Only by persisting in continuous training and having a solid artistic foundation can the basic skills of design be easily mastered in future commercial actual combat. The same is true of design tools. Learning tools need constant practice and use in order to skillfully express design ideas and thinking through tools.
So, what tools do you need to learn to switch to UI design or engage in UI design?
There are so many design tools that we can't learn all the software. Every designer has his own software. We only need to master one or two design tools for each category, and the tools are all connected. When encountering similar tools, designers usually get started quickly.
1. Software 1, PS-AdobePhotoshop, an image processing software developed and distributed by AdobeSystems.
I believe that not all the partners in the design industry have heard about it, but it is a design tool that design professionals must master. Photoshop mainly deals with digital images composed of pixels, with the emphasis on image processing.
Image source: PS startup page
So how to learn such a tool?
In fact, we all know that learning a tool with actual cases can make learning purposeful and let us master the use of tools faster, and so does Photoshop learning.
There are generally two ways to learn: reading books and watching teaching videos.
Here are two PS learning books, AdobePhotoshopCC20 19 classic teaching and AdobePhotoshop international certification training materials. These two books are authoritative and certified official books, which explain the application skills of the software for Photoshop beginners in a simple way, and further guide readers to master the application methods of the software with practical cases.
Video learning may be more vivid than books. If you want to teach yourself PS systematically, you can buy a lot of videos in a treasure for a few dollars. Of course, you can also come to official website to learn free videos, which can help you learn PS step by step with actual cases. Video link: /course/2 15
2.AI-dobeillustrator is an industrial standard vector illustration software for publishing, multimedia and online images.
Its powerful function and considerate user interface make it the best choice for most designers to choose vector editing software.
Image source: AI startup page
Learning AI is similar to PS. First of all, we should understand the software, and then learn from actual cases to skillfully use the software in operation. Video link: /course/52
3.XD/Sketch, AdobeXD is defined as the prototype tool of Photoshop. It is a lightweight vector graphics editor and prototype design tool, which is often compared with Sketch. Sketch is a lightweight and easy-to-use vector design tool, which makes UI design simpler and more efficient.
Then you will definitely ask which of these two tools is better?
It all depends on personal habits and hobbies. If you are used to and like using one tool, you don't need to switch to other similar tools.
4.AE-AdobeAfterEffects, a graphic video processing software released by Adobe.
Nowadays, dynamic design is becoming more and more common in UI design interface, and many domestic Internet companies have begun to pay attention to dynamic design. Dynamic design in products can bring users a good visual experience, better express product characteristics and make product operation experience smoother.
5.C4D is a very important tool in UI design, which can be used wherever 3D scenes, products and visual effects are involved.
C4D is often used with AE software to help us complete 3D rendering. They are like a twist, inseparable and complementary.
When the picture of C4D is made too big and re-rendered, you should despair. At this time, AE can be turned on to adjust. If the color in C4D can't meet the expectation, then open AE retouching; In C4D, this kind of light is not good and the effect is not right, so turn on automatic exposure to fill the light again.
Once you can master it skillfully, the visual effect presented by their cooperation is not only crazy and cool, but also adds a lot of texture to your work, and the work will add a lot of points!
Most importantly, these two softwares will greatly shorten your working hours, but they can achieve excellent results. Video link: /course/2 13
Image source: Students' works of Godfried Aduobe Institute of Design.
6. AXURE-AXURRP is a professional rapid prototyping tool, which can quickly create wireframes, flowcharts and prototype designs of application software or websites.
As a professional prototype design tool, it can quickly and efficiently create prototypes and support multi-person collaborative design and version control management. Axure is not only a tool that UI designers need to master, but also requires product managers to be familiar with the use of this tool in the Internet industry.
Of course, there are many similar tools, such as ink knife and Invision. And their respective advantages are different. These prototype design tools have different advantages, so you can choose to use them according to your own habits and hobbies.
Image source: Axure startup page
Second, the software application scenario has said so much. Maybe you still think these tools are abstract. What are the functions of these tools and where are they used? Next, Xiao Ah will introduce you in detail.
1, font
In the design work, you may not find a satisfactory font and don't want to infringe. At this time, you need to design your own fonts.
What tools can you use to design fonts? PS and AI can help you solve this problem. Here I can share a few videos about font design, and feel how to design fonts more intuitively. Video link:/video/bv12c4y1872f? p=2
Image source: Word by
2. Logo design, electronic commerce design, etc.
At present, the application of illustrations in Logo, Banner and e-commerce can make the pages of products more vivid. For example, C4D and illustrations can be used to enrich the visual effect of pictures in the design of store home pages and special pages.
Image source: Students' works of Godfried Aduobe Institute of Design.
Taobao e-commerce needs a lot of retouching, and the tools used for retouching must be PS, such as electrical retouching, jewelry retouching, cosmetics retouching and clothing decoration. E-commerce design includes topic pages and details pages. These designs will use different tools according to different effects. Video link:/video/bv1xz4y1u73g? p=6
3. Banner design
Image source: Students' works of Godfried Aduobe Institute of Design.
4. Dynamic effect design
AE interactive animation design, enhance the interface interactive operation experience, jump interaction, load dynamic effects, click effects and so on. In addition, AE can also be used with C4D to help us complete 3D rendering and make the page more stereoscopic.
Third, the above other abilities only analyze the use of tools. If you want to express the design concept through tools, you need to understand the design foundation and theory before you can design an excellent interface that meets the design specifications. According to the market demand, we summarized the capabilities required by the most demanding full-link UI in the market at present. In addition to designing software and full-link UI design, you also need to know hand-drawn illustrations, design basics, UI design related knowledge, other related knowledge and comprehensive soft power.
1, social illustration: designers can learn lines, light and shade, structural relations, basic modeling, perspective relations and so on. By hand drawing. With this kind of thinking, we can quickly grasp the main points of drawing graphics, icons and quasi-material style works in design work.
It can be seen from various recruitment needs that the farther UI design goes, the more it needs practitioners to have rich artistic skills, and the flexible use of illustration and design can complement each other and adapt to the visual experience of current users.
Moreover, good ideas and creativity must not come from computers first, but from books first. Hand painting is the best expression and expression of creativity and inspiration. Cultivating the habit of hand-drawing and knowing how to do it can further expand the designer's thinking, quickly present your demand for graphics on sketches, and try to compare the rapidly evolving graphics, thus improving work efficiency.
Image source: Students' works of Godfried Aduobe Institute of Design.
2. Design basis: UI design is also a design major, so you must master design theories such as design principle, plane composition, color composition and three-dimensional composition (that is, three major compositions).
Only with these, can we flexibly locate brand colors according to different industries and different people, and analyze the shape and temperament of logo graphics, the combination of abstraction and deformation of positive and negative images, the combination of letters and graphics, and so on.
Image source: Students' works of Godfried Aduobe Institute of Design.
3.UI design specifications: Every industry will have certain specifications. You need to master the design foundation and the use of tools, and you also need to master the norms, methods and processes of web design and mobile terminal design in the industry before you can really start UI design.
4. Other technologies: The so-called full link UI designer is to participate in the whole product life cycle.
From demand analysis to demand review, user survey, emotional board combing to interaction design, visual design to visual review, UI review and acceptance to user survey, the work of this department needs designers to understand and design some plenary sessions.
5. Comprehensive soft power: A project can never be completed by one person independently. Only by cooperating with others and effectively achieving the goal can our work be truly recognized.
In the process of projects in which UI design participates, UI design needs to communicate with various roles in products, interaction designers, development, testing and other projects, so a qualified UI design should be good at communication and have good team spirit.
Products are constantly iterative, which also requires the ability of UI design to summarize and analyze problems. After each product launch, collect questions from users and tests, and then constantly improve your own design.
Having said that, learning UI design should not only focus on design tools, but also have an overall learning route to make the learning content more comprehensive.
If you are familiar with tools, you can't design a good product without the basic support of design. But learning tools are also necessary, because only through tools can we better express our design ideas.
I hope this sharing will help you learn UI design.