10 tools to help you promote your creative ability effectively

No tools can help you suddenly become creative. However, they can unleash imagination, make the source of inspiration explode, increase productivity and even open a new way to organize your creative process. The following 10 tools compiled by Creative Bloq will testify to that.

Note : Some of the following software only allows trial use, users need to consider before downloading and using.

1. Adobe XD

Adobe XD is an Adobe product, once known as Adobe Experience Design (originally called Project Comet - Comet project).

With Adobe XD, users can design, test and share mockups on an easy-to-use and carefully integrated interface with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, making it easy to import documents. Raw (Asset) and export Mockup. Clearly, this solution has made Adobe a truly breakthrough breakthrough in a very fierce competitive market.

Adobe XD features the following features: available Artboard for both iPhone and iPad, allowing custom size, integrated interface for both iOS and Android, grid tools to add a list of details to repeat , Masking option to quickly insert images, interactive prototype mode (prototype mode) allows you to connect Artboards together to remember user experience and tools to share and receive feedback. about the mockup. AdobeXD Assets can be exported to Adobe applications and other third-party creative tools.

Currently, AdobeXD is in the second Beta version and allows those with Adobe (Adobe ID) accounts to download for free.

2. Font Flame

Font Flame is a passionate "flame" for people who love font art (typography). Like the above pairing on dating apps, Font Flame will combine basic fonts so you can make the designs more vivid.

Font Flame was created by Jan Wennesland , integrating fonts on Google Font Library and putting them together in a way that you didn't expect. You just need to select the font you "love" - ​​"hate" and all this data will be saved to facilitate the use when needed.

The best thing with Font Flame is that you can explore beautiful word combinations and can choose to use in your design. This is a great entertainment tool for anyone in their free time.

3. Affinity Photo 1.4

Affinity Photo is the Photoshop replacement software ideal for Mac operating systems in the case of Photoshop that makes your computer slow. This tool promises to bring you a much more enjoyable experience with fast operating speeds, maximum zooming of up to 1 part per million and integration of "non-destructive" image editing, for lets go back to process or return the original image, even more powerful than Adobe's "heavy" software.

So far, Affinity Photo has received great support from the design community who are looking for an alternative to signing up for Adobe Creative Cloud.

4. MozVR

Now, with the growing presence of affordable devices like the Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard on the market, the design of virtual reality applications (VR App) is gradually becoming a trend.

Considered the company that brings virtual reality experience to open websites, Mozilla has created the MozVR tool that allows website developers to create easy-to-use virtual reality experiences to run on any browser. WebGL has been enabled. The resources on MozVR include a WebVR Boilerplate to help you get started and A-Frame - the framework that allows creating new virtual reality worlds for your users to explore. All are thoroughly explained and completely free.

5. Lingo

Noun Project is a famous website that allows users to use icons and shapes from designers from around the world. Recently, this website has launched a very useful application for freelance designers.

If you often spend a lot of time in the office looking for design resources that you "definitely have put in a certain directory" then Lingo is your choice. Basically, instead of keeping things (in a messy way) into folders on your hard drive, this tool allows you to drag and drop blueprints built into Photoshop, Sketch, Illustrator and Slack directly to Lingo to save and retrieve when needed.

6. Stylify Me

In addition to What The Font , Stylify Me is also an ideal way to search if you love the font on a website, but it's unclear what that font is. However, Stylify Me is even more amazing when it can determine the color of the background image, the image size used on the web, font style, size and color. In short, this tool provides you with everything to reverse the guidelines for a website's design style.

All you have to do is enter the URL of a website into the search bar and you can view all design-related information, including color HEX values ​​and download the information file below. PDF format.

7. Foundation for Emails 2.0

"Responsive HTML Email" (a method of highly adaptive Email content) is not an attractive topic but more and more, it will become an important factor in the increasingly complex marketing market. this magazine.

Creating them is quite annoying, however, with Foundation for Emails developed by Zurb network company, this difficulty can be solved. Currently this tool is running in version 2.0 with the main function of helping users create more attractive emails, including Outlook . Foundation for Emails, which provides networks with high flexibility and adaptability so the email of You will look great even when displayed on small screens. In addition, the tool also includes common interface templates thanks to integration with Sass and you can also use Vari, Mixin and Partials.

8. Resizer

Resizer is an interesting product of Google and completely free. Resizer makes it easier for designers to create highly adaptive layouts, typically for a simple but very practical idea.

To use it, users only need to paste the URL of a web page into the search bar, then Resizer will display what the page looks like in many layouts. Thus, you will find the layout suitable for different screen sizes very easily.

For a long time, choosing the right location in designs is seen as a matter of science rather than merely art. Resizer creates balance, helps you find a way to harmonize the mathematical perspective and a designer 's perspective so that it provides a perfect visual experience for many device users. .

9. Bez

Bez is ideal for users who own an iPad Pro and feel the current drawing program does not meet their needs. This is a powerful vector graphics editor with the goal of helping users create beautiful shimmering artwork easily on Apple's latest tablet.

With the support of Slide Over, Split View, Smart Keyboard and Apple touchpad, Bez is truly a high quality and professional design solution.

Currently, users can try it for free and upgrade to the Premium version to unlock all Bez features for $ 7.99, including Boolean format systems such as combine, subtract, intersect, exclude and zoom with 4.096% rate for more accurate editing.

10. OpenToonz

Toonz is an animation software designed to create films for Studio Ghibli as well as television programs such as Futurama or Steven Universe . Currently, Toonz has been expanded with the version called OpenToonz allows users to download for free, stand out with its superiority and flexibility, can work with both traditional and pure digital animation.

Also, since this is open source, you can also edit the code and develop it in the way that suits you best. Currently, OpenToonz is available for both Windows and Mac platforms.