Professional Graphics Programs

Graphics Programs for Professional Designers

Hello,

I am in the beginning phases of starting a stationery business.

I will be selling designs by other stationery artists, but will also be creating some designs of my own.

I'm really struggling with which software to purchase to create my designs.

When you use the Broderbunds, and Mountaincows you get into copyright issues if you use their graphics.

I will have to create from scratch (other than the subscription clipart downloads), and need a program that will allow me to do all sorts of prints and patterns.

What would you recommend?

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks a bunch,

Shanon

You are absolutely right about the copyright issues.

There are commercially licensed digital products you can purchase that allow you to use work created with them for profit. Typically, the commercial license products are brushes, styles, textures, actions and templates that can be used in a photo editing/graphic design software program to design and color your own papers and embellishments.

You can also hire graphics designers through sites such as Elance.com. You would then own the designs to use as you please.

Scrap Girls has the best selection of professionally made digital graphics that I know of. They do sell commercial licenses for many of their offerings.

In addition they offer a free daily (except Sundays) newsletter with great tutorials and design ideas. Their website has a "university" section and a very active message board where people jump in to assist you with any question. Scrap Girls is dynamite!

You'll also find many digital design tutorials in my Digital Scrapbooking section. Here's one on using your scanner to make digital embellishments.

If you don't own a graphic design software program yet, Photoshop CS is definitely the way to go. There is good reason why it is the choice of most digital graphic designers.

(If you buy Photoshop, and need a way to get up and running quickly, try ASAP - As Simple as Photoshop. It is an inexpensive interactive tutorial that allows you work along with the examples in the program to quickly learn the basics of Photoshop.)

If you don't want to dive right into the deep end or are on a limited budget, start with Photoshop Elements, which is basically Photoshop lite. [ Be forewarned, you'll probably end up upgrading to the full Photoshop Creative Suite eventually anyway. ]

Please write again if you have further questions. I'm addicted to digital graphics myself and am happy to help others get started with it.

Good luck with your stationery business!