Illustrator In Easy Steps (In Easy Steps Series) - Softcover

Shufflebotham, R

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1840780142 ISBN 13: 9781840780147

Publisher: Computer Step, 1999

Synopsis

This book provides a step-by-step guide to using Adobe Illustrator. Up-to-date, covering version 8, it explains all the essential features of this graphics package.

Starting with an introduction to Illustrator including Beziers, Bitmaps, Page/Document setup, Ruler guides, the Toolbox, Tear offs and the Navigator palette, this guide quickly moves on to explain how to use the program to gain maximum benefit. Also covered at the beginning of the book is opening, saving and placing files which includes instruction on placing text and images, exporting illustrations and saving in different formats.

Next the author describes how to work with basic shapes such as rectangles, squares, ovals and circles, and explains how to perform functions such as resizing shapes using the Star, Polygon and Spiral tools. Pencil and Paintbrush tools are also covered including the Smooth and Erase tools. Guidance is provided on aligning and distributing shapes amongst other features and a chapter is dedicated to working with colour.

Further chapters cover topics such as editing shapes using Anchor, Smooth and Corner Points, and cutting and joining paths using the Scissors and Knife tools. It is explained how to enter, edit and format type including instruction on the Character and Paragraph Palettes. Also covered within this unique reference guide are the Transformation tools (Rotate, Scale, Mirror, Skew and Twirl tools), Gradient and Pattern Fills, drawing curves using the Pen tool, Charts, Printing, and Filters. Finally a chapter is spent discussing advanced operations.

Written in concise language accompanied by clear screen-shot annotations, this book is ideal for novices to computer graphics packages since it assumes no prior knowledge. The step-by-step instructions provided make it equally suitable for those users upgrading from a previous version of Illustrator, or transferring from a different graphics package.

About this title

Review

Adobe Illustrator is one of those vast applications that you could use every day of your life and still not get to grips with some of the higher functions.

Its power and sheer versatility is matched only by Macromedia's erstwhile Freehand; for beginners, however, approaching either of these packages is something of a daunting task.

So hats off to the folks from Easy Steps for lending a much needed helping hand to all new Illustrator users.

The series continues its ever popular and user friendly approach to learning with a well laid out guide to all the tools, filters, tricks and techniques to get you producing professional results in next to no time.

Covering both Macintosh and Windows versions to 8.0, this handy guide takes the reader straight through the basics, whilst still managing to throw in a few tasty titbits for more seasoned users.

Of particular note is the section dealing with the Pathfinder commands, undoubtedly one of the program's most powerful functions and difficult to get your head around.

For those with limited drawing skills this is as good a way to expand your talents as any and for the price, you simply can't afford not to give it a go. -- Steve Russell

From the Publisher

Robert Shufflebotham is an established author and has written several best-selling in easy steps titles including PhotoShop in easy steps and QuarkXPress in easy steps. In addition he runs training courses on computer graphics packages including Adobe Illustrator.

Edition details

• Publisher: Computer Step
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1840780142
• ISBN 13: 9781840780147
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192