Affinity helps people achieve a lot of projects and designs, however, it’s not without issues itself. Many people, especially those who are just starting out, have many issues that pop up in Affinity all the time. 

One of the most common problems is the inability to change your document size in Affinity. While there are multiple fixes and ways to go around it, most of the time it’s a user issue and an easy fix. 

7 Ways To Fix Changing The Document Size

If you read through this list of fixes and discover it’s a user error rather than a software issue, don’t be hard on yourself because it happens all the time, even to professionals. 

The great news is, most of the time, whatever the issue is, it’s a quick fix so you can get back to your project as quickly as possible. 

1. Your Document Is Artboard Based

If your document is artboard based, you may have a harder time adjusting and fixing the size to what you need. However, if you need to change the dimensions, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Select artboard in the layers panel
2. Select the artboard tool
3. Drag the artboard handles to the desired size
4. You can also use the transform panel to set specific dimensions

Once you go through these steps, your document should be the desired size you are looking for. 

2. Your Layer Is Locked

In Affinity, you often have layers that you can work on altogether or separately, however, you usually have to go through and unlock or lock layers you want to work on specifically. If you are unable to change your document size in Affinity, there is a chance your layer is locked. 

Simply find your settings or your layers panel and you can lock, or unlock your layer from there. Once that happens, you should be able to change the dimensions for specific layers to what you desire. 

3. You’re Going To The Wrong Setting Options

There is a chance you are trying to change the document size in the wrong part of your settings, or for the wrong part of your document. Affinity has so many moving parts, that it’s common to get lost in the settings. 

When trying to change your document size, ensure you are in the document menu and resize your document, unless your document is artboard based. 

4. You Chose A Preset Size In Set-up

While setting up your document, Affinity wants to know how big you want your document to be, and sometimes you can pick a preset size instead of anything custom. Once you do this, many people aren’t sure how to change the size again. 

However, all you need to do is choose  “size document” from the document menu. If that doesn’t work, you can always close down Affinity and try again once it opens and you load your file back up. 

5. Restart Affinity And Your Computer

Sometimes software and your computer have communication issues, usually, this can be fixed by simply restarting Affinity and your computer. Once these are restarted, you can open everything back up again and your issue should have resolved itself. 

6. Affinity Documents Needs To Be Updated

Affinity needs updates, just as any software usually does, so it’s good practice to routinely check for an update whenever you need to use Affinity, or before you close it out every time. Usually, you can find this information in the settings tab by searching “updates”.

Once you update Affinity, chances are your issues will be resolved, if not, try seeing if your computer needs a software update as well. If either of these things gets behind on updates, it can affect the ability for seamless communication between Affinity and your computer. 

7. Contact Customer Support

If all of these options do not work for you or do not fix a problem you need to fix, you can always contact Affinity Customer Support. 

While they may take a bit of time to get back to you due to the large number of customers they serve, they can help walk you through troubleshooting and other options to fix your problem.

Final Thoughts

Affinity is a fantastic program to use when working on documents, images or any design project, however, it’s not without its faults. 

The great thing about Affinity is its large user base that is very active on several forums to help fix issues and problems that show up from time to time. Chances are, you can find a fix to your issue in no time.

Using Lightrooms Presets is a useful tool when it comes to batch editing photos and creating a consistent editing style. If you’re on the fence about switching to Affinity Photo, you might be wondering if Lightroom Presets can be used in the new software.

As a general rule, Lightroom presets cannot be used in Affinity Photo. Affinity Photo is not an image catalogue software and lacks any feature similar to Lightroom Presets, so there is nothing for the presets to be converted to.

While Lightroom Presets are helpful, they aren’t the only way to save and use your editing preferences across multiple photos. Keep reading for more information on using presets in Affinity Photo.

Can Lightroom Presets Be Used in Affinity Photo?

Any photographer who has worked with Lightroom has probably accumulated a collection of presets that they use when batch editing photos. These presets can help to:

• Increase productivity
• Create a cohesive look for your brand and style
• Speed up editing
• Increase understanding of the program

But what if you what to switch editing software, can you take the presets with you?

Unfortunately, Lightroom presets cannot be converted for use in Affinity Photo. However, that doesn’t mean preset use isn’t possible.

When working with Affinity Photo, you have the option of using Look-Up Tables (LUT) or Affinity’s own preloaded presets. While these are not exactly the same as Lightroom presents, they follow the same concept of creating a unique and consistent editing style for your photos.

What is a LUT?

A LUT (look-up table) is a tool that allows you to save specific color grades as a template. In a sense, it is a preset with mathematical instructions that replace one set of colors with another in a photo.

LUTs are adjustments that a photographer, filmmaker, or graphic designer can readily use when working on a project. This can save time and ensure consistency by applying LUT to photos instead of starting from scratch every time.

The downside to LUTs, however, is that they only affect color, contrast, and brightness. If you want effects such as sharpness or grain saved, this won’t work.

Turn a Lightroom Preset into a LUT

Though Lightroom presets can’t be used in Affinity Photo, there is a way to save the adjustments so that they can be applied in other programs. This is done by converting the preset into an LUT profile using a HALD and a CUBE.

A HALD is a pattern that contains all color values. Since LUTs are created pixel by pixel, applying a Lightroom preset to a HALD will save the adjustments for all color values.

A CUBE is another file type that can describe LUTs in a three-dimensional space. Once the HALD with the preset applied is converted to a CUBE, this new file type will act as your preset.

What is the Difference Between Lightroom and Affinity Photo?

One of the main reasons Lightroom presets won’t work in Affinity Photo is because the programs function in completely different ways.

Lightroom is a RAW photo editor and image cataloging software. The program allows you to upload thousands of images at a time and easily edit them in a batch. Lightroom presents are essentially saved adjustments and settings within the program that can be applied to RAW or JPG files.

Affinity Photo, on the other hand, functions more like Adobe Photoshop. It is a raster graphics editor designed for making advanced edits to images and designs. While Photoshop and Affinity have their own forms of presets, these function much differently from those in Lightroom.

How to Find and Use Affinity Presets?

If you’re new to working with Affinity Photo, you may want to play around with the preloaded presets to get started. These presets work by creating a set of adjustment layers that can then be applied to an image. These can be found in the Adjustment Panel of the program.

You can also make your own presets by making changes in the adjustment layer of an image. Once the settings are where you like them, click the button that says ‘Add Present’ to save them. To use your saved present on another image simply look for it in the Adjustment Panel.

Final Thoughts

Lightroom presets are simple to use and make editing photos a breeze. Unfortunately, they can’t be used in other editing programs like Affinity Photo.

Luckily, there are other editing solutions. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with various tools and files such as LUTs, so that you don’t feel lost when moving to another program.

Affinity Publisher is a desktop publishing application compatible with Windows and macOS. Intuitive page layout software allows you to create professional flyers, posters, magazines, and more. No subscription, Affinity offers a free trial and a one-time fee for purchase with three bonus templates.

You can use Affinity Publisher to create your Ebook cover. The application has layouts specifically for books of any kind, and its templates are ready for print or the web.

Affinity publisher has nearly the same number of features for desktop publishing as the industry standard, InDesign, but without the monthly subscription that will run you approximately $251 a year. Keep reading to learn how to use Affinity Publisher to make your next Ebook cover.

How to Create a Simple Ebook Cover With Affinity Publisher

There are numerous resources for learning how to make a professional-looking cover for your next Ebook. Courses you can take over the internet that will show every tip and trick for a small fee. Books you can purchase online or at your local bookstore that will walk you through the process step-by-step.

This article will show you the basics of book cover design and how you can easily execute the perfect Ebook cover. There are a few basic elements to cover design:

• Cover Layout
• Cover Backdrop
• Typography

Let’s delve deeper into each element and provide a user’s guide to tackling each facet of an Ebook cover. For a user-friendly Ebook cover experience, visit placeit.net and try one of its user-friendly templates.

Cover Layout

The first thing is to set up the layout of your Ebook cover in Affinity Publisher. Navigate to File > New > Document. Staying within the New Document dialog box, you will change some settings.

• Type: Print
• No. of Pages: 1
• Uncheck Facing Pages
• Page Preset: Custom 

You’ll adjust the dimensions at the bottom of the dialog box. There is no Ebook standard, but conventionally PDF Ebook page sizes are typically 20.8-by-33.3 inches or 22.2-by-35.6 inches for Kindle. So, you can set your dimensions to 528.32-by-845.82 mm or 563.88-by-904.24 mm.

Now click on the Colour tab and adjust the Colour Format and Colour Profile for screen reading. Since you’ve chosen Print as your type, they may already be selected, but double check, just in case.

• Colour Format: RGB/8
• Colour Profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1

You have the Margins tab, and the Bleed tab left. The industry standard for margins is 8 mm for paperback, but since we are working with an Ebook, you’ll use the standard for platforms like Kindle, 12.7 mm for top and bottom and 20.32 mm for left and right. Bleed is specifically for print so you can leave that at zero.

Before we finish the setup, name the custom preset for future use. Navigate to the paper stack icon to the right of Page Preset and select Create Preset. Type in B-Format Ebook, click OK to save, then OK to create the page.

The last thing you’ll do before moving on to the next phase is mark the center point of your Ebook cover so you can place your other elements correctly. Use the Ruler from the left panel and drag the vertical guide to about 264 mm or 282 mm, depending on which dimensions you selected.

Cover Background

To start the creation of your cover, now that the page layout has been completed, you need to add a new layer. To do this:

1. Navigate to Layer > New Layer and click on the Layer 1 tag to rename it to Image, then hit OK.
2. Use the Rectangle Frame tool and place your mouse on the main page, then drag to extend the image frame to all four corners of your page, beyond the margin borders.
3. Now you select your image via File > Place. Remember, this is just the backdrop of your cover, so choose something that will work with any other elements you would like to incorporate, like typography or other images.

You can use the Properties option in the toolbar to Scale to Max Fit or play around with the other options available. Now is the time to set your transparency gradient or apply other effects to your image. Be sure to Lock the Image layer before moving on.

Typography (Title, Author, Tagline)

To create they typography for the title, author, and tagline:

1. Navigate back to Layers and select New Layer.
2. Click the default layer name and type Front-Cover Text.
3. You’ll want to use the Ellipse Tool to create the places your text will go. Use your frame guides as a reference for positioning.
4. You can make the ellipse the full width of the frame or scale it down; it’s entirely up to you.
5. If you need more than one ellipse for your tagline or the author name, select the first ellipse and then Edit > Copy and Edit> Paste.

It will paste over the first ellipse, so select to move it wherever you please. As with the background image, you can play with the transparency gradient and other effects to allow the text to stand out against the backdrop. To set Transparency for the ellipse:

1. Select the Wine Glass icon in the tool panel and choose the following settings:
   1. Type: Radial
   2. Fill: White
2. Then click on the white ellipse and move the Gradient Stop to your desired level.
3. Lock the layer before moving on to select the typography.
4. Again, you will add a new layer and rename Typography.
5. Now select the typeface for the title of the Ebook. It can be all in the same text or multiple but work with one at a time.
6. Use the Artistic Text tool, type your title, and set the font, size, tracking, and caps. Position the text frame in the center of the ellipse.

Now that you see it against the background, you can select the color of the text. Repeat this process for different text elements on the cover. After you add the tagline and author name, you can lock all layers. The only thing left is to export the file as a PDF (web). Click More in the Export dialog box for Advanced settings before selecting Export.

Conclusion

Now you have the basics of Ebook cover design in Affinity Publisher. You can learn more via any of the resources mentioned above on the web or at your local bookstore.

When working on a design with multiple elements, it can sometimes be tricky to edit those elements individually, especially when mixing raster and vector graphics. Affinity Designer is ideal for creative professionals who are working with vector and raster art, but you might be wondering if you can edit photos in the program.

As a general rule, Affinity Designer is best used for editing vector graphics and bringing elements together to create a finished product. While Affinity Designer has some photo editing capabilities, these are extremely limited.

Sometimes, graphic design and digital art require the use of multiple editing programs to get the job done. Keep reading to find out how much can be accomplished with Affinity Designer, and if there is a better option for editing photos.

Can Affinity Designer Be Used to Edit Photos?

Let’s say you’re working on a poster with various vector and raster graphics involved. Affinity Designer would be the ideal program to get the job done. But what if you have photos on the poster that need a bit more editing? This is where things get a bit more complicated.

Affinity Designer is a great program for many things but making simple photo edits is not one of them. Instead, the program is designed for creating logos, icons, mock-ups, and more with a combination of vector and raster design tools.

What is Affinity Designer?

Affinity Designer behaves like a graphic design tool is expected to. With the input of thousands of designers across the globe, the program was built to save time and create the best user experience possible for designers.

It is a graphics editing software with a library of vector and raster tools developed for maintaining workflow and completing high quality projects in the fields of illustration, web design, game development, and other creative professions.

Features Included Affinity Designer

If you can’t edit photos with the program, you might be wondering what exactly can it do? Affinity Designer uses the newest computer technologies to ensure responsive and pin-point accurate editing capabilities. Some of these features include:

• Live gradients
• Vector and raster workspaces
• Unlimited artboards
• Linked symbols and constraints
• Advanced grids, snapping, and alignment
• Multi-device compatibility
• Color control
• One million percent zoom
• Comprehensive typography support

While many of the features are great for creating detailed projects such as website layouts, posters, apps, and more, you’ll notice the lack of photo editing capabilities. If you need to make adjustments to a photo such as retouching and removing unwanted objects, then it’s best to use a different program.

What To Use Instead of Affinity Design to Edit Photos

There are various editing programs available, with each one specializing in different areas. For example, Affinity Designer specializes in editing vector graphics while Placeit specializes in creating mock-ups. When creating a cohesive project, it’s not usually this or that when it comes to software, but instead figuring out which software to use for each aspect of your design.

To make changes to a photo, you’re going to want to use a photo editing software. These programs generally have the tools required for things like adjusting contrast and brightness, cropping, retouching, and so on. Here are some of the most popular photo editors to consider:

• Affinity Photo
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Lightroom
• Skylum Lumiar AI
• DxO PhotoLab 4
• Corel PaintShop Pro
• GIMP

The photo editing software you choose is really up to personal preference. However, if you would like the cross compatibility with Affinity Designer, then Affinity Photo is your best option.

How to Decide Which Program to Use

When creating a project like a poster or website, it’s best to use a program that specializes in what you are trying to create.

As a general rule, photos should be edited in a photo editing software before being added to an artboard in Affinity Design. This will ensure that all elements have the same level of editing before being brought together to create the end product.

Since Affinity Design is a vector graphic editor, it is going to lack the tools necessary for making photo edits. On the flipside, a photo editor isn’t going to be able to do nearly as much in terms of creating website templates, applications, or various forms of digital art.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article gave you a better understanding how much you can edit a photo in Affinity Designer. While it may seem more convenient to only work in one program, this can limit the amount of editing and tools available to you. In the end, it’s best to choose the software that is most capable of producing high-quality results.

Affinity photo is extremely helpful for graphic design projects and tasks; however, it does have its issues that show up from time to time. Those who have used Affinity for a while may be able to fix it quickly without issue, but for new users, it can be frustrating to find a solution. 

If your Affinity Photos isn’t exporting, it could be for a few reasons, and you can fix it by doing things such as:

1. Purchasing or downloading fonts
2. Save As Affinity Files
3. Flattening Your Image
4. Export As A PDF
5. Use The Export Persona Option
6. Use Customer Support Forums

While there are usually many solutions for Affinity problems, and it may seem frustrating to work through all the possible solutions, chances are, one of them will fix your problem. 

How To Fix The Export Issues With Affinity Photo

One of the biggest issues with Affinity photo after finishing your project is the inability to export or save your file the way you want or need to. However, there are fixes for the problem depending on what type of project you need.

Thankfully, Affinity has many experts who have worked through several possible solutions and fixes for an exporting issue and have narrowed down solutions to a few that solve the problem. 

1. Purchasing Or Downloading Your Fonts

In some cases in Affinity, you can use fonts in your design without having to purchase, install or fully download them into your file. 

When you do this and continue on with your project, you often forget your fonts are fully integrated with your project, and when it comes time to export, this is an issue. 

When you go to export, you may receive an error message or just an inability to export your file, but either way, you won’t be able to. You will have to integrate your fonts into your file fully. 

Whether you need to finish the purchase process or fully download the fonts, once you do this and apply it to your file, you should be able to export it. 

2. Save As Affinity Files

When you go to export your file, sometimes there is an issue with the software that doesn’t allow you to pick your export file type as a JPEG. The only option you have when you are attempting to save, or export is to do it as an Affinity File. 

While it may seem like you aren’t able to export it as a JPEG, exporting it as an Affinity FIle is doing the same thing as a JPEG. Once you go through the process, you will see that it ends up exporting it as a JPEG and nothing more. 

3. Flattening Your Image

If you have a file with a lot of layers, you may need to flatten your image before you attempt to save it or export it. To do this, you can simply choose the option to “flatten all layers”  from the document menu. 

Once your layers are flattened, you can begin the save or export process, and everything should run smoothly since you have only one layer instead of multiple. 

Usually, when you attempt to export a file with multiple layers, your computer or the software gets confused while trying to export a file with so many layers. 

You could always try to restart the software after saving your file and try to export again, but most likely, you will need to flatten the layers. 

If you can try to create files with a small number of layers while you are working, it can make it easier to process export, and it may stop you from needing to flatten your image every single time. 

4. Export As A PDF

For reasons that haven’t been figured out quite yet, sometimes you are only able to export your file as a PDF, especially when it has multiple layers. While it doesn’t fully make sense, exporting it as a PDF work almost every time as a fix for the issue. 

Now, there is always the chance that if you save your file and restart the software, you may be able to export your file with any kind of file type you want, but if that does work, you may have to stick with exporting it as a PDF for a while. 

If you need a file type other than a PDF, you can usually save the file as a pdf and try to open it as another file type to get what you need. It may not always work, but this gives you the option to export your file. 

5. Use The Export Persona Option

While sometimes you can use just the export option from the file menu, sometimes it works better when you use the export persona option instead. 

Usually, if you are trying to export multiple sections all at the same time, or if you are exporting one specific section instead of the whole file, you need to use export persona instead of just export. 

6. Use Customer Support Forums

If none of these options work to fix your issue with exporting your file, the only option left is to visit and contact the customer support forums on the topic of exporting files. 

The experts that run these forums are equipped to talk you through a laundry list of solutions to ensure you have a fix before returning to work on your project again. 

These forums are designed to help people with solutions that have already been figured out or worked through by other users and experts. You can search through these forums for a number of solutions and fixes to any problems you may have with Affinity Photos. 

Final Thoughts

Affinity Photos is a fantastic way to edit and finish graphic design projects with various settings and different options for your images and designs. 

The issue is when you attempt to export a project, and it doesn’t export correctly or at all. Thankfully, Affinity has multiple fixes for an issue with exporting that you can use to solve your issue.

Fonts can be used to evoke emotions and create an overall tone for a document or website. One type of font that is particularly well in this regard is a signature font. These fonts are designed to look like someone’s handwriting and can be used to give your work a personal touch.

There are numerous fonts out there that look like signatures, which is why it is important to consider factors such as style, your text’s purpose, etc. Once you’ve established these qualities, take a look at our list of the ten best fonts that look like signatures and choose the one that fits your needs and vision! These fonts are all chosen from Word for your convenience, so you aren’t hunting for download links.

1. Baguet Script

Finding the perfect signature font can be a challenge, but a reasonable place to start would be with Baguet Script.

This font is from the modern brush script family, so it has a lot of artistic character, predominantly thanks to the letters having soft terminals and a slight degree of bounce to them.

We recommend using this font for projects for more modern signatures that utilize cursive but still echo the flow and elegance of calligraphy and more eccentric signature fonts from previous eras.

2. Blackadder ITC

If you’re looking for a signature font that is reflective of 16^th century handwriting, you’ll undoubtedly want to opt for the Blackadder ITC.

Designed by Bob Anderton, the Blackadder ITC font was actually modeled after the handwriting of insurrectionist Guy Fawkes, which explains its slightly eerie, mysterious, or even menacing tone.

We recommend using this font for projects that center on colonial eras, scrollwork, or any text where you want to use an elegant font but imply that the user isn’t the most cheerful or kind-hearted individual.

3. Bradley Hand ITC

Signatures don’t always have to be full of cursive and flourishes. Sometimes you just want a font that looks like the everyday person’s handwriting. For this, we would recommend Bradley Hand ITC.

This font might be considered a calligraphy font, but its simple and sleek design gives a “felt tip pen and paper” vibe, making it the perfect font to use as the common businessman/woman’s signature.

It definitely isn’t the most extravagant font, if that’s what you’re looking for. Instead, it is better used as a personal touch underneath a text printed with a basic sans-serif typeface, like Calibri or Times New Roman.

4. Brush Script MT

One factor you need to consider when choosing the best signature font is what writing utensil are you implying that signature was written with? Most people look for a font that resembles a pen, pencil, or even a quill, but what if you want your signature to resemble a paintbrush, then you’ll want to use Brush Script MT.

This vibrant and fun font is commonly used for signatures where you want to impart a tone of confidence and ease but not arrogance. The font has a unique way of feeling energetic and elegant without seeming formal.

While you can certainly use this font as a painter’s signature, we find it is also effective when used in advertisements for creative or luxury items, companies, etc.

5. Lucida Handwriting

Arguably one of the most well-known and frequently used fonts on this list is Lucida Handwriting.

An overtly simple font, the Lucida Handwriting contains both sans and serif characters which flow together seamlessly for a smooth, elegant font reminiscent of handwriting from centuries passed while still maintaining an almost casual tone.

An advantage of using this font is that it is highly versatile, allowing you to use it for nearly everything from books to wedding invitations to modern advertisements and beyond. 

6. Mistral

A lot of emphasis is often placed on signatures appearing clean and elegant rather than bold and maybe a little messy. If this is they type of character and tone you’re looking for, then Mistral is a font we highly recommend.

Admittedly, Mistral isn’t the most commonly used or well-known font, but what it lacks in renown, it makes up for in character. This font has a lot of weight and boldness to it but still incorporates classic signature elements, such as cursive lettering.

Visually, it is a bit less polished than the other fonts and almost has a more masculine feel to it, which makes sense since the font is modeled after the handwriting of its designer, Roger Excoffen.

7. Segoe Script

Another signature font that has a lot in common with Mistral in overall tone, would be Segoe Script.

As part of the Segoe family of fonts, it isn’t unlikely that you’ve heard of this font, or possibly even used it, before. Like many other signature fonts previously discussed here, Segoe Script is also modeled after the handwriting of a real person. In this case, it is Brian Allen.

The font exudes a very modern and predominant masculine tone with a hint of sophistication. It also possesses an open and genuine typeface that makes the font approachable thanks to its ease of readability versus many other signatures that can be a challenge to discern.

8. Vladimir Script

The last signature font recommendation we would like to make is Vladimir Script, another exceptional option for anyone searching for that classic, historic look filled with steep slants and extravagant curls.

The Vladimir Script font is a brush-style font that resembles lettering found on old hand-painted department store signs during the 1950s. It, too, features cursive lettering and assigns looped in terminals to the ends of its letters for additional contrast throughout the font.

Many people enjoy using this font for business cards, store signs, and cards or invitations, but it wouldn’t be difficult to incorporate into other projects as long as the font is featured in a large enough size to showcase its unique characteristics without sacrificing legibility.

Final Thoughts

This is far from a comprehensive list of fonts that can be used for signatures, but it is an efficient place to start. Remember that the more you know about what you’re looking for in a signature font, the easier it will be to find one that fits your vision.

There are many reasons why graphic designers might choose to use CAD software in their workflow. And it is mainly because CAD software offers so many benefits to any designer.

In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common reasons. Keep in mind that every graphic designer is different. But these are some of the most common reasons why graphic designers might turn to CAD for help with their projects!

What Is CAD and Why Do Graphic Designers Use It?

CAD stands for computer-aided design. CAD software is extremely versatile and can be used for a variety of tasks, such as creating:

• Product designs
• Illustrations
• Logos

It offers a huge range of features that allow graphic designers to create stunning visuals. Additionally, CAD software is very user-friendly and easy to learn, which makes it an excellent choice for beginners.

The following are different types of CAD software a graphic designer may use:

• Adobe Illustrator
• CorelDRAW
• Autodesk Graphic
• Adobe Lightroom
• Adobe Photoshop
• AutoCAD
• SketchUp
• Fusion 360

1. Graphic Designers Use CAD for Improved Productivity

With CAD a graphic designer can complete tasks in a fraction of the time it would take to do them manually. This is because CAD software automates many of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks that graphic designers often must do, such as:

• Resizing images
• Creating shadows
• Applying color effects

This increased productivity can free up a graphic designer’s time. And the best thing is you are using a computer to do the work instead of a pencil and paper. Work that used to take days to weeks to mockup and design can now be done in a few mouse clicks.

CAD software for graphic designers has some unique features that help improve productivity like the following:

• Toggle effects
• Typography
• Shapes
• Backgrounds

With improved productivity, a graphic designer can take on more projects and clients. Higher productivity also means less time spent on a project which can lead to higher profits.

The software allows you to work faster and more efficiently. This is because you can create designs quicker with CAD than manually.

CAD software is an important tool for graphic designers. It helps with increased productivity, has unique features, and can lead to higher profits. If you are a graphic designer who does not use CAD software, you should consider doing so today.

2. CAD Is Great for Optimization

Because CAD has features designed to create 2D and 3D designs, it has a lot of shortcuts you can learn. This makes the program great for optimizing your workflow. Graphic designs might use CAD because it optimizes their workflow.

If you are working on a design that needs to be changed frequently, you can use CAD to make the changes quickly. This is especially helpful if you need to make last-minute changes.

Optimization is important for graphic designers because it can help them save time. If a designer can make changes quickly, they can spend more time on other aspects of their project.

3. Graphic Designers Use CAD for Increased Design Quality

CAD offers great programs for increasing design quality. With CAD you can bring ideas to life that would have taken much longer to convey on paper.

This is important for graphic designers because it allows them to create better designs in less time. It also helps them to avoid mistakes that could be costly.

Better designs mean more clients and more projects you can be a part of. This is ideal for a graphic designer, especially if you are working as a freelancer or on commission.

4. Graphic Designers Can Use CAD For Diversification

CAD has versatile programs that can be used for many different types of projects. This versatility makes it an asset to many graphic designers. A graphic designer who is comfortable using CAD can take on projects that they may have otherwise avoided.

There are a variety of reasons why graphic designers use CAD. The most common reason is that it allows them to create better designs in less time. It also helps them to avoid mistakes that could be costly.

CAD can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

• Creating illustrations
• Designing logos
• Developing websites
• Creating layouts
• Developing brand identities

Almost anything a graphic designer was doing by hand drawing back in the day can now be reproduced using CAD. And CAD takes less time to finalize a project, so you can take on more work.

5. CAD Can Create 3-Dimensional Graphic Designs

CAD software is also great for graphic designers who want to create three-dimensional designs. These programs have a lot of features that make it easy to create realistic models.

CAD also allows graphic designers to create three-dimensional designs. This can be helpful when working on product packaging or creating displays for trade shows. Being able to create three-dimensional designs gives graphic designers an edge over their competition.

6. CAD Creates Precise Measurements

CAD is also helpful for making precise measurements. This is important for graphic designers because they often need to create designs that fit a specific space. With CAD, you can easily measure and design for a specific size.

CAD is also great for making sure that your designs are accurate. Your designs will be more accurate if you use CAD because you can input the precise measurements into the software. This is important for graphic designers because they need to make sure that their designs are accurate before they send them to be finalized.

7. CAD Helps You Stay Organized

CAD can also help graphic designers stay organized. These types of software help you keep track of all your design elements and files in one place. This can be helpful when you are working on multiple projects at the same time.

With CAD everything you need is all in one place, from your files to the tools you need to modify them. With CAD software you can also save your work in progress, which means you can go back and make changes later if you need to. You can even restore the old file version if you decide to take a different direction on a project.

Conclusion

Graphic designers can use CAD for many different reasons, but the main ones are for increased productivity and workflow optimization. CAD has been revolutionary in the design industry and many designers utilize these tools to better their craft.

When you put yourself out there as a graphic designer, you can get exposure, share your creativity with the world, and even make more money. It is a career in which you can shine.

Getting involved in social networking and writing books will help get you to the next level. Check out this article if you want to know seven ways graphic designers become famous.  

7 Ways That Graphic Designers Become Famous

There are many ways to become famous as a graphic designer. Different famous graphic designers may inspire you to become more adept in your career. You should take a lesson from the best in the business. Saul Bass, for example, has a 40 -year career in graphic design. He created some of the most distinguishable logos of all time like:

• Girl Scouts
• Kleenex
• Continental Airlines

To become a famous graphic designer, you must make sure that your work is creative and unique enough to stand out. You want to create something fresh and new that no one has ever thought of before. Saul Bass created film title sequences, which were new at the time.

When you see the title sequences that introduce the movie credits before the film starts, you can thank Saul Bass. If you go into graphic design to become famous, you need to follow in the footsteps of the great ones and find out what they did to become revered for their graphic design work. The following includes seven ways that graphic designers become famous.

1. Get Yourself an Education in Design

You can complete your education in graphic design by earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a discipline in which you can use your degree to become a famous graphic designer. These include graphic design, web design, and digital media arts, but that is not all; there are also:

• Art
• Animation
• Art history
• Design principles
• Typography
• Print design

Saul Bass received his education at Brooklyn College, taught by the famous, talented, and respected designer Gyorgy Kepes. He also studied at the Art Students League in Manhattan. Nothing compares to getting a good education. It is part of what employers look for in a candidate. Education will teach you about the world of graphic design and the business in general.

Education is also valuable because it gives you experience. Challenging yourself with an education in graphic design will give you confidence and open doors when you are ready to embark on your career. Education is the foundation of any successful career.

2. Do Online Interviews

Design blogs, sites, and magazines always look for fresh creativity and graphic designers to interview. You can contact these sites and get an online interview. The best way to have a productive interview is to help other graphic designers with their questions.

One interview can lead to several meetings, which will help you get your name out there for people to know.

Some of the questions that you may be asked include:

• Why did you become a graphic designer?
• What makes one graphic designer stand out from the others?
• What type of graphic design projects interest you?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses as a graphic designer?
• How do you meet deadlines?
• What are the components of graphic design?
• What are the best graphic designing tools?
• Why is color theory critical in graphic design?
• What is your process for creating a design?
• How do graphic designers handle creative blocks?
• How do you determine the success of your designs?
• Can graphic designers influence society with their work?

These are just some of the questions you may be asked when being interviewed. You want to be honest and answer questions as thoughtfully and thoroughly as possible.

3. Be Active on Social Networking Sites

To be noticed, you need to be active on social media. Write about graphic design and put some of your ideas or work up for the platform to see. Use your education to communicate how you created something.

Put up your portfolio or create a graphic design blog. You can write about any topic as it relates to graphic design.

4. Get Featured in a Magazine

Getting yourself in magazines is a great way to break out and become famous. There is personal power in being validated in print; if you are featured in a magazine, you will undoubtedly grab the reader’s attention.

If you are featured in a magazine, you will need to develop an exciting new design or have an engaging story to tell. The most important thing is to show your personality.

5. Write an eBook

Graphic designers always look for the best tips to enhance their graphic design capabilities. You can give them the best advice in an eBook and share your knowledge with other graphic designers. Free eBooks tend to go viral rather quickly, and having your name out there for all to see will work wonders for your branding.

Offering a free eBook will not only get your attention but will also drive traffic to your website. Covering hot topics within your field of expertise will give the right audience who will likely follow you if you choose to create a graphic design book. 

6. Create a Graphic Design Book

There is no better way to flex your creative muscles than to write a graphic design book. You can cover many topics in a book:

• Design theory
• Design resources
• Digital art evolution
• Logos and organizational branding

You should develop a wide range of topics that interest and inspire your readers. If you have no luck publishing with a big company, you can always self-publish.

7. Set up a Website

If you create a new graphic design site, you can reach thousands of people. You can have an author’s page that talks about how you got into the business and the steps you took to become a graphic designer.

You will need to add your personal touch to whatever designs you have on the website and make them authentic, like nothing that has been done before.

Conclusion

When trying to become famous, you have to start somewhere, meaning a good education should come first. Becoming a famous graphic designer takes experience, ingenuity, and a great deal of creativity to make something unique to the industry.

Whenever you head online to type, the first font you see is Arial. It’s been around since the ‘80s and has stood the test of time as an iconic font. Why is this the case? Why is the Arial font so popular compared to other available fonts?

Here are a few reasons why the Arial font is so popular:

1. A Microsoft core font
2. Easy to read
3. Sans serif font
4. Safe choice
5. Digital age font
6. Convenient font
7. Humanistic font

It’s one of the top selections for writers online.

Read on to learn more about why the Arial font is so popular. It’s stood the test of time and though controversial, is sure to last as one of the top contenders for years to come. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

1. It’s A Microsoft Core Font

Arial font is popular because it is a Microsoft core font. When you log onto this platform, Arial is the default option. 

Microsoft Office chose this font as one of its core options because it:

• Lacks fees and restrictions that come with other fonts
• Is easily accessible on all computers
• Is easy to read

It’s one of the most accessible options and practical for a large corporation like Microsoft.

People see Arial so often on Microsoft and Google that it has become ingrained in the mind of individuals everywhere. No matter where you go, you will see the Arial font. Businesses, small and large, use it as a default option.

2. It’s Easy to Read

Arial font is well-designed. It’s shaped in a way that makes it easy to read, and it looks nice when placed on items like a poster or a corporate memo. It’s difficult to go wrong with this font. It doesn’t stand out, but it’s never too much.

Most people would not recommend the Arial font as an option for graphic design or other items where the words need to stand out. However, it’s very popular to get a message across. Arial is excellent for blog posts, descriptions, and other chunks of text that contain ideal information.

3. It’s a Sans Serif Font

Arial font is a sans serif font. This means that this font is a sans type of letterform that doesn’t have serifs extending off the edge. It’s much smoother than serif fonts. Sans serif translates to ‘without serifs’.

Here are a few examples of other sans serif fonts:

• Venus 
• Roboto
• Calibri

These are smoother than the average serif font.

Sans serif fonts are best for legibility and clarity. Arial is the most well-known font, so it’s popular when information needs to be written to get across to another person. You’ll find sans serif fonts like the Arial font to be more welcoming than serif fonts. 

4. It’s a Safe Choice

As mentioned above, Arial is a safe choice. It’s smooth, welcoming, and easy to read. Although there are other sans serif fonts that are easy to read, Arial is the most well-known. It’s the safest of the bunch.

Arial is a safe choice for a couple of reasons:

• It’s available on most platforms
• Almost everyone has seen it before
• There are no extra fees added to this font

You can’t go wrong with the Arial font.

If you need something legible and welcoming but can’t decide on a font, you should select Arial. It’s what most people do – it’s the safest possible choice in the typography world.

5. It’s Intended for the Digital Age

Arial font came to life almost forty years ago, emerging as something different from its counterparts. It’s a font that stood out back then as something made for the digital age.

People who started using Arial when it first came out still use Arial font today. It has stood the test of time and transformed along with the digital age. It’s a versatile font, and there’s a lot to love about it. It’s more timeless than many options available today for work on platforms like placeit.net.

6. It’s Convenient

Arial is convenient. It’s the first font you see when logging onto a platform like Office or Google Docs, so you don’t need to make any changes before you get started.

The convenience allows you to:

• Save time and energy when typing what you need
• Get your thoughts down faster without changing the typeface

There’s a lot to love about the convenience of the Arial font.

If you are looking for convenience, you can find it in Arial font. It’s another reason why this typeface is one of the most popular on the internet.

7. It Feels More Human Than Previous Fonts

We’ve talked about the fact that the Arial font is a sans serif font. There are no sharp edges on the letters, no point jutting out from the tallest points of the letter. It’s smooth and round, comforting strangely. Arial font has something about it that makes it feel human.

Back in the day, the Arial font was the first of its kind to smoother down and embrace softer features, making it easier to read. It’s popular because it feels nicer to look at than harsher typefaces like Times New Roman. Still, many believe Arial to be less professional than serif fonts.

Conclusion

Arial font is popular first and foremost because it is the first one that appears in software such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs. It’s easy to read and truly one of the first fonts that stood as humanistic. It’s meant for the digital age, and almost everyone has it.

We hope this information was helpful! You don’t have to use the Arial font, but it’s popular for a reason. If you want to stick with safe typography, Arial should be your best friend. It will be interesting to see if any font takes over the iconic Arial in the future, but so far – it’s at the top of its game.

What do you do if you plug in your Wacom tablet only to receive the message “no signal” or “no input signal”? 

A Wacom tablet will say “no signal” or “no input signal” if there is a disruption in the video display coming from the tablet to the computer. The cause of this could be as simple as the HDMI and/or USB cable (some use both while others just use USB) being plugged into the wrong port. 

If your Wacom tablet is coming up with no signal and you’re not sure what to do, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In our guide below we will dive into the reasons why this happens and provide you with some basic steps you can take to fix it. So come a long and let’s jump right in!

Why is My Wacom Tablet Saying it Has No Signal?

So your Wacom tablet is hooked up to your computer but when you go to use it you receive a message like “no input signal.” You’ve checked that the USB and/or HDMI cables are plugged in and yet it’s still not working. Why would this happen? 

Below we’ve listed out the most common reasons why a Wacom tablet might be coming up with no signal: 

• Cables aren’t connected: Some Wacom tablets connect with the computer via both USB and HDMI while others simply use USB for both the display and information transfer. If these cables aren’t plugged in all the way it will cause a disruption to the video signal. 
• Bad cables: If the cables you’re using to connect your Wacom to the computer are bad then it will cause a disruption to the video. 
• You’re using the wrong HDMI port: Some of the HDMI ports may not be the best for displaying your Wacom’s video signal. Generally, it’s a good idea to use a port that is in the same group as what your monitor is plugged into. 
• You’re plugging your HDMI cable into an adapter: Unfortunately, if you use a splitter or adapter for more HDMI ports, it can actually interrupt the signal from your Wacom tablet. 
• The display settings on your computer need adjusting: This is less common, but sometimes the display settings on the computer are the culprit. 

The good news here is that most of the time when your Wacom tablet gives you the message “no signal” the problem is relatively simple. With simple problems often comes simple solutions. In the next section we will dive into the solutions for each of these issues. 

How Do I Get My Wacom Tablet to Display? 

In the sections below we have laid out solutions to the most common reasons why a Wacom tablet might give you “no signal”: 

1. Check Your Cable Connections and Cables  

The first thing you should do is ensure that your cables are working and that they are fully plugged in. 

The best way to do this is to first double check that the cables are plugged in all the way on both your device and the computer. If they are, you can then try a different HDMI and/or USB cable and see if the problem resolves. 

2. Try a Different HDMI Port 

In the previous section, we talked about how your Wacom tablet may not display if it is plugged into the wrong port or if you are using an adapter. An adapter simply won’t work, while ports not in the same bank as the one your monitor is plugged into often won’t as well.. 

Try plugging the HDMI cable into a port that is in the same bank or ports your display monitor is plugged into. This should resolve the problem if the issue was simply the wrong HDMI port. 

3. Change the Display Settings on Your PC

As we mentioned previously, the display settings on your computer can sometimes cause the tablet display not to show. 

Below we’ve outlined step-by-step how to adjust the display settings on a PC with Windows so your Wacom shows properly: 

1. Right click on your wallpaper and select “Display Settings” 
2. Under multiple displays, select “extend these displays” and click “apply” 
3. Select your tablet as a “display monitor” 

If your tablet doesn’t come up as a display monitor then this most likely is not the issue. Try some of the other troubleshooting steps above instead. 

4. Change the Display Settings on Your Mac 

The same issue with display settings can also happen on a Mac. The process of fixing them is a little different but just as simple. 

Follow the steps below to adjust the display settings on a Mac so that your Wacom tablet displays properly: 

1. Go into “displays” (this can be found is system preferences) 
2. Uncheck “mirror these displays” on the main display
3. Ensure your tablet resolution is set to “best for display” 

Again, if this doesn’t seem to work or the tablet display doesn’t even come up, you are likely dealing with a different issue and should try the other troubleshooting steps we laid out. 

So Really, Why Does Your Wacom Tablet Say “No Signal”?

At the end of the day, a Wacom tablet will say “no signal” if there is a disruption between your device and your computer. 

Most of the time, fixing this will involve checking the cables you’re using and ensuring they are plugged into the same group of HDMI cables that your monitor is plugged into. Also, please remember these tablets generally won’t connect properly if you’re using an adapter/splitter instead of plugging directly into the computer.