The Case for Photoshop

Adobe has owned the creative market basically since the beginning of the digital revolution. Creatives and developers alike have always turned to Adobe products for design, using programs like the famed Photoshop and Illustrator, to development, using Dreamweaver, Flash, Muse, and more and even building physical real-world products with the application InDesign.

For designers the application of choice has always been Photoshop. Traditionally Photoshop served as a photo editing tool, hence the name. But with time and restraints designers have re-purposed the photo editing tool and stretched it uses and capabilities to suit their own needs. Photoshop became an all-around powerhouse; useful for photo editing and retouching, web design, print design, animation, and everything in-between.

The use of Photoshop as a design tool has recently become something of a hot topic, with arguments and accusations breaking out about the inappropriate use of the software for design, after all, Photoshop is a photo manipulation tool.

The formidable Photoshop has never had a decent contender in the ring; anyone who suggests Gimp is a good open-source application for professionals will be shot on site! But now we have Sketch by Bohemian Coding making a splash on the scene and really giving Photoshop a run for its money. Sketch closely resembles Adobe Illustrator as it is a vector based app, but the layout and features remind me of Omnigraffle.

Don’t Be A Tool

Arguments can be made for the use of Photoshop or for Sketch, but does it really matter? Maybe, maybe not. The main thing to consider is how to get the job done, and how to get the job done well. Don’t be a tool, and don’t let a tool limit what you can do or how you work.