For designers, inspiration is the fuel that powers creativity. Finding new ideas and exploring different design styles helps designers stay innovative, whether they’re working on web design, branding, or product interfaces. Today, there are numerous online tools and platforms that make it easy to discover, collect, and organize design inspiration. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best tools that designers can use to gather ideas, find visual inspiration, and stay updated with design trends.
1. Pinterest
Description: Pinterest is a popular platform for discovering and sharing images across all types of design categories. With its «pinning» feature, designers can save inspiration from other users and create categorized boards.
Best for: General inspiration across multiple design fields, from graphic and web design to interior and product design.
Features:
- Create boards to organize pins by category or project.
- Search for specific keywords and explore related images.
- Discover trends through Pinterest’s recommendations and analytics.
Why Designers Love It: Pinterest’s extensive library of images and easy organization tools make it simple to create mood boards and find inspiration for a wide variety of projects.
2. Behance
Description: Owned by Adobe, Behance is a platform for creatives to showcase their work and view portfolios from designers worldwide. Behance is popular among professionals for its high-quality, curated design projects.
Best for: Professional design inspiration in fields like graphic design, UI/UX, illustration, and branding.
Features:
- Browse through collections by category or trending topics.
- Follow designers or agencies to stay updated on new projects.
- Connect with other creatives and gain feedback on your work.
Why Designers Love It: Behance’s community-driven environment and high-quality projects offer professional-level inspiration and networking opportunities.
3. Dribbble
Description: Dribbble is a platform where designers share snapshots of their work, or “shots.” It’s a go-to source for fresh ideas in areas like UI/UX design, illustration, and branding.
Best for: Quick glimpses into trending design styles, UI/UX concepts, and product design.
Features:
- Follow designers to view their latest work.
- Save and organize inspiration in «Buckets.»
- Explore trending shots and popular design categories.
Why Designers Love It: Dribbble’s focused community and clean interface make it easy to find inspiration for specific design styles and stay updated with industry trends.
4. Awwwards
Description: Awwwards is a website that showcases award-winning web designs from across the globe. It’s known for highlighting the best in innovative, creative, and user-centered web design.
Best for: High-quality inspiration for web design, animation, and interactive design.
Features:
- Explore daily awarded websites and design trends.
- Access case studies and articles on design techniques.
- Participate in the Awwwards community by voting on favorite designs.
Why Designers Love It: Awwwards showcases the best web design has to offer, making it an ideal tool for designers looking to push the boundaries of creativity.
5. Muzli by InVision
Description: Muzli is a Chrome extension that delivers daily design inspiration directly to your browser. It curates content from various sources, including Behance, Dribbble, and design blogs, giving you instant access to new ideas.
Best for: Discovering trending inspiration in real-time, particularly in UI/UX and web design.
Features:
- Personalized content based on your interests.
- Curated collections of trending design topics.
- Real-time updates with fresh design inspiration.
Why Designers Love It: Muzli’s integration with the browser and personalized feed make it effortless for designers to get quick bursts of inspiration without needing to search.
6. Designspiration
Description: Designspiration is a platform specifically built for collecting and organizing design inspiration. With its focus on high-quality images and search features, it’s ideal for building mood boards.
Best for: Visual discovery and inspiration across various design fields.
Features:
- Organize inspiration by color, category, or keyword.
- Create and share mood boards with clients or team members.
- Save favorite images and follow other designers.
Why Designers Love It: Designspiration’s focus on visuals and organization makes it a go-to tool for creating highly specific mood boards and collecting quality inspiration.
7. Figma Community
Description: Figma Community is a space within Figma where designers can share and access UI kits, templates, and inspiration directly in the Figma design tool.
Best for: UI/UX design inspiration and collaborative design projects.
Features:
- Download free resources like UI kits, icons, and templates.
- Browse featured designs and follow popular designers.
- Share your own work and get feedback from the community.
Why Designers Love It: Figma’s community feature makes it easy to find inspiration and resources that can be directly integrated into your design projects.
8. Instagram
Description: While primarily a social media platform, Instagram has grown into a hub for visual inspiration, especially through design-focused accounts, hashtags, and stories.
Best for: Quick inspiration and staying updated with popular design trends.
Features:
- Follow design accounts, studios, and hashtags for inspiration.
- Discover new design styles and trends through Instagram Stories.
- Save posts to collections for easy access.
Why Designers Love It: Instagram’s visual format and large user base allow designers to easily explore new ideas and stay updated with what’s trending in real time.
9. Notion
Description: Notion is a productivity tool that also works as an excellent platform for organizing and collecting design inspiration. Its flexible templates and easy sharing capabilities make it ideal for creative teams.
Best for: Organizing and managing inspiration across multiple projects.
Features:
- Create custom templates and databases to organize inspiration.
- Embed visuals, text, and links to keep track of ideas.
- Share collections with team members for collaborative brainstorming.
Why Designers Love It: Notion’s customization and collaborative features make it easy for designers to organize and share their ideas, making it more than just a source of inspiration—it’s a complete workspace.
Conclusion
Finding and organizing inspiration is an essential part of any designer’s workflow. With tools like Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble, and even productivity platforms like Notion, designers have plenty of resources to discover and collect fresh ideas. By using these tools, designers can stay on top of trends, organize their ideas, and push the boundaries of creativity. At GrowthLand Digital Agency, we encourage our team and clients to explore these tools to enhance creativity and bring innovative designs to every project.
