How to use the Adobe Suite as a RMCAD Student Pt. 1

The Adobe Suite hosts a variety of art and design software programs. This resource is free with the cost of tuition to all current RMCAD students. Most of these applications are the industry standard for their respective fields and are valuable tools for emerging artists. However, this comprehensive suite can be intimidating if you don’t know which applications to use for specific projects. Therefore, we are introducing a new series that will review a couple of these applications and how they may be useful to each of RMCAD’s degree programs.

Graphic Design – PhotoShop

Most graphic designers use multiple Adobe applications such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Dimension. However, the most common for photo editing is Photoshop. Photoshop allows designers to create a unique combination of drawings and edit existing images, which makes it the perfect candidate for a diverse set of projects. One unique feature of Photoshop is 3D modeling. This feature allows artists to import or create 3D objects and adjust their size, shape, and texture.

Illustration – Adobe Illustrator

Like many other Adobe applications, Illustrator is great for graphic design. However, the application shines brightest for drawings, as it creates high-quality, scalable illustrations. Where PhotoShop is necessary for photo editing, Illustrator is appropriate when creating hand-drawn images from scratch. With a varied collection of brushes, textures, and other drawing tools, this program is perfect for illustration students. Illustrator is an ideal candidate for working on projects such as book covers, portraits, and posters as well as for personal doodling. 

Illustrative Design – InDesign

Illustrative design is a diverse field that includes vector drawings, text design, and infographics. A few important elements of illustrative design are composition, text, and color. That’s what makes InDesign such a great application for designers. InDesign’s ability to help visualize page layouts for different projects is incredibly beneficial when creating illustrative design materials. This program is great for brochures, books, flyers, and more. One of the best features to utilize in InDesign is the master page. This sleek feature allows you to create a non-printable page as a template which will give the rest of your document uniform headers, footers, and margins.

Photography – Lightroom

Lightroom is a photo editing software in the Adobe suite that makes color correction much easier. With Lightroom, you have total control over adjusting contrast, establishing white balance, and seamlessly recoloring objects. Whether your initial lighting was off or you just want to add some additional adjustments, this software is a photographer’s best friend. Arguably the best part of the Adobe suite is how easily assets can be transferred between applications. This way, you can alter the light in an image using Lightroom and then transfer it into Photoshop for more extensive graphic edits. If you are on the go, you can also export a project to Lightroom mobile to finish an assignment.

It’s safe to say, that Adobe Suite is simply the tip of the software iceberg when it comes to being a RMCAD student, there is much more technology to utilize and explore. Another great resource you have as a RMCAD student is LinkedIn Learning. This free library of educational content can prove especially useful in learning how to use any of these Adobe programs.

Mastering these applications goes a long way when applying for career opportunities and broadening your creative horizons. Stay tuned as we continue the Adobe Suite series and check out more student resources!

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