5 Great Graphic Design Programs

Graphic Design Programs are few and far. Sure, there are many different ones-but only few pump out excellent results and give you all the tools you need to complete your projects. Personally, I like Graphic Design and might even be making it more then just a hobby. This Hub will not teach you how to become an excellent Graphic Designer or anything, but it will go into details on what Programs you should choose for what your aiming for. There is a high demand for more and more online and offline computer Graphic Creators. One of these programs you should have already, one you can get for free, and one will cost you the upwards of more then $3000. Basically, the type of art you plan on doing and what you need for it will determine what program and how much you will have to spend. Personally, I have all the programs I will be reviewing, but to buy from the companies you will need to get the newest version (might be able to find deals using used or older versions from CD.) I will be doing a description on each one, a link to the company site and I will try to include if you can get the one I described or another version for cheaper using eBay or Amazon - so if I have it, from one Graphic Designer to another, it's one of the best deals you will find!

Ever think MS Paint was a worthless application Microsoft just ads to its computer packages? Well think again! MS Paint is very basic, but it is a powerful tool! You can make all kinds of effects in MS Paint. Of course MS Paint is free and if your running a PC you probably own it. There really isn't much to explain about it other then it is an excellent Pixel Art tool. If all you want is to play around, make some of your own little graphics in the pixeling style then you need to look no further then MS Paint!

Specifications:

• Microsoft Windows
• Comes free with Windows Packages

Paint.NET is a super verison of MS Paint. Much more powerful adds a ton of effects that the major names do. Made for the "low budget" artist it is hosted free for all. Even if you owned other graphic programs this is a great tool to use in some cases. It helps you make a much larger diverity of images that MS Paint doesn't let you.

System Requirements

Minimum System

• Windows XP (SP2 or later),

  or Windows Vista,

  or Windows Server (2003 SP1 or later)

• .NET Framework 2.0 or newer (.NET Framework 3.5 SP1 recommended)
• 500 MHz processor (Recommended: 800 MHz or faster)
• 256 MB of RAM (Recommended: 512 MB or more)
• 1024 x 768 screen resolution
• 200+ MB hard drive space
• 64-bit support requires a 64-bit CPU that is running a 64-bit version of Windows, and an additional 128 MB of RAM

Please note that Paint.NET uses your hard drive to store temporary files related to undo/redo history. Because of this, actual disk space requirements will depend on the type of actions you perform on an image, and on the size of the image.

Price: Free! Download here: Paint.NET

Adobe Macromedia Fireworks is much like Photoshop. Its a more user friendly program to use because it is a lot more basic then Photoshop. Fireworks can do almost everything Photoshop can, but it has a better "Web Ready" format to it. Fireworks is my personal choice for graphic design. It has more useful plug-ins then photoshop has but lacks most of its "Photo" elements. Basically Fireworks is to make Graphics, not edit Photos. Even though it can, it's easier to use photoshop for photos. Fireworks also lacks pressure sensibility settings, if you own a Pen tablet. Regardless, it is still the best graphics program in my opinion. Very versatile, if you get it you will not regret it!

Windows

• 1GHz or faster processor
• Microsoft® Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 (Service Pack 3 recommended) or Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 (certified for 32-bit Windows XP and Windows Vista)
• 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
• 1GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on flash-based storage devices)
• 1,024x768 display (1,280x800 recommended) with 16-bit video card
• DVD-ROM drive
• Broadband Internet connection required for online services

Price(For new CS4): $300 (not out yet) There are other versions you can purchuse, I use Fireworks 8.

Site: Click Here

Adobe Photoshop by far is the most widespread advanced graphics program out! Photoshop, just like it's name allows you to, with complete precision, work on your photos! Not only photos, the program is very effective at making anytime of graphics! Photoshop has sensibility options and a crisp layout. Photoshop and its series isn't an easy-to-use program. It takes time to learn how to do advance things with all of its functions. Photoshop has it's CS4 editions and its Elements editions. There is also Lightroom, made just for photographers. I have Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 (it's old but it came with a package I got before.) Even version 5 allows great pressure controls. This is the ultimate drawing graphics tool for the serious artists and designers.

Windows (Version 5.0 Elements)

• Intel® Pentium® 4 or Intel Celeron® (or compatible) 1.3GHz processor (dual-core processors and those with Hyper-Threading Technology supported)
• Microsoft® Windows Vista™ (32-bit only), Windows® XP, or Windows Media Center Edition (XP and MCE require Service Pack 2)
• Windows XP: 256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
• Windows Vista: 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended)
• 1.5GB of available hard-disk space
• Color monitor with 16-bit color video card
• 1,024x768 monitor resolution at 96dpi or less
• Display driver compatible with Microsoft DirectX 9 or later
• CD-ROM drive

Price (Photoshop Elements 7): $140

3ds Max is the ultimate graphics program in animation for movies or videogames. This 3D world creating software it off the scales in power as far as graphics are concerned! I have full access to this program (thanks to a friend!) and I can't tell you much about it because I cannot figure it out! In order to use this powerful software you MUST read all of the manuals and books on it. I can tell you this software was used to make Guitar Hero! I'm sure many know about it, I'm not sure what else it has made-probably many other videogames. This is as high as it gets in mastery of graphic design. Master this program and you have limitless possibilities in your designing! Due to the power of this program, I will provide many pictures of work that was made in it!

System Requirments vary too much to get any kind of requirement idea! Just check the copy you own or plan on buying.

This is master software, it can be used to make videogames and movies. This means it isn't cheap. Sadly, most people will not own this program due to it's price (although watch out for the older versions that are droping in price!).

Price: A WHOPPING $3,500Site: Click Here

Graphic Design is fun, entertaining, and a helpful skill to know how to do. I hope you learned a lot from this hub and it was well worth the read! If your interested in the programs listed, I will find them and put the links on the very bottom of this hub (not yet added, will add soon!). You do not need to be an artist to use these softwares, it helps but remember-the most important rule about art is it is suppose to be fun! If you liked this Hub please vote, hit thumbs up, and make a comment if you like! I also appreciate anyone who Diggs or Stumbles me and don't forget to check out my other hubs! If you ever have any questions or want to contact me, please feel more then free to! I don't bite, E-mail me and I will try to answer you as quickly as possible!