18 May Best Tools for Graphic Designers

While graphic design is not one of the faster growing careers in the United States, it remains one of the career options with very high annual job openings and a need for replacements in the workforce. With almost 24,000 new openings per year through 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Services, the demand for skilled graphic designers remains strong, despite the 3% growth rate expected for the rest of the decade. Due to the need for skilled designers, there are a ton of great tools for experienced and novice graphic designers. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best tools for people looking to get into graphic design and what kind of tools they should use in the profession!

What are the basic tools for any graphic designer?

As with any profession, graphic design has a list of basic tools and requirements for the position. This list includes:

• • Hardware
  • Software
  • Inspiration

When a graphic designer has all of these basic graphic design tools, they’re set up well for success. While you don’t necessarily need to own everything on this list, having them available can make your life much easier when working as a graphic designer. As an example, if you want to create your own web page or newsletter template, having access to Photoshop will allow you to quickly edit images and save them back out to the site. If you’re creating print materials like posters, flyers, brochures, etc., then having good software such as Adobe Illustrator would be very helpful. And finally, inspiration is always important. Sometimes it’s easy to fall into a rut and feel stuck creatively; finding inspiration from other designs helps you push past that creative block so you can keep moving forward.

Let’s take a look at the best tools for every professional designer to use!

Hardware

The majority of a graphic designer’s job will be done using some kind of hardware. Whether it’s a high-end computer, tablet, smartphone, or a classic pen and paper, the majority of their designs will require some kind of hardware to be used to complete each task. Here are some of the best hardware tools for designers:

• Computer:The ultimate tool when it comes to professional design, computers remain the most powerful and essential tool in the profession. Computers like Apple’s iMac Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Studio PC are arguably the two best computers when it comes to creating content. Each has their own list of outstanding features. The iMac features a 27-inch 5K Retina Display, a 16-GB graphics card, and an 18-core processor. The Surface Studio Pro has a 28-inch PixelSense display and can turn into a touch-screen tablet, useful for drawing with a stylus.
• Tablet: If you’re a designer that prefers technology over a pen and paper, there is a large variety of tablets that can fit your specific needs. Tablets are a great digital alternative for designers that love to draw and tap into their natural artistic side. Experienced designers even appreciate the hybrid tool that is the tablet. Some of the best on the market are the Wacom tablet and Pro Pen, along with the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. Not only do these state-of-the-art tools allow digital artists to draw sketches digitally, but they also offer other features like instant color, storage, filters, editing, and erasers among others!
• Cameras:Cameras are still a classic tool used by graphic designers to get precise images and videos. The Canon EOS and Nikon D-series are two of the best cameras on the market, as well as the highest purchase points. Price is no factor when you’re trying to create beautiful visual content.
• Storage Devices:In order to house all of the designs and content that they make, graphic artists must have a storage device capable of housing terabytes worth of designs, images, and video.

Software

Next, we’ll go through some of the best software for every designer to use. Software is what allows users to perform tasks such as opening documents, sending emails, and creating websites. In addition to being able to open files, programs like Adobe Acrobat and Google Drive let us send files via email and collaborate online more easily than ever before.

• Adobe Suite:This software includes several useful tools for artists, including Adobe Illustrator (used for logo and graphic design), Adobe Photoshop, and Indesign (used for flyer and document design). This is a subscription-based service which also includes storage on the Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Online Graphic Design Services: Canva is one of the largest online graphic design services and it is free to use for users, offering an easy drag-and-drop way to create quick social media content, images, and videos. Canva Pro offers much more variety in design options for a monthly subscription cost. Snappa and Design Wizard offer similar services. Venngage is another template-based tool that is on a more professional scale.
• Illustration Apps: Procreate, available for the iPad is one of the best illustration apps for designers. Other apps include Sketch and Figma.

Let Scion Technology Help You Find Your Next Graphic Design Opportunity

Whether you’re new to graphic design or an experienced designer looking for your next opportunity, Scion Technology is here to help you on your journey! Scion Technology can help you find new and exciting opportunities in the tech field. With jobs in graphic design and UX/UI design becoming available, our staff is standing by to help match you with the perfect career with amazing businesses. Find out more today by visiting our website and our about us page or contact us today to get started with one of our professional recruiters!