Graphic Design - The Noun Project Blog (original) (raw)

Building a global visual language that unites us.

Design Icons: Tom Froese, Professional Illustrator, on How to Find Your Path, Get Hired, and Build Your Illustration Career

by | Dec 16

In this piece, we summarize the key takeaways of a live conversation with professional illustrator and Skillshare teacher Tom Froese. Tom has done client work for noteworthy brands and taught of 120K students his unique methods of illustration. We cover how to establish a style, build career momentum, and gauge what’s really working.

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 8

Use Noun Project’s 2025 Content Calendar to plan all your marketing and social media content needs.

What Is the Best Figma Plugin for Free Icons? Here Are the Top 6 Best Free Figma Plugins for Icons & Symbols in 2026

by Noun Project Team | Dec 2

In this post, we cover the top 6 free Figma plugins for icons. We explain what brought us to rank them this way, and what the pros and cons of each are.

Holiday Icon and Photo Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 22

Celebrate winter holidays and ring in the New Year with festive icons and photos.

New Figma Plugin: Instantly Access Millions of Noun Project Icons In Figma

by Noun Project Team | Nov 18

Noun Project’s Figma Icons plugin gives you access to millions of professionally designed icons right where you work. Whether you design with Figma Design, FigJam, Figma Slides or Figma Buzz – search, select, insert and customize stunning icons right inside the apps.

Where to Get Free Icons for Adobe Express? The Best Site for Adobe Express Icons

by Noun Project Team | Oct 21

Looking for free icons for Adobe Express? Here’s why Noun Project is the best place to download high-quality, customizable icons for Adobe Express designs—whether you’re creating social posts, presentations, flyers, or short videos.

Where to Get Free Icons for Notion? Why Noun Project is the #1 Best Site for Free Notion Icons

by Noun Project Team | Oct 16

Looking for free icons for Notion? Learn why Noun Project is the best place to get beautifully designed, royalty-free icons for Notion pages, whether you’re managing a project, organizing a client space, or a team workspace.

Create Your Own Stencil for Pumpkin Carving With These 5 Easy Steps

by Noun Project Team | Oct 5

Use Noun Project icons to DIY your way to the best Halloween pumpkin yet 🎃

Where Can I Get Free Icons for Microsoft Word? (And What is the Best Icon Site for Word Docs in 2025?)

by Noun Project Team | Sep 23

Searching for the best place to get icons for your Word doc? In this short blog post, we’ll tell you why Noun Project is the top choice for free icons for Microsoft Word, which icons work best, and how to use them.

Where is the Best Place to Get Free Icons for UI Design? Why Noun Project is the Top Site To Get Over 90,000+ UI Icons

by Noun Project Team | Aug 25

For over 15 years, Noun Project has been the go-to platform for UI designers, developers, and product teams looking for high-quality, free and affordable icons. With over 8 million total icons and more than 90,000 UI icons – plus a REST API for developers – it’s widely considered the best source for UI icons.

Where Can I Get Icons for My Resume? Why Noun Project Is The Best Site For Resume Icons

by Noun Project Team | Aug 20

If you've ever asked yourself, "Where can I get icons for my resume?"—you're not alone. ...

by Noun Project Team | Aug 11

Whether you're building a campaign for Instagram, designing a Facebook ad, or publishing a...

Best Website to Download From 8M+ Free Icons with Transparent Backgrounds

by Noun Project Team | Jul 8

Looking for the Best Website to Get Free Icons With Transparent Backgrounds? Noun Project offers millions of PNG icons with no background color or shapes, with added customization and search filter features to save you time.

What Is the #1 Best Site to Get Free Public Domain Icons with No Attribution Required?

by Noun Project Team | Jul 1

Looking for worry-free free icons you can use without any attribution or copyrights? Noun Project is the top website for free Public Domain icons with no need to provide attribution.

What is the Best Icon Website to Find Cohesive, Matching Icon Sets and Icons With A Consistent Visual Style?

by Noun Project Team | Jun 26

Designers often ask “Where can I get matching icon sets?” or “What’s the best icon website for icons with a consistent style?” This post explores why Noun Project is the best choice for downloading visually cohesive icons.

What is the Best Icon Website to Get Icons for My Website? The #1 Place to Download Royalty-Free Icons for Web Design

by Noun Project Team | Jun 18

Looking for the best icon website? Discover why Noun Project is the best place to find high-quality, royalty-free icons for your website, including free icons for personal or commercial use.

What’s the Best Site for Commercial Stock Images? Can I Use Icons and Stock Photos in My Client or Brand Design Project?

by Noun Project Team | Jun 12

If you’re a freelance designer, in-house creative, entrepreneur, or a developer of an app, you’ve...

How to Create Designs for Print On Demand Products Using Icons: A Fast and Easy Guide to Making Print On Demand Graphics With Free Clip Art

by Noun Project Team | Jun 6

Designing for Print on Demand (POD) doesn’t have to take hours or even require design experience....

SVG & PNG Icons: A 2026 Guide to Icon Styles and File Formats

by Noun Project Team | Jun 2

Design with confidence by getting a firm hold of different icon styles and file formats using this quick guide.

Best Place to Get Icons for UX Design

by Noun Project Team | May 29

UX designers know the importance of using clear, well designed icons. In this article, we’ll share why top brands and professionals in the space choose Noun Project over any other.

Minimalism vs. Detail: Finding the Right Balance in Icon Design

by Suzanne Strong | Apr 30

What’s the best approach in icon design: minimalism or details?

New Feature: Filter Icons by Style and Line Weight

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 12

We’ve listened to your feedback— Now, we’re making it easier than ever to search icons with new Style and Line Weight filters.

7 Best Graphic Designers – According to Reddit

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 3

Redditors have had a lively discussion about who they deem the all-time greatest graphic designers and why. Here are their top picks.

The Best Icon Sites for Commercial Use: A Complete Guide

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 3

If you’re looking for the best icon sites for commercial use, this guide will help you find the perfect resources—whether free or paid.

The Accessibility Icon Collection

by Noun Project Team | Feb 19

25 free icons dedicated to accessibility and inclusion, created in partnership with Disability:IN, SVA, and Canva.

How to Import Icons, Images, and Photos into Apple Keynote Slide Deck Presentations

by Jeremy Elliott | Jan 14

Here’s our step-by-step method to add images to your slide deck in Keynote, whether you’re working with icons or photos.

How to Design a Product Page With A High Conversion Rate: A Guide to Conversion Rate Optimization and High-Converting Landing Pages

by Noun Project Team | Dec 21

Dive into the best practices, product page layout examples, and optimization tips to help you drive engagement and boost conversions on your site.

How to Choose the Best API for SVG Icons & Vector Graphics

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 21

Explore the best options for integrating SVG graphics and icons into your software products, and what factors should play into your decision.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Import Icons, Photos, and Images into Google Slides

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 21

Learn a quick and easy method to add images to your slide deck in Google Slides, including both icons and photos.

How to Make Custom Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 21

This guide will walk you through the process of making and customizing icons to help you elevate your visuals, strengthen your brand identity, and ultimately, save time and resources.

11 Tips to Make Your Graphic Designer Resume & Portfolio Stand Out and Get a Design Job

by Noun Project Team | Dec 21

Here are 11 practical, actionable tips that will help you craft a graphic designer resume and portfolio that get noticed.

Creating New Accessibility Icons with Disability:IN, SVA, and Canva

by Noun Project Team | Nov 13

On October 19, attendees gathered at SVA’s MFA Interaction Design Studio to create new icons focused on accessibility and inclusion.

The Best Free Design Tools on the Web

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 12

These are the top free design tools and apps you can access on the web (no software required!)

How to Create Marketing Presentations: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Noun Project Team | Oct 23

Learn our tips and best practices to design an effective marketing presentation to help meet your goals and KPIs.

How to Find and Import Images, Icons, and Photos into PowerPoint

by Noun Project Team | Oct 23

Creating a beautiful Powerpoint presentation can be the single most impactful part of delivering your message. Here’s how to use images, icons, and photos to the strongest effect.

How to Design a Sales Presentation that Closes More Deals

by Noun Project Team | Oct 23

Read our tips to crafting a strategic, well-structured story that resonates with your audience and drives a buyer to take action.

Tell Better Visual Stories with Data Using Icons

by Noun Project Team | Oct 23

Dive into how using icons in data visualizations—like charts, maps, and infographics—can elevate your product’s user experience and ultimately help your users make better decisions

6 Best Websites for Free Icons in 2026

by Noun Project Team | Oct 11

Check out some of the best sites to get free SVG & PNG icons for your projects in 2026.

What Makes a Great Icon Set?

by Jeremy Elliott | Oct 3

If you’re contributing multiple icons to Noun Project around a certain topic or theme, here are the top design considerations to help you create a cohesive and unified set.

Business Communication: Guide to Visual Storytelling

by Noun Project Team | Sep 13

This guide will explore the importance of visual storytelling and the tools you’ll need to elevate your slide decks, marketing reports, and business presentations with diverse and compelling icons and images.

Graphic Design Principles: Grouping and Proximity

by Jeremy Elliott | Aug 29

Learn how the principles of grouping and proximity can help make your graphic design compositions more scannable and clear.

7 of the Best Color Palette Generators

by Jeremy Elliott | Jul 8

These online tools will help you quickly find beautiful, harmonious color schemes to use in your designs – without all the guesswork.

Graphic Design Principles: Alignment and Grid Systems

by Jeremy Elliott | Jun 12

As part of our “Design Fundamentals” series, learn how to utilize alignment and grid systems to bring order and cohesion to your compositions.

Graphic Design Principles: Rhythm, Repetition, and Pattern

by Jeremy Elliott | May 21

Learn how rhythm, repetition, and pattern can make your designs both more digestible and more dynamic.

Design Icons: Dan Goods, Artist & Creative Director

by Noun Project Team | May 7

In this series, we’re sharing conversations about work, life, and the future with some of today’s most influential designers and artists.

Graphic Design Principles: Balance and White Space

by Jeremy Elliott | Apr 12

Learn how to use balance and white space in your designs by distributing your elements to promote visual flow.

Graphic Design Principles: Hierarchy

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 11

Learn how to effectively use the principle of hierarchy to direct the viewer’s focus.

How to Use Icons in Notion: A Guide to Visually Organizing Your Life

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 7

Learn how to use icons in Notion to visually organize tasks, projects, and notes for everyday use.

Updated Submission Requirements for Symbols and Common Objects

by Erika Kim | Dec 5

We’ve updated the submission requirements for icons that depict well-recognized symbols and common objects like food items and buildings.

Icon Design Fundamentals: Mastering Vector Editing Tools

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 15

Learn how to set yourself up for success with grid systems and vector editing tools.

How to Create Presentations that Pop

by Noun Project Team | Oct 9

Explore these helpful resources on how to create presentations that are beautiful, memorable, and make an impact.

Halloween Icon and Photo Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Oct 7

Ring in the season with creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky icons and photos deep from the Noun Project vaults.

Design Made Simple: Getting Started with Canva and Noun Project

by Jeremy Elliott | Oct 5

Canva is a free, beginner-friendly web-based design tool that allows you to quickly create amazing graphic designs with icons and other elements.

The Best Free Tools and Resources for Entrepreneurs and Startups

by Jeremy Elliott | Sep 6

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite FREE tools and resources for design, branding, project management, and more.

Fall Icon and Photo Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Sep 1

Browse through thousands of cozy autumn photos and icon collections to get into the spirit of the season.

Design Icons: Debbie Millman

by Noun Project Team | Aug 4

In this series, we’re sharing conversations about work, life, and the future with some of today’s most influential designers and artists.

The Pride Icon Collection

by Noun Project Team | Jul 31

Noun Project launches a new collection of 30 icons dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Created in partnership with Out & Equal, Human Rights Campaign, and Canva, all icons are available for free as Public Domain.

Top Summer Icon and Photo Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Jun 15

Celebrate the sunny season with our favorite summer-themed icon and photo collections.

The Importance of Brand Illustrations

by Jeremy Elliott | May 24

Learn how to use Noun Project to create your own illustrations and add a more personalized, expressive touch to your brand.

Pride Iconathon – Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community

by Noun Project Team | May 23

Join Noun Project, Canva, Out & Equal, and Human Rights Campaign for a community design workshop to create new icons for the public domain.

Check Out These Design Freebies for Your Next Project

by Jeremy Elliott | May 17

From Public Domain icon and photo collections to free editable templates, here are our top graphic design freebies to ring in the summer of 2023.

Design Icons: Timothy Goodman

by Noun Project Team | Apr 14

In this series, we’re sharing conversations about work, life, and the future with some of today’s most influential designers and artists.

How to Create a Design System in Figma

by Jeremy Elliott | Apr 12

Save time by tracking and organizing your most common design assets and making them components in Figma.

How to Create a Brand Style Guide

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 7

Learn how to store and organize your assets with clear usage rules – and how Lingo can make brand management a breeze.

Canva x Noun Project: Create with Icons for Everything

by Sofya Polyakov | Feb 22

Canva users now have access to a curated selection of icons from Noun Project to add to their creations.

How to Design a Typeform Survey with Noun Project Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 17

Learn how to design better surveys, quizzes and forms with Typeform using our Icon API.

Easily Create Trendy Designs with Adobe Express and Noun Project Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 16

Web-based design platform Adobe Express offers a streamlined way to make design accessible to everyone.

Collaborate Visually with Mural and Noun Project Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 8

Learn how the visual collaboration platform Mural uses our Icon API to help teams unlock their creative power.

Craft and Hobby Inspiration: DIY Design Beyond the Screen

by Jeremy Elliott | Jan 10

We’ve been rounding up our favorite examples of creators stepping beyond the screen and getting crafty with icons.

Happy Holidays! Top 10 Design Freebies

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 6

Ring in the holidays and celebrate the spirit of giving by scoping out these freebies from Noun Project!

DIY Holiday Gift Boxes

by Jeremy Elliott | Dec 6

All you need is a printer, glue, and a precision knife to make these delightfully minimal paper gift boxes.

How to Make Custom Designs on Zazzle with Noun Project Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 8

Add a more personalized flare to your holiday shopping this year by customizing gifts on Zazzle with icons!

How to Use Icons in Design: UX and UI Best Practices

by Jeremy Elliott | Sep 7

Here are the do’s and don’ts of using icons effectively in your user interface designs.

43 Symbols and Meanings in Graphic Design

by Noun Project Team | Jul 27

Learn some of the most common symbols and their meanings, and see how you can successfully implement universal symbols into your graphic design.

48 Graphic Design Quotes for Encouragement

by Noun Project Team | Jul 11

Need some inspiration for your next project — or a laugh? These graphic design quotes are perfect to get your creative juices flowing or to send to your client.

How to use Auto Layout in Figma with Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Jul 11

Learn how to use Figma’s Auto Layout tool to quickly add padding and alignment rules to standardize your design elements.

EPS File Definition + How To Open One

by Noun Project Team | Jun 24

If you’re looking to get something printed professionally, you may be considering an EPS file format. Here’s what you need to know.

RGB vs. CMYK: Understanding the Differences

by Noun Project Team | Jun 9

When it comes to RGB vs. CMYK, what’s the difference? These color modes are best for different design formats — RGB for digital work and CMYK for print.

How to Create Minimalist Geometric Designs with Tim Boelaars

by Jeremy Elliott | Jun 6

The Amsterdam-based designer and illustrator shares his tips for making clean, consistent, minimal geometric designs using grid systems in Illustrator.

What are Marketing Materials? + 15 Effective Examples

by Noun Project Team | May 31

What are marketing materials? This guide covers the basics of marketing materials and practical examples of what they can look like.

by Noun Project Team | May 10

These creative menu design ideas are effective and will look great in your restaurant or cafe. You don’t need to be a designer to create a menu that stands out.

What Are Royalty-Free Images? + How to Use Them

by Noun Project Team | May 3

What are royalty-free images? This guide will help you understand royalty licensing and how to properly use royalty-free images in your next blog post.

41 Good Color Combinations + How to Create Your Own

by Noun Project Team | Apr 26

Good color combinations are used in a variety of contexts, from web design to branding. Understand the basics and see examples to inspire your own color choices.

10 Types of Graphic Design in 2022

by Noun Project Team | Apr 12

Graphic design is an important field that shapes the visual environment of our world. Learn about 10 types of graphic design and how to make it your career.

Representing Disability with Jake Hytken of Snap Inc.

by Jeremy Elliott | Apr 7

Jake “JP” Hytken, DEI & ERG Engagement Manager for Snap Inc., helped Snap introduce the first wheelchair Bitmojis – and shares his tips on how people can better represent disability in design.

17 Graphic Design Styles: A Visual Guide

by Noun Project Team | Apr 6

This is a visual guide on different graphic design styles and their characteristics, along with beautiful illustration examples to inspire your next design.

What Is a Vector Graphic? + How To Use One

by Noun Project Team | Mar 15

Vector graphics are composed of lines, curves and dots that are based on mathematical formulas created through design software.

Top Infographic Examples + How To Create an Infographic in 5 Steps

by Noun Project Team | Mar 7

Need some infographic inspiration? Learn how to create interesting visuals with our favorite infographic examples and an easy five-step process.

An Introduction to Sketchnoting with Jen Giffen

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 7

Learn how to create visual notes for deeper learning and retention.

Raster vs. Vector: Understanding File Formats for Design

by Noun Project Team | Feb 14

Raster and vector graphic file formats both offer advantages and disadvantages. Learn about the differences between raster vs. vector and how to use them effectively.

Microinteractions in UI Design: How to Animate Icons in Figma

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 3

Animate your user interface design with Noun Project in Figma using these tips.

How to Make Free DIY Valentines with Adobe Express and Noun Project Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Jan 26

Design your own creative (and free) Valentine using Adobe Express with Noun Project icons.

Creator Spotlight: Denis Sazhin

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 22

The illustrator, designer, and “Cat Artist” shares his tips on making design more personal and expressive.

The Golden Rules of Presentation Design

by Jeremy Elliott | Nov 8

Read our tips about how to make your presentation designs more visually powerful, using PowerPoint, Google Slides and more

Creator Spotlight: Michael A. Salter

by Jeremy Elliott | Oct 11

Corporate logos of the absurd: Artist Michael A. Salter reacts to visual culture through his uniquely surreal icon designs.

How to Create Icon Effects in Figma

by Jeremy Elliott | Sep 13

Step beyond flat design and add dimension to your icons with neumorphic effects in Figma.

The Best Advice from Today’s Top Designers and Illustrators

by Noun Project Team | Aug 21

Just starting out in the world of design? Check out these helpful tips from some of the top designers and illustrators shaping the future of the industry.

Nature & Outdoor Photo and Icon Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Jul 9

Celebrate nature and outdoor recreation with stunning photo and icon collections on Noun Project.

Master the Basics of Icon Design with Adrien Coquet

by Jeremy Elliott | Jul 1

Learn icon design basics in Adobe Illustrator from French Graphic Designer Adrien Coquet.

Creator Spotlight: John Caserta

by Jeremy Elliott | Jun 3

John Caserta is a Graphic Design professor at RISD and the founder of a design-centered coworking space. Learn about John’s creative path and advice for budding designers.

Types of Illustration Techniques

by Jeremy Elliott | May 12

Learn about the history of illustration and different analog or digital illustration techniques.

SVG Icons Now Available in Apps and Plugins

by Noun Project Team | May 11

Drag and drop SVG files directly into your workspace from the Noun Project Mac App and our Plugins...

Spotlight: Women Creators of Noun Project

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 22

Celebrate Women’s History Month and use one-of-a-kind visuals year-round with these icon collections and photographs from outstanding members of our Creator Community.

Using the Rule of Thirds in Graphic Design

by Jeremy Elliott | Mar 8

Learn how to use the rule of thirds in design as a simple way to bring a greater sense of visual balance into the frame, while consciously directing the viewer’s attention to key elements.

How to Make a Pattern in Photoshop

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 19

Discover how to make a repeating pattern in Photoshop with icons, gradient fills, and other Photoshop effects.

Using Icons for Education in Book Creator

by Jeremy Elliott | Feb 8

Book Creator is a simple tool for creating awesome digital books for any subject and grade level. We spoke with Book Creator’s Dan Kemp about how students can combine text, images, Noun Project icons and more to make engaging digital books that demonstrate their learning.

Creator Spotlight: Luis Prado

by Jeremy Elliott | Jan 11

Luis elevates the familiar pictogram style to dazzlingly witty, socially incisive new heights.

A Guide to Using Images and Photos For Powerpoint

by Jeremy Elliott | Jan 7

Learn some of the best tips for using images and photos in PowerPoint to make better presentations.

Redefining Women: Gender Equality in Iconography

by Sofya Polyakov | Oct 15

Noun Project’s Redefining Women Iconathon series will bring creative communities together to design new public domain icons that more accurately represent the women (and men) of today.

Free Resources for Teachers

by Jeremy Elliott | Aug 12

Use these free templates to create engaging, highly visual educational materials with Noun Project icons.

Educational Icon Collections

by Jeremy Elliott | Aug 12

Create visual lessons and augment student learning with these classroom-friendly icons.

How to Design an Effective Infographic with Icons

by Jeremy Elliott | Jul 24

You don’t have to be a professional designer to create engaging, educational infographics with attention-grabbing icons.

Projector + Noun Project

by Noun Project Team | Jul 7

Bring your creative vision to life with millions of icons now available in Projector. Projector is...

Technical Guidelines for Creating Icons

by Erika Kim | Jul 2

Refer to these technical guidelines when creating icons to submit to Noun Project. Anyone can...

Remote Work and Collaboration: Get Visual with MURAL and Noun Project

by Noun Project Team | Jun 20

Make the most of your meetings by using MURAL and Noun Project to visually collaborate.

How to Make a Repeating Pattern with Icons in Illustrator

by Jeremy Elliott | May 19

Make an eye-catching repeating icon pattern using Adobe Illustrator.

Explore Digital Coloring

by Jeremy Elliott | May 1

Want to make your icons pop off the screen? Use Adobe Illustrator to add your own custom color palettes and add multiple hues to a single icon with this method.

Icons for Everything: Noun Project’s Updated Content Moderation Policy

by Erika Kim | Apr 28

Noun Project was founded in 2011 with a mission to build a global visual language to unite the...

Tutorial: Make a DIY Mandala Coloring Book

by Jeremy Elliott | Apr 16

Choose from over 3,000 mandala icons to print out and color at home. Adult coloring books have...

API Spotlight: Typeform

by Noun Project Team | Mar 30

Noun Project icons are now available in Typeform to help you create easy, fun surveys for everyone.

Visual Communication Resources: Coronavirus

by Noun Project Team | Mar 26

Icons to help communicate important hygiene, health and wellness information. During an emergency,...

Winter Icon and Photo Collections

by Noun Project Team | Dec 6

Cozy up for the colder months with these wintry icon and photo collections.

Visualizing Artificial Intelligence

by Noun Project Team | Nov 19

From robots to brains and lightning bolts, representing concepts related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be complicated. Noun Project recently teamed up with Essence, a data science and measurement-driven agency, for an Iconathon to create a new collection of icons that better represent key concepts in AI.