For those interested in a career that blends art and science, graphic design can be an intriguing pursuit. Whether it’s creating animated graphics for a video game or sleek product brochures, graphic designers must be able to manipulate images and text to create the finished product.
Image Source: Pixabay
1. PixelPipe
Increasingly, graphic designers need to have a firm handle of photographic skills to capture images for websites. At the very least, they must sift through existing photos to find work that’s suitable to include in their designs. When you have a flash of inspiration, share your photos easily to websites ranging from WordPress to Tumblr using the PixelPipe app. Available for iPhone, it allows you to upload and share images to use in your work or derive inspiration from later.
2. ColorSnap
Colour theory and manipulation is another important function of a graphic designer. You’ll find a range of colour apps on the market to choose from, with ColorSnap being one of the most comprehensive options. Available for Android devices, ColorSnap lets you take photos of colours you see out and about in real life and then match these to existing paint colours. This allows you to create a virtual or real life colour palette based on the objects, images, or scenes that catch your eye.
3. WhattheFont
Along with identifying and preserving colours, graphic designers can capture eye-catching fonts on the go with the WhatTheFont app. Whether it’s spotted on a billboard or someone’s tee-shirt, take a photo of the font to quickly identify it using the extensive MyFonts database. The tool is easy to use, fast, and accurate, which makes it ideal for designers working on the go.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
4. Adobe Ideas
If you’re in need of a good illustration app, look no further than Adobe Ideas for the iPad. This comes fully equipped with a range of tools for graphic artists to make use of, including Paint Bucket, customisable brushes, and advanced layers. You can also find plenty of vector-based drawing tools to choose from to get the image just right. Once you’ve created your illustration, you can easily share or sync it for future use.
5. PicsIn Photo Studio
Another useful tool for photography manipulation, PicsIn Photo Studio is a great app with an abundance of special photo effects to pick and choose from. Augment your photographs with text, fonts, graphics, or different picture frames and borders. Stickers can add a cutesy touch, while the drawing feature lets you add personalized illustrations on the fly. These photos can then be put to good use in website design, advertising, or personal graphic design projects.
In addition to high-tech apps like these, budding graphic designers can maximize and enhance their skills with professional courses. Those just starting out can learn more about what to expect in graphic design courses in this NowLearning article, or read more on graphic design blogs. In the meantime, download these handy apps to start playing around with form, function, and the visual arts.
