7 Essential Resources for Web Designers

Building something from scratch can be very challenging. This is especially true when it comes to web design. Fortunately, the web is full of amazing resources which can make that job easier. If you know where to look you will have all the help you need at your fingertips.

Finding the best resources, however, is easier said than done. Feel free to use this helpful guide when you’re feeling stuck and need a little inspiration or help with a difficult task.

Free fonts

Choosing the right font can make the difference between good and bad design. Sometimes web designers have to work on a budget and this is why this list includes only resources for free fonts.

1. Cofont –  At cofont, you’ll find hundreds of quality free fonts for download. Fonts are sorted by category and you can preview each font. Fonts are available for both Windows and Mac. New fonts are added here regularly. URL: https://cofont.com/
2. FontFabric – This is one of the most popular websites for fonts online for a reason. Even though not all fonts on FontFabric are free, most of them are. The great thing about this website is that you get to see a nice presentation of each font. This is very different from what other websites do and it helps you determine if the font is going to be suitable for yourproject or not. URL: http://fontfabric.com/
3. DaFont – DaFont is probably the most popular website for free fonts. There are various types of licenses including freeware, shareware, demo and others. Even though all fonts are free for download, be sure to always read the ReadMe file first. Make sure you have the right license. URL: http://www.dafont.com/

Color pickers

Choosing the right color is paramount when it comes to web design. As a matter of fact it is arguably one of the most important things. Making the right color combinations is just as important and sometimes a little help is needed. Here are some websites that will help you choose the best colors and make the right color combinations.

1. Color from Hail Pixel – This is an amazing color picker that is very simple to use. It can help you find the right color quickly, but be careful because it is very addictive. As soon as you open the web page and start moving the cursor around you will see changing colors. The instructions are simple – move the mouse horizontally for hue, move it vertically for lightness and scroll up and down for saturation.When you choose a color you are happy with, just click and it will be saved on the screen where you can copy the code. Then you can repeat the process as many times as you want. You can even fine tune the colors you have chosen. URL: http://color.hailpixel.com/
2. Colorrrs – You know those times when you don’t really know what color you are looking for and feel like experimenting? Well, Colorrrs is the perfect tool for these situations. Just open the website and press the spacebar for a random color. When you find one you like you can simply copy the code and continue with your project. URL: http://colorrrs.com/
3. Colllor – Colllor is a great tool which allows you to create color palettes based on any color. When you choose a color you like (or go with a random one) it will show you the various shades and tints, tones, mixes and more. URL: http://colllor.com/

Icons

Icons are a huge part of web design which you simply cannot do without. Here are some of the best sources for icons and icon packs online.

1. FlatIcon – Flat design is getting more and more popular nowadays so implementing flat icons in your project is more or less a necessity. This website offers a huge database of all kinds of free flat icons. Make sure you check the licenses before using any of them. URL: http://www.flaticon.com/
2. FindIcons – Flat icons might not be what you’re looking for. In this case FindIcons is the place to go. Here you can find all kinds of icons in all kinds of formats and sizes. URL: http://findicons.com/

All of us need some help from time to time and that’s okay. If you find yourself stuck for ideas and you need a little push, try one of these amazing resources and you won’t regret it.

Images used From ShutterStock

Linda Dell is a web designer with more than 5 years of experience. She is now part of the OMC Web Design team which is a part of the Online Marketing College where she learnt the basics of what she knows today. She enjoys working with WordPress but is also interested in other types of CMS.