Multi designeri gasesc copertile CD-urilor de muzica o importanta sursa de inspiratie, dar ce se intampla cu cei care traiesc intr-o tara in care majoritatea CD-urilor sunt tinuta in mape de la magazinele cu pret unic (3.80 Lei), iar diversitate inseamna sa scrie altceva decat TRAXDATA pe ele. (cel mai tare ma distreaza CD-urile pe care vezi mazgalit cu marker “muzica de masina”)? Te poti folosi de www.sleevage.com, un blog care colectioneaza coperti de CD-uri / vinyl-uri incepand cu cele populare in anii 60, pana la cele moderne. “We’ll post the best or most interesting covers everyday in an effort to become the world’s best resource for great music artwork.”

Inspiratia poate veni de oriunde, orice explozie de culori, abordare stilistica ne poate inspira. Daca Adrian Shaughnessy povesteste cum se inspira de pe cutiile de cereale, banuiesc ca si VHS-urile la vremea lor au fost o buna sursa de inspiratie, sau poate ca inca mai sunt din moment ce unii le colectioneaza: www.filmsamling.se/instick/

I must recognize that I once had a fetish for clouds. Anything I made had to have at least a little cloud on it. I don’t know why I did it. It helped me when I saw I was not alone, there is nothing wrong with me, it’s just a innocent design trend. I propose here a list of 10 great clouds themed websites, maybe you know most of there form the css galleries. If not, enjoy:

 

 

 

 

Pretty nice websites, huh?

If you want to create something similar, you will need to grab some Photoshop “Clouds” brushes. Internet’s garden is large when it comes to Photoshop Brushes. Where we can find these, the new “first stop” for such resources is www.brusheezy.com, yeah, stupid name, cool brushes. Ok, you won’t have to browse it this time, cause i already did it and make a bucket of clouds resources here for you. Just see what it fits for your needs and enjoy.

 

7x Cloud Brushes by leboef

 

 

9x Clouds Brushes HighRes by leboef

 

Cloud Brushes by ZavierZhX

I think these brushes here are enough for a play around. If you feel like you need more than these ones, you can browse the web for more resources, and what I recommend is www.deviantart.com, www.sxc.hu for high-res stock images, again www.brusheezy.com and I am sure there are many more, but i think this ones are the most popular and important. You will sure find what you are looking for.

You can also learn more about this “fetish” for clouds in web design, by reading the article on Design Meltdown and see the other sites that they are refering to. Design Meltdown is also a great inspiration gallery, a learn center, a resource point as well and why not a mush have bookmark.

It seems that clouds are not just an nice web 2.0 trend or element, it’s an old symbol in art as designer jason lui from China says: It is easy to find the symbol that representing clouds or mist in traditional Chinese paintings, furnitures, sculptures and architectures. This symbol expresses the ideal prospect of ancient Chinese thinkers: relax like celestials in the heaven and over the clouds. Like monks living in the deep forest: calm and peaceful. For this design, I used this symbolic mean and let people have a peaceful morning with refresh coffee, to be a short period celestial, before they get into the busy works.

Hope you found this post useful and you’ll come back for more.