Whether you are new to the field or have experience working as a Digital Designer, staying current with industry trends and practices can be difficult. This article will discuss what the field of digital design entails and provide information on tools that help with everyday tasks to help Digital Designers manage their workload. With all of the functions and responsibilities associated with this creative role, using these helpful tools can make daily operations easier and more streamlined.
What Does a Digital Designer Do?
A Digital Designer is a creative professional who makes graphics, animations, and other visual effects. These visual communications exclusively involve digital media and devices, though some designers find a specific niche like web designs or publications. The field of digital design is actually quite complex, which is why it’s often grouped with other roles like graphic design and web design. While some areas of these roles overlap, Digital Designers focus on creating visual content found on both mobile and web platforms, along with film, television, and animation.
What is the Difference Between a Digital Designer and a Graphic Designer?
While it’s extremely common to see these two terms grouped together, there are significant differences between these two roles. Digital design as a whole focuses on creating visual content through a combination of artistic ability and coding knowledge. The field of digital design is essentially a mixture of graphic design and UI design, with projects including tasks like creating web/app interfaces or interactive content.
Graphic design differs from digital design in that the overall goal is for the content to communicate a specific message while engaging the audience. Graphic designers often create marketing materials, brochures, logos, and advertisements for a client or company. They also work to ensure that the visual images hold true to the style guidelines. These are typically static images, while digital designers can work in areas like animation.
6 Helpful Tools for Digital Designers
While the industry-standard software for Digital Designers like Adobe XD, Photoshop, and Illustrator are excellent for learning to design the user interface design (UI) of websites and print material, there are additional tools available that can help streamline tasks. Below you can read more about these six cost-effective digital design tools to help support your creative career. It’s important to note that while some of these tools are comparable to the software provided with a Creative Cloud subscription, they may not offer all of the advanced features of Adobe software.
Canva
Canva is one of the most popular free tools for Digital Designers who want to create quick template-based designs. Canva has both free and paid subscription options for users, as well as over 400,000 templates. While some Digital Designers may not opt for a free tool like Canva, it is an excellent choice for those new to design or who need an affordable option to practice their skills.
Dropbox
Digital Designers looking for a free file sharing platform should consider choosing Dropbox. While there are several different paid subscription options, the free plan provides up to 2GB of indefinite storage in the cloud. The platform is easy to use, and all content uploaded to the cloud is encrypted for your protection and security. You can share files with anyone and password protect them as needed.
Adobe Color CC
If you are looking for an easy way to create and experiment with different color themes, Adobe Color CC is an excellent option. One significant benefit of using Adobe Color CC is the ability to export designs to other Adobe software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. This browser-based application allows users to not only create unique color schemes but enable them to share them as well. The Adobe Color community has countless themes and stock images available that can integrate with platforms like Behance.
Adobe Comp
One of the more unique options, Adobe Comp, is a tool that makes it easy to create wireframes, layouts, and mockups while on the go. The tool is available for tablets and mobile devices on iOS and Android and offers a free plan for anyone with an Adobe ID. The app is also compatible with software such as Photoshop and can export designs to Illustrator or InDesign.
Affinity Designer
Comparable to Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer is a vector graphics software available for Mac, Windows, and iPad. This software is an excellent option for those who need a budget-friendly option with advanced capabilities. While there is no option for cloud storage, the tool offers responsive designs, web design optimization, and advanced file support.
InVision
InVision is an excellent tool for Digital Designers who are traditionally employed and those who work as freelancers. This prototyping tool is designed for collaboration and feedback, meaning it’s easy to share designs with clients or coworkers. There are tools for project management and the ability to create responsive mockups. The platform has both free and paid subscriptions available, making it a versatile option.
Consider Classes to Stay Updated
With how fast technology and software evolves, it’s crucial that Digital Designers stay up-to-date in the field. It can be difficult to find the time to research industry news with personal and professional commitments, but there are classes that make it easy to stay updated. Designers can take courses like Photoshop in a Day or Illustrator in a Day to refresh their software skills quickly.
There are also live online graphic design bootcamp classes from providers like Noble Desktop that offer immersive training on the fundamental skills needed to work in these types of creative roles. You can take these courses from the comfort of your own home while still gaining well-rounded training in the field.
With the job outlook for Digital Designers anticipated to grow by 4% by 2030, now is an excellent time to make the switch into this creative role. If you are ready to make the career switch to creative design, try searching for live online graphic design bootcamps in your area to get started.