DesignHammer had the opportunity to participate in and sponsor the annual Thrive conference, presented by the Raleigh chapter of AIGA (the American Institute of Graphic Arts). Nearly 350 artists, designers, brand experts, exhibitors, sponsors and more attended the event in Durham. Follow along with the three DesignHammer conference attendees as they each recount their individual experiences and takeaway in our latest blog post.

Calling the true limits of body modification into question; a concept video that blends the art of scarification and... typography? (This one is definitely worth the read/watch). Next up, the historical and current use of technology by the US Air Force’s SACCS, and why it took them so long to sunset their use of 8-inch floppy disks. And lastly, an opportunity to review the recipients of Monotype's "Type Champions" award and to appreciate the winning fonts of 2019.

Everybody say goodbye to Adobe Flash because Microsoft Windows will officially stop supporting the late video player come December 2020. And, In more pressing news, SEO professionals should be prepared to adapt when Google updates Googlebot's user-agent strings in December of this year! Lastly, a simple interview with design icon David Carson, who shares his take on grid-style layouts in design

David, as our most active RC participant, is back at it again with some interesting reads to finish off your workweek with! Featuring why the design community is so obsessed with "Liquid Metal", a new creative marketing initiative by Mastercard to add "taste" to their brand experience, and a podcast featuring David's college alumni Danny Rosin (now president of Brand Fuel) taking a look back at a T-shirt he designed back in the 90's that really captures the UNC college student experience.

Discovering quirky software surprises, LogoLounge's recent 2019 logo design trend report, and Google's creation of two new link attributes.

Find out why you always plug your USB stick in upside down on the first try, learn more about the "vintage technology" keeping the NYC subway system alive, and check your design knowledge by seeing how many of these three AIGA branding lessons you already know.

Staff article submissions will introduce you to the basic functioning of neural networks, have you questioning the industry practice of demanding free pitching for client projects, and catch you up with Adobe's new copyright regulations.

Employee submissions of the day include learning from design failures, some tips for living a productive life, and a high-level, metaphysical reanalysis of standard physics methodologies commonly used to explain our universe.

Why CAPTCHA has gotten so difficult (interesting read!), a preview of Vue.js 3.0 by Evan You, and an in-depth interview with the senior graphics editor behind a popular American science magazine.

Keep your eye on typography design in this month's themed RC! Today's topics include new 2019 trends in type, unique whiskey bottle branding, and TeenNick's recent bold typography transition.