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Mentor
Adobe Creative Suite, and Figma currently.
Design has so many disciplines so everyone will tell you something different a product designer probably uses very different tools than a brand designer.
I use 3D softwares a lot for product vis. I mostly use blender because it is free and capable but I also learned maya and I’m learning C4D too.
If you are into motion design Cinema4D is a must learn, with after effects also.
But if you are inspired by work that uses a certain tool to be done you might as well learn it.
For cine4D greyscale gorilla and school of motion is a good start. But def check blender too. Blender Guru has very good beginners tutorials.
Coach
Depends on your field 🤔 I am a multidisciplinary designer, so I know lots of programs. Some better than others. But I use Figma, XD, After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign, Procrearte, Fresco and I also know how to use 3D Max and Rhino, although I don’t use them at all!
Mentor
☝️ it really depends on your field. If you're headed towards UX/UI, then Figma, or Sketch and Zeplin combo, and Miro is the way to go.
If you're looking to stay in graphic design, then mostly Photoshop and Illustrator from the Adobe suite.
depends what you plan on designing… photoshop and Cinema4d are for totally different uses so it depends what you are creating.
I mostly use Adobe products + Figma daily.
Photoshop is not really for different purpose. If you are a 3d artist chances are you are using either PS or after effects to finish the 3D work or for other parts of the 3D pipeline like texture (sometimes it is easier than using substance for certain things.
I’d say they are complimentary tools. Especially now after the integration of substance into the adobe suite.
Why do these conversations keep surfacing? Nobody asks a plumber this question. “I used to use a plunger but I’ve been trying to teach myself how to use a pipe wrench. I need to evolve to stay competitive.”
Keeping up with new tools and techniques are part of the job. People asking these questions are making sure their skills are on point. Plumbing might not change as fast as design do either, but looking up online, you will surely find videos of people in trades (like plumbing) sharing their knowledge and tools they are using to make sure they are using the best possible standards. You might think a pipe is a pipe, but a specialist and expert in their field knows the details that makes the difference in order to get the best possible outcome faster. The same applies to designer: asking these questions and constantly improving yourself is what makes you an expert.
Depends on what you want to work on!
+1 to Figma for digital.
If working in print, illustrator and InDesign.
^ and Sketch
Sketch is dying, thankfully. Always was a buggy POS.
Mentor
It depends on the industry and what kind of design you want to do. If designing digital products is a priority (websites, apps) learn sketch and figma. If you want to do motion graphics for advertising or the entertainment industry, after effects and cinema 4D would be a good start. For print, illustrator and indesign. Best way to find out what you need to learn is by looking at job descriptions at the companies you want to work for. But also don’t be afraid to apply if you don’t know a certain program. I learned a lot on the job and continue to do so as new programs come out :)
Adobe xd and figma
Figma and the Adobe suites are mainly what I use. Cinema4D / Blender3D are great for animation and just 3D applications. If you’re not into it or have learned the software, you won’t really need it. If you plan on doing 3D animation or design, then there are some great YouTube channels to learn from.
Figma and Illustrator are my primary tools! I also LucidChart for diagramming with my dev teams.
The main issue with Figma vs Sketch is how to show the work to stakeholders as a collection of time-stamped flat layouts, like InVision. While Invision is buggy, it at least let stakeholders comment on the work without poking their noses into your working file. Figma is basically work mode or prototype mode. There’s no true presentation-focused InVision equivalent within Figma, without having to resort to kludgy workarounds.
Spline can be a nice entry point if you’re curious to learn 3D. It’s making it even more accessible to broader audiences. Many of the core concepts are the same across 3D tools, just like you’ll find across UI design tools.
The best thing you can do is focus on what you need to learn today (Figma, if you’re doing UI work and basic prototyping, for example) - and be prepared for a career of learning. The tools will always be changing.
Photoshop and Figma
Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop mostly. 75% of my work is in illustrator these days.
It depends on what kind of designer you want to be and what you specialize in.