At Datum, our creative studio relies on a diverse range of tools and resources every day to produce exceptional designs. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an aspiring designer, equipping yourself with a comprehensive graphic designers toolkit can make all the difference in achieving stunning results efficiently.
In this blog, we’re sharing a carefully curated list of the resources we use daily for inspiration, typography, colours, mock-ups, and stock images. Each tool is hyperlinked so you can explore and start building your ultimate toolkit today!
Inspiration: Fuel Your Creativity
When it’s time to brainstorm or break through creative blocks, we often turn to these sites for inspiration:
- Behance: A vast showcase of design projects from creators worldwide. Explore everything from graphic design to photography and illustration.
- Pinterest: Ideal for creating mood boards or diving into themed visual content to spark new ideas.
- Dribbble: A thriving community where professional designers share their latest projects and trends.
- Designspiration: A curated platform offering personalised inspiration based on your interests.
Studio Tip: We use these platforms daily to refine ideas and create compelling visual concepts for our clients.
Typography: Perfecting the Text
Typography is central to great design. These tools make it easy to find the perfect fonts:
- Freefaces: A curated collection of free fonts that are as stylish as they are practical.
- Adobe Fonts: Professionally designed typefaces integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud for seamless use.
- Google Fonts: An extensive library of free, open-source fonts for web and print projects.
- Fonts in Use: Discover fonts in action across real-world projects and campaigns.
Studio Insight: We frequently pair fonts using Google Fonts to test combinations before locking down final designs.
Colours: Finding the Perfect Palette
Selecting the right colour palette can transform a design. These tools are invaluable:
- Adobe Colour: Create, explore, and sync custom palettes directly with Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Coolors: A quick and intuitive tool for generating colour schemes that work together effortlessly.
- Pigment by ShapeFactory: A tool for creating modern, nature-inspired palettes.
Studio Usage: We use Adobe Colour almost daily to create palettes for both digital and print projects, ensuring consistency across mediums.
Mock-Ups: Bring Designs to Life
Visualising designs in a real-world context is crucial. These platforms offer versatile mock-ups:
- Createoom: Perfect for branding, packaging, and product mock-ups.
- Mockup World: A comprehensive library of free, high-quality mock-ups.
- Freepik: Beyond mock-ups, Freepik offers a wide variety of templates and illustrations.
- Bendito Mockups: Stylish and modern mock-ups for premium design presentations.
Pro Tip: We love using Mockup World for creating realistic presentations that resonate with our clients.
Stock Images: Visuals That Shine
The right imagery can elevate a design. These resources provide high-quality options:
- Unsplash: A collection of free, professional-grade images for personal and commercial use.
- iStock: Premium stock photography with an extensive range of themes and styles.
- Pixabay: Free-to-use photos, illustrations, and videos for every design need.
Studio Advice: We frequently source visuals from Unsplash for concept development, ensuring every design we create is impactful and professional.
Why We Use These Tools
At Datum, we use these resources daily to produce creative designs that stand out. Whether we’re developing branding, crafting digital campaigns, or producing print materials, having a reliable graphic designers toolkit ensures:
- Enhanced productivity: Accessing the right tools quickly saves time.
- Polished results: Professional resources elevate the quality of every design.
- Fresh inspiration: Staying on top of trends keeps our work innovative.
For both in-house and client projects, these tools are indispensable in turning ideas into reality.
Want to know more about how we use these resources in our design projects? Or need a professional touch for your next creative project? Contact our team at to explore how we can help you.
