Graphic Design Tools Every Designer Should Have

Graphic designers are always looking to add tools to their design arsenal to come up with creative and awe-inspiring designs. Previously designers were confined to only a limited number of tools. They didn’t have the option to explore different design avenues due to the availability of limited resources. However, technological advancements have made it possible for them to get their hands on a wide range of design tools available for both online and offline usage. Unfortunately, it has also led to a problem where they are facing difficulty in picking up the best editing tool. Designers cannot push the boundaries to stretch their horizons without the right design tools. The amalgamation of technology and art can create beautiful and purposeful things. The design industry is paving the path towards more creative freedom with the introduction of new and advanced tools. 

The availability of advanced tools provides endless creative liberties. From Adobe Illustrator to Adobe XD, Figma and online tools like flyer maker, poster maker, logo maker, and more are at the disposal of designers to create stunning designs. 

To stay agile to get adopted to whatever the situation demands, the designers use various graphic design tools. For that reason, we have enlisted the most important tools that are essential for the designers. In this blog post, you’ll find Desktop-based design tools and online utilities as well. 

  •  Flyer Maker 

There are several online flyer makers available online. You can use them to create stunning and visually appealing creative designs. The online flyer maker provides premade templates, and all you need is to edit them as per your needs. Most of the online tools come for free, but there are premium ones available as well. You can try any one of them, but if a free flyer maker can meet your needs, then there is no point in paying them for the premium platforms. 

  • Poster Maker 

The Internet is swamped with some of the most prodigious online poster maker utilities. The platforms provide stunning poster templates, and you can edit and customize them as per your requirements. You won’t have to go through any convoluted process for using poster creator tools. 

Freelance designers who are always under the pressure of delivering work within the deadlines can surely be benefitted from the online poster maker. They will be able to design stunning posters for their clients on the go. Like flyer maker utilities, the poster also comes for free, but there are premium platforms. You can use any one of them as per your needs. 

  • Adobe Illustrator 

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based creative software program. It is one of the most celebrated offline graphic designing tools. The program uses an advanced layer of algorithms for drawing shapes instead of storing data using bitmap images. For that reason, the shapes created with Illustrator can be scaled to any size without losing the overall resolution or quality. In this regard, the tool is used for creating unique and attractive designs. You can create business logos, detailed illustrations to animated concepts.

Additionally, the tool also allows print layouts to create stunning website graphics. It also gives complete control over the typography. For that reason, the designers need to get their hands on this advanced facility to create stunning designs for standing out in the crowd. 

  • Adobe Photoshop 

Adobe Photoshop has become a staple in the life of graphic designers. The tool takes your artistic vision into digital form and provides a complement to your inner creative being. It is certainly one of the most powerful programs for creating prints and patents to meet your design needs. It provides endless customizing and editing features to the designers. It helps in creating designs that could be regarded as authentic and genuine. The best part of Photoshop is that it builds confidence in your design skills. It helps in creating digital artwork in a speedy way. Additionally, the tool is great for bringing ideas to life. 

End Words

In the last analysis, being a good designer isn’t enough; you need to have the right tools for giving life to your creative thoughts. The tool enlisted above helps in communicating your ideas and simplifying your work. The first thing that you need to determine is which tool goes with your current needs and capabilities. Most of the design editing tools are expensive, particularly those that come with a subscription model. However, free online utilities are available in the market like flyer maker, poster maker, logo maker, and more. You can use them for free without paying a single penny. 

Furthermore, all the tools come with basic functionality like resizing the images, customization of colors, and typography. You need to determine which tool is best for you. If you are a newbie and don’t have firm grips over Desktop-based tools like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, then you can use online tools like poster maker, flyer maker, and more as they provide pre-made designs, and all you need is to simply edit them as per your requirement.

Maria Papaefstathiou

VISUAL DESIGNER since 1996 and blogger since 2010. Living in Athens, Greece. She has been focusing her research on poster design and particularly on social poster design and portrait design. Her main poster project is a series of posters celebrating great personalities of traditional and popular culture in Greece and Jamaica. These include actors, singers, musicians, poets etc. This is an ongoing project. “I believe that design is a powerful tool that we designers can use to spark enthusiasm, change mindsets and bring positive actions to our world and our culture”. FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF GRAPHICART-NEWS.COM BLOG. She carefully curates high-quality designs, illustrations, and art, from all over the world that will teach and provoke other designers. Many consider her blog to be an exceptional educational tool. CO-FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGGAE POSTER CONTEST which was launched on December 2011, partnering, the creative activist Michael Thompson aka Freestylee. (www.reggaepostercontest.com)