Here’s one thing you should know about being creative in the digital age. There will always be a program for whatever it is you want to design.
The Adobe Creative Cloud is the right tool to get you started on your project.
The toolbar has versatile software that can make your work shine. Not sure which program to use to make posters? Is Photoshop better than InDesign?
The truth is most Creative Cloud applications overlap some of their functionality, so the key is choosing the one best suited for your final project
If you’re not sure about it, learning about the best Adobe programs for your creative projects will take the edge off from any decision paralysis you might be experiencing.
Best Adobe Programs
Ready to get down to business with your wish list of projects? Read on.
1. Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator is great for creating vector graphics. This is because the graphics can grow, shrink, and change without any loss of quality. The images that Illustrator produces can be scaled to any size without changing the resolution or quality of the image.
But be mindful that this program is not the best for photos or bitmaps. Posters are happiest in Illustrator than any other item. This software is also appropriate for designs to be used in business cards, billboards, smartphones, and 8K screen.
Illustrator includes features like:
- Draw
- Add color and texture
- Combine and edit
- Variable fonts
- High-quality templates
Perfect for: Logos, typography, illustrations, posters, flyers, and icons.
2. Adobe Photoshop
This software is always the first choice for art and design, as well as photo enhancement and transformation. This robust tool uses the power of layers and effects to alter appearances. That’s why it’s a designer favorite.
Photoshop is recommended for edits that take on photo-heavy designs. And it excels doing tasks like adjusting brightness, colorizing, or blending many images into a collage.
Contrary to Illustrator, Photoshop uses pixels rather than vectors, so projects can’t be scaled after they’ve been created. The upside to this is that you can control every pixel, which can culminate with a result of beautiful photos and designs.
Photoshop includes features like:
- Define your canvas
- Add content
- Retouch and recompose
- Custom brushes
- Adobe Stock integration
- 3D features
Perfect for: Photos, animations, videos, complex book covers, social media graphics, and graphic images.
3. Adobe Spark
Want to skip store-bought greeting cards? Make your own card. Spark has a free card maker that allows you to create stunning designs with easy editing tools and features. You can choose sizes, backgrounds, and themes depending on the occasion.
Usually, this process only takes five steps. What’s great about this program, in particular, is that it’s available as an app. So Adobe allows you to use your smartphone to customize greeting cards, layouts, and social media posts.
So while you’re experimenting with texts and colors, you realize you’re almost done and ready to download a card to share with loved ones.
Spark includes features like:
- Iconic imagery
- Typography
- Professional themes
Perfect for: Greeting cards.
Have Fun With Adobe’s Creative Cloud
Once you learn what each application does best, the possibilities for creative play are endless. With these brief overviews and links to places where you can learn more about them, you’re able to make the right decision.
Although this isn’t an exhaustive list of Adobe’s apps, it’s a useful overview of the best Adobe programs for creators. So go ahead and get creative!
If you’re also looking for more video editing options, check out this article about one of the best video editing software out there.
