Graphic designing is the process of creating visual content to communicate information, ideas, or messages to a target audience. It involves combining typography, images, illustrations, and colors to create designs for various purposes such as advertising, branding, packaging, editorial design, web design, and more. Graphic designers use a variety of graphic designer tools and software to create designs that are visually appealing, informative, and engaging. They work with clients or organizations to understand their needs and objectives and create designs that effectively convey their message to the target audience.
Graphic designing involves a wide range of skills, including creativity, design sense, technical skills, communication skills, and problem-solving skills. The field of graphic design is constantly evolving with new tools and technologies, and designers need to keep up with the latest trends and techniques to stay relevant and competitive.
10 Best Graphic Designing Tools Every Designer Should Know
- Adobe Photoshop
- Canva
- Figma
- Adobe Illustrator
- Procreate
- CorelDRAW
- Adobe InDesign
- Sketch
- Affinity Designer
- Gravit Designer
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a professional-grade image editing software developed by Adobe Inc. It is widely used by graphic designers, photographers, and digital artists to manipulate and enhance digital images.
Features
- Layer-Based Editing: Organize and edit different elements separately.
- Selection Tools: Precisely select and manipulate parts of an image.
- Retouching Tools: Easily remove flaws and enhance details.
- Filters and Effects: Apply various effects to create stunning visuals.
- Text Tools: Add and customize text within your designs.
- Drawing and Painting: Create artwork with a variety of brushes and tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Powerful image editing tools
- Versatile for graphics, web design, illustrations
- Seamless integration with other Adobe products
- Industry standard used by professionals
| - Steep learning curve for beginners
- Resource-intensive software
- Subscription model can be expensive
- Complex for casual users
|
Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to create various types of visual content such as presentations, social media graphics, posters, flyers, logos, and more. It was founded in 2012 by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams in Sydney, Australia.
Canva offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of design templates, graphics, fonts, and photos that users can use to create their designs. It also provides a drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy for users to add elements and customize their designs.
Features
- Content Creation: Create various types of content.
- Drag and Drop: Easily add elements to designs.
- Templates: Access a large library of templates.
- Photo Editing: Enhance images.
- Stock Images: Use free stock photos, icons, and fonts.
- Collaboration: Work with others.
- User-Friendly: Accessible to users without design experience.
- Free: Create professional designs without expensive tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Easy to use
- Affordable
- Lots of templates and graphics
- Good for teams
| - Limited formats
- No backup option
- Restricted search
- Alignment issues
|
Figma
Figma is a cloud-based design tool used for creating user interfaces, web and mobile apps, and other digital designs. It was launched in 2016 and has quickly gained popularity among designers due to its collaboration features, accessibility, and ease of use.
Features
- Collaboration: Multiple users can work together in real-time.
- Design Flexibility: Figma supports various design stages, from sketches to high-fidelity mockups.
- Prototyping: Interactive prototypes can be built and tested directly on smartphones.
- Design System Management: Figma helps define and manage design systems for consistency.
- Handoff to Developers: Easy sharing of design information, including redlines and measurements.
- Customization: Figma’s API and plugin system allow for customization and extension of the tool.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Real-time Collaboration
- Platform Agnostic
- Version Control
- Free to Use
- Easy to Learn
| - Internet Dependency
- Limited Offline Support
- Performance Issues
|
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor which has been developed by Adobe Systems. It is widely used by graphic designers, artists, and illustrators for creating illustrations, logos, icons, typography, and other vector-based graphics.
Features:
- Adobe Stock Integration: Access to millions of high-quality images and graphics.
- Faster Performance: Improved speed and performance.
- Smart Guides: Align and space objects with ease.
- Shaper Tool: Convert natural gestures into geometric shapes.
- Real-Time Drawing: Draw and edit in real-time.
- Cloud Libraries: Store and access design assets from anywhere.
- Integration with Other Adobe Products: Seamless integration with other Adobe apps.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Powerful vector graphics editor
- Scalable designs
- Customizable workspace
- Integration with Adobe Stock
- Wide range of tools and features
| - Steep learning curve
- Expensive for commercial use
- Limited support for raster graphics
- No support for pixel art
|
Procreate
Procreate is a popular digital painting app for the iPad that is used by artists and designers for creating detailed illustrations, designs, and animations. It offers a wide range of features that allow users to create stunning artwork with ease.
Features
- Powerful brush engine for creating textures and effects
- Over 200 customizable brushes for painting, animation, and 3D model painting
- Advanced color management for precise control over palettes and adjustments
- Multiple layers for complex compositions and easy management of artwork elements
- Transformation tools for scaling, rotating, and moving elements
- Apple Pencil integration with advanced features like barrel roll, squeeze, and haptic feedback
- M2 chip support for smoother and more efficient performance, especially in 3D painting
- Freehand selection with hover preview for precise control
- Intuitive gestures for on-the-fly brush control and adjustments
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Intuitive interface
- Wide range of tools
- Affordable one-time purchase
- Simulates real painting with Apple Pencil
- Easy to share artwork online
| - Limited to iPad
- Limited animation features
- Can be slow with many paintings
- Limited file compatibility
- Not ideal for large prints
|
CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor that is popular among designers for its powerful tools for creating logos, illustrations, and other graphics. It offers a wide range of features that enable users to create complex designs with ease.
Features:
- Vector illustration tools for creating complex designs
- Page layout tools for creating multi-page documents
- Typography tools for arranging and styling text
- Photo editing tools for adjusting and enhancing images
- AI-powered tools for improving image quality and creating HDR photos
- Cloud collaboration for real-time feedback and commenting
- Scripting support for automating tasks and cross-platform scripting
- File format compatibility for easy import and export
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Easy to use with powerful features
- Supports various formats and scalable vector graphics
- Extensive customization options
- Competitive pricing with a one-time purchase
- Unlimited cloud storage and font usage
| - Learning curve for complex features
- Printing preview and layer management could be better
- Customer support issues reported by some users
- Occasional glitches and crashes
- Short free trial period
|
Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a page layout software used for creating print and digital documents such as brochures, magazines, and ebooks. It offers a range of features that enable users to create complex layouts with ease.
Features
- Page Control: Add objects, scale, and create sections for better page layout.
- Collaboration: Share work with peers using cloud storage and capture text or color from images.
- Integration: Works seamlessly with other Adobe apps like Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Text and Image Features: Modify text spacing and apply styles, and generate images from text.
- Sharing and Feedback: Share links for feedback and read comments in-app.
- Accessibility and Publishing: Create accessible PDFs and publish interactive documents.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Wide range of features
- Easy to Use
- Works with Other Adobe Tools
- Good for Page Layout
- Streamlines Design Process
| - Expensive
- Hard to Learn
- Limited Export Options
|
Sketch
Sketch is a vector graphics editor and digital design tool that is popular among designers for creating user interfaces, web designs, and icons. It offers a range of features that enable users to create designs quickly and easily.
Features
- Drawing and Editing Tools: Standard tools for creating and editing shapes, text, and other design elements.
- Grids and Precision Tools: Grids and precision tools for precise design work.
- Hotspots and Linking: Create interactive prototypes by defining hotspots and linking elements.
- Importing Images and Text: Import images and text to populate their prototypes.
- Customizable Design Elements: Create reusable design elements and customize their designs.
- Templates and Integration: Preloaded templates and integrates with various prototyping, collaboration, and version control tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Quick mockups and wireframes
- Intuitive and easy to learn
- Wide range of plugins and integrations
- Precise vector editing
| - Expensive pricing
- Limited vector drawing tools
- No cloud storage or collaboration
|
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is a vector graphics editor that is popular among designers for creating illustrations, logos, and other graphics. It offers a wide range of features that enable users to create complex designs with ease.
Features
- Non-Destructive Editing: Unlimited layers, real-time views, and precise selections.
- Vector and Raster Capabilities: Vector pen and shape tools, custom brushes, and dynamic symbols.
- Performance and Compatibility: Handles thousands of objects, zooms up to 1,000,000%, and supports various file formats.
- Design and Layout Tools: Unlimited artboards, advanced typography, and professional output options.
- No Subscription: One-time purchase with no monthly costs.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- Affordable one-time purchase
- Intuitive interface
- Seamless vector and raster editing
- Excellent gradient tools
- Unlimited undo history
- Available on desktop and iPad
| - Lacks some advanced Illustrator tools
- Smaller plugin ecosystem
- Occasional performance issues
- Fewer online tutorials
- Cannot export to Adobe AI format
|
Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a vector graphics editor that is available both as a web app and a desktop app. It is a popular choice among designers for creating illustrations, logos, and other graphics.
Features
- Cross-Platform: Works on web, desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux), and mobile (iOS, Android).
- Vector Graphics: Create high-quality illustrations, logos, etc., scalable without losing quality.
- Tools: Includes Pen, Shape, Text, Knife, and Bezigon tools for easy design creation.
- Layers: Organize designs efficiently with a layers panel.
- Typography: Advanced text features like styles, text on path, and typography controls.
- Cloud Storage: Save and access designs from Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
- Templates: Pre-made templates and design assets for quick starts.
- Responsive Design: Design for various screen sizes and devices easily.
Pros | Cons |
|---|
- User-friendly interface
- Compatible with multiple OS
- Free Version
- Customization
| - Limited Vector Graphics
- Performance Issues
|
Conclusion
Thus, there are many great tools available for graphic designers, each with its own unique set of features and capabilities. These tools offer a wide range of features that enable designers to create stunning graphics, illustrations, logos, and other designs. Ultimately, the choice of which tool to use depends on the specific needs and preferences of the designer, as well as the requirements of the project.