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Essential Graphic Design Software for Beginners
If you are new to graphic design and do not know where to begin, we have got you covered. From industry standards that employers expect you to know to free and low-cost alternatives you can try, here are the types of graphic design software that can help you start turning your creative ideas into reality.
Creative Suite by Adobe
If you are serious about studying graphic design professionally, Adobe Creative Suite includes a lot of the basic tools you will need, such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. These applications may take a little more time to learn, but if they help you land a job, it will be well worth your time.
You can begin with a 30-day free trial and then pay monthly once your trial period expires. In addition, if you decide to go all in and study graphic design, Adobe provides all students with a 60% discount on their Creative Suite software.
Illustrator by Adobe
If you know anything about design, you have heard of Adobe. Adobe Illustrator was first released for Apple computers in January 1987. It has been in production since then. This is the first programme that graphic artists should look at. It is regarded as the gold standard. You can learn Photoshop and Illustrator with Blue Sky Graphics online.
So, what makes Adobe Illustrator so amazing that hundreds of thousands of artists rely on it? Here are some advantages and disadvantages for you to consider.
Pros:
- Excellent user interface:
A great user interface is the fundamental minimum for a great software. Consider some of the most egregious user interfaces. Is not it difficult to navigate around some of your favourite applications or games?
- Editing within the panel
- Excellent scalability
Other platforms’ compatibility:
Although it began on Apple computers, it is now available on virtually every computer platform, so there is no reason not to utilise it.
Cons:
- The Learning Curve:
This may be a source of frustration for some. Although you can produce fantastic projects, it will take some time for you to improve. But if you are motivated to improve and create the greatest idea possible, this is simply a bump in the road.
- Extraordinary Computer Space
Make sure you have adequate space on your computer since this baby takes up a lot of space.
Pricing:
Adobe Illustrator is presently on sale for two steep prices:
Illustrator Single App costs £239.88 per year.
Creative Cloud Programs, Illustrator, and other Adobe creative apps cost £599.88 per year.
Illustrator’s licence is an in-house proprietary licence. This indicates that it is closed source software that is controlled by the corporation, in this case Adobe. This incorporates patent and copyright rights and turns the Adobe Suite of graphic design software into intellectual property (IP).
Photoshop by Adobe
It should come as no surprise that Adobe is a high-quality software package for your PC. Adobe Photoshop, like Illustrator, is well-known in the graphics software field. We have all seen high-quality photos with Photoshop’s imprint all over the internet.
Photoshop is a picture editing programme that is used by graphic designers, advertisers, and even schoolchildren.
Photoshop, which was released not long after Illustrator in 1990, was likewise created solely for Apple Macintosh computers by two brothers, Thomas and John Knoll, at the University of Michigan. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of the illustrious programme.
Pros:
- Cutting-edge technology:
Photoshop, like its Adobe competitors, is continually updated with the greatest current build of software. This is appropriate for both novice and experienced users.
- Excellent graphics:
You may create stunning visuals from within the application. Few other applications can make the same claim. This is a lifesaver for people in the advertising industry since it produces parts of that profession in an instant.
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Speed:
Quickly, quickly, quickly. This is an excellent motto to remember when using the software. Everything that Photoshop can produce can be produced in a relatively short period of time. If you are a seasoned user, you can utilise this application to create excellent projects with startling ease.
As you learn everything Adobe has to offer, you will see how colours, images, and editing come to life around you.
Cons:
- The Learning Curve:
Yes, the learning curve of Photoshop, like that of Adobe Illustrator, may be a little steep for those users who are unfamiliar with the suite of products.
The cost:
Adobe software price may be quite high, especially for users who are unfamiliar with the products. If you are just getting started with the software, it might be intimidating to shell out hundreds of pounds for a crack at generating images.
Photoshop also makes advantage of Adobe Illustrator’s exclusive licence. This, once again, indicates that it is closed source and not available for free modification by other members of the community. Everything is under Adobe’s control.
GIMP
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a popular free (and open source) alternative to Photoshop. GIMP, which is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows, provides a complete collection of tools for anything from image editing and retouching to full-fledged production of artwork, icons, and other graphic design components utilising layers, masks, and more.
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free and open source graphic design software application that is a strong competitor to Adobe Illustrator. It is a vector graphic editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux with a straightforward interface and versatile capabilities for print, logo, and online design. These tools enable the generation of objects, their manipulation, fill and stroke, text formatting, and path operations. (Many designers find cloned objects to be especially useful.)
Sketch
Even though it is only accessible for Mac users, the vector editing programme Sketch is fast becoming a favourite among many in the design profession, particularly those working on online, app, user experience, or interface design. This graphic design programme, which costs £100, is like Illustrator and, in some ways, Photoshop.
Support for multiple pages and artboards, symbols and styles that can be easily repeated and updated across a design, and the ability to edit and merge vectors without destroying their original shapes are just a few of the features.
