Design isn’t just a job – it’s a constant state of mind. Even when I’m off-hours and browsing the internet, I’m always finding new fonts, colors, and ideas that I can use in my newest project or personal portfolio. These browser extensions have helped me curate inspiring content, organize design elements, and optimize my workflow, all while saving me time and money.
Fonts Ninja
Imagine this scenario: you’re browsing the web when you come across a site with a beautiful typeface – one that would be perfect for a project you’re currently working on. The only issue? You haven’t the slightest idea what the font is called or where you can download it. To solve this common problem, I used to spend way too much time manually inspecting the site’s CSS (often to no avail).
This is where Fonts Ninja came to my rescue. Now, any time I see a steal-worthy typeface, all I have to do is click the green ninja at the top of my browser, hover over the font of my choice, and voilá! The typeface, weight, size, kerning, line height, and color are all revealed. Not only does this save me time identifying fonts, but Fonts Ninja also gives me the option to search similar fonts, download trial versions on my device, and test different styles directly in the extension.
Color by Fardos
Just as much as I am a sucker for fonts, I have a habit of hoarding colors I find while browsing Pinterest, Behance, and Google Images. In the past, I used to take screenshots of swatches, drop them into a folder on my desktop, and inevitably forget about them.
Now that I’ve started using Color by Fardos, however, I’ve been able to curate a collection of beautiful colors and capture any swatch I need in seconds. This free extension has features such as the eye dropper, gradient tool, and color picker that allow you to save any color to your clipboard as HEX or RGB. If you create a free account, you can also save your colors for easy access when you’re in need of some inspiration.
Toby
Whenever I stumble across a beautiful website, the designer in me always wants to save it for future reference. I tried collecting links in a document and bookmarking each page, but both methods weren’t the simple solution I was looking for.
It was during this search for the perfect bookmarking tool that I met Toby. This free extension hasn’t just given me a way to archive design inspiration; it has completely changed the way I work in my browser. Its interface allows you to archive important tabs on one page, organize them by category, and share your collections with others. Whenever I find a design agency I want to keep in touch with, I add their website to my “Company” collection. Whenever I find an online resource that streamlines my workflow, I add it to my “Work” collection. Whenever I come across a portfolio of a designer that inspires me, I add it to my “Portfolio” collection. You get the drill. Even if you’re not a designer, Toby’s capabilities help fellow tab-hoarders and bookmark-collectors organize their digital workspace.
These are just a few of the browser extensions that make my life easier and bring me joy every time I use them. The time it took me to research, download, and learn these tools has been more than made up by the time they save me daily. Although these extensions fulfill all of my needs as a designer, there are countless others on the market that may benefit you as well. Creating a digital system is one of the first steps to increasing your efficiency, getting organized, and staying inspired.