Every designer has a bookmarks bar full of graphic design resources, and most of those links never get opened twice. This is ours, tidied up: more than 200 sites our studio team actually uses for inspiration, fonts, images, mockups, colour, web, print and AI, sorted by the job you need to get done.
Use the search box to go straight to what you need, or jump to a section. Each table tells you what a resource is best for, so you can pick the right one first time.
Before you use any graphic design resources: three quick checks
- Check the licence. Free to download is not the same as free to use commercially. Many fonts and images are for personal use only, so read the terms before an asset goes into client work.
- Check the resolution. An image that looks sharp on screen can fall apart in print. For print, aim for 300dpi at the final size; the DPI converter in the toolkit below does the maths for you.
- Check where AI was involved. AI tools are useful for concepts and clean-up, but each has its own terms for commercial use. Use the provenance checks in the AI section, and be open with clients when AI has played a part.
The studio toolkit
201 resources, one searchable list
Search the whole list, or jump to a section. Every link opens in a new tab.
Check the licence, every time. Free to download is not always free to use commercially. Read the terms for each asset before it goes into a client job, and keep a note of where it came from.
Inspiration and type
Where ideas start: the sites we browse before a pencil touches paper, and the type libraries we trust.
Inspiration17 tools
The latest trends, case studies and portfolios from the global creative community.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Behance | Portfolios from creatives worldwide |
| Dribbble | UI, branding and illustration shots |
| Awwwards | Award-shortlisted website design |
| Muzli | Daily curated design inspiration |
| SiteInspire | Web design showcase by style and type |
| BP&O | Branding and packaging with commentary |
| Moodboards and visual research | |
| Land Book | Landing page inspiration |
| Mobbin | Real app and web screens, by flow |
| Collect UI | UI patterns, sorted by component |
| The Inspiration Grid | Art, design and illustration features |
| Design Inspiration | Curated cross-discipline gallery |
| Brand New | Logo and identity reviews |
| Savee | Save and share visual bookmarks |
| Godly | Bold, experimental web design |
| Httpster | Hand-picked website showcase |
| Mindsparkle Mag | Branding, design and motion projects |
Fonts16 tools
Free and premium font sources, plus tools for pairing and identifying type.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Google Fonts | Free, open-source web fonts |
| Adobe Fonts | Fonts included with Creative Cloud |
| Font Squirrel | Free fonts cleared for commercial use |
| DaFont | Display and novelty fonts (check each licence) |
| FontPair | Google Font pairing ideas |
| Font Space | Large free library with licence filters |
| 1001 Fonts | Free fonts, filter by licence |
| Font Fabric | Foundry with free and premium families |
| The Hungry JPEG | Fonts and design bundles |
| Creative Fabrica | Fonts, graphics and craft files |
| BeFonts | Free display fonts |
| My Fonts | Buy and license commercial fonts |
| Fontshare | Free, quality fonts for personal and commercial use |
| Fonts In Use | Typography in real-world projects |
| Typewolf | Font recommendations and pairings |
| WhatTheFont | Identify a font from an image |
Images and assets
Photography, illustration, mockups, cut-outs and icons, ready for print and digital.
Royalty-Free Images18 tools
High-quality photography for print and digital projects.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Adobe Stock | Premium stock images, video and templates |
| Unsplash | Free high-resolution photography |
| Pexels | Free stock photos and video |
| Pixabay | Free photos, vectors and video |
| Burst by Shopify | Free photos for business and ecommerce |
| Reshot | Free icons, illustrations and photos |
| Freepik | Photos, vectors and PSD files |
| Stock Snap | Free photos, added regularly |
| Kaboompics | Lifestyle photos with matching palettes |
| Pic Jumbo | Free stock photography |
| Gratisography | Quirky, characterful photos |
| Rawpixel | Photos, vectors and public domain art |
| Life of Pix | Free high-resolution photos |
| ISO Republic | Free photos and video |
| Negative Space | Free photos with room for copy |
| StockVault | Free photos and textures |
| Foodiesfeed | Free food photography |
| Nappy | Free photos celebrating Black and Brown people |
Illustrations15 tools
Illustration libraries for web, presentations and print.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| unDraw | Open-source illustrations you can recolour |
| Icons8 | Illustrations in matching styles |
| Drawkit | Hand-drawn vector illustrations |
| Storyset | Customisable, animatable illustrations |
| Blush | Mix-and-match illustration collections |
| Open Peeps | Hand-drawn people library |
| Many Pixels | Free illustration gallery |
| Vecteezy | Vectors, illustrations and graphics |
| Freepik | Vector illustrations in every style |
| Humaaans | Mix-and-match people illustrations |
| Open Doodles | Free sketchy doodles |
| IRA Design | Gradient illustrations you build yourself |
| Absurd Design | Surreal hand-drawn illustrations |
| Pixeltrue | Illustrations and animations |
| Delesign | Illustrations for web projects |
Mockups19 tools
Professional mockups for showcasing branding, packaging and print.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Mockup World | Free photorealistic PSD mockups |
| Mock Ups Design | Print and packaging mockups |
| GraphicBurger | Free mockups and UI kits |
| Graphic Pear | Free PSD mockups |
| Graphberry | Free mockups and design resources |
| Unblast | Free mockups, fonts and graphics |
| Freepik | Mockups in every format |
| Free Mock Up | Print and device mockups |
| PlaceIt | Browser-based mockups, no Photoshop needed |
| Artboard Studio | Browser-based scene builder |
| Yellow Images | Packaging and object mockups |
| Canva Mock Ups | Quick mockups inside Canva |
| Pixel Buddha | Premium and free mockups |
| Template Flip | Templates and mockups |
| LS Graphics | Device and branding mockups |
| Mr.Mockup | Branding and stationery mockups |
| Pixeden | Mockups, templates and UI kits |
| Shots.so | Polished device mockups for screenshots |
| Rotato | Animated 3D device mockups |
PNGs12 tools
Cut-out assets and quick background removal.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Freepik | Cut-out PNG assets |
| PNG Tree | Transparent PNGs and backgrounds |
| Icons8 | Cut-out objects and icons |
| UI8 | UI kits and design assets |
| Pixabay | Free images, with transparent options |
| Vexels | Vectors and merch-ready PNGs |
| Get Illustrations | Illustration packs |
| Flaticon | Icons in PNG, SVG and more |
| StickPNG | Free transparent PNGs |
| PNGimg | Free transparent PNG library |
| Remove.bg | Remove a background in one click |
| Adobe Express Background Remover | Quick free background removal |
Icons & Vectors16 tools
Icon sets and vector assets for UI, infographics and more.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Flaticon | Huge icon library in matching packs |
| Noun Project | Icons for almost any concept |
| SVG Repo | Free open-licence SVGs |
| Heroicons | Clean SVG icons for web |
| Icons8 | Icons in consistent styles |
| Icon Finder | Free and premium icon marketplace |
| Font Awesome | The web's go-to icon toolkit |
| Icon Monstr | Simple, free icons |
| Streamline HQ | Large, consistent icon sets |
| Feather Icons | Minimal open-source icons |
| Phosphor Icons | Flexible icon family in six weights |
| Lucide | Community-built open-source icons |
| Tabler Icons | Free stroke-based icons |
| Material Symbols | Google's variable icon set |
| Iconoir | Free open-source icons |
| Remix Icon | Neutral open-source icons |
Colour, web, print and motion
The practical tools that turn a good idea into a finished, accessible, print-ready piece.
Colour Tools16 tools
Build palettes and test them against accessibility standards.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Coolors | Generate palettes at speed |
| Adobe Color | Colour wheels and harmony rules |
| Color Hunt | Curated palettes |
| Accessible Colours | Adjust colours to meet contrast rules |
| Paletton | Colour scheme designer |
| Colormind | AI palette generator |
| Happy Hues | Palettes shown in real layouts |
| Colorzilla | Eyedropper and gradient tools |
| M3 Material Color | Material Design colour system |
| Colorhexa | Colour codes and conversions |
| Design Seeds | Palettes drawn from photography |
| Realtime Colors | Preview a palette on a live site |
| Huemint | AI palettes for brand and web |
| Khroma | AI palettes that learn your taste |
| WebAIM Contrast Checker | Check text contrast against WCAG |
| Pantone Connect | Official Pantone libraries |
UI/UX & Web Tools5 tools
Website inspiration and accessibility testing.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Webflow Showcase | Live sites built in Webflow |
| Figma Community | Free files, kits and plugins |
| Stark | Accessibility checks in your design tool |
| Lighthouse | Performance, SEO and accessibility audits |
| WAVE | Page-level accessibility checks |
Print & Production Tools3 tools
Handy converters and reference charts for print.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Paper Sizes UK | A and B sizes in mm, inches and pixels |
| UnitConverters DPI | Pixels to print size at any DPI |
| Pantone to CMYK | Spot colour to CMYK conversions |
Social Media Tools5 tools
Content creation, planning and analytics.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Canva | Quick social graphics and templates |
| Later | Plan and schedule social posts |
| Hashtagify | Hashtag research |
| Planoly | Visual grid planning |
| Buffer | Scheduling and analytics |
Animation & Motion Design4 tools
Templates and plugins for After Effects and motion work.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Motion Array | Templates, presets and stock |
| AEJuice | After Effects plugins and packs |
| Mixkit Motion | Free video templates and clips |
| LottieFiles | Lightweight animations for web and apps |
SEO & Digital Marketing6 tools
Make content easier to find.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| AnswerThePublic | The questions people search for |
| Yoast SEO Blog | Practical SEO guides |
| Ubersuggest | Keyword ideas and site audits |
| Meta Length Checker | Check title and description length |
| Semrush | Keyword, competitor and site research |
| Google Search Console | How Google sees your site |
Learning & Training6 tools
Tutorials and courses to keep your skills sharp.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Envato Tuts+ | Design and code tutorials |
| Skillshare | Project-based creative classes |
| LinkedIn Learning | Software and business courses |
| Adobe Learn | Official Creative Cloud tutorials |
| School of Motion | Motion design training |
| Domestika | Courses from working creatives |
The AI toolkit
AI moves quickly, so treat this as a starting point. Check each tool's terms before anything AI-generated goes into a client job.
AI Image Generation11 tools
Concepts, moodboards and imagery from a written prompt.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Adobe Firefly | Image generation inside Adobe apps |
| Midjourney | Stylised concept and mood imagery |
| ChatGPT Images | Generate and edit images in chat |
| Google Gemini | Generate and edit images in Gemini |
| Ideogram | Strong at text inside images |
| Recraft | Vector and on-brand imagery |
| Leonardo | Generation with style controls |
| Krea | Real-time generation and enhancing |
| Freepik AI | Generation alongside a stock library |
| Canva Magic Media | Generation inside Canva |
| Microsoft Designer | Quick AI graphics |
AI Editing & Upscaling7 tools
Extend, retouch, cut out and upscale images for print and digital.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Photoshop Generative Fill | Extend and retouch in Photoshop |
| Topaz Gigapixel | Upscale images for print |
| Magnific | Upscale and add detail |
| Let's Enhance | Upscale and enhance online |
| Upscayl | Free open-source desktop upscaler |
| Clipdrop | Clean up, relight, cut out |
| Photoroom | Product photo backgrounds |
AI Video & Motion9 tools
Generate, edit and repurpose video for social and presentations.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Runway | Generate and edit video |
| Google Veo | Text-to-video from Google |
| Kling | Text and image to video |
| Luma Dream Machine | Video from text and images |
| Pika | Short creative clips |
| Descript | Edit video by editing the transcript |
| CapCut | Social video editing |
| OpusClip | Long videos into short clips |
| Synthesia | Presenter-led videos with AI avatars |
AI Audio & Voice3 tools
Voiceovers, clean-up and levelling for video and podcasts.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| ElevenLabs | Natural AI voiceovers |
| Adobe Podcast Enhance | Clean up speech recordings |
| Auphonic | Automatic levelling and noise reduction |
AI for Web & UI7 tools
Sitemaps, wireframes and first-draft layouts for web projects.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Figma AI | AI features inside Figma |
| Relume | Sitemaps and wireframes from a prompt |
| Framer AI | Site layouts from a prompt |
| Google Stitch | UI designs from a prompt |
| Uizard | Wireframes from sketches and prompts |
| Lovable | Working web apps from a prompt |
| Refero Styles | Ready-made style files for AI builds |
AI 3D, Packaging & Stands4 tools
Sketches into renders and 3D assets for packaging, POS and exhibition visuals.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Vizcom | Sketches into renders |
| Spline AI | 3D scenes for the web |
| Meshy | 3D models from text or images |
| Adobe Substance 3D | Materials, texturing and 3D staging |
AI Writing & Research4 tools
Research, summarise and check copy.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Claude | Research, drafting and checking copy |
| Perplexity | Research with cited sources |
| NotebookLM | Summarise and question your own documents |
| Grammarly | Grammar and tone checks (set it to UK English) |
Provenance & Rights Checks4 tools
Check an image's AI or edit history, and whether artwork was used to train AI.
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| Content Credentials Verify | See an image's AI and edit history |
| Have I Been Trained | Check if artwork is in AI training data |
| TinEye | Find where an image appears online |
| Google Lens | Visual search and image origins |
What this means for you
The tools are only half the job. Knowing which font licence covers a national campaign, which mockup shows packaging honestly, or when an AI image is fine for a moodboard but not for print is where experience counts.
If your team is stretched, or you would rather hand the work to a studio that does this every day, we can help. One team covers creative, print and digital, so nothing falls between suppliers.
FAQs and quick answers
What are the best free graphic design resources?
It depends on the job. Google Fonts and Fontshare for type, Unsplash and Pexels for photography, unDraw for illustration and Coolors for colour are all strong starting points.
Can I use free fonts and images on client work?
Often, but not always. Many free downloads are for personal use only, so check the licence for each asset before it goes into a client job.
What does royalty-free actually mean?
Royalty-free means you can use an asset without paying a fee each time it is used. It does not mean there are no rules: the licence still sets what you can and cannot do with it.
Do I need to credit the photographer or designer?
It depends on the licence. Some free sites ask for a credit, others do not require one. If the terms ask for attribution, add it.
What resolution do images need for print?
Aim for 300dpi at the final printed size. An image that looks sharp on screen is often far too small for print, so check the pixel dimensions before you place it.
Which file format is best for logos and icons?
Use vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF) wherever you can, because they scale to any size without losing quality. Use PNG when you need a transparent background on a web or social graphic.
Why do colours look different on screen and in print?
Screens mix light in RGB, while print uses CMYK inks, and some bright screen colours cannot be matched in ink. Ask for a proof for colour-critical work, and use Pantone references when a colour must match exactly.
How do I make sure my colours are accessible?
Check text against its background with a contrast checker. WCAG level AA asks for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Are AI design tools safe to use for commercial work?
Check each tool's terms before using its output commercially. Treat AI images as a starting point, and run a provenance check before anything goes to print.
How can I tell if an image was made with AI?
Content Credentials Verify shows an image's AI and edit history when that information has been attached, and a reverse image search with TinEye or Google Lens shows where else it appears. No credentials does not prove an image is not AI, so if in doubt, ask the source.
What is the quickest way to remove a background, check contrast or identify a font?
- Remove a background: Remove.bg or the Adobe Express Background Remover.
- Check colour contrast: the WebAIM Contrast Checker.
- Identify a font from an image: WhatTheFont.
