As I’ve mentioned, design is a hobby of mine. So, I get to spend lots of money…. Not really. Then how does design work on no budget? One solution: Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).
In nutshell, FOSS encompasses a wide selection of software that’s free and open sourced, meaning the code is open to the public (generally). For me, this means I use free and open tools for my work. Yes, I know ‘real’ designers use things like Adobe and such, but they also do this for a living.
The next part of this explanation gives the details. Yes, my first exposure to vector graphic design was through Illustrator (8.x) in my college cartography [mapmaking] class. We used it to make our final map projects, as the main GIS software at the time really didn’t cut it for nice looking maps. Cutting my design teeth with maps, I discovered a taste for making designs. Mind you, it’s taken time to develop skills and I’m still far from well-versed.
But Illustrator is neither free nor open source…..so what do I use. Many years ago, I discovered a FOSS alternative to Illustrator: Inkscape. While not as powerful or prevelant as Illustrator, Inkscape has served me well and continues to do so. I have many of the core tools I need and have learned to adapt when I can’t use the fancier stuff. All my designs for Data Monkey Designs are crafted with Inkscape primarily, although I do use other programs once I start projects such as playing cards or more book-like concepts. More on those later.
So, I would encourage anyone wanting to try their hand with vector (points, lines, etc.) design to give Inkscape a try. If you prefer more raster (photo)-based work, I would recommend GIMP (perhaps a topic for another post).
Data Monkey Designs 