Best Graphic Design Software: What The Professionals Use
The graphic design software industry is changing as designers go mobile and create content for all platforms. And with that shift comes a shift in the workflow—but what tools are best suited for every type of designer?
You've probably heard about the power of graphic design—and for a good reason. It can help you build brand recognition, gain attention, create a memorable experience for your audience and get more conversions. But when starting as a designer, choosing the right software for you can be challenging.
And while there are many design programs on the market, not every tool is created equal. Some programs are specifically designed for beginners, and others are more geared toward advanced designers. There's no hard-and-fast rule here; it's all about finding the one that's right for you.
This article will look at what separates the best design software programs for you. We'll also talk about choosing the right design program for you to get the most out of your graphic design experience.
I have been doing graphic design since I was about 13 years old. So I think I know a little about what makes graphic design programs great. Here is what the pros use and why…
Adobe Creative Suite
Creative tools have been used to create artwork, from the earliest cave paintings to the latest computer graphics. Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular applications for creating professional-looking graphics. But, it is not the only tool that Adobe has developed. Several other tools are designed to assist the user in creating artwork. One such tool is the Adobe Creative Suite.
Adobe Creative Suite is a software bundle that includes Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Dreamweaver. Photoshop is probably the most well-known of the suite. It allows the user to create images, edit photographs, and do many other things.
The suite was first released in 1989 and has been evolving to provide better and better products.
The Adobe Creative Suite is also the perfect tool to use for designers who need to create websites and other multimedia projects. The InDesign application creates text-based documents such as books and magazines, and the Dreamweaver application is used to develop HTML pages and websites.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a top-rated image editing software that helps users to edit their photos professionally. It is the best choice for beginner photographers and is widely used by professionals.
This software is not just limited to editing your images; it can also create various effects on your images and give a professional touch. This software is developed by Adobe which is a global company.
Adobe Photoshop is the best option for beginners because it is the best and most affordable software. It is easy to use because it is simple and user-friendly. Adobe Photoshop is the best software for photo editing.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor similar to Adobe Photoshop. Vector graphics are based on mathematical equations and are perfect for logos, web graphics and other creative applications where precision and accuracy are required.
Adobe Illustrator was introduced in 1994. It has improved many features, including new 3D printing and animation capabilities.
Adobe Illustrator allows you to easily create and edit vector graphics and animations, such as logos, patterns and drawings. There is a simple user interface with many tools available at the click of a button.
Adobe Illustrator is great for creating professional illustrations for websites, print media, and advertisements. You can use the software to produce all sorts of designs, from logos to line drawings and even digital paintings.
Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing application for creating and editing documents for printing, publishing, web, and other media. It is widely used for commercial graphic design projects such as brochures, newsletters, magazines, books, newspapers, flyers, posters, packaging, and direct mail.
InDesign has been available since 1995 and is one of the most popular and widely used DTP applications worldwide. With the latest update, it is now a complete product and part of Adobe Creative Suite.
InDesign comes with preinstalled templates and tools for creating professional-quality graphics. It is also compatible with Photoshop layers, Illustrator shapes, EPS, and SVG files. It is an ideal tool for creating professional-looking brochures, business cards, flyers, posters, catalogues, magazines, postcards, greeting cards, newsletters, pamphlets, and more.
Adobe Fresco
Adobe Fresco is a brand-new digital art creation tool developed specifically for professionals, students and hobbyists. Fresco enables you to create a world full of expressive digital characters, textures and environments — all with ease and speed.
With Fresco, you can draw a character by hand or select from a library of thousands of pre-made models. Once you've drawn your character, you can move him around and adjust his pose. You can choose from multiple skin tones and hair types. Add backgrounds, props and objects, all in real-time.
Fresco's intuitive tools are designed to create expressive characters that feel like they're alive. Create a variety of materials, including clothing, props, and furniture. Add various colours and effects, from subtle highlights to full-on lighting and shading.
Make your characters walk, fly, jump and dance! Fresco gives you the freedom to create dynamic and realistic motion. Use different poses and actions to bring your characters to life.
Adobe Dimension
Adobe Dimension is a tool designed to make it easy to produce professional-quality print products, such as brochures, postcards and books. You can use the tool to create high-resolution files from digital artwork or photos and then add text, illustrations, or other media to produce the finished product.
With Adobe Dimension, you can create print products with ease. You can take advantage of its high-quality printing engine, powerful tools, and ability to handle a range of file formats, including PDF, JPG, TIFF, EPS, and SWF.
You can work with the broadest range of digital content, including text, images, photographs, and vector art. Adobe Dimension also supports PostScript Level 2 and PDF/X3 and can add effects such as drop shadows, reflection, reflection mapping, blending, transparency, and image cropping.
Sketch
Sketch is a vector graphics editor for macOS. This Dutch company has been developing Sketch since September 7, 2010. There is also a free version of Sketch, not just another vector graphics editor. It is a full-fledged graphics suite.
You can use Sketch to create both vector and bitmap graphics. You can also use it to design web pages, logos, presentations, documents, etc.
It is primarily used for user interface and user experience design and will help you create mockups, wireframes, and prototypes for your next project. You can easily add images, links, colours, and text to your design. Then, export the finished file to share with clients or collaborate with others.
Sketch now allows you to collaborate in real-time, whether working alone or with others. It supports sharing, modifying, and discussing Sketch files with anyone, anywhere. You can also ensure that your team sees changes as soon as they are made.
Sketch has a new set of features for prototyping. Sketch can automatically generate PDF prototypes that include interactive links, animations, and gestures for the first time. It can also import 3D models.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is a professional vector graphic design software that allows users to create high-quality graphics effortlessly.
It is a vector graphics software that allows you to create stunning graphics within a few seconds; if you are a beginner, you may not know how to use it.
Some people say that it is similar to Photoshop and Corel Draw. But it is not the same because it is not a photo editing software. It is a complete package with all the necessary tools a designer needs.
Here are some of the best features that you should try to use when you are working with the software:
- User-friendly interface
- High performance
- Easy to learn
- No subscription charges
- Free updates
- Support for multiple platforms
Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo is an excellent photo editor software for editing images, and it was created by people who love photography. The developers of this app have given some fantastic features, which makes it one of the most notable photo editors in the market.
The main motive behind developing this app was to simplify the photo editing process. The interface is straightforward to use, which makes it user-friendly. Also, there are no complicated settings, which will make it easier for users.
Gravit Designer Pro
Gravit Designer Pro is a simple application to create stunning designs from your Android or iPhone mobile phone. The app is entirely free for both iOS and Android users.
When you open the app, you will see the design area; you can select the design template you want to use. When you are done with your design, you can save the design by clicking on the save button.
Some basic features of the app:
- Design templates: The app has a massive collection of beautiful and unique designs which you can choose from.
- Save & share: You can save the designed image on the cloud and share it with your friends and family.
- Email and send: You can send the designed image to your friends via email and add the image to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Canva
Canva is a website that provides free graphic design tools. It allows the users to create professional-looking designs, logos, images and even posters. Melanie Perkins launched the website in 2012.
The website was designed to be user-friendly and help users save money by offering free graphic design tools.
The website allows the users to create various types of designs, and the process is straightforward. You must enter the required information and upload the desired image or logo. Then click the “Create” button, and Canva will create your design.
After designing the concept, you can preview it in the preview window and make the necessary changes if required. You can also add your text or images. If you are happy with the final design, you can share it on social media, email or print.
Xara Designer Pro X
Xara Designer Pro is a graphics editing application. It is a powerful tool for designing websites and graphic content. If you are a web designer or a graphic designer, you might have already heard of this software.
If you have no idea about Xara Designer Pro, let me tell you that it has many features that will help you create stunning designs for any web content.
The following are some of the best features of Xara Designer Pro:
- It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
- It is one of the best graphic editing tools.
- It has a wide range of plugins.
- It is one of the most popular software.
- It is easy to use.
- It is a good-quality program.
- It is affordable.
- It has a lot of tutorials and online training videos.
Xara Designer Pro is an excellent option for web designers looking for a powerful graphics editing application. The features mentioned above will help you to create stunning website designs.
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is a complete package of graphics designing software that includes the following elements: CorelDraw, PhotoPrep, SmartDraw, PagePlus, WebPlus and XE.
CorelDraw is a vector graphics editor, which means you can create and edit drawings using shapes, lines, curves and other geometric objects. The software supports several file formats, including EPS, SVG, DWG, DXF, AI and PDF.
PhotoPrep is a photo editing software for digital photos that includes features like image editing tools, like cropping, resizing, adjusting contrast and brightness, and adding text. It also allows you to create a new photo album and add special effects to the image.
SmartDraw is a free flowcharting software for Windows which helps you to create mindmaps, flowcharts and floor plans. It supports charts like bar charts, pie charts, line charts, area charts and scatter diagrams.
PagePlus is a web publishing tool that allows you to design, publish, manage websites, and create HTML documents. It also offers email newsletters and allows you to customise the template and insert your graphics.
WebPlus is a web designer and developer software that allows you to create a website. It includes adding a contact form, photo gallery, navigation, search engine optimisation, and website templates.
XE is a program designed to convert files and images to PDF format. It includes features like drawing, illustration, and photo editing. You can save your drawings to PDF format and print them directly from the application.
What's the best graphic design software for beginners?
If you have started learning graphic design, you might be looking for the best software for graphic designing. Many software is available in the market, but only a few are good and reliable. In this blog post, I will share the top three best graphic design software for beginners.
Adobe Photoshop CC
It will be challenging to create professional-quality designs if you are a beginner. But Adobe Photoshop will help you do that and is also the most popular tool for graphic designing. The software has lots of tools and effects required for creating high-quality graphics.
There are two different versions of the software. If you are an amateur, then it will be enough to use the Adobe Photoshop Free trial version. But if you are an expert, you can use the latest paid software version.
Adobe Photoshop CC is the latest software and has new features and tools. So, if you are a beginner, then it will be good to download this version of the software.
Adobe Illustrator CC
To create professional-quality graphics, you need to understand typography well. In the beginning, you can learn the basics of the software and then advance to the next level.
The software has many tools and options to create logos, advertisements, posters, book covers, etc. It is also possible to edit the images, which is suitable for professionals.
In this section, I have shared the top 3 best graphic design software for beginners. But there are many other graphic design software available in the market, but it is better to start with the best software for beginners.
Pixlr
This is the most straightforward software for graphic designers, and students also use it for basic designing. Pixlr is not complicated software, but you will get the same results as Photoshop.
Which software is best for logo design?
Logo design software comes in various types; free and paid software is available. The most popular logo design software is Adobe Illustrator, used by graphic designers worldwide. You can download Adobe Illustrator online.
So, let's discuss some of the best logo design software.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is one of the most influential graphic design software. You can use it for creating various kinds of logos and different kinds of graphics. It will help you create the perfect logo if you are a beginner. It is one of the most popular software used by professional graphic designers.
Corel Draw
If you are looking for fast and efficient software, you can go for Corel Draw. It is effortless to use and is available for both Windows and Mac. It is a bit less powerful than Adobe Illustrator but still valid for beginners.
Which software is best for UI design?
Designers are working hard to make the application's UI (user interface) more attractive and user-friendly. So, this question will come to your mind: What is the best software to help you make the best UI design.
We have heard many names like Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, Paint, InDesign, etc. But what is the best software for UI design? Let's see the list of some of the best software for UI design.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a complete package for UI design, and this is the most famous tool for UI design.
Sketch
Sketch is an excellent and powerful tool for UI design. It allows you to draw your ideas and convert them into a digital format.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is another good tool for UI design. It is used for designing wireframes and layouts.
Conclusion
You can quickly start with the Adobe Suite of applications – Adobe Photoshop is probably the most used software for photo editing and creation. You can also use it for vector graphics. Adobe Lightroom is an application that you can use for organising photos. Adobe Dreamweaver is an HTML editor and web design tool. This app helps create pages, edit HTML, add graphics, add media and other features. You can use Adobe Acrobat to create documents, sign contracts, fill out forms, create PDFs, and more.
The best graphic design software can be a confusing and overwhelming prospect for those just starting. But you don't have to look far to find great graphic design software for creative professionals.