The world of graphic design and typography is constantly evolving; what’s cool today will be kitsch tomorrow. Keep up with the latest trends in the industry with these blogs that offer expert and fresh content. You’re welcome!
1. Mike Perry Studio
Mike Perry works as a graphic designer and art director for huge clients like Apple, NIKE, and the New York Times. He’s also an amazing artist that works with a variety of mediums. Perry is one of those designers whose creativity is out of control, and you can check out the diverse array of categories on his blog for a taste of everything from sculpture, art direction projects, typography, his creative process, and even teaching materials from workshops he runs. Perry’s art is bright, brash, and plentiful. You’re sure to find lots of fun and inspirational content – he’s also got a killer instagram account!
2. Friends of Type
Friends of Type is run by its five founders: Erik Marinovich, Jason Wong, Jordan Metcalf, Dennis Payongayong, and Aaron Carambula. Typographists will drool over the texture and composition in the fonts that these artists have come up with. The website presents each sketch in a large size so you can really absorb every detail in all its splendour. Content can be a little sporadic at times, but the multiple talents behind this blog ensure you’ll never be bored with the style or angle of posts.
3. Velvet Spectrum
NYC agency Velvet Spectrum deliver a lush and shiny blog, with innovative types and graphics that find beauty in plastic and the factory made. This agency is the brainchild of Aussie designer Luke Choice, who produces both quality illustrations and crisp 3D pieces with equal confidence. There’s bold pops of colour and a truly unique vision in this site. Fonts that look like finger paintings with blurred colours sit alongside visuals of futuristic pastel landscapes. Head here for some brave new world inspiration.
4. Rodrigo Corral
Head to this site for beautiful examples of designs for book publishing. Rodrigo Corral’s blog features his own iconic publishing visuals as well as cool Tumblr-esque finds of striking images and art. Corral’s list of clients range from Jay-Z to Junot Diaz, and he’s an artist in his own right aside from the gorgeous book cover graphics he creates. You can find anything from graphite drawings that capture the orange peel texture of a basketball to disturbingly cute animations by his studio’s artists. The site is also very designer friendly in that you can choose the layout and how you view the images; big ticks all around!
5. Jessica Walsh
Jessica Walsh is an Australian born and New York based creative. She’s been named the ‘It Girl’ of graphic design, and since her behance profile is a great showcase of her amazing work without shameless plugs for her design firm, it makes the list. Her projects offer a gorgeous symmetry and gloss that makes you realise why this girl wonder is smashing the design game at the moment. She has a spectacular use of colour and symmetry that recalls editorials or Johannes Vermeer paintings. You should also check out her Instagram if you want an example of polished design to aspire to.
6. David Airey
David Airey hails from Northern Ireland and specialises in brand identity design with a background in graphic design and writing. He’s somewhat of a prominent global voice in Design Thinking. Head to his personal blog and find something for everyone in the multi-faceted world of branding, with new content posted around once a week. You can find information on the latest in typography software, case studies on emotive poster design, tips on architecture, and films as a way to get rid of creative block. There may be an array of tidbits that fall under the broad portmanteau of brand design, but it’s all tied together with succinct copy, uncluttered layout, and clean font.
7. Casual Optimist
The Casual Optimist is publisher Dan Wagstaff’s musings on books, design, and culture. For years, Wagstaff has been perfecting the art of art on books; he’s a big hitter in the publishing design world. Alongside examples of his latest delectable cover creations, there’s a generous sprinkle of other pleasing aesthetics for you to browse. You’ll find interesting musings on typography and a cool collection of vintage posters to name a couple. You can count on this blog for regular posts on often vintage cover art.
8. Shillington Design Blog
Curated by the students and lecturers of the prestigious school Shillington Design, this blog has a diverse range of posts on offer from the school’s locations in Manchester, London, New York, and Australia. It’s the ideal design resource for both newbies and veterans in the design world, with a solide showcase of upcoming industry trends and global job opportunities. There’s also a more personal feel – for example, articles penned by designers on their post-school job search blues. It explores how design affects personal lives, as any good designer should!
9. Jen Mussari
Lettering artist Jen Mussari is based in Brooklyn, after a whirlwind stint in various US cities. Her blog will amaze you with how beautiful fonts and letters can be, and it could potentially also make you feel like eating pizza. Mussari mixes elegant slants, classic cursive, and a love of cats. Her blog is an interesting little peek into her life, with info on upcoming art exhibitions, great t-shirt designs, think pieces, and what it’s like to be a freelance graphic designer. It’s got a good blend of her personal projects and musings on the at-times abstract field of typography.
10. The Design Blog
The Design Blog is run from Croatia by Ena Bacanovic with the intent to be a place for designers to turn to when they need a little hit of inspiration. There’s a main focus on young designers starting out as well as design students. You can have a look at the Daily Inspiration as well as peruse the archives of design quotes and think pieces. Bacanovic has also curated a clever collection of resources to help designers on a budget, such as links to open-source font archives and free font building software.
11. Jon Contino
Jon Contino is one of those multitalented designers that do it all and then some – fashion designer, packaging designer, branding consultant, artist, sign-writer, and illustrator. Like a true designer, he’s made his own way and created a word for what he does, Alphastructaesthetitologist. OK, so it may not be the catchiest of words, but as you may have guessed his blog is chock full of a variety of great aesthetics. Check out his Instagram for his darker, more personal design work as well.
12. Stay Creative
Stay Creative is a combination of illustrations, artistic tattoos, design, and art, run by Stay Creative Design & Motion agency in Spain. To give you an idea of how regular the content is, the design blog has an Inspiration Daily section. While not the most cutting edge in the world of design, this site lauds solid concepts that works, and it makes for an enjoyable browse.
13. Jennet Liaw
While the actual blog section on this Oregon designer’s site leaves a little to be desired (as in, it features a single interview), there is plenty of Jennet Liaw’s work itself to peruse on the site. And it’s mighty satisfying. From wrap designs on bikes, film art, illustrations, and apparel typography, Liaw has a sleek style and a way with composition that will impress. It’s a great place to head to to see one person’s artistic vision effectively translate through a variety of mediums.
14. Ryslee
If you love hand-drawn typography and all things tactile, have a gander at this blog by Cyril Vouilloz. Known in the creative sphere as Ryslee, his website is a great showcase of what you can achieve with typography through a little change in perspective. There’s an array of his work, from art galleries, street murals in his Berlin base, and snaps of his notebook. While the blog isn’t updated all too regularly, the typography site definitely has a niche appeal.
15. Margherita Urbani
Margherita Urbani is an Art Director for Andy Rementer Studios. Her work blends a healthy love of pop culture with excellent typography – think bright and intelligent cartoons. Born in Italy and now living in the US, this blog is not the place for you if you want new designs on the daily. If you love fanzine aesthetics, however, you’ll love this. Urbani shares personal stories via cute comic and poster forms, and it’s a nice place to while away some time.
