
UI and UX
Learn The Art & Science Of Graphics Software
By TechDogs Editorial Team

Overview
Before you dismiss this article as something only designers and artists should care about, hear us out. us out. Business leaders agree that graphic design has become increasingly important to their business growth. Not just that, marketers today are using Graphics Software to create marketing content faster and sometimes, without hired help. Before you dismiss this article as something only designers and artists should care about, hear.
If you don't have a clue where this is headed, let's put it this way; this article will tell you about the basics of Graphics Software, how it can benefit your business, the different types available in the market and its features. Interesting? Read on...
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Midnight in Paris, a great movie! Don't you think? If you don't recall, it's about a disenchanted Hollywood screenwriter who travels back in time and meets some of the most legendary artists of all time. He gets to converse with the legendary writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, listen to Cole Porter sing, meets Dali and receives writing advice from Ernest Hemingway! Amongst all the "every-writer’s-dream sequence", the one thing that stuck with us is the movie's iconic poster.If you are wondering what's so special about the poster, take a look at its beauty!
Do you get it now? Take a closer look and you'll find one of the most iconic masterpieces in there. In the background, we have Vincent Van Gogh's most celebrated artwork, The Starry Night, while we have Owen Wilson strolling down a street in Paris in the forefront. The entire creation is in hues of blue, yellow and white much like the painting. Did we say that it's oh-so-pretty?
How is this related to Graphics Software, you may ask? Think about it, how do you think the poster was created. The actual painting had to be refined and edited in a digital format to look lively on print. Then, Owen's photo had to be merged and tuned in with the background and then the text had to be placed. It doesn't take Sherlock's sociopathic genius to deduce that all this was done using Graphics Software.
In fact, every design that you see around–every new print, every new brand logo, every product's packaging, every advertisement and every social media post is created using Graphics Software. You could say it's the modern age artist's toolkit.
Let's Learn A Bit About What A Graphics Software Is
A graphic designer's digital canvas, a graphics software, is a tool for designers to create, edit and manage two-dimensional images or models visually, on a computer.
When we talk about graphics, we include everything graphic-y, which means everything from your clip art and web graphics to digital logos, photos and every other type of digital creative. Even the creatives you find in printed formats such as a print ad, a product package, a book cover, a brochure, etc. are first created and visualized on Graphics Software.
What's more, you have different Graphics Software to create different visual art. Everybody's favorite (read- well known) Adobe Photoshop is used to edit images and mix them up with other graphics. In contrast, Adobe Illustrator is used for vector art, Blender for 3D graphics, InVision for designing webpages–the list could go on.
That being said, you did not have a buffet of different types of Graphics Software to do your creative work until recently. When it all began, you barely had any options. Here's a peek into the history of Graphics Software.
History And Evolution Of Graphics Software
The history of design can be traced back to the early man and the Stone Age- hello, cave paintings, anyone? However, if we have to look into the history of Graphics Software, we should start our tour at the Gutenberg printing press in Germany- all the way back in the 15th Century. It was the birth of printing that ushered the revolution of printing logos and advertisements (leave it to humans to monetize any new technology).
As things moved from a canvas to print and the age of computers began, there came the need to build a program to take design and art to the digital platform. The first attempt at digital 'design' was not through graphics but using images. In the 1970s, Super Paint, a basic image editing software, was built.
A decade later, Apple's Macintosh paved the way for tools like PageMaker (1985), Illustrator (1987), FreeHand (1988) and Photoshop (1990). The rest, of course, was history. Today, we have the complete Adobe Creative Suite along with a multitude of Graphics Software at our disposal to create better designs and art digitally.
You're probably wondering how these tools actually work. Let us shed some light on that too.
How Does A Graphics Software Work?
You could think of Graphics Software as the USB (Universal Serial Bus) cord that connects the charger and your laptop. A Graphics Software interacts with hardware, that a designer uses and visualizes his creation onto a desktop or a screen. In simpler words, it converts a mouse, trackpad, or a magic pen into a paintbrush and the screen into a canvas. The rest is up to the skill of the designer or artist using it.
In addition to that, you get tools to edit and enhance your images and designs. For instance, you have shadow effects, overlays, filters, saturation, etc. that enhance the graphic. You also use the inbuilt shapes and templates to work faster.
While all Graphics Software work the same way, the end result could be vastly different. Graphics Software can be used to create vector images or raster images–and that defines the type of software.
Types Of Graphics Software
There are two primary types of Graphics Software:
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Pixel-based Editing Tools:
These have tiny pixels or dots that come together to create one complete image and are called raster images. We've all possibly created thumbprint art as kids. Consider each thumbprint to be a pixel and all of them together create one image. Needless to say, a pixel is a lot smaller than a thumbprint, as it is a digital building block for an image (like a brick in a wall!). In these tools, you measure images and their elements in terms of pixels.
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Path-based Editing Tools:
These keep track of points and the equations for the lines that connect them to form an image called Vector Image. Remember those coordinates and line graphs we used to measure the slope and what not in geometry? Path-based tools use geometry and algorithms to tell the path how it should be shaped, what color it is bordered with or filled by, etc.
Just remember that raster images would blur or pixelate if you zoom into them too much but vector images won't.While there's a lot that's different in these two types of Graphics Software–they do have a few features in common. Cut to - features of Graphic Software.
Features Of Graphics Software
While every Graphics Software out there serves its purposes, there are four features you'd find in all of them. Here goes:
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Templates:
What's the use of a tool if it can't make your work easier. Most Graphics Software come with innumerable templates that will give you a head start on your design. A fantastic software would have professional-looking, ready-to-use templates that are entirely customizable to help you create your design faster.
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Repository Of Designs:
You can't do a photo shoot every time you want to create a social media post, right? A Graphics Software will come with a repository of stock images and graphics. Not just that, you could use the same database to store your designs and pictures and those of your team members, too, to use and co-create awesome stuff.
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Collaboration Tools:
Talking about co-creating, Graphics Software now come with collaborative tools that allow you and your team to work on designs together. For instance, you could share a social media creative you're working on using Adobe XD (a type of Graphic Software) and ask others on your team to add their inputs, opinions or even edit the creative themselves. You get to create better and faster that way.
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Intuitive Interface:
Since most companies want their Graphics Software to be used by experts and amateurs who're learning the art, they ensure that their interface is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. That way, you can easily convert your ideas and concepts into actual designs even with just base-level training.
Why Do Businesses Need Graphics Software?
We'll keep this short. In today's day and age, business boils down to how well your brand is perceived in the market. The better you tell your brand's story, the higher engagement you receive from your target audience. Using a Graphics Software helps you create better designs that help you tell your brand and business story in the way you want. After all, what you say about your brand (content) matters but how you say it is equally important. It's as simple as the difference between reading about the beautiful smile of a mysterious woman, which is clearly less impressive than gazing at the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci #NuffSaid
Future Of Graphics Software
There's a new Graphics Software that's entering the market every day–each with its way of enhancing the art. Soon enough, creating unique designs would become more hassle-free with Artificial Intelligence. It'll help speed up tedious processes and offer relevant experiences to every customer. For instance, it could tell you which visual components or colors your target audience most likes . Not just that, it would also help you create experiential graphics using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality tools #CantWait.
Every innovation in Graphics Software would boil down to how easily you can create amazing designs using them. This is well summarized by Miguel Lee, Partner/Creative Director of Midnight Sherpa, "Specialized and highly technical methods of executing work inevitably become simple "buttons," empowering designers to realize their vision and build richer and more meaningful experiences without technological hindrances."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Graphics Software?
Graphics Software is a digital tool utilized by graphic designers to create, edit, and manage two-dimensional images or models visually on a computer. It encompasses a wide range of graphic elements, including clip art, web graphics, digital logos, photos, and other types of digital creatives. From designing print ads and product packaging to crafting social media posts and brand logos, Graphics Software serves as the modern artist's toolkit, offering a platform for creative expression and visualization.
How does Graphics Software work?
Graphics Software functions as the intermediary between a designer and their creative vision, enabling interaction with hardware to visualize designs on a computer screen. It converts input devices such as a mouse, trackpad, or stylus into digital paintbrushes, transforming the screen into a digital canvas. With features like image editing tools, shape templates, overlays, and filters, Graphics Software empowers designers to enhance their creations and bring their ideas to life. Moreover, Graphics Software is categorized into pixel-based editing tools for raster images and path-based editing tools for vector images, each offering unique capabilities and advantages.
Why do businesses need Graphics Software?
In today's competitive market, effective storytelling and brand perception are essential for business success. Graphics Software plays a pivotal role in shaping brand identity and communicating brand narratives through visually appealing designs. By utilizing Graphics Software, businesses can create professional-looking graphics for various purposes, including advertising, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and product branding. These visually engaging designs help businesses effectively convey their brand message and connect with their target audience, ultimately enhancing brand recognition and market presence.
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