Every designer eventually builds their own list of go-to resources. This is mine.
These are the sites and tools I actually use, not the ones I once bookmarked and forgot. Inspiration, fonts, mockups, AI tools, the things that genuinely make the work easier.
Inspiration
Mobbin
Real mobile and web app interfaces organised by screen type and interaction pattern. Onboarding flows, empty states, paywalls, settings screens.
Search for what you need and you'll have dozens of real-world examples in seconds. Useful not just for copying conventions, but for understanding which ones exist so you can decide when to break them intentionally.
Refero
A growing reference library focused on design details rather than full pages. Animations, microinteractions, navigation patterns, layout decisions. Good for when you want to see how a specific element is being handled across the industry.
Gallereee
A portfolio inspiration site I built and run myself. The whole point was to create a curated space where you could browse the best portfolios on the web without wading through filler.
If you're working on your own portfolio or want to see what good looks like right now, it's a good place to start.
Fonts
Pangram Pangram
A type foundry with genuinely good display and text fonts. The quality is high, the catalogue is curated, and most fonts have personality without being gimmicky.
Worth the investment if your work needs custom typefaces that don't look like everything on Google Fonts.
Atipo Foundry
A foundry with a strong catalogue of well-crafted typefaces, many available with pay-what-you-want pricing. Their fonts strike a good balance between character and usability, and you can find genuinely unique options without paying enterprise foundry rates.
Mockups and presentation
Rotato
A 3D mockup creator I use for product shots and case study visuals. Device mockups with full 3D control, custom angles, and clean export options. Genuinely useful when you want presentation visuals that don't look like every other portfolio out there.
Screen Studio
A screen recording tool built specifically for designers and product people. Auto-zoom, smooth cursor movements, clean backgrounds, and exports that look polished without any post-production. I use it constantly for case study videos, product demos, and design walkthroughs.
Mockups Directory
A curated collection of premium mockups in one place. When I need something specific, like a magazine spread or a particular device frame, this is where I look first.
AI and generative tools
Lummi
AI-generated images and 3D assets that don't look like AI-generated images.
Useful when you need something specific and stock photography won't cut it. Quality varies depending on the prompt, but the curation of pre-made assets is strong.
Endless Tools
A 3D creation tool for designers who don't want to learn Blender. You generate and customise 3D objects directly in the browser, which is genuinely useful when you need 3D elements for landing pages or hero sections without the full production pipeline.
Weavy
A design workflow tool that combines AI generation with traditional design controls. Good for ideation, image manipulation, and creative exploration when you're not sure what you're looking for yet.
Slow inputs
Books, galleries, and printed work
This one gets overlooked, but it matters. Some of the best creative inputs come from completely offline sources.
Flip through design annuals at a bookstore. Spend an hour in a museum. Study printed work, packaging, signage. These show you decisions that have no digital equivalent. Paper texture, scale, physical hierarchy, things screens flatten.
It's not directly transferable. It sharpens your eye in ways nothing on a screen can.
Tools for organising what you find
I don't use these myself, but a few options worth considering:
Eagle — visual asset manager with strong tagging and search
Mymind — AI-powered scrapbook that organises automatically
Habits that make the difference
A list of resources is only as useful as the habits around it. A few that can help:
Schedule dedicated research time, separate from project work
Review your saved references before starting a project, not just when you're stuck
Ask why something resonates, not just whether you like it
Follow designers whose work you don't immediately love
Share finds with other designers, the conversation often clarifies what you actually value
The list of design resources doesn't matter as much as how you use them. Bookmark fewer things, look at them more often, and ask better questions about what you save.
