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Mar 5, 2024

Design tools for non‑designers

Figma, Inkscape, and GIMP in a practical, developer‑friendly workflow.

I’m not a designer, but I still need to make things look good. These are the tools that let me ship clean UI work without pretending to be an artist.

Design tools graphic

Figma for layout

Figma is fast for wireframes, spacing, and collaboration. It’s where most UI decisions start.

Inkscape for vectors

When I need a crisp logo or icon tweak, Inkscape is lightweight and capable.

GIMP for quick edits

For crops, adjustments, or small fixes, GIMP is enough — especially on a Linux daily driver.

The takeaway: good design doesn’t require exotic tools, just consistent ones.

Ethan Knowlton

Ethan Knowlton

Software engineer & security enthusiast

Building secure, reliable systems and sharing practical lessons from the field.