{"id":65450,"date":"2026-02-18T13:16:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:16:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/?p=65450"},"modified":"2026-02-18T13:18:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:18:13","slug":"essential-tools-for-modern-creatives-a-complete-guide-to-creative-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zealous.co\/about\/insights\/essential-tools-for-modern-creatives-a-complete-guide-to-creative-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Tools for Modern Creatives: A Complete Guide to Creative Software"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today’s creative professionals navigate an overwhelming ecosystem of digital tools, each promising to revolutionise their workflow, unlock their potential, or simply make their lives easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now there is a lot of noise when it comes to which software is the best to use. It can become an endless scroll of which video editors are the most efficient, how do I know which planning software is the most practical, and is that application really worth my money. So how do we get around this? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spoke to various creatives, including members on our own team, for their tried and tested recommendations. Obviously not every software is one size fits all, but we hope hearing from actual users will influence your own decision making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of these pieces of software will be pay to use. Where I can, I will try to recommend free alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adobe Photoshop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I would be quite surprised here if you had not heard of Adobe Photoshop<\/a>. It is a design tool that can be used by a whole plethora of creatives, from photographers and graphic designers, to digital illustrators and those just looking for a new way to experiment. For this recommendation, we go to Zealous Designer Chema Martinez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To be honest, I can try to be creative with the answer, but being close to the truth the answer will be always Adobe Photoshop. It\u2019s a software mainly for photographers, but it was the first digital software I mastered, still being useful, and even today I use other softwares for other purpose, if I have to quit all but one, I will keep Photoshop as you can almost do anything with it, from design prototypes to illustrations,\u2026 But I always wanted to try other free\/different softwares specially for sketching that I heard they are similar to photoshop. But for me this software it is like a pencil and a paper, so easy to use and used to it that it\u2019s my safe tool.<\/p>\nChema Martinez, Zealous Designer <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Want a free alternative? I recommend Photopea<\/a>. As someone who has used both Photoshop and Photopea, it is a great alternative if you don’t fancy paying a subscription or if it is not in your budget right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coolors<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Coolors<\/a> is a great place for inspiration for creatives are all types. Creating a marketing campaign? Looking for a colour palette to inspire a new artwork? Or simply searching for a colour scheme for your house painting? This free palette generator gives you a space to be inspired and explore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Marketing Manager Carmela gave us her thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It takes the decision fatigue out of picking colours from scratch, and you can lock in colours you like whilst continuing to randomise all the others until you find the perfect palette.<\/p>\nCarmela Vienna, Zealous Social Marketing Manager<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here is a palette to get you started: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are.na <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finding a place to collect information easily is key as a creative. This is where Are.na <\/a>comes in. Described as ‘playlists, but for ideas’ or an ‘Internet memory palace’, you can collaborate with others and keep things which are important to you. It’s brilliant for gathering all your references together in one visual space, and link areas of interest to create connections between ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The software is free to use, but there is an option to upgrade later down the line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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