Graphic Design Software

Back in the day, anyone who could freehand sketch and come up with original ideas was pretty much guaranteed a graphic design job if they wanted it. The technology was limited to printing, so art school graduates were the ones who got the graphic designer careers. It is amazing how much things have changed since then. Nowadays, it is all about knowing your way around the graphic design software. Almost every graphic designer I know is extremely computer literate, and the highest paid ones know how to program in flash and html as well. If you want to get anywhere, you had better learn the technological aspects of it.

There are many different options for graphic designers, but a few programs have really become industry standards. If you want to get into it, you have to be willing to shell out the dough. The free graphic design software is not usually top of the line. You have to use programs like Adobe Illustrator, and those programs cost money.

Not that they are not worth it. Every time I look at the new range of graphic design software, I am blown away. Only ten years ago, the serious software for graphic designers had to be run on special, high power workstations which cost a small fortune each. Nowadays, however, all that is over. Almost any graphics intensive application can be easily run on a home computer. Three dimensional rendering, light and shadow effects, and all of the other trappings of realism are within the range of anyone who wants to shell out a few hundred buck for a good graphic design suite.

Of course, if you are just tinkering around, don't throw your money at graphic design software yet. There are plenty of free software trial versions available of all the most popular programs, so you can check out basically anything for free. It is not a bad idea to get a few different trial programs to start with even if you are a professional graphic designer. Just because everyone else uses a certain program does not mean that it is the best choice for you. Only by seeing what the competition has to offer can you really make a decision about the best professional design software. And all of the tools are so much fun to play with that previewing programs is a treat more than a toy. Every time you look, someone has come out with a cool new effect.