Looking to take your design game to the next level? Whether you’re an aspiring graphic designer or a seasoned pro, having the right graphic design software to learn is key to unlocking your full creative potential.
With so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. But fear not, because we’ve compiled a list of the top graphic design software to learn and help you create stunning designs that will make your work stand out.
So, if you’re ready to up your design game, let’s dive into the exciting world of graphic design software and start exploring your options.
Types of graphic design software
There are various types of graphic design software to learn and they all have their purpose in the graphic design industry. Some of the software requires more than average graphic design knowledge and skill to be able to make use of them.
Animation & 3D rendering graphic design software
3D rendering or motion graphics is an exciting graphic design niche form that combines graphic design, animation, and filmmaking techniques to create visually compelling and engaging content. From advertisements and explainer videos to title sequences and visual effects in films, motion graphics are an essential part of modern visual communication.
By breathing life into static design elements, motion graphics have the power to convey complex ideas in a simple and engaging way, making them an effective tool for marketers, educators, and creatives alike.
There a various graphic design software to learn which are specifically made for motion graphics and 3D rendering, for example:
- Blender
- Cinema 4D
- Unity
- Maya
- 3Ds Max design
- Autodesk Arnold
- Autodesk 3d max
There are so many other graphic design software for the purpose of creating motion graphics, these are just the most popularly used by motion graphic designers.
Vector graphic design software
Vector graphics are a type of digital image created using mathematical equations instead of pixels. Unlike raster graphics which are made up of a grid of colored pixels or bitmaps, vector graphics are made up of lines, curves, and shapes that are defined by mathematical formulas.
This means that vector graphics can be scaled up or down without losing their clarity or resolution, making them ideal for logos, illustrations, and other designs that need to be resized frequently.
Vector graphics also tend to have smaller file sizes than raster graphics, making them easier to store and transfer.
Additionally, because vector graphics are made up of distinct shapes and lines, they can easily be edited and manipulated using software such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape. Overall, vector graphics is a versatile and powerful tool for creating high-quality digital artwork.
There are arrays of vector graphic design software that you can use as a beginner in graphic design:
- Adobe Illustrator
- Corel Draw
- Sketch
- Affinity Designer
- Inkscape
- SVGator
- Vecteezy
Pixel graphic design software
Pixel graphics, also known as bitmap or raster graphics, are digital images made up of individual pixels, each representing a single point of color on a grid. These graphics are often used in video games, web graphics, and other digital media that require a low resolution and a retro or nostalgic look.
Unlike vector graphics, which are made up of mathematical equations and can be scaled without losing quality, pixel graphics are resolution-dependent and can appear pixelated or blurry when enlarged.
Simply, the difference between vector and pixel graphics is that vector graphics make use of accurately calculated mathematical equations to create images. While pixel or raster graphics use pixels also known as bitmaps to create an image and this is made possible when there are a lot of them together.
Despite their limitations, pixel graphics remain popular due to their simplicity, flexibility, and ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia. A good beginner graphic design software for pixel imaging is Adobe Photoshop.
Here is various raster-based graphic design software you can learn as a beginner:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Affinity Photo
- Adobe Lightroom
- GIMP
- Skylum Luminar Neo
- Canva
- Sketchbook
- Pixelmator
- Artweaver
And so many others that can be acquired for free and also for premium with comes with a monthly subscription fee.
Font creation software
Font creation software is a design tool that allows graphic designers to generate fonts from scratch or modify existing fonts. This type of graphic design software typically provides a range of powerful tools for manipulating letterforms, adjusting kerning, spacing, and other typographic features.
There are arrays of graphic design software for font creation, each offering its own unique features and capabilities.
Font creation software is essential for beginners in graphic design and professional designers, typographers, and graphic artists looking to create custom fonts that perfectly match their branding or design needs.
Most of our design would make no sense if Type isn’t included. This can be an essential element when your design project is more of a publication type of design that needs to be read.
You could possibly do well in this area of graphic design when you have impressive penman skills, who knows, you could be the creator of the next big font in the industry.
We have seen many make fortunes by just carving text with their pen and with advanced graphic design software aided with edge-cutting technology, one can easily convert real word writings into a usable digital font.
Here are some easy-to-use font creation software for graphic designers:
- Fontself (Best for Adobe Users)
- FontLab (Best for Professionals)
- Glyphr Studio (Best Browser Option)
- Calligraphr (Best for Handwriting Fonts)
- FontForge (Best Free Option)
Publication and layout software
Publication layout software refers to computer programs used by graphic designers to create and design various types of printed and digital publications, such as magazines, books, newspapers, brochures, flyers, and more. Here are some examples of popular publication layout software:
- Adobe InDesign
- QuarkXPress
- Affinity Publisher
- Scribus
- Microsoft Publisher
These are just a few examples of the many publication layout software available in the market. When choosing graphic design software, it is important to consider the features you need, your budget, and your level of expertise.
Which graphic design software to use at the beginning
When you are just throwing forth your early steps as a beginner in graphic design, it can be overwhelming with the array of graphic design software that will be made available for you to learn. One mistake in graphic design made by beginners is choosing software that isn’t familiar or too advanced for them.
However, the graphic design software to learn depends on your goals and what type of designs you want to create.
Canva is a great place to start as it is one of the most widely used graphic design software used by beginner graphic designers, and it offers a wide range of tools and features for creating digital artwork and editing images.
Interestingly Canva is an online graphic design tool that provides a user-friendly interface and a wide variety of templates, graphics, and design elements to choose from.
Canva is great for creating social media graphics, posters, and presentations, by simply clicking and dragging design elements to the artboard to bring your creation to life.
There are so many other user-friendly graphic design software that provides you with friendly basic tools that you need to create designs that still look stunning.
Surprisingly when you compare them with the designs made by advanced graphic design software like adobe photoshop or adobe illustrator which are industry standards, you will only find subtle nuances.
Another reason you should begin with basic graphic design software is for the purpose of avoiding expensive software subscriptions. You might be low on cash since you are just starting out as a rookie and haven’t started earning from your graphic design job.
It’s a smart option to begin with free software like Canva that won’t cost you a dime to create any design.
After you have learned the tools and have gotten familiar with using the easy software, then you can step up and begin using advanced graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator when clients begin demanding designs.
Best beginner graphic design software
The various best beginner graphic design software are:
Canva
Canva is a web-based graphic design platform that offers a wide range of design templates and tools for creating various graphics like social media posts, presentations, flyers, and posters. It has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for beginners to use.
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is a free online graphic design software that offers a variety of tools for creating social media posts, web pages, and videos. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows beginners to quickly create stunning designs without any prior experience.
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor that is a great option for beginners who want to learn graphic design. It has a wide range of tools and features that can help you create professional-quality designs.
GIMP
GIMP is a free and open-source image editor that is a great option for beginners who want to learn graphic design. It has a wide range of tools and features that can help you create professional-quality designs.
Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a free vector graphic design software that is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for beginners to create stunning designs.
In conclusion, the best beginner graphic design software for you depends on your needs and preference, your specialty and your level of experience also influence the software to make use of.
How long does it take to learn graphic design software
Learning any graphic design software depends on your creativity and zeal which fuels the effort to want to improve and learn more about the various tools and their functions.
As a beginner graphic designer, there are some other factors that may slow you down, these are software complexity, prior graphic design knowledge, interface, and tools.
However, if you have acquired the basic knowledge of graphic design and tools you may be quick to grasp any software of your choice in a couple of days or weeks.
But if you have no prior knowledge about graphic design, you may need more time to grasp the basic principles of graphic design and how to use the various tools and this could probably take up to months or even a year depending on your effort.
Also, it is very important to know that graphic design is continually evolving and new features and updates are rolled out every year, your constant practice will keep you up with the latest graphic design trends and updates.
Can I learn graphic designing by myself?
Yes! you can learn graphic design by yourself without any formal education in graphic design. There are so many resources out there to help you become a good graphic designer. You can find resources online and even offline. There are blogs, YouTube videos, articles, and courses to help develop your graphic design skills.
But before you jump into learning graphic design, it is worth knowing the fundamental principles of graphic design which are color, layout, typography, and composition.
These are the building blocks of why a good design appears appealing to the eyes of the audience. There are numerous graphic design software out there for you to use as a beginner, for example, we have Photoshop, Illustrator, GIMP, Inkscape, and Canva, which are popular and mostly used in the industry.