Mining for Inspiration: 3 sites to keep creativity flowing

With the range of clients the creative department here at MBB touches, it is always important that we remain on our toes because the last thing we, as designers, want is for our creative wells to run dry. But when those no good, very bad days rear their ugly heads, I have my go-to, no-fail sources for getting my creative juices flowing.

Dribbble

I fancy myself a Dribbble evangelist. This site is my number one bookmark, my pride, my joy and the best place for design inspiration. Dribbble—yes there’s an extra “b”—focuses mostly on vector work (smooth lines for the non-designers), but the amount of creativity is staggering. Dribbble’s focus is smaller than the rest of the sites on this list, and there’s rarely a campaign or even an advertising piece uploaded by users. But, to see the latest design trends for logos, illustrations and typography, there is no better site.

Get the ball rolling by following my favorite team on the site, Ricos Quesos. Yes, my love of pizza extends into my love of design. No, I do not have a problem.

Behance

You aren’t a part of the design community until you rack up a bunch of likes on Behance. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. While I wait for my latest posts to blow up (hint, hint), take a gander around Behance to see the latest work from professionals. The site mixes design of all kinds into one of my favorite feeds where I can find inspiration. Everything from TV title sequences to advertising campaigns are featured, so there’s always something to spark a thought.

Here’s your helpful reminder to follow the best team on the site (I am not above shameless plugs).

Medium

You might be saying to yourself, “Brendan, why are you suggesting a site known for words? You’re not a words guy.” Well, I’ve written a blog post that you’re reading, so that truly remains to be seen. But Medium is the place to take a deep dive into the details of the design world. Whether it’s a daily collection of UI/UX designs or the latest think pieces (and you’ll find plenty), Medium hosts a wide range of voices on the stuff we do everyday as designers.

Following Muzli, a design inspiration hub that posts galleries upon galleries of themed designs, is a fantastic way to get started.

These three websites are where I spend the most time during and after my workday. For someone just getting into design, they are a great way to see what’s possible. For experienced designers, they can show you what you’re not doing. And for non-designers, the sites are chock-full of gorgeous work. That’s what I call a win-win. To keep our work on the cutting edge, we as advertisers always need our fingers on the pulse, and that’s no different with design.

Take a gander at our work for some inspiration sparks of your own.