Last Updated on September 28, 2024 by Uncle Pat Ugwu
Graphic images have been known to be a great teaching tool since the early years of education. They help learners to understand the difficult concept and to increase their retentive abilities. The use of multimedia in education has continued to grow. Meanwhile, there are basic technological tools every teacher should use.
Creating graphical images can be tasking, it was only done by artists in the past. But today, there are easy-to-use free graphic design software for teachers and beginners to create images for teaching purposes.
Graphic Design Software
Graphic design software is a computer package used in creating, manipulating, and production of graphical images. Artists and other graphic designers can use the software to create professional-looking images.
Since images are a great teaching tool, educators can create their own descriptive or infographic to help drive home their points.
1. Gimp
GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and it is considered to be the most popular open-source graphic design tool. Gimp features are very close to what you get from paid software, Photoshop.
Gimp receives high-rate reviews as a free graphic design tool. It has the capabilities to support all file formats, with ease of digital retouching, and users can quickly create new designs from scratch. Similarly, it has a customizable interface that allows experienced designers to reorganize the program according to their needs.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
2. Inkscape
Inkscape is another great free graphic design software for teachers. Whether you want to do an illustration, infographic or you just want something for demonstration, Inkscape is for you!
The software is flexible, with broad file format compatibility, plus a lot of other great features that support both beginners and experienced designers. Although, Inkscape’s sluggish controls can frustrate a user who wishes to create designs quickly.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
3. Canva
For teachers or beginners of graphic designers seeking to create an illustration image, logo, ebook, infographic, letterhead, and so on, Canva has great templates for you. The web platform is developed for non-designers to help them easily create professional-looking graphical images for free.
It is worth noting here that Canva has premium features for those who want more. You will be required to pay for a subscription for more value. But Canva for education is generally good for beginner designers. Another drawback is that you must have an internet connection to make use of the platform. This may not be good for developing countries.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
4. Adobe Spark
Just like Canva, Adobe Spark is a free online graphic design tool, it is a web alternative to the popular paid Adobe Illustrator. Although it does not have as many features as Illustrator, it has a lot of good integrations with other Adobe products. The tool is easy to use, with reach-free templates that make the creation of multimedia content a great choice.
While the online graphic tool may be good for beginners designers or mobile designers. Advanced users will always prefer to use something more professional with a lot of features and controls. You can check out our review on Adobe Spark for Education.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
5. Krita
Another good free and open-source graphic design tool is Krita. It is a painting program made by artists, for artists. Krita has a large community who are donating and developing the software. It has a customizable user interface, a rich tool set, and a comprehensive resource manager.
This free graphic design software is great for art teachers and students. It is also a great tool for those who are beginning to learn graphic design.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, Linux
6. PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint obviously is not a graphic design software, but a presentation software. With the rise of social media posts, many people are now using PowerPoint to create social posts. This may be because the program has rich multimedia features and almost everybody who owns a computer already has PowerPoint software.
This may not be perfect for every type of graphic design, but it can be used to create social posts, infographics, motion graphics and so on. In fact, the image of this blog post was done with Microsoft PowerPoint.
Many teachers are also acquainted with the Microsoft PowerPoint tool since they have been using it to create their lessons. This means they can create great designs with the skill they already have. We previously wrote on how to enhance lecture content with PowerPoint.
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
7. Blender
Blender is a professional multimedia open-source, 3D creation suite that makes it possible for graphic designers to create everything from rigging to animation to rendering and motion tracking. Blender also provides support for 2D animation, with an active community of users across the globe that are committed to improving Blender.
Even though Blender is a powerful tool, it is not ideal for beginners — complex menus and a massive amount of design options mean you need to know your way around free graphic design software basics to make the best use of this tool.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Final Thoughts
Images, as we have said before, are great to convey information and sharing ideas. Beginners of graphic design or teachers can use any of the above-mentioned tools. Teachers can begin their graphic design journey with PowerPoint or Canva, then progress to GIMP.
Students who may have a lot of time to learn new digital skills should start with GIMP, then use Canva when they wish to make quick designs. In all, using any of the above mention tools is overly great.
Please use the comment section below to ask your question or share your view. Consider joining our Facebook Group to meet with other great teachers who are interested in EdTech. Also, subscribe to this blog by email and through our YouTube and Telegram Channels to receive regular EdTech updates.
