Useful Tools for Graphic Designers

Brands of the world
Looking for a logo? It’s a great place to find vector versions of corporate logos.
Click here
Lorum Ipsum
Website that generates latin placeholder text. For use in programs which do not generate placeholder text.
Click here
What the font
Trying to find a font? This site lets you link to an image on the web or upload an image, then it determines what font is used.
Click here
Identifont
Have a font you can’t use with whatthefont? Try Identifont. This site lets you visually determine which attributes fit the typeface you’re trying to look up.
Click here
IdentityWorks Review
Review of modern changes to corporate identities.
Click here
InstantShift
Helpful resources for designers.
Click here

Font Links

Typophile
Website discussing typefaces used in corporate logos.
Click here
1001 Free Fonts
Looking for display faces? This site has 1000 of them.
Click here
Fonts.com
Website for the purchasing fonts, maintained by Monotype Imaging
Click here
ITC Fonts
Website for the International Typeface Corporation
Click here
Adobe Fonts
Website for Adobe Fonts.
Click here
FontShop
New fonts releases on a regular basis. This site also has a link to buy the printed "FontBook".
Click here
Letterhead Fonts
Website selling fonts. Some of these fonts are designed by sign painters.
Click here
DaFont
Download fonts for free from this site. Be sure to pay attention to the licensing.
Click here
Linotype
Take a look at Font Explorer-X, a free font management program for Macs and PCs.You can also purchase fonts on this website.
Click here
Extensis
Website for the makers of Extensis Suitcase, a font management program.
Click here
Blue Vinyl Fonts
Custom fonts with free downloads available.
Click here
FontLab
Want to create a font? This place sells the industry standard tools to do so.
Click here
My Fonts
Here you’ll find free and pay fonts. Plus a link to the program what the font.
Click here

Pantone
The people who make one of the more common color standards for spot color printing
Click here
Adobe
Makers of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Click here
Quark
Website for the makers of Quark XPress.
Click here
Physical Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service physical mailing standards
Click here
Bulk Mail Standards
If you’re designing a piece for mailing after sorting, this is the link you want.
Click here
AIGA
Association for Graphic Designers.
Click here
No Spec
Website for creative professionals outlining why you should not design on spec. “Spec” has become the short form for any work done on a speculative basis. In other words, any requested work for which a fair and reasonable fee has not been agreed upon, preferably in writing.
Click here
Creative Directory
Chicago’s resource for creative professionals.
Click here

Comstock
Royalty Free and Rights Managed Images.
Click here
iStock Photo
Place to buy cheap illustrations and photography. Pay attention to the licensing.
Some images are great, some are bad quality.
Click here
Time Tunnel
Really cool retro images.
Click here
Laughing Stock
Photos and illustrations.
Click here
Veer
One of the major image houses.
Click here
Fotosearch
This website searches most of the major image houses.
Click here
Getty Images
You can buy rights-managed,royalty free and even some editorial photography from this site.
Click here
Corbis
Another major image house which has been around for a while.
Click here
Photos.com
Rights-Managed and royalty free available.
Click here
Masterfile
This company has excellent quality images. Their purchasing process is a little different than the others, in that they need to contact you to verify you’re a real person.
Click here
PunchStock
Nice quality images. Some of the images on this site are different than what you’ll find elsewhere from a style perspective.
Click here
Retro Clipart
Some of the images on this site are available through the Dover publications printed clipart books. This site accepts paypal.
Click here
Tack-O-Rama
Retro Clipart for purchase, and some free fonts as well.
Click here

How Magazine
Magazine exhibiting works of leading design professionals.
Click here
Communication Arts
Magazine exhibiting works of leading design professionals.
Click here
Lürzer’s Archive
Outstanding Ads, Posters, TV Commercials worldwide
Click here
Print Magazine
American Graphic Design Magazine
Click here
CMYK Magazine
Printed art portfolios.
Click here
The Black Book
Listings of illustrators, photographers, and other various portfolios.
Click here