Elements offers a course on Coursera focusing on graphic design skills, covering elements like balance, proximity, alignment, and contrast. Additional skills taught include Color Theory and Print Design. Led by the University of Colorado Boulder, with RAM Elements offering 3D structural analysis and design software for various projects.
Exploring alternatives to Elements, one can explore Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, Canva, Affinity, Procreate, Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint, amongst others.
Photoshop
An integral tool in professional digital art and the primary software for raster graphics editing, Photoshop was first introduced by Adobe in 1988. Initially designed for Macintosh computers, it is now available for Windows and macOS platforms and forms part of the Adobe Creative Cloud. Commonly used by design professionals, Photoshop has expanded its reach, now allowing users to create and edit images, render text, and even design 3D graphics.
Photoshop Top Features
- Layers and Adjustment Layers: Enhance image creation and editing.
- Regular Healing Brush and Clone Stamp Tool: Superior detail manipulation.
- Color Balance, Levels, Curves, Blending Modes: Provide powerful color and tonal adjustment capabilities.
- Additional tools: Include a variety of brushes, history brush, and blur and sharpen tools to enhance creativity.
| Latest Version: | Photoshop 2022 (23.3.1) – April 2022. |
| File Formats: | Supports PSD, PSB, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF and more. |
| Extended Capabilities: | Plug-ins enhance features, includes object selection tool, properties panel, and enhanced transform warp. |
Photoshop Limitations
- Despite its expansive tools and features, using Photoshop effectively can require a steep learning curve, particularly for beginners.
- In comparison to other competitive software, Photoshop can be expensive and has a subscription-based pricing model.
Photoshop Pricing
Photoshop follows a subscription-based pricing model which is often bundled with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Detailed pricing information is available on the Adobe’s official website.
Photoshop Use Cases
Use case 1 – Graphic Designers
Graphic Designers find Photoshop to be a versatile tool for creating visuals and graphics for print and digital media. The array of design tools, from layering to blending, facilitates their design process.
Use case 2 – Web Developers
Web Developers would use Photoshop for creating attractive website designs, modifying images, and even crafting logos. The software’s ability to handle different file types also simplifies the integration process.
Use case 3 – Photographers
Photographers would use Photoshop for advanced image manipulation, retouching, cropping, and color balancing, elevating the quality and impact of their photos.
Lightroom
An integral part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud family, Lightroom is the efficient, flexible tool for digital creatives, ideal for photo processing and organization. Compatible across a wide range of operating systems, Lightroom offers immediate post-capture editing and a seamless image management experience.
Lightroom Top Features
- Quick, efficient photo editing: Offers the ability to alter various aspects such as contrast, color balance, and brightness immediately after capture.
- Built-in and customizable presets: Enhance your photos on-the-fly and establish a unique personal style.
- Non-destructive editing: Keeps original images separate from in-program edits, saving edited images as new files.
- Wide range of editing functions: White balance, manifold tonal adjustments, detail manipulation, lens corrections, and a host of other features for detailed photo enhancements.
- Advanced image organization: Enables users to save, import/export images, edit keywords, flag, rate, tag, and color code for easy access and sorting.
| Version | Exclusive Features |
| Lightroom Classic | Designed for desktop use; higher performance for organizing and processing photos. |
| Adobe Lightroom | Supports mobile devices and Apple TVs; suitable for on-the-go edits. |
Lightroom Limitations
- Requires an ongoing monthly subscription fee.
- Though it offers broad opportunities, complementary skills in digital creative field may be required for optimal use.
- Individual licensing can be viewed as restrictive compared to the wealth of other Adobe Creative Cloud software.
Lightroom Pricing
Lightroom can be licensed individually for $9.99/month. Bundles that include Photoshop and online storage range from $9.99 to $54.99/month.
Lightroom Use Cases
Use Case 1: Photographers
For photographers, Lightroom provides powerful editing and organization tools to streamline their workflow and enhance their creative output.
Use Case 2: Graphic Designers
Graphic designers can benefit from Lightroom’s extensive editing functionalities and customizable presets to create striking, unique visuals.
Use Case 3: Digital Marketers and Social Media Managers
By facilitating rapid edits and organized asset management, Lightroom empowers digital marketers and social media managers to maintain a steady output of high-quality visuals.
GIMP
Born from the creative spark of Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis, GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an open-source image editor with a rich history. Debuting in 1995, it has become the go-to tool for designers and artists around the globe.
GIMP Top Features
- Extensive photo enhancement and digital retouching capabilities.
- A channel mixer designed to eliminate lens tilt effects and distortions.
- Active layer editing support with a robust crop tool.
- Support for multiple file formats and convenient data export options.
- Preview mode and a customizable interface.
- Expansion via versatile plugins and scriptable options for customization.
| File Compatibility | Partial compatibility with Adobe file formats |
| Languages Supported | 82 languages, a nod to its global influence |
| Toolkit Used | Switched from Motif to its own GIMP Tool Kit (GTK) |
GIMP Downsides
- The interface might appear cluttered and complex to beginners.
- Partial compatibility with Adobe file formats might limit some projects.
- Lanczos image scaling algorithm support was removed after version 2.8, leading to mixed opinions.
GIMP Pricing
Part of the charm of GIMP is its pricing – it is free . Thanks to a legion of dedicated developers working voluntarily, the software regularly receives new features and bug fixes, with no subscription charges.
GIMP Use Cases
Use case 1 – Ad Creation
With myriad tools, plugins, and customizable options, GIMP suits those creating ads. GIMP offers the painterly freedom to craft ads that pop.
Use case 2 – Flyer Design
For designers of flyers, GIMP provides the immersion into the intricate play of visuals, letting them manipulate every pixel for impact.
Use case 3 – Photograph Enhancement
Photographers find in GIMP a loyal ally. From minor tweaks to significant retouches, GIMP helps photographers craft the perfect visual narrative.
Canva
In the realm of digital design and creation lies Canva, an esteemed platform birthed in the vibrant city of Sydney, Australia in 2013. Famed worldwide, its sophisticated suite of tools and features earned it an impressive user base of over 100 million, catering to individuals, educators, and enterprises alike.
Canva’s Distinguished Features
- Drag-and-drop design: Delicately craft customized designs without the need for professional training.
- Photo editing: Transmute ordinary photos into mesmerizing visual narratives.
- Custom fonts, frames, shapes, and grids: Cater to every aesthetic whim.
- Magic Write: An advanced AI-powered assistant to finesse your copywriting needs, introduced masterfully in 2023.
| Pre-built templates | From logos and infographics to newsletters and menus, create an array of content with ease. |
| Custom charts and diagrams | Visually represent your data for impactful insights. |
| Mobile Apps | Edit on-the-go with Canva’s user-friendly mobile applications. |
Canva’s Limitations
- Despite its impressive security measures, Canva was the subject of a significant data breach in May 2019, impacting approximately 139 million users.
- While replete with features, Canva faces stiff competition from tech giants like Google and Microsoft in the office software category.
Canva Pricing
Echoing the spirit of accessibility, Canva offers a host of freemium options, including Canva Free, Canva for Education, and Canva for Nonprofits. For those seeking enriched features, Canva Pro costs $12.99 USD per month for the first user with a subsequent $6.99 per additional user. Enterprises can avail the advanced suite at a reasonable $30 USD per month.
Canva Use Cases
For Small Businesses
Small businesses can utilize Canva’s robust toolset to create compelling marketing collateral that resonates with their target audience.
For Educators
With Canva for Education, educators can create engaging, instructional content for an enhanced learning experience.
For Nonprofits
Canva for Nonprofits enables organizations to craft impactful awareness campaigns and community initiatives with its array of design tools.
Affinity
An alternative to the renowned Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer by Serif Europe, marks a landmark in vector graphics software. Launched principally as an element of the ‘Affinity Trinity’, it integrates harmoniously with Affinity Photo and Publisher, progressing the scope of design possibilities.
Top Features of Affinity
- Integrates dynamic symbols, stroke stabilization, and text style management
- Supports non-destructive editing, pan and zoom at 60fps, real-time effects, and transformations
- Compatible with popular color models including RGB, LAB, CMYK, and grayscale accompanied by end-to-end CMYK workflow with ICC color management
- Works seamlessly with Apple pencil, if using the iPad version
- Can seamlessly switch between vector and pixel workspaces
- Provides an ‘undo’ realm of up to 8000 actions. A noteworthy comfort, design history persists even after closing the project
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Supports common file formats | Flexible usability with file formats such as AI, SVG, PSD, PDF, EPS |
| Custom Brushes | Enables creative freedom by supporting a range of custom brush preferences |
| Multiple strokes or fills on single objects | Contributes to designing depth and complexity, offering a significant creative edge |
Limitations of Affinity
- Requires a separate purchase for the iPad version
- Initially, it was only available on macOS, restricting its user base
Affinity Pricing
Affinity welcomes users with a one-time payment model, skipping the recurring subscription hassle. The software costs USD$69.99 for Windows or macOS, USD$18.49 for the iPad version, and it is offered at USD$164.99 for the entire suite across all platforms.
Affinity Use Cases
Use case 1: Professional Illustrators
Affinity empowers illustrators with precise vector pen and shape drawing tools, coupled with the potential of multiple strokes or fills on single objects.
Use case 2: Game Developers
The software is a boon for game developers, providing design versatility owing to its real-time effects, transformations, and vector to pixel workspace transitions.
Use case 3: Web Designers
Web Designers value Affinity for its compatibility with common file formats, reducing compatibility issues for online platforms.
Procreate
Introducing Procreate, an exceptionally rated, cloud-based solution for digital sketches, illustrations, aesthetics and note-taking. A platform famed for its access to features such as Animation Assist and Quick Shape. Though exclusively available on iOS, Procreate’s noteworthy focus on accessibility and user-friendliness, sets it apart from its contemporaries.
Procreate Top Features
- Customizable brushes and effects
- Animation Assist tool for time-lapse recording
- Platform for shape drawing and image color-correction
- Paint filter adjustment with image effects like chromatic aberrations and realistic blur
- Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud for extended features.
| Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Text style modification and typography incorporation | Allows users to enhance creativity and design uniqueness. |
| Support for options like VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and AssistiveTouch | Expands accessibility for users with different abilities. |
| Canvas customization by size and resolution | Provides flexibility to artists for their diverse project requirements. |
Procreate Limitations
- Exclusive to iOS devices, limiting the user base
- Requirement of Apple Pencil for efficient usage may increase overhead costs
- Limited layering based on canvas size and quality
- Lack of a free trial or version
- Challenges in balancing accessibility with growth in functionality
Procreate Pricing
Procreate offers a one-time license purchase of $9.99. Unfortunately, they do not provide a free trial or a free version.
Procreate Use Cases
Use case 1: Digital Artists and Illustrators
With features favoring creativity like customizable brushes and a variety of image effects, Procreate serves as a go-to tool for digital artists and illustrators. Its Animation Assist tool aids the creation of seamless time-lapse recordings, enhancing the creative process.
Use case 2: Graphic Designers
Procreate is a potent tool for graphic designers due to its strong emphasis on shape drawing and image color-correction, coupled with the Quick Shape feature for ease of shape drawing. Combined with text style modification and typography incorporation, it enables the creation of unique designs.
Use case 3: Clients with Accessibility Needs
Procreate’s support for features like VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and AssistiveTouch make it a welcoming platform for clients with varied accessibility needs. The overall user-friendly nature of the software coupled with its focus on inclusivity makes it an ideal choice.
Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator, a product by Adobe, is the leading vector graphics and animation software that helps create robust graphics, fonts, and animations. Highly preferred by graphic designers and web designers, Illustrator provides high-end, professional results.
Illustrator Top Features
- Creates custom mobile graphics, product packagings, letterforms, and more.
- Enables real-time collaboration on files, version tracking, and mirror imaging.
- Offers editing features such as spacing modification, object layering, image cropping, and special effects.
- Benefit from 18,000+ fonts, type on path, variable and colored fonts with its comprehensive type toolkit.
| Adobe Creative Cloud Integration | Smooth transitioning across Illustrator, Photoshop, Fresco. |
| Design Precision | Works with Apple Pencil and solid foundation for point precision. |
| Compatibility | Works with SVG files, PNG, OpenDocument, PDF, PSD file formats export. |
Illustrator Disadvantages
- A high learning curve makes it complex for beginners.
- Resource-heavy, requiring a solid and robust system to perform best.
- Although customization is possible, it’s not as flexible as open-source options.
Illustrator Pricing
Adobe Illustrator offers a seven-day free trial. Post, the individual package is priced at $19.99/month, and the business package at $29.99/month. Unfortunately, Illustrator does not offer a fully free version.
Illustrator Use Cases
Use case 1: Graphic Designing
As it is seen as the industry standard for graphic designing, Illustrator provides an array of tools and functionalities to create high-quality graphics for both print and digital media.
Use case 2: Website Designing
Illustrator is widely used in designing website layouts and web-assets, offering designers with a set of powerful tools to create distinctive sites.
Use case 3: Branding and Advertisement
From creating logos to designing advertisement banners, Illustrator allows businesses to establish a strong visual identity, making it crucial for branding and advertisement agencies.
Clip Studio Paint
An emporium of creativity, Clip Studio Paint is a revolutionary graphic design software developed by Celsys, excelling in digital art creation. Perfect for tasks that merge design and illustration, this wizard of a tool has been winning hearts since its initial release in 2001. It hustled its way into the big leagues, gaining the affection of professional designers, concept artists, illustrators, and animators the world over.
Clip Studio Paint Top Features
- Unleash boundless creativity with vector drawing that responds to pen pressure.
- Express multitude of styles using customizable brushes that simulate everything from pen, pencil, to watercolors and oil paint.
- Experience the power of convenience with editable vector layers and style-changeable brushes even post-drawing.
- Manage work seamlessly with efficient layer management, searchable layers, and folders for bulk layer handling.
- Boost your workflow with customizable shortcut keys.
| Enhance artistic repertoire by importing | Photoshop brushes and other design files from software like Adobe Photoshop. |
| Explore 55,000+ brush materials | on the Clip Studio Paint’s material site. |
| 3D support for accurate drawing | with 3D data import as drawing reference. |
Clip Studio Paint Limitations
- Although the software offers extensive layer management, Clip Studio Paint format is recommended. This could limit flexibility for some users.
- The Version 2 update requires license, annual purchase of an “upgrade pass”, or switch to subscription licensing. For users not interested in an ongoing payment, this could be a downer.
Clip Studio Paint Pricing
Packed with powerful features, it’s surprising to know that Clip Studio Paint can be all yours at a jaw-droppingly low cost! Its PRO version rules the market at just $3.51/month, and the supercharged EX version at a quick $71.99/year. Free? No. But a steal, absolutely!
Clip Studio Paint Use Cases
Use case 1: Concept Artists
For concept artists, a vision is worth a thousand brushes. And that’s exactly what Clip Studio Paint gives you. With its vast array of expressive brushes and 3D support, creating stunning worlds and characters has never been easier!
Use case 2: Professional Designers
For professional designers, work is just another name for a masterpiece. Clip Studio Paint provides them with fine tuned control elements like layer management and customizable brushes to create visually dazzling and unique designs.
Use case 3: Digital Illustrators
For digital illustrators, Clip Studio Paint is the dream companion. Its tools for sketching, inking, coloring coupled with the ability to import Photoshop brushes opens up boundless possibilities for their creative explorations.
