One of my goals in launching ThisInspires.Me has been to feature other designers whom I’ve run across that have produced inspiring work. Some are well-known in the design community, others may be lesser known, but I’ve found them all to peak my interest and inspire my creativity. Here are ten random portfolio links that make up the first installment in this category. They represent a mixture of disciplines – print, web, branding and identity, and even some who specialize in application development. Enjoy!

1. Nathan Sarlow

What Inspires Me… I love the color – cobalt! I enjoy clicking the logos in the portfolio – the interactivity is nice. And one thing I really enjoy is how the portfolio is front and center.

2. Alessandro Cavallo

What Inspires Me… Alessandro has a great background, and his work demonstrates a variety of skills and talents. The site is clean and balanced. The important stuff is above the fold and his portfolio is fun to navigate.

3. Rockfish Interactive

What Inspires Me… Immediately, the interactivity and the awesome logo! Rockfish is a firm that seems to focus on application development on a very large scale. I’m inspired by the fact that they’re on the cutting edge of some pretty awesome technology.

4. David Airey

What Inspires Me… David creates awesome logos, as evidenced by his other blog, Logo Design Love. I enjoy that his portfolio is featured in black and white, so as to showcase the fact that logos ought to begin and end this way.

5. Mike Bailey

What Inspires Me… First, the static left sidebar – love it! I’m also impressed with the way the portfolio works. Each entry has a sliding gallery effect. I also love the spacing of Mike’s site, and the very name itself – Creative Happy!

6. Interactive Blend

What Inspires Me… Whitespace, and the proper use thereof. I love the header and as with most of the others, I love the way the user navigates the portfolio. Awesome identity work in particular!

7. Nick Brewer

What Inspires Me… Nick has wisely used the whole viewing area, but has kept his content readable at the same time. His site is highly personal also, from the big mug shot to the apps that drive his life.

8. Benek Design

What Inspires Me… Benek’s portfolio is a stretch… literally. I’m not daring enough to try this trick, but Benek is one of a few designers who has pulled off scrolling well. It’s almost a delight to scroll through his portfolio.

9. Lawrence Anderson

What Inspires Me… Lawrence has a super clean site. I love that his portfolio features itself. Lawrence’s own personal brand is evident in the site, giving confidence to potential clients. Great branding work!

10. Graham Smith

What Inspires Me… Graham inspires me. His work inspires me. In fact, if there’s somebody on the globe I’d ask first about logo design, it would be Graham. He also takes an amazing self-portrait.