My niece just started a graphic design program at college and asked me what design tools she should learn first. realized my answer has changed a lot from what i would have said even 2 years ago
my advice for web and graphic design tools for college beginners in 2026:
learn first (non-negotiable):
- figma. its free for students and its where the industry is going. collaborate in real-time, prototype, even do basic vector work. if you learn one tool make it this
- basic photoshop. you dont need to master everything but layer masks, adjustment layers, and smart objects are still essential skills
learn second (builds on fundamentals):
- illustrator for vector work. specifically pen tool mastery, live trace, and the pathfinder panel. figma cant fully replace this yet for complex illustration
- a prototyping tool beyond figma. principle or protopie for advanced interactions
skip for now (despite what your professors might say):
- indesign. unless youre going into print/editorial specifically. most design work has moved to screen
- dreamweaver. just… no. learn basic html/css instead if you want web skills
the controversial one: should students learn AI tools? i say yes but as a supplement not a replacement. use midjourney for moodboarding, chatgpt for copy drafts. but learn the fundamentals manually first
what would you tell a beginner? am i wrong about any of these?