Tools And Software That Every Graphic Designer Should Adopt

Even though there are a lot of tools for graphic design, many of them duplicate the functions of each other, may not be suitable for a particular operating system or even be unaffordable for the novice designer. Today we’re going to cover the essential fundamental tools and software, knowledge of which is a must for a successful career in design.

Top Tips for the Novice Graphic Designer

A graphic designer’s competencies range widely and often include much more than just drawing. Among the primary skills is creating UI/UX design, so there are several tools to be mastered.

There are a lot of tools for graphic designers nowadays. They all meet different requirements, have broad or narrow functions, and can be used for different operating systems. Speaking of the tools each graphic designer should master, let’s start with the universal tools for Windows and iOS.

Here we talk about universal tools relevant to everyone and provide an opportunity to earn money immediately after mastering them.

Our choice today is based not only on the popularity of tools and software products but also on their functionality, compatibility, ease of use, and, most importantly, the availability of support and documentation. So, if you don’t want to waste your time mastering unnecessary tools, then pay attention to these. 

Figma 

It is probably the primary tool for design drawing and prototyping. It’s not hard to learn, and it’s also convenient because you can work with it in a browser or use it installed. To say that Figma has a solid community in different languages is probably not even worth mentioning. Besides, Figma is a very advanced tool, and it’s constantly being updated. The tool has killer advantages over its competitors, and among them are a cross-platform, browser-based builder, cloud-based project storage, and the ability to comment. Working in Figma also allows the designer to quickly transfer access to developers instead of having to prepare the design layout. 

Adobe Photoshop

Some time ago, Photoshop was probably the main tool for graphic designers. It might be losing out to competitors today if it is not used for its intended purpose. However, Photoshop has no equal in processing photos that can then later be exported for work with other, more convenient tools. Mastering Photoshop is still one of the basic skills for graphic designers. Without Photoshop, you won’t cut out realistic objects to create collages. Photoshop will help you reduce all images to the same style and add shadows, reflections, noise, and many other elements.

Adobe Illustrator

If you are a beginner, you might not understand the difference between Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, but the difference between them is fundamental. Photoshop is a raster-based editor, while Illustrator is a vector-based one. Vector graphics are not divided into tiny pixels, so they are not as voluminous and multi-layered. Vector graphics are ideal when you have to work on scaling images. It doesn’t change their quality and contours. In Illustrator, a designer can create multiple workspaces and then merge them. The Illustrator also gives the ability to create layers composed of many objects and take objects outside the workspace as well. The speed of this program is also much faster. Designers often use Adobe Illustrator software to create polygraphic models, logos, and SVG graphics.

Coolors.co.

It is an indispensable tool when it comes to color selection, palette selection, and other color solutions, which any practicing graphic designer needs all the time. The versatility of the software lies in the fact that it can be used both as a website and as an Adobe extension. Coolors.co helps generate colors and palettes, allowing you to quickly and conveniently select pairs for the selected color. Colors play an essential role in UI/UX design and influence the whole project. With colors, the designer creates the layout palette; they are the ones that form the basis of the design structure.

Design Libraries

Design libraries have been actively developing since 2020. Over the years, many ready-mades, professional and high-quality icons, pre-made images, elements, and photos have appeared. It makes no sense for a novice graphic designer to draw icons with their own hands and waste time on them. A thousand web designers from all over the world have created the best icons for any project or task. They are available and ready for customization. Ready-made libraries are used not only by programmers but also by designers. Their interfaces look cleaner, more pleasing to the eye, and more “trendy” and modern. Many libraries can be easily integrated as extensions into Figma, making them even more convenient. However, before choosing a particular one, it is better to get acquainted with it and test it. 

Summary

In general, any editing software you like is acceptable. However, you will still need to export your drawings to Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop, оr to Figma file for projects. These tools are the most popular right now, and if you want to become a designer and work for an outsourcing company, you need to be able to navigate each of them.


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