In this article, we look at the various ways to find fresh and new website design inspiration for your next creative project.


One of the best (and worst) things about web design is how quickly it changes. You’ll never get bored, as new styles, new ideas and new capabilities are coming online all the time and pushing web design and development forward. But if you’re a web designer, then that’s also one of the worst things about the web. There’s constant pressure to come up with something fresh, or to go back to some older designs you’ve done and update them.


There’s no time to rest on your laurels. Keeping up with new web design styles and ideas should be part of the job for each and every web designer. But where can you go great website design inspiration? We’ve put together a list of resources to help you stay fresh and current when building your next website project.

Website Design YouTube Channels

 

YouTube is a great resource for learning and staying current. Firstly, it’s free and secondly, you can take it at your own pace. There’s tons of great content about web design on there. Here are a few of the best channels that we’ve found:

  • Design Course: With over 500 000 subscribers, this is one of the most popular web design courses on YouTube. Gary Simon is the host and he uploads new videos every week that deal with everything from Choosing The Right Colors for a page to Logo Design as well as more technical tasks around web development such as Animated Checkboxes or JavaScript implementation. It’s one of the best resources on the web.

  • An Event Apart: Created by Mozilla Designer Jen Simmons, this channel features a series of one-hour lectures that focus on great layout and design. Topics include ‘Designing for Personalities’, ‘Slow Design For An Anxious World’ and much more. This channel is part of the larger Layout Land channel which is also well worth checking out, but far more technical than artistic.

  • Zimri Mayfield: This is a fun, creative channel hosted by Zimri where you’ll find adobe Illustrator tutorials, graphic design inspiration, and creative projects. He’s a larger than life character and his presenting style is really engaging. Not to mention, his work is helpfully categorized in playlists that let you find exactly what you’re looking for.


Website Design Podcasts

 

Some people are visual learners and some are aural (listening). If you like to listen to people talking about design then there are some wonderful design-focussed podcasts available. They’re also free and you can listen on your headphones while you work or during your commute.


These are some of the best web design podcasts that were produced during 2019:

  • The Responsive Web Design Podcast: Like it’s name suggests, this is a comprehensive resource for designers. The hosts, Ethan Marcotte and Karen McGrane, discuss topics around responsive design using examples of well-known sites and how they have used the principles.

  • ShopTalk Show: From development to design, performance to accessibility, this uniquely popular podcast discussed all things to do with web design. The hosts also have a great sense of humour with topics like “Help! My Boss Wants To Code” as well as things like ‘Making Money On the Web’.

  • BoagWorld UX show: Once a week, well known designers Paul Boag and Marcus Lillington are joined by a variety of guests to discuss a range of web design related topics. The show is fun, informative and very British! You’ll be able to find content for designers, developers and website owners, and no matter your level of experience, you’ll be sure to find something.

Websites - About Web Design

 

Naturally, the web itself is an outstanding place to find out all about web design. There are tens of thousands of sites that exist to help designers make better choices. We couldn’t possibly name them all but these few were handy in the way they tackle the subject.

  • There are lots of great educational courses online where you can learn web design or upgrade specific skills. Udemy is one of the most trusted and well-respected online educational institutions and their web design courses are a great place to start.

  • Awards are always a good place to find out what’s cutting edge and what’s getting noticed. The awwwards site collected a number of excellent sites on design, creativity and innovation on the net, and offers easy access to them all.

  • Sometimes all you need is a bit of inspiration. This site scours the web finding great examples of design and lays them all out here for a quick dose of inspiration when you need it.

Design Inspiration on Netflix

 

You can even get updated with the latest design thinking when you’re watching TV. Netflix has produced some really great series on design and design thinking - all of which will feed your creativity and help you make better decisions when it comes to your own work.

  • Abstract: The Art of Design: The show’s tagline says it all: “Step inside the minds of the most innovative designers in a variety of disciplines and learn how design impacts every aspect of life.” From footwear to architecture, animation to logo design, there is something for everyone - and it’s all shot beautifully and gives you a window into the world of some of the greatest designers working today.

  • The Creative Brain: If you’re looking for ways to spark your creativity, then this show could really be for you. It’s not strictly design focussed, but neuroscientist David Eagleman explores some really mind-bending ways of tapping into your creativity.

  • Blown Away: This “Iron Chef” type show isn’t specifically geared towards web design, but instead pins glass blowing artists against one another as they bring their ideas to life. The show will leave you speechless at the level of skills and creativity that these artists bring to their work. Given a theme to work with, they must create an entire display using only glass. It’s exacting, highly skilled work which has a lot to say to designers about working to a brief and collaborating with other creatives.


So when it’s time to get creative, reach out into the online world around you and access some of the best minds in the game before you get working. Or if you’re short of time, then simply sign up with Folio Websites and use one of the beautiful templates that we’ve designed to get you going.