Contents
1. Basic tools for vector and raster graphics
2. Utilities for optimizing your workflow
3. Services for color matching
4. Font resources
5. File storage
- Basic tools for vector and raster graphics
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Creative Suite is one of the most popular bundles of programs that includes Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Designers of all experience levels, from beginners to professionals, widely use Creative Suite. The programs are super helpful in the following areas:
- Graphic design
- Web design
- Mobile design
- Interface design (UI/UX)
- 3D modeling
- Animation, etc.
The prices of using the apps vary depending on the plan you choose. They range from $20.99 for a monthly subscription for an individual user to $52.99 for teams.
Figma
Figma is a graphic editor for the design of websites, applications, and other design products. It was introduced in 2016 as an analog of Sketch and Adobe XD, but since then it has become one of the most popular tools among designers.
Figma has basic tools for working with vector objects. You can use the desktop app or online web service, which is super comfortable for collaborative work with colleagues.
Sketch
Sketch is a vector graphics editor released for MacOS in 2010. The program is focused on interface design. It doesn't have, like Photoshop, tools for creating 3D graphics, editing photographs, frame-by-frame animation, and other things that a complex and heavy product from Adobe is loaded with. This allows Sketch developers to fix bugs and add new functionality faster and more often.
Sketch offers the only paid subscription plan with an annual fee. The subscription costs $99 per year. It also offers a free trial with limited features.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is a graphic design application for working with both vector and raster graphics. The designers use it to create interface designs, layouts, vector illustrations, print projects, logos, icons, and much more. If you prefer also work on an iPad, Affinity Designer will suit you greatly, because it is fully compatible with Apple Pencil.
2. Utilities for optimizing your workflow
Duplicate File Finder
Duplicate File Finder is a Mac application that finds all duplicate files on any disk or cloud storage. Since designers work with huge volumes of files and may accumulate numerous duplicates, Duplicate File Finder becomes a must-have application for them.
Also, note that a large number of duplicates can cause your computer to run out of storage space and as a result make your system run slowly. That’s why it’s very important to periodically check your disk for duplicates and get rid of them. Duplicate File Finder will find and remove all types of duplicates on your disk, from images and videos to entire duplicate folders.
Kanban boards
Kanban board is an Agile project management tool that helps visualize tasks, determine the volume of unfinished work, and improve its efficiency and speed. The method is based on managing task execution using cards that show at what stage the work is. Kanban boards can help designers organize their jobs effectively and increase their productivity.
Below we provide a list of popular Kanban boards that will be useful for designers
- Trello
- Asana
- Monday.com
- KanbanFlow
- Jira
3. Services for color matching
Adobe Color
Adobe Color is an online service that helps designers create harmonious color palettes for their works. All you need to do is simply upload an image and the service will automatically provide color suggestions. It also gives you access to your palettes from other Adobe programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. There’s a big community of Adobe Color users who share their gradients in libraries and discuss design questions.
Coolors.co
An alternative service for getting perfect color combinations is Coolors.co. This service allows you to check whether the colors in your palette comply with web standards (CSS, HTML). You can save your palettes in CSS, SCSS, JSON, and PNG formats for use in web development and other projects. Coolors.co can also generate palettes that will be accessible to people with color vision impairment.
4. Font resources
Google Fonts
Google Fonts is a free service that offers a wide collection of fonts for designers. You can use them on websites and any other projects. The library offers more than 1,000 fonts in a variety of styles, from classic serif to modern sans-serif, script, and monospace. Google Fonts integrates with CSS so you can easily add fonts to your websites by simply providing the font URL in their code.
Adobe Fonts
Adobe Fonts (formerly known as Typekit) is a subscription font library from Adobe. Adobe Fonts' extensive font selection, Creative Cloud sync, and ease of use make it a valuable tool for professional work. However, some fonts may have restrictions on their use on websites due to licensing agreements.
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