What are the best software applications to use in printing postcards
To help you a bit in this endeavor, here is a list of software applications to use for printing postcards. I have entered here some reviews, warnings and tips as well so that you can judge easily which software is best for you and your skill level.
1. Adobe Photoshop – This is one of the best and most essential tools of a designer. There is a reason why almost all professionals know Adobe Photoshop one way or another. It is the best in terms of image manipulation and enhancements. For printing that is kind of a big deal since the whole cover is typically the whole image.
While it does not come cheap, believe me it is well worth the price for the things that you will be able to do with it. If the official retail seems too expensive for you, you might want to try the academic version, which is a lot cheaper. Present a student ID. It may all depend upon having family member who can use Photoshop.
2. Adobe InDesign – Another good software in the Adobe line is Adobe InDesign. While this is primarily designed for publishing printed materials that are typically full of text, you can also use InDesign for color postcards. InDesign can be used easily compared to Photoshop since it has familiar controls that many people using Word Processors recognize. So if you want less complicated software to create your custom postcards, try Adobe InDesign. It is a good investment as you can also create other types of printed documents with it. Take note that it is also a bit expensive.
3. Microsoft Publisher – An Alternative to Adobe InDesign is Microsoft Publisher. It is quite the same as InDesign, with a few major differences distinctive with its makers. Publisher can be part of the Microsoft Office suite of applications and as such may be a better deal for you financially to get it along with your MS Office. Publisher also boasts a better and friendlier interface overall, but lacks some more advanced editing features that InDesign has.
4. OpenOffice.org – The free alternative to your desktop publishing needs is Open Office. While it is not as powerful as Publisher or InDesign, Open Office Writer and Draw both can be used effectively. The downside though here is that these applications sport pretty standard features and you can only do simple designs with them. This should be no problem though, with regards to postcards.
5. GIMP – The free alternative to Photoshop is GIMP. The GNU Image Manipulation Program sports a lot of the same features and functionality that Photoshop has and it is all FREE! The only downside is that GIMP is a lot harder to learn, especially if you came from an Adobe background. However if you are really starved for resources, with a little determination you can make GIMP work as beautifully as Photoshop can.
These are the best options you have for creating. We have both the best and the cheapest version of software listed above. One or even more people can actually help you with creation.
