Why am I writing about this in my first blog? Well, in the world of design, inspiration strikes when you least expect it. But what about when you intentionally want to get it? That is when these resources would come in handy!
When we take on new tasks our aim is to make sure that we provide results better than the client’s expectations, and in my experience, the best results have always been possible with concise inputs from the clients. Which is why, the first step I take before getting to research is, I ask the client to send me 5 images of things they would like in their design and 5 things they absolutely don’t. No matter if you are a client or a designer (like me), these resources are sure to make your next task easier. And also, your life!
So, let’s get to it, these are in no order of preference.
1. PINTEREST
Pinterest is a great source for all kinds of design inspiration. This is on the top of my list because clients don’t have too much time to spare and Pinterest boards are the fastest way to save inspiration and share it. Though, one can easily get lost and overwhelmed with all that Pinterest has to offer, the key is to find the right thing. With Pinterest’s option to find similar images it has become so much simpler and faster to find the images that are alike. I generally prefer to ask the client to create 2 boards and share with me, one that contains what they like and the other contains what they don’t like.
2. BEHANCE
This is a designer’s treasure and there’s no denying in that. Just like Pinterest, Behance has inspiration for almost everything. Though rarely ever clients make use of it. I’ve been using Behance for a long-long time and it has never failed to cease me. All the talent around the world gives me the itch to create something new every day. Search through their galleries to find inspiration for everything from architecture and fine art to graphic design and advertising.
Visit my Behance.
3. AWWWARDS
Though Pinterest and Behance can provide you website design inspiration, there is no other resource like Awwwards to find the top-rated designs. Awwwards’ search tool allows you to filter for the exact inspiration you are looking for. Since it is a web design and development competition site, you can see the best work from specific categories.
You must be wondering why I am adding a website of pre-built designs. Template Monster is great to find layout inspirations and designs as per the recent trends to make use of them while designing your website. You can view templates based on platform, industry, and features and can also check out the live demos to understand responsiveness.
5. DRIBBBLE
This is another designer’s mine. Dribbble hosts some of the top portfolios as it uses an invite-only membership system. It is an online community for designers to showcase their work, more like a designers-only social network. Due to the high quality of work, it is a great source to find design inspiration.
Visit my Dribbble.
6. DESIGN MILK
Design Milk is a great website for you to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in the design industry. While they focus a lot on interior and architecture, the website is a great source to get inspiration for color palettes and minimal designs.
7. MUZLI
This is not your ordinary design source, Muzli is a chrome extension that keeps you updated with the latest design trends and news. It is something to keep you inspired at the least expected times. It combines automated curation with human discovery, to uncover the best design inspiration and news that you won’t find with a web search.
Did you know of all these resources?
Let me know in the comments if this helped you and also if you know of any other great
sources.