How to find the right kind of Design Inspiration
If you're wanting to create beautiful, but functional UIs then I wouldn't always recommend somewhere like Dribbble as your one and only source of inspiration.
If you're still honing your design skills, and wanting to create beautiful, but functional (with the keyword being 'functional' here) UIs then I wouldn't always recommend somewhere like Dribbble as your one and only source of inspiration. Even though most folks will be inclined to point you in that direction without thinking twice.
Now, I'm not wanting to take cheap shots at Dribbble, in what's become a tired-argument over the years.
It has some really great work over there, no doubt about that, but if you really want to be inspired by design examples where the creator has shown an understanding of basic Design Principles, such as colour theory, hierarchy, usability, and created something that would actually work in the real-world, then Dribbble unfortunately is not always the one-stop-shop to be browsing through.
For someone trying to improve their UI & UX Design skills there's better alternatives out there which, if you've not already, really need to take a look at.
Let's me tell you more...
Expand your sources of design inspiration.
If you’re looking for design inspiration that is also practical then I’d be inclined to direct you more toward places like Behance, or AWWWards to name but a few.
For example, with somewhere like Behance, the author of the work presented there will give you (most of the time) an informative insight into the process behind their creations, why they created elements in a certain way, and the actual purpose behind them.
As well as examples of work that made it into development, instead of just impractical, eye-candy to be left sat on the shelf.
And with a resource like AWWWards, you have a panel of judges over there (many of whom I highly respect) who are not prone to any kind of Dribbble-type fawning on the work that gets presented to them.
They have a more critical eye for the work that has been submitted there, so you can feel reassured that the majority of the work there is adhering to best practices in both UI, and UX Design, as well as satisfying your knowledge that the design work you see was practical enough to make it through production and now sit proudly on the big, wide web.
Be inspired by the right kind of design examples online, expand your sources of inspiration, and you’ll be heading in the right direction on your learning journey.
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Thanks for reading the article,
Marc.