Illustrator 9 Visual Insight
Authors: T Michael Clark
Venue:  (2000)

From the Book:I love computers and digital graphics software. And since you're holding this book in your hands, I suspect that you do, too. One of the fun things about computers and digital graphics software is that they are constantly changing. Unfortunately, this can also be a problem when you're trying to keep up with the constant changes. Whether you're a novice or an experienced user quickly trying to learn the basics of Illustrator 9, I believe this book will be a big help to you. About Illustrator 9 Illustrator 9 is a powerful tool that enables people, even graphically challenged ones who claim that they "can't draw a straight line," to create amazing artwork. Whether you're trying to design a new business card, spiff up your company's letterhead, design a poster, create a logo for your Web page, or build a new interface for your Web site, you'll find Illustrator is exactly the right tool for the job. As powerful as it is, however, Illustrator is not a difficult tool to learn to use. I feel that, with the help of this book, anyone should be able to create original digital artwork they can be proud of. All it will take is some time and effort on your part. This Book's Structure This book is divided into two sections: The first part, which contains Chapters 1 through 10, focuses primarily on the basics of the program. It introduces you to Illustrator's tools and its fundamental techniques and procedures, beginning with the essentials and moving on to introduce increasingly advanced topics and materials. Simply put, you'll learn how Illustrator works. You'll be introduced to the tools, palettes, and menus in a visual fashion. Being a visual artist, or even just a budding one, you'll appreciate how easy it is to follow along. The second part, which contains Chapters 11 through 14, shows you how to use those tools, techniques, and procedures to create your own distinctive designs. Using the knowledge you've gained from the first section of the book, these chapters will take you step by step through a number of hands-on projects intended to show you how to create your own artwork. The books in the Visual Insight series are formatted in such a way as to lead you visually through the software program, with the added benefit of enabling you to flip through the pages and see at a glance the tasks that can be accomplished and how to accomplish them in a quick and easy fashion. Who This Book Is For This book is intended for a variety of users with a variety of skill levels. You can use this book in a number of ways depending on your experience with Illustrator and digital graphics. If you're a new user, you may want to start with the first chapter and work your way through the entire book. If you've used Illustrator before, you may want to skim through the first part, paying attention to those areas that interest you or those that cover material you're not yet familiar with, before you turn to the projects in the second part. If you're familiar with digital graphics but are new to Illustrator and vector-based graphics, this book will serve as a good introduction to both topics. Whatever your skill level, I encourage you to work through the book while experimenting with the different aspects of Illustrator as you go. Illustrator is a great program that has a lot to offer everyone. And as in any graphics program, usually a number of methods can be used to execute any given task; by adding your own creative modifications to the techniques and projects in this book, you may come up with something truly amazing.