In this blog I will be posting a variety of Case Studies of my latest projects in Adobe CS5.5, whether they be for clients or as self-improvement exercises. I won’t try to make these into tutorials. Other designers might have employed different means or methods than those I have used, and those designers are more than welcome to comment—or critique—on my MO.
I was a late bloomer when it came to adopting many of the newer features in the Adobe programs that I had been using for many years. I was used to working with the core features of the programs, and was resistant to having to learn new tricks. To me, the new features just seemed like gimmicks, and the upgrade prices were also quite steep.
But at the same time, I strongly suspected that I wasn’t working as efficiently as I could have been, which would make it more difficult to edit my work at a later time. You have to figure that many designers had been voicing their concerns and frustrations over working with only the core tools, so they were offering their suggestions and wish lists, driving Adobe to build new tools and modules into their programs. For instance, before the Perspective Tool I had been rotating lines from a vanishing point and cutting them into place to form objects in perspective. That was a very time-consuming process. Now, with the Perspective Tool, I can draw objects directly onto a grid plane and it instantly transforms into the perspective of the scene.
For the past three years I have immersed myself in online tutorials. Lynda.com has been an indispensable learning tool, and for $25 a month the site is an incredible bargain. I have finally assimilated the use of the latest features of Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, including numerous tricks, techniques, and insights, and have become much more efficient and creative in my use of these tools.
Of course, I am still kicking myself for not upgrading these programs earlier, but they can only be useful to you if you can afford the upgrades, to use them on demand. So there’s my excuse! But now that I am the proud owner of Adobe CS5.5, I am beginning to fret over not having a head start on CS6. Oh well, maybe in my next life…
DFI Graphics 