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Posted on 11/01/06 8:29:01 PM |
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Paul McFadden
Dream Decryptor Posts: 138 Reply  |
How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Hello For quite some time, Steve has been toying with the idea of writing a "How To Cheat In Illustrator" book. Seems Illustrator books dont tend to sell so well though, so other projects keep taking priority. I think if there was a fun Illustrator book, that was full of "cool stuff" (ala HTCIP) , then it would be flying off the shelves faster than a Dan Brown potboiler, simply because the market is so poorly served. If you would purchase HTCII, please add your name below, to convince Steve it would be worth doing. _________________ |
Posted on 11/01/06 10:23:59 PM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Oh it's definitely worth doing. *signs up name* But another great title if not a tad on the expensive side is The Adobe Illustrator CS WOW book also the CS2 version from peachpit press. However a good How to Cheat in Illustrator is very much needed. _________________ mad as a badger and twice as furry |
Posted on 12/01/06 01:46:40 AM |
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DaltonX
Raster Reanimator Posts: 259 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
I don't have Illustrator..... but hey!..... if it's gonna have nice wee pictures in it...... I'll buy it!   |
Posted on 12/01/06 10:22:55 AM |
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trinityofone
Guest Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Not sure it's going to be that sort of book!  _________________ A happy-go-lucky chap, always dressed in black |
Posted on 12/01/06 10:25:44 AM |
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Storm
* Posts: 15 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
If the book was to the same excellent standard as HTCIP then it would be an essential purchase for all Illustrator users (including a lot of graphics pros). _________________ A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts |
Posted on 12/01/06 9:36:20 PM |
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Lexus
Persistent Pixellator Posts: 623 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Oh yer! I need to know how to use Illustrator for school! Do it Steve! Do it! _________________ 3 Radio Visit http://www.3-radio.co.uk and listen! You will love it! |
Posted on 12/01/06 11:28:58 PM |
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DaltonX
Raster Reanimator Posts: 259 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
  dang! |
Posted on 13/01/06 07:50:38 AM |
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Dek_101
Apocalyptic Artisan Posts: 175 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Well, I've already said that I'm in need of a book like 'HTCII' .. I did buy the 'WOW' book just last week as mentioned by Maiden ..and yes, it is bloody expensive and not half as much fun as 'How to cheat in photoshop'  ... Please Steve ... Give us an Illustrator book that's fun? |
Posted on 13/01/06 10:01:37 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7047 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Ah, well, you see, that's part of the problem. There's just so much essential stuff to learn in Illustrator, it's not like Photoshop where you can just get going straight away. Having said that, I'm working on an approach which differs the standard method of going through the application tool by tool, menu by menu. I'm sure I'll get around to this one eventually, perhaps even in time for the release of Illustrator CS3. Thanks for all your support - I know a decent Illustrator book needs writing, but it's really tricky working out exactly how to do it! |
Posted on 13/01/06 1:16:10 PM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
The thing is Steve is that most of the books do go at it tool by tool, step by step explaining all the complicated stuff first which makes for a very steep learning curve. Your style has been to jump straight in there and show us how to do stuff like Perspective, Head Swaps, Composition, Metals, Glass and Organic surfaces etc. which is the best way to learn anything. If you applied that idea to say doing a series of Illustrator tutorials on how to achieve certain effects, one of which could be let's say "Creating a Photorealistic 3D Wine Bottle" then the Illustrator fundamentals could be explained within the process of that tutorial, so that we wouldn't be just learning how to create a photorealistic bottle but also how to use the tools Illustrator offers to create such effects as efficiently as possible. I believe this is why so many Illustrator books fail, it's because they put you through The Illustrator 101 basics before giving you something to get your teeth into. Give us the end product first and then explain how it was achieved, that I believe is the secret to learning the versatility of Illustrator, in my humble opinion. _________________ mad as a badger and twice as furry |
Posted on 13/01/06 4:02:11 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7047 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Maiden, your method is pretty much what I had in mind: a series of tutorials that would take you through all the tools, but just using the ones you need to complete the tutorial. It would have to be for complete beginners, of course, given the nature of the appliation, but I think that could be achieved. I'm working on it! |
Posted on 13/01/06 5:59:53 PM |
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Paul McFadden
Dream Decryptor Posts: 138 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
I concur ! Ploughing through a book that explains each tool in detail, supported by trivial examples, soon becomes boring. Worse, if I read, say, the pen tool chapter, I can then use the pen tool - but nothing else ! So I must persevere with all the other chapters on layers, fills, swatches, strokes etc before I can actually create anything. And, unless you are very disciplined/ have too much free time, you may have weeks between each chapter, meaning you've forgotten most of what you learned before ! However, if a book is structured like HTCIP, with a fantastic looking image, or solution to a real world problem, and then works backwards, showing how it was created, you have a fun book that can be dipped in and out of as time permits. _________________ |
Posted on 14/01/06 12:21:16 PM |
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Lexus
Persistent Pixellator Posts: 623 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Can't wait, when your done, tell us the release date, and i'll be first in line at the waterststones in Ashford! That is the best Bookstore in Kent in my opinion! _________________ 3 Radio Visit http://www.3-radio.co.uk and listen! You will love it! |
Posted on 19/01/06 10:02:47 PM |
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uk2usadaz
Designer Dynamo Posts: 70 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Two good Illustrator books are.......... The Adobe Illustrator CS (CS2) WOW Book by Sharon Steuer Adobe Illustrator CS2 Gone Wild by David Karlins, Bruce K. Hopkins Sorry not been in for a wee bit, very busy _________________ Look upwards and share the wonders that I see. |
Posted on 06/02/06 11:24:38 PM |
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G. E. Sutton
Visual Virtuoso Posts: 35 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
I would certainly buy HTCII since I have all of Steve's books: How to Cheat in Photoshop How to Cheat in Scrabble How to Cheat in Job Interviews How to Cheat in Forum Discussions How to Cheat in Your Marriage (published under his pseudonym) How to Cheat the Inland Revenue (published under his pseudonym) And my favorite: How to Cheat at Cheating |
Posted on 26/02/06 10:03:09 PM |
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Steve Mac
Grunge Genie Posts: 539 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Sign me up! I would buy Illustrator only if I there were a book like HTCIP. Like it's been said, you can be up and running without going through boring chapters with no real examples. _________________ Steve Mac |
Posted on 27/02/06 09:10:59 AM |
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Hank
* Posts: 49 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Cleaver!! - Hank |
Posted on 27/02/06 11:37:01 AM |
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Eggbox
Ovoid Opportunist Posts: 797 Reply  |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
Whilst wanting a better book to learn the intricacies of Illustrator CS you might like to look at a less expensive, more intuitave and faster (yes faster) alternatve. Xara Xtreme. I've been using this proggie and it's ancestors since the 80's when it was called ArtWorks . Read an independent review at: [url=http://www.computerarts.co.uk/review..cs/xara_extreme] then look at their site and download a fully working 30 day version [url=http://www.xara.com/products/xtreme] Cost of Illustrator CS2 ..£435. Cost of Xtreme ... $79 or £45. It may be cheap but it is certainly not nasty and think of what you could use that spare £400 for! Ted Help!! why didn't those URL's show up in blue? |
Posted on 27/02/06 3:29:48 PM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
I'm working with Flash animators who design characters and software interfaces. They don't use Adobe's Illustrator, they use Flash's vector tools. They find if faster and easier to use. They enjoy Flash's intuitive features. They don't use bezier handles to shape paths, but a series of brushes. They can quickly merge, subtract, and smooth paths without touching a bezier curve. They hate Illustrator, because it takes too much time working with bezier handles. Their work is stunning. Now that Adobe owns Flash, I'm sure Illustrator will incorporate Flash's tools. |
Posted on 01/03/06 03:22:02 AM |
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Neal
Master Manipulator Posts: 322 Reply |
Re: How To Cheat In Illustrator - sign the petition !!
I want Steve to write a book on how to read, I miss read this thread. Yes, I want Steve to a book on Illustrator. I own IllustratorCS, but I don't understand anything in it. I keep going back Illustrator 8.0. Yes, please write an Illustrator book. And use small words, too. |
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