If you're a amateur graphic designer, you'll love me. If you're a seasoned graphic designer, you'll hate me. For what I am about to say is truly and utterly controversial. In fact, to warn you ahead of time, it involves a certain presentation program that everyone loves to hate or hates to love. Without further ado, I would like to say that PowerPoint should be considered as a major graphic design tool in the graphic design/marketing industry.

*Insert angry mob from "Beauty and the Beast"*

No no, lower your pitchforks and hear me out. I've used industry-standard software like Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop before. Heck, I've used Blender and Mudbox and even Bryce for some of my designs. And, I have to say, these tools are impressive. There are some things you can do in Photoshop/Photoshop Elements that you can't do with normal photo-editing software. There are certain features that Illustrator has that a run-of-the-mill drawing application doesn't have. There are reasons why Adobe's "Big Three" are industry-standard. But, sometimes the more practical route is the best one.

PowerPoint is, from the perspective of a seasoned graphic designer, a joke. Nothing more than presentation software with shapes, effects, sounds, and stock photos. But there are ways to create beautiful designs and artwork all in PowerPoint. This article's image was created entirely in PowerPoint using shapes, shadows, and sizing. Even some of my designs and artwork were created using PowerPoint. And I have an Associates Degree in graphic design.

It's the pride of life that prohibits us designers from working outside of the typical constraints of Adobe's "Big Three". It was not too long ago that I began to realize that simplicity is the key to any good thing -- including PowerPoint. Since then, I've been using PowerPoint to whip up great, quality designs. I'm not suggesting insta-design; after all, a design project can take quite a long time to develop. A logo doesn't appear overnight. But, what I am suggesting is for designers to think inside the box rather than thinking just outside. Stop reaching for the grandiose and start looking at what you have. Don't think of PowerPoint as just a slide maker; think of it as a blank canvas.