All great design starts with great inspiration!
Regardless of whether you are new to yearbook design or a professional, we all benefit from viewing the work of others. Not only does it give you access to new design styles, but it also helps you stay ahead of what is trending.
If you are stuck in a design rut, or just after some yearbook inspiration, look no further! Spacific Creative has compiled a list of resources that we guarantee will help you design the perfect yearbook.
Online
Awwwards
Awwwards is a platform that recognises the best in web design. This site highlights cutting edge trends, giving you access to award-winning talent. Browse categories like Art & Illustration, Photography and Magazine / Newspaper / Blog. Featuring a ‘Site of the Day’, Awwwards is continually showcasing new content.
Behance
Behance is an online showcase of creative work. Owned by Adobe, Behance lets designers build projects, which can be ‘Liked’ or ‘Followed’. Otherwise, simply browse by theme and discover the Best of Behance and Curated Galleries. The site also allows signed in members to create a Moodboard. Here you can add images or projects that inspire you, and even invite collaborators to join.
Collins
Collins is responsible for a variety of rebrands, including vitaminwater, Mailchimp and Dropbox. This big player in branding is at the forefront of innovative design, and showcases work from logos to brand guidelines on their website. Collins gives you access to top tier design and unique takes on popular trends.
Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq reads more like a news site than a design gallery. With articles that delve into the workings of brands, campaigns and products, the site is full of inspiration. This is a great website for information on layouts, type and illustration, and you never know what you will stumble upon!
D&AD
D&AD celebrates and awards the best in design and advertising. The website hosts a variety of design categories, including a section for Book Design. D&AD isn’t limited to design, offering articles that cover all things advertising and media.
Dribbble
Dribbble is a popular website for professional designers to network. Here they can share their work and give and receive feedback from others. Browse categories like Typography and Illustration to see a wide variety of styles and approaches.
Inspiration Grid
Inspiration Grid is art orientated. It has a large selection of illustration and photography to scroll through by various artists. This is a good place to look when searching for colour palettes or establishing your style and theme.
Instagram is a great place to find new and up-to-date design trends. A lot of smaller designers share their work on Instagram, which gives you access to a large pool of talent. There are also pages that highlight the best in design, featuring different artists and projects. Some of our favourites include @northdesign_, @counterprintbooks, @thebrandingcollective, @dribbble, @mindsparklemagazine, @interfacely, @aigaeyeondesign and @welovewebdesign.
Your first design step when creating a yearbook should be setting up a Pinterest account. Pinterest lets you browse all kinds of topics and pin the ones you like! Upload your own imagery or pin directly from sites you love. While you’re there and looking for yearbook inspiration, give us a follow!
Pentagram
Pentagram is a successful and clever design studio. They have worked with major brands, including Starbucks, American Express, and London Fashion Week. Working on brand identity, packaging, data visualisation, book design and environmental graphics, they have been ahead of the trends in a variety of mediums and subjects.
Typewolf
Typewolf is a great place to get information on all things type. It has font recommendations, font pairing ideas, and it also highlights what is trending and popular. This is a great site to check when you are choosing fonts for your yearbook.
Finding inspiration on digital platforms is the easiest and often the cheapest method. However, there are some great magazines to consider. Here is a list of some of our favourites:
- Computer Arts
- Creative Boom
- idN
- Creative Review
- Communication Arts
- The Eye
Environment
Yearbook inspiration can come from nature, interior design, billboards, textures and people! The more you look for it in your surroundings, the more you will notice it. Take photos of things that inspire you, even if you aren’t sure of how to apply the design to your work. The more you take notice of the things you like, the easier it is to establish your style!
