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What is your favorite graphic design program?

What Graphic Design Software Do You Like the Best?

  • Quark

    Votes: 9 18.0%

  • Adobe InDesign

    Votes: 23 46.0%

  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 18 36.0%
  • Total voters
    50
tobefirst said:
Sure. No problem. I probably should have clarified initially, anyway.

I largely take issue with the separation created by your initial statement. What, in design, is more important than "layout?" Whether that be the layout of a logo, paragraph, illustration, page, or book. If the layout software isn't "graphic design" software, then layout itself isn't "graphic design." That is what I take exception to.
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Fair enough. I tend to think of the creation of the artwork differently than adding text later, but that's probably just because of how I use the programs.

Whenever I have text closely integrated with graphics, I am usually using AI exclusively (or in conjunction with PS if there are images that need modification) whereas I use ID for blocks of text in books and other layouts where the text and the graphics (which may include text) are somewhat separate.
 
I use Illustrator, Photoshop, & Indesign.
Illustrator for Text & Typestyling, and Photoshop for effects, & Eye Candy.
It really depends on your design style.
I personally love Photoshop, & contrary to common belief it is used to great effect with design.
Many magazines are dedicated to nothing but Photoshop, and designing with it.
The more tools in your Box the more you can improvise.
Illustrator would probably suit best for most Design needs, unless you need DTP layout software. Should probably try & get a CS3 suite that suits you and get the best of all that the apps have to offer.
My 2 cents.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
Illustrator is the best, by far, in my opinion.

InDesign isn't really "graphic design" software at all, but is fantastic for layout. I don't generally create anything in ID, but instead use Illustrator and Photoshop and then place those in InDesign.
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Yeah this graphic designer strongly disagrees with that as well.
 
I've been using Fireworks MX (2004) ever since I first started doing web design. I've tried using Photoshop but I've found it to be very confusing and has a high learning curve. Fireworks is so much easier to use.
 
JSchwage said:
I've been using Fireworks MX (2004) ever since I first started doing web design. I've tried using Photoshop but I've found it to be very confusing and has a high learning curve. Fireworks is so much easier to use.
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Fireworks is much more directly tuned for web design anyway. It is a far better tool for that job than Photoshop.
 
Think of each program as a tool in a toolbox. Sometimes you'll need a few to get the job done. Adobe offers different sized toolboxes to allow you to buy the one that best suits your needs. The good thing about using programs from the same suite is that they often work together more productively.
 
I have found that with each new version of ID, I need Illustrator and PS less and less for what I do.

Really complex illustrations need Illustrator, yes. Really complex photo stuff needs photoshop, yes.

but most of the time, I just don't need to spend a lot of time in those apps.

Of course I was a big-time Quark supporter until the 6.0 debacle, and strictly ID since.

I will say that everyone telling the OP that Illustrator is better for business cards must be working with more complicated business cards than I do...

question for the OP:

Do you mean that you will be making lots of business cards with the same basic design on them (as in, cards for a single company's 100 employees), or lots of different "blanks" for various clients.

Because I have to say that dropping a spreadsheet into ID's data merge feature and having it spit out all the cards at once with formatting and everything accounted for is really a lot easier than anything you can do in illustrator.


But then I use all 3 of those apps all the time...i just spend more time in indesign actually designing.

I couldn't get by without all 3.
 
I count Quark and InDesign as more of an app for multipage layout and not an actual design app. Illustrator and Photoshop are my top 2 favorite design apps.
 
Dont use Photoshop for text use, please please please! The amount of hours I have had to sort out peoples wrong artwork for print because they have tried to make things solely in Photoshop - making text in odd layers, no spot colours where they should be etc.. Take it from me your text will print fuzzy - I have seen it many times!

As has been said, design programmes all have their uses, their pros and cons, learn to use each one for what it was meant for and you cant go wrong. You learn to work in your own way but ultimatley you need that artwork ready to go on the press or the web so you need set up your artwork correctly in the correct software. Software programmes should all work together as a team and the way CS2 and now CS3 ID, PS & ILL work together nowadays is great - even cutting and pasting between them! Makes Quark 5 look like a dinosaur!

Your workflow will seriously suffer if you do not learn how to optimize your skills and in a busy design studio you cant mess about, as customers want their jobs now now now!!

Some of the comments that have been made in the previous threads such as 'layout is not design' and 'InDesign is not graphic software' etc.. it all seems a little misguided and not seeing the bigger picture. Create and learn, learn and create and have fun while your doing it!!

P.S. - My prefs for design for print:
InDesign over Quark.
Illustrator over Freehand (would be good to combine the best of both tho).
Photoshop for everything Photoshop was made for (NOT editorial).
Extensis Suitcase
Preps and Apogee X PDF workflow (from Postscript to proof to plate in one easy step :))

Hope this all makes sense! - Ive rambled on a bit. ;)
 
Thanks so much for all of the input, and suggestions, everyone!

benpatient said:
question for the OP:

Do you mean that you will be making lots of business cards with the same basic design on them (as in, cards for a single company's 100 employees), or lots of different "blanks" for various clients.

Because I have to say that dropping a spreadsheet into ID's data merge feature and having it spit out all the cards at once with formatting and everything accounted for is really a lot easier than anything you can do in illustrator.
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Actually, I am an artist, and want to be able to design a variety of note-cards, newsletters, posters, and business cards featuring my art. I won't be mass producing a lot(as in hundreds) of each design, but I do like the idea of having ID's formatting for doing some projects.

lizard51 said:
Dont use Photoshop for text use, please please please! The amount of hours I have had to sort out peoples wrong artwork for print because they have tried to make things solely in Photoshop - making text in odd layers, no spot colours where they should be etc.. Take it from me your text will print fuzzy - I have seen it many times!
Click to expand...

Lol......I learned that the hard way! What you said makes a lot of sense. I will probably end up getting several of the Adobe programs so that I can use the right one for each project. It looks like it would be a better buy to get the Adobe Suite than it would be to purchase just one anyway. I think that I will be able to get a big student discount on them. I have been wanting to get illustrator so that I will be able to start doing some vector illustrations. Just out of curiosity, does the text get fuzzy in Illustrator when it is enlarged like it does in Photoshop?

Thanks again, for all of the input!:)
 
I like the sound of that! One other thing that I am wondering about Illustrator and InDesign is if they allow you to resize photos easily, without them getting stretched out of proportion in the process. It may be because of a setting that I need to change or something, but the older version of photoshop that I have been using will not keep the photos proportions when I resize them and it is really a pain.
 
MacBook-Gal said:
I like the sound of that! One other thing that I am wondering about Illustrator and InDesign is if they allow you to resize photos easily, without them getting stretched out of proportion in the process. It may be because of a setting that I need to change or something, but the older version of photoshop that I have been using will not keep the photos proportions when I resize them and it is really a pain.
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Just make sure the Constrain Proportions box is checked.
 

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Out of Quark and InDesign, I would take InDesign, hands down.

Overall, Illustrator is my personal favorite to work in.
 
MacBook-Gal said:
I like the sound of that! One other thing that I am wondering about Illustrator and InDesign is if they allow you to resize photos easily, without them getting stretched out of proportion in the process. It may be because of a setting that I need to change or something, but the older version of photoshop that I have been using will not keep the photos proportions when I resize them and it is really a pain.
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Hold down the shift key while dragging the corner of your image and the proportion will be maintained in both Illustrator and Photoshop. In InDesign it's a little different because you can scale the frame (using the shift) or the image and the frame (using cmd+shift) while dragging a corner.
 
klymr said:
I agree. I voted InDesign, but I agree that Illustrator would be your best bet by far. I like InDesign for bigger projects, layouts and things. For smaller projects such as you mentioned, Illustrator is the way to go.
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In inDesign can I make A1 posters and print A3 pages to stick together to make the poster?
 
I love InDesign CS3, PS CS3, and Lightroom. Lightroom is similar to Bridge, but I think it's better for the kind of work I do on a daily basis. InDesign is great for layout and type setting. I really don't like Quark, but that's just because I started out using InDesign.
 
Z.Beeblebrox said:
Agreed. You can open a can of beans with a hammer OR a can opener. Both will work, although one is designed specifically for the purpose and the other is a little less practical.
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Exactly. I got Adobe Master Collection, (Ed version - so cheaper I guess...), now the world is at my mouse point.:D
 
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