Handy Design websites for beginners
If you’re a newbie that’s only just beginning to explore the world of design, don’t fear. Luckily, we have the internet — a place filled with an abundance of resources and communities. It’s almost possible to learn just about anything on the internet, the trick is finding the right resources and getting a good start to lay a solid a foundation.
I began my design career by teaching myself some basic tips and tricks nearly two years before I ever set foot in design school. I thought I’d share a short and sweet list of some of the sites that helped me get started, almost all of which I still use today.
Resources
Tuts Plus
While this site may not teach you the ‘why’ or principles of design, it’s an awesome site for learning how to use the Adobe Suite or a specific tool in the software. For $15 a month you get access to hundreds of video courses. Tuts Plus basically taught me how to use Illustrator and gave me a great overview of Photoshop when I was just starting out.
Skillshare
You’ve probably heard of the popular online class site, but in case not, Skillshare has a range of classes for creatives. Unlike Tuts Plus, Skillshare consists of courses which offer multiple video lessons you can complete in your own time. For example, this Photoshop CC for beginners course.
Kern Type
A fun little game, Kern Type lets you practice your kerning skills in a fun way, moving letters back and forth with your arrow keys. A great little resource to get you thinking about type.
Ten Dollar Fonts
If you’re looking for a quality font to use, Ten Dollar Fonts has a great catalogue of affordable typefaces to choose from. Based in New Zealand (❤️), TDF allows you to choose from personal to commercial licenses and even includes some web font family licenses.
Flat UI Colors
While I don’t recommend you use this site for all projects, Flat UI Colors is a handy place to go to when you quickly need a nice color for your mockup or low-fi design.
Noun Project
If you’re in need of an icon, the Noun Project has a library filled with thousands of icons to choose from. You can choose to download as an SVG which allows you to change the color and scale to your design.
Inspiration
Niice
Somewhat similar to Pinterest, Niice is a showcase of imagery and inspiration. You can search by keywords and even create your own mood boards. It’s pretty vast, covering things from photography to interior design and archetecture.
Dribbble
Probably my go-to place, Dribbble has some amazing design work from creatives all over the world. Create your own profile to share your own ‘shots’, and explore others work in progress shots.
Designspiration
Beautifully clean and clutter-free, Designspiration has a range of artwork and quite often thought-provoking work.
Tips and Tricks
Photoshop Etiquette
This site is a great for any newbie and avoids you learning the hard way how to set up and treat your Photoshop files. It’s easy to get lost deep down in layers or find hidden objects you thought you deleted. This easy to read guide will help you format your Photoshop files like a pro. Trust me, the developers will thank you later.
GuideGuide
A neat little Photoshop extension, GuideGuide lets you create guides with the click of a button.
Any handy resources I missed? Let me know on Twitter.
