Finally, the Layers, Libraries and Symbols area is for modifying layers on the Canvas, adding clip art, and inserting pre-made shapes. For example, when working with Shapes, the panel presents settings for adjusting those shapes, like fill and border colors. The Properties Panel changes based on the tool that is selected.
The Button Bar provides access to the tools, such as Select, Add Shape, and Add Text. The Canvas is where current work is displayed. I found it helpful to break down the interface into four parts for my students, like this: With just a basic introduction, one can quickly add shapes and text, create paths, combine and subtract shapes, adjust fill and border settings, and much more. The program is similar to Illustrator, Inkscape, or other vector-based editors, so anyone with experience in those applications will transition nicely to Gravit Designer. There are also downloadable versions of Designer for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS. Files can be stored in the cloud, or on your computer. You can log in with your Google or Facebook account, or create a new account from scratch. Gravit Designer is a free, comprehensive, web-based graphic design tool. Now, with students on Chromebooks, I needed something web-based, and while Inkscape does offer a Chromebook extension, I believe I’ve found a better tool in Gravit Designer. I did find it slightly confusing for students when working inside the X11 environment rather than native OS X, but that’s a minor complaint. I loved that it was free, and worked well on the Mac. Years back I was a big fan of Inkscape and even created a playlist of video tutorials on using this tool. Generally, that is the most that students need for use with the laser cutter, vinyl cutter, 3D carver, and other digital fabrication tools we have in the lab. They need a way to create shapes, modify those shapes, add text, and adjust color settings. While I use Adobe Illustrator regularly for my graphic design work, the application is often overkill for my middle school students, both in cost and feature set.
I am forever seeking for a new/better tool for 2D design in my work with students.
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