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Illustrator CS5 For Windows And Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide

This fully updated edition for Illustrator CS5 covers the essential skills for Illustrator artists, such as drawing geometric and freehand objects; color management; using multiple artboards; applying colors, patterns, and gradients; creating and using brushes; transforming, reshaping, and combining objects; creating and styling type; applying graphic styles and transparency; using the Pen tool; using the live color, paint, trace, and effects features; using symbols; and output. The new and updated Illustrator CS5 features are clearly marked with bright red stars in both the table of contents and main text. Among the many new CS5 features covered in this volume are bristle brushes, drawing modes, arrows, Width tool, Shape Builder tool, and Mini Bridge. Enhancements to such features as path joining, artboards, pixel-perfect drawing, and Art brushes are also covered. Readers can follow the steps in a tutorial fashion, or use the book as a reference guide to individual program features. Many of the key illustrations used in the book are available via Web download for practice.

Series: Visual QuickStart Guide

Paperback: 456 pages

Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1 edition (August 16, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0321706617

ISBN-13: 978-0321706614

Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.8 x 8.9 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #711,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #51 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Audio, Video & Photography > Adobe > Adobe Illustrator #297 in Books > Computers & Technology > Software > Design & Graphics #852 in Books > Textbooks > Computer Science > Graphics & Visualization

I don't know why I even look at other software books any more. The Visual QuickStart Guide series is what I always buy. This one is no exception.The best aspect of this book is the short, heavily-illustrated explanations of tasks you need to accomplish. Most tasks are two page spreads, some are four pages, but they always include photos of exactly what you need to do, and how it looks when you are done. I don't need much more.Right now I'm doing lots of graphics for video, so Illustrator and Photoshop are open on my computer nearly full time. This book and its companion for Photoshop CS5 are the only two manuals on my desk every day. I don't upgrade to every new version-CS6 has come and gone, and now the Adobe tools are all a monthly fee on Creative Cloud, but CS5 works just great for me (until 2011 I was on CS2).HOW TO EVALUATE THIS BOOK: click on Quick Look, then Surprise Me, and look at a few pages deep inside the book (ignore the table of contents, index, etc.) Start somewhere after page 75 so you're into the meaty part of the book. If you like the kind of illustrated instructions shown there, buy the book and you'll be happy.CAUTION: Adobe products are known for being opaque to raw beginners, and Illustrator is no exception. If you are completely mystified about why there are two types of selection arrows (black and white), then you may want to start with a beginner's class, or search for a video introduction that starts at the VERY BEGINNING. Otherwise, you will have to walk slowly through the first couple of chapters of this book very carefully to understand the basics. We've all been there, it's a pain in the backside, but that's what makes Illustrator so, um, lovable.

The book is ok. And many people who already know Illustrator might like it. The price is certainly better than that of other Illustrator manuals.However, for those who have never used Illustrator, this is not the best choice. The authors often say something like "from the artboard panel menu, choose rearrange artboards" - while no images or explanations are provided where the artboard panel menu is (which is just an icon!). Also, very little explanation is given as to what artboard is and why the user needs to learn something about it.

I had to get this book for an Illustrator class in college, I found it very useful, it lays things out nicely and explains everything for both Mac and PC which was useful because I work on PC at home and the college has Macs. I already knew a little about Illustrator but I hadn't used it since about CS2, I just preferred Photoshop for the kind of work that I was doing, but I was amazed by some of the new features and the artwork that I was able to produce with AI CS5. I found this to be a very useful book that I was able to refer back to whenever I couldn't remember a step or setting, I have other computer art classes coming up so I have to by more of these books anyway, but even if I didn't, I might still have bought the books.

Coming from years of CorelDraw! training I was always confounded with the simplest of tasks in Illustrator. This book really helped me to understand the differences in the drawing tools and how to make the most of them. The tutorials were easy to understand and really helped me to grok the concepts.That said, I still feel CorelDraw! makes creating complex objects easier. Illustrator has some other more powerful features, and is available on Macs, so for now that's what I'm using.

Is outdated now. Get their latest version - whatever it is. Highly recommended. I am using CS6 now.The best of in the industry. Lots of pictures, graphics (there better be . . . ) - easy to understand, sectioned off nicely with different colors, columns, boxed info -

I recommend this book to everyone interested in Adobe Illustrator. They new book for CS6 explains in detail how to create many of the graphics you see in everyday life. Very helpful and easy to understand.

This book was one of two required texts for my GRC 103 class. It seems that color is something rare in graphic art books but if it works it works -___-It does work well for me though, it has lots of examples and it the topics are short and to the point.

Digital Photography by Henry Horenstein is a fabulous book, great tool, and reference manual, and here is why. In easy to understand language Horenstein takes the reader through the basics. Hence the subtitle "A Basic Manual." From tips about what camera to buy (which I personally thought helpful as I am getting one entry level one for my niece), to explaining the common settings on point-and-shot cameras, to the different type of lenses, lighting tips, and image storage as well as workflow - he covered it all.What I like is the conversational tone, the information is presented straight forward in an uncomplicated way. Even if this is the very first time you hear this you will feel well informed after reviewing his information. There are many visuals and examples throughout the book that will make the examples even easier to understand. I purchased this book for my son who is taking a college coarse that required this book.

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