Gadget guide for the freelance graphic designer
By Alexis • Jun 28th, 2010 • Category: Buyer's Guide
- Photo: Stock.Xchng
In continuing with our series of posts of must-have gear for knowledge economy freelancers, we’ve arrived at freelance graphic designers and freelance illustrators. Below is the essential gear you need if you plan on breaking out on your own and plying your trade as a mobile freelancer who can work from anywhere in the world.
Essential 1: A computer
We assume you have one of these already. If you do not, and you can afford to splash out a little, Apple’s 15-inch Macbook Pro is a favourite among creatives the world over. If that is too rich for your budget (or liking), any laptop that has an Intel Core i5 with preferably 4GB RAM should do you fine.
Essential 2: Software
- Photo: Stock.Xchng
If the whole Adobe CS5 package is too much software for you, we would highly recommend you get Adobe CS5 Design Premium. Illustrator has come of age in the last few iterations, with Photoshop CS5 being the biggest leap since arguably the best Photoshop release of all time – Photoshop 7. These two packages on their own cost almost the price of the Adobe CS5 Design Premium, making InDesign CS5 an all but free bonus.
Fortunately that’s all the equipment most freelance graphic designers need, particularly if you do no photography. If you do have to do your own photography for your designs, this handy list of some of the top DSLR cameras available on the market is a great place to start.
Bonus luxury item: A graphics tablet
- Photo: Wacom
This is very much a luxury item most freelance graphic designers go without, but the difference a dedicated graphics tablet makes, especially if you have a bias toward actually ‘drawing’ your designs, is immeasurable. The Wacom Intuos4 Medium graphics tablet is heads and shoulders ahead of the competition and certainly warrants the premium in price. Many will argue against them and for them, but it is well worth weighing up the pros and cons before taking the plunge.
Is there anything glaring we’ve missed out, or are there any other additions, whether they be little widgets, accessories or software packages, you would make to this list? Sound off in the comments.
Tags for this article: freelance graphic designers, graphic design, graphic designers, intel core, pen tablet
