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5 Hardware Gadgets Every Graphic Designer Needs
Graphics cards, a mouse, a keyboard and a monitor are the most important hardware gadgets that you will require for your designing work. Other hardware like a scanner and a camera are also very useful for artists to enhance their designs. If you are new in this domain then it is a good idea to get some sort of training before venturing into this field. In fact you should opt for a certificate course before you proceed further. These courses prepare you for the real world challenges.
You will also need to get yourself set up with a computer, internet connection and a comfortable place to work. It is also wise to invest in some basic software applications. All these things can be easily obtained from any local store. Software like Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop are must haves for any serious designer. However, if you are a complete beginner then you need to start with a software called Macromedia Flash.
It is recommended that you choose an extension for Flash. This will enable your documents to open in all popular browsers like Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari. While working on your design you need to focus on details and colors. To add to your expertise you should also take some good tutorials that will give you a good understanding of shading, contrast and light.
Another hardware gadgets that every graphic designer should have at his or her disposal is a sketch pad. This will help you in doingodling on papers that you need to convert into a stencil. These stencils will then become the final designs for the papers. At times you may also need to do some alterations and modifications to the stencils.
Lighting is another vital need of a professional artist
He or she should always have a lamp on hand so that he or she can illuminate the area where he or she is working. A laptop is also an important device. You should be able to get hold of one during assignments. You should be able to keep it at your side as you work.
Another essential gadget that you need to have is a good mouse. You should not settle for ordinary mice because they are not that durable and are very sensitive to movement. The mice usually do not have good mechanical properties and they often get jammed when they start moving or getting too hot. It is therefore recommended that you get a good USB mice.
If you are a designer who does a lot of layout work you will also need to have a good word processor. This will come in handy when you have to do a draft or rewrite an article that you have already written. You can edit the article using this software and get the revisions that you need. You can also work on different document at the same time. In addition to a word processor you also need to have a web browser with you. This will allow you to access any site that will give you access to plenty of information and will also make the process of designing faster.
You also need to have a printer that can produce high quality print outs. This will allow you to create documents, business cards, posters and other types of collateral quickly and effectively. A fax machine is also an important device. You should be able to send and receive faxes easily and professionally. This will improve your efficiency and productivity greatly.
Last but not the least you need to have a good computer
This is where you will store all the files and databases that you need to reference. It will also be where you will work on your projects. Getting a laptop or netbook is a good idea for most people since they are small and can be easily transported around.
It is also important that you get a good battery for your hardware. You will need to keep your documents and projects going for long periods of time without the need to change the battery. You also need to check how many hours of battery life you get from the device. The more hours you get the better. This will ensure that you always have enough juice to get through the day without a hitch.
With all the hardware in place it is time to sit down at your desk and get to work. There are many different things you can do to get the best results out of your design. Even though a hardware gadget is more fun to play with when it is new, it is also important to consider what other parts of the design may benefit from having the gadget. If you are using a software design program it is even more important to make sure that it is compatible with the specific hardware that you have chosen. This will ensure that you do not waste time trying to get it to run on something that it was never meant to.
