Graphic Design Software You'll Need

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Graphic Design Software You'll Need
These Basic Programs Make Your Life So Much Easier

When I started out, I didn't know about the wonderful software available for graphics. And when I did find out about them, and I called the software manufacturers to see which program would be best for my purposes, I couldn't get a straight answer from the sales people.

I was trying to find out was how each program was different, and exactly what each one was developed for. To make matters worse, when I approached graphic designers or print shops, they all had their own favorite program or take on the matter.

I ended up buying some software that was great and some that I basically wasted my money and time on. So, to help you side step problems and save you money and time (because each program has a learning curve), here are my favorite three graphic design software programs that I use on a daily basis.

There are others out there, and I've tried most of them, and they do have their strengths and weaknesses, but the following three programs are the tried and true that always work, and are always compatable with printers and other computers for file sharing, and are just plain easy to work with

Very Quickly - What To Avoid

I do want to mention, that if you need to do your own graphic design, you will need to spend a little bit of money up front to get good programs. The only way you're going to get professional designs and layouts is by using professional grade software. You cannot use, and should avoid programs like: Publisher, or Word, or any other free "design" or "publishing" program that might have come installed on your computer when you bought it.

Keep in mind the following programs I recommend might cost some upfront, but they will save you so much money and time in the end and the upgrades that come out are always cost effective.

Plus, in the end, it's cheaper to do a lot of this yourself than to higher an expensive graphic design firm or advertising agency that might cost you $100 or more an hour! At those rates, you will pay for these programs ten times over within a year.

So take a few minutes and think about what will be more cost effective for you: A one time cost with occasional upgrades, or monthly costs that could go on for years depending upon what you need done for your ever changing business needs.

Three of My Favorite Software Programs:

1. Adobe Illustrator. This is my favorite drawing program. I have used CorelDRAW, but I felt CorelDraw used up too much RAM (computer memory) was very slow, and that it was not inuitive to learn. I found, for me, the opposite with Illustrator and the learning curve was faster and easier. Plus, Adobe puts out a great book series called "Classroom in a Book" for each program (i.e.: Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book). Each book comes with a CDRom with step-by-step projects that get you quickly comfortable and skilled in using the program within a few days.

Illustrator Is Used For: This is the software I use exculsively for drawing and illustrating and any other graphics I want to make that are vector based (for more about vector art read Basic Print File Formats and How to Use Them). I also use Illustrator as a basic layout program for one page graphics such as: logos, wine labels, posters, flyers, gift cards, illlustrated web graphics, and book covers.
Base Price: $600
Upgrade: $200

2. PhotoShop. Out of the pains of trail and error, I have become a PhotoShop person. I have worked with PaintShop, and PaintShop Photo, but I found the learning curve with these programs too great, the software confusing and hard to work with, and the RAM needed to run the program a drain on my computer resources. I think PhotoShop is easier to use and it has powerful tools, masks, and filters that work quickly without slowing my computer speed.

PhotoShop Is Used For: I use this software for working with photographs, retouching, using lightig effects and filters. You can draw some in PhotoShop but they will not be vector based, but raster based and that is a problem if you need to reduce or enlarge a drawiing. For any illustrating, do it in Illustrator and then import it into PhotoShop if there is some effect you want to make. PhotoShop is great for: editing photographs for any type of project, and creating web graphics and layouts.
Base Price: $700
Upgrade: $200

3. QuarkXPress. When I got started, I used Adobe PageMaker, but Adobe replaced that program with Adobe InDesign which just had too many bugs in it for my tastes. My printer certainly hated the program too because the files didn't behave properly, so I converted over to QuarkXPress which I still use and love. This program is so easy to use you can practically use it out of the box and its layout capabitlities are superior.

QuarkXPress Is Used For: I use this program for serious text layout and editing situations such as: catalogs, books, lengthy newsletters, year-end reports, brochures, and manuals. If you are working with anything that is going to have lots and lots of text, you must have text layout program. It will make your life so much easier. I know this for a fact because I have worked in offices that were too cheap to buy the software and I spent hours trying to get my text to stay in one place and behave especially when I had images I wanted to incorporate into my layout. Save yourself a lot of headaches and get a good text layout program.
Base Price: $760
Upgrade: $300

A Note About The Adobe Creative Suite: The Adobe Creative Suite includes Illustrator, PhotoShop and InDesign. The problem is that I don't think InDesign is worth it, so just buy PhotoShop and Illustrator individually for $1300. It's a bit cheaper that way and you're not saddled with an extra program that doesn't work very well, plus you'll have an extra $100 to put towards purchasing QuarkXPress.

Adobe Creative Suite Base Price: $1400
If you buy PhotoShop & Illustrator individually: $1300

Conclusion:

If you have these three programs, there isn't a job or project that you won't be equipted to handle. All three work together seamlessly so if you create or edit a photo or a graphic in PhotoShop you'll be able to drop it into Quark or Illustrator with no problems. The same is true with an Illustrator drawing or graphic, it will cross over into PhotoShop and Quark with no sweat.

These programs with their superior layout and text editing abilities give your work that polished look that lower quality programs can't match. So bite the bullet, go buy the programs, read a few books or take some online tutorials (like on this site) and you'll be up and running in no time!

Hilary Rinaldi is a nationally published writer, an award winning illustrator and graphic designer, and a Certified Search Engine Optimizer. She has developed and overseen national and international marketing campaigns and she regularly writes about Target Marketing, and Graphic Design Training, and strives to give the best Target Marketing Advice she can while making it an enjoyable process for anyone who wants to learn.