Photo by Tim Arterbury on Unsplash
As artists, or creatives in general, it’s important to know what resources are out there for you. I studied BA (Hons) Makeup and Hair Design and then went on to do my MA in Visual Communication. All throughout my studies, I used this resources. I am so grateful to my university for introducing me to these resources… it feels too selfish not to share! If you’re an artist, a writer, a content creator, or anything else even just a little creative, these resources are brilliant.
Whether you’re looking for the hottest colour palettes in 2023 or great free software to get you creating, at least 1 of these 5 resources is bound to benefit you. In no particular order, let’s get creative!
#1 Pantone
Colour is an important part of our everyday lives, particularly as creatives. You’ll find yourself thinking about it most days; what colour should I make this font? What colour should I paint this landscape? Colour is so integral in everything we do.
Thinking about colour in a business-orientated view is really important. Pantone shows the trend direction of colour and allows creatives to cater their work towards what will be trending in the upcoming year. For example, this year’s colour is Viva Magenta, so it could get you thinking about how you can start implementing this colour into your work.
Beyond this, Pantone is a brilliant resource for creatives who print. How many times have you gone back and forth to your printer because the colours aren’t quite right? Pantone’s system allows you to see exactly how any chosen colour will look on paper and provide your printer with the correct colour code. Now, your digital art will look just as great when printed.
Get exploring on Pantone, there’s so much to learn!
#2 Canva
Canva is a brilliant and free tool to help you create anything from social media graphics to graphically A-Grade presentations and CVs. With an endless list of templates to choose from, Canva makes creating so easy. Creating brilliant and beautiful visuals can be time consuming, but Canva makes it easy.
I make all of the promo for these blog posts in Canva. It makes it so much easier to match the high level of content on Pinterest, Instagram, etc. I also used Canva to make my CV, which I can then go back and regularly update.
Best Tools;
- Templates for anything from presentations to instagram reels
- Fonts
- Stock Images
- Easily upload your own images
- Tools for business and education
- Content Planner (CanvaPro
- Team creating – collaborate with your circle on projects
- Mockups
Of course, it’s great to use software such as Photoshop to create, but for those new to the game or those looking for a quick and easy bit visual promotion, Canva is excellent.
#3 Adobe Express
This is the perfect resource for those of us who can’t afford all of the Adobe Software. If you’re a student, it’s likely you get those for free, but Adobe Express is great for quick, easy and free work.
You can also access a free, but minimalistic, version of Photoshop. You have access to its basic features, making editing your images so so easy and free!
I particularly loved Adobe Express features whilst at university. Even though I had free access to all Adobe software whilst studying, Adobe Express made life as a creative student easy. I could make beautiful mood boards for photoshoots or quickly edit images.
#4 LinkedIn
Before university, I had heard of LinkedIn but stereotyped it as a website old business men use to share technical or very corporate information. Oh my god, was I wrong. LinkedIn is a brilliant place for creative individuals. It allows you to build relationships with other creatives in your field, whilst keeping it job-orientated. In a way, it’s like a social media based around your CV.
It has some brilliant resources;
- Advertises creative jobs you won’t see elsewhere (like on Indeed)
- Posting and sharing your creative work
- LinkedIn Learning (free for university students)
LinkedIn can be so many things; a more business-orientated Facebook, a way to find jobs, etc. The power of LinkedIn is all in the way that you use it. Connect to other creatives and professional, have an up to date profile, and be active. Check out this article on how to set up LinkedIn to benefit you as a creative.
#5 GWI – Global Web Index
The Global Web Index (GWI) is particularly useful for creatives who are running a business. GWI shows you how consumers are thinking and how you can cater yourself to match that. In order to be successful as creatives, this is so important to know. Even though there is always value in creating just because you like it, success is more generally found in appealing to what the consumer needs.
I previously used this at university to keep track of trends going on the makeup and fashion industries. Now, I have registered myself as a self-employed blogger in the media and entertainment industry and now have access to consumer trends in this field and others I may need in the future.
That’s all!
That’s everything from me! Trust me, these resources made my life so much easier as a creative when I was at university. Some of these, I still use today. If you end up using one of these, let me know! Got any more recommendations I missed out? Let me know below.
with love,
becky
Need more help organising your time as a creative? Check out this blog post:
This post may contain affiliate links, I earn a small percentage commission that doesn’t cost you any extra. I will only ever share stuff I would personally use or recommend.
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