Breaking Down the Differences: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
As designers, we know that behind every good project is a good program –– or three.
We may have our favorite rendering program, but sometimes that’s not enough for a particular project. That’s when we look to other programs, including Adobe Creative Cloud, to add a sense of realism, detail, or impact to our drawings.
So, when it comes to the Adobe Creative Cloud programs, do you know when to open up Photoshop vs. Illustrator v. InDesign? Or are you feeling overwhelmed by what seem to be subtle differences? I’m going to break down the advantages of these three often-used Adobe Creative Cloud programs and the best time to use each one.
Breaking down the Creative Cloud
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign each serve a unique purpose for interior designers.
Adobe Illustrator: This is the program you’ll turn to again and again for the technical side of your design business. Use Illustrator when you’re looking to supplement other rendering programs with more control over customized pieces.
Illustrator gives you the ability to use grids to create accurate and highly detailed digital renderings that can integrate into Chief Architect and Home Designer.
You can create custom furniture designs to export into other programs.
Import renderings from CAD programs and alter colors, details, and other visual effects that are beyond the scope of many rendering programs.
Illustrator is a vector-based program, which means you can resize images without worrying that they may become pixelated at higher resolutions. Plus, you can turn your photos into vector-based images for editing!
Adobe Photoshop: We all know Photoshop as the go-to for editing (and sometimes over-editing!) photos, but it’s also a tool that should 100% be in your design back pocket. Look to Photoshop to bring a dynamic, layered feel to your images.
With its editing capabilities, you can important renderings into Photoshop as JPEGs and have a world of editing possibilities at your fingertips.
Once your rendering is in JPEG form, you can alter images, selectively add in color, pop in finishes and textures, and introduce lighting effects and shadows.
You can also use Photoshop to create presentations using both text and images.
Adobe InDesign: When it comes to the business side of your business, look to InDesign. This is your marketing go-to –– it’s where you’ll dive into the pieces that will help promote your work to clients and other designers.
Use InDesign to create mood boards for clients to bring their designs to life. InDesign could become one of your most powerful selling tools!
InDesign is ideal for print projects, whether that’s printing on paper or downloadable PDFs. Look to InDesign to create resource sheets, checklists, and more –– pieces that are helpful both internally for you and potential employees, but also for fellow designers who look to you as a leader.
Still curious how other designers are using Adobe Creative Cloud programs in their businesses? Head over to the Presentation by Design Facebook group to start a conversation about using Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign as an interior designer.