Essential Tools for a Graphic Designer
- Graphic designers spend the majority of their workday in front of a computer.ordinateur image by razorconcept from Fotolia.com
The most basic tool for graphic designers is a quality education. The profession usually requires a bachelor's degree in graphic design and has strong opportunities for advancement, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To successfully merge talent with the technological demands of design, there are several other tools necessary for the graphic design professional. - A computer is the most vital tool for a graphic designer. Design Talk Board favors Mac over PC for its strong history of use in graphic design, prevalence in the industry and better color calibration than the PC. However, the choice of computer is personal. PC is competitive for use in graphic design with modern versions of Windows capable of the work.
Look for a backlit widescreen, such as 21.5 or 27 inches, and a large hard drive and substantial memory. You will be storing a lot of large design files so consider between 8 and 16 gigabytes (GB) of memory and at least a 500 GB hard drive. - It is necessary to have a few different types of computer software to execute design projects. Most importantly is a design/animation program. Popular versions include Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver and Acrobat; Apple Final Cut; Corel Draw, Painter and Designer; and Quark (XPress, XPosure). A graphic designer also requires a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop and Apple Aperture. Lastly, a font program provides access to many more font types to enhance design work; examples include Extensis (Font Reserve) and FontCatalog.
- A great design idea can hit anytime, anywhere, not always when you're sitting in front of your computer. Keep sketch pads on hand to draw designs or jot down ideas for future reference. To get what you sketch on your computer, use a graphics tablet. This high-end equipment transfers work done by hand to your computer.
