21 Essential Design Blogs to Spark Your Creativity in 2024

From design fields like graphic and motion design, UX/UI, to interior and fashion design, fuel your creativity by exploring fresh trends, ideas, and inspiration from these must-follow sites.

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Want to stay relevant and competitive in your design field? Keeping updated and inspired in the world of design is paramount for designers who want to stay ahead of the curve and advance their careers. Design is ever evolving with new tools, trends, and techniques, and by harnessing the power of design blogs to stay up to date with the latest developments, you can ensure you’re producing cutting-edge, innovative work that resonates with your clients and audiences.

Staying inspired through design blogs also helps designers avoid creative burnout and roadblocks, as well as helps them develop fresh ideas. Design blogs are a great one-stop shop. Continue to grow and develop your skills as a designer by studying the successes of other designers as well as gathering intel on new technologies.

We go beyond Instagram and Pinterest to narrow in on specialty blogs to keep designers like you ahead of the curve. But hey, don’t discount user-generated content threads. For one thing, this Mastodon thread has our interest. And we bet there are a plethora of Discord servers out there, but that’s for another article.

Top Design Blogs for Graphic Designers

In addition to following leading-edge design firms and designers on social media, graphic design blogs can provide a wealth of information at your fingertips. We’ve curated some so you don’t have to comb through pages of search results!

Behance

Behance is the behemoth of design sites. It showcases designers’ work, allows for collaboration with others, and helps spark inspiration for browsers and users alike. Founded in 2006, it is now owned by Adobe. The design blog allows its users to create portfolios of their projects, connect with other creatives, and even receive feedback from peers. Behance also offers job listings, design competitions, and other resources for designers looking to grow their skills and careers. Bonus: its handy search functionality allows for easy browsing.

Dribbble

Similar to Behance, Dribbble focuses on showcasing and discovering design work and enables users to browse designers’ work, and allows designers to showcase theirs, as well as connect with others and find freelance opportunities. Like Behance, it allows users to create portfolios to showcase their projects, follow other designers, and engage with their community. Dribbble also offers job listings and design challenges. Take note: Dribbble, like Behance, is not limited to graphic design. The site is filled with many design fields, such as animation, illustration, product, and web design.

AIGA Eye on Design

AIGA Eye on Design is a design blog from the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). It covers a range of design topics including graphic design, typography, illustration, and more. The blog features editorial pieces by industry professionals and updates on design-related events and initiatives. Much like Behance and Dribble, the site also offers resources for designers, like job listings, competitions, and other opportunities. Overall, the blog provides an engaging platform for designers to stay informed and inspired.

Must-Follow Design Blogs for Web Designers and Developers

Work in web design or development? Or looking to get into the field? We’ve got you. Bookmark this handful of web design and development blogs so you can stay on top of best practices and trends, discover new tools and resources, find inspiration, and maybe even build connections and community.

Smashing Magazine

Smashing Magazine is a web design and development site that offers a wide range of articles, tutorials, and resources. The publication covers topics like coding, design, UX, and more. Smashing Magazine includes practical and actionable advice, hosts workshops and conferences, and has published several books and e-books on web design and development. Overall, the site is a great resource for those looking to improve their web design and development skills.

Codrops

Codrops is a web design and development blog that explores the latest trends and techniques, keeping web professionals up to date on the latest industry developments. The site offers tutorials, resources, and inspiration for designers and developers. The design blog covers a wide range of topics including front-end development, UX/UI design, CSS, and HTML. The blog offers step-by-step tutorials, code snippets and other free design resources, and examples of innovative web designs to inspire and inform designers and developers.

Webdesigner Depot

Webdesigner Depot is a web design blog that offers a mix of practical advice and inspiration including a range of resources, tutorials, and inspiration for web designers and developers of all career levels. The blog covers web design and development, including UX/UI design, web typography, responsive design, and CSS, and offers articles, tutorials, and an information-rich e-newsletter. If you’re looking to improve your skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in the web design and development field, Webdesigner Depot may be for you.

Inspirational Design Blogs for Interior Design Enthusiasts

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the exciting new trends and news in interior design. By keeping up to date and following a few gold-standard blogs, hopefully you’ll feel less overwhelmed and more inspired through a curated feed of the most important trends and activities in the fascinating and beautiful world of interior design.

Dezeen

Dezeen is a robust online architecture and design magazine. It features a range of articles, videos, photography, and renderings related to design, architecture, and technology, with a focus on innovation and creativity. In addition to its online blog that features a wide spectrum of interior design trends and activity around the world, Dezeen has an e-newsletter, hosts events and awards, promotes courses and products, posts jobs and more.

Apartamento Magazine

Apartamento is an international magazine publication that focuses on interior design, architecture, and lifestyle. Founded in Barcelona in 2008, it is known for its unique and eclectic approach to design journalism. Apartamento takes a more personal and intimate approach to showcasing the homes and workspaces of creatives around the world. The magazine has an active blog that features videos, interviews, essays, an online store, and a fresh and inspiring perspective on interior design and architecture.

Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy is a popular website with an active social media presence that provides advice and inspiration for home design and organization. The site offers a wide range of content, including articles, tutorials and product reviews with a focus on making homes beautiful, functional, and comfortable. The site also features house tours, showcasing the homes and apartments of real people, as well as a shop for home goods and décor.

Top Design Blogs for Fashion and Textile Designers

Want to stay in the know with the latest trends, news, and inspiration in the fashion and textile industry? Get started with a few of the big ones, including, of course, Vogue. Dive deeper into fashion news, insights and analysis with the Business of Fashion, and end with Who What Wear, a site that started as a small blog by two fashion magazine staff. 

Vogue

Vogue has been a leading fashion magazine in circulation for over a century. They’ve also built up a strong web presence, offering visitors the latest fashion and beauty news, features, and trends. From the latest trends and collections to interviews with designers and models, Vogue has fashion well-covered. The site also features beauty, culture, and lifestyle to round out its blog offerings. Vogue also has a dedicated runway section that offers coverage of the latest fashion shows and runway collections. Overall, Vogue is a comprehensive resource for fashion and lifestyle enthusiasts, offering the latest news, trends, and inspiration from the world of fashion and beauty.

The Business of Fashion

The Business of Fashion (BoF) is a digital publication and platform that covers the global fashion industry. BoF offers news, analysis, and insights into the fashion industry, catering to professionals, students, and enthusiasts alike. The fashion and textile design blog offers a range of features and resources, including articles, a highly-rated podcast, videos, and events. The site covers a wide range of topics, including fashion business, marketing, retail, technology, and sustainability, and features interviews with industry leaders and profiles of emerging designers. The site also offers a range of tools and resources for professionals in the fashion industry, including job listings, career advice, and education and training resources.

Who What Wear

Started by two fashion industry insiders, Who What Wear started as a small blog and newsletter and quickly became a leading fashion and lifestyle media brand. The site covers the latest trends, news, and inspiration in the fashion industry, offering a range of features and resources, including articles, videos, and social media content. Who What Wear also offers advice on how to style and wear the latest fashion trends, as well as tips on how to build a wardrobe that reflects your personal style. Who What Wear also offers an e-newsletter and a members area with additional features.

Leading Design Blogs for Packaging and Product Designers

The world of packaging and product design is bursting! That’s why it’s important to stay up on all the trends and innovative developments in this design field. A great way of doing this is by following a handful of packaging and product design blogs. Read on.

It’s Nice That

It’s Nice That is a UK-based design blog and creative platform featuring work and commentary from all manner of design fields, including product design. The site includes interviews with leading artists and designers, showcases new and emerging talent, as well as features current design trends and opinion pieces on the state of the industry. The site also offers resources for creatives, such as job listings and opportunities to connect with others.

Design Observer

Design Observer is a website that covers a wide range of design-related topics, including photography, architecture, and product design. Founded in 2003, the site features articles, essays, interviews, and opinion pieces by leading designers, writers, and critics from around the world. Design Observer also hosts a job board, produces podcasts, publishes texts and commentary, sends e-newsletters, and more. With a focus on critical thinking and insightful analysis, this design blog is a valuable resource for anyone interested in design and its role in society.

WGSN

Primarily a pay-to-play subscription, WGSN (Worth Global Style Network) is a trend-forecasting service that provides valuable insights and data to professionals in the design and retail industries. WGSN tracks and predicts emerging trends in fashion, product design, and consumer behavior, providing clients with information to make informed decisions about product development, marketing, and sales. Their product design knowledge runs the gamut and boasts of translating the right trends into beautifully designed products and packaging. WGSN also has select free content, such as podcasts, articles and social media.

Essential Design Blogs for Motion and Animation Designers

Below you’ll find a few of our top blogs catering to motion and animation design. Each of these design blogs dives into new techniques, tutorials, news, design portfolios … you name it. Find your favorite and stay inspired and up to date on everything motion and animation design.

Cartoon Brew

Cartoon Brew is an international online resource for animation and motion designers. The site shares advice, content and insights from leading artists, designers, and animators in the industry, as well as offers a library of work to take inspiration from. The content on Cartoon Brew covers a wide range of topics, including 2D and 3D animation, stop-motion, visual effects, and more. Cartoon Brew also offers resources for animation students and professionals, such as job listings, industry news, and educational opportunities. The site also features a directory of animation studios and a podcast series featuring industry experts.

Motionographer

Motionographer is a leading online publication and community for motion design, animation, and visual effects. The site features news, articles, and interviews with leading artists, designers, and animators in the industry, as well as a job board and a directory of creative studios and freelancers. Motionographer is a design blog that covers a wide range of topics, including 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, VFX, game design, and more. Overall, this motion and animation design blog offers an extensive library of inspiring work, practical advice, and insights from industry experts.

Abduzeedo

Abduzeedo, or abdz.do, is a design blog that features inspirational case studies and design projects from designers based around the world. Founded by Brazilian designer Fabio Sasso, the site covers a wide range of design topics including 3D, illustration, animation, and graphic design. The site also includes a tutorial section, where design effects done on various tools are walked through step-by-step for users of varying skill levels. Abduzeedo also has an iOS app, self-described as an e-zine featuring even more design topics, including motion design tutorials and case studies.

Best Design Blogs for User Experience and User Interface Designers

We’re here with a hit of the best UX/UI design blogs. Gain a brief overview of each and go explore! These sites have similarities and differences, so be sure to check them all out. We’re technically cheating by lumping Figma and Sketch in together, but you may understand why once you read on. Explore innovative design ideas, case studies, and industry updates in these great UX/UI design blogs.

Nielsen Norman Group

The Nielsen Norman Group is a user experience (UX) research and consulting firm founded by pioneers in human-computer interaction. The company provides tons of free knowledge, including research-based guidance on how to design digital products and services that are intuitive, usable, and effective. The company also publishes articles, reports, and books on UX design and conducts research on user behavior. The Nielsen Norman Group is widely regarded as a leading authority on UX design and is a valuable resource for designers, developers, and product managers looking to improve their UX and UI.

UX Planet

UX Planet is an online resource focused on user experience (UX) design. The site provides articles, tutorials, and resources on a wide range of UX design topics, including design thinking, user research, usability testing, interaction design, and more. UX Planet features contributions from experienced UX designers, researchers, and practitioners from around the world, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn about best practices in the field. The site also offers job listings and a directory of UX design agencies and freelancers.

Sketch and Figma

Both popular design software tools, Sketch and Figma also offer learning and blog resources to help users improve their design skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques in the industry. Sketch offers a range of resources, including a documentation library, video tutorials, and a community forum. The Sketch blog also features articles on design trends, tips, and tutorials from industry experts. Figma offers a range of similar resources. Figma’s blog features articles on topics such as user experience, product design, and design systems. Figma also offers a series of design courses and webinars for users looking to improve their skills.

Bonus design resource

One more way to stay organized and on top of design news and trends, check out the ultimate online design content curator, Muzli. This easy-to-install and utilize Chrome extension and mobile app delivers cutting-edge design projects and news each time a new tab is opened in your browser. Muzli mines leading web sources like Dribbble, Behance, Designspiration, Mashable, Techcrunch and over 150 others.

There you have it! We hope you don’t get overwhelmed by these sites. We hope you can dive in, refine your favorites, and find even more blogs that spark your interests. Maybe after exploring those of direct interest in your field, you can expand and check out others in different areas, as we can always learn from other fields when it comes to functional and aesthetic design, especially as our world becomes more and more transdisciplinary.

Other ways to stay engaged and active in your field also involve following design festivals and competitions, so look out for those, too. Another hint, sign up for e-newsletters from your favorite sites to get news and updates right to your inbox. One way or another, we hope you’ve learned a bit more about your field, found a resource or two to build your knowledge and stay up to date with the trends and developments in your industry.

Contributor

  • Format Team

    At Format, we are a passionate group of individuals at the intersection of technology and creativity, united by one purpose: helping photographers succeed. Our team is dedicated to providing photographers and creative artists with the tools and resources they need to share their work and grow their businesses.

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