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The Internet we know today is full of resources–so much so that it’s possible to self-teach yourself without a college degree when it comes to graphic design. But as creatives, we’ve all hit a standstill or experienced brain fog, wishing we had the answers.
Need more inspiration to pull through a project? Tutorials you can bookmark? What about fresh typography options for those nagging clients? Now, they’re all just a click and download away from your toolkit.
Whatever your project, you’ll find exactly what you’ve been looking for to help take your creativity, strategic thinking, and design skills to the next level. Here are some of the most popular and hidden gem graphic design resources everyone could use.
Illustration Resources
Illustrations require artistic skills that some graphic designers may not possess or lack the time to develop. With massive inventories like these, there are endless options that look custom-made for whichever project you need them for.
1. Humaaans
They don’t call themselves Humaaans for no reason. With a free mix-and-match library, you can custom-create every element–from clothes to facial features.
2. Stubborn
Compatible with Figma and Adobe Sketch (now known as Fresco), Stubborn allows you to customize illustrations in your preferred programs. Enjoy their free or paid version.
3. Blush
A more fun approach to human illustration, Blush offers a large collection of illustrative styles to choose from – all with the ability to be customized to your liking.
Icon Resources
Icons are an essential part of design, whether you use them now or later. Keeping these elements saved and ready to go will prepare you for whatever project comes next. From icons to include in your graphics, to ones you can use as fonts–it’s all here.
4. The Noun Project
Access a global icon inventory? No problem. With a diverse library of icons in all styles, The Noun Project makes it its mission to source icons from all over the world.
5. Iconscout
No need to scout for icons any longer. Iconscout boasts a vast library of over 4,500 vector icons and icon fonts, all available in SVG format.
Inspiration Resources
Being creative is a tiring job, and that caffeine boost doesn’t last forever. Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, but more importantly, every creative has a different preference in inspiration. These reputable resources will help keep your creative juices flowing.
6. The Futur with Chris Do
If reading isn’t your thing, this podcast is worth listening to. Holding candid conversations with influential people in design, The Future with Chris Do podcast is a hidden gem.
7. Designspiration
With all the inspiration available, it’s still challenging to find exactly what you need. Designspiration’s niche collection of graphic design projects allows you to filter by color.
8. MasterBundles
MasterBundles is a valuable and convenient platform for anyone working with visual content. Are you tired of thinking about the design elements that are better to choose? MasterBundles will be handy for you!
On this platform, you will find a blog with expert articles on web design elements. Thanks to it, your mind will always be full of creative ideas and solutions.
9. Behance
This popular platform isn’t only great for sharing your work with others, but it’s also great for inspiration. With every design project at your fingertips, inspiration is a click away.
Typography Resources
Typography is a world of its own, but not every graphic designer can craft up a custom typeface. These resources will ensure you have typography in your toolkit for whenever you need them, no matter which style you need.
10. Fontstand
Need a font for a short time? This solution enables you to rent fonts while staying up-to-date with the latest typography trends on their news platform.
11. DaFont
Great fonts aren’t always expensive. With a large library of free options to choose from, you can test your text and download it with a click of a button.
12. Type Network
Looking for something one-of-a-kind? Type Network’s collective of independent type designers is so exclusive, you can’t find them in Monotype-owned shops.
Editing Tools
Most graphic design projects undergo an editing phase through their creative process. Whether you just need something cropped or an entire filter enhancement, these editors and tools will have your back when you need them most.
13. Photopea
You don’t need to purchase Adobe Suite to access Photoshop any longer. Photopea is an (almost) identical alternative to Photoshop that even works with PDS files.
14. Affinity Designer
This resource is another cost-effective alternative to the Adobe Suite. If Illustrator if your program, this all-in-one design suite replaces the original seamlessly.
15. Brandpad
Want to make creating brand guidelines a breeze? Brandpad is an advanced studio that allows you to create your best work and share it later.
16. Social Size
Social media sizes vary across different platforms. Social Size has all the templates you need with the ability to use them in Fresco, Adobe XD, or Photoshop–for free.
Mockup Tools
All creatives need mockups at some point, whether for their portfolio or a project. Having quality mockup tools will help others envision your work in a new light. Finding realistic ones, however, isn’t always easy, but these are.
17. House of Mockups
The most realistic and modern mockup library, House of Mockups , isn’t to be taken lightly. With free and premium PDS files, your mockups may look too realistic.
18. Pixeden
Need mockups for your print design projects? Pixeden focuses on the niche category, all with a library of free and premium PSD files to choose from.
Color Resources
Design isn’t always black and white; color is one of those things you can’t always go without. But finding the right shade isn’t simple when colors are infinite. With so many possibilities, having a helping hand can lead you to the right hue.
19. Coolers
Take the standard color dropper tool to the next level with Coolers. Adjust, collect, store, or integrate colors into your own custom palette–the choice is yours.
20. Pigment
Colors come in all shades, and when it comes to print design, lighting can change it all. Pigment allows you to adjust colors by pigment or lighting for a realistic hue.
Educational Resources
Everyone has a different learning style – some prefer to tune in via audio, while others prefer to read a blog post. As a creative, learning never really ends. These professional-grade resources are suitable for everyone, regardless of your learning style.
21. Designity Blog
No matter where you are in your design career, Designity’s blog has all you need to stay ahead of the crowd. Covering design and innovation, you’ll always know what to do next.
22. Design Matters
For auditory learners, Design Matters hosts conversations with industry leaders about their experiences and insights. Get exclusive insight into the professional graphic design field.
23. Yes, I’m a Designer
If Youtube is your thing, this channel is the perfect resource to explore new tips and skills. Specializing in graphic design, there’s a wide variety of educational topics to explore.
Photography Resources
Some projects require photography, and you can't always create a live image from scratch. While some stock photos are pretty obvious, these, on the other hand, don’t scream “stock” all over them.
24. Unsplash
With over 2 million free high-resolution images to choose from, you’ll never go without stock images, all thanks to 207,000 contributing photographers.
25. Pexels
As another popular stock resource, Pexels doesn’t just cover images. If you’re looking for both photography and videography, this library is the first to respond to current affairs.
26. Icon 8's Photo Creator
Not a fan of the typical stock images? Create your own! Icon 8's Photo Creator uses a drag-and-drop interface to merge PNGs to form your very own photographs.
No matter where you are with your graphic design skills, you could never have enough tools and resources. Whether you’re just starting out or just settling in, building your personalized toolkit will only improve your work. Scaling your career has never been easier and more accessible.
