u/East-Cartoonist-3347

▲ 1 r/Design

What tools should I master as a beginner to become a high-level graphic designer?

Hi everyone, I’m a beginner graphic designer currently using Canva, Photopea, and CapCut. I mostly create social media ads and marketing visuals.

I want to improve and eventually work with higher-paying clients, so I’m trying to figure out which tools I should focus on long-term.

I also reached out to Adobe and was offered a discounted Creative Cloud plan for around $19/month, so I’m considering switching.

I’m confident in my ability to learn and adapt quickly, but I want to make sure I’m focusing on the right tools.

My questions:

  • Which tools are essential to master vs just nice to have?
  • Are tools like Canva/Photopea still acceptable at higher levels, or should I fully switch to Adobe?
  • What tool helped you improve the most when you were starting out?

Would really appreciate your advice 🙏

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u/East-Cartoonist-3347 — 15 hours ago