The role of a web designer is very diverse and challenging. They always have to be at their creative best and come up with design layouts that are not only high on aesthetics but also score good at providing user experience. People have a misconception that web designers only have to code in HTML, CSS and JavaScript to design a website.
They miss the point that the designers have to shoulder the responsibility of creating the UI of the website which is of paramount importance. What attracts the visitors to the website in the first place is its look and feel. If the appearance is appealing, there are strong chances of conversion.
In order to design a UI that is unique, attractive and in sync with the functionalities of the website, the web designers need to be updated on the latest design trends, new tools and technologies. Before beginning the actual design process, a designer also has to understand the requirement of the business and the brand story that needs to be reflected in the design.
There are several community websites that come in aid of the web designers and provide them with updated information on all the aspects of web designing. From coding tips to the creative inspirations, these websites offer many such valuable nuggets of knowledge to the designers.
Although you can acquire information on web design from blogs and websites, the best help comes from the community websites that are managed by the web designer himself or herself. You get to interact and share knowledge and insight with like-minded people with similar interest.
Through a community website, the web designers can interact with fellow designers, receive feedback on their work, get valuable suggestions and help on the project. Apart from these advantages, latest news and design trends can also be followed.
Best Web Design Community Websites at a Glance
1. Dribbble
It is a platform where the designers and developers can showcase what are they working on. As a designer or developer is called player, you can share the screenshots of your web pages, and the spectators as well as other players in the community can comment on those images.
It is also possible to follow up your screenshots with another shots called rebound. It is a great website for interaction with fellow designers; however, it is an invite-only site. You sign-up as a spectator and remain so until a player invites you.
2. Clipart
You can find several high quality design resources like fonts, web layouts, icons, illustrations, textures, and other UI elements. These resources can be shared within the community as they are available at a central location. It is quite easy to use this website. Those who wish to explore and share the design resources can register for free on the website. Other designers can like and comment on the resources shared.
It is a community website for web designers that lets them create their portfolios, find job opportunities and interact with fellow designers. You can look at the designs and get inspired by them. The website is a motivation to the designers to share their work and ideas and connect to other designers. You can also mark a design of others as ‘favorite’ and comment on them. Similar to Dribbble, you need an invitation to join this web designer community website.
4. Forrst
Forrst is a website for the community of web designers and developers. It is a great place to get feedback and suggestions on your work from the fellow designers. Forrst is also an invite-only website and you need to have an invitation from an existing member to join the website. You can follow people and look at the activities from the friends that you are following. It is easy to share a snap with others and get a feedback instantly.
5. Deviant Art
Deviant Art is one of the largest community websites for designers and creatives and is extremely popular among the designer community. You can find what is trending on the designers’ circuit and get inspired. Art, adCast and core membership can be bought on the website. You can also have access to different journals to get idea about the latest happenings in the world of web design and development. It is also possible to showcase your design collection and get feedback from other community members.
Behance Network is a community website with loads of features that set it apart. It acts as a portfolio website where you can showcase your web designing works and receive feedback from fellow community members, hold discussions on designing and give feedback on design of other members. You can also join existing groups or make new ones. Finding a job is also possible with Behance Network. All you need to do is to create a profile and upload your designs.
Designer’s couch is similar to other community websites for web designers. Using this website, a user can create an account and submit the work in the portfolio to get feedback on the work. The users can also connect to other designers and discuss the design with them. It is easy to establish a network with the members of the community and collaborate with them. There are also several enlightening articles to read on the website. It is an invite-only community website.
8. Design Float
Design Float is a community website ideally suited for both web designers and developers. Here, the users can get to read fresh web design industry news and informative articles and round-ups. The users can also submit their design stories and like and comment stories of other members of the community. If they like the story, they can “float” it or sink it if they dislike it. Essentially, it is the users of the community that decide which stories to discard and which ones to make popular.
9. ColourLovers
It is the best community website for those looking for color inspiration for their website design. You can also get feedback on your personal or professional projects once you upload them on the website. Apart from this, you can find color palettes and patterns that are created by other users. If you wish to showcase your own creativity, you can also create your own color patterns and share them with the users of the community. Also, you can join the discussions that are held in the forums, go through the articles on a diverse range of topics and join different groups for networking.
10. The Web Blend
The Web Blend is not much of a networking site that lets you connect and collaborate with other designers. On the contrary, it is a website that offers great design resource and information, and keeps you updated on the latest developments in the web design domain. You are also made aware of the development news and the latest designs that are in trend all over the world.
11. Site Point
The most striking feature of Site Point is its huge community. It is essentially a discussion forum but offers many other exciting features as well. You can read blogs and articles on a diverse range of technologies like JS, PHP, Ruby, WordPress, and others. In addition to this, you can shop for web designing products and also get podcasts on this website. Basically, here you can find all the resources that are associated with web design business.
12. DesignBump
It is a social website with content specializing in web design and development. It is a user driven platform that boasts a large collection of links on topics pertaining to web design. The information provided in this website is a source of knowledge for both experienced professionals and amateur designers. As a user, you can submit the links and also “bump” (like) the links of other contributor. The concept of this website resembles Digg with a difference that the content on DesignBumb deals only with web designing.
13. CSS Globe
As the name suggests, CSS Globe is a community website dedicated to CSS development. There are no options to establish networks with other users, but you can get a host of links that will be of immense help in web development and web designing.
Benefits that can be Reaped with these Community Websites
There are times when a designer hits a creative block and faces technical issues during a project. The community websites are a great help in such times. You get help from the experts and your problems are solved without any worry. You can also participate in the discussions to share your knowledge and techniques and learn new ones.
- Updates on latest web design trends
- Introduction of new tools and technologies in web designing
- Can get help from fellow web designers if stuck in a project
- Get creative inspiration from these websites if you hit a creative block.
- Sharing of knowledge and insight on web designing
- A know-how of what is happening in the web designing industry.
Closing thoughts
The web design community websites and the forums mentioned in the blog will help many newbie designers and even the experienced ones. If you are running short of creative design ideas, these community websites can also inspire you to think creatively and come up with great design layouts. In addition to these websites and forums, there are several others too that can be visited and reviewed.
