If someone searched for “digital art software” on Google, they would be confronted with hundreds of links for downloading different programs. Even after watching numerous YouTube reviews on what the best software is, the number of options can be overwhelming, especially since many programs come at a price.
Digital art class at Langley utilizes Adobe Creative Cloud, one of the most praised collections of programs, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Aftereffects.
“It’s the industry standard…If you are going into digital illustration or graphic design or movie editing, you are probably going to be using one of [Adobe’s] softwares,” Langley’s digital arts teacher Michelle Taylor said.
One of Adobe’s programs is Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator was released in 1987 and is now one of the most favored softwares in the graphic design industry.
“I love Illustrator, not because… it’s what we use the most in class, but because it’s just so versatile,” Taylor said. “You can use it for graphic design. You can use it for illustrations. You can use it for making comics…it’s really useful…and it has a lot of applications.”
Although Adobe may be popular, many believe other programs are more user-friendly. When comparing Adobe’s Photoshop and Procreate, senior Adam Siblini believes that Procreate is easier to operate and more efficient to use.
“I believe it is the best pixel-based software and…I enjoy all the gestures that make shortcuts a lot easier,” Siblini said.
Adobe Creative Cloud and Procreate cost money; while Adobe has a monthly subscription, Procreate is a single purchase. However, software does not have to be expensive to be high quality.
“I like ibisPaint because it is free, has a variety of great brushes, and also has an animation feature,” freshman Renee Shi said.
Free art software is also commonly used to mimic paid programs. This is so artists can sample programs without spending money.
“If you are looking to try out [Illustrator or Photoshop] and not pay money, go with Photopea or something like Krita or Inkscape,” Taylor said.
There are many factors to take into consideration when selecting the best digital art software to use. Each software has its own little features that make it different from any other.