Graphic Design Software

Though the word design has many meanings, the software in the CNET Download.com Design Tools category is predominantly concerned with tasks and projects related to the graphic arts, including programs that let you publish your creations to Web sites or other outlets. Several popular design tools are available for no charge, and we've selected our favorite such freeware in our Best Free Design collection.

One of the more popular Web-design developments in recent years has been movies and applications built with Macromedia Flash. The products in the Flash Design Tools category let you create and convert Flash movies, as well as add precreated effects and scripts. One of the most popular programs, SWiSHmax, lets you build simple Flash movies in minutes.

For designing your own moving pictures or text from scratch, a wide array of software in the Animation category will help you construct animated GIFs, morphing sequences, or other cool effects. Adobe After Effects is a popular, high-end tool for adding animation and special effects to movies and multimedia projects. The programs in the Illustration section can be used to create components for animation or Flash movies or simply used to draw, paint, or sketch standalone elements. The top-rated Adobe Illustrator CS2 remains one of the best illustration tools available.

The font tools allow you to create your own typefaces, and the products in the Fonts category offer preexisting typefaces you can use in a variety of programs or projects.

Designers use the software in the 3D Modeling & CAD category to (TK). One of the most popular and easy-to-learn modeling tools is Google SketchUp, which was relaunched in 2006 as a free product.

After you've used the programs in the Design Tools category to construct your masterpiece, the software in Authoring Tools will let you produce your final product on CD, DVD, or another format. If you're looking to produce a full-fledged project for distribution, desktop-publishing software can help you create a professional-looking publication on a very small budget.