What Are Graphic Design Prompts and Where to Get Them?

‍Graphic design prompts are a great way to establish an effective design workflow and improve your skills. Keep reading to learn how to use them.

Many graphic designers nowadays worry that AI design will replace them in the future. As of yet, this is not that likely.

Remember that even the best AI software depends on human input. Secondly, no matter how advanced, AI-generated images always need to be adapted by humans in order to suit a certain purpose or fit an existing brand identity design.

However, AI in design can also help designers get better at their job. We’re talking about graphic design practice prompts.

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What are graphic design prompts?

Graphic design prompts are creative challenges or suggestions for creating specific pieces of visual content. 

These prompts can vary widely in their complexity and scope, ranging from simple design exercises to more complex projects. The goal of graphic design prompts is to spark creativity, encourage experimentation, and help designers expand their skills. 

Where to find graphic design prompts?

The point of using graphic design practice prompts is to challenge yourself and practice areas you might have overlooked otherwise. So, it doesn’t make sense for you to think of them yourself.

Instead, we recommend using some of the many design idea generators online. Here are some of the best ones.

Sharpen Design

This is probably the most popular graphic design prompts generator out there. It provides super creative and highly specific ideas. From a “press kit for Dr. Jane Goodall” to “an online ad mockup due tomorrow”, these prompts will test your skills, as well as your speed. 

There’s no limit to how many design prompts you can generate. So you can easily generate hundreds of prompts until you find something that tickles your fancy.

Briefz

Briefz is another popular random graphic design prompts generator. Just like Sharpen Design it produces randomly generated prompts. However, you’ll find these are much less specific. Most of the prompts you get will be run-of-the-mill logo design or UI challenges (apps, landing pages, etc.)

On one hand, getting less information can mean you’re more creative. On the other, it won’t be as easy to assess how well  you’ve responded to the design bried.

Goodbrief.io

If you want to practice a specific type of design this is the prompt generator to choose. You can select exactly what you want to create, and even pick an industry (or go for a randomly selected one).

Another great thing about it is that it simulates a real design process. You’ll get a complete brief, along with a deadline. So, it’s the perfect practice run before working with your first client. 

Daily UI

As the name suggests, this is one of the best graphic design prompt generators for aspiring user interface designers. However, it’s a lot more than that.

To use Daily UI you need to sign up for their series of design challenges delivered to your email for 100 days. If you want to focus on a more narrow skill set, and keep an organized design workflow, this platform is definitely worth checking out.

The challenge also includes bonus extras, such as resources and templates. 

Daily Logo Challenge

Similar to Daily UI, these graphic design prompts arrive every 50 days to your inbox. If you want to specialize in logo design, this can be a great way to build an impressive portfolio and attract potential clients.

I recommend following their Instagram account for a daily dose of creative logo concepts that will spark your creativity. 

Bonus

Apart from these graphic design prompts generators, there are other places you can find creative inspiration for your design practice. Here are some ideas:

• Social media: Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are a great place to find creative prompts (try using appropriate hashtags to find them). You can also connect with more experienced creatives and ask them for design tips.
• Portfolio platforms: While you can’t find ready-made prompts on portfolio platforms like Behance and Dribbble, you can get ideas. Many designers post their own creative exercises and projects so you can use that instead.
• Communities and forums: Redditt, Discord, and similar communities give you the chance
• Content AI tools: Using ChatGPT for graphic design prompts can be a great idea. Of course, there are lots of other similar tools, such as Jasper ai, Microsoft Copilot, and many more. 

Useful graphic design practice prompts

Now that you know where to find them, we’ve asked our own team of designers to come up with some useful graphic design practice prompts to try out. It includes specific tasks to help you polish your design skills. However, we’ve also added some creative challenges that will get you thinking outside the box.

Enjoy!

Create artwork for an imaginary music album cover using mixed media (photography, illustration, typography).

If you’re looking to find real clients in the music and art industry, a complex design project like this will be a great addition to your portfolio.

Create a typographic composition using elements from nature (leaves, branches, flowers) to form letters or words.

Creating typography is a great way to practice design, as it involves a lot of fine tuning and detailing.

Develop a character illustration for a children's book or a fictional story.

Challenge yourself to create a character from scratch. Or use someone from your surrounding to create an illustrated persona readers would love. 

Choose a well-known brand and redesign its logo to give it a fresh and contemporary look.

This is one of the most popular graphic design practice prompts for good reason. Iconic logos like Apple, Nike and Coca Cola might seem near-perfect today. But how can you make them even better?

Create an infographic that explains a complex current issue (like climate change, global health, etc.) using icons and simple visuals.

There’s no way you can think of great infographic design, without a very specific topic in mind. So, before you tackle this design challenge, make sure to do your research and gather all the necessary data.

Design a user-friendly interface for a mobile app that simplifies daily house cleaning.

Of course, you can use any daily task or hobby instead. However, we advise you to try to stick to the brief first.

Design business cards for a country band.

CEO business cards are a breeze - we’ve all seen enough of them to know the kind of corporate style they have. So, why not challenge yourself to create something out of the box like this?

Create intricate geometric patterns using simple shapes and a harmonious color palette

Whether you decide to use your free-hand drawing skills, or decide to play with shapes, this is a great way to practice your use of basic design principles, and experiment creatively.

Final word

We hope some of these prompts help you get some good design practice and get over a potential creative block.

For more helpful reads on practicing graphic design, check out our list of free design courses, or this guide on how to start digital painting.