GIF art otherwise known as “gif-iti” is a growing style of art. Last month, our friends at FastCoDesign spotlighted Paolo Ceric, an individual who has been identified as an animated GIF traditionalist. We were so impressed by Paolo’s unique focus and use of Adobe tooling that we had to feature his work on our blog.

Paolo uses After Effects, the animation and compositing software for motion graphics and visual effects. Using this product, he works on altering the composition look, colors and gradient to his liking.

The cool thing about [After Effects] is the idea of “compositions” and the procedurality it offers. Making things procedural is very important to me because it lets me change things “in the past” which then affect the final product without any trouble.

Check out some of his work below and view the rest of his collection of creations on Tumblr.

Do you have interesting projects like Paolo’s? Share them with us on the Creative Cloud Facebook or Twitter channels.

Could you imagine being able to pull the exact color from the apple sitting next to you and use it in your next Creative Cloud project? How about the ability to toast your bread based on your preferred hue? Though some of the below inventions may not necessarily be feasible yet, the ideation behind these are definitely notable in the realm of creativity – and we sure encourage it. Be sure to check out the rest to fuel your next creation.

How do these and other concepts inspire your creativity? Tell us on Twitter using #CreateNow.

You’re probably aware of the Seven Deadly Sins, but have you ever thought about how they might tie back to creativity…in a positive way? Lateral Action, a blog about creativity plus productivity, shows you how indulging in some of these sins may allow you to produce some of your best work.  We’ve pulled out a few notable “sins” below, so check them out then read about all seven in their entirety.

Lust

Creativity feels good and it should feel addictive. You definitely should not waste your time on anything that doesn’t draw your attraction. Always remember that your talent is your ticket to pleasure.

Gluttony

You can’t create great art without first consuming it – lots of it. Drawing inspiration from other work is just as creative as making things yourself.

Sloth

The most creative moments sometimes come to us when we’re not doing much, or are on creative downtime. So take that time off and relax outside in a park, take a long shower, or lay on a beach!

Pride

You’re different, and that makes you an artist. Don’t compare yourself to others, always take pride in your own work.

Tell us, have you ever indulged in any of these creative sins?

If you’ve visited the Creative Cloud Facebook page, then there’s a good chance you’ve seen the work of Will Suarez aka “HI Def Willy.” A believer in bringing cultural awareness and unity, he enjoys creating pieces that showcase people from various ethnic backgrounds and their unique characteristics.

Intrigued by his work, we connected with HI Def Willy on Facebook. We wanted to not only see more of Will’s work, but to also learn how Creative Cloud helps bring his innovative ideas to life.

Find out more about HI Def Willy’s style, learn how Creative Cloud has enables him to work more efficiently and more in the Q&A below.

[Show as slideshow]

Adobe: Describe a project you are currently working on or have completed with Creative Cloud.

Will: Recently I have been focusing on creating a series of fine art pieces combining illustrations, photography and analog techniques into digital formats to create surrealistic portraits .Using a matte gel transfer technique, I transfer high res images onto fine art paper, canvas or wood.

What was your inspiration behind the project?
During my long commutes around Texas for meetings and work, I find myself always meeting random people walking the city streets. I get inspired by the stories told, the way people view them and the myths that people create of them. I wanted to capture that and find a way to show those emotions in these pieces.

How has the Creative Cloud changed your creative workflow?
Using the Creative Cloud has changed the way I work dramatically. It definitely has simplified everything and makes it easy to keep organized. I can seamlessly access and save progress on projects and pick right up from where I left off on any of my other devices on the go.

What tools specific to Creative Cloud enable you to work more efficiently?
As a freelance graphic artist and being on the go most of the time, having all my files accessible to view, edit and share, sure come in handy. I utilize many of the Touch Apps . One of the more frequent one I use is Adobe Ideas. It allows me to start a vector sketch on the go and access through the Creative Cloud on my PC where I can then continue to edit and complete.

Describe your style of work in a few words.
Everything’s a work in progress… pushing the limits.

Fill in the blank: I couldn’t create without _________.
Music and life experiences

What advice would you give to an individual who is considering Creative Cloud?
If you are looking to grow and develop your style, you definitely need to look into it! Invest in your talent and gain access to utilize all the great tools that you get with Creative Cloud. Not only will you stay current on updates and gain access to many options, but it will definitely streamline your workflow. The allotted space is more than enough to be able to carry along with you a mobile studio. Creating couldn’t get much easier. Everything you need is right there whenever, wherever.

Anything Else?

Thank you Adobe for always putting out great products! I am excited to see what new apps and features will be added in the future! For all fellow graphic designers, artists, creators, and innovators, keep pushing your limits, get out of your comfort zone and explore, create, define your work. Putting your work out there for people to see and enjoy is what it is all about. Stay humble, pour your heart into what you do and don’t ever be afraid to take a leap of faith.

Be sure to follow HiDefWilly on Instagram, Twitter and “like” him on Facebook.

Ready to have your work featured for everyone to see? Share your work with us on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below and you could be our next spotlight!

Buzzfeed may be one of the most entertaining websites out there, and recently they posted something right up our alley: 17 Of The Geekiest Furniture Items For Your Home. We noticed some great design, and instances where “cool” and “geek” intersect.

So check out some of our favorites, pulled for design, web, and even Star Wars fanatics. You may find yourself with some new additions to your living room. Enjoy!

Floppy Disk Table

Home Doormat

Photoshop Photo Frame

Stormtrooper Lawn Chair

What are your favorites? Tell us in the comments below!

We’re making Adobe MAX (May 4-8) bigger and better this year. For those who are wondering, “What’s MAX?” – it is THE conference for creative pros. It’s an opportunity for designers, developers, video professionals, photographers, and more to come together to learn about the latest technologies, techniques, and strategies for delivering your best creative work – not to mention the idea exchange and networking opportunities that exist. And it doesn’t stop there.

We have an agenda packed full of amazing speakers, tracks, sneak peeks (yes – you don’t want to miss this!) and more. Choose from over 300 sessions and labs taught by industry leaders and Adobe experts to maximize your creative experience, and even customize your MAX agenda by mixing and matching sessions from all five MAX tracks:

• Design and Creativity
• Web Experiences
• Digital Publishing
• Gaming
• Video

If that’s not enticing enough, we’re throwing a cherry (or two) on top to get you to L.A. Register today using this special promo code: MXSM13, to receive $300 off AND get your hands on a free 1-year Creative Cloud membership.

Be sure to follow Adobe MAX on Facebook and Twitter as we’ll be announcing keynote speakers and other exciting information soon.  We hope to see you there!

Last week we were excited to launch the first Edge Reflow Preview and several other key releases of our Edge Tools and Services into the Adobe Creative Cloud. Now, we’re happy to showcase Reflow and many other web tools at SXSW Interactive at our Creative Camp on Sunday, March 10, 2013!

The day will feature five sessions and panels where you can see the Adobe Creative Cloud in action with the latest tools and services that let you create content for the modern web. And specific to Reflow, don’t miss session number two with Product Manager Jacob Surber on “Concept to reality: Creating Adobe Edge Reflow.” Jacob will share his insights on how we created the first comprehensive tool to help designers create responsive comps.

Follow us on Twitter @Adobe and @Reflow leading up to and during the Interactive festival to catch all the Adobe SXSW news – and don’t forget to join the conversation with #AdobeSXSW. Hope to see you there!

How has Creative Cloud changed your creative workflow? For user Jeffrey Fina, the ability to venture out and collaborate with other creative individuals is just one of many ways Creative Cloud enables him to grow as a creative professional. And that’s just the beginning. The most cutting edge tools, 20GB of cloud storage and ability to seamlessly work on projects on various devices enables Jeffrey to successfully operate a fine art studio and be on dad duty. We connected with Jeffrey after coming across the work he shared with us on Facebook and wall. You can learn about his current projects, where he sources inspiration and more in the Q&A below.

Want to have your work featured? Share your work with us on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below.

[Show as slideshow]

Adobe: Describe a project you are currently working on or have completed with Creative Cloud.

Jeffery: Most recently, I have been working on high resolution abstract 3D forms created in Trimble Sketchup and rendered in Photoshop. These projects are designed at full size for large format printing and can take time to render. I own and operate Hudson Valley Giclee, a fine art and digital printing studio, where I will create the large format digital prints of these works. This project is one of many that will be part of an expansion into print publishing and art consulting that my colleague Bruce Bleach and I are formulating. We plan on starting in the Hudson Valley and the tri-state area and expanding nationally.

What was your inspiration behind the project?
The inspiration behind this and most of my personal and professional work is being able to utilize all facets of what digital technology can produce and finding an aesthetic that goes beyond a sometimes engineered digital look. For me, Photoshop has become the crossroads of all these applications. I can throw a number of file formats at it… and boom; they open.

How has the Creative Cloud changed your creative workflow?
Prior to the Creative Cloud, I was truly bound to my studio computer. My business requires me to venture out and collaborate with artists in their native spaces. My workflow is seamless now because I always have my software and files on board.

What tools specific to Creative Cloud enable you to work more efficiently?
Photoshop is a work horse. It’s what a paintbrush is to a painter. Bridge is my viewer for all file types. The 20GB of cloud space is super helpful in having access to project files on the go. I am a new father so when I am on baby duty, it’s not easy to sit with a cup of coffee in my studio. Having all my files on my laptop is great. As a fine art studio, having client files on the go is helpful when proposing a mockup of a full resolution image. In fine art printing and studio work, detail is key.

Describe your style of work in a few words.
I like to break the rules…

Fill in the blank: I couldn’t create without _________.
Coffee, music, and integrity.

What advice would you give to an individual who is considering Creative Cloud?
I would tell those who want to be more creative that it’s best to grow ‘into’ a tool then to grow ‘out’ of one. You should use the most powerful tools to accomplish your creative goals instead of being limited by inefficient tools. The learning curve is also longer and deeper but doesn’t prevent you from moving forward with your ideas and concepts. I’ve been using Adobe products for 8 years and I average 30 hours a week face deep in the software one way or another. I’m still excited about what these tools can do and what the future brings.

See more of Jeffrey’s personal work at http://www.ultimaars.com/.

Today, we’re very excited to share two big updates to Creative Cloud for web designers and developers.

Edge Reflow – We first sneaked a look at Adobe Edge Reflow during our Create the Web event last September, and are eager to share that we’ve just released the first public preview of it today. Edge Reflow – a part of the Edge Tools & Services offering in Creative Cloud – is a new responsive design tool for web designers and developers creating websites and content for screens of virtually all sizes. It features an intuitive resizable design surface that shows how layouts and visuals will adapt to different screen sizes and enables users to create high fidelity web designs on the application’s native web surface leveraging the power of CSS. Get all the details from the Edge Reflow Team blog. Looking to get started right away? Here’s an intro to Reflow video from evangelist Paul Trani.

Also new to the Edge Tools & Services offering are new feature releases to Edge Animate and the introduction of Edge Code preview.

Edge Animate now supports CSS gradients and filters (so you can, for example, easily add blur effects) and makes it simpler to add rich typography with the free Edge Web Fonts service

Edge Code is our code editor for HTML, CSS and JavaScript that is completely written in HTML5. We’re released a preview of it today that allows developers to:

• See changes in the browser as they make them, and code hinting for more CSS properties and HTML tags
• Edit code in context instead of having to switch between files with the addition of a Quick Edit feature.

Adobe Dreamweaver – We’ve introduced a second Dreamweaver update for Creative Cloud members. Here’s a brief overview of what new in this release:

• Improvements to Fluid Grids
• Bring print-quality typography to the web with Edge Web Fonts
• Custom settings retained after upgrade
• Expanded table view is back
• HTML5 support
• Critical bug fixes

For the full scoop, check out the Dreamweaver Team Blog.

Not a Creative Cloud member yet? Upgrade today and save 40%.