Create Your Own Artwork Without Expensive Graphic Design Software

You don't necessarily need expensive professional graphic design software to create artwork for your next printing project.

There are several free and low-cost graphic design and desktop publishing tools that can help individuals, small businesses, organizations and DIY designers create professional-looking artwork.

At Discount Printing Service, we accept customer-created artwork for many of our printing products. If you create your own design, you can submit your finished artwork to us and avoid graphic design charges, provided the file meets the requirements for the product you are ordering.

Our preferred file format for customer-created artwork is PDF.

The software you use to create the artwork is up to you. The important thing is that the finished file is properly prepared for commercial printing.

Scribus — Free Desktop Publishing

Scribus is one of our recommended free options for customers who want a true desktop publishing and page-layout application.

Scribus is open-source software and is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

It can be used to create many types of printed materials, including:

• Business cards
• Brochures
• Flyers
• Newsletters
• Postcards
• Forms
• Letterhead
• Advertisements
• Booklets
• Other multi-page documents

Scribus provides many of the page-layout capabilities traditionally associated with professional desktop publishing software.

It is more advanced than many simple online design applications, so there is a learning curve. However, if you want a free alternative to traditional desktop publishing software, Scribus is an excellent option to investigate.

Visit Scribus

Inkscape — Free Vector Graphic Design

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics program.

Vector software is particularly useful for creating:

• Logos
• Illustrations
• Icons
• Charts
• Diagrams
• Signs
• Line artwork
• Other graphics that need to remain sharp at different sizes

Inkscape is not intended to replace a full desktop publishing application such as Scribus, but the two programs can complement each other.

For example, you could create a logo or illustration in Inkscape and use it as part of a larger page layout in Scribus.

Visit Inkscape

GIMP — Free Image Editing

GIMP, or GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free and open-source image editing application.

It can be useful for:

• Editing photographs
• Cropping images
• Adjusting brightness and contrast
• Retouching photographs
• Creating raster graphics
• Preparing images for use in other design programs

GIMP is primarily an image-editing program, rather than a desktop publishing application.

For example, you might edit a photograph in GIMP and then place the finished image into a brochure or newsletter designed in Scribus.

Visit GIMP

Adobe Express — Easy Online Design

If you don't want to learn a complicated desktop publishing program, Adobe Express is another option worth considering.

Adobe Express is designed to make creating graphics and marketing materials much easier than traditional professional design software.

It can be useful for projects such as:

• Flyers
• Social media graphics
• Posters
• Promotional materials
• Simple brochures
• Business graphics
• Marketing materials

Adobe Express also incorporates modern AI-assisted creative capabilities, making it possible to generate and modify certain design elements much more quickly than traditional design workflows.

Visit Adobe Express

Important: Easy-to-use design software does not necessarily mean that the finished artwork is automatically ready for commercial printing. Always check the final document size, bleed, resolution, color and PDF export settings before submitting your artwork.

Canva and Other Online Design Tools

Online design platforms such as Canva can also be useful for creating simple printed materials.

They are particularly attractive to DIY designers because they provide templates, graphics, photographs and easy-to-use design tools without requiring extensive graphic design experience.

However, as with any design software, you should verify that your final file meets the requirements of the printing product you are ordering.

What About Microsoft Word or PowerPoint?

You don't necessarily need specialized graphic design software for every printing project.

Many customers already have Microsoft Word or PowerPoint and can use them to create relatively simple printed documents.

These programs may be appropriate for certain projects, particularly documents that are primarily text-based.

However, specialized desktop publishing or graphic design software generally provides greater control over:

• Page layout
• Bleeds
• Image placement
• Typography
• Color
• Multiple-page documents
• Professional print production

If you create your artwork using Word, PowerPoint or another general-purpose application, make sure you can export the finished document as a high-quality PDF.

Which Free Design Program Should I Use?

There isn't one program that is best for everyone.

You can also combine programs.

For example, you could edit a photograph in GIMP, create a logo in Inkscape and then assemble the finished brochure in Scribus.

Your Finished Artwork Should Be Print Ready

The software you use to create your artwork is only part of the process.

Before submitting your file for commercial printing, make sure your finished artwork has the correct:

• Document size
• Orientation
• Bleed
• Safe margins
• Image resolution
• Color setup
• Fonts
• Page count
• Folding or finishing requirements

PDF is our preferred file format for finished customer artwork.

For more information, see our File Preparation for Commercial Printing and Print Design Layout & Document Setup guides.

DIY Design vs. Professional Graphic Design

Creating your own artwork can save money if you have the time and ability to design your project yourself.

However, there are times when professional graphic design can save you considerably more time and produce a better result.

If you're creating an important marketing piece such as a brochure, business card, postcard, flyer or other promotional material, consider whether the design effectively communicates your message and presents your business professionally.

If you already have the basic artwork but need help making it print-ready, we can help with file preparation and corrections.

If you need an entirely new design, we also offer graphic design services.

Our modern AI-assisted design workflow can help us develop certain types of artwork and design concepts much more efficiently than traditional design methods. For qualifying projects, this may allow us to offer more affordable flat-rate design options.

Need Help With Your Artwork?

You are welcome to create your own artwork and submit it to us for printing.

If you're not sure whether your file is ready to print, contact us before placing your order. We can help you determine what needs to be corrected or whether professional design assistance would be beneficial.

Create it yourself. Print it with Discount Printing Service.