Figuring out graphic design tools will give us the ability to go in-depth about design with creative freedom. But being a master in one specific area is not enough. For us, to be more holistic is necessary to see that all design fields are influential for each other in many ways.
Most designers outside are overvaluing themselves as the best ones. The fact is, they are stuck in the middle with their humdrum tools. Here, we as a presentation design agency come with a lot of surprises. We amplify our design skills to create practical, purposeful, and beautiful things. To do that, many accessible design tools will help us a lot.
We will show you six compelling lists of the weapons that have stuck in us. Let’s start sharing.
Graphic Design Tools 1: Presentation Software
Presentation software varies widely to help with its efficiency which allows us to access everything we need from any device. Each software has its uniqueness, such as crafty templates, usable tools, and collaborative features. Below are some presentation tools we bound up with.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is the first-rate presentation software that comes to our minds. This tool provides everything we need, like using animated transitions, adjusting fonts, and adding graphic elements.
It is easy to get a boring slideshow if we are clueless about crafting.
See also: Best Tools for Graphic Design Students
Google Slide
Google Slides is very similar to PowerPoint. There are two special features, online and free.
The great thing about Google Slides is that we can log in via browser or app, access the pitch deck from any device, and collaborate with other people in real time. We can embed videos from other sources and add audio tracks with sound effects.
Keynote
Keynote’s main perk is another PowerPoint version in the Apple ecosystem with a sleek and minimalist interface. We can control the projects from our wrists since Keynote is available on the Apple Watch.
Non-Apple users can create, upload, and sync their own Keynote pitch deck via iCloud Drive. Still, some features are beneficial only for those who use multiple Apple devices.
Graphic Design Tools 2: Plugins and Add-ins
Plugins help us be more productive because it makes everything faster and more instant. Whatever design tools we use, these plugins will soften our workflow. Check the list below.
Pexels Photoshop Plugin
Choosing the right images is a daily matter since we need to get our work done efficiently without hassle. However, finding image stock for free and without attribution is not as easy as we think.
Worry not, Pexels provides an easy-to-use plugin for Photoshop.
See also: 20+ Color Tools for Designers to Help You Creating PowerPoint Color Schemes
Icon by Noun Project
Noun Project is a popular plugin with over one million high-quality icons. Icons are a great element to illustrate any idea visually.
We use Noun Project as our extension in Photoshop to pick icons, add colors, and edit image sizes.
Coolorus
It will not only speed up our workflow but also helps us to pick better colors with less headache.
Suppose you often feel lost in a sea of color, Coolorus will help you narrow down and automatically pick the perfect blends.
Let’s show your great sense to achieve color harmony.
Graphic Design Tools 3: Color Palettes Generators
Color palette tools enable us to ensure the greatest tints. Our consistency in conveying the right shades is important for design branding. We suggest you use these color scheme tools for any design fields.
Coolors
Coolors is a quick generator that allows us to create, save, and share perfect colors in seconds. We can generate color schemes from an image and toggle different shades to fit our design needs.
Additionally, we also use their ‘Explore’ feature to browse thousands of color options created by the community. They do a great job of providing daily color palettes on their Instagram feed.
See also: 8 Must-Have Tools and Resources for Freelancers
ColorSpace
ColourSpace is a forum site for color palettes with almost two million palettes submitted by its users.
Go to the site, then click “generate,” You will find the color’s richness, such as generic gradient, matching gradient, classy palette, etc.
See also: Free Color Contrast Checkers for PowerPoint
Adobe Color
Adobe Color allows us to experiment with more hues based on color theory.
With the latest version, we can explore thousands of color palettes for design fields, such as graphic design, illustration, fashion, architecture, etc. We can browse trending colors that fit our community’s design needs in addition to user-generated color schemes.
Graphic Design Tools 4: Creative Software
Every designer should examine creative software as a necessary piece of design equipment. Whether we are a freshman in the design world, having the right design tools is such a blessing in life.
These devices can give us more control over how we discover.
Adobe Photoshop
Most designers overlook Photoshop as a handy tool to manipulate designs, not just make memes. Photoshop is the first software we learned, and we are so lucky to be experts in Photoshop.
Photoshop is a perfect way for photo manipulation, color adjustments, font pairing, product mock-ups, etc.
Adobe Illustration
Adobe Illustrator is the king of our vector tool. We can create artwork, icons, posters, etc. Plus, we can use this design tool to draw, mix, and refine something spectacular.
For beginners, AI provides professionally designed templates to save time.
Gimp
GIMP is our alternative way that works on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
GIMP can also be used for retouching images, interface components, and mock-ups along with print designs such as icons and logos.
Graphic Design Tools 5: Inspiration Websites
We need to look outside of cool sites to find epiphanies. Some sources showcase designs in all areas, including photography, illustration, and typography. We like to use these sites to look for color trends, vector icons, and other design elements. See our design inspiration kits below.
Behance
Behance is designed by creatives worldwide to showcase their design projects and spread many inspirations for us. This site is beneficial for newbies who have started experimenting with design.
If you want to find some impressive portfolios and maybe sharpen your skills, click on behance.net now to sign up with email.
Dribble
Are you looking for some quick and bizarre inspiration? Let’s get in touch with Dribble. We can browse the endless images catalog by putting the keywords in the search bar, and Dribbble will lead us as they promise to show.
Dribble also has a blog and podcast where we can get design tips and in-depth interviews from the site’s operators. It is so fun, right?
Pexels
In Pexels, the curators will share their best shots to populate their searchable images for design inspiration. We can browse for something specific with an excellent set of images and mock-ups.
One thing that we like is that Pexels provides unique space photography.
Graphic Design Tools 6: Other Equipments
Being creative is not enough without snug starter packs that go with us in every bit of our activity. Eight hours will walk so fast if we work in a loving and restful environment.
Actually, we have many items that bring us vigor, but these three things are quite enough to share with you.
Headphones
Even if we work on a project that includes video, we will need a great set of headphones to receive the best results.
Yeah, every single time, we need to listen to some music to gain a jolly mood when doing so many tasks.
Ergonomic desk
We love to create designs that drive us to watch on the screen, what a real pain in the neck.
Indeed, having a comfy chair and desk is literally peacefulness for us to focus on our creativity and productivity more than anything else.
Large-scale monitor
For us, working with a large monitor can seem more like a coziness.
In case we buy a 4K monitor, we need to pay attention to the best resolution. Anyway, choosing monitors between 27 and 32 inches is ideal for graphic designers.
Closing thoughts
Talking about design is like talking about a song. We can depict it with words, but we can’t share without experience. Indeed with proper design tools, we can build a career to achieve our biggest goal, whether self-employed or the company’s goal.
All we ask in return is that kindly visit our blog for more ways out. Join us on Instagram and connect with us on LinkedIn to know what’s new. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well for more PowerPoint design hacks. Enjoy!