Whether you’re a seasoned designer tackling a complex project or a budding enthusiast dipping your toes into the world of web design, having the right resources at your fingertips is crucial. From finding inspiration to acquiring new skills and discovering powerful tools, this list equips you with 17 of the best resources to elevate your web design journey.
1. Awwwards: A curated showcase of award-winning website designs across various categories, Awwwards is a treasure trove of stunning inspiration. It highlights websites excelling in usability, creativity, and innovation, sparking ideas and showcasing cutting-edge trends.
2. Dribbble: A vibrant community platform for designers, Dribbble allows you to explore individual designer portfolios and “shots” showcasing specific design elements like layouts, typography, and animations. Discover up-and-coming talent, stay updated on current trends, and find solutions for specific design challenges.
3. Behance: Similar to Dribbble, Behance offers a vast portfolio platform focusing on creative fields like graphic design and web design. Explore diverse approaches, discover design agencies and individual designers, and get inspired by a global pool of talent.
4. Pinterest: Though not exclusively for web design, Pinterest’s board creation system allows you to curate personalised inspiration boards focused on specific design styles, colour palettes, UI components, and layouts. Save, organise, and revisit your favourite design elements for future reference.
1. Webflow University: Dive deep into the intricacies of web design and development with Webflow University’s extensive library of interactive courses, tutorials, and workshops. Learn essential skills like building responsive layouts, working with animations, and mastering design systems.
2. Coursera: This online learning platform offers web design specialisations and courses from top universities and industry experts. Learn UI/UX design principles, front-end development skills, and accessibility best practices at your own pace.
3. Udacity: Following Coursera’s model, Udacity offers career-oriented web design nano degrees and courses led by industry experts. Gain project-based experience, build a portfolio, and prepare for a career in web design with their immersive learning programs.
4. YouTube: A free-to-use platform brimming with educational content, YouTube offers countless channels dedicated to web design. Find tutorials on specific software, tips and tricks for various design aspects, and insightful discussions from leading designers.
1. Figma: A collaborative design platform, Figma allows teams to design websites, mobile apps, and other digital products in real time. With its powerful prototyping tools, version control, and commenting features, it streamlines the design process and fosters seamless collaboration.
2. Adobe XD: Adobe’s UX/UI design software, XD, provides a robust toolset for creating website prototypes, wireframes, and user flows. Integrate it with other Adobe products for a streamlined creative workflow, and leverage its comprehensive design libraries and plugins.
3. Sketch: This popular design app focuses on creating user interfaces and user experiences. With its intuitive interface, vector editing capabilities, and extensive plugin ecosystem, Sketch empowers designers to iterate quickly and produce high-fidelity mockups.
4. Canva: Perfect for beginners and non-designers, Canva offers a user-friendly platform to create basic website designs using pre-built templates and drag-and-drop functionality. While primarily aimed at social media graphics, it can be a good starting point for simple website creation.
1. GitHub: This open-source platform hosts countless web design resources, from free templates and UI component libraries to open-source design tools and frameworks. Browse, download, and contribute to a vast repository of valuable design assets.
2. Google Fonts: With hundreds of free, open-source fonts curated by Google, finding the perfect typography for your website is easy. Choose from diverse styles and experiment with various combinations to create unique and visually appealing designs.
3. W3Schools: This comprehensive online web development reference provides free tutorials and documentation on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Whether you’re a beginner learning the basics or a seasoned developer seeking specific code examples, W3Schools is a valuable resource.
4. Web Design Weekly: Subscribe to this curated email newsletter and receive a weekly digest of the latest web design news, articles, tutorials, and resources delivered straight to your inbox. Stay informed about industry trends and discover valuable learning opportunities.
Steve Baron, an astute entrepreneur and seasoned marketing professional, is the driving force behind Webprecision, a company specialising in crafting affordable, fast, and SEO-friendly websites. Before his venture into the digital realm, Steve established Baron Marketing Ltd, an advertising agency that flourished under his leadership for over two decades. His entrepreneurial spirit further propelled him to launch several successful online startups.
A staunch advocate for nurturing budding entrepreneurs, Steve has served as a mentor for Business Mentors NZ. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Waikato, complemented with a Political Science Honours Degree from Victoria University of Wellington.
A prolific writer, Steve has penned three books, and his insightful editorials have graced the pages of newspapers across New Zealand. When not immersed in his professional endeavours, Steve fulfils his role as the Clerk of the Scales for New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, is a competitive Bridge Grandmaster, and indulges in his passions for walking, running, and savouring the café experience.