The Internet. It’s not just cat videos and memes. OK, it’s mostly cat videos and memes, but it’s also the world’s greatest resource for creatives.
I could spend hours scouring the Internet for the latest and greatest tools for the imaginative maker, but that would distract me from my work. Instead, I’ve solidified a list of my go-to resources (both tools and inspiration), which I have bookmarked and reference regularly.
There’s a whole ‘nother world outside of the Creative Suite, loaded with the same features. The best part? They’re free! That means you can spend your money on more important things, like that Cards Against Humanity expansion pack, or that Hemingway novel you won’t actually read.
I digress.
With content, you’ve got to be swift and effective, but you’ve also got to be creative. It should engage, entertain, and inform in an efficient and beautifully laid out way. Striking imagery and eye-catching video are time-consuming to create if you’re in a crunch, so I’ve assembled a list of tools that are not only totally awesome, they’re also totally freakin’ free!
This might be as far as you get in my post because Makerbook has. it. all. Makerbook launched in March of 2015, with the sole mission of scouring the Internet for every free creative resource available. Every free photo resource (I use this section a lot). Every free video resource. Fonts. Mock-Ups. Graphics. Textures. Audio. Tools. Take them for a test drive, no license needed.
Call to Idea
Inspiration is a major part of creating original ideas. When you’re stuck, it can be the most frustrating experience. Call to Idea is a conglomerate of websites that exhibit incredible layout and creativity. I’m very enthralled by graphic execution and layout. This is more catered to the web developer, but I still value each example’s high-quality aesthetic and will use those examples for my own layout strategy.
Line25
If you’re a graphics guru, Line25 has everything from free vector backgrounds to fresh and free fonts to vector art symbols and beyond. Graphic design inspiration, web design inspiration, and typography inspiration are some of the other elements that make up this great blog.
Typography swoon. This is another “inspiration” website, but inspiration websites are tools that give my creative brain a little jump start. So, I put it on my list!
Hello Happy’s Beautiful Web Type
“There are over 600 typefaces in the Google web fonts directory. Many of them are awful.” But Chad Mazzola scoured the directory to find some of the most eye-catching fonts and placed them in this scrolling mecca of type goodness, with the capability to download and use each font yourself.
Iconmonstr
Not only is this website laid out like a minimalist’s dream (AKA my dream), it’s home to some really simple, clean, and free icons you can use for anything. Change the color of the icon within the website to suit your needs, select the size you want, and download. Granted, the library is limited, so if you can’t find what you need, you could still use it as inspiration to create your own minimalist graphics.
I’ve just skimmed the surface. If you want in on a little secret, and you’re not afraid of really terrible layout, try Reddit’s Sub-Reddit, r/DesignTools. Creative Redditors will post their discoveries in this forum, with the guarantee that they’re free of charge! It’s not updated frequently, but you should be able to assemble your own collection of tools from what’s been provided.
So, there you have it, folks. Tools and inspo to get your brain moving, your mouse clicking, and your fingers typing. This is your creative lifeline for your content deadline.