TOP 10 Free resources
For students and freelancers starting out, one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is usually finances. Funds are low, but ambitions are high. Thankfully, there are now a plethora of free resources available. So let's jump in:
FREE STOCK PHOTOS
A lot of design revolves around showcasing information, whether that be a magazine spread, a website, or a blog. Communicating your design concepts to professors or clients is much more effective when you don't have blank "placeholders." The fewer things that need to be "filled in" by the viewers' imagination the better, otherwise they may be more confused than impressed. Even though stock photos are cheaper than ever on services like Adobe Stock, iStock, or Shutterstock, it's hard to justify spending that kind of money when you already have to choose between your supplies or your rent. So here are a few of my favorite:
pixabay
Pixabay has a decent selection of images, but they really shine because of their availability of free stock vectors, illustrations, and videos.
pexels
I like Pexels because all their photos are nicely tagged, making them quickly searchable. The less time you spend searching, the more you have to spend creating.
unsplash
Unsplash is by far my favorite. There is a plethora of high quality images to choose from. And while most of them are only 72dpi (for screens, not print), the files are usually large enough that they can be resized to work for smaller print applications.
Fun fact, if you host your website through squarespace.com, they are partners with unsplash and allow you to directly search for and upload images to your site.
Free Mockups and Templates
Context is one of the most important elements of design work. It can completely change how you view a design. For example, seeing a screenshot of that cool logo you designed for your buddy's side-hustle is one thing, but seeing it on a business card, application screen, or letterhead makes it more real. More than that, it can help you overcome common issues. For example, that 6 pt font may look super slick when you're zoomed in to 300% in Adobe Illustrator, but as soon as you see it laid out on a page, it is painful how small it is. So without further ado, check out these great sites and mockup your design work:
GraphicBurger
Stumbled across this back when I was a student. Literally changed the game for me in terms of the quality of work I was putting out and the speed that I was finishing it.
pixel buddha
If you can get past their clunky UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience), this can be a useful resource despite having to sign up for their e-mails to access the content.
behance
Wait, isn’t behance a portfolio site? Yes, yes it is. Lots of professionals create something that suits their needs and then open source it for other creatives to use. This really pays off, because you can find a lot of high-quality mockups absolutely for free.
Other Notable Resources
Not everything that revolves around the world of graphics is an actual graphic. Sometimes there are other supporting elements. These last few resources that I use on a daily basis are super helpful.
YouTube
There are more how-to videos on here than I can count. I use Youtube at least once per day to check out photoshop, illustrator and indesign tutorials. The more you learn, the better you will be.
Designspiration
I spend countless time here looking at work from a variety of talented designers, photographers, and illustrators. It’s always cool to see the techniques that others use in their work, and hopefully get some inspiration for your own work as well. It also is a great place for your clients to check because they can start to see what they do an do not like.
This one isn’t just a cop-out because I am running out of resources. Honestly, Google is my best friend as a designer. In today’s day and age there’s no excuse for not being able to learn something. Just like youtube where you can find tutorials, you can also find contacts, other resources, services, jobs, schools, etc.
Grammarly
I write words good. That hurt me as much as it hurt you. Grammar is super important, and so it spelling, tone of voice, etc. That's where Grammarly comes into play. I use this over and over again throughout the day. Think of it as spellcheck on steroids. It helps me sound like I know what I'm talking about without coming across like a jerk.
Example A:
As I was writing this post, Grammarly helped me avoid that typo, which I then was able to use as an example of how Grammarly works. It's like inception, but different.
Long story short, before you send that 4 AM plea for an extension to your professor, or send off a contract to your new client, run it through Grammarly and make sure you're actually saying what you think you're saying.
What do you think?
Hopefully, you will find some of these resources helpful. If you do, please share with someone whom you think would benefit from this list, and let me know if there are any other cool, free resources I should be aware of.