Articles by The Designest Staff

Q: What is the best free software for drawing?

Great subscription-free programs are Krita , Corel Painter , and Inkscape . Each drawing app has all the essential drawing tools you might need for watercolor art, sketches, acrylic work, comics, and many other illustration styles.

Q: Which software is used for drawing?

Among the most-used drawing software programs there are Photoshop , Illustrator , Affinity , Procreate , Rebelle , Corel Painter , GIMP , Clip Studio Paint Pro , and other options mentioned in our selection. Most of them have free trials, so before you give them a try without any investments.

Tech-Savviness: A Prerequisite When Looking for a Job?

The Designest Staff — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:37:38 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Tech-savviness is a trait that can help individuals find better jobs and positions, especially now. Companies and businesses are looking for people who have the right skill set and are willing to learn daily. But the very prerequisite is having an understanding of the way technology works.

Employees should possess basic tech skills and know how to apply them in different situations. The fundamentals are incredibly important because they allow people to adapt and learn to use new tools quickly. Here are some skills you should work on that should help you stay in the loop and land the job position of your dreams.

1. Mastering touch typing

Touch typing is vital when looking for a job in a digital marketing agency or any media company. You might be asked to create a lot of content during your workday, and knowing how to type fast can boost your overall performance. Don’t be surprised if you get a question about touch typing during your job interview.

Of course, accuracy is fundamental for touch typing, but you should also be familiar with different keyboard layouts and know how to use them efficiently. Your goal should be to rely on muscle memory to type and not look at the keyboard at all. As you might have guessed by now, touch typing requires practice, so grab your keyboard and test your skills.

2. Creating eye-catching digital presentations

Most people claim to know how to create digital presentations in PowerPoint or similar apps, but how many can use this tool to its full potential? Being able to put together an impressive and informative digital slideshow is a valuable skill nowadays that will surely be useful to many job seekers.

Besides learning to download templates for your presentation, you should also focus on adding the elements yourself. Read about different image formatting, inserting links, and other tiny details that can help your digital presentation be memorable and engaging.

3. Knowing the basics of cybersecurity

You don’t have to become an IT security specialist overnight, but having enough cybersecurity knowledge is highly desirable nowadays since most workplaces are online. Learn the fundamentals like how to find my IP, what my IP discloses, what malware is, how to recognize a phishing attempt, and more.

It is quite helpful to know that an employee is tech-savvy and concerned about cybersecurity. So, find an online course and brush up on the current cybersecurity issues. The methods used by hackers have stayed pretty similar over the years, but they still come up with different ways to infect a computer or access a network.

4. Keeping up with social media trends

Even if you are not going for the role of a social media marketer, it is good to stay up to date with social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The latter is quite important, especially if you are looking for a job and are interested in learning what’s currently available.

Social media platforms are constantly evolving and adding new features, so it’s recommended to keep up with the latest trends. However, focus on the basics for now and master social media communication, as well as how to tag someone in a post. If you want to go further, look into the essentials of photo and video editing and SEO.

5. Going through HTML and CSS fundamentals

Millennials who grew up during the MySpace era are probably already familiar with HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). However, younger generations didn’t have an opportunity to create custom social media layouts from scratch, so it might be beneficial to read about the basics.

For instance, marketing and media companies often use HTML and CSS to post and customize blog articles. Again, you don’t have to go too deep, but HTML and CSS knowledge can be an asset when looking for new employment. You can apply these programming languages to put together a simple online portfolio showcasing your previous work.

6. Learning about SEO

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, can put your website on the map and much more. It increases the visibility of a website on Google and other search engines by ranking it higher. So, employers and potential clients will be more likely to click on the link if it’s on the first page of search results. Furthermore, you can use this skill to become a better researcher.

Knowing what to look for online can be of assistance when it comes to learning new information and even planning content for your website. Identifying the right keywords for your website and inserting them in your content can do wonders for ranking and visibility. So, get familiar with SEO and try to stay up to date with the ever-evolving world of algorithms and tech news.

The post Tech-Savviness: A Prerequisite When Looking for a Job? appeared first on The Designest.

Best Drawing Programs & Apps in 2024 For Your Creativity

The Designest Staff — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:09:25 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Photoshop, Affinity, Procreate… is that all? While most people wouldn’t even think beyond these three options, the landscape of drawing software is there to be explored, and you only need to take one small step forward — “a giant leap for your design journey.”

Top 20 Best Drawing Software

Adobe Photoshop CC
Adobe Illustrator CC
Affinity Designer
Procreate
Fresco
Rebelle 5
Krita
Inkscape
Clip Studio Paint Pro
Corel Painter
Artweaver 7
MediBang Paint Pro
ArtRage
MyBrushes Paint for Mac
Paintstorm Studio
Sketch
Autodesk SketchBook
MyPaint
TwistedBrush Pro Studio
GIMP

Drawing Brushes & Add-Ons

Real Paint FX Photoshop Add-On Extension

Shader Brushes for Procreate

Fabric Kingdom Photoshop Edition

Pencilcraft Brushes for Adobe Illustrator

DevBrush Custom Brushes for Procreate 5

Magic Lands Brushes: Vintage Map Creator

elements.envato.com

Mastering diverse digital painting tools can unlock fresh approaches to illustration, introduce new techniques, and redefine your personal style. Don’t shy away from trying out free drawing software — you might be surprised by how much high-quality content is out there. If you have doubts about the paid versions, check out our “pros and cons”. We have compiled the top free and paid drawing apps on the market and only hope this selection helps you finally explore the new horizons of art software and pick the best option for your projects.

relevant:

Top 15 Best Computers for Graphic Design in 2024 November 22, 2023

14 Best Photoshop Alternatives August 15, 2022

7 Reasons Designers Should Learn to Code August 17, 2021

Adobe Photoshop CC

Platforms

Windows 1 1 versions 21H2, 22H2, Windows 10 version 22H2 (LTSB branches aren’t supported).
macOS 13 (Ventura), macOS 12 (Monterey), and macOS 11 (Big Sur).
iPadOS 14 or later.

Key Features

Adjust, crop, retouch photos and images.
Remove and move objects and backgrounds.
Combine images to create new scenes.
Automate tasks and actions.
Add artistics and creative filters like blurs.
Paint with smooth lines and curves.
Make 3D artwork for animation or print.
Adjust weight and width on variable fonts.

Pricing

7-day free trial.
Photography (the full version of Photoshop, plus Lightroom) — US$19.99/mo.
Photoshop — (the full version of Photoshop, plus Adobe Express Premium plan) — US$22.99/mo.
Creative Cloud All Apps (the full version of Photoshop plus Adobe Express Premium plan and more than 20 apps) — US$59.99/mo.

Reasons to Buy

Useful Plug-Ins, Filters, Textures, Overlays, and Actions
Graphics tablet support
Cloud Storage
Very versatile functionality amount other drawing programs

Reasons to Avoid

Expensive Creative Cloud subscription
Steep learning curve
Very space-consuming
Limited support for vector graphics

Adobe Photoshop stands out as the go-to for graphic design, setting the industry standard with its comprehensive features. Often referred to as the top drawing app, it provides excellent tools and smooth performance, allowing for limitless creativity. Essential for beginners and a staple for professionals, Photoshop is a versatile tool that meets diverse digital design needs. The Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem completes the picture, making it easy to manage and share your work safely across different devices.

The beauty of Photoshop is in the fact that there’s no universal way of using it. Some prefer to only scratch the surface of this extensive program, while others spend hours researching and trying out the tools. Over time, your preferred set of tools might evolve, and you will see yourself exploring — all within this one powerful software.

Adobe Photoshop has its downsides too. When it freezes, it freezes hard. It’s not totally the software to blame but the system workload, compatibility questions and similar issues. Ask any artist about their Photoshop struggles, and you’ll get an earful of stories that’ll make you go, “Oh, the pain is real!”

Adobe Illustrator СС

Platforms

Windows 11 v22H2 and v21H2, Windows 10 v22H2 and v21H2, Windows Server 2022, 2019. Not supported on Windows 10 versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, 2004, 20H2, 21H1.
macOS 14 (Sonoma), v13 (Ventura), v12 (Monterey), v11 (Big Sur).
iPadOS 14 or later.

Key Features

Create, edit, and combine simple shapes.
Design logos and draw vector graphics.
Add effects to make your art pop.
Add impact with professional typography and text tools.
Design packaging with 3D Revolve.
Mock up a website design.
Trace and recolor imported photos.
Create up to a thousand artboards on your canvas.
Add images and artictic effects.

Pricing

7-day free trial.
Adobe Illustrator — US$20.99/mo.

Reasons to Buy

Versatile software for digital artists
Best file recovery
Wide variety of exporting options
Great image tracing tool

Reasons to Avoid

Takes up a lot of disk space
Hard to learn for beginners
Limited support for raster graphics
Expensive monthly subscription for a single program

Even though Adobe Illustrator sounds as if it was literally made for digital illustrations, Adobe Photoshop is often the one people talk about as the top choice for digital art. With Photoshop’s countless brushes, it’s not surprising; however, it instantly falls short when it comes to creating vector graphics. If vector art is your thing, then Illustrator is the software for you.

Just like Photoshop, Illustrator comes packed with tons of creative brushes, filters, typography tools, editing features, and more — even in the free version! But the real magic? You can scale anything without losing quality. If you’re moving from Photoshop, you’ll find the tools and interface familiar. A big plus with Illustrator is the ability to create detailed projects of all kinds: logos, charts, presentations, web designs, and even hand-drawn illustrations. However, it’s a double-edged sword. The powerful features can sometimes slow down your computer or cause the program to crash, which can be frustrating.

Affinity Designer

Platforms

Windows 11, Windows 10 May 2020 Update (2004, 20H1, build 19041) or later.
macOS Sonoma 14, Ventura 13, Monterey 12, Big Sur 11, Catalina 10.15.
iPadOS 15 or later.

Key Features

Live gradients, effects, and adjustments.
Real time blend mode previews.
All transforms and curve edits previewed live.
Optimized for documents of any complexity.
Vector and raster options.
Advanced grids and guides.
Unlimited artboards of any size.
Comprehensive OpenType support.

Pricing

30-day trial period.
Affinity Designer for Windows or macOS — US$69.99.
The entire suite on all platforms — US$164.99.
Affinity Designer for iPad — US$18.49.

Reasons to Buy

Combines vector & raster design tools
Handles 1000s of objects with no lag
Affordable price
Available through a one-time purchase

Reasons to Avoid

Graphics tablet support is still a work in progress
No .ai file export

Years ago, when we received the early access to Affinity Designer, everything felt unusual. It was like being expected to ride a bike — a familiar task, yet this was a new, upgraded version of the bike. But once you get accustomed to the abundance of unfamiliar tools, packed in a colorful interface, you can not only ride but ride swiftly!

The best thing about this software is the magic switch between pixel and vector formats — all with just a few clicks. It saves a lot of time you can later spend on preparing the project for the big release.

Another cool feature is the ability to open and edit AI files. It’s a bit of a cheat, but super handy when you urgently need to fix assets or dive into some heavy-duty vector graphics.

Procreate

Platforms

iPadOS 15.4.1 or later.
iOS 15.4.1 or later.

Key Features

Brush Studio offers a wide range of tools including pencils, inks, charcoals, and artistic strokes.
Advanced color control with Color Dynamics, Color Harmony, and Color History.
Multi-touch gestures for intuitive navigation and use.
Valkyrie graphics engine enables painting at 120fps for seamless creativity.
QuickShape corrects shapes instantly.
ColorDrop allows for easy filling with a simple pick, drag, and drop action.
Streamline feature smooths out strokes for cleaner curves and fewer imperfections.

Pricing

Procreate — US$12.99.
Procreate Pocket — US$5.99

Reasons to Buy

Affordable price
Perfectly simulates real-life painting
Lots of advanced drawing features
Available through a one-time purchase

Reasons to Avoid

Gets slower with a lot of paintings in progress
Available only for iPad and iPhone users

Procreate is a perfect blend of technology and creativity. Its latest 5.3 update introduces hover features for the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and allows for precision in brush control, offering previews before strokes are made and enabling easy adjustments to brush size and opacity with simple gestures. Freehand selections are more intuitive thanks to Apple Pencil previews, enhancing the overall drawing experience. Additionally, performance on the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip is boosted by 30%, and 3D painting becomes more intuitive and enjoyable. The Page Assist feature further turns your iPad into an ultimate sketchbook for capturing all your creative ideas.

While the program is highly user-friendly, some users might find certain functions less obvious, requiring exploration. However, Procreate provides a range of free tutorials to help users master new features and discover inspirational artists.

Another limitation is its accessibility: the joy of working in Procreate is available only to iPad and iPhone users. And here’s a little tip: the more powerful your iPad is, the better — the amount of RAM affects the number of layers you can work with.

Adobe Fresco

Platforms

Windows 11 version 22000 or later, 10 version 21H2 or later.
iPadOS 16 or later.
iOS 16 or later for iPhone.

Key Features

Work with watercolors and oils that blossom and blend at your touch.
Use vector and raster brushes on the same canvas.
Draw with thousands of brushes from Adobe Photoshop.
Discover essential and fast illustration tools for stylus and touch devices.
Easily isolate parts of a layer and turn selections into masks.
Start a project on your iPad/iPhone and finish it on your desktop — your work automatically syncs to the cloud.

Pricing

30-day free trial.
Fresco (1 year) — US$9.99/mo.

Reasons to Buy

Realistic brush, pen, and pencil physics
Raster and vector tools support
Intuitive UI

Reasons to Avoid

Lacks basic editing features

What we’re dealing with here is a doppelgänger of the well-known Procreate app. Adobe Fresco, while not yet on par with Procreate due to its relative “rawness,” should not be dismissed. The software offers a lot of invaluable tools and features — all in a user-friendly interface you can intuitively navigate even if you have never used the software before.

The real fun begins when you test the brushes, watercolors and oils in particular. Colors work with each other really well, imitating the real strokes. Even if you’re an amateur in digital painting, the chances are you’ll get a great deal of pleasure watching the brushes get mixed together and response to your movements. Setting the bar high, Adobe Fresco provides an extensive collection of raster and vector brushes that perform smoothly, with no leaks and all.

If you don’t have a Creative Cloud subscription that makes it easy to download Adobe Fresco, here’s the lowdown: buying this drawing program on its own can be a bit pricey. What’s more, the software lacks some editing options that Photoshop has, so sometimes artists finish their illustrations in Photoshop afterwards. So if you’re still willing to get Fresco, you should seriously consider subscribing to Creative Cloud.

Rebelle 5

Platforms

Windows 10 (64-bit).
macOS 11 and newer.

Key Features

Watercolor settings adjust the impact of paper texture on watercolor behavior.
Watercolor DropEngine for creating dripping effects.
Blow tool allows for manipulating paint flow by blowing drips in various directions.
Acrylic Impasto lets users adjust the texture of their paint.
Transparency Locking ensures edits affect only painted areas, not transparent ones.
Digital stencils for crafting custom templates and seamless patterns.
Ruler Tool combines precision with a freehand effect for accurate drawings.
Perspective Tool aids in adding depth using 1, 2, or 3 point perspectives.

Pricing

Standard version — US$89.99.
Pro version — US$149.99.
Standard version — US$89.99.
Free trial version available for both Mac & Windows.

Reasons to Buy

Affordable price, no subscription
Realistic drawing physics simulation
Easy to use program with shallow learning curve

Reasons to Avoid

High hardware requirements
Very specialized app

The official website for Rebelle 5 boasts a hyperrealistic watercolor process of creating an illustration, and well, it is not lying. This program works just like the real-life drawing materials and tools.

You should start the process by choosing the paper canvas (there are several paper types to pick from, like hot & cold press, rough paper, Japanese canvas, and more): this will affect the way your brushes will be applied to your digital art. When you tap the artboard with a watercolor brush, it gets absorbed a little. It can be blown in any direction, and the wet diffusion looks so realistic it’s shocking. Even considering the current technological progress, this can easily amaze any artist.

What gets your attention in this software is its ultimate realism in transferring the classic artworks with not only watercolor, but also canvas, pastels, ink pens, acrylic, pencils, markers, and other drawing tools. Rebelle 5 reproduces all possible combinations of materials and paper types you might use in real life: dry materials on dry paper, wet materials on dry paper, wet materials on other wet materials and so on.

Krita

Platforms

Windows 8.1 or higher.
macOS (10.12 and higher).
Linux.

Key Features

100+ pre-loaded professional brushes.
Brush stabilizers.
Built-in vector tools for comic panels.
9+ unique brush engines for customizable strokes.
Seamless textures and patterns with wrap-around mode.
Import brushes and texture packs.
Clean and flexible interface.
Ability to open complex PSD files that even Photoshop struggles with.

Pricing

free & open source program

Reasons to Buy

Free drawing software
Lots of free education resources
A lot of brushes

Reasons to Avoid

Narrow focus on digital art
Not all features are intuitive

Krita’s got a totally intuitive and customizable interface: you can move things around according to your needs and how often you use them. Its brush library has a wide variety of realistic textures to pick from: inkers, pencils, watercolors, and more! The blending options produce a very realistic effect and let you make adjustments to the already-painted canvas. There are other brushes to check out but no description will do them justice: you should simply try them yourself.

Painting tools also work smoothly in a tablet mode: the response to the angle of pen pressure and the speed of drawing and painting are great. After working in Procreate on iPad for several years, we can confirm that this is a good alternative for creating concept art and illustrations.

Layer management is not different from what we see in Photoshop: the content of the layer can be edited via masks and filters. If you don’t know what some icons mean (you don’t expect the painting program to fully reproduce Adobe products, right?), Krita offers tutorials and help guides in its manual to keep you on track.

Inkscape

Platforms

Windows 7 and later.
macOS 10.13 and later.
Linux.

Key Features

Object creation (pencil, pen, calligraphy, text, bitmaps and clones).
Object manipulation (transformations, Z-order operations, grouping objects, layers, alignment and distribution commands).
Fill and stroke (color selector and picker, gradient editor, pattern fills, path markers, copy/paste style).
Operations on paths (node editing, converting to path, boolean operations, path simplification/insetting/outsetting, bitmap tracing).
Text support (multi-line text, kerning, letterspacing, linespacing adjustments, text on path, text in shape, uses any installed outline fonts).
Rendering (fully anti-aliased display, alpha transparency support for display and PNG export).
File formats (SVG, PNG, OpenDocument Drawing, DXF, sk1, PDF, EPS and PostScript export formats and more).

Pricing

free software

Reasons to Buy

Free drawing software
Extensive selection of supporting formats
Large array of extensions

Reasons to Avoid

Steep learning curve
No CMYK color mode support
Vector graphics only

Inkscape is the major Adobe Illustrator’s free opponent. This vector graphics editing software includes all the same functionality as Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. The Inkscape team constantly releases new extensions you might find pretty handy, so dropping by their official website once in a while would be a nice habit to have.

As far as the cons go, Inkscape has a standard set of issues. An abundance of bugs and system crashes, as well as low operating system speed when working with a multitude of paths. There’s one more thing to add to this list. Inkscape doesn’t support the CMYK colors, so if you’re aimed at creating print-ready projects, it would be a significant problem. Apart from that, this software is a fair replacement for the subscription-based Adobe Illustrator and despite all the cons, it is worth testing out.

Clip Studio Paint Pro

Platforms

Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit).
macOS 12, 13, and 14.
iPadOS 16 and 17.
iOS 16 and 17 for iPhone.
Android 9 or later (ARM32/ARM64).
ChromeOS compatible with Android 9 or later (ARM32 / x86 / x86_64).

Key Features

Advanced brush engine captures subtle pen pressure variations.
Monthly addition of 1,000 new materials to complement any style.
Customizable 3D figures for adjustable poses, proportions, and body types.
Artistic filter converts photos into paintings.
AI colorization and smart fill tools for quick coloring.
Image resolution enhancement and JPEG noise removal.
Clip Studio Paint Assets for rapid artwork and design creation.
Auto Actions simplify frequent tasks with a single click.

Pricing

Free trial for 3 months
Monthly/annual plans
One-time payment — US$49.99

Reasons to Buy

Advanced vector tools
AI technology
Wide selection of custom brushes

Reasons to Avoid

High price range
Numerous adjustments tucked into a complex UI
Limited options for font and text manipulation

First released as a digital art software for creating comics and manga (it used to be called Manga Studio), and later turned into the expanded library of tools for illustration and graphic design, Clip Studio Paint Pro is a somewhat similar paid version of Krita: it’s an app for drawing and painting with an easily adjustable and user-friendly interface. Moreover, is works with every system including macOS and Android.

The command hotkeys in Clip Studio Paint are similar to Photoshop CC, making the onboarding process as easy as it can be via the intuitive interface. The app supports vector graphics and raster tool choice, uniting the power of Adobe products under one roof. Nothing new and revolutionary about the vast collection of full-featured brushes: they are realistic, customizable (the stabilization tool works perfectly — hello, shaky hands!), and responsive. The only disadvantage of Clip Studio Paint is the lack of publishing tools, which was also the case for the original Manga Studio version.

Corel Painter

Platforms

Windows 10 or 11 with the latest updates.
macOS Big Sur 11.0, 12 Monterey, 13 Ventura, or 14 Sonoma with the latest updates.

Key Features

Seamless navigation with pan, zoom, rotate, and effortless application of lighting and surface texture.
Utilization of tools like the Color Wheel, Mixer, Color Sets, and Harmonies for crafting the perfect color palette.
Access to a vast library of over 900 brushes for bringing your masterpiece to life.
Tailoring of brush size, shape, angle, and flow with comprehensive control panels.
Elevation of your artwork with Papers, Flow Maps, Patterns, Textures, and Gradients.
Application of AI for stylizing images, effortlessly transforming photos into paintings.
Construction of compositions with Divine Proportion, Layout Grid, Perspective Guides, and Mirror Painting.
The smoothest strokes with Fluid Paint.

Pricing

Full version — US$429
Free trial version for Mac and Windows

Reasons to Buy

Huge set of brushes
Various AI tools
Easy to use program with intuitive interface

Reasons to Avoid

No tablet or mobile apps
Performance issues on weak computers

Nothing hits as nostalgically as Corel Painter. More than one generation has been raised with this beautiful program, but since then Corel Painter has has undergone many changes.

The modern Corel Paint version is way less laggy than it used to be thanks to the Brush Accelerator. The interface keeps up with the other digital drawing software covered in this article, but if we compare it with the Painter’s previous versions, the latest layout is more responsive, adaptive, and just… convenient. The Layers tool has oh-so-familiar universal commands, wrapped in Corel Painter’s style.

In the latest Corel Painter 2023 update, they’ve unleashed a game-changer with the introduction of Fluid Paint technology. This innovative brush tech delivers the smoothest and most revealing brush marks ever, with bold paper grain visible throughout the stroke. Fluid Paint lets you control opacity, offering a natural painting and blending experience. The update also brings new Fluid Paint brushes for illustration and fine art, enhanced Fluid Papers for expressive textures, and a Color Selection option for precise color picking.

Artweaver 7

Platforms

Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 (each with latest service pack).

Key Features

The powerful and highly configurable brush system to simulate any texture.
An intuitive, simple, and adjustable interface.
Ability to record the painting process as events, save, and replay them.
The app’s robust core utilizes existing hardware to the maximum.
Ability to collaborate with other artists on the same document over LAN or the Internet.

Pricing

Free version for Windows.
Artweaver Plus — €34.

Reasons to Buy

Plug-in support
Lots of raster painting tools
Affordable price for Plus edition

Reasons to Avoid

Available only for Windows users, no macOS version
No open type fonts support
Outdated interface

Another Photoshop-inspired interface, yet completely free. The toolbox of Artweaver 7 is significantly weaker than Photoshop’s and is similar to its versions from 5 years ago. You’ll figure out the command names and placement within the first seconds of using this software.

The 7th edition of this program has expanded library of effects and custom brushes. Still, here you’ll lack some features that are simply out of reach — the good maximum image size support, Photoshop filters, precise brush control, and more. And that’s when the thoughts of purchasing the Plus version will start to cross your mind. The paid version offers advanced brush tools, enhanced performance, comprehensive layer and effect options, real-time collaboration features, and other improvements you might find useful.

MediBang Paint Pro

Platforms

Windows 10 or later.
macOS 11 or later.
iPadOS 11 or later.
iOS 12 or later for iPhone.
Android 8.0 or later.

Key Features

50+ customizable brushes for personalized creations.
Lightweight, smooth performance.
Standard layer function.
Precision with Snap Lines for accurate lines, curves, and more.
Easy comic panel creation by slicing across page borders.
Convenient management of comic projects with one-file saving.
Seamless synchronization of settings across devices.
Access to 800 free pre-made tones and backgrounds.

Pricing

Free drawing software

Reasons to Buy

Free drawing software
Intuitive interface, even for beginners
Available on all platforms
Perfect for manga artists

Reasons to Avoid

Lacks advanced features
Might be difficult to create new brushes

MediBang Paint Pro is a free drawing software compatible with any device (PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android) allowing to experience the smoothest workflow. But you have to set the MediBang account first to access every drawing tool. Totally worths it — especially considering that all your creations and concept art get to be stored in the cloud service.

The working process in MediBang Paint app includes a thorough and transparent guide for digital artists on how things operate there, which is great for beginners. Those who have been in design for quite some time will find the interface very well-organized and intuitive even in the mobile version which usually struggles to be user-friendly and explanatory at the same time.

ArtRage

Platforms

Windows 10 or later (64 and 32-bit).
macOS 10.9 or later.
iOS 10 or later for iPad and iPhone.
Android 4.0 or later.

Key Features

Natural color gradient creation through smearing and blending thick oils.
Pencil sketching and precise shading with the edge of the tip.
Delicate watercolor strokes responsive to canvas texture.Delicate watercolor strokes responsive to canvas texture.
Reference usage with photos for enhanced precision.
Structured design with guides, grids, and perspective layout tools.
Standard features include layers, blend modes, and industry standards.

Pricing

Free demo-version for Windows/macOS with limited functionality.
ArtRage Vitae Desktop — US$80.
ArtRage Vitae Mobile — US$4.99.
ArtRage Lite — US$29.90.
ArtRage 6 — US$59.

Reasons to Buy

Realistic drawing process & real-world color blending
Affordable digital painting software
Intuitive interface

Reasons to Avoid

Lacks advanced editing features
Demand powerful computer to work efficiently at larger print sizes

ArtRage shares many similarities with Adobe (interface, accessible funtions, etc.), which means your transition into this software will be pain-free. It is often considered even easier to use, making it a perfect choice for beginners.

Minimalistic yet multi-functional interface panels unveil the creative possibilities in a clear and flexible manner. We especially like the circular panels in the corners of the screen, resembling an artist’s palette.

The feature that makes ArtRage one of the best drawing software is the realistic behavior and traditional feel of brush strokes, especially the oil and watercolor brushes. The natural-looking paper and canvas texture allow the stokes to produce true-to-life art pieces without the hint of a digitalization.

MyBrushes Paint for Mac

Platforms

macOS 10.10 or later (64-bit).
iOS 7.0 or later for iPad and iPhone.

Key Features

Creation, deletion, pasting, scaling, rotation, and re-ordering of unlimited layers.
Infinite canvas size for expansive creative possibilities.
Recording and playback function for the drawing process.
Mac paint tool support for various image formats.
Continuous auto-save feature to prevent data loss.
Adjustable pressure sensitivity for enhanced control.
Diverse set of 100 natural paintbrush shapes, including brush, pencil, pen, airbrush, watercolor brush, chalk, etc.
Access to 50 background templates in the template library.

Pricing

MyBrushes | Sketch, Paint, Design — US$29.99.
MyBrushes Pro | Sketch, Paint and Draw — US$4.99.

Reasons to Buy

Unlimited layers
Intuitive interface
Lower price range

Reasons to Avoid

Calls for an update
Not many advanced professional features

If you are at the very start of your designing or drawing career or have no professional intentions for the comprehensive art programs, MyBrushes Paint is the software for you. MyBrushes Paint is created with a straightforward and user-friendly approach.

The unlimited layers and the ability to create a canvas in any size are the top features that catch your eye when you start using the program. And yes, apart from that, the software offers color pallets and brush packs that support a good level of pressure sensitivity — this isn’t the case when you draw with your finger, however.

True, it’s not the best software but it can serve as a great basic tool for non-professional artists. Yet, considering the program’s functions and editing possibilities, MyBrushes Paint offers good value for money.

Paintstorm Studio

Platforms

Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 versions.
macOS 10.7 or later.
iPadOS 13.1 or later.
Linux.

Key Features

Comprehensive control over all brush options.
Post-correction for strokes.
Parameters binding to the perspective for added precision.
Complete control over mask-brush functionality.
“Close gaps” function when filling or selecting.
Customizable individual hotkeys.
Robust Symmetry and Kaleidoscope tools.
Brush stroke stabilizer for creating straight lines.

Pricing

Free demo version for Windows, Mac, Linux.
Paintstorm for iPad — US$12.99.
Paintstorm Studio for 1 PC — US$19.00.
Paintstorm Studio for 2 PC — US$29.00.

Reasons to Buy

Provides the finest level of control
Wide personalization options
Fast GPU Engine

Reasons to Avoid

Steep learning curve
Crowded default interface

Once you open this program, there are just too many control panels popping up and (almost) invading your personal space. But all the professional artists’ fears and worries fade away once they discover that everything in Paintstorm Studio is customizable and manageable. Having packed your work station with dozens of useful tools, don’t forget to set the keyboard shortcuts; otherwise, you might get lost.

The mildly infuriating thing about Paintstorm Studio might be the fact that you suddenly find yourself playing around with settings for an hour or so, but the actual drawing process hasn’t begun. So try not to fall into this trap!

The brush features open up a wide range of creative possibilities — the best way here is to experiment with them for as long as you can. The tool that lets you avoid the manual resizing or changing transparency for the brush strokes is great: you’ll find this useful when drawing objects with an uneven structure, for example, water or hair. All you need is to define the required perspective once, and the future strokes will be managed according to your settings.

Sketch

Platforms

macOS Big Sur (11.0.0) or later.

Key Features

Intuitive and powerful vector editing tools.
Non-destructive, editable, and easily combinable Boolean operations.
Pixel-level precision for zooming in, aligning, and adjusting layers.
Extensive export options for exporting individual assets as desired.
Quick shortcuts to toggle grids and layout views, with a fully customizable set of options.
Resizing constraints for easier scaling up and down for different screen sizes.
nfinite control over typography with support for Variable fonts and OpenType features.
Smart Layout that gives Symbols automatic resizing and content fitting superpowers.

Pricing

Standard subscription — US$10.00/mo per editor, billed yearly.
Mac-only license — US$120.00/seat.
Business subscription — US$20.00/mo per editor, billed yearly.

Reasons to Buy

Very quick learning curve
Powerful tools for vector graphics
Perfect for UX/UI design

Reasons to Avoid

Only available for mac os
Not the first choice for professional digital artists

Sketch with its diamond icon has always been the favorite among the UI/UX designers, serving as a good solution for designing websites, apps, icons, and similar features. Just like other art programs, this one has its own layer structure and its tricks: you can switch between layers and have them set to totally different parameters, corresponding to what you’re working on in a particular layer.

Traditionally, first comes the interface: clean, flexible and eye-pleasing, making the onboarding process intuitive. Even a beginning designer can pick up a few things by simply reading the sections’ names and following the workflow.

Sketch substitutes many other drawing apps, uniting the required functions in a single place. You’ll be surprised by how quickly and smoothly your creative process goes thanks to various third-party plugins and other app integrations. The app allows you to work in both vector and raster: you can export various formats and work with different device resolutions. Definitely check out the “Data Fill” feature if you want to fill your design assets with the actual data, for example, from Google Sheets or Excel!

Once you discover the prototyping tool, your work will be nothing but monotonous: it allows to create UI flowcharts and make different designs without any additional software.

SketchBook

Platforms

Windows 10 and 11.
macOS 11 or later.
iOS 13.0 or later for iPad and iPhone.
Android OS 9 and later.

Key Features

Predictive stroke for smoothing line work and correcting basic shapes.
Application of a variety of coloring techniques using layers and color fill tools.
Full complement of brush types, including pencils, markers, airbrushes, paint, smear, and more.
Faithful representation of strokes with pressure and tilt in Sketchbook.
Easy distortion of illustrations to fix perspective and proportions.
Availability of numerous extras.
Fully adjustable rulers, ellipse guides, and French curves for precision drawing.

Pricing

SketchBook Pro — US$24.99.
SketchBook — free.

Reasons to Buy

Extremely responsive to a stylus or Apple Pencil
Advanced color editor and custom color palettes
Lots of professional painting tools

Reasons to Avoid

Some features take longer to load
After separation from Autodesk there are no Copic markers

SketchBook is a free app that has everything for convenient sketching: it’s packed with customizable brushes, stroke stabilization for straight lines, color library, gradient fills, blending modes, and advanced layers that can be arranged in folders within the single artwork. The interface is clear and intuitive: everything is well-arranged, so the artboard is all yours; you can put so much free space to good use!

Keeping up with the desktop version, the mobile app has everything you need, from brushes to coloring tools. And don’t worry if you don’t have stylus: your fingers work just fine in this software — Sketchbook gets A+ for the responsiveness!

SketchBook is a perfect alternative to an actual sketchbook, giving you the freedom to put down your ideas, concepts, drafts, and sketches whenever and wherever a bright idea comes to your mind.

MyPaint

Platforms

Windows.
macOS.
Linux.

Key Features

Nimble, distraction-free, and easy tool for digital painters.
Supports graphics tablets made by Wacom, and many similar devices.
The brush engine is versatile and configurable.
The standard brushes emulate traditional media.
It’s easy to create new unconventional brushes.
Fullscreen mode declutters the interface.
MyPaint provides diverse digital art tools despite its simplicity.

Pricing

free & open-source program

Reasons to Buy

Superior media emulation
Nice symmetry tool
Free drawing software

Reasons to Avoid

Focuses only on digital art
Difficult to install
Latest releases may be unstable

With this open-source painting program, you won’t need to rest your eyes even for a moment. Its unique full-screen and distraction-free mode is the epiphany of minimalism — and here minimalism is most welcome.

Adjustable brushes configuration and easy stroke stabilization for a relatively big selection of drawing materials and pencils would be a great solution for many of your design objectives. MyPaint is compatible with tablets, but you can also draw with your mouse and even get a decent result.

This painting software is so nimble that it practically glides; the speed at which you can work and create illustrations is not too slow, not too high — just right. The app supports Open Raster as the default file format, but it can save images in JPEG or PNG if needed.

TwistedBrush Pro Studio

Platforms

Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Key Features

Over 9,000 brushes included, covering every area of digital art.
Powerful brush engine to mimic full natural media brushes, complex blending operations, etc.
A large array of color palettes.
Full support for transparency and layers with all the standard layer mixing modes.
A specialized sequencing system: over 400 brushes effects modify the core brush types.
Extensive mask support for protecting and selecting parts of your images.
Over 200 image processing filters give you the tools to manipulate your photos or other work.
Tracing paper: a drawing guide that allows you to see another image below your current image.

Pricing

Download free trial.
Version License — US$109.
Perpetual License — US$199.

Reasons to Buy

Tons of pre-made brushes
Extended exporting options
Low basic learning curve

Reasons to Avoid

A bit outdated UI
Lack of customization

TwistedBrush Pro Studio is a software with an extensive collection of more than 9000 brushes. If it’s still not enough for your art-craving soul, you can use the brush customization tools to create your own sets. The same goes for the included filters which provide tons of alternatives for your photo editing process. It has all features you expect to see in a design app: layers, brush settings, import and export options, etc. The best thing is, even though you have so many tools (and again, brushes!) available at your disposal, the menu doesn’t look cluttered.

This app definitely falls short compared to the majority of the programs mentioned above. TwistedBrush is an illustration and photo-editing tool best catering to those who see design as a hobby. It may not be the best choice for materializing complex ideas.

GIMP

Platforms

Windows 7 or later.
macOS 10.12 Sierra or later.
Linux.

Key Features

Customizable interface.
Photo enhancement.
Digital retouching.
Hardware support.
The vast file format support.

Pricing

free & open-source program

Reasons to Buy

Free open source software
Nice exporting options
Wide selection of tools

Reasons to Avoid

Questionable credibility of 3rd party plugins
UI needs improvement
No customer support

The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP for short, is free & open-source. You can tweak and customize it a lot with third-party plugins, which gives you all sorts of extra tricks. Sure, some of those plugins might be a bit sketchy, but GIMP’s creative possibilities are so diverse, it can even go toe-to-toe with Photoshop. Plus, it gets updates regularly to fix bugs and make things run smoother.

As always, there’s a downside. The interface looks like a thing from the past, and it’s not just about aesthetics: the terminology and functions take time to grasp. You need to either watch tons of tutorials or learn by trial and error until you finally get used to it. You might think that this program mimics Photoshop but you’ll understand it’s not true as soon as you take a closer look. For instance, our favorite “drag & drop” feature doesn’t work smoothly; to add something to the layer, you need to edit its properties instead of just throwing the graphics in there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best software for drawing?

It depends on several factors: your devices, drawing style & preferences, and finally, your drawing skills. All iPad users would vote for Procreate and its many customizable features as the best drawing app out there. As for computer programs, the top three paid options would be Adobe Photoshop (also great for photo editing), Adobe Illustrator, and Affinity Designer.

What is the best free software for drawing?

Great subscription-free programs are Krita, Corel Painter, and Inkscape. Each drawing app has all the essential drawing tools you might need for watercolor art, sketches, acrylic work, comics, and many other illustration styles.

What is the best drawing software for beginners?

The best drawing software for beginners would probably be the one with a more or less intuitive interface that won’t confuse an inexperienced user. In terms of this, Krita and Artweaver might be the most suitable options.

Which software is used for drawing?

Among the most-used drawing software programs there are Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity, Procreate, Rebelle, Corel Painter, GIMP, Clip Studio Paint Pro, and other options mentioned in our selection. Most of them have free trials, so before you give them a try without any investments.

Which drawing app is best for PC?

The choice of good software for your PC is a matter of your personal preferences and the specific design tasks you’re tackling. Generally, artists prefer these five drawing apps for PC: Krita, Photoshop, Affinity, Illustrator, and Clip Studio Paint Pro. We recommend using the paid versions as they provide a smoother drawing experience.

What drawing apps do professional artists use?

Each artist must pick the graphic software based on their needs and preferences, so there’s no one-size-fits-all list. However, professionals often go for the paid versions of Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Fresco), Procreate, and Clip Studio Paint Pro because they offer a wide range of realistic painting tools.

The post Best Drawing Programs & Apps in 2024 For Your Creativity appeared first on The Designest.

Top Graphic Design Projects That Can Enhance Your College Portfolio

The Designest Staff — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:05:25 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Graphic design is an ever-evolving field, blending creativity with technology to communicate ideas in an impactful way. For students aspiring to make a mark in this dynamic industry, a well-crafted college portfolio is crucial. It’s your golden ticket, showcasing your skills, style, and thinking process to potential educators or employers. But what projects should you include to ensure your portfolio stands out? Let’s dive in.

Understanding the Importance of a Diverse Portfolio

Why does diversity matter in a graphic design portfolio? Imagine walking into an art gallery. Would you be captivated by seeing the same style of painting on every wall? Probably not. Similarly, a portfolio that demonstrates a range of skills and styles is far more engaging. It shows you’re not a one-trick pony but a versatile and creative thinker capable of tackling various design challenges.

Enhancing Academic Success Through Expert Support

Seeking assistance from professional writers is a strategic move toward academic success. These experts don’t just help with the workload, they provide quality help that deepens understanding and enriches learning. In this digital era, such expertise is readily available online, making it easier for students to connect with knowledgeable professionals. In the journey of academic excellence, there often comes a time when a student pauses and thinks, “I really need an expert to do my homework now”. This isn’t about avoiding responsibility; rather, it’s about recognizing when external guidance is beneficial.

These platforms offer more than just homework help, they are gateways to comprehensive learning and understanding. By collaborating with experts, students can navigate through complex subjects more effectively, ensuring not only timely submission of their assignments but also a more enjoyable and stress-free educational experience.

1. Branding Projects: The Bread and Butter of Graphic Design

The Role of Branding

Branding projects are essential. They are the bread and butter of graphic design. Why? Because they encompass everything from logo design to creating a complete brand identity – color schemes, typography, and even the tone of voice used in communications. This is where you get to show off your ability to create a cohesive visual language that can be applied across various media.

Crafting a Mock Brand

Consider creating a mock brand for a company. This could be anything from a trendy coffee shop to a cutting-edge tech startup. The key is to demonstrate your process from research and conceptualization to the final design. Show how your design choices align with the brand’s values and target audience. This not only displays your design skills but also your strategic thinking.

2. Web and App Design: Showcasing Digital Prowess

In today’s digital age, showcasing your skills in web and app design is crucial. It’s not just about making things look good; it’s about enhancing user experience. How do you balance aesthetics with functionality?

Creating a User-Centric Design

Choose a project that solves a real-world problem. Maybe redesign an existing website or app, focusing on improving its usability and aesthetic appeal. Walk the viewer through your design process, from user research to wireframing and the final design. Highlight your understanding of UX/UI principles and how they inform your design decisions.

3. Interactive Media: The Future of Design

Interactive media projects, like AR/VR experiences or interactive infographics, are a great way to show that you’re on the cutting edge of design. They reflect your technical skills and your ability to create engaging, immersive experiences.

Exploring New Dimensions

Consider developing an interactive infographic that presents data in a visually engaging and interactive way. Or, delve into the realm of AR/VR and create a simple application or experience. Document your process, challenges, and how you overcame them. This not only showcases your technical ability but also your problem-solving skills.

4. Social Media Campaigns: The Art of Engagement

Why Social Media Design Matters

In our digitally connected world, social media is a powerhouse for communication and marketing. As a graphic designer, creating content that is not only visually appealing but also engaging and shareable is a valuable skill.

Designing for Engagement

Create a series of social media graphics for a cause or brand you’re passionate about. Explain your choice of platforms, the design elements used, and how they cater to the target audience. Show your understanding of different social media formats and how design can drive engagement and action.

5. Packaging Design: Combining Form and Function

Packaging design is a unique blend of art and science. It’s not just about making a product look attractive; it’s about functionality and the unboxing experience.

Innovating with Packaging

Design packaging for a hypothetical product. Focus on how your design reflects the brand’s identity and values, and how it stands out on the shelf. Discuss materials, sustainability aspects, and the user experience. This project can demonstrate your ability to think three-dimensionally and consider both aesthetics and practicality.

Conclusion: Crafting a Portfolio That Opens Doors

Your college portfolio is more than just a collection of your best work; it’s a narrative of your growth and potential as a graphic designer. By including diverse projects like branding, web/app design, interactive media, social media campaigns, and packaging design, you showcase not just your design skills but your strategic thinking, technical prowess, and creativity.

Remember, each project in your portfolio is a story. Make it engaging, make it unique, and most importantly, make it yours. Your portfolio is the first step in your journey as a graphic designer. Make it count!

The post Top Graphic Design Projects That Can Enhance Your College Portfolio appeared first on The Designest.

⬆ 70+ Best Photoshop Text Effect PSD Templates

The Designest Staff — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:11:44 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

An impossible love for movies and retro(or these two combined) has grown my interest in text styles. You can be designing any project, and nothing can boost the process and set accents better than a robust text style.

Inspired by immortal cinematography, design trends, and movements, these effects perform as a great final touch and save loads of your time. I am not sure if it’s always possible to find the matching typeface, but there are still loads of premium and free effects for an explosion-like impact — like the one for the Stranger Things did.

Essential Text Effects

Sliced Letters Text Effect

Golden Glitter Text Effect

Broken Text Photoshop Effect

Old Movie Titles Collection

Glitch Text Effects Collection

Cosmic Retro Text Effect

elements.envato.com

You don’t have to be a proficient artist to create a finest text design for your project. Every item contains Smart Objects, so you can apply an artistic effect to your text in a few seconds and instantly skyrocket the visual interest. All in all, intuitive use is the hugest advantage (after engaging look, of course) of a text effect — and it’s the primary reason why there are so many of them in everyone’s toolbox.

relevant:

55+ Best Glitch Effects October 4, 2023

50+ Best Futuristic Fonts: Make Your Own Cutting-Edge Look May 9, 2023

Fancy Gold Text Effect

Have your company’s name written in a fanciful way with this PSD text effect for Photoshop. It imitates gold of the best quality, leaving no room for doubt about its realism. Write any inscription with golden letters! But it’s not only the text effect that makes it look fantastic but the suitable font choice, so take your time checking out which one to use. Take a moment to appreciate the lighting, adding a more genuine look to the scene or logo.

Now you can make your typography look gorgeous with an expansive collection of Adobe Photoshop text effects. They are delivered by the major freebie blogs like Pixelbuddha, Graphic Burger or Pixeden, and the best thing about them is that you don’t have to pay for the resources. We have also featured the most precious premium Photoshop styles! We have hundreds of text add-ons in our toolbox, however, only the creams of the crop have reached this selection — and we’re sure you’ll love them as much as we do!

Neon Layer Styles

Do you feel that with this retro obsession taking over the world, more and more people feel the urge for some cosmic or underground vibe? If your answer is “yes”, then you’ll love this set of Photoshop text styles. It includes 70+ layer styles with over sixty color variations, bonus backgrounds, and a detailed instruction file — a whole package of resources to delve into neon typography and carry out something extraordinary.

Neon Lighting Text Effect — Photoshop

Playful Letters Text Effect

Get excited about the bubble cartoon lettering, bringing party vibes and tons of fun to your graphic design projects! Workflow can become even more engaging when it’s supplied with a goofy PSD text effect you’re looking at right now. That’s the beauty of this text effect!

Cartoon Text Effect

Ghost Letters Text Effect

This free PSD text effect could be an irreplaceable tool for making themed product covers, book designs, website animated blocks, and all other purposes of use you can come up with. No strings attached to the certain topic or sphere, only you and your perception of beauty. Load the text into a Smart Layer, save the changes and become a master of typography magic!

Lava Light Logo Mockup

Color Distortion Text Effect

If you’re tired of being puzzled all the time, this color distortion PSD text effect is for you! Type the required text and choose out of 4 color scheme gradients. It might happen that even this trick won’t meet your expectations about the result, well, we’ve got you covered: use the white distorted lettering and play a minimalism card.

Retro Text Effects

Free Color Leak Text Effect

Here you have this free color leak Photoshop text effect for the craziest transformations! One drop of its toxic distortion condemns your image to an infinite, unbearable aesthetic pleasure. The free PSD text effect was inspired by trippy urban vibe, indie music album designs, and electric club atmosphere, so the characters made spiky and a bit broken.

Vintage Comics PSD Text Effects

Noir Retro Photoshop Text Effects — Photoshop

Let every piece you create be ultimately attractive and imbue your vintage typography with genuine noir ambiance. Indeed, these two free Photoshop effects are so engaging and professionally crafted that a choosy creative will not let them pass by. And with the Smart Layers, the customization process becomes so simple as smooth that a powerful poster, card, or anything is not a problem at all.

Japan Text Effect

Page Flip Text Effect

The Page Flip effect is a text PSD template, which contains 4 color solutions for flipping pages set up. Whenever you hover over the text on your slide, it will reveal what’s written beneath like magic! Take your showcase to the next level by adding this text effect PSD template.

Fabric Kingdom Photoshop Edition

3D 80s Text Effects Vol.2

Find yourself in the glossy and fizzy ambiance of the 80s once you open these cool text effects in Photoshop! The pack provides 10 files, each with its unique mood and vibe — and there is no doubt you will find the one to fit your today’s text design. You don’t need to install anything in Photoshop, simply open the files and replace the text in the Smart Object.

Crashed Glitch Text Effects

Papercut Text Effect

Trust the work to quality styles and you’re free of accidents like these forever! Prepare playful headlines, website banners, posters and flyer designs in a couple of clicks! All you need is this text effect PSD template and its infinite creative power, launched by your unique artistic vision.

Vivid 80s Retro Text Effects

Melting Text Effect

Melting PSD text effect will have your audience in awe with its creative and unique designs. With so many colors, you can easily create the perfect visual for any project. Whether you’re looking for a bright and colorful neon look or something more subtle, this text layer style has you covered.

Data Glitch — Free Text Effect

Circus Text Styles

These one-click effects are perfect for drawing the eye towards your flyers, greetings cards, and books. You can also use them for matching themed projects & events — festivals, theaters, club nights, vintage fairs, craft events, and much more. Graphic styles allow you to change the look of an object quickly.

Doppler Distortion Text Effect

Retro Photoshop Text Effects Pack

The pack includes 10 PSD files with one retro text effect each. They are high-resolution, so you’ll be able to use your creations both for web and print projects. Pick up the images as is, or hide the background and import the chosen PSD text effect into your other design projects such as posters, flyers, social media posts, YouTube banners, and website headers.

Old Comics Text Effects

Lightbox Text Effect

Neon stylistic doesn’t always imply something over-vibrant and colorful. With this Photoshop text effect PSD template, you will be able to give any text or shapes soft neon lights appearance and make them stand out on a dark background. The PSD asset contains smart layers to make it easy to use and modify — ever for a beginner who have never worked with PSD text effect before.

Neon Sign Photoshop Effect

Stranger Things Font Effect

Grab your Eggo waffles, turn on the Christmas lights on the wall, and give up to a pleasant nostalgia for four seasons of ‘Stranger Things’ with our text style! Be creative and make your fan version of the intro, where you can call the show your own way. This Photoshop text style will surely set the mysterious mood!

Retro Wood Text Styles

Sandwich 3D Text Effect

Turn your images into an ultra-modern composition with a 3D Photoshop text effect! It’s a great tool to create something brand-new from your copyright — or add depth and a sandwich texture to your plain piece of copy. All you need to do is type your text in the smart layers and save the changes: that’s how easy it is to work with this text effect PSD template.

Sliced Letters Text Effect

Pro 3D Text Mockup PSD

The aesthetic of 3D typography can push any design work to a new level. Glow, volume, textures — these are things that do the job and make up the best of these 3D font effects. The pack includes four PSD files displaying four different styles — and you’ll find it super easy to apply them to your copy or make any necessary edits.

American Vintage Text Effects

PSD Retro Text Effect

Feel the smell of hot coffee and pancakes of Ameriсan diners? These come along with this absolutely striking, overwhelming, bold 3D PSD text effect made to shine through at all sizes. The assets do not require special experience — and as you’ve got them in a click, be sure to edit and customize them in a click, too!

Medieval Gold Text Effect

Grand Motel Text Effect

Here’s a retro Photoshop text effect PSD template inspired by the fantastic vintage motel sign designs. Type your own text and create a striking typography piece in just one click — and make sure that your cards, invitations, posters, gift paper (or any other kind of message) are perceived not only by the eye but by the heart!

Foil Balloon Text Effects

PSD Candy Cane Text Effect

Have Christmas anytime you want with this free Photoshop text effect PSD! This themed item represents a neat candy cane texture that will transform any text into a sweet looking Christmas treat and bring you festive mood wherever you are. Feel free to use the PSD text effect to fill your decor, posters, prints, and greeting cards with joy!

Fade Out 3D Text Effect

Stainless Steel Text Effect

Forge the iron lettering for your projects with only one PSD file at hand! We’ve prepared the simple in use metallic text effect PSD template, able to polish your text until it shines. The text won’t get scratched or corroded only praised and loved by the audience! Insert the phrase that needs to be converted to iron, save it and watch the blacksmith craft in action.

Rose Photoshop Text Effect

Back to the 80s Retro Text Effects

Think of your favorite video games, neon leggings, disco tunes, and design trends living their resurrection now. So, words apart, welcome Back to the 80s effects — a pack which features Hotline Miami, Kung Fury, Drive, Tron, and many more!

PSD Wall Poster Text Effect

Anaglyphic Stereo Text Effect

Let the crazy colors dance their jaunty dances in your lettering, striking everyone with unbelievable combinations! Comprise several colors in one anaglyph PSD text effect to increase its aesthetics and add there some broken VHS vibes. Open the PSD file, type your text, choose the color solution out of 3 premade color schemes, hit save and watch the characters getting distorted instantly.

Authentic Vintage Text Effects

80s Retro Font Style — Photoshop

Create an iconic, 80’s inspired piece of typography or logo with this chrome PSD text effect inspired by some of the most popular tutorials on old-school sign design. To apply this retro effect to your text or vector shape, just edit the smart layers in Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator, and you’ll be done in no time — just feel free to breathe the spirit of your project into the text effect PSD template!

Are you already craving for more? The teams below have picked their teeth on text add-ons, so you’re meant to fall for their incredible text styles and the best text effects designers ever used or created. We’ve embraced both grunge to vintage-styled techniques, so there is no way out but to give your heart to one of these great projects. There is also plenty of industrial, tech, glitch, artistic, and even 3D text effects, so hold on, as the selection is going to be super mind-blowing!

relevant:

65+ Best Neon Fonts For 2024 ⇮ Free & Paid December 4, 2023

Freebie: noir retro Photoshop text effects February 13, 2020

80s Metal Photoshop Text Effect

Make any text and font have an 80’s heavy metal-inspired Photoshop effect to it with one double click. The pack includes hi-res, layered PSD file with Smart Objects for the text, layer effects, free concrete texture, and a video tutorial for added extras. It will show how to add shadows around the extrusion and light glares around the edges to really make your design pop!

Cinematic 3D Text Effect

Concrete Wall Text Effect

Just like with regular art, your have different materials and techniques at your disposal! Quickly achieve a flawless image with this concrete PSD text effect for Photoshop. All you have to do it to paste your text inside the Smart Layer and save it. Such typography will be an excellent solution for branding, advertising, logotypes. Or you can take some risks and use it as an element of your decor or stationery prints.

PSD Frames Text Effect

Cinematic Title Text Effect

Movie add-ons seem to be one of the most popular among designers. And that’s quite obvious, as they always look like a piece of art! Add this high-detail cinematic text effect PSD template to your logos or any other texts to get a dramatic look right from your favorite movies. All you have to do is to type the desired text inside the Smart Layer, and your work is done.

Patchwork Effect Photoshop Toolkit

Digital Glitch Text Effect

Have this free digital glitch PSD text effect for Photoshop in your collection! You probably have a glitch photo effect, so don’t you think you also need something for your texts? The effect may be used to highlight the tech vibe of your header or logo. To create one, you can easily add your copy using the top Smart Layer. The PSD template also contains two versions of the effect, and you can easily customize it to your needs.

Chrome Photoshop Text Effects

Sketch PSD Text Effect

To do graphic art, you sometimes need only a few handy text templates — and a matching font! This PSD template uses Smart Objects to create a realistic sketch effect for any text or shape. The file includes three different text effect styles with changeable colors. Suitable for headings, titles, logotypes, packaging designs, branding ideas — in other words, anywhere a sketch text effect PSD file would look striking!

Underwater Text Effect

80s Style Text Effect

Neon gloss won’t make it worse! Probably, these are the best effects you might have to bring the 80s back to your artworks. Realistic, sleek, and unique — just what you need to create your own iteration of some retro music album, or make a vintage poster to remind you of the roaring 80s!

Realistic Gold Text Effect for Photoshop

3D 80s Text Effect

Are you ready to take back to the 80s, The period of mind-blowing discos, vivid colors, video games? So, please welcome a masterly created 3D 80s Text Effect. If you want to travel in time, just type your text and apply this text effect PSD — then sit back and relax, your beautiful 80s text is ready. This free text effect works best on flyers, logos, movie titles, Facebook timelines.

Realistic Gold Text Effect for Photoshop

Vintage Photoshop Layer Styles

These 16 effects were inspired by ragged edges of old-style typography and its halftone printing manner. Implementing such romanticism of the 30s typography is a piece of cake — you open smart object, place lettering, then apply a graphic style! Time-traveling to the past of modern typography is possible with less than 15 seconds.

Back to the Future Text Effect

Retro Text Effect

Oh, that charm of a vintage texture with its retro worn effect! If your heart belongs to it forever, then this PSD text effect is in good hands and ingenious mind. Create distinctive vintage typography with its help — besides, it’s so simple! You can use the Smart Layer to apply the bold 3D effect to any text or shape.

Bold 3D Text Effect

Retrica Vintage Text Effects Pack

Retrica pack delivers Photoshop text styles imbued with nostalgia and fire — a rare emotional alliance to burn bright your designs, including various banners, cards, stationery, clothing, logos, illustrations, or, for example, packaging. All in all, all your ideas are welcome!

Frozen Light Logo Mockup

Broken Glass Text & Logo Effect

An image doesn’t have to be super neat, polished, and clean to sustain visual interest. In fact, you can do the opposite: place a piece of cloudy broken class above your text, logotype, or symbol and enjoy the image that sparks your design vision. All that’s needed is this text effect PSD template!

Candy Vector Text Effect

Free Metal 3D Text Effect Photoshop

A realistic metal font style for Photoshop is what you need to upgrade your text design and give it a sci-fi look in just a few clicks. The freebie contains the Smart Object layer, where you can add your creatives, and is all about futuristic vibrancy. Highly recommend adding it to your collection.

Forged Steel Text Effect

Holographic Chrome Effect

Embrace the spirit of retro album covers or epic space art by unpacking this text effect PSD template into a Photoshop working area. First, you need to pick one of 3 chrome effects, then adjust the background ‘cause it’s totally changeable. Customize the image by turning the stars on or off.

Blurred Spray Stencils Effect

Cyber Glitching Effect

Badass intro titles for a new video, cyber-themed social media posts, or a magnificent branding piece — any typography effects are realizable now! Take a new challenge bravely, as this Photoshop font effect is here to cover your ideas. The file operates equally well with text and logotypes, bursting them into a myriad of glitches, mismatches, and little artistic distortions.

The post ⬆ 70+ Best Photoshop Text Effect PSD Templates appeared first on The Designest.

50+ Best Hippie Fonts: Groovy and Free-Spirited

The Designest Staff — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:04:51 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Even if your parents are far from design matters, they will definitely love this selection of hippie fonts! What a throwback to the times of the fancily decorated buses, first environment concerns, and music festivals.

The stylistic of the 60s is long gone. But its heritage — the philosophy, social relations, fashion, groovy styles and music — has become a part of our life, and we keep resorting to separate elements without evening aware of it. So with this selection of resources, we’d love to pay homage to the legendary epoch and help you pick the rare types which follow its aesthetic.

Essential Hippie Fonts

Fredam Theory — Retro Bold Script Font

Dorris — Swirly Font Family

Agies Fresh — Retro Bold Script Font

Far Out!

Folkloric

Magic Land

elements.envato.com

The hippie fonts bubble letters are well-balanced with modern shapes, and minimalist backgrounds. But of course, these hippie fonts perfectly go with the juicy, psychedelic color palette and corresponding style as well. The truth is, you can use them to explore retro typography in full and use for a broader range of projects: from film titles and music album covers to t-shirt prints, posters, and branding filled with the vibes of absolute love and freedom.

relevant:

40+ Best Western Fonts: Rustic, Cowboy, and Old West Styles April 21, 2023

60+ Best Retro & Vintage Fonts: Free & Paid Typography March 24, 2023

65+ Best Tattoo Fonts August 18, 2022

Groovy — Retro Font

The Groovy type is inspired by the famous retro hippie fonts & designs of the late ’60s and ’70s. It comes with a bonus extruded font version, so you won’t need extra effort to create an extruded effect for your needs. The font includes 593 glyphs, and OpenType Features are also added to push this bold and sporty font to the top level. Stylistic alternates, swashes, ligatures — there is plenty of typographic styles to skyrocket your work.

Surreal Psychedelic Typeface

If you’re looking to inject the right dose of mojo into your retro designs, then this free hippie font is for you. Each quirky letter unveils its potential in various colors & font pairings you must try! Surreal is a hand-drawn psychedelic display font perfect for groovy posters, experimental artwork, and rad design projects.

Morvino Growing — Retro Monoline font

Morvino Growing is a vibing playful font, that can be used for products such as baby necessities, crafts, product packaging, quotes, product designs, craftsmen, labels, photography, watermarks, logos & branding. Everything can be accessed using software that supports Opentype features, such as Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Corel Draw.

Modak

Greet a newbie hippie font to your toolbox, it’s an Open Source, chubby typeface. The design started off as one of our heavy hand-sketched letterform explorations. The characters were cute/round and not bulky/rigid.

Mintello — Modern Retro Typeface

Need memorable, versatile hippie fonts with a retro feel? Take a closer look at Mintello hippie font with sharp and beautiful letters that create modern, trendy, and elegant projects. It comes with convenient OpenType features such as stylistic alternates, stylistic sets, and ligatures.

Little Bird Vintage Script Font

You’ve already found the script font to write your hippie name with and get all nostalgic about summer of love. In order to add a retro feel to any of your upcoming projects, sophisticated ligatures were applied, playfully inviting every character to dance.

Sake Moru Unique Display Font

Sake Moru is one of experimental hippie fonts. Its aim was to become a proper font for advertising, branding, logotypes, packaging, titles, headlines, and editorial design. This font comes in two styles, it’s PUA encoded, which allows full access to additional characters without having special design software.

Better Hobby Display Font

Colorful highlighter markers and overlaying strokes style — that’s the recipe for a joyous free display layered font you’re looking at. It fits the projects that require some vivacity, fun and high spirits! The layered font has a unique shape, very suitable for the casual and playful design theme.

Peculiar People — Psychedelic

Relaxing outdoor jam sessions and a balance of body & mind. It sounds a bit pompous when describing hippie fonts, but nothing would do it better. It’s a psychedelic hand-drawn font that creates incredible designs with a playful touch. Add some holographic texture patterns to enhance the look!

Glaw Psychedelic Variable Typeface

Palm Glaw Psychedelic Font is a one-of-a-kind typeface with 3 weights, matching the product’s style. Just type your text and and pick the perfect appearance for the letters. There are also accent characters and 10 psychedelic vector backgrounds included. It’s never been easier to get good vibes and 70s styles.

Vacation Vibes Handwritten Font

Inspired by the ’70s and the smooth aesthetic of gel pens, the fluid style of this strong vintage sans serif typeface is felt through the hand-drawn letterforms and blotted ends. The hippie font package is provided with 16+ additional glyphs and 20 vectors pack.

Giuthen — Modern Psychedelic Sans Serif

Don’t let the venom-like style & unique terminal forms scare you away. Giuthen Sans Serif typeface is perfect for your upcoming projects, just give it a try. Originated from a typical hippie style typography, this font has evolved into a versatile tool for making top-notch graphics.

Roges Font

A groovy typeface like this is made of quirky geometric shapes. Its dynamic characters are perfect to bring flowing handwriting to your text graphics. Roges features a complete character set, including some alternates, ligatures, and multilingual support.

The Bambank Script

The Bambank Script is a stylish hand-drawn 60s hippie font characterized by a strong vintage feel. It features a varying baseline, smooth lines, gorgeous glyphs, and stunning alternates. The critical point is to include this hippie font in your project.

Manuscribe — Psychedelic Typeface

Manuscribe is a chic psychedelic typeface with smooth flow and sharp serif that make it stand out for display or short text purposes. It can be used to create almost all types of design projects, including print materials. Just use your imagination, and the project will become more alive.

Bell Bottom Laser

It’s the most popular fonts style for the hippie t-shirts and old rusty van designs! It was praised by the pop-culture and got firmly saved in the trending design movements of the previous century. Now, this hippie font has all this energy to become a focal point of any design project!

Mamenchisa

All the characters dance in a cheerful composition, supplied by this beautiful psychedelic display font! Charge any logo or title with the solar power it exudes, turning some dull typography into a piece of art, made in a hippie movement style.

Alba

Between numerous vintage psychedelic movement posters and old-school bumper stickers with anti-war symbolics, this free hippie font was found! Saved in its pristine rounded shapes, the typeface strikes with funky turns and joyous slides.

Euphoria Party

Euphoria Party is a psychedelic style font, inspired by vintage albums and posters from 1960s music bands. The several variations make this font even more unique in style. It’s also great for any kind of display: t-shirt designs, album, cover, poster, label, signage, quote, logo, greeting card, logotype, and many more.

Lettown Hills Display Font

Lettown Hills is inspired by urban or freestyle artworks. With casual or marker style and a lot of stylistic alternates, you can create realistic headers. It’s catchy free hippie font that can be used with vintage, simple, and modern styles. Lettown Hills also comes with special swashes.

Janger — Display Font

This is an item, able to steal the attention of all those retro fans, hooked on a powerful hippie fonts vibe. Janger features a reverse contrast style with a retro and psychedelic look that’s ideal for posters, t-shirts, branding, logo and more.

Tangerine — Retro Font

This typeface features unique letters that have that juicy 70s feel! The bold curves pay homage to the big hair and bell-bottoms of the golden era. Tangerine fits perfectly into those nostalgic moodboards and vintage logos.

Goodbees

Goodbees lets you think of good times only! To see this free hippie font in action, you must include it in your design — pick an appropriate background and color solution to make it pop! Add some verbal vibrancy to these hippie letters and watch how they’ll instantly highlight your work!

Gulp – Ultra Bold Display

GULP is a playful and fun font inspired by pop art, hippie, and comic book styles. It’s groovy, funky, and retro, with an ultra-bold and fat appearance, perfect for eye-catching headers and short-word texts. The italic style adds a touch of uniqueness, giving it a playful edge.

Willful Handwritten Brush Font

Let us introduce you to Willful — juicy and vibrant brush font with retro feel for a designer’s choosy heart. If it were a puzzle, we would characterize it as something soft, airy, and crayon-made. But we’ll just introduce Willful: perfect for greeting cards & other cute designs.

Gliker Font Family

The typeface is inspired by the characteristics of Hobo types and groovy hippie fonts of the ’60s. So now it merges dynamic, and the finest vintage feel, celebrating its ubiquity. Gliker contains 4 weights and 7 widths, which makes 28 styles. Also, it comes with extended multilingual support.

Val Font

Chubby, clouds-like hippie typeface, has what it takes to debut as the central theme of any retro design project. Meet Val — a cute little fellow with grand ambitions! This free font features very distinctive & sweet style. Write any logotype or phrase, then make it last forever in your next artwork.

Ramdone — Retro Script

Ramdone is a retro bold script that will bring you back to the 60s with its funky hippie letters. The type has the extrude version so that you can create your retro effect font with ease. This hippie font includes uppercase & lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, different ligatures, alternates, and swashes.

Manteiga Gorda

Perfect packaging is priceless, and this hippie font comes for free: you just need to have an active Adobe subscription. Once this typeface is installed on your computer, you get to work with a stunning decorative font, boasting with voluminous, balloon lettering.

Aerillyo — Retro Bold Script Font

The Aerillyo is a bold 1960 hippie font. It’s curved and rounded in every single touch and has a unique vintage style. Just think of the nostalgic mood these hippie letters will convey! Create themed banners and posters, advertising, decor, apparel prints, all spangled with the powerful retro vibe.

Popstone Display Font

Popstone is a unique font, looking bubbly and funky, containing 10 weights from thin to black, has alternatives and a lot of fun ligatures to play with. This is a versatile font family, which you can use for posters, logos, retro or vintage projects, DIY in the ’60s style, and much more!

Margin — Retro Serif Font

Margin is a stylish hippie font that is both retro and bold. Its thick curves give a 70s groovy vibe, with the serifs bringing it slightly back to traditional typography. Margin fits perfectly into nostalgic moodboards and vintage logos. Add tie dye texture patterns as backgrounds to embrace the hippie style!

Swear Display

The myriad of popular fonts corresponding to the changing project mood — Swear Display comes as a fully-developed typographic palette. Switch between font styles to eventually agree on the most suitable one. It’s a reserved set of characters, coming as a funky hippie font, offering you more than you expected.

The Bayland — Retro Font

This groovy hippie font will bring you back to the vibrant, driving ’60s — and make you suddenly discover an interest in collage design! This script has the extruded version so that you can create a retro logo or signage with a remarkable effect in no time. Bayland was made seeking a perfect version of a hippie font with a modern touch.

Hippie Mods | Groovy Font

Hippie Mods is a font that takes you back to the psychedelic era of the 1960s and 70s. This fun and retro typeface is a true embodiment of the free-spirited movement, peace, and love, capturing the essence of the countercultural revolution in its design. Its flowing curves, hand-drawn feel, and vintage details evoke the spirit of a bygone era.

Heavy Heap Font

Heavy Heap is a groovy psychedelic typeface on fire! It’s got a scorching look, reminiscent of 1960s hot-rod culture and die-cast toy vehicles. The font includes three sizzling weights and blistering mathematical symbols, OpenType fractions, and a range of searing hot currency symbols.

Dorris — Swirly Font Family

Dorris is a swirly hippie fonts family with alternates and ornaments. It brings the best of popular fonts in retro style and mixes the perks of a hippie font with the geometry of modern display fonts. Try all its capital letters for a happy, cute, and beautiful look.

The Beardy

The Beardy is inspired by Didone serif combined with flourishing typography, the ’60s-’70s hippie culture, and the groovy hippie fonts. It was done so to make The Beardy a versatile type — just look how its style matches retro effects, juicy colors, or modern gastronomic photography.

Mexcellent Font

Mexcellent is a tri-linear stripe font. You can combine layers to create interesting color effects. Mexcellent Regular was designed with tighter spacing & vertical metrics than the other layers. If you want to stack layers on Mexcellent Back, use Mexcellent Middle and Mexcellent Outside instead.

Funkies Bold Script Font

Play the music loud & let the vibe of the ’60s into your place and mind. We’re going to make creative fun with this jolly font called Funkies. Bringing the merriest retro era back, Funkies is inspired by posters and album covers of funk, disco, and rockabilly music with bold and fun style.

Noeran Display Font

Noeran is a bold slab typeface. It demonstrates solid and scenic hippie fonts’ letterforms perfect for titles and branding. You’ll find it tricky to classify Noeran as a modern or classic one, and this ubiquity of styles is another huge perk that allows you to use it with no attachment to the overall image.

Aromatron Font

Aromatron is a friendly yet striking typeface with a balanced and consistent style. Drawing inspiration from the shapes of nature, unique solutions were employed to achieve a rich, dark, creamy texture. The font is equipped with lining and old-style numerals, automatic fractions, various caps sizes, subscript and sets of superscript characters.

Fredam Theory — Retro Bold Script Font

Fredam Theory is a bold script with groovy style, unique design taste and style of the 80s, coming with interlocking glyphs. It’s perfect for retro lovers, besides this font is also perfect if used for brands such as: barbershop, motorcycle club, clothing, logo brand, coffee shop, shoe brands, hipster and many more.

Akaya Telivigala Font

Dancing like the jaunty fire flames, this font’s letters, terminal forms & accent characters are all buoyant and cheerful, reflecting the hippie mood. Apart from the standard set of letters, the typeface comes with additional glyphs and an Arabic version as well.

Stoned Youth Graphic Font

Stoned Youth Graphic Font is a one of the other hippie fonts with built in graphics. Just type your text and add intertwined graphic letters with a single click. It’s never been easier to get unique and stylish typography with bonus graphics included.

Sonsie One

Sonsie One is a heavy, large x-height script font. It was inspired by hand-painted signs seen in Munich and some hippie fonts, of course. It improves on its sources by adding warmth, smoother flow and of touch of funkiness. This one is best used for display purposes.

Chicle Font

Chicle has bold, stretchable, kid-proof, pet-resistant letters. It is made to take the abuse of software used to put together the elaborate, attention-scrambling artwork of candy, cereal, and toy packaging. Are you intrigued by such an unusual product description or what?

Cognace Decorative Font

This blaze of shapes is inspired by hippie movement. Embraced everything it could and spiced with a little bit of sharpness, Cognace supports more than 40 languages. It can make your branding project fresh and frisky, come good as a banner, or simply as a headline of your editorial.

Gulfs Display

This playful font comes in six widths, embracing the hippie movement. Gulfs Display can be used for modern and vintage designs also can be easily paired with some graphic elements. It’s perfect for logotypes, branding, titles, stationery and packaging.

Malvie Font

Malvie is one of the casual, groovy and friendly hippie fonts. Made for titling and products, branding, packaging, display, signage and other fit-for-bold medium. Each glyphs shown dynamic curves, especially with the stems which is personalized by heavy swinging stroke.

Peanut Donuts — Retro Bubble Font

Open your heart and designs to one of the typographic trends 2024: bubble fonts! Peanut Donuts is a perfect one to explore the latest tendencies. In its characters, it merges retro shapes from food trucks with bubbly shapes. The font has a complete set of letters, including numbers, punctuation, and multilingual support.

The post 50+ Best Hippie Fonts: Groovy and Free-Spirited appeared first on The Designest.

The Key Role of Digital Video Editing for Marketing

The Designest Staff — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 18:34:17 +0000

2024 is a new year where video editing gets increasingly important for marketing. Through the lens of TV or social media, video content is presumably the number 1 type of content consumed daily by millions of users.

It’s safe to assume that video editing plays a key role in marketing today, and if you hire a wizz or just are one, then you’re surely ahead of the competition. It’s good to remember that it’s not all about editing it’s about the content you offer as well.

Video Content Marketing Benefits

Apart from the fact that we rarely listen to the radio, except when cooking or driving, and not even talking about traditional media, video is available to us all the time. Learning something new usually takes us to YouTube. So, video is always there, and although there are marketing challenges, there are also great benefits:

Trust building: If you’re a customer and you see how the product is behaving before you buy it, it builds trust in that product and makes you tilt toward buying it even more, you just might make a decision based on a video.
Conversion boosts: As trust is built, conversion rates increase, and the sheer consumable nature of video content makes it more likely that it reaches customers first than any other type.
SEO improvements: It’s no secret that it helps in search engine optimization, especially if you add descriptions and captions to it.
Preferred by customers: Watching videos is the easiest thing to do. Think of a product you wanted to buy, e.g. a smartphone, the first few words that go into YouTube are ‘smartphone xyz review’.
Easily shareable: Video content engages people to share it. Think of how many times you sent some interesting video to a friend. It might’ve been a recipe or some funny thing that took only a few taps or clicks to share.
Interesting: This testifies to all the benefits. Think about it this way. Would you rather watch a walkthrough on how a product works or read through the instructions on how to use it?

Importance of Video Editing in Marketing

Imagine you captured a video and immediately posted it as an ad without thinking about the quality, the sound, the size of the video, etc. The reason we get so captivated by a video ad is editing.

Someone took their time to consider the perfect quality of video and sound, the perfect size of that video, and what kind of content it will show. That’s what results in a sentence that measures marketing success, “What a great ad!?”

Planning the Video Editing Process

Think about how you can enhance marketing through video editing. You’ve seen those great ads in your feed, and you’ve seen them on TV. But, have you thought about what makes them stand out:

Plan: It’s not just one video, it’s an entire video marketing plan. So, think about sequences and how the videos will follow each other to make it seamless for the potential customers.
Message: The message should be edited and conveyed in each video you use for marketing. When you see a new phone ad, the message is conveyed through effects, transitions, and other tiny beautiful details.
Software: For the right way to get the message to the customers, you need the right type of video editing software. It depends on the budget and the time you have, but you can always use some tools for starters.
Skill: Take a look at best practices, courses, and other learning materials or even software instructions to see how you can improve your video content for marketing. Even if you don’t end up using them, you’ll have learned something new.
Feedback: Once you’re done making a marketing video, take it to other people who do similar things. They don’t need to be experts to provide feedback for your end product. What it looks like to them will give you some insight into what you can improve on.
Hardware: Don’t forget about machines that will help you pull it off. There are great laptops for graphic design, photo and video editing, and programming. They should be specifically picked out because not every laptop will render a video as fast as you’d like.

Creating Great Marketing Videos: Best Practices

Editing a marketing video involves knowing who you’re making the content for, crafting a story for the video, not making it too long, optimizing it for all device types and search engines, targeting the right metrics and analyzing them, and having a call to action to help your customers.

1. Consumer Group

The consumer group, i.e. target audience is the one you’re trying to sell to. Who’s going to use your software solution, physical product, food, etc? These people are the ones you should pitch to, and the ones that will form your focus group.

2. Storytelling

This is the message part, the story is all that matters. Don’t just shoot something and edit it to look fancy. Create an entire story, an experience around the product so that your customers mean business.

3. No Movies

Don’t make your marketing video a movie, make it short and meaningful. For example, an ad about shampoo shows glowing hair, a beautiful smile, and the shampoo. Imagine it being about the entire walk home from work. It’s too long.

4. Optimization

Optimize for smartphones because it’s the number one used device for entertainment. Optimize for search engines as well. Optimize with captions and descriptions to reach the first results on the page.

5. Metrics Analysis

Take a look at the metrics of your other content, publish it, and then compare the metrics of your video and the other content. This will help you see how effective videos can be in marketing, and you can use it to improve the editing of the video.

6. Call to Action

This is something that goes without saying, including a call to action will guide your customers to perform other necessary steps to get what they want and get you what you need.

Video marketing is essentials nowadays. The key role of video editing in marketing is clear. It’s the thing that delivers great quality and effects to your product and makes customers want to try it, see it, and experience it. So, learn a little more about it and watch your business bloom.

The post The Key Role of Digital Video Editing for Marketing appeared first on The Designest.

Easy Photo Editors For Photo Processing That Do Not Require Photoshop Knowledge

The Designest Staff — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 12:09:14 +0000

The Designest may receive compensation from companies, products, and services featured in this publication. For more details, please refer to our Affiliate Disclosure page.

The need to process a photo from time to time arises for almost everyone. With the help of a smartphone or computer, you can prepare a photo for publication in social networks, make a poster for a small event, or simply try your hand at graphic design.

The most famous tool is Adobe Photoshop. This is a really powerful program, but it is expensive, demanding the characteristics of the computer, and it is realistic to get a good result only after a long training. Is it possible to do without such difficulties, to get a good retouch here and now, if you are a beginner? Of course! Let’s break down the best photo editing tools.

RetouchMe

The RetouchMe App photo editor can be downloaded to an Android or iOS smartphone – the app has minimal requirements for the device’s technical specifications. To use the program, you do not need to have any skills at all, because retouching is handled by experienced designers, thus armed with Adobe Photoshop and other professional tools. A big advantage is the piece-by-piece payment for photos – no regularly expiring subscriptions.

Simply upload a photo and choose the desired effects from a large list. Since the processing is done manually, there are no restrictions on the complexity of retouching. Thanks to the professionalism of the designers, the changes will be imperceptible, and you can get the finished result within minutes. The finished image can be immediately posted on the network or used for creativity. Although the work is done by real experts, the app functions 24/7.

Movavi Picverse

A photo editor in which most of the options are realized in the form of switches and sliders, so it will be easy to figure out editing. Such complex processes as restoration of old photos are realized with the help of artificial intelligence. Users have access to more than a hundred ready-made filters and effects. You can download the program for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The free version has a reduced functionality, more features can be obtained with a paid subscription.

Fotor

This is a free photo editor with a set of automatic basic options: color correction, effect overlay, face retouching, collages, text inserts, etc. Allows you to work with graphic files of all major formats. You can figure out how to use the built-in tools on the fly. The program is available for users of computers on Windows, and macOS, as well as mobile devices on Android, and iOS. Among the disadvantages can be noted limited functionality and imperfect results when processing portraits.

Canva

A service designed to work from a computer. Quite powerful and, at the same time, an easy to use program with a large library of filters, stickers, frames, and auxiliary images. Most often the service is used to create presentations, posters, and creatives for social networks, but Canva can also simply edit a photo. The photo editor itself is free, but access to some options and collections is available only for money. The service is quite demanding to the technical characteristics of the computer, it requires a fast and stable Internet connection.

Rookie Cam

A free application created exclusively for mobile devices (Android, iOS). The program offers a range of live effects that are applied right at the moment of shooting, as well as a built-in editor. The latter has its library of stickers and filters, and an option for color correction, collaging, and spot retouching. Due to its simplicity, Rookie Cam is popular among bloggers. The downsides include an abundance of ads, as well as a lower quality of shots compared to those from the device’s native app.

Instead of a conclusion

This is not a complete list of apps and photo editors on the market, but we tried to select the best examples of simple tools for you. You don’t have to delve into the intricacies of using professional tools to get quality processed images. The choice of the best program or application will depend on the initial photo detail, the expected result, and your budget. To find “your” image editor, we recommend trying out several and then choosing the one with the best ratio of cost, convenience, and quality!

The post Easy Photo Editors For Photo Processing That Do Not Require Photoshop Knowledge appeared first on The Designest.

Design Trends in Digital Signage

The Designest Staff — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:40:49 +0000

Hey there! Let’s chat about something cool and techie—digital signage design trends. You know, those screens you see in malls, restaurants, and even on streets, showing ads, information, and sometimes really neat graphics. It’s like art, but it sells stuff or tells you where to go. We remember when these screens were just basic, but man, have they evolved!

By the way, if you’re into this stuff, check out Kitcast Apple TV signage. They’re doing some nifty things with digital signs.

1. Minimalism

First up, minimalism. It’s not just for your home décor! In digital signage, it’s all the rage. Think clean lines, simple messages, and uncluttered visuals. It’s like that feeling you get when you clean your room and everything just feels… right. Less mess, more appeal.

2. Interactive Experiences

Remember those sci-fi movies where people touch screens to get info? That’s now, not the future! Interactive digital signs are popping up everywhere. From choosing your meal at a kiosk to getting tourist info with a tap of the screen. It’s like the signs are talking to you, but with their fingertips.

Engaging the Audience

And it’s not just about touching screens. Some signs change as you move around them or show different content based on the time of day. It’s like they know you’re there and want to keep you interested. Creepy? Maybe. Cool? Definitely.

3. Bold Colors and Dynamic Content

Now, let’s talk colors. Bold, vibrant, can’t-miss-it colors are everywhere in digital signage. It’s like they’re screaming for your attention – and it works. Pair that with content that moves or changes, and you’ve got a recipe for signage that’s hard to ignore. It’s a visual party, and everyone’s invited.

Making a Statement

These signs aren’t just about showing off cool graphics. They make a statement. Whether it’s a brand showing its edgy side or an ad that changes based on the weather, dynamic content keeps things fresh and keeps you looking.

4. Sustainability

Here’s something we love: sustainability in digital signage. We’re seeing more energy-efficient screens and content that promotes eco-friendly messages. It’s like the digital world giving Mother Nature a high five.

5. Personalization

Ever seen a sign and felt like it was speaking just to you? That’s personalization in action. Digital signs now use data (don’t worry, not the creepy kind) to show content that’s relevant to you. It’s like walking into a room and the DJ plays your favorite song.

6. The Future

So, what’s next in the world of digital signage? Think bigger, smarter, and even more integrated with our daily lives. It’s like we’re heading into a world where digital signs are a part of everything we do.

Upcoming Trends to Watch

Augmented Reality (AR): Imagine pointing your phone at a sign and getting a whole new layer of info. That’s AR, and it’s starting to creep into digital signage.
AI-Driven Content: Signs that learn and adapt? Yep, AI is making that happen. It’s like having a smart assistant, but for signs.
Outdoor Screens: Tough, weather-resistant, and bright enough to see even in sunlight. Outdoor digital signage is growing, making the world our digital playground.

Wrapping It Up

Alright, so that’s the scoop on digital signage design trends. From minimalism to AR, it’s clear that these signs are more than just flashy screens. They’re becoming a part of our lives, changing how we interact with the world around us. Next time you see a digital sign, take a moment to appreciate the tech and creativity behind it. It’s pretty awesome when you think about it!

And hey, if you’re thinking of jumping into the digital signage game, remember to check out Kitcast digital signage. They’ve got some cool stuff going on that’s right in line with these trends.

Catch you later, and keep your eyes peeled for those cool signs!

The post Design Trends in Digital Signage appeared first on The Designest.

Top 15 Best Computers for Graphic Design in 2024

The Designest Staff — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 11:37:00 +0000

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Graphic design is a rapidly developing digital space that requires having a desktop computer for the job to be done successfully. Graphic designers won’t be able to completely replace this tool with a laptop since the PC performance is 30-40% higher and the GPUs are usually of better quality.

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So, what is the best computer for graphic design in 2021? The main load on a graphic design computer is created when working with vector and raster images of large formats and processing photographs. If the processor is not powerful enough, it can be difficult to manipulate layers and apply filters. That is why you need to clearly understand the scope and nature of your work tasks and study the technical parameters of the devices carefully to spot the best computer for graphic design.

A graphic designer uses specialized programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk SketchBook Pro, Corel Painter, and CorelDRAW. The system requirements of the latest software versions serve as the minimum PC parameters required for efficient operation. Today, it is a processor featuring 64-bit computing, a clock speed of at least 2 GHz, 8 GB of RAM, 4 GB of free hard disk space, and a 2 GB video card.

To make it easier for you to choose the best computer for graphic design, we’ve compiled our own ranking. Our team analyzed dozens of new models and wrote the recommendations based on hands-on experience. The final list includes 15 graphic design computers.

Top 15 Best Computers for Graphic Design

iMac (27-inch, 2020)
iMac (24-inch, 2021)
Microsoft Surface Studio 2
Mac mini (M1, 2020)
Dell XPS 8490 Desktop
Mac Pro (2019)
MSI Trident AS
Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10
Apple iMac Pro
Lenovo Legion Tower 5
Dell Inspiron 27 7000
Dell G5 Gaming Desktop
Acer Aspire C27
HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop
HP Z2 Mini G5

iMac (27-inch, 2020)

This iMac from Apple is currently the best desktop computer for graphic design. The device combines extremely high performance with a minimalist design.

Specifications

CPU: 3.1 GHz 6-core Intel Core i5; 3.3 GHz 6-core Intel Core i5; 3.8 GHz 8-core Intel Core i7; also configurable with a 3.6 GHz 10-core Intel Core i9.
Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300 with 4GB GDDR6 memory; Radeon Pro 5500 XT with 8GB GDDR6 memory; Radeon Pro 5700 with 8GB of GDDR6 memory; the most powerful Radeon Pro 5700 XT with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.
RAM: DDR4 2666 MHz from 8 GB to 128 GB depending on the configuration.
Display: 27-inch Retina 5K, 5120 × 2880 pixels.
Ports and connectors: 2 × Thunderbolt 3, 4 × USB-A, SDXC card reader, Gigabit Ethernet, headphone jack.

Reasons to Buy

iMac captivates with its versatility — there are no unsolvable challenges in the field of design for it. Thanks to the variety of configurations, both aspiring and professional graphic designers will be able to choose a PC for their needs.

Reasons to Avoid

The lack of a backlight in the keyboard and the awkward location of the mouse charging port (on the bottom side) may not appeal to perfectionist users. And, predictably, the cost of the best computer for graphic design is much higher than that of competitors.

All 2020 iMac 27-inch models are equipped with 10th generation Intel Core processors. Thanks to this, the device works quickly even when several “heavy” processes are started simultaneously, which is a capability highly appreciated by graphic designers. The new Radeon Pro 5000 graphics card expands the performance and enables a designer to tackle truly audacious projects.

The Retina 5K display impresses with its vibrant colors. The True Tone function adjusts the monitor color temperature to match the environment. The FaceTime HD 1080p webcam delivers stunning visuals, and the microphone ensures a sound of almost studio quality. The impressive set of connectors makes it much easier for graphic designers to work with removable media.

The computer design remained unchanged for about ten years until 2021. But that doesn’t mean the 27-inch iMac looks old-fashioned. On the contrary, the PC stands out against a host of desktop computers, and it fits seamlessly into any workspace.

iMac (24-inch, 2021)

This iMac is equipped with the Apple M1 chip, which includes GPUs, RAM, and 16-core Neural Engine all in one and makes it one of the best computers for graphic design. The user can choose from 7 colors of the PC case.

Specifications

CPU: Apple M1, 8 cores, 3.2 GHz.
Graphics: M1 7 cores; M1 8 cores.
RAM: 8 GB (expandable up to 16 GB).
Display: 24-inch 4.5K Retina 4480 × 2520 pixels.
Ports and connectors: 2x USB 4 Type-C, 1x Audio Port in the basic configuration; 2x USB 4 Type-C, 2x USB 3 Type-C, 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x Audio Port in the extended configuration.

Reasons to Buy

The computer is suitable for all types of graphics. Touch ID is integrated into the keyboard that comes with the kit, which increases the PC protection. The performance of the multi-core CPU is 3% higher than that of MacBook Pro and Mac mini with the same Apple M1 chip.

Reasons to Avoid

Magic Mouse does not work while charging. The set of ports is limited, and there is no discrete graphics card available. The 4.5K size and resolution are inferior to the original parameters of the Retina 5K display.

The iMac 24-inch 2021 is a high-end desktop computer that handles all the basic tasks of a graphic designer. The Apple M1 chip is powerful and reliable. The 4.5K Retina display with a maximum brightness of 530 nits doesn’t make a single pixel visible, even if looking at the display from a distance of several centimeters. The monitor covers 100% of sRGB and 90% of AdobeRGB spaces.

Apple M1 improves webcam performance (1080p resolution) in low-light conditions. A system of three directional microphones perfectly catches even whispers. Six speakers allow creating a stereo effect with bass delivered. With dimensions of 54.7 x 46.1 x 14.7 cm and a weight of 4.5 kg, the iMac 24-inch 2021 is only 11.5 mm thin, so you can place this computer on any desk.

Apple’s redesigned PC looks spectacular but not extravagant. The color shades of the case are soft and pleasant to the eye. The design of the physical elements chimes with the interface of the operating system. The color palette of Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse matches the colors of the selected iMac version.

Microsoft Surface Studio 2

An innovative tool for a graphic designer, this desktop computer can be turned into a digital easel with just a few clicks.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-7820HQ 7th generation, 4 cores.
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB GDDR5; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5.
RAM: 16 GB; 32 GB.
Display: PixelSense 28-inch with a 4500 x 3000 resolution and 10-point touch control.
Ports and connectors: 4x USB 3.0 (one High Power port), full-size SD card reader (SDXC), 1x USB Type-C port, Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm headphone jack.

Reasons to Buy

This is, probably, the best computer configuration for graphic design. Thanks to the possibility of selecting a graphics card, it is easier to get a device suitable for specific tasks. The entry-level kit comes with a convenient and functional stylus and 1TB or 2TB SSD storage. Both 16 and 32 GB of RAM are sufficient for editing 1080p-4K projects while also running additional apps in the background. The 3:2 aspect ratio gives the designer a greater workspace compared with a usual widescreen display.

Reasons to Avoid

It is impossible to further improve the technical parameters.

Microsoft Surface Studio 2 is an ideal PC for graphic design, including performing complex creative tasks. It is intended not only for graphic designers but also professional artists, architects, and engineers. The special hinged design allows the screen to be adjusted at different angles, up to a horizontal position.

The display recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches and supports the Surface Pen with 4096-degree pressure sensitivity and the Surface Dial controller. You won’t spot individual pixels on the screen, and numerous tests show that the image quality delivered by Microsoft Surface Studio 2 is one of the best among all-in-one PCs.

The display shows 167% of the sRGB color space. The user can adjust sRGB, DCI-P3, and Vivid color profiles. It is also permissible to connect one or two external monitors with a resolution of up to 4K.

The operating system handles high loads well. The front 5MP 1080p HD webcam with Windows Hallo ensures a clear video. The Stereo 2.1 sound system with Dolby Audio Premium allows listening to music or watching a movie with maximum comfort. In addition to the stylus, Microsoft Surface Studio 2 comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard.

Mac mini (M1, 2020)

This Mini PC (SFF) with an SSD drive and proprietary Apple M1 chip can be connected to a TV or any available monitor.

Specifications

CPU: Apple M1, 8 cores, 3.2 GHz.
Graphics: M1, 8 cores.
RAM: 8 GB (expandable up to 16 GB).
Ports and connectors: Ethernet, 2x USB Type-C/Thunderbolt 3, HDMI out, 2x USB Type-A, and 3.5 mm headphone/microphone jack.
Drive: SSD 256 GB; 512 GB (expandable up to 2 TB).

Reasons to Buy

A compact and minimalistic PC for graphic design, the Mac mini hits the target when it comes to basic image and video editing tasks. The HDMI port supports monitors with native resolutions of up to 4K and 60Hz refresh rates. Thunderbolt connectors allow connecting monitors with up to 6K resolution.

Reasons to Avoid

The device disappoints with a limited number of ports and the impossibility to further improve its technical characteristics. The need to purchase a monitor, keyboard and mouse is also a disadvantage.

Mac mini M1 2020 attracts graphic designers with its mobility and high performance. It is the perfect choice for those who want to use macOS with their own monitors. The M1 chip is made up of 16 billion transistors so that signal processing and working with graphics are combined into a single SoC.

The processor has 8 cores: 4 are responsible for the performance, while others handle moderately demanding tasks without significant power consumption. Mac mini 2020 offers better video editing and rendering performance than its previous Intel-based version.

The configuration with 16 GB of RAM is optimal for working with all types of content (photo, video, or raster and vector graphics). A low-end 256 GB SSD storage will accommodate most of Adobe Creative Suite, but for extra storage, 1 TB SSD space is a safe pick. For wireless communication, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6 are provided. The user can select preinstalled software for a fee.

A fan is installed on the back of the case. However, even during intensive use, Mac mini M1 2020 remains virtually silent. The device has an active cooling system similar to MacBook Pro, so the computer case barely gets warm even under high loads.

Dell XPS 8490 Desktop

This graphic design desktop stands out for its powerful components. High-performance, and reliable, it is a great solution for professional designers.

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10700K, 2.9 Hz.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660ti.
RAM: 16 GB.
Storage: 1TB HDD + 512 GB SSD.
Ports and connectors on the front panel: full-size SD card reader, a headset jack, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (3x Type-A and 1x Type-C).

Reasons to Buy

Quickly rendering video files, the computer is suitable for professional work with large projects in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and CorelDRAW.

Reasons to Avoid

The capacity of built-in file storage may turn out to be not sufficient for professional designers.

Modern 8-core Intel processors excel at video editing and rendering. Their high performance provides the speed and power expected of one of the best computers for graphic design. The excellent combination of components allows solving even the most complex problems successfully.

The SSD storage is fast and extremely reliable. The additional HDD is ideal for backing up and storing original files.

Dell XPS 8490 Desktop has an optical drive that can write Blu-ray files, while this option is on the wane in modern desktop computers. The rear panel has a number of connectors for multiple peripherals.

The cooling system, including a rear cooler, is virtually silent. The left side panel can be easily removed, providing access to all technical units of the computer.

Mac Pro (2019)

This PC for graphic design combines high performance and cutting-edge design. It has many configurations, with the final technical parameters and price depending on them heavily.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Xeon W-3223, 8 cores, 16 threads, 3.5 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 4.0 GHz.
Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 580X with 8GB GDDR5 memory.
RAM: 32 GB.
Storage: 256 GB SSD.
Ports and connectors: 2 × USB 3 (USB-A connector), 12 × Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C connector), 1x Audio Port.

Reasons to Buy

The configurable and expandable Mac Pro has been listed in the TOP of the best computers for graphic design for the 3rd year in a row. The unique design of the system unit is easily recognizable. A variety of configurations allows choosing a suitable option for any work task and budget.

Reasons to Avoid

The advantages are the high cost of top configurations, lack of Wi-Fi 6 support, and the need to purchase a monitor (preferably, Pro Display XDR).

Mac Pro 2019 is a personal computer with a vibrant visual and technical personality. The PC is available in two form factors — vertical and horizontal. It will seamlessly blend into any interior and make its focal point.

The user selects technical parameters based on their needs, but even the basic configuration is sufficient for working fruitfully in graphic design. There are no unsolvable problems for the computer with the top-of-the-range package: rendering large video files in high resolution and 3D modeling is easy with 32 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD storage.

The Mac Pro 2019 runs almost silently even under heavy load and produces almost no external heat. Three fans are located at the back of the case. The device comes with Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2, a network cable, and a Lightning to USB-C for charging peripherals. The technical configuration of your computer can be improved to meet various graphic design challenges thanks to PCI Express expansion slots.

MSI Trident AS

It is a gaming computer with all its technical specifications suitable for a professional graphic designer.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-10700F, 8 cores.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super.
RAM: 16 GB.
Storage: 1 TB SSD.

Reasons to Buy

The incredibly powerful computer in a compact case can be used as a portable workstation for a graphic designer. Mystic Light RGB LED backlight allows changing the look of the PC depending on the mood of the user or the interior design.

Reasons to Avoid

The gaming exterior may feel weird for those who are picking out a classic PC for graphic design.

MSI Trident AS is the most space-saving gaming desktop. It encourages mobility because the small size allows taking the PC with you for any journey. All you need to be productive anywhere you go is a monitor.

The Intel Core i7 processor delivers maximum processing power. Its performance has increased by 40% compared with the i7-9700. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super graphics card performs real-time ray tracing to create objects with physically accurate shadows, reflections, refractions, and lighting.

A solid-state drive (SSD) remains cool while working and keeps your files secure. The computer supports high-bandwidth low-latency 2.5 Gbps Ethernet LAN connection and data transmission. MSI’s exclusive LAN Manager automatically prioritizes processes for Internet access.

The side panels of MSI Trident AS are easily removable so that the user can install additional equipment if necessary.

Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10

It is another powerful gaming PC having a futuristic design and equipped with an AMD processor and graphics card.

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, 8 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.7 GHz.
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16 GB GDDR6).
RAM: 32 GB DDR4-3400.
Storage: 1 TB NVMe M.2 SSD.

Reasons to Buy

The processor with high computing power allows solving complex problems in graphic design and more. The stylish exterior will appeal to fans of science fiction.

Reasons to Avoid

The cooling system is noisy, and the plastic case does not correspond to the premium class of the device.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processors are based on Zen 3 microarchitecture and have a 32 MB cache. Its capacity is sufficient for resource-intensive applications above and beyond. Today, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X outperforms Intel processors, boasting greater L2 and L3 cache capacity and lower latency.

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card competes favorably with the best Nvidia options. It delivers stunning performance at high graphics settings and in 4K resolution. Having 16 GB of local storage is a step into the future. With such parameters, the AMD Radeon RX video card will remain on the TOP list for a long time.

The Aurora Ryzen Edition R10 has many ports and connectors for connecting external media and peripherals. There are 10 USB-A ports on the motherboard alone. The optional Killer wireless adapter features Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6. The computer comes with 32 GB DDR4 storage and Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro installed.

Apple iMac Pro

The first computer in a new line of Apple products is aimed at professionals and allows solving a wide range of tasks.

Specifications (basic configuration)

CPU: Intel Xeon W 3.2 GHz, 8 cores.
Graphics: Radeon Pro Vega 56, 8 GB HBM2.
RAM: 32 GB 2666 MHz ECC.
Storage: 1 TB SSD.
Display: 27-inch Retina 5K, 5120×2880 pixels.

Reasons to Buy

The slim and sleek all-in-one PC with strong performance works fine for professional graphic designers. The device can handle high workloads without lagging or crashing. It does not heat up or make noise during operation. The Retina 5K display allows launching full-resolution previews of 4K videos in Final Cut Pro while still having plenty of room for controls around the screen.

Reasons to Avoid

The high cost of the PC and inability to independently update its package may upset the user. The Magic Mouse 2 charging port is located at the bottom of the device, which is not very convenient.

At the time of its presentation, the iMac Pro was the most powerful Mac ever created by Apple. Its processor and video card deliver brilliant performance. The device allows reducing time spent on resource-intensive projects by several times.

The iMac Pro is ideal for files conversion, adding effects, and adjusting colors in high-definition videos. All changes made can be viewed in real-time. The Twinmotion software for architects handles 3D object manipulation without delay. For basic video editing and project storage, 1 TB SSD is enough and some to spare, although you may need external drives for 4K-8K videos.

The Retina 5K display has a brightness of 500 nits. The display supports 100% wideband RGB color space. The 1080p FaceTime webcam delivers a crisp and vivid video even in low-light conditions.

The following connectors are provided for linking peripheral devices: a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SDXC card slot, 4 USB 3.0 ports, 4 USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a 10 Gb Ethernet port. The keyboard is full-size (with a numeric keypad). The back of the monoblock features a radiator for air from the cooling fans to exit and long slots at the bottom.

Lenovo Legion Tower 5

It is the ultimate PC for graphic design, provided that you also love to play computer games.

Specifications (one of the available configurations)

CPU: 10th generation Intel Core i5-10400F, 6 cores, 2.90 GHz.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super.
RAM: 32 GB.
Storage: 1 TB SSD + 2 TB HDD.

Reasons to Buy

This affordable computer will meet the needs of beginners and graphic design professionals. The device handles basic work tasks and allows enjoying modern games.

Reasons to Avoid

The computer cannot boast maximum power and performance indicators, and it is not suitable for working with an 8K video.

The Legion Tower 5 in the configuration described above is a relatively inexpensive personal computer. The Intel Core i5 processor shows decent performance. The highest possible clock speed reaches 4.3 GHz thanks to Turbo 2.0 technology.

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Super graphics card has 4GB of GDDR6 SDRAM. It supports HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a connections and provides smooth graphics in most modern games in Full HD, but on lower settings.

The computer comes preinstalled with Windows 10 and Lenovo Vantage. The case of the device opens easily, which allows upgrading hardware in a hassle-free way. The stylish lighting doesn’t look intrusive, so Legion Tower 5 is equally suitable for both home and office use.

Dell Inspiron 27 7000

The all-in-one PC with a large touchscreen display is well suited for complex creative tasks.

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U.
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics.
RAM: 8 GB.
Display: 27-inch 1920×1080 IPS touchscreen with anti-glare coating.
Storage: 256 GB SSD.

Reasons to Buy

The multifunctional personal computer stands out for high performance and power. There are configurations with an AMD processor and graphics card available. Creative design makes the device memorable.

Reasons to Avoid

There is no Thunderbolt 3 port, and the touchscreen sensitivity is not as high as in Microsoft Surface Studio 2. The 256 GB SSD provides scarce backup opportunities.

The Inspiron 27 7000 is a good choice for graphic artists, illustrators, or cartoonists. The large and bright touchscreen display allows diving into details and working through every element of a project. Thanks to the variety of available configurations, the user can select a proper device for specific creative tasks.

The processor has enough power to run demanding programs without delays. Configurations with AMD processors are in no way inferior to the iMac from Apple in terms of technical characteristics, but they are substantially cheaper.

The webcam has a resolution of 1280×720 (HD) and a diagonal angle of view amounting to 74.6 degrees. The device is provided with a 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet controller built into the system board and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 wireless connections.

Dell G5 Gaming Desktop

This powerful multipurpose PC can greatly simplify the work of a graphic designer.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i3-9100 — 9th generation i9 9900K.
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 — RTX 2070.
RAM: 8–64 GB.
Storage: 1 TB SSD — 1 TB SSD + 2 TB HDD.

Reasons to Buy

The productive and reliable personal computer comes in an originally designed case. It is possible to upgrade the device and install additional hard drives.

Reasons to Avoid

The desktop heats up during peak loads.

Powerful Intel processors deliver outstanding performance and responsiveness. A combo of Killer Gigabit Ethernet and Intel Wireless is responsible for the smooth transmission of network traffic. Graphics adapters support VR in some configurations.

Acer Aspire C27

This AIO computer for graphic design with a wide range of functions and high performance can multitask for a long time without freezing and braking.

Specifications (top configuration)

CPU: 10th generation Intel Core i5 1035G1, 4 cores.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX130.
RAM: 12 GB.
Display: 27-inch 1920×1080 FHD LED IPS.
Storage: SSD 512 GB.

Reasons to Buy

The PC copes with all basic tasks of a graphic designer and allows the successful implementation of complex projects. The display has excellent color accuracy.

Reasons to Avoid

The PC may not be powerful enough to handle and render large high-resolution video files.

The PC for graphic design allows working in several resource-intensive applications simultaneously. For each configuration, a processor and graphics card are selected to provide the best possible performance. The Acer Aspire C27 is ideal for work and study, and it is convenient for everyday at-home use.

The 27-inch screen has very thin bezels (3.7 mm). The display delivers extremely realistic colors and very crisp images, with color shades preserved even at 178° angles. The tilt angle of the monitor can be adjusted from -5° to 25°. Its stability is ensured by a metal V-shaped stand.

The device supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi connections. An additional monitor can be attached via the HDMI connector. The Windows 10 operating system is preinstalled while the computer comes with a mouse and keyboard.

HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop

This personal computer for graphic design has all the necessary technical parameters to work in resource-intensive graphics editors.

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel CoreTM i5-10400F, 6 Cores, 2.9GHz, up to 4.3GHz with Intel Turbo Boost technology.
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPERTM, 6GB GDDR6 dedicated memory.
RAM: 16 GB.
Storage: 512 GB PCIe NVMeTM M.2 solid-state storage.
Ports and connectors on the front panel: 1x SuperSpeed USB Type-C with a data transfer rate of 5 Gb/s; 4x SuperSpeed USB Type-A with a data transfer rate of 5 Gb/s; 1 headphone/microphone combo jack.

Reasons to Buy

The computer offers decent technical characteristics at a relatively low cost. It suits graphic designers and gamers alike.

Reasons to Avoid

Due to the solid design, the computer case looks heavy.

One of the most powerful computers for graphic design features processor and video card parameters that allow working comfortably in the most demanding graphics editors. Apps launch in seconds and run smoothly, even with large projects.

HP Z2 Mini G5

The miniature desktop computer for graphic design is almost as good as a full-size PC in terms of performance and functionality. Users can enjoy many configurations of this model.

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-10700K, 3.8 GHz, 8 cores.
Graphics: Nvidia Quadro T2000.
RAM: 32 GB.
Storage: 512 GB SSD +1 TV HDD.
Front panel ports and connectors: 1 x USB Type-C, 2xUSB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 headphone/microphone combo.

Reasons to Buy

The PC for graphic design combines an average power and a very compact size. The station can be quickly connected to any monitor to get started.

Reasons to Avoid

The need to select and purchase peripheral equipment can be a challenge.

The HP Z2 Mini G5 is an advanced mini PC with 32 GB of RAM that tackles a wide variety of tasks faced by newbie designers and, thus, it can be considered the best computer for graphic design a student would love. Thanks to its compact size, the workstation can be placed in any place you find convenient. Surely, you can take the device with you on a trip.

The functionality of this graphic design computer is ensured through a number of USB ports and other connectors. From the backside, it has 3x DisplayPort 1.4 (available for those equipping the Mini with a discrete graphics card), 1x USB Type-C 10Gb/s, an additional serial port, 2x USB 10Gb/s Type-A, and an RJ-45 network port.

Wireless connection is provided with the help of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth adapters. The workstation comes preinstalled with the Windows 10 operating system.

The post Top 15 Best Computers for Graphic Design in 2024 appeared first on The Designest.

12 Graphic Design Trends 2024: Futurism VS. Retro

The Designest Staff — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:36:31 +0000

Every year has been throwing challenges at our faces, both personal and global ones, but the heroic reserves of patience, support of the close ones kept the creative engines running! It doesn’t matter what other troubles are lurking around the corner, as there will always be wondrous and gratifying possibilities for self-expression. What do the top graphic design trends hold for us?

With 2024 approaching swiftly, it’s high time to start thinking about what will be trending. The fickle motion of tendencies in graphic design hinges on the social agenda, summarizing it into accessible, self-explanatory visual forms.

As we witnessed the revival of the 90s aesthetics and Y2K, anti-design, and extensive use of serif typography, 2024 is assigned to be a year of other vintage manifestations and bold creativity. We’ll see a crossover of traditional techniques, modern tendencies, and cultural phenomena employed to craft noticeable designs that are sure to impress. It doesn’t matter what trend will prevail because one thing is obvious: 2024 will surely be an exciting year for graphic designers everywhere.

List of Graphic Design Trends 2024:

AI Graphics
Barbie’s Pink
Pixel Mania
Glass Blur & Distortion
Serif Aesthetics
Gritty Art with Retro Vibes
Popping Colors
Industrial Grunge
Gradient Abstractions
Typographic Artistism
Conceptual Branding
Cartoon Characters

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AI Graphics

Since 2022, we have witnessed the rise of machine learning in graphic design, and in 2024, it’s time for AI to transform into a full-fledged graphic design trend. Indeed, text-to-image AI art generators have gone from hi-tech fun for creative minds to an essential tool in mundane creative work.

At first, AI-generated art was clumsy and demanded lots of trial and error, followed by hours of tweaking. But new technologies are constantly evolving, so you can explore new styles and create quite good-looking graphics in a minute. Moreover, you can easily find a tool specially honed for the needed job, such as Looka for logo creation or Beautiful.AI for presentation and data visualization design.

Talking about apps and services. There are so many AI-powered tools that have popped up recently that it may become confusing to know where to start. But in the first place, we advise you to go for the classics: DALL-E- 2, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion. All of them are both versatile and intuitive enough to test the power of AI art and choose the best option for your workflow.

Graphic design is one of the fields most transformed by artificial intelligence, and this trend will continue in the future. Of course, despite the remarkable progress, AI still needs human supervision when it comes to faces and hands. Achieving the desired level of realism requires skill. But with the right prompting, fine-tuned settings, and a couple of iterations, you can get stunning, high-quality visuals. It’s one of the biggest graphic design trends in the upcoming year, so don’t miss your opportunity to catch the wave.

Hand-picked cases:

The Unlimited Creative Subscription

Unlimited downloads of 11+ million creative assets. From just $16.50/month.

Barbie’s Pink

It would be a crime to miss Barbiecore: revived by the sensational movie graphic design trend is back to our lives. Right after Barbie’s release, all shades of pink quickly displaced the muted color palettes, and for some time, the world became one big doll house! Ride the wave and add those pinks to your designs, as they are, just like Barbie itself, immortal.

The last peak of this trend was in the 2000s — the all-pink outfits of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears on the red carpet screamed Barbiecore. But its popularity after the movie’s release broke all the records! The fashion professors attribute this effect to psychological reasons: the post-COVID world needs some bright, vivid colors, and what can be better than hot pink? When all the news is scary and dark, some playfulness in designs surrounding you on a daily basis can become escapism, even if the relief lasts for a couple of minutes.

Many brands, including Forever 21 and GAP, even launched new clothing lines: all pink, colorful, and fancy. The social media is also still teeming with pink-themed posts, so when, if not now, use this amazing color?

This graphic design trend flashes quickly, but it may disappear just as soon, hence it’s better to plunge into the Barbie world while we can without looking old-fashioned. Unfortunately, its popularity is unlikely to make it the Pantone color of the year to extend our excitement around its vibrancy, but hope springs eternal!

Hand-picked cases:

Pixel Mania

We’re sure you know that feeling when you’re desperately trying to load an image, and it simply doesn’t work. Those pixels! Can they be any more annoying? Well, actually, no. The irony is that they can actually be quite trendy.

With the popularisation of the metaverse, virtual and augmented reality, 8-bit graphics have made a confident return into our lives — from pixelated camouflages by Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton’s Menswear SS24 show to newly-made games with NES and SEGA vibes. The nostalgia-evoking part plays a big role in why we love this aesthetic so much. So, no need to smooth out (punintended) what was once deemed low quality due to technological limitations — embrace the unique charm it brings instead.

Modern 8-bit graphics aren’t truly 8-bit. They provide high-resolution results for your projects, injecting them with a touch of nostalgia and heart-winning retro-style vibes. The artificially exaggerated pixels look stunning, are indefinitely zoomable, and add an element of fun — especially amidst clean and minimalistic visuals that flooded the industry and largely lost their appeal.

So, what’s the practical side of this design trend — what can you do with the 8-bit aesthetic? A myriad of things, really. A funky title for your landing page using pixelated typography, alluring illustrations for posters and album covers, eye-catching signage, simple yet memorable packaging design, and so much more! Use vivid colors to enhance the pixelated graphics even further or offset them with negative space and organic shapes.

Hand-picked cases:

Glass Blur & Distortion

What do we do when deep inside, we’re rebels and crave glitch and distortion, while the project demands something more subtle and exquisite? We go for the most delicate deformation provided by textured glass. It opens up vast possibilities for image alteration: blur, skew, refraction, distortion, not to mention that the glass may be colored. You can even add scratches and imperfections for an extra edgy look. Sounds like this graphic design trend was a godsend for those who want versatility without being plain.

With the help of glass effects and textures, you can create unique layering that adds depth and dimension to your digital design work. To enhance the effect, it can be made into mesmerizing animation portraying intricate dance of artificial light into the realm of virtual reality.

This design trend is so eye-catching because of our inherent interest in the physical laws and phenomena translated into digital space. And, we must say, this interest is growing over time. Recently, glass refraction became one of the most alluring themes for graphic designers, so we certainly see it as one of the graphic design trends for 2024.

Hand-picked cases:

Serif Aesthetics

Last year, we had sans serif typefaces as a trend in the graphic design world, and now we’re switching to classic serif fonts! Their vintage aesthetics have already penetrated different spheres of visual space, and seeing it as a reigning typography tendency in the near future isn’t a big surprise for designers who keep up with hot topics. Amazing news for creative minds inspired by 80s and 90s designs!

The reason behind the serif fonts revival is quite simple — fashion is cyclical. What adds even more to their recent popularity is the influence of minimalism on the graphic design industry in general. Though bold colors and intricate images are trendy, too, once the audience gets tired of flashy visuals, they turn to simple, calm designs. And that’s the moment of glory for serif fonts! They are perfect to add that sweet retro effect such artworks need.

Speaking of the serif fonts’ usage, we can give you just one easy tip — don’t limit yourself. They will look great with muted color palettes if you’re crafting more light-hearted projects like vintage magazine ads, or, on the contrary, with some vivid shades for bold, eye-catching designs to showcase creativity.

As these typefaces are gaining popularity, we advise designers to be brave and experiment in their own unique style without worrying about being outdated — serif fonts will add an aesthetic appeal and make any artwork look trendy! Luckily, finding new serifs is a piece of cake: the markets are already crawling with them.

Hand-picked cases:

Gritty Art with Retro Vibes

It seems we’ve been pursuing sweet vintage dreams for quite some time now, but they simply don’t let us go. Mid-century furniture, retro illustrations on the walls, and funky prints on T-shirts — we just can’t get enough, can we?

As we embrace the grit and grain of the old-day art, this shift isn’t just a mere longing for the days gone by; it’s a bold reinterpretation of retro aesthetics, channeling a sense of authenticity that’s often missing in our digital age.

In the new world of gritty art, clean lines, and polished finishes give way to textures that tell a story. We’re seeing a resurgence of grained illustrations that add depth and character to the flat design. These aren’t the pristine, vectorized graphics we’ve grown accustomed to, but rather designs that embrace the imperfections of hand-drawn art.

Another aspect this design trend celebrates is the use of soft halftones — not just as a throwback to old printing methods, but as a stylistic choice that brings emotions to the table. These halftones give designers a new-old toolkit for shading and dimensionality, marrying the analog and the digital in harmonious compositions.

In practice, these soft-toned two-dimensional visuals will easily fit into anything from posters to branding projects. As opposed to 3D shapes, flat outlines will give way to intriguing textures, while the vintage touch will do its job emotions-wise. So, let’s carry forward the legacy of retro vibes into a future where every grain tells a story and every design is unapologetically authentic!

Hand-picked cases:

Popping Colors

Pantone color of 2023 marked the start of massive usage of deep, rich colors, setting the current graphic design trends. But in the near future, we anticipate them to be changed with vivid, dynamic, acid shades. Here, we can also see a glimpse of Barbie’s popularity, as it’s not only about all hues of pink — it’s a whole world of different bright colors. So, if you find yourself getting bored with minimalistic, muted tones of Scandinavian designs, it’s your time to shine in the direct sense.

Bright colors have been around for a long time, so it’s not something totally new. But they haven’t been as hot as they are these days! Vibrant colors make your brand recognizable, social media posts more eye-catching and add more visual interest. These reasons could be enough to become the solid foundation for the growing popularity, but there’s even more: there are many ways to play around and stay trendy. It is another advantage for graphic designers who don’t like feeling locked up within strict limits.

Experimenting with vivid colors is a whole creative journey: holographic designs, neon graphics, acid gradients, and much more! These energetic shades allow graphic designers to make a bold statement in their unique style and add visual interest. Mix rainbow colors, create gradients within shades of one color, and don’t be afraid to stand out with the bright vibrancy of your artwork — that’s the way to the top of the graphic design world in 2024!

Hand-picked cases:

Industrial Grunge

As a society, we live in cycles, and so do the trends — graphic design trends included. The grunge aesthetic peaked in popularity in the ’90s: back then, it was driven by the rise of grunge music, society’s desire to juxtapose the flashy ’80s, and the adoption of thrift-store chic as a response to economic downturns and uncontrolled consumerism. Do any of these sound familiar? Sure, we’re not as crazy about Kurt Cobain anymore (though, no questions asked if you are), but we’re also giving the side-eye to fast fashion and feeling the itch to break free from the minimalist era that’s overstayed its welcome.

Design-wise, industrial theme offers ample room for experimentation and creative endeavors. Here comes a surplus of distressed textures — from broken glass and foil to plastic wrap and torn paper, dark color palette, collage-style illustrations, and unconventional typography. For some, this may stir nostalgia; for others, it’s a refreshing divergence from overly polished visuals.

Plus, the grunge aesthetic is more versatile than you think. Metallic textures look good on just about anything, collages add that personal touch so often missing in our digital world, while distorted and liquid fonts resonate with the increasingly popular virtual reality. It’s official: grunge is back, and it’s in full (rusty and squeaky) swing. So, designers, bring your unbridled creativity to the table — come as you are!

Hand-picked cases:

Gradient Abstractions

Gradients have been among the biggest graphic design trends for quite a time. In the early 2000s, they were used mainly as a way to add a retro flare to the design, then slowly started to fade as the flat design took off. The massive gradient renaissance began in 2016 when Instagram finally said goodbye to skeuomorphism and introduced a new logo. By this means, they breathe new life both into gradients and flat design, which had already started to become boring by that time.

Gradients also have been a controversial graphic design trend, it almost haunts digital artists for all these years. They are adored, they are called outdated, and they are constantly reinvented and reimagined. And most of these at the same time. Through the years, we saw simple similar shades, gradual blending, vivid contrasting-colors transitions, elaborate mesh gradients, and many more. The gradient trend is extremely versatile.

Nowadays, we spot gradient abstractions playing with organic shapes are gaining traction. Designers experiment with these in their illustrations, web design, and visual communications. These new gradients use brighter colors and a mix of flowing and geometric shapes that make them feel fresh and sophisticated. There has been so much agitation among graphic designers and digital artists about new gradient abstraction recently, that it’s simply impossible not to call it a trend.

Hand-picked cases:

Typographic Artistism

Typographic artistism is one of few top graphic design trends that follow us from year to year. Both functional and beautiful, it is growing and taking over new spheres of the design world. These aesthetic fonts inspired by vintage typography can be found everywhere, from packaging design and marketing campaigns to food delivery. They are a great example of versatility and charm being the key to a long-term life and not becoming boring and feeling overused.

The other side of using the graphic design trend that has been on top for several years in a row and becoming quite niche is, of course, worrying about being repetitive. However, this problem is actually non-existent — just keep up with the graphic design trends of 2024 and don’t doubt the power of experimenting. Mix it with bold colors, abstract or organic shapes, diverse typography, and other design elements. There are no strict guidelines you need to follow. This trend can be adapted to any needs and still look fresh and stylish.

Despite the rapid technological changes we witness, having something so stable is a reassuring feeling. There are many creative ways to integrate artistic fonts in your design and make it look modern, so don’t give up on this trend just because you see it every year. Try it out in print goods or digital mediums, see how perfectly bold fonts complement your art, and throw all the worries away. After all, there is surely a reason for typographic artistism to be one of the 2024 graphic design trends.

Hand-picked cases:

Conceptual Branding

Design is not only about aesthetically pleasing visuals, it also must convey the message, especially when it comes to branding and identity. You may say that any branding communicates the core values by default. But let’s face the truth; how many “clean” minimalistic mediocrity and barely-there branding have you seen for the past few years? I guess a lot. Hopefully, conceptual branding is gaining popularity. There are more and more graphic designers who let their creativity off the leash and go the extra mile to create something really meaningful.

Conceptual branding shows the ideas that a product or service stands for and helps it speak for the potential customers. It utilizes visual storytelling to bring more context and resonate deeply on an emotional level. Many brands rethink their visual communication in order to add more personality and unique quirk. Therefore if you want to keep up with the best, it’s time to put some extra effort in brand conceptualisation so it pays off greatly.

It’s a mastery of a designer to communicate a cohesive narrative through the color palette, chosen shapes, typography, and other design elements that support and enhance each other when combined. With this task, you cannot hide behind omnipresent minimalism, trending font pairs, or metaphors from the first shelf. It’s a scrutinous work, but when done, it feels like magic.

Hand-picked cases:

Cartoon Characters

Trapped in the harsh realities of the modern world, we always long for an escape. In the case of graphic design, cartoonish-style illustrations can easily become that no-fail safe space we seek.

The great thing about cartoons is that there are so many visuals and techniques to choose from: classic American animation, comics, caricatures, claymation, retro cartoons, and so much more!

Plus, none of these has to be used solely in its original way: design features from different cartoon styles can be easily combined in a single design to achieve a new intriguing interpretation of the topic that will definitely catch your audience’s eyes. As far as dimensions go, both 2D and 3D seem to be in favor of this year’s graphic design trends, so you can choose whatever you like more!

Anything can be turned into a cartoon, but the most obvious application of this design trend is through brand identity projects, specifically by creating cartoon characters out of the product being advertised. In addition to brand storytelling, educational content is also adopting these styles for better engagement.

What’s more, cartoon characters serve as perfect vessels for immersive experiences in AR and VR, offering a friendly guide in unfamiliar digital landscapes. There are tons of other examples, but one thing is clear: cartoon characters are fun, useful, and engaging.

Hand-picked cases:

Graphic Design Trends to Avoid

While some visuals can make our designs feel fresh and appealing, others can easily bring them down. So, what are the anti-design trends of 2024? They may be loved by many, but everything is good in moderation: line art, Y2K, and minimalism have to go.

Think of line and flat art as that catchy tune we hummed to all summer long. It’s comfortable, familiar, perfect for web design, and it has served us well. But as the seasons change, so do our playlists. Line art will always have a special place in our design hearts, but we’re putting this style on pause for now.

Moving on to Y2K design style, you can’t help but admire its boldness to stand out — just like in fashion, it’s a trend that everyone has tried at least once, for better or worse. We’ve enjoyed the revival, the funk, and the kitsch of it all, but perhaps it’s time for Y2K to take a little breather while we explore the ”more calm” retro aesthetics.

Minimalism, oh minimalism — you’ve been the sleek, smart dress code for the longest time, bringing an aura of sophistication to any project. But while clean and simple has its perks, hiding behind the bare minimum has started to feel a bit… well, bare. So as we nod appreciatively to minimalism’s timeless appeal, we look for designs with a dash more color and complexity.

So, what’s the takeaway? We love a bit of nostalgia and simplicity, but when it comes to setting the pace for future trends, let’s strive for something with a bit more zest. It’s about getting that edge, warmth, and a vibe that says “fresh” over” flashback.” Let’s craft designs ready for tomorrow’s gallery walls, not just today’s Instagram scrolls.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the current trends in graphic design?

The passing year was booming for graphic design trends. It enabled more brands to find their own niche and gave much artistic freedom to creatives. The biggest graphic design trends 2023 are:

Clay 3D characters
Sans serif fonts
Rich colors
Minimalist vintage
Advanced microinteractions
Creative typography
Retro cartoon style

The current design trends are pretty versatile, and we’re sure you saw them many times over the past year. Some tech giants were inspired by futuristic design elements and AI, while others emphasized typography with bold outlines, retro styles, and even throwback bubble fonts.

What are the design trends for 2024?

The newest graphic design trends include:

AI Graphics
Barbie’s Pink
Pixel Mania
Glass Blur & Distortion
Serif Aesthetics
Gritty Art with Retro Vibes
Popping Colors
Industrial Grunge
Gradient Abstractions
Conceptual Branding

So many social and cultural events influence graphic design trends, so you will indeed find something resonating with you. Whether you love gradients and abstract shapes, bold fonts, or neutral embossed logos with vintage flair, there’s a design trend for you. Pay special attention to colorful expression, as 2024 is the time to handle ultra-bright colors and introduce them to character design, web pages, illustrations, typography, and other elements.

The post 12 Graphic Design Trends 2024: Futurism VS. Retro appeared first on The Designest.

Articles by The Designest Staff

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