As a business owner, you constantly look for ways to streamline your processes. Graphic designers generally require a lot of tools and resources to complete their work, and it can take time to keep track of everything. Keeping things organized makes it easier for your designer to get the job done efficiently and enables you to easily find any asset when you need it again. There are many tools that graphic designers might not necessarily have on their own but need from time to time. This article lists some of the most useful tools and resources your graphic designer needs to get the job done and help your small business thrive.
Briefing Tools
A designer will inevitably have questions about your brand’s strategy and priorities by the time they begin work on your design project. It is important to have a common place to store information about the project and make it accessible to your designers. Several different tools can help you to achieve this, such as:
Photo Editing Software
While every designer has specific tools they prefer for editing photos, each situation is different. Some designers prefer to edit photos on their desktop computers, while others like to use online tools that are easier to access on their mobile devices and travel with them. You should choose the right platform for your designer based on their preferences and limitations in terms of brand and IP usage guidelines.
If you are looking for free photo editing software, an excellent option is Pixlr, a free image editor web-based. Another free image editing software is the Photoshop Express app. If you want something a little more robust, there are options like the Adobe Cloud Photography software that are reasonably priced and have a range of options for all your photo editing needs.
Video Editing Software
Suppose you plan to create video content for your business, such as explainer videos, sales videos, or social media video clips. In that case, you will need to work with a video editor. Again, your designer may have preferred video editing software, and you should respect their preferences and choices. However, suppose you are hiring a designer who doesn’t have the necessary video editing skills. In that case, you may need to consider working with a video production company that can create the videos for you. Again, your budget will determine the software you need, but many affordable options can get the job done.
Free alternatives are available if you don’t want to spend money on video editing software. Some of the best free video editing software includes Avid Free (Mac only), Filmora, iMovie, and Shotcut.
Brand Collation Tools: Naming and ID Schemes
As your designer creates assets for your brand, such as logos, color schemes, and visual identities, they will likely turn to name and ID schemes to keep their work consistent and organized. Many different naming and ID tools can be helpful for the designer to use. Some of the most common tools are:
Brand Collation Tools: Colour Palettes
Once your designer has chosen your brand’s color palette, they will want to keep track of which colors are being used whereas they create design assets for your business. Colour Palettes are an essential part of any designer’s workflow. If you are hiring a designer to work with your brand, they will likely have their own preferred color palette management tool that they favor. Again, many different options are available, with many free or low-cost color palette tools available. Some of the most popular color palette tools include:
Web Research Tools
As you create your brand’s visual identity, you and your designer will likely begin to research color theory and branding guides. While these resources are helpful, they change often and aren’t always as accessible as we would like them to be. There are many web research tools that your designer will likely find helpful, including:
Conclusion
As you can see from this list, there are many tools that you and your designer need to use to get the job done. It is important to understand a designer's work and how much work goes into creating a single piece of content for your brand. It can seem like a lot of work, but it is also fun to get to put your brand’s visual identity out into the world! Your designer will appreciate you being familiar with their tools and resources, and you will be able to get the most out of the relationship between you and your designer.