Here are a couple of nice resource sites for color inspiration of the spooky sort, for crafts, interior decor, or Web design.

Color Hunter specializes in palettes made from images; enter a tag such as Halloween or Goth, and the site searches Flickr for images labeled with that tag. The thumbnails from Flickr are used to generate five complementary colors. It’s surprising how well it works.

COLOURLovers is a design community where users upload palettes and patterns. You can search on terms like Gothic, but they also feature “best of” sets like their Color Inspiration from the History of Halloween.

Both sites are great jumping-off points for finding the perfect color combination.

(Bonus: Here’s a silly hex code trick. Make your color choices mean something.)

Patterns from the Past sells recycled sewing patterns from the turn of the (last) century to present day. If you like the look of vintage clothing but the second-hand shops aren’t fulfilling your needs, now you can make your own.

I love retro style (well, the 70’s we could have done without), and it’s fun to browse these patterns and see what the “look” of each decade was.

Link (via ThreadBanger)

For the digitally-artsy amongst us, Photoshop Roadmap has compiled a neat gallery of 70 tutorials for creating spooky photo effects. Burns, scars, demons, zombies; there’s something here for everybody.

Link (via BoingBoing)

Curses! Where were these guys when I lived in California? Located in Placerville, they’ve got a gorgeous collection of dark decorative elements and curiosities, from mortuary photos to garden statuary. Some of their smaller items are available for sale online, but all of the big stuff is reserved for locals. They even offer interior decorating services.

I really love the brooding, haunted atmosphere their pieces suggest. Dig around their site for all sorts of decorating inspiration.

Link (via Witches Caldron [sic])

In addition to the standard vacation photos and general ephemera that makes up the bulk of Flickr, there are also some hauntingly beautiful galleries. Check out some of these artists’ atmospheric, creepy offerings. Lovely!

Mouseskull (some NSFW)
Ghostbones
VoodooBoo
ilConte
demeter*
Lauren.Rabbit

With a tagline like, “Whip your knitting into shape,” it’s not surprising that this site offers designs of which Aunt Bessie in Shreveport might not necessarily approve. There are several free patterns, a book you can purchase, and lots of inspiration.

The site also has a page devoted to the skull pattern shown here, interpreted in all sorts of forms. I particularly like the skull and crossbones afghan done by one submitter.

Link (via Halloween Hotlist)

The World Public Library Blackmask Online is one of the most complete single online collections of classic literature. It covers everything from biography to science fiction, but it also has over 900 titles in its Gothic collection. Stories of the strange, the terrible, the macabre and the horrible by Bram Stoker, Margaret Oliphant, Algernon Blackwood and many more, all free!

Link

Brushes are fun tools that allow you to add images and patterns to graphics in Adobe Photoshop or Jasc Paintshop. There are many free brush sets available offer everything from spikes and chains to animals skulls. Check out some of these beauties for inspiration. (And google “Photoshop Brush Tutorial” if you aren’t sure how to use them.) Pretty!

Damned in Black
In Obscuro
Strange Angels

Dad Can Do is a resource for cool stuff that dads can do with their children. (Luckily, they don’t check to make sure you’re a dad before letting you use their site.) It’s got a whole section devoted to making–amazingly beautiful, yet relatively simple–items like wizards’ wands and magical ink-pots. Each project features lots of pictures and detailed downloadable instructions.

These projects should give the crafty amongst us inspiration for all kinds of inexpensive decorative items with which to adorn our nests. Lovely!

Here’s a nice resource for collectors, or anyone looking for an interesting set of cards. The site has hundreds of decks listed, sortable by theme, publisher, and more. From Mystic Faerie to the Ferret Tarot, there ought to be something here for everyone.

Link