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    <title>Design Community: Gloria</title>
    <description>The latest articles on Design Community by Gloria (@uidesign).</description>
    <link>https://design.forem.com/uidesign</link>
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      <title>Design Community: Gloria</title>
      <link>https://design.forem.com/uidesign</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Key Updates of 2025 Pixso 2.0 UI/UX Design Platform</title>
      <dc:creator>Gloria</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:28:46 +0000</pubDate>
      <link>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/key-updates-of-2025-pixso-20-uiux-design-platform-306j</link>
      <guid>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/key-updates-of-2025-pixso-20-uiux-design-platform-306j</guid>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Below is a clear, organized breakdown of Pixso’s core value and the game-changing features of its 2.0 version released in 2025.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Frygdhz9cx6rx1tw48xnv.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"&gt;&lt;img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Frygdhz9cx6rx1tw48xnv.png" alt="Pixso 2.0 Released" width="500" height="299"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  1. Pixso: Core Identity
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso is an all-in-one collaborative UI/UX design platform that combines UI/UX design, whiteboarding, prototyping, code generation, and developer handoff. It’s built for global teams—from small groups to enterprises—with a focus on being professional, efficient, and easy to use. It’s part of BOYUN (a tech company with roots in graphics rendering, spun off from Wondershare in 2021), so it’s backed by years of expertise in rendering tech.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  2. Pixso 2.0: Breakthrough Updates (Sept 2025 Launch)
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The 2.0 version is a major upgrade—rebuilt in key areas to fix pain points (like slow performance) and add AI-powered tools that speed up workflows. Here’s what matters most:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  A. Performance: Fully Rebuilt for Speed &amp;amp; Efficiency
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso 2.0’s underlying architecture was completely redone—no more lag, even with big files. The numbers speak for themselves:&lt;br&gt;
File opening time: 50% faster than 1.0&lt;br&gt;
Memory usage: 40% lower (critical for large design files)&lt;br&gt;
Smoother day-to-day actions: Zooming, panning, rotating layers, and switching pages are all faster—even for memory-heavy docs.&lt;br&gt;
Faster component libraries: Publishing big libraries (a must for design systems) is way quicker now, thanks to a rewritten rendering engine.&lt;br&gt;
Why this matters: No more waiting for files to load or dealing with lag when editing—teams can move faster without tech delays.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  B. Pixso AI: Generate Designs (and Code) from Text
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The biggest new feature? AI-powered design generation. Just type a simple prompt (e.g., “create a fintech dashboard”) and Pixso 2.0 spits out:&lt;br&gt;
A complete, editable high-fidelity mockup (in seconds, not hours)&lt;br&gt;
Developer-ready front-end code (so you skip the “start from scratch” phase entirely).&lt;br&gt;
This cuts down the initial design process drastically—perfect for teams that need to iterate fast.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  C. Seamless Design-to-Code Handoff
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Designers and devs no longer have to “translate” designs manually. Pixso 2.0 offers:&lt;br&gt;
One-click code generation for frameworks like ArkUI, HTML, and Flutter.&lt;br&gt;
A “Dev View” where devs can click “D2C” to get a production-ready code package. The code keeps layout relationships and styling intact—so devs skip manual work and launch faster.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  D. Design Tokens: Keep Consistency Easy
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For teams that need uniform branding/designs across projects:&lt;br&gt;
Define centralized variables for colors, text styles, numbers, and Boolean values (called “design tokens”).&lt;br&gt;
Update all instances globally with one click (no more editing 100 files to change a brand color).&lt;br&gt;
Aligns design and engineering—since everyone uses the same standardized properties, there’s less back-and-forth.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  E. Sketch Compatibility: Easy Migration
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;If your team is switching from Sketch? No rework needed. Pixso 2.0 handles:&lt;br&gt;
Accurate rendering of blend modes, Boolean operations, background blur, and bidirectional text.&lt;br&gt;
Zero loss of fidelity—you can import Sketch files and start editing right away.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  F. Better Text &amp;amp; Typography Tools
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Great for global teams or projects with complex text needs:&lt;br&gt;
Supports variable fonts, path-based text (text along shapes), and bidirectional text (for Arabic, Hebrew, etc.).&lt;br&gt;
Covers more languages: Japanese, Korean, Urdu, Thai, Tibetan—so no more workarounds for non-English designs.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  G. Clearer Feedback: Visual Comments
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;No more confusing text-only feedback. Now you can:&lt;br&gt;
Drag, paste, or upload screenshots/graphics directly into comments (works in Edit and Presentation modes).&lt;br&gt;
Feedback is contextual—teammates see exactly what you’re referring to, no guesswork.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  H. Immersive Prototypes: Video &amp;amp; GIF Support
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Designers can now add embedded videos and GIFs to prototypes. This makes:&lt;br&gt;
Presentations more engaging (e.g., show a demo of how a feature works).&lt;br&gt;
User testing more accurate (teammates experience the design like real users would).&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  I. Upgraded Team Asset Library
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Managing design components is faster:&lt;br&gt;
Faster publishing of libraries, better search, and seamless sync across teams.&lt;br&gt;
Ensures everyone uses the latest, on-brand components—no more outdated assets.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  J. Custom Color Palettes
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Maintaining brand consistency is easier:&lt;br&gt;
Create, save, and share custom color palettes (with variable support).&lt;br&gt;
Rebranding? Update the palette once, and it applies to all projects—no manual edits.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  K. Accessible Pricing Plans
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso works for teams of all sizes:&lt;br&gt;
Free plan: Unlimited personal files, 3 team project pages, 30 days of version history.&lt;br&gt;
Pro plan: Unlocks advanced collaboration and more storage.&lt;br&gt;
New subscribers get AI credits to try the AI design tool for free.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  3. Why This Matters vs. Alternatives (e.g., Figma)
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso 2.0 doesn’t just add features—it fixes common pain points:&lt;br&gt;
Faster performance: No more lag with big files (unlike Figma’s occasional slowdowns).&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;AI built-in:&lt;/strong&gt; Generates designs + code from prompts (Figma’s AI tools are often more limited or require plugins).&lt;br&gt;
Easier migration: Sketch compatibility means no rework (Figma’s Sketch import can miss details).&lt;br&gt;
*&lt;em&gt;Cheaper + enterprise-ready: *&lt;/em&gt; More affordable plans, plus strong security (matches Figma’s enterprise security but at a better price).&lt;br&gt;
As Pixso’s CEO Ethan said: “With localized UI and a smooth migration path from Figma or Sketch, we’re empowering global teams to do their best work without barriers.”&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Source from Prnewswire&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
      <category>design</category>
      <category>tools</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Choosing your design tool: a look at Sketch &amp; Pixso</title>
      <dc:creator>Gloria</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2025 02:56:57 +0000</pubDate>
      <link>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/choosing-your-design-tool-a-look-at-sketch-pixso-305h</link>
      <guid>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/choosing-your-design-tool-a-look-at-sketch-pixso-305h</guid>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Hey everyone! Thinking about getting into UI design and wondering which tool to start with? Let’s break down &lt;a href="https://www.sketch.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Sketch&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://pixso.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Pixso&lt;/a&gt;, two popular picks, and see which one might fit you better.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;First off, your choice really depends on your operating system, what kind of features you need, and how you like to learn. Both are solid tools, but they shine in different ways.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  Operating System Support
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sketch runs only on macOS. So if you’re a Mac user, you’re good to go. But if you’re on Windows or Linux, you’ll need to look elsewhere.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso, on the other hand, works across Windows, macOS, and Linux. That makes it super flexible, especially if you’re not using a Mac.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  Features Comparison
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sketch comes packed with essential tools like shapes, text, and symbols, making it easy to create clean, reusable components. It also supports styles to keep your designs consistent. One of its biggest strengths is its plugin ecosystem—there’s a ton of extensions to add more functionality. You can export designs as PNG, JPG, or SVG, and share them via Sketch Cloud.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso offers similar core tools, but with some handy extras. For example, you can adjust curves easily with handle controls or use the bend tool to tweak shapes intuitively. The paint bucket tool lets you fill any closed area with color, and it even auto-generates code for iOS, Android, or CSS. It also measures distances between objects automatically. Collaboration is where Pixso really stands out—it supports real-time cloud-based teamwork. You can build a shared component library so your team stays consistent, and it comes with a built-in resource library full of icons, images, and UI elements to speed up your workflow.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;
  
  
  Learning Curve &amp;amp; Ease of Use
&lt;/h2&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sketch has a clean, intuitive interface that Mac users tend to pick up quickly. There’s also a wealth of tutorials and a strong community to help you learn.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pixso is browser-based and doesn’t require installation, so you can jump in right away no matter what device you’re on. Its interface is straightforward, and it offers lots of learning materials like video guides and articles to help beginners. Plus, its community lets designers share work and resources—great for getting inspiration or reusing designs as you learn.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fzmfgz29nt0bakyd4znll.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"&gt;&lt;img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fzmfgz29nt0bakyd4znll.png" alt=" " width="800" height="583"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;
So, which one should you choose? If you’re all in on Apple and love customizing with plugins, Sketch is a trusted go-to. But if you want cross-platform flexibility, real-time collaboration, and helpful built-in resources, give Pixso a try—especially if you're on Windows.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Hope this helps you make a confident start. Do you have any other questions about design tools? &lt;/p&gt;

</description>
      <category>designers</category>
      <category>designsystems</category>
      <category>sketch</category>
      <category>pixso</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How I started using variable fonts in my UI designs (and why I love them)</title>
      <dc:creator>Gloria</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 08:21:59 +0000</pubDate>
      <link>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/how-i-started-using-variable-fonts-in-my-ui-designs-and-why-i-love-them-2h74</link>
      <guid>https://design.forem.com/uidesign/how-i-started-using-variable-fonts-in-my-ui-designs-and-why-i-love-them-2h74</guid>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Hi, I’m Gloria. I’ve been using &lt;a href="https://pixso.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Pixso&lt;/a&gt; for a while now, mostly for UI and web projects. Lately, I’ve been exploring variable fonts — something I’d read about but never really tried until recently.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Turns out, they’ve quietly changed how I approach typography in my designs.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are variable fonts?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
You might already know this, but just in case — variable fonts are a single font file that can behave like many. Instead of loading separate files for light, regular, bold, or condensed, you get one file with adjustable settings.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In design tools, you can tweak things like weight or width with sliders. It feels a bit like editing a parameter in code, but visually.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Common axes are weight, width, slant, italic, and optical size. Some fonts even have custom ones, like changing the serif shape or shadow density. It’s pretty wild what’s possible now.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I noticed them in Pixso when using the Noto Sans SC font in my design. It  showed up in the font menu when I clicked the three dots，and that’s when I started playing around.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fhm67urq4r1wkly3avs51.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"&gt;&lt;img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fhm67urq4r1wkly3avs51.png" alt="Pixso variable text" width="800" height="399"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why I'm Using Them?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
I didn’t expect to care this much, but here’s what changed for me:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Smoother text hierarchy&lt;br&gt;
Before, I’d jump between fixed weights — regular for body, bold for headings. It worked, but sometimes felt abrupt. With variable fonts, I can fine tune the weight so it flows better across screen sizes. On mobile, I might use a slightly lighter bold; on desktop, go heavier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Faster iteration&lt;br&gt;
I don’t have to swap fonts or import new weights. Just slide until it looks right. It’s small, but it saves time when I’m tweaking layouts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Less clutter in the file&lt;br&gt;
When handing off to dev, one font file instead of five is a relief. Smaller bundle, fewer loading states to worry about.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;More personality&lt;br&gt;
It’s subtle, but being able to adjust width or slant just a little gives text more character. I used a narrow, medium-weight style for a navigation bar recently — felt more intentional than just “bold.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How I use them in practice?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
I’ve been using Pixso for this, since it’s my main tool right now. Here I will show you how to get started quickly just with already design resource.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Log in and open a web layout I copied from the &lt;a href="https://pixso.net/community/file/lo-oifMJdBiW4uLQXM565w" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Pixso resource library&lt;/a&gt;. They have a lot of free templates, which helped me skip the blank canvas stress.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fdmjj32plyfteqvjixo50.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"&gt;&lt;img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fdmjj32plyfteqvjixo50.png" alt="Pixso variable text resource" width="800" height="398"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Selected a text box and switched the font to “&lt;strong&gt;Noto Sans Arabic&lt;/strong&gt;” (it’s marked as variable).&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Clicked the little settings icon next to the font controls, then chose “Variable” Sliders for weight and width appeared.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Dragged until the text felt right. That’s it.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Faehtn690swut55dokkwi.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"&gt;&lt;img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Faehtn690swut55dokkwi.png" alt="Pixso variable text steps" width="800" height="397"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;It’s not magic, but it’s nice to have that level of control without extra steps.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A few things I’ve noticed&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
They’re not perfect. Not all fonts support it, and some don’t have obvious visual changes across axes. Also, if you’re used to fixed styles, it takes a moment to adjust your thinking.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But for responsive work, especially in web design, they’re becoming a quiet must-have.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I’m not saying every project needs them. But if you’re tweaking font weights anyway, why not have more options in one file?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Curious — have any of you been using variable fonts in your day-to-day work? How’s it going? Any favorite fonts or tools that support them well?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Would love to hear your thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;

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