Below you will find 69 general terms in alphabetical order with which you can search for visual material on portals such as freepik, and all-free-download. These are only some of the many other general search terms that could be used, of course. The idea is to refine your search by adding more generalized conceptual keywords to your specific search term that will narrow down your search to more specific visual or conceptual criteria.

 

Although I am showing mostly vector material in the gallery below, these same keywords can also be used on photography websites such as unsplash, pexels, and pixabay, of course.

 

Remember the following:

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1. These are only general terms, so when you use them you have to combine them with whatever it is that you are looking for. So, as an example "3D" will give you a huge amount of results but if you add the word "cat" to "3D" you will narrow your search to 3D rendered cats only. 
    

2. That said, be open to the search results leading you to stuff that you weren't looking for because very often what you weren't looking for will give you new, different ideas that may end up being much better than what you originally had in mind. Both individual results as well as combinations. So keep an eye out for what you weren't really in search of. In other words, let the search lead you, instead of the other way around - having a narrow focus that is closed off to everything outside of that one thing is not a very good way to do this. Be open to coincidence. 
    

3. Do not do a "quick in and out", spend good long amounts of time. Surf! Looking for stuff is one of the most entertaining things that one can do during a design process. Use it to your advantage - with an open mind.
    

4. If you want to have the search terms below on your own hard drive, you can download the pdf here >>>