The studio edit
Graphic design, considered.
AI graphic design / Buying guide
Start with Canva AI for everyday graphics; add ChatGPT Images for custom visuals, Recraft for vectors or Photoroom for product photos. Keep an eye on editing control and plan limits. Jodi Bando, founder of fucklocal.com, says: “GPT Image 2 allows us to assign even the most intensive graphic design tasks to AI completely.”
Read the guideDesign software / Buying guide
Adobe Express is my first pick for everyday posts, flyers and short videos. Choose VistaCreate for free downloads, Snappa for quick graphics, or Visme and Piktochart for data-heavy pages.
Read the guideAI graphic design / Review
Magnific, formerly Freepik AI, is worth a look for regular image creation and editing. Budget for retries, check the commercial license, and keep final type and logos editable.
Read the reviewComputer graphic design / Guide
Inkscape is my first choice for a free image-to-vector workflow. Start with a clean image, trace it, fix the paths and save an SVG. Illustrator and Vectorizer.AI offer paid routes.
Read the guideMarkers / Review
Ohuhu Honolulu is my pick for loose lines and broad fills. Start with a small brush-and-chisel set; choose Honolulu B if fine detail matters more.
Read the reviewPaint / Buying guide
Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache is my first pick for a small mixing palette. Choose Holbein Acrylic Gouache when dry layers need to stay put.
Read the guideMarkers / Review
The POSCA PC-5M is my best first paint pen. Its medium bullet tip suits everyday drawing; choose PC-3M for fine work or PC-8K for broad fills.
Read the reviewStudio tools / Buying guide
The Dahle 508 is my pick for trimming single sheets and small batches. Choose the CARL DC-210N for larger paper stacks, and check capacity against your actual paper.
Read the guideA little studio sense
Start with the design you need to make. Choose tools that fit the job, keep your files editable and leave room to try a different idea.
Find your design toolsMara Ellis covers graphic design, AI image tools and the software that helps an idea take shape. Her focus is clear choices, useful details and making room for the work itself.
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