Designers need libraries with shapes, palettes, fonts, some templates and an environment where it can all be combined into one beautiful picture. Let’s take a closer look at the most popular programs for designers.
Programs for graphic designers
Undoubtedly some of the most popular and feature-rich programs for designers are those from the Adobe Creative Cloud package. They are simple and intuitive. If you have ever used one of the programs from Adobe Systems, it will be very easy for you to understand the others.
Adobe InDesign
Do you need to make a poster, billboard, brochure, flyer, newspaper? Then you need to learn how to work in Adobe InDesign. If you are already familiar with other products from Adobe Systems, you can create pretty good layouts after a week of studying this program.
A small disadvantage – more specialized use of this product. It is used more often by those who work with printing. Despite this, Adobe InDesign will be useful not only for designers who work in the printing press publishing. The program will be useful to designers (and maybe even journalists and bloggers) who design web magazines. It is in InDesign that you can create a great cover and interesting magazine pages.
If you want to work in printing, you have to know how to work in InDesign in addition to Photoshop and Illustrator. Of course, the main graphics are developed in the first two programs, but the text is typeset in the latter.
Adobe After Effects
The trendy design trend, although it has been around for more than a century, is motion design. Have you heard of it? This is about everything that moves in the picture: the animation of photographs, letters, individual elements. Most often, this type of graphics are used to create movie backdrops, advertising or documentary films. Each designer will be interesting and useful to get acquainted with Adobe After Effects, because now animation is really in trend.
The good news is that an experienced designer, once he understands the tools of this program, will be able to edit video sequences, add special effects, animation, create three-dimensional images. And he’ll never be out of a job.
Disadvantages: the price and the fact that you often need to install additional plug-ins.
All of these applications are related to the programs in which work web designers. But you can also add some of the following.
Adobe XD
Adobe XD is the perfect program from the Adobe Creative Cloud suite for the web designer. You can create layouts for a variety of websites, adaptive pages and web applications.
A selection of key features:
- you can create your own component blanks if some elements need to be used frequently;
- a convenient system for saving changes – something like version history;
- you can open everything you need in Photoshop;
- work with vector graphics;
- importing projects from other web design programs;
- animation, video, interactivity, and more;
- working on a project in a team.
As for the pricing policy, a freelance designer can personally use it for free, and there are several license purchase options for companies.
Macaw
Macaw’s slogan reads, “Stop writing code, draw it!” The peculiarity of this program is that first the designer develops the layout of the web page, and in the output he gets not only a beautiful picture, but also *.html and *.css files, which can be used by the developer.
Of course, for a good result, the designer must know the basics of layout. Knowing the basics, anyone can easily create a landing page, a stub page, a prototype site. It’s very simple, and most importantly – quickly. The code is relatively clean and clear. It is easy to fix if necessary. And it will still take less time than coding from scratch.
This service also offers:
- the use of components;
- remote preview (your computer runs as a server);
- adaptability;
- positioning, interactivity.
Checkiant Time Tracker
Perfect for graphic designers, web designers, freelance designers and those who work in a team. Keeping track of time spent on tasks is the key to good income and an open relationship with a client or boss.
Checkiant’s simple time tracker is perfect for keeping track of each work day.
And here are a few features of this application:
- An interval system clearly shows how much time you’ve spent on a particular task, client or project.
- Sorting checks by date/client/project.
- Creation of various reports.
- Flexible system of settings, tips for each section of the application.
- Rates history is saved.
- Connected service for video conferences with the team.
A novice designer can choose any of the above applications and discover new talents. A designer with experience can experiment with programs he hasn’t used before. Fortunately, there are now enough programs for everyone and everyone can find something he likes. Just don’t forget to keep track of time, so you know how many hours a day you spend on each project and how much time you devote to learning new skills.
