Designs are everywhere around us. It helps us communicate with a lot of things. We use powerful graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Indesign to produce an eye-catching design. From business branding to digital marketing strategies, having expertise with these tools is vital.
What is Graphic Design
Graphic design is a blend of creativity and strategy, working together to deliver a message efficiently. The skills of a graphic designer with a design tool transform a creative physical output into digital form. And since graphic designer touches every aspect of our visual world in one way or another. This niche is in demand in the freelancing industry.
Why Graphic Design is Important
Graphic design does not only entails creativity. It is an avenue for every business to communicate with target clients or customers through text, images, and symbols.
Through creativity and graphic design tools, it enhances the business’ marketing communication goals such as:
- Informing
- Persuading
- Organizing
- Attracting
- Directing
- Entertaining
- Teaching
How about if you are doing graphics for your freelancing business? How can you develop an excellent output when you don’t know visual design basics? Do freelancers, marketers, and business owners need to learn design tools like Adobe to produce significant and influential designs?
This article shares three Online Graphics Design Tools that are user-friendly and free to use. Besides, these tools are for newbies who are starting from scratch.
Three Online Adobe-Like Alternatives to Make Graphic Design Easy for Newbies
Graphic Design Tool #1: Photopea
Photopea is an online graphic design tool that is an Adobe Photoshop alternative. It is an online photo editor that empowers users to:
- Resize and edit images
- Making illustrations
- Web design
- Converting different image formats.
The Photopea’s dashboard looks like with Photoshop. Although it doesn’t have every feature that Adobe Photoshop has, Photopea is an excellent graphic design tool. And since startup businesses don’t have the budget to purchase photo editing software, Photopea will encourage you to create incredible designs without spending.
Another excellent feature of this tool is it doesn’t require you to download. You can easily use it on your browser. Besides, you can use it on any device, even on your mobile phone.
Above all, this design tool is free and open-source. There are some ads to help support its development, yet they aren’t intrusive.
However, if you don’t like to see ads, upgrade to a premium account for $9 per 30 days.
Graphic Design Tool #2. Vectr.com
Vectr is a free software used to create vector graphics easily and automatically. It’s a simple yet powerful web and cross-platform desktop tool that brings design into reality.
For instance, you have drawn something on paper and need to convert it into a digital format. This tool is an Adobe Illustrator alternative that enables you to transform your drawing into a vector file.
You can use this tool online or on your desktop (across multiple platforms). Thus, allowing for live collaboration and synchronization with your team anytime. Other than that, with Vectr’s user-friendly interface, anyone can unleash their creativity as illustrators or graphic designers.
Above all, 2D graphics you can create with this tool are:
- Business cards
- Greeting cards
- Websites
- Icons
- Logos
- Resumes
- Brochures
- Posters
- Presentations (and so much more)
Graphic Design Tool #3. Canva.com
Canva is an alternative to Adobe Indesign, which is famous for freelancers. With its massive free customizable pre-designed templates. Anyone can easily design and publish the graphics created. To create a design, all you need to do is choose a template you like and then tweak it to align with your branding.
Among the templates in canva where you can customize designs are:
- Presentations
- Social Media
- Videos
- Print Products
- Marketing
- Office
- Others (Book and Magazine covers, Designs for Education, Website, Planner, and many more)
With a free account with canva, you can create digital ideas to leverage your business. However, a FREE account always has limitations. So if you want more, you can upgrade to a Pro account or choose Enterprise if you’re working with a team.
Here is a video tutorial to learn how to use these three graphic design tools. And if you want to start a graphic design business, enroll with the updated FVA Graphic Design Course. The course will equip you to cater to visual design needs for:
- Corporate business world
- Corporate workers
- Small business owners
- Freelancers
This course comprises one-month training and coaching.
When you finish the course, you will acquire a graphic design certificate. Then, you will have an opportunity to join an apprenticeship where you practice your learnings from the course. Not only that, but you will also embrace a chance to have clients through FVA’s freelancing marketplace called Surge Digital Agency.
OTHER HELPFUL LINKS:
How to Start Freelancing as a Beginner
Steps in Writing an Effective Cover Letter and Resume