Recommendations are always handy...
So on this page you can find a bunch of materials, tools and tech which I have found useful in creating and sharing art.
* Please note, affiliate links are denoted with an Asterisk - they cost you nothing to click on, but they do track and help to support my free content by granting me a commission when purchases of the product are made. Thank you for your support!
TECH...
DOMAIN NAMES
I'm currently using: *Namecheap
On buying my domain names I did a lot of searching around for the best price. I had already been using a free Wix website for ages, and while I knew I wanted to take the next step by registering a domain, it was pretty daunting to do so.
When I discovered Namecheap I was super happy. The price was one of the best I had seen and I felt like I had a lot of options with them. At the time, not being as website savvy, I actually also bought an SSL certificate that it turned out I didn't need. I contacted Namecheap straightaway and their customer service sorted out a refund immediately, and were so helpful.
I have remained with them so far when renewing my domains as I am very happy with their service and I think they still have great prices. Click the banner below to check them out!*
DOMAIN EMAIL PROVIDER
I'm currently using: GoDaddy
You do not need an official domain email when you first start out, and I used free providers for a long time. But, when I began creating a newsletter it became clear that having a professional email address would be a benefit. So I started hunting around...
I eventually decided to use GoDaddy as they had a good deal on a first time purchase, but also seemed to have fair prices in general. The set-up was pretty easy - an when I did run into a small issue I didn't quite understand in connecting it with my website, someone on their team was really helpful in sorting it out.
When it comes time to renew, I will of course re-assess the price and see whether they are still the best option for me - but having had a good experience so far, I'll be hoping to stick around.
CREATIVE SUPPORTS...
MUSIC (for use in class creation)
I'm currently using: *Pond5
I was recommended Pond5 by a Skillshare teacher when I was creating my first class. It can be hard to find music to buy for commercial purposes that are budget-friendly! While various subscription models exist (such as Epidemic Sound), as a newbie I could not afford to be making regular payments. I wanted a Pay & Go type model, and Pond5 gave me that option.
There are all sorts of music, sound effects, stock footage and photographs that you can buy on the site for use in commercial projects - and the prices range to suit all kinds of budgets.
By using my link here you can nab 20% off your first purchase - woohoo!*
GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAMMES
I'm currently using: Affinity Designer
There are some great graphic design softwares out there, and each offers something different, so I always recommend doing research to find what suits your workflow best.
The Affinity suite of programmes together provide a vast array of design tools, and the part that I always love is that they are a "pay-once and it's yours" programmes.
Affinity Designer has come in so handy for me, to be able to handle and learn more about vector graphics. I did try out Adobe Illustrator for a time, and while it is a great programme with some unique benefits, I can't afford it all the time as a subscription. I tend to save up any jobs I'd like to use Illustrator for, and then buy a month every now and then to complete those tasks. As an everyday solution, Affinity Designer does most everything I need and is a joy to use.
Affinity also have Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher which complete the full suite - they can be purchased all together or singly, so you only need to buy what works for you.
To note: I currently have the first Affinity programmes - they have since launched Version 2, but I have not tested that myself.
ILLUSTRATION APPS
I'm currently using: Procreate
Procreate - it's widely used and there are so many classes and tutorials available about it. It's an app that can be downloaded onto an iPad, so you can draw directly on the screen. It's responsive, easy to use and a great way to learn and practice creating digital art. I use it lots - for creating illustrations, thumbnails, social posts, packaging, animations... it's a great tool to have.
If you are fortunate enough to have an iPad to use, Procreate is a great addition to your art toolkit.