Finding the Right Tool for the Job

The design software you choose depends in part on what you’re looking to create, what you have access to, and what you feel comfortable with. Generally speaking, design software falls into one of four categories:

Raster-based 2D software, great for digital painting, photo editing/manipulation, and collages
Vector-based 2D software, great for graphic art, logo design, posters, labels, and when working with the vinyl cutter or laser cutter
2D/3D CAD software, great for construction projects and product design where precision is required, and when working with the laser cutter or 3D printer
3D modeling software, great for character modeling, virtual world-building, 3D rendering, and when working with the 3D printer

Raster-Based 2D Software

Adobe Photoshop


Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? No
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced

Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for photo editing and manipulation. One of Photoshop’s major advantages is the wealth of tutorials and how-to videos available for it online. Adobe Photoshop requires a paid subscription but offers discounts to current students. The Possible Project offers Adobe Photoshop to students at each of its programming sites.

If you haven’t already, check out the video above. It’s only a minute and totally worth it. Also take a look at these videos below for an additional look at what Photoshop can do.

GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Program

Source: https://www.gimp.org/release-notes/gimp-2.10.html

Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? Yes
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
GIMP is a free, open-source alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Though not used professionally to the same extent as Photoshop, GIMP is well-documented and there are a number of tutorials and how-to guides available online. GIMP can be downloaded from the link above.

Take a look at these example videos to get a feel for how GIMP works.

Vector-Based 2D Software

Adobe Illustrator


Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? No
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Adobe Illustrator is an industry standard for graphic design, including logos, posters, signs, labels, and illustration. Illustrator also plays nicely with our vinyl cutters and laser cutters, which makes it a very versatile one-stop tool for a wide range of different applications. Like Photoshop, there Illustrator’s popularity means there’s a wealth of high-quality tutorial videos and how-to guides online. Illustrator requires the same subscription model as Photoshop, though we offer Adobe Illustrator to our students at all of The Possible Project’s program locations.

Take a look at our Getting Started: Adobe Illustrator article for more information, as well as these videos for some quick examples.

Inkscape


Is it professional-grade? Yes, for most applications
Is it free? Yes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Inkscape is a free, open-source alternative to Illustrator. Though a capable tool, Inkscape doesn’t have quite as many bells and whistles as Adobe Illustrator. Nearly anything produced in Inkscape can be created using corresponding tools in Illustrator, though the opposite is not always the case. Nevertheless, Inkscape is very popular among the open-source community, and there are a number of tutorials available online.

Take a look at these example videos to get a feel for how Inkscape works.

2D/3D CAD Software

OnShape

Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? Yes (for education)
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
OnShape is an online, cloud-based CAD software. It’s one of my top recommended platforms for designing products and whenever precision matters (e.g. designing a part to clip to a bike, or to fit a cellphone). Parts can be exported as 2D DXF files for laser cutting, and 3D STL files for 3D printing. Take a look at the example projects below.

Autodesk Fusion 360


Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? Yes (for education)
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Autodesk Fusion 360 is quickly becoming an industry standard CAD platform for designing, 3D printing, laser cutting, and machining mechanical parts. Fusion 360 is largely used for product design, particularly for products and parts of products which will be produced by machines. It’s a versatile tool to take your 3D modeling and precision design skills to the next level. Take a look here for some getting started videos, and below for a couple intro examples of what can be done.

3D Modeling Software

Autodesk TinkerCad


Is it professional-grade? No
Is it free? Yes
Difficulty: Beginner
Autodesk TinkerCad is the best intro to 3D modeling software out there. It’s easy to use, exports STL files for 3D printing, and comes with its own getting started tutorials. If you’ve never designed something in 3D on the computer before, this is the best place to start.

Blender


Is it professional-grade? Yes
Is it free? Yes
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Blender is an open-source, free 3D modeling and production software. Designers use Blender when modeling characters for video games, when creating special effects for video, when creating 3D animated films, and even for 3D printing. Modeling in Blender is more organic than the CAD softwares listed above, so it works better for forms like plush toys and people vs. precision-based machine parts. There are lots and lots of tutorials for Blender available online. See here for a great getting started guide. By the way, the above animation was made entirely with Blender!