5 Great Websites to Inspire Web Designers
The best web designers in the world work to meet more than just technical requirements when they build websites. They also aim to do their work artfully by creating aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly sites. Mastering the art of web design means taking cues from these seasoned pros. Here are five websites that can help any web designer find a little inspiration.
siteInspire
Showcasing the best in web design from around the world, siteInspire features an ever-changing gallery of stunning sites. Navigate to the home page, and you can view the latest designs that have been approved by the site’s editors. If you’re looking for inspiration for a specific project, browse by style, subject or web platform. These tools allow you to search for industry-specific websites so that you know what’s already been done and what’s hot now. Of course, you can also conduct text-based searches if you’re looking for something more specific. A site directory lets web designers find and contact other professionals in the field too.
Awwwards
Awwwards honors the best in global web design. You can browse Awwward winners and nominees on the site. Search filters allow you to sort sites by categories, tags, predominant design colors and country of origin. The Awwwards blog talks about winning designs, new design trends and other industry news. A vibrant community of web designers and tech pros interact on these blogs and across the site. Aspiring web designers can learn more about the annual Awwwards conferences, which bring web pros together to collaborate, learn and inspire one another. The site also features a professional directory to help web design professionals and clients get in touch with one another.
The Favourite Website Awards
Popularly known as FWA, this site features a wide variety of award-winning designs. Designers can browse both desktop and mobile site designs or get inspiration from old standards in the FWA Hall of Fame. Designers who depend on Adobe programs should be sure to check out the Cutting Edge Award, which is presented by Adobe and FWA. One of the biggest benefits of the site, though, is the rich design community that it represents. You can search for jobs, read interviews and articles, learn more about pioneers in the field and even submit your own site for consideration.
CSS Design Awards
If you need inspiration for CSS designs, head over to the CSS Design Awards. Featuring a website of the day as well as a gallery of past winners and nominees, this site is a go-to source of inspiration for designers who want to push the limits with CSS. The articles section covers everything from award news to the latest CSS trends. You can search articles according to particular topics of interest or can focus on looking only at articles that feature resources for web designers. Of course, the site also features a job board targeted towards designers and developers.
One Page Love
Being a professional web designer means facing unique challenges that sometimes include building one-page websites for clients. When you need inspiration for a solo page, head over to One Page Love. This unique gallery features the best one-page designs in a wide variety of commercial, non-profit and personal categories. It’s easy to browse for just the sort of design you’re looking for, and the site offers great information for designers too. In the resources section, you’ll find articles, tutorials, freebies and more. One Page Love also offers templates for blogs, Tumblr, Shopify, Muse, WordPress and other major sites.
Conclusion
Great web designers love sharing what they do with others. If you’re an aspiring designer, draw inspiration from those who’ve gone before you. After all, there’s no one better to learn from than a master.
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