How to Select Software for Graphic Design
Every graphic design student in the world is gaining familiarity with artistic software. The old reliance on hand drafting, sketching and painting for every graphics project is being balanced out by new software suites. It is important for graphic designers to learn how to use software in addition to the fundamentals of the visual arts.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
-
-
1
Track down graphic design software that meets the memory and operating system requirements of your computer. Computers with Windows 98 and older Apple operating systems limit the newer software packages available for your office.
-
2
Pursue the latest edition of Adobe InDesign if you need desktop publishing software for graphic design projects. InDesign allows designers to create art books from the table of contents to the back cover (see Resources below).
-
3
Acquire copies of Quark XPress for your office if you deal with multi-layered design projects. XPress is designed for posters, covers and marketing materials with rich colors and multiple details. Designers who need simple software will find the XPress interface difficult to handle (see Resources below).
-
4
Test out the interface and options available through specialty software programs by downloading demos. Companies like The Logo Creator offer online demos to convince consumers about the virtues of their products (see Resources below).
-
5
Venture into the lower tiers of the software industry to select animation suites for your company. The high cost of premium brands makes software like Toon Boom Animation a simple solution for Web and CD-ROM animations. Toon Boom Animation and other mid-sized manufacturers are led by animators who have worked with limited resources in the past (see Resources below).
-
6
Examine photo editing suites that are separate from graphic design programs as you select new software. Companies like Arcadia Software focus their attention on tools to reduce red eye, blurring and resolution problems by leaving other design tools to competing software makers (see Resources below).
-
7
Investigate the compatibility of new software to archived graphic design projects in your computer. The problem of opening old files arises when you switch from one software publisher to another.
-
8
Read through instruction manuals, update lists and publisher news to assess the need for design software updates. Publishers who issue patches and updates on a weekly basis require excessive maintenance for busy designers.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Research the reputation of software publishers before you select graphic design programs. The popularity of low-priced programs by major publishers does not mean that purchasing these programs is right for your business. Read every review on graphic design software available to get a clear picture of the industry.
