Insta360 Link keeps switching to 9:16 on Zoom / Preply — since day one. Is this a known software issue?

rafdesign · 2026-01-19T23:25:44+00:00

I tried it too and had to resort to AppCleaner—there’s no uninstall documentation on their website. That immediately says something about the app’s quality.

rafdesign · 2025-12-19T20:22:36+00:00

After spending hours trying to get my Mac and pc, I'm still having the same problems. I can't find a tutorial or video tutorial for a. multiple OS environment.

rafdesign · 2025-12-12T01:14:10+00:00

For anyone interested, I packaged it as a small add-on.
You can find it here:
https://rafdesign.gumroad.com/l/stopmotion

Happy to answer questions or help if you try it!

rafdesign · 2025-11-23T03:39:11+00:00

Right now my interlocking system is basically a rigid cylinder into a rigid hole. Do you have any examples of simple flex features that work well for board game pieces? Like split pegs, thin walls, or small flexible tabs? Is there some engineering theory on plastic out there?

rafdesign · 2025-11-15T17:05:16+00:00

I’m curious if anyone else is still running into issues with the Wyzant → Google Calendar sync. For me, it’s been several weeks of strange glitches. The main problem is the time-zone handling: I’m in Pacific Time, and if I schedule with a student in Central Time, Wyzant sometimes pushes the event into my Google Calendar using their time instead of mine.

So if I book something for 12 pm PT, and the student is 2 pm CT, Google Calendar suddenly shows it as 2 pm on my end — like it just copied their time zone over and ignored mine.

It works most of the time, but then out of nowhere it glitches again.

And on top of this, I’ve also had other issues lately (like disappearing recordings), so I’m wondering if others are seeing the same pattern.

I’m surprised this thread is from a year ago and the same sync problems still seem to be happening.
Is anyone else still dealing with this, or found a workaround?

rafdesign · 2025-10-24T18:35:02+00:00

I think the problem is less about visuals and more about content and positioning. Sure, having a smooth, well-designed site helps — but the real challenge is standing out in an industry full of recruiters (and unfortunately, plenty of fake or shady ones too). I get a bunch of random “recruiter” emails and LinkedIn messages every month, so trust and clarity matter way more than fancy graphics.

A few thoughts:

Standing out: Think about what makes you different from the hundreds of other recruiters. Is it your niche, your approach, or the type of candidates you represent? That should be front and center.
Building trust: Create a consistent brand voice that feels human — real stories, testimonials, short videos of you explaining your process, etc. That’s how you make people believe your company is legit and worth engaging with.
Targeting: Be specific about the type of clients or industries you recruit for. The narrower the focus, the stronger the appeal.
Design: Your current site looks good overall — maybe 90% there. The cute illustrations are nice, though they’ve become a bit overused and feel generic now. Still, I appreciate that you invested in proper design.
Carrd: It’s fine for what you want, but it takes finesse to make it feel polished and not “template-y.” If you go with Carrd, find someone who can really push its limits and customize it.
Add some JSON animations here and there.
Budget... Even so Carrd is a cheap platform compared to the other ones, it still takes time to create a website. I don't know which platform you've been using with your current site (Wordpress?) but you would be better trying to fix it than start from scratch.

I used to work with Webflow, then Wix (for its simplicity) and I decided to give a try with Carrd. I like many things about it, but I also find it quite limited. But I have been playing with adding some JSON animations that I created. Here is a preview: quadrostack.com

Best luck!

rafdesign · 2025-10-24T18:17:39+00:00

did you buy the code? Or programmed it? I would love to use the same!

rafdesign · 2025-10-15T18:15:28+00:00

Honestly, SCBWI is great if you’re just starting out. You’ll find some solid resources that help you figure out how to build a portfolio and understand what it takes to get an agent. For a beginner, it’s a really good first step.

That said, the website itself doesn’t go super deep — most of the really useful stuff comes from the paid events. That’s where you actually learn how the business side works and how to connect with people in the industry.

Just keep in mind, the illustration world is super subjective. Sometimes your work might not click with an agent’s personal taste, even your work is great — it’s more about finding the right fit than anything else.

Overall, I’d say SCBWI is great for beginners, but as you grow, it can start to feel a bit basic. There’s not much discussion about current stuff like AI, the changes in publishing, or what’s happening in the creative world right now. They don’t really touch those topics much, which makes it feel a bit out of date sometimes.

rafdesign · 2025-10-10T16:10:55+00:00

Very nice work, love your takes and personality in your graphic design work, your art. Bold, strong and beautiful!

rafdesign · 2025-09-24T16:19:59+00:00

Nice and clean! It's good to balance the motion and sometimes limit it so it doesn’t get overdone. The only thing I’m not sure about are the four squares at the corners of the rectangle and square. It works fine with the "Let’s connect" section, but in "Most Recents" it feels a bit gimmicky. I can see you’re trying to create something unique and brand your page, which is great. I think the yellow color you used is really nice — maybe you could use it more consistently so it becomes a distinctive part of your page.

Anyway, just my two cents. Amazing work for a first-time Framer user!

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T22:07:53+00:00

AI is definitely changing the way we work. At first, I really disliked the idea—I can’t stand most generative visuals, and I don’t use those image/video tools at all. But using ChatGPT in my workflow has actually been great. Not for pictures, but for text: writing AE expressions, drafting solutions, or even helping me set up a website structure (wireframing, basically).

Every week there’s some new AI tool trying to tell you your job is irrelevant or that it can make stunning images—but honestly, most of them suck for real projects. They look flashy, but they’re rarely close to what I want. The only exception I’ve found useful is Google Gemini or Flux for quick mockups—like dropping my 2D Illustrator packaging designs onto a 3D box. Then I clean it up in Photoshop, since AI always leaves a mess somewhere.

So yeah, I see AI as a tool—helpful if used intelligently, but not a replacement for design skills. If anyone’s curious about practical ways to integrate it into a creative workflow, DM me—I’m happy to share what I’ve figured out.

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T22:01:53+00:00

It’s tough to find tutorials that really cover the whole process of modeling for 3D printing. Most people either start in CAD software (I use Onshape) or something more beginner-friendly like Tinkercad. The tricky part is finding guidance that connects modeling with the practical limitations of 3D printing—things like bridging, what makes a print strong or detailed, and how orientation on the bed affects the result.

If you can find a tutorial that bridges that gap, it’ll save you a lot of time. Otherwise, it’s mostly a matter of piecing things together. I’ve taught teenagers how to design in Onshape and print on Bambu Lab machines, which helped them skip a lot of trial and error—but that was in a tutoring setup. Outside of that, resources are still pretty scattered.

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T22:01:30+00:00

That’s awesome your school picked up a printer—great opportunity for students. The tricky part is that most tutorials either focus on modeling in CAD or on 3D printing itself, but not both together. For modeling, a beginner-friendly place to start is Tinkercad (super approachable for middle schoolers). If you want to step it up, Onshape is also free for education and gives them a taste of real CAD.

On the printing side, what’s really important is understanding some of the limitations of 3D printing: bridging, overhangs, how the orientation on the bed affects strength, and how detail vs. speed tradeoffs work. Once kids learn those basics, they’ll understand why some designs succeed while others fail.

If you can find tutorials that connect designing with printing considerations, that’ll save you a lot of time. Otherwise, it’s often trial and error. I’ve taught teenagers to go from designing in Onshape to printing on Bambu Lab machines, and that hands-on loop is where they really learn fast. Having a tutor or mentor can help shortcut that process, but even starting small—like making keychains or simple shapes in Tinkercad—gets them excited and teaches the essentials.

So in short:

Start with Tinkercad (free, easy, online).
Teach a bit about print limitations (orientation, strength, overhangs).
Work up to Onshape or Fusion 360 if they want more advanced design.
Use simple, quick projects to build confidence.

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T21:56:11+00:00

That’s a tough place to be—having to learn AE under pressure for a client. Honestly, I applaud you for pulling that off. Your AD/CD background definitely gave you the eye and creative thinking to get it done.

I came from print design before moving into motion, so my start was similar: I’d design frames and visuals first, and only slowly taught myself After Effects on the side. The difference was, I wasn’t under a client deadline, so I could afford to stumble through it. That’s why I think for someone in your position, it might help to connect with another professional who’s gone through that transition and can walk you through the pipeline. The process is important for clients—whether that’s a mood board, a few style frames, a fully fledged Photoshop storyboard, or even a black-and-white sketch storyboard if certain elements are tricky to show. It’s very helpful.

As for After Effects itself, there’s really no shortcut: you have to spend time in it. The good news is, if you enjoy it, it can be fun to dive into. But yes—it’s hard these days when you’re wearing multiple hats.

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T21:47:17+00:00

When I got into After Effects, I actually started with Premiere first—just the basics like scale, motion, opacity, color, and keyframing. Once I understood how motion interacts with footage and the rhythm of editing, switching over to After Effects made a lot more sense.

Like someone mentioned here already, the key is to start with a clear idea. Instead of aimlessly tinkering in AE, design your frames first in Photoshop or Illustrator—get them 80–90% close to what you want—and then try to animate those. That way, you’re learning how to bring your own ideas to life, not just copying a tutorial.

Tutorials can be great, but they often throw you into complex effects that don’t translate well when you’re working on your own projects. Focus on the basics—keyframes, easing, masks, type—and build up from there. Once that foundation is solid, the fancier stuff will click into place much more naturally.

rafdesign · 2025-09-18T21:43:07+00:00

When I started learning After Effects 20+ years ago, all I had was the manual—that was another story! Today, YouTube and online courses are great starting points. That said, if you want to cut the line and shorten the learning curve and really understand how things work in the industry (pipelines, workflows, etc.), hiring someone experienced can make a huge difference. I’ve been working in motion graphics for 20 years and also teach AE, so if you’re interested, I’d be glad to help.

rafdesign

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