Tools I use and recommend

As a graphic designer, I use some great tools that boost my productivity and help me with everything from designing and organising my workflow to managing my time. Below, I’ve listed my favourite tools, each with a brief explanation. Some links on this page are affiliates, meaning I may receive compensation if you purchase a product or service through them. I hope you find these tools as valuable as they have been for me.

Adobe

The first place goes to Adobe, of course. With a one-year subscription, I have access to all the programs I need for my work. I haven’t found anything better or more convenient. In my daily workflow, I typically use InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat. I also have InCopy and Lightroom installed for occasional use. And I really enjoy using Premiere Rush on my phone for quick video editing.

RightFont

RightFont is a powerful font manager that I’ve been using since 2016. It helps me easily organise and manage my fonts, and it interacts seamlessly with all programmes. When you activate a particular font, it’s immediately available for use in your work.

Not only can you conveniently add and organise your fonts, but RightFont also includes all Google fonts — over 5,500 with an open-source licence, meaning you can use them freely in your projects. Adobe fonts are also integrated into RightFont, so if a font is activated on the Adobe website, it instantly appears in your collection and is free to use too.

Another great feature is that RightFont has a separate section with over 32,000 vector icons for all occasions, including social network logos, making your work much easier and faster. So, I highly recommend RightFont to everyone who works with fonts.

Midjourney

Midjourney is an artificial intelligence design tool that assists me in my work almost every day. I use it to generate visuals and experiment with new design concepts, which significantly speeds up my workflow and reduces costs. One of its coolest features is the ability to create unique mockups for your projects.

Notion

Notion is a versatile workspace that combines notes, tasks, databases, and calendars all in one place. It helps me keep track of my projects, brainstorm ideas, and stay organised, making my workflow much more efficient.

Timemator

Timemator automatically tracks the time you spend on different tasks and projects, helping you manage your time better and stay productive. For example, I needed to determine how much time I spent on the layout of one monthly issue of a magazine. It usually takes 2.5 weeks, including waiting for articles and proofreading. Timemator can be set up to account for this time, like when I’m actively using files from a particular folder or frequently visiting a specific site. By doing this, I discovered it takes me about 40 hours to layout one issue.

Screen Studio

Screen Studio is a screen recording and video editing tool that is ideal for creating tutorials, demos, and presentations. It is easy to use and has all the features you need to create high-quality video content. One particularly handy feature is the ability to immediately add a talking head to your video, which you can then edit.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is an email marketing platform that’s great for building and nurturing an audience. Whether you’re sending newsletters or creating email courses, ConvertKit makes it easy to communicate with your followers.

I hope you find these tools helpful in your design journey. If you have any questions or need more guidance, please feel free to reach out!