5 Design Tools I Can’t Live Without

Everybody has them. No matter what your profession or hobby, you know you have design tools that you couldn’t live without…even if you had to sell your first born to buy more.  

And I am no exception! (Although, I think I’ll keep my first born…I’ve gotten kinda attached to her over the years.)

But, I am kinda nosy and always think it’s really awesome to see the different tools that people use and prefer.

So, today I thought I’d give you a little peek at the 5 design tools I can’t live without…

Paper

Lots and lots of paper. I use paper for sketching, card making, design and general crafting. And so, I need a lot different kinds of paper.

I currently have thousands of sheets of paper on hand, including card stock, multipurpose paper, patterned paper and handmade paper in various weights, colors and sizes.

 

Writing Instruments

I’m pretty particular about my writing instruments. As far as pencils go, I prefer number two pencils made by Ticonderoga.

And I’m in love with the black Sakura Micron Pens.

I also love my Sharpies…and I have hundreds of them…in all sizes, colors and styles.

 

Computer/Design Software

As a self-taught designer, I have never taken the time to learn too many extensive software programs. But, I couldn’t live without Photoshop! It’s my favorite software and I also use Corel Draw and Photo Paint, from time to time, to “digitize” my sketches.

 

Paper Cutter

Maybe not necessarily a design tool, but with the amount of paper I have to cut, I would die without my full size paper cutter!

Or at the very least, my fingers would fall off from all the paper cutting I need to do.

It saves me a ton of time in cutting cards, plus it helps reduce the paper clutter too, because I can cut the exact card sizes I need thanks to the handy dandy ruler on it!

Inspiration

Last, but certainly not least, is inspiration. As a designer and writer, I literally could not live without inspiration!

I have hundreds and hundreds (please, don’t call hoarders…I promise, it’s not as bad as it sounds!) of books and magazines that I skim through regularly. And I fill my home with a variety of designs and colors.

I try hard to pay attention to the needs of the world and use them to inspire my work and I attempt to create my designs based on those needs, whether it be a daily planner to help organize a disorganized student, a cash envelope system to help a struggling young mother or a silly card to send to a friend in need.

Have a Spectacular Day!