The Best Design & Illustration Inspiration Websites
If you’re a designer or illustrator, you know the value of a great inspiration source. From concept to execution, having reliable sites to get inspired by fresh, innovative ideas can fuel your creative process and push your work to new heights. Below are some of the best places to find inspiration, whether you’re deep in a project or just browsing for fresh ideas.
1. Pinterest
A staple for visual inspiration, Pinterest is a go-to for many creatives. The beauty of Pinterest is that it curates images based on your preferences. Whether you’re looking for specific illustration styles, color palettes, or design trends, Pinterest offers a seemingly endless scroll of visuals that can spark ideas for just about any project.
2. Behance
Adobe’s Behance is a professional network showcasing work from a wide array of creative fields. It’s great for seeing high-quality projects from top designers and illustrators, with portfolios that dive into everything from brand identity to animation. Behance is ideal for those who want an in-depth look at how concepts evolve and get executed.
3. Dribbble
Dribbble is known for its polished visuals and community of talented creatives. It’s a fantastic place to find inspiring projects, especially for web and mobile design, branding, and icons. Dribbble’s focused on presenting finished pieces, so if you want quick, visually stunning ideas, it’s a goldmine.
4. Eye Candy
Eye Candy lives up to its name, bringing together stunning visuals from the world of cinematography and film making. You can search by technique to find great visual references.
A must for anyone interested in editorial design, Cover Junkie is dedicated to cover designs from magazines around the world. The site showcases bold, unique, and often controversial cover designs, making it perfect for editorial designers and illustrators looking for innovative layouts.
The Brand Identity is all about sharp, clean branding. It offers a carefully curated selection of the best in contemporary branding and design, with a particular focus on typography and visual identity. For designers and brand strategists, it’s an invaluable resource.
Deck gallery is a collection of beautiful presentation and slide decks.
8. Paletton
If you’re in search of the perfect color palette, Paletton is the tool for you. With its color wheel interface, you can test and visualize various color combinations to find the best fit for your project. This is a go-to for designers who need a strong color scheme and want to see their options in action.
9. Palitra
Palitra is a color palette website designed for creatives. With user-submitted palettes, it’s ideal for exploring unexpected color combinations and finding something unique. The site’s sleek interface makes it enjoyable to browse, and it’s handy for discovering new ways to use color in your work.
10. Designspiration
With a name that says it all, Designspiration is a beautiful source of visual content across design and illustration. Its simple design makes browsing easy, and its search function lets you filter by color and category to find exactly what you need.
Same Energy is a unique site that uses visual similarities to find related images. You can start with a piece you like, and Same Energy will pull up images with similar vibes. It’s a fantastic tool for finding inspiration that aligns with a certain mood or style.
A curated gallery of all things design, Inspiration Grid features work from around the world. Categories range from art and architecture to fashion and typography, making it an all-encompassing platform for inspiration seekers across various disciplines.
13. It’s Nice That
This site’s emphasis on celebrating creativity in all forms makes it a lively, engaging read. Covering everything from design to illustration, It’s Nice That features interviews, articles, and galleries that dive into both the art and the artists. It’s an inspiring mix of visuals and behind-the-scenes stories.
14. Illustration Age
Illustration Age is an all-in-one resource for illustrators. In addition to its inspiration galleries, it offers articles, tutorials, and business advice for illustrators at any stage of their career. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your craft, this is a treasure trove of information and inspiration.
As the name suggests, Directory of Illustration is a comprehensive guide to the world of illustration. It’s particularly useful for those interested in the commercial side of illustration, featuring professional portfolios, client information, and artist profiles.
Eat Sleep Draw is an artist-run blog that publishes fresh, new illustrations daily. With an open submission policy, it showcases work from artists all over the world, so there’s always something unexpected and diverse to enjoy.
Last but not least, I Love Illustration celebrates the best of illustration across styles and formats. From character design to editorial illustration, it’s a wonderfully curated site for anyone who loves seeing illustrations that stand out.
Wrapping Up
Having a good set of go-to sites for design and illustration inspiration can make all the difference in a creative career. Whether you’re looking to brainstorm, refine, or just get excited about new trends, these sites have something to offer every creative. Happy browsing!