Are you looking for free and affordable applications that will make your web life easier? Look no further! Here are a handful of add-ons that streamline the graphic design process.
1. Skitch.com
Skitch.com enables users to more quickly capture screen shots and drag them into email for sharing. The software automatically saves and names files to speed up the process. You can even annotate images with text and sketches and share them with colleagues. Use Skitch to show an image to a colleague or client and get their quick feedback on it.
Requirements: Max OSX 10.4.6 and higher
Cost: Free
2. Adobe Kuler
Kuler is an online application that’s also accessible through CS5 software. Use Kuler to generate color schemes for print and digital projects.
It’s got a community feature for sharing ideas and is a great source for color inspiration. Since it’s built into CS5 software, folks with the Adobe Creative Suite don’t even have to open a browser window.
Requirements: n/a
Cost: Free
3. Firefox Colorzilla & Google Chrome Eyedropper
Depending on your preference of browsers, these two add-ons will help you pick up any color you see on the web, analyze it and recreate it. It’s great for when you’re browsing sites such as logopond.com and want to repurpose an interesting color combination for your own work.
Requirements: Current versions of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers
Cost: Free
It’s an industry-wide practice to flow dummy Latin text into a mock-up layout. The Latin helps designer’s see what the piece would look like with content. Instead of digging through old files to copy and paste dummy-text, use the Google Chrome Lorem Ipsum Generator add-on to create fresh text for each project.
Requirements: Current version of Google Chrome web browser
Cost: Free
An add-on application for Adobe AIR that lets you resize images in large batches. Perfect for getting files ready for the web. The app handles JPGs, GIFs and PNGs, and lets users set the output sizes, file names and end-formats.
Requirements: Adobe AIR 1.5
Cost: Free
6. Adobe Ideas Application for iPad & iPhone
A great tool for iPad and iPhone users who want the ability to sketch ideas on the go. The application integrates with Adobe Creative Suite software, so it’s easy to import ideas when you get back to work.
Requirements: Compatible with iPad and iPhone OS 3.2 or later
Cost: Free
A CSS editor perfect for graphic designers who want to create beautiful websites using style sheets. This editor is easy to use whether you are a web expert or a beginner. The visual editing tools, don’t dumb down the code, but instead help novices to learn to use CSS as they go along.
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher
Cost: Free trial or $39.95 to purchase
Guest Post by Britt Brouse, who writes for the PsPrint Design & Printing Blog. She has been writing about marketing, graphic design and printing for more than five years. You can find PsPrint on Twitter and Facebook.
