Graphic Design- The tools you need!

What I need?

1) What Machine to Use!

For a beginner there are main hardware and softwares you require to become a graphic designer. The first requirement would be a good desktop or Laptop depending upon your needs, those that like to keep changing working environments may chose the more portable machine with a good battery life and plenty of space for its softwares and working memory! 

My personal choice and favorite of many are the apple products iMac and MacBook Pro. iMac is the desktop choice while Macbook is more portable and flexible. 

Macbook Pro with Retina Display 

Even though Macbook may be a little heavy on the pocket but on the long run it is the best buy and comes with the most flexible one-year warranty. 

However, there are loads of people who are not Apple fans. Or may not want to spend that much in the initial stage of their designing. For them there are loads of machines according to their budget. Some of the requirements for a good machine would be; Get a good RAM, start low at 4GB and aim higher. the more the RAM, the more programs you will be able to run in the background. Screen size should also be considered when buying a laptop 13 inches might be regretted later try aiming for 15inches or above as it gives you more work space. As far as the "cores" go try getting 4 cores or higher for best results

2) Software, Software and Software!

You have picked a system you want! Now to be able to be creative you need the right softwares to give the right output! Graphic and business-related softwares are also a key to your success. Some products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, focus on the creative end of design. Other packages, such as project management or time tracking software, will help you stay organized and manage the business end of design.

CREATIVE CLOUD

Adobe products are the industry standard for graphics creation, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash and Acrobat. Each serves its own key purpose, such as photo editing, layout work and illustration. Practically every job in the design field will require knowledge of at least several, if not all, of these products.

There are loads of tutorials available online to teach you how to use these products and how to practice to brush up your skills.  

Project Management Software

As client lists and project sizes grow, turning to project management software is a great way to stay organized by using to-do lists, calendars, collaboration, automated billing and more. There are many options available, each with a variety of features and prices, several of which are outlined below.

BASECAMP
ONSTAGE
DAYLITE
STUDIOMETRY

3) A Sketch Book!

To get the creative juices flowing. A tool one always needs at hand is a sketchbook! Before one goes directly into moving pixels the best idea is to make a small sketch on what exactly you want to make, it will save time and lead to less frustration when you can't seem to decide what exactly you want to do! 








Start with these three and build it up! Your requirements change as more and more involved you start getting. Some people purchase graphic tablets to work while some spend on DSLR cameras to capture images for use! So the list can be never-ending but it all depends on where you want to go with it!