Principles of good design are timeless. But as a graphic designer, you are always reaching for something more inventive and inspired. Graphic design blogs are an incredible resource for designers whether you are just starting out in the field, an experienced designer keeping an eye on the state of the industry, or just beginning to explore the possibilities of becoming a graphic designer. As you feed your creativity and build momentum in your career, it will serve you well to stay up to date with the leading opinions in your industry—and sometimes it’s just simply fun to check out what other people are doing!
If you’re looking for somewhere to start building your reading list, we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together a resource list of 35 of the best graphic design blogs to keep on your radar. If you're also interested in animation, don't forget to explore our curated collection of "Animation Blogs and Resources" to further enrich your knowledge and creativity in the field.
35 of the best graphic design blogs and resources out there
The blogs on this list come in all shapes and sizes. Some are run by individual designers, some are run by large organizations within the field of graphic design, and some serve as a meeting place for designers to network and give each other feedback. There’s a lot out there—but the good news is that it should be easy to find a few quality options to regularly check on. Let’s dive right into some of the best graphic design blog options out there.
1. Smashing Magazine
Smashing Magazine features articles that generally focus on design usability, SEO, UX and other functional aspects of design. Insightful articles range from small tips, like why designers should never use “Click Here” in their links to deeper dives, like principles of technical SEO and how to think about mobile design in a better way.
Smashing Magazine also offers job boards and events to help designers connect with employers and build networks.
2. Adobe® Create Magazine
Create is Adobe’s® magazine that dubs itself as “by creatives, for creatives.” As you might expect from Adobe®, this magazine has everything—photography, motion graphics, audio, branding ideas and a whole heap of tutorials. It is also packed with interesting content and artist interviews, as opposed to some of the primarily visual blogs out there.
3. The Inspiration Grid
Its name says it all really. The Inspiration Grid is a grid of inspiring images and design projects ranging all over the place in aesthetic and even industry. Click on an image you like, and it opens the rest of the series that specific designer made. If you are into mood boards or seeing lots of different styles showcased in one place, you’ll love this.
4. Abduzeedo
Abduzeedo’s mission is simple: To be an open channel to the design community, encouraging feedback from its followers. Abduzeedo is an extremely visual blog that features daily inspirations and trends in the design world, with a special emphasis on 3D. You will also find an abundance of tutorials and how-to guides, especially for those interested in Adobe® Photoshop® and Illustrator®.
5. Identity Designed
Identity Designed is all about brand identities. Way beyond featuring fantastic work, each showcase examines the design branding choices along with insights from the designers on what inspired or guided those decisions. Identity Design also does an awesome job of including brands from all over the world. Identity Designed published a book in 2019 featuring work from top international studios including workflow aspects from pricing and invoicing to generating strong ideas.
6. Noupe
Aimed at web designers and designers generally, Noupe has a refreshing vibe that honors the creative, alternative side of design while still focusing on its marketing and corporate utility. If you want to walk the line between designing for a company that expects certain results, while also saying something unique with your work—this blog could be a great source of inspiration.
7. Graphic Design for Fearless Women
Graphic Design for Fearless Women is a Tumblr run by a former contributor to the now on-break Women of Graphic Design blog we’ve previously featured. Women of Graphic Design’s stated mission was to “Celebrate the contributions that women have made to graphic design, both past and present.” Graphic Design for Fearless Women carries on this spirit with a bold and supremely scrollable feed.
8. Make Nice
Make Nice is more of a networking site than a traditional blog for women in the field of graphic design around the world. The free and private slack group from Make Nice answers questions about graphic design, working in the field, and shared resources and in-person networking opportunities.
9. Creative Overflow
Creative Overflow offers its followers a little taste of everything: professional advice, informational articles, tutorials, inspiration and a bevy of other resources. Creative Overflow publishes articles written by several industry professionals, keeping the posts fresh and full of unique ideas.
10. Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq aims to provide its followers with a daily dose of design tips and inspiration. Creative Bloq articles cover all facets of design, including 3D, illustration and animation. Followers are also exposed to frequent freebies and complimentary resources to help sharpen their skills and expand their knowledge of the field.
11. Dribbble
Dribbble is a virtual show-and-tell for designers. It’s a community for designers of all types to share their current projects and receive instant feedback from others. Dribbble allows you to browse the work of others for inspiration and also to take advantage of the site to promote your own work.
12. One Extra Pixel
One Extra Pixel considers itself as “a digital playground for people who want to learn.” Graphic designers should never stop developing their skills, so One Extra Pixel acts as an educational resource for all. The step-by-step guides and design tips and tricks will help you stay on top of your design game.
13. TemplateMonster Post
TemplateMonster Post’s blog publishes articles for web designers with a special focus on WordPress. They post lots of information about free resources as well as lots of great articles about navigating the professional world as a freelancer, business owner or just as a forward-thinking web designer. If you are a web designer or are interested in web design, this one is a must-follow.
14. You the Designer
You the Designer considers itself a “graphic design lifestyle blog.” It aims to bring all of the cutting-edge trends in the industry to your fingertips. One way You the Designer achieves this is by consistently highlighting the work of designers throughout the industry. Even at first glance, it’s clear that this blog is highly invested in imagery, making it a great source of inspiration for its audience.
15. Typeroom
Are you a typography nut? Typeroom will be right up your alley. Their tagline is “glorifying eclectic typography.” Browse here for inspiration, events and interviews all about typography, letterforms and more from passionate designers.
16. This Is Paper
The digital world is certainly pervasive and a huge destination for designers. But it isn’t everything. If you love printed work and good old-fashioned paper, This Is Paper should be one of your favorite blogs to follow. Along with books and magazines, they feature architecture, sculpture and textile arts.
17. Art of the Menu
Most people don’t pay much attention to their menus—which is a shame! Art of the Menu is a showcase for creative design in menus from restaurants all over the world. On the one hand, you can pick up some great global design, information architecture and typography ideas. On the other, you can take a virtual food tour of the world! That’s a win-win situation if we ever heard one.
18. Reyna Noriega
Reyna Noriega is an author, illustrator, and designer. Her blog features her designs and illustrations alongside helpful guides for professional designers as well as people seeking to explore their ability to create and add a little more beauty into the world.
19. Typographica
Typographica features reviews of typefaces and type books. This may not be the most prolific blog out there, but every post will add worlds of complexity to the way you think about how typography influences the way we understand language and communicate with each other through the written word.
20. She Designs Books
Book design may not be the first thing to come to your mind when you think about graphic design, but this fascinating and innovative field combines elements of storytelling and narrative alongside compelling and striking graphics. She Designs Books features book covers created by women designers.
21. AIGA: Eye on Design
Eye on Design is a blog hosted by the Professional Association for Design, the oldest and largest nonprofit design organization in the US. Eye on Design explores historical topics in graphic design as well as cutting edge issues facing designers as they conceptualize their work within the unique cultural context of the 21st century.
22. SideBar
SideBar doesn’t create any content on its own, but curates a list of five articles every day on various topics of design from around the web. If you’re looking to stay up to date with a wide range of ideas and topics, a daily scan of SideBar might be exactly what you need.
23. Wade and Leta
Leta Sobierajski and Wade Jeffree are celebrated designers, a married couple, and creators of what they call “music for your eyes.” With a client list that runs the gamut from Gucci to Google, these two designers will astonish you with their colorful, wild visions—and perhaps give you some new ideas on how to take bold risks in your work.
24. Hom Sweet Hom
Lauren Hom is a designer and letterer with a blog writing style as playful and inviting as her celebrated designs. Her blog, Hom Sweet Hom, includes articles on topics ranging from essential supplies for painting murals, to how to diversify your income as an artist and freelancer, to how to overcome self-doubt. At once personal and universally relevant, Hom’s blog is definitely worth a read and maybe a share.
25. Dieline
Dieline has become the world’s most visited packaging design website. Started in 2007, Dieline has evolved into a global community of packing designers advocating the packaging industry towards more sustainable solutions through creativity and innovation.
26. The Great Discontent
The Great Discontent is not limited to cutting edge designers, but frequently includes them in their thoughtful and often revelatory collection of interviews that provide “an unforgettable look into the lives of those who create, and to awaken readers to possibility.”
27. Swissmiss
New York by way of Switzerland-based designer Tina Roth Eisenberg runs the popular design blog, swissmiss. The blog features Eisenberg’s thoughts on design and artistry including works that have recently caught her attention, quotes and conversations with fellow designers, and the occasional Dr. Seuss quote.
28. TED talks: Design
Perhaps stretching the concept of a “blog,” but if you are looking for a place to expand your thinking around the possibility of design in all its forms, look no further than TED talks’ collection of lectures on design. You can learn about topics ranging from why pasta comes in so many specific shapes to the symbology and psychology behind flag designs, to how the designer of LEGO thought about how to make the toy accessible to people with visual impairments.
29. Colossal
Colossal is an international platform for all things related to visual expression. Though this often extends beyond graphic design, Colossal can be a valuable resource to keeping up with innovation around topic within design. Colossal seeks to educate and inform rather than criticize and interpret, making it an ideal space for finding inspiration and daring new ideas.
30. The Women Who Draw
Women Who Draw is a collection of women identifying illustrators. In addition to their directory, their page The Women Who Draw features work from across their membership, introducing you to new styles and techniques from illustrators around the world.
31. It’s Nice That
It’s Nice That features articles and posts related to creativity including graphic design, illustration, animation, and photography. They believe that creative inspiration is for everyone and seek to champion exciting and engaging work.
32. Brand New
From the good folks that bring you The Art of the Menu, Brand New contains reviews and other opinions on corporate and brand identity work. With roots in discussions of logo design, Brand New has sharp insights on brand identity as well as a lively comments section—you need to register with the site to view the comments but you just might finally have that spirited debate about serifs none of your friends will entertain.
33. The Casual Optimist
The Casual Optimist is a blog about book design and culture. If She Designs Books piqued your interests, The Casual Optimist is a chance to dig a little deeper into what book designs actually communicate, why, and how.
34. Kottke
Kottke is the famous blog of the graphic designer Jason Kottke. Kottke began his blog in 1998 and though the topics often stray beyond design, the possibilities and insights around graphic design are still often at the heart of his posts. Kottke’s blog has become one of the most well recognized blogs and has been written up in the New Yorker, The Guardian, and Wired Magazine.
35. Motionographer
Motionographer describes itself as “a source of inspiration and insights for designers, animators, and storytellers of all stripes.” The blog brings together a wide variety of projects to delight and fascinate its readers.
Push your creativity with these design blogs
Now that you’re aware of some of the industry’s best graphic design blogs to help fulfill your design curiosity, challenge yourself to keep tabs on them weekly. It’s great to have a special interest, but why not dive a little deeper?
Following top graphic design blogs can help you stay on top of the latest trends, develop new skills and connect with others who share similar interests. Who knows, you may surprise yourself and turn your hobby into a design career.
Check out our article, “What I Wish Someone Told Me BEFORE Becoming a Graphic Designer,” for some industry insights from the inside.
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This article was originally published in 2018. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2020.
