoK50YA22L

CA Winner: School of Visual Arts students Yiwen Chen, Yinuo Li, Yi-Lin Lu, and Zhiyuan Qi. “Dim Some More”
Dim Some More makes dim sum accessible to all through a multilingual, interactive table interface. https://ow.ly/iZYo50Yoa9O

Grace Fussell asks: Has our aesthetic obsession diluted branding? https://ow.ly/5sOp50YBn3v

Shahnaz Mahmud on why brand mascots are hotter than ever. https://ow.ly/YE5U50YBmUR

Polina Arkhipova on why designers don’t say what they think anymore. https://ow.ly/kk9q50YBmLa