Is there a design software that covers the functions of the PS AI ID?

Graphic Design
#1

Is there a design software that covers the functions of the PS AI ID?I really want to find it, thank you.

#2

There are numerous alternatives, it really depends on what you need.

Here’s my very subjective proposal for an alternative Creative Pro suite (without rent):
http://www.planetquark.com/2017/05/18/the-non-rental-suite/

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#3

Not really. There are obviously alternatives to each. What you are wanting is a Jack of All Trades type design software. If you are willing to settle for something that has partial functionality of each then perhaps Xara Designer Pro would fit the bill. It however is very weak on the PS side of things only supporting very basic adjustments, but can import basic PS files with layers intact. And I would not really recommend it as a replacement of ID. For an AI alternative though depending on the focus of your work, it is quite viable and has redeeming factor over many other alternatives of supporting Pantone colors which is absolutely essential for designing for print.

I don’t do as much graphic work as I used to since I have turned to development, so I don’t have enough work to justify a subscription to AI. Even when I did do a lot of graphic work I still used both AI and Designer Pro together. I specialized in a lot of very detailed vectorizing work and preferred some of Xara’s tools that I could only get in AI using plugins like Astute Graphics Vector Scribe, Width Scribe, etc. I highly recommend all of the Astute Graphics plugins to anyone who can afford them, but obviously that is not what you are after.

So you will probably be better off looking at alternatives to each individual product. I have used Serif’s Affinity products a little for designing for web and they are quite comprehensive, beyond that I have not ventured far from Adobe.

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#4

thank you very much

#5

thank you very much！

#6

thanks

#7

Be very aware of the consequences of in-program image editing capabilities. Both Quark and Adobe Illustrator allow this (and some of the off brands like Xara and Scribus.) In some print applications, it can be an output nightmare. You get what you get. Be very sure you understand resolution and how it is controlled within the program. Also know the difference between embedded images and linked images and which your printer prefers.

#8

Thanks

#9

Yes. There are a myriad of different art programs “out there”. Problem is, most of them are limited in one way or another that will not be apparent until you go to production. If you are trying to save money by buying cheeper programs, be prepared to pay your printer for extra time to “fix” them.

For example: I get files from Thailand that are done in a who-knows-what art program, saved as pdf’s. It creates clipping paths for every single little shape - including the hole in an “o”. This makes it impossible to (cost-effectively) work with the files. That said, with photoshop I can automate a lot of the processes to get rid of all those, but we charge between $80 and $200/hr to do these fixes.

Adobe programs, though stupidly expensive, are industry standard for a very good reason. They work.

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#10

You use photoshop to get rid of clipping masks in vector art?

#11

No. Sorry that was unclear because I switch between programs constantly. I think process, not program.

The Photoshop automation process for that job changes the mode to cmyk, resizes, separates the smart objects from “regular” design elements and saves them to a folder, then flattens the psd background artwork and non-smart objects (I use 400dpi instead of 300 dpi at this point in case I need flexibility later).

Then I move to Illustrator and automate the remove clipping masks process there, and have it place and embed the images to the artwork layer on a template. It’s never 100% but it gets 90% of the files 90% of the way. Then I just have to spend a few minutes on proofing.

Did 210 versions of a soap label in 2 hours like this.

#12