r/graphic_design – Techskills, but I can’t afford Adobe right now… | Graphic Designing

I am a copywriter and I’m trying to go more a design route. My friends who are graphic designers have encouraged me to use Lynda.com to learn programs and other fundamentals. I’m unemployed right now, so I can’t afford Adobe. I’m wondering if there is any point in working on free programs like GIMP and InkScape, or if I should just wait until I can afford the “real thing”? I had access to Illustrator for a couple of days, and did some tutorials on Lynda. When I pulled up Inkscape, it seemed different enough that the tutorials didn’t really translate.

I have been compiling resources and giving myself assignments like what you’d find in college graphic design classes. I would love to be able to post them somewhere for critiques. I tried Instagram, but no one critiques anything. I know you’re not allowed to do that on this sub. Is there a sub just for critiques? Or a site?

I’m just trying to improve with my (very) limited resources right now.