Hi, this is Showkaku Sano. I used to use wear over-ear headphones while listening to YouTube and podcasts, but I switched to open-ear earbuds last year. They’re so much more comfortable since they don’t get in the way of my glasses, and I sometimes find myself wearing them for half a day without thinking about it.

Here are the April updates. Quick Preview got a big overhaul this month! To update your theme, please refer to the help guide, “Update the Theme.”

I added a smooth zoom animation when you open Quick Preview.

Here is the comparison GIF:

Before, there was a brief blank pause while the artwork loaded. Now the thumbnail itself smoothly expands and transitions into the full artwork. The demo site is the best way to see it for yourself.

This effect is powered by the View Transitions API, a relatively new browser feature. Normally, when you click something and the page changes, it just cuts to the new content instantly. But with this API, you can create smooth visual continuity between pages.

Quick Preview has always let you browse artwork without navigating away, and with this update, I think it feels even more seamless than before.

Also, in older versions, tall portrait-oriented artworks sometimes got cut off at the edges. I’ve adjusted this so they now fit more comfortable within the screen. (Take a look at the image size in the GIF above.)

Give Illustfolio v1.8.0 a try and feel the difference for yourself!

For the full update history, please check the release notes.

This month, I want to write about templates.

Most things I’ve made over the years, not just Illustfolio, have ended up being some kind of template. It wasn’t really intentional. It’s more that whenever I set out to make something, I always seem to land on something template-like.

Am I really that into templates? Maybe. But I think it also comes down to my love of tools.

Back in school, I studied graphic design and other visual arts. Around the same time, It was really into useful gadgets and everyday tools.

For example, I love buying travel gear like bags and pouches just as much as I love actually traveling. The right gear lets me pack more efficiently with less effort, and it makes me want to head out somewhere new again. Good tools expand what you’re capable of and push toward things that felt out of reach before.

For me, the place where design and tools meet is templates. I genuinely believe that templates lower the barrier to starting something new and help people approach it with a positive mindset.

Knowing that Illustfolio Lumina makes your creative life even a little bit smoother is the greatest joy for me.

That’s it for this month’s newsletter! If you haven’t purchased the theme yet, you can get it here!

And I’m active on X and Instagram! If you’re not following me yet, check them out!

See you next time!