Starter kits are great timesavers for web designers and they are particularly useful for those who often create mock-ups for project pitching on daily basis. If you are a designer-cum-programmer think of it as your code snippets

So what’s in a starter kit? We think it varies – depending on what each designer routinely worked with. For GUI designers, keeping a copy of form elements (buttons, checkboxes, tab, drop down menus, etc) helps speed up the process of creating screens and layouts; on the other hand, browser (IE, Firefox Safari) templates with web safe area keep web designers reminded how/where they should prioritize their contents. Experienced designers will usually customize and keep a personal version of starter kit, some might have few too!

In today’s article, we attempt to show you some of the best design starter kit we’ve come to know. You can download (for free) and use them right away, or customize your own copy that will come in handy in future, your choice. Full list after jump.

GUI, Form Elements and Web Components

From form elements like checkboxes, input fields, textareas to web design components like buttons, arrows, icons, badges and more.

Yahoo’s Design Stencil Kit

Probably one of the most complete kit for designers. GUI elements include calendars, grids, menus, mobile (general and iphone), navigation and pagination, tabs, UI controls and more! Comes in several format: OmniGraffle, Visio (XML), PDF, PNG and SVG.

Web Form Elements

With all these tabs, buttons, dropdowns in one single PSD file, it’s sure going to give you a kick start in interface design. Courtesy of sniperyu.

Browser Form Elements PSD

Browser Form Elements PSD for Mac Firefox 3 and another for Vista IE7.

Flex Dark Skin

Sleek dark skin interface elements.

Famfamfam Icons

Whether you are designing for web or application, you should not miss these awesome little buttons by Famfamfam.

Shortcut to: Silk, Mini and Flag collections.

Peter’s DeivantART ID

Design ID cards made easy with this PSD template.

Deluxive Creative Pack

Distributed free by Deluxive, this creative pack PSD come inclusive of badges, grid frames, buttons, stickers and more.

Aero Avatar and SIG

Vista avatar and signature template in PSD.

Turquoise PSD

Vista elements.

Browser Screens Templates

If you are designing website in a Photoshop PSD file, it’s important to keep each browser and visible screen in consideration. These following PSD with different version of Firefox, IE and Safari web safe area will come in handy.

Browser Web Safe Area

Web safe area for Safari, IE and Firefox in different operating systems, all in downloadable PSD file.

Shortcut to: Mac OS X – Safari, Firefox. Windows Vista – IE, Firefox, Windows XP – IE, Firefox

960px Photoshop Grid Template

PSD grid template in 960px width to prevent yourself from composing with edges of the screen that may/may not actually be where you plan them to be.

(More) Browser Templates

If you are looking for even more browser templates (PSD), webdesignerstoolkit’s collection should be what you are looking for. These folks has templates for Opera, Camino and classic browsers like iCan, Netscape and Mozilla.

Web Browser Elements

Free standard HTML form elements or browser windows for Windows, and Mac OSX.

Shortcut to: Mac OS X – Safari, Firefox. Windows Vista – IE, Firefox, Windows XP – IE, Firefox

Browser Screens and Website Elements

Exclusive freebie Vector Pack from VectorTuts. It’s a useful set of vector website assets you can use to mock up your client projects, present your work, or get a quick visual while laying out websites.

Quommunication Starter Kit

If you are looking to kick of designing in PSD with a minial and basic PSD as guidance, Quommunication’s starter kit is probably what you are looking for. It comes with color templates, browser web safe area and basic form components all in one PSD.

Cursors

A typical screen capture (print screen) will not include the cursor in the output. If you depend on the cursor to help indicate and describe an image better, these following PSD packs might help.

Polished Graphite

2 sets of different mouse cursors by usedHONDA.

Photoshop Cursor Pack

Useful for those who create Photoshop Tutorials.

Product Design

iPhone GUI PSD 3.0

The image below gives you a clear idea what this PSD file consist. Utmost useful to mock any iPhone development interfaces. Created by teehanlax.

Here’s another one for the older version of iPhone.

iPhone PSD

High resolution iPhone interface.

Here’s for those who are looking for first gen iPhone interface.

Magazine PSD

If you are presenting something in magazine style, you will want to start with this PSD.

Paperbag

DVD Plastic Case

Our collection of beautiful CD and DVD cases PSD templates.

Documents and Letters

More for Designers

Looking for more design-related downloads? Check out some of our previous posts: