It is almost mid-June 2018, so you may be wondering why we would choose to talk about what’s new in Adobe CC 2018 now. Well, it seems that there are quite a few people asking the question, so we decided we would offer some insight. This is not a concise list, but it does highlight some pretty awesome stuff.

For that one reader that that is unfamiliar with Creative Cloud, Adobe Creative Cloud offers subscribers access to a suite of software that you can use to do activities like photo editing, web development, graphic design, and video editing, to name a few. With this new release, one of the major questions that seems to be popping up is what features have been included in Adobe CC 2018 that was not present in previous versions, so without further ado, here are some of the new features that you will find in Adobe creative cloud 2018.

Photoshop CC 2018

Since Photoshop was first sold to Adobe by its initial developers, John Knoll and Thomas, this application has been among the most used applications in creative cloud. The new features added in the 2018 release includes a welcomed update on the Brush Preset panel. This panel has been better organized and you can now create and use your own folders and subfolders to organize your brush tools, giving you overall control over your brush file structure. Adobe has also included 1,400 additional brushes, because let’s face it, you can never have too many paint brushes.

Another new feature in the 2018 upgrade of Photoshop is the brush stroke smoothing. You now have the ability to easily change the settings regarding how Photoshop smooths your brush strokes.

A final feature worth mentioning is the addition of a curvature pen tool which will allow you to create smooth flowing vector lines.

Illustrator CanvassesIllustrator CC 2018

The most significant update in this version of Illustrator is the addition of a Context-Aware Properties panel, something that we fell in love with in Photoshop. This panel will help to make your workflow easier by displaying Content-Aware options right there where you are working. With Illustrator CC 2018, the number of artboards has been ramped up to 1,000. If you are an Illustrator Jedi, this should get your warm approval.

InDesign CC 2018

Moving on to InDesign CC 2018, you can now create endnotes and, for your convenience, you can filter your fonts through the use of the character panel. You can also use swatches and fonts in the CC library to share with Projects and teams.

Adobe XD CC

With all the current hype around Adobe XD, you could easily think that this tool was only released in 2018, but the truth is, Adobe released its first public beta version in 2016. A lot of great improvements have been made since, turning this into a must-have piece of software. This user experience design tool has been in beta mode pre-2018, but with the 2018 upgrade, Adobe launched a non-beta version which is Adobe XD 1.0. It supports CC libraries which makes it possible for you to drag-and-drop files from the library into your Project.

The workflow between editing your images in Photoshop and moving them to XD has been simplified. Also, you can take a single element, use design mode to customize it, and then use Prototype mode to add interaction to it. Web design and app building has just got a whole lot easier. Adobe XD CC also includes a Symbol Panel which you can use to add character styles and colors.

Dimension CC

This application is totally new (last quarter of 2017, to be exact). Are you looking to do impress your client with some amazing package design or perhaps go a little bigger and design some billboards? If 3D is important to you, then you need to get your hands on Adobe Dimension CC. It enables you to work with 3D assets and allows you to do photo illustration and retouch work. But, when I say it like that, it does it no justice. Take a look at this video clip to appreciate just how awesome it is.

After Effects CC 2018

After Effects CC 2018 brings you a whole list of impressive features. First off, Master Properties, which allows you to access and edit layer and effects Properties like colour or opacity composition when it is nested in another composition. Another great improvement is the Adobe Immersive Environment which now allows you to review your composition in a head-mount display – no more guessing before rendering. A final feature improvement worth listing is the Advanced Puppet Tool. The flags blowing in the wind on this page should be enough to excite you: https://helpx.Adobe.com/after-effects/using/whats-new.html

Premiere Pro CC 2018

We’ll conclude with Premiere Pro. Some of the features that have made this software so much better, include the ability to compare shots using Comparison View, matching colour across shots and auto-duck music which allows you to create a volume envelope to ‘duck’ music behind dialogue, sound effects, or any other audio clip you choose. Premiere Pro CC 2018 has integrated Mettle’s skybox 360-degree video editing tools directly into the editor for your added convenience. You also have the ability to open multiple Projects now – for those who suffer from Video Editor ADHD – or, of course, those who simply enjoy multi-tasking.

So, there you have it! If you were one of those asking the question, I hope that this has been helpful. If you are one of those who have been sitting on the fence, wondering if upgrading to Adobe Creative Cloud CC is worth it, it’s time to do yourself the favour of upgrading today. Your workload could get a whole lot lighter. You may even discover that you have time for a life outside of your Design environment. 😊