c/graphic-design-inspo

My go-to font site went down right before a client pitch yesterday

I had to scramble and pull a new typeface from a random Behance moodboard, which actually got the client more excited about the whole project direction.

My mentor pointed out my color palettes were all from the same 3 sites for a year straight.

I was showing her my portfolio and she asked, 'Jenny, where's the life in this?' after noticing every project used the same muted blues and grays from a single popular palette generator.

Just realized my old boss was right about keeping a physical mood board

She told me to pin up color swatches and magazine clippings on my wall, not just save things online. I finally tried it for a branding project last week and it made picking a palette so much faster. How do you all keep your visual ideas organized?

Found a forgotten design book in a used shop and it fixed my creative block

I was stuck on a logo project for a coffee shop for like three days, just hitting a wall. Then on Friday, I ducked into a used bookstore downtown to get out of the rain and found this old graphic design annual from 1992. The thing is full of hand-drawn type and weird collage work, stuff you never see now. I spent two hours just flipping through it at my desk, and it totally shook something loose. I ended up scrapping my first ten digital drafts and just drawing with a pen for an hour. The final logo is way more raw and has way more character. Has anyone else gotten a big idea from a totally old or random source like that?

Shoutout to that gallery talk in Denver last month

I was at a small show for local album art, and the designer said she only uses two fonts per project now, max. I used to cram in four or five, thinking it looked complex, but seeing her clean work changed my mind. What's your go-to font limit for a poster or cover?

Choosing a color scheme for a brewery logo had me stuck for days

I was designing a logo for a new craft brewery in Asheville and got stuck between a classic black and gold look or a bright, modern teal and orange combo. The owner said 'make it feel like a place you'd want to spend an afternoon,' so I went with the teal and orange to feel more inviting and fun. It turned out great on their cans and the taproom sign. Has anyone else had to pick between a safe, classic palette and a bolder one for a client?

Pro tip: I found my best color palette in a laundromat in Cleveland.

I was waiting for a wash cycle and staring at the old machines. The faded mint green, the rust orange trim, the worn gray floor tiles. I took a photo and sampled the colors in Photoshop. Now I use that palette for all my retro project work. Has anyone else found design ideas in a totally random place?

After my community newsletter flopped, I rediscovered the power of basic grids.

I was stuck until I looked at old subway maps for layout ideas. Now my designs are much cleaner and easier to read.

Warning: Tokyo's backstreets broke my love for clean design...

Just wandered those narrow alleys last month and the layered posters... peeling paint and neon signs... it's a beautiful mess. That chaotic vibe has more life than any minimalist layout I've ever pinned. Now my projects feel sterile and pointless. I'm leaning into clutter and overlap for my next client pitch... they might hate it but it feels true. Real inspiration hits you in crowded places, not on a blank screen...

A random doodle during a meeting turned into my best project yet

The positive response from the design community has me buzzing.

PSA: remote solo work made my design inspo dry up fast!

Got unstuck on a branding project after flipping through a vintage magazine...

The layout and colors from an old ad sparked a whole new direction. Now I'm checking out old stuff for more ideas...

I'm not sold on the minimalist trend for our local shop fronts

The plain signs make the whole street look bland and forgettable.