This afternoon, I asked a question via Twitter. When designing a website, what do you use the most Photoshop or Illustrator? In a few minutes I had some replies and some interesting points to discuss. The idea behind this discussion was to assess my current and future situation as a web designer by looking at current software for designing websites and how software influences our flexibility, efficiency and more importantly employability in the web industry. I currently use a Xara Designer Pro 6 to design my websites and haven't really adopted to fully using to Photoshop. Xara is a brilliant vector drawing package which I believe can produce web graphics to the same standard as Photoshop or Illustrator, but knowing that Xara isn't the industry standard, things are going to have to change if I want to get myself up to standards. Below is the development of this discussion which is all via Twitter giving short and sometimes choppy answers - @ste9890
100% Photoshop... Fireworks also seems to be gaining popularity as a Web Design tool @edson_bsx
I also assumed Fireworks was intended for web design and then fell out of favour as Ps appeared to do everything?? @ste9890
Fireworks makes a lot of things easier but I find it limited in other areas, I like the creative freedom PS provides e.g. in FW you can edit border radius on a rounded box by changing value in properties box - much more effort in PS! Me
let's say programs are too expensive for a student, would agencies support the use of cheaper alternatives, open source? @edson_bsx
Are you asking in a theoretical sense? Or if I know anywhere that would actually adopt things like GIMP and Notepad++?
Me
using Xara Designer Pro 6 over Photoshop. Does that stop me for being employable? Although what I produce is still good? @ste9890
I don't think so Dan but I would say its worth 'acquiring' a copy of PS, flexibility will make you even more employable! @edson_bsx
It doesn't stop your employability in a freelance sense; but you might question efficiency in a company without exp? Me
flexibility's important but finished product more important that its design process? As Im more efficient in Xara over PS
@edson_bsx
I agree with what you're saying, But if you work for someone who will only pay for PS, that makes you less effective.
@ste9890
Definitely agree Dan but will agencies? A lot will argue that you need to use industry standard software at our place for example we often have to work with other employees PS files Me
Paramount then as you don't work alone on projects within agencies. Important to have cross compatibility with designers @edson_bsx
And I have to backup what Ste said, I've had to work with other freelancers on projects and again swapped PSDs n' Ai's
Me
Thanks for your opinions and input :-) Its been a good creative discussion! #Tweative maybe? Creative through tweets ;-) The main points to come from this discussion were -
100% Photoshop... Fireworks also seems to be gaining popularity as a Web Design tool @edson_bsx
I also assumed Fireworks was intended for web design and then fell out of favour as Ps appeared to do everything?? @ste9890
Fireworks makes a lot of things easier but I find it limited in other areas, I like the creative freedom PS provides e.g. in FW you can edit border radius on a rounded box by changing value in properties box - much more effort in PS! Me
let's say programs are too expensive for a student, would agencies support the use of cheaper alternatives, open source? @edson_bsx
Are you asking in a theoretical sense? Or if I know anywhere that would actually adopt things like GIMP and Notepad++?
Me
using Xara Designer Pro 6 over Photoshop. Does that stop me for being employable? Although what I produce is still good? @ste9890
I don't think so Dan but I would say its worth 'acquiring' a copy of PS, flexibility will make you even more employable! @edson_bsx
It doesn't stop your employability in a freelance sense; but you might question efficiency in a company without exp? Me
flexibility's important but finished product more important that its design process? As Im more efficient in Xara over PS
@edson_bsx
I agree with what you're saying, But if you work for someone who will only pay for PS, that makes you less effective.
@ste9890
Definitely agree Dan but will agencies? A lot will argue that you need to use industry standard software at our place for example we often have to work with other employees PS files Me
Paramount then as you don't work alone on projects within agencies. Important to have cross compatibility with designers @edson_bsx
And I have to backup what Ste said, I've had to work with other freelancers on projects and again swapped PSDs n' Ai's
Me
Thanks for your opinions and input :-) Its been a good creative discussion! #Tweative maybe? Creative through tweets ;-) The main points to come from this discussion were -
- Efficiency in a company can be hampered due to an employees lack of flexibility when working on a project as part of a team
- It's important to have cross compatibility with other designers as you may be working as a team on one project
- The design process when freelancing can be different to an agency's design process therefore you must be able to adapt accordingly
- Do everything to make yourself more employable
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