Questions tagged [tools]

Questions regarding hardware or analogical tools (but please use software-recommendation for software ones!)

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72 votes
15 answers
9k views

Is there a good resource or tool to help build a palette/color scheme around colors I select?

No matter how nice the composition, flow, and lines of my design are, if I am not copying directly from nature, I have a very difficult time picking a decent color scheme. It either looks too drab, ...
Stewbob's user avatar
  • 1,470
21 votes
5 answers
5k views

How to make a circle with grid on the outside ring

I made something like this: I did this with the Ellipse Tool and the Line Tool. Now the circle is accurate, but the lines inside are very inaccurate. Is there another tool that does the same thing ...
Tom Shen's user avatar
  • 311
7 votes
6 answers
56k views

What computer hardware matters to a graphic designer?

I've had my MacBook Pro since 2007 and I'm starting to think about what the next system might look like. I'm not made of money, but if upgrading a component helps to make me a more efficient worker ...
Brendan's user avatar
  • 16.4k
0 votes
2 answers
13k views

Photoshop. How to remove all white space, background + unenclosed space [duplicate]

Hi everyone here a problem I have, basically I want to remove all white from this image so I can paint beneath the illustration. When I remove the white using magic eraser or the magic wand I'm ...
Elliot's user avatar
  • 1
33 votes
2 answers
148k views

How to align objects side by side with a specified distance between them in Illustrator?

I am creating an animated sprite list in Adobe Illustrator. I finished creating the sprites and used the Horizontal/Vertical Distribute Center commands to distribute the objects equally in some area. ...
Lzh's user avatar
  • 433
0 votes
2 answers
264 views

Need an Image Manipulation Program [closed]

I need an image manipulation software with certain features, the cost doesn't matter to me. I am looking for the following features: A program which enables me to: Make logos and other vector works ...
BigSack's user avatar
  • 155
34 votes
9 answers
29k views

Are graphics tablets worth it?

I've always felt curious about graphics tablets, but I've never even used one. Most people I know either give up or love them. I'm not a big illustrator myself, but I do the occasional doodle and ...
methodofaction's user avatar
33 votes
15 answers
234k views

How to set the rotation point and use Transform Each in Illustrator?

I have a triangle I'm trying to rotate in Illustrator using the Object->Transform->Transform Each command, but I can't figure out how to set the rotation point like I can if I just use Free ...
bccarlso's user avatar
  • 475
22 votes
8 answers
5k views

Is creative writing needed to be a graphic designer?

I want to be a graphic designer but I'm awful at writing copy, editing, coming up with slogans and catch phrases. Do I really need to learn Writing, Spelling and Grammar and such to be a successful ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 23k
0 votes
2 answers
21k views

How to delete the intersecting part of two objects?

As you can see in my image there are two circles kept on the hexagon. I want to know how do I delete the intersecting part of circle and hexagon which i marked in yellow ovals..??
ajaya3028's user avatar
124 votes
7 answers
717k views

How to change the color of the artboard in Adobe Illustrator?

It is practically impossible to edit a white illustration on the default white artboard background. Hiding the artboard makes the whole work area receive the artboard's white color. So, is there a ...
kontur's user avatar
  • 3,668
46 votes
24 answers
157k views

Why are Apple Macs used so much in the graphic design industry?

Why is it that graphic designers more often use an Apple Mac? I am studying graphic design and I am hoping to do some freelance work in my spare time. I have a unit in my studies to discover why Macs ...
Lauren's user avatar
  • 477
8 votes
4 answers
24k views

How do you call "Charte Graphique" in English?

This is not really a translation question - more of a designer vocabulary. How do you call the set of visuals, logos, designs, colors, fonts... that make a whole design project? In French we would ...
nute's user avatar
  • 183
5 votes
1 answer
14k views

Illustrator: what is this black dotted box? How can it be disabled?

It's not part of the artwork and doesn't seem to be hurting anything, but I get this on a lot of client logos and I'm wondering how to get rid of it. I think it's part of the artboard, but can't ...
Brett's user avatar
  • 279
3 votes
2 answers
6k views

Determine radius of a rounded rectangle

I have a psd that has rounded rectangle. I need to create a new rounded rectangle with the same radius. How do I determine the radius used on that said rounded rectangle? I feel like this is such an ...
user26944's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

Photoshop using Marque Tool > Path > Circular But Not a perfect shape?

Please consider this image below : This is happened when I have a circular shape (marquee tool selection). THen after that I converted to Work Path (by right click of that selection). And I add 2.0 ...
gumuruh's user avatar
  • 129
2 votes
2 answers
4k views

How to access the rotate by angle functionality of Illustrator's Rotate Tool

I read that when I select the Rotate Tool (R) in Illustrator CS6 then Alt + Click on a point to select the rotational reference, a dialog should popup prompting for an angle. When I did that nothing ...
Leila Fernandez's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
30k views

Selection Tool doesn't rotate in Illustrator [closed]

Why my selection tool doesn't rotate object? I selected the object and it doesn't work. How do I fix this?
RW_'s user avatar
  • 23
1 vote
4 answers
5k views

How do I change RGB value without changing the Alpha channel?

I would like to know how can I change color of RGBA image when alpha channel will be unchanged for each pixel. If I use Paint Box Tool it will set alpha channel for all pixels to constant value. Look ...
Boris Šuška's user avatar
40 votes
1 answer
54k views

How to delete the path between two nodes, but not the nodes themselves in Inkscape?

I have a contour object, and I would like to delete a part of it (a line). So I converted the object to a path, selected the Edit paths by nodes tool and deleted the unwanted nodes, now I have the ...
greenoldman's user avatar
25 votes
7 answers
36k views

Learning to draw: start in the pen and paper realm or the digital space?

My question is should I start with paper to learn to draw or learn to digitally draw with Photoshop or Illustrator or any image manipulation application. I am thinking of using a book or some other ...
sebey's user avatar
  • 353
17 votes
5 answers
1k views

Web-based workflow solutions for graphic designers (hosted and self-run)?

There are some common tasks in almost every graphic designer's workflow that are made immensely easy by the Internet, but are often clumsy to handle through traditional channels like E-Mail. ...
Pekka's user avatar
  • 2,686
16 votes
6 answers
4k views

How do big design companies share art files

Many projects with many files all uploaded by humans on one server will get messy, by definition. Even if they have a structure, when 1000 of people work on projects there will be made mistakes. How ...
Benidorm's user avatar
  • 163
9 votes
3 answers
67k views

Adobe Illustrator error creating text constrained by shape (Area Type Tool)

I am newer than new to Illustrator, but am trying nontheless to design a logo for my friend. The most basic of operations is to create an ellipse, correct? I have created a circle with this tool, ...
user10294's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
2k views

3D character modeling tool

I am working on building a Strategy Game (it will be in 2.5D), and for graphic design part we are using Illustrator and Photoshop for designing (including designing characters). Now we want to start ...
Ahmad Alkhawaja's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
906 views

The pros and cons of using the appearance panel to create complex shapes and strokes in AI

Recently, I've been going over some Lynda tutorials for Adobe Illustrator and there are several sections where the presenter uses the appearance panel to modify the shape and stroke (and add ...
Vigorski's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
5k views

How can I create a twisted torus?

I need to do the following shape in Illustrator, if can be done by Illustrator. I think it can be done by spiral, circle and pathfinder tools but I'm not sure. Please I need the details of how to do ...
HTML Man's user avatar
  • 237
3 votes
2 answers
4k views

Simplest way to create a product box image

Would like to present our products as pictures of 3D product boxes like this: I think Adobe Illustrator with the persepctive tool could to it, but I wondered if there is maybe something even simpler. ...
thomas's user avatar
  • 157
3 votes
2 answers
4k views

Structured pattern, random elements in Illustrator

I'm trying to make a subtle background out of a collection of symbols, arranged in randomly order in multiple roughly structured rows. A bit like: The Symbol Sprayer Tool is close to what I need, ...
yellow-saint's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
192 views

I have to get a large number of photos approved for my project. Is there an online tool or platform that can help me with this?

We've had a photographer do a three day shoot to provide imagery for the project I'm working on. From the thousands of shots she took we want to get down to an initial set of 75 images that have been ...
Wardamercy's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
562 views

Keep pixels crisp when rotating object?

I noticed that when rotating an object in Photoshop the preview of the image has nice and crisp pixels, but when I rotate the image and finish the transformation it adds an annoying blur. Is it ...
PAWPS 's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
734 views

What are the tool kits used for making designs like those on dribble

I saw some jaw-dropping designs at Dribble and Behance. Can someone give the idea about tool kits required to make such beautiful things ? Are there actually competitive free alternatives available ?...
Amit Tomar's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
362 views

Simple, hosted file tracking

I'm looking for some advice on a simple, hosted web-based digital file management system. We have a design team that creates a lot of assets needed by engineering, marketing, and many other people in ...
sigre's user avatar
  • 113
0 votes
1 answer
140 views

Gimp 2.10.32 Toolbox Docking doesn't work on Windows 7

I followed this tutorial on how to dock the toolbar options but it doesn't work for me on Windows 7. I'm using 2.10.32. Nothing happens when I drag the Tool Options into the Toolbox. I also cannot ...
Harry McKenzie's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
4k views

Create a custom font with multi colours [closed]

I'm looking to crate a custom font. The font has 2 colours - a coloured fill and a different coloured hard edge shadow. Is this possible and how?
R Farrell's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
167 views

Illustrator rotational transformation is imperfect

So I created a simple hexagon using the polygon tool. When applying a 30° (360 / 6 / 2) rotation (to change its orientation) the anchor points are off by something what looks like a floating point ...
buschtoens's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
124 views

Which tool/workflow to design personalized maps?

I would like to design maps that include a mix of current cities, historical cities, natural landmarks, roads (current and old). These maps need to be accurate, but I would like to be able to ...
Lamia's user avatar
  • 101
-2 votes
4 answers
293 views

Best resources/way/curriculum to learn Graphic Design? [closed]

I have a Fine Art background. I want to learn Graphic Design and be job ready in this field within six months. I am self learning and have time and discipline to put in. what is the best curriculum to ...
GDlearner's user avatar