The web abounds with handy tools, websites and resources for people involved in web design, development and management. But with such abundance it is easy to get lost in the ‘noise’ and miss out on some of the real gems.
In this series we will feature essential websites/resources all in one place for your convenience. Lets begin!
Dafont.com
When it comes to graphic design you certainly don’t want to be limited by your system fonts as the power of typography can never be over-stated. Dafont has a tremendous variety of fonts (from grungy and beautiful to modern or exotic), organized into intuitive categories, all free for you to download. Some do have limitations for private use only, the remainder can be used for commercial purposes.
Favicon Generator
http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/
Favicons are 16×16 pixel images created in the .ICO format. They are located next to your URL in web browsers and serve as a representative symbol/image of your website. If you have ever wanted to make your own you can use Dynamic Drive’s Favicon Generator. Simply make your favicon first (In Photoshop or Fireworks), and save your image as a JPG or PNG. Then go to the above link at Dynamic Drive and follow the steps. It will take your image file and turn it into an ICO file, at which point you will need to download it and upload it to your server.
Color Picker
Sometimes finding the right color pallet (or complementary colors) can be frustrating and time consuming. Or you may find yourself in a rut, using the same colors over and over again, starved for creativity but unsure where to find it. In these cases a ‘color picker’ will serve you well. Simply choose a color and then see the subsequent complementary colors and accents.
Free Stock Photos
Costs for purchasing stock photography can add up to astronomical figures depending on the project you are engaged in. Cut down costs by finding similar photos at the ‘stock exchange’, a free stock photo website. While the variety and quality may not be as good as Shutterstock or iStock, they are certainly acceptable.
Find IP or Domain
http://www.hcidata.info/host2ip.htm
A very simple yet very well loved tool is the IP/Domain converter tool. Simply type in the domain and get associated IP, or do the reverse by typing in the IP and getting the domain.
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