A basic understanding of computers is all a person needs to create
their own graphics with today's design software. Even with just small
amount of design understanding, people can still use simple design
programs to build their own cartoons strips, holiday cards, flyers and
invitations. Your business and yourself can save money on special
occasions by using one of the several user friendly affordable programs
that are out there.
The number one choice for design software by both professionals and
amateurs is Adobe PhotoShop. By cropping, recoloring and adding special
effects, PhotoShop allows users to change photos anyway they wish.
Entirely new pictures can also be created by using special drawing
tools, or existing pictures can be modified anyway the user desires.
PhotoShop uses a system of “layers.” By using layers, separate pieces
of a picture can be changed while keeping the changes separate. For
example, you can change the color on the bottom layer without affecting
the color on the top layer. If you wish to draw more than creating full
pictures, Adobe Illustrator may be the choice for you.
PhotoShop is a pixel-based program while Adobe Illustrator is vector
based. What does this mean your probably asking yourself? When you make
a picture in PhotoShop, you must use a certain resolution. A computer
screen displays 72 pixels per inch for a clear picture, but when you
print a 72 dpi picture, it appears blocky and blurred. If you are
making a picture for printing in PhotoShop, you need to use 300 pixels
per inch to get a nice, sharp image. Because Illustrator is
vector-based, it uses a system of paths rather than pixels. In simple
terms, it uses lines rather than colors. This means that everything you
create in Illustrator can be enlarged up to any size you wish without
ever becoming blurry or grainy. Designers often use Illustrator
software to build logos for a variety of advertisements. The same
picture or logo drawing can be used on a small business card or
enlarged to fill an entire billboard.
For those wishing to create simple greeting cards or party invitations,
there is a variety of user friendly software programs made specifically
for these purposes. Many offer templates for several print sizes and
folding options. For the more experienced user, the software program
Quark is an excellent print layout tool. Adobe InDesign also offers
professional quality layout options along with many of the same tools
used in Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator. If you are to use these two
programs, you will easily be able to create professional quality
materials with InDesign.
There is a wide variety of file types used in graphic software
programs. Most have their own native formats that can only be read by
the parent programs. PhotoShop files have a .PSD extension, and
Illustrator files are AI, making them only accessible by PhotoShop.
When you are working with a work in progress, it is a good idea to save
files in these formats, as they offer you the greatest flexibility in
altering your creation. However, once you have completed your work and
are ready to print your materials, you can save them in a variety of
ways. Web pictures should saved as JPEGs, GIF or TIFF files. Pictures
ready for printing are best saved as EPS files, to preserve color
accuracy. If you plan to send graphics via e-mail, PDF offers the
greatest flexibility, as most computers have Acrobat Reader, the
program needed to read the PDF file type.
No matter what software fits your needs, making digital graphics can be
a enjoyable and simple hobby, or even a professional career. It can
take some time to get used to the terminology, but once you learn the
tools of digital art, you will be on your way to building functional
and decorative graphic masterpieces to share with the electronic world.
