When it comes to graphic design software the truth is you can pay hundreds for top quality graphic software only to find out it has many features that the free graphic design software you were using has anyway. But we are not here to talk about the pros and cons of professional-grade design software, we are talking about ten things you can do with free design software. While there are many more things you can do other than the ten listed here, this is what I think are the ten best things just about anyone can do with even the most basic of graphic design knowhow…
Make Logos
It’s not just about using a graphic design program to make your own logo, you can also make other peoples with it as well. Many people on sites like Fiverr use the same free software and come up with amazing designs that clients then pay smaller fees for. In fact, some people make a very decent living by doing just that.
Make Fun Photos
You don’t have to start a image from scratch with this kind of software, you can play around with photos and designs you have already made. Fancy drawing a moustache on someone? You can do just that! You can even use these programs to mimic the basic features of Photoshop (which costs a lot by the way).
Selfie Touchups
It’s not all about business you know, you can also use it for selfie touchups! Maybe remove something in the background, maybe touch up a few blemishes. In fact, you can do a lot of cool things even with the most basic of software. Some even have cool filters that you can instantly apply to them to give them a touch of style.
Social Media Banners
Not only can you make all the social media banners you want for both yourself and others, but some design software even has pre-loaded templates so you can make amazing looking banners that are ready to be uploaded the moment you finish making them.
Video Clips
You can make video clips with design software? Well, not video as such, but you can do text-based images in different fonts and make a video out of them. Something like “click and subscribe” then simply add it to your videos. You could also throw in your logo that you made easier.
Posters
Yes, you really can make super large images with this kind of free software! In fact, some free design software supports printers up to 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution which is movie poster quality. Get the right printer and you could even start your own business selling them!
Thumbnails
It’s not just static images you can do with this kind of software, you can also knock up some pretty impressive YouTube thumbnails. With some even offering templates even the most amateur graphic designer can make some pretty impressive and clickable thumbnails to help make those videos go viral.
Product Images
Do you own an online store or work for one? Then you could always do your cutting out and pasting to make each product look amazing. Yes, even the easiest to use design software can do this and some even have one-click buttons to do it!
3D Design
While not all online design software will handle 3D images some do and while obviously basic you can still do some pretty awesome things with it like make 3D logos and even small assets for 3D games and apps.
Free Hand Drawing
If you run the software on a touchscreen with stylus support you can also do a bit of freehand sketching. Some design software even has watercolours so you can really let your imagination go.
I have to say I was surprised at the number of things you can do with free graphic design software, even when those programs seem basic at first. So if you have a need for any of those things above why not give one a try and let us know how you get on with it in the comments below.
