Inside the mind of a web designer

This page is dedicated to the development of creative ideas (and/or juices). This is where I share tips and tricks used to inspire my designs. The web is the best place to look for inspiration on anything. But if you are looking for web design inspiration then here are my top tips to seeking insight and creative direction!

Ready made websites

There are plenty people out there who make website templates for a living. Some are free some you pay for but they all give give ideas as well as great CSS tips and tricks. There are almost always developed to a high standard so you can simply plug in your content and get a accessible, W3C compliant site right out of the box!

Here is a list of my favourite template websites:

  • Free CSS Templates
  • Template Kingdom
  • Free CSS Templates
  • StyleShout
  • Open Designs

Showcase websites

Showcase websites are where you can find the creme de la creme of web design and they are usually searchable by content and colour!

Here is a list of my favourite showcase websites:

  • CSS Zen Garden
  • CSS Showcase
  • Urban Trash
  • Design Idol
  • DarkEye

Web design websites

All students seek inspiration from their masters! So looking at the work produced by well established designers from across the globe can give some good insight into the latest techniques as well as good working examples for specific industries.

Here is a list of my favourite designers:

  • designme
  • clearleft
  • Design Charts
  • BestWebGallery
  • Smashing Magazine

Photos and artwork

Artwork is perhaps one of my greatest inspirations especially at the start of a project when the canvas is completely blank.

Here is a list of my favourite photo/artwork websites:

  • EveryStockPhoto
  • iStockPhoto
  • AllPosters
  • Flickr
  • stock.xchng

WebFramework Design Gallery

Every week or se we review certains design themes and concepts. Below is a gallery of our past designs which may give you the quick inspiration fix you need!

Resources

Links to all the reference guides, top tips and tools to make web designing a little bit easier.