posted
I've decided to start up an Illustrator "help line" here in Letterville. (hope I don't need a permit for this, Steve )
At the risk of sounding full of myself...any of you using Adobe Illustrator for sign layout and/or logo design or the like, feel free to email me if you run into any problems and I'll do my best to help you out. I check my email when I get home around 4pm EST, and should be able reply to emails before I hit the sack at 11.
I don't expect to put more than an hour a night into this service, so if I get swamped, it could be a day or two for your reply. But, that's not likely.
For the past 6 years, I've had my nose in an Illustrator file a minimum of 30 hours a week, which is a whole lotta practice. I just want to contribute to Letterville and the Letterhead movement and this seems like an area where I may be able to help my fellow Heads.
No charge, by the way. But I don't expect to buy my own drinks at meets from here on out. hahahahahaha
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
I hope you are swamped with questions and I hope that answering them won't cut into your "active" social life on #letterville chat channel!
For any who are not aware, Don is a VERY talented graphics artist and is VERY well versed in Illustrator.
My only regret is that he uses Illustrator and not Corel!
THIS is the kind of interaction that I believe should be more prevelant at letterhead.com!
------------------ Dave Grundy AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley
posted
Illustrator user over here too <raising hand>
7 years of experience, 10-15 hours per week.. Started playing with it on a MAC a long time ago when the AutoCAD course I was in started moving way too slowly to hold my interest.
Torn between Corel and Illustrator cause neither does everything I like.
Yep, I use it for sign/logo/web/graphics work too.
If you send me emails you will be waiting a long time for a response cause I get hundreds per day as it is already.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Thanks Don! Maybe you can answer the questions you get via a series of simple step by steps that we can share with all, as well as save for future reference.
posted
Hi Don, Thanks for the offer. Been living in Illustratrator for 10 years now myself. I'm sure that alot of our knowlege overlaps but there have to be areas that each of us are a bit more famaliar with. Mesh gradiants for instance, total ignorance here. Anyway, I'll be happy to jump in with ya on this one, (if you'd like any company).
I'll be glad to fill in any information on MacImprint for Illustrator also for any potential Mac/Edge users.
Bill
------------------ Bill Modzel Mod-Zel screen Printing Traverse city, MI modz@traverse.com
Posts: 1357 | From: Traverse City, MI | Registered: Nov 1998
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Need some help with Mesh Gradients? I love 'em, they come in so handy sometimes especially when I am laying out tricky t-shirt art like a project I have goin on now.. which reminds me I gotta put down the airbrush and get back to that job..
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Glad to take on a partner in this, Bill! And Steve, sounds like a winner to me. How hard is it to set up FAQ pages for separate design programs, just in case the corel people decide to join the parade?
Besides the obvious rip off of the VMP people's support group, it's occurred to me for awhile that sign and logo design people will use design programs in a slightly different angle from what most books will teach. And tackling programs like Corel and Illustrator, as well as others, in a way sign people can use and make money from, can result in a helluva lot of (unnecessary) trial and error.
Hopefully, Bill, Mike (whenever he gets around to his email , and I can help save some of you from pullin your hair out. (As you can see, we've done that so you won't have to! lol )
So, if you're using Illustrator, take a minute to copy down our email addresses and keep them handy for those days when you wanna know "how the hell can I get there from here?"
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
posted
I've gotten several emails today from folks asking for the name of a good Illustrator book.
The very best book I've seen, and there are alot of books on the subject, is the Visual Quickstart Guide from Peachpit Press! You can find them at any major bookstore and probably on Amazon.com for around $20 US. They are written in plain english and chocked full of very helpful screenshots. (Screenshots are b/w with the applicable part of the shot in red, which cuts WAY down on confusion.)
These are available for a number of computer programs, including photoshop, illustrator, corel and painter. There's even one on writing HTML! The covers are orange-yellow and violet, and shouldn't be hard to spot on the shelf.
If you ever wondered when they were going to start publishing computer books that didn't require a master's degree in computer science...that day has come!
Don Coplen rating: ***** five stars
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
I have been kicked back into Mac-land at the Press I work at 2 days a week and Illustrator is their program of choice. I like it, I've used it before, but not full-time.
Being bi-platform (Mac-PC) I've learned that virtually any computer as well as any program can do the same thing as the other... they just use different words to describe it. For instance: Corel says "Convert text to curves" and in Illustrator you use the Type Path Tool. (or something like that) I think the biggest help for me would be the translation of terms. If I were to describe what I wanted to do in PC/Corel language could you translate it to Mac/Illustrator language? (ha ha- Kinda like what Cisco does for me with English and Spanish- ha ha)
But seriously, that is really what it comes down to for me... I KNOW the program can do whatever it is I need to do- I just can't find it in the "help" menus because I'm speaking the wrong language. I in turn can offer PC translation and tap into my resident computer guru for those "technical" questions.
The Mac has (unfortunately) become my 2nd language side of the Moon
Oh my gawd- I'm too PC!!! THAT is frightening!
... and a play on words- for the slower ones tonight.
------------------ The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day!
Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Convert text to curves (PC) = Create Outlines (Mac). You'll find that in the menu at the top of your screen under "type". The mac shortcut for that is command+shift+O (not zero, the letter O, as in "outlines"). Once you learn the shortcut, that's one you will use quite a bit.On a PC, the shortcut would be control+shift+O. If that doesn't work for PC, I'd suggest that you contact Bill Gates and ask for a full refund. hahahaha
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
Co-Leader (with Bill Modzel) of the Letterville Adobe Illustrator Support Group
posted
Glenn, can I read into your post that you want to start up the Corel version of what Bill and I are doing? hahahahaha
(just kidding, but there are alot of frustrated Corel users that frequent Letterville and I'm sure it would be a hit. It's not as difficult to do as it sounds....so far...ask me again in a couple months )
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
Co-Leader (with Bill Modzel) of the Letterville Adobe Illustrator Support Group
posted
I use a MAC and been messing around with AI for about 5 years. I was using AI 6 up till about a month ago, I have AI 9 now, it's a little tough to get used to without reading the book because some of the commands are under different menues than AI6. I use it and photoshop for designing vehicle art mainly, but also use it for writing letters with pictures to family and friends, and making business cards etc. I upgraded to 9 because I may want to get a cutter in the future and I hear I can cut directly from AI9 , but I'm not sure what the best software plug in would be for it, got any suggestions? Ive never used corel, but I really like using AI and Photoshop. I'm sure I'll have some questions.
posted
Rick, very best plug in for Illustrator, IMHO, is KPT vector effects. Of course, Kai's Power Tool plug ins for Photoshop are great too. Both have very cool and useful tools. I use AI 8.0, but was weaned on 6.0.
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
Co-Leader (with Bill Modzel) of the Letterville Adobe Illustrator Support Group
posted
First of all Hello Letterheads! After a couple of years reading the Bullboard I'm finally posting a message. I design everything from small themed window graphics to large pylon signs for an environmental graphic design firm here in L.A.,I started out with Corel 3 some years ago and made a switch to Illustrator 4 years ago. My favorite plug-in is CadTools. Anyone here use it?
If ever you want, you could start with SignofNCS, which is free to download from our website ! This one is ok for Adobe Illustrator 5 on Macintosh as for Adobe Illustrator 6 or 7 on PowerMacintosh.
For Adobe Illustrator 8 and 9, we have NCS MagiSign, seriously faster and still easier. It appears as a palette in Adobe Illustrator. Just select your artwork, define the final size and plot it DIRECTLY from Adobe Illustrator. You never be out of this environment !
It's the single really Adobe Illustrator based plug-in. Other so-called plug-in's announced on the market are just doing an export from Adobe Illustrator to a stand-alone application working as bridge. Meaning all the problems of other interface, file compatibility, etc
I keep at your disposal for any further info
Regards
Philippe JACQUES
------------------ Philippe JACQUES info@magisign.com
Want to produce signs in 4 steps directly from Adobe Illustrator ? Take a look at www.magisign.com…
It's a PDF file, you can choose to read it with Adobe Acrobat… or to edit it with Adobe Illustrator 9.0 I explained there how to create those style Bt you don't have to know how to create them to be able to use them. The easiest way : look for the "Style Library" directory or folder in the Adobe Illustrator one. Drop the MagiStyle.pdf file in this folder. Start AI. Just call the "MagiStyle" from the AI "Window-Style Library" menu item whenever you need it and apply it to you text. You can modify any of the parameters through the Appearance palette. Just activate the "Expand Appearance" from the edit menu before to plot it… And come back later to NCS later to learn more about our plug-in's for Adobe Illustrator !
------------------ Philippe JACQUES info@magisign.com
Want to produce signs in 4 steps directly from Adobe Illustrator ? Take a look at www.magisign.com…
How has your system stability been. Things started getting buggy for me with version 9 so I've gone back to V 8. I've been in contact with a large desing firm in town who has gone back to v8 also because the printers that they've been using have been having all kinds of problems with 9 files. They actually open them in 9, resave them as V8 and open them in 8 and save them again. I honestly haven't done much research into any problems on Adobe's websites. Anyone have any input on these issues?
------------------ Bill Modzel Mod-Zel screen Printing Traverse city, MI modz@traverse.com
Posts: 1357 | From: Traverse City, MI | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Yes, We have had many problems with V.9 so we all went back to version 8 as well. The only thing we are using it for in exporting files to dxf for cad drawings. I also hate that irratating window asking to change the drawing to either all rgb or all cmyk. When we first got V.9 we were using it on a job that we started on V.8, when we saved the file, it corrupted it, so the drawing wouldn't even open in V.8 on our older computers. I think we have a V9.2 here, but are too busy to see how it works.
posted
I have participated to Adobe Illustrator 9 beta test. I'm one of those who have been surprised by the decison of Adobe marketing team to launch Adobe Illustrator 9 too soon.
As results, they delivered few monthes after a first 9.0.1 update. Only in english. And few later a new fix, 9.0.2.
The US version of AI 9.0 must be updated once to AI 9.01 and than to 9.0.2. For other languages, just download 9.0.2 from Adobe site :
This version is fine. But it requires far more memory that previous version 8.0 (consider at least 50 mb as a minimum).
I love some features of version 9.0, like Effects (live effects). I appreciate that PDF is the native format of AI 9.0 : just save a file, it's ready for to send (as I did for my MagiStyle, see above).
But sure, it requires to understand AI is no more the old "EPS" based software… Rules have changed. One of the main for printer is that you have to decide between RGB or CMYK setup for each file. This is source of trouble for many printers.
------------------ Philippe JACQUES info@magisign.com
Want to produce signs in 4 steps directly from Adobe Illustrator ? Take a look at www.magisign.com…
I'm using v8 but I also went to the v9 demo (which is the whole program, just a 30-Day unrestricted demo) and had to come back to v8. I have to say though, I definitely like the ability to have transparency in v9, not only on the layer settings but also color/transparent gradients were nice.
I also received the "Convert all objects to CMYK" message in v9, which I dont understand because I dont even use RGB in Illustrator!
Anyway.. there are some updates and patches on Adobe's website although I'm not sure if they solve your problems or not. In my case, it was just an instability issue when I Placed bitmaps into the file for manual tracing, and I can't live with that.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Second, thanks for posting the name of that plugin. I've been wondering if there was a plugin for Illustrator for working in scale and dimensioning for some time now. It looks like just the thing I would need if I start using Illustrator more.
------------------ Bob Darnell London, Ontario, Canada
posted
Yea, i had a problem using AI9.0, my epson printer went haywire. Maybe it was because of the cmyk-rgb choices, I dont know. I figured if it didnt matter when using photoshop, that it shouldnt matter in Illustrator either. my printer wouldnt print anything from ai9, i switched the file to ai6 and it still wouldnt print, then my printer would just start printing weird stuff all by itself at any time. i trashed the preferences files and it still was messed up and I couldnt find my driver cd. I downloaded a new driver from Epson and everything is working fine so far. I cant tell what the problem was because I upgraded the mac os at about the same time.
posted
One more for the group. I have a buddy, new to Omega. I redraw a tiff file he had and sent him .ai and .eps files from my Mac. Neither worked for him. Gerber tech has been pretty much usless for him.
The only word I have so far is to send the file to someone with Corel, let them resave it as a CMX file and he MIGHT be able to import that to Omega.
------------------ Bill Modzel Mod-Zel screen Printing Traverse city, MI modz@traverse.com
Posts: 1357 | From: Traverse City, MI | Registered: Nov 1998
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For the cost of ONE Sign specific program, you can pick up at least one license each of Illustrator, PhotoShop, FreeHand, and CorelDRAW.. and never have to worry about being compatible with the world.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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What's the best way to make a good screenshot on a Mac for use in a step by step? I have Photoshop 5.5 here. (I know how to take a screenshot, just not how to best save it so it's crisp and clear for this purpose.)
Thank you in advance.
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
Co-Leader (with Bill Modzel and Dave Sherby) of the Letterville Adobe Illustrator Support Group
If any Letterville Adobe Illustrators need any help, feel free to email any of the three of us and we will help out as best we can.
posted
Sorry to interrupt yout thread Don, but while the Mac experts are pondering your question, I had one to ask.
I'm mainly a Corel user but thinking of dabbling with Illustrator. I just want to know if Illustrator 8 works with Windows95? Also, since there's now this Adobe hotline, should I get with or without manuals?
Thanks,
------------------ Bill Cosharek Bill Cosharek Signs N.Huntingdon,Pa
bcosharek@juno.com
Posts: 703 | From: N.Huntingdon, Pa, USA | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Don, try comand shift 4 to capture what you want for the screen shot. Bring it up in photoshop and use the unsharp filter a little along with the contrast adjustment. Then save it as a jpg. Thats the only way I know how to make a screen shot look a little better. Bill, definately get a manual or book if you can, Illustrator does a lot of stuff.
Install CorelCAPTURE on your MAC if they have it available. It lets you resize screen shots plus do a few other things without losing detail or readability.
We have the same problem with PC's.. the screenshot itsself looks great, but you can't resize it worth a darn and maintain readability.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Command-Shift-3 will give you a screenshot. If you drag a box, (never mind if it dissapears), and do Command-Shift-4 you'll get a shot of your selection. Just double checked it right here in IE. Both just drop the files on your main hard drive.
------------------ Bill Modzel Mod-Zel screen Printing Traverse city, MI modz@traverse.com
Posts: 1357 | From: Traverse City, MI | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Just to open it one more time. I wasn not here last week. We support MagiSign here in the USA, Latin AMerica and Canada. Try a free down load if you are using Adobe Illustrator. MagiSign can be purchased through a network of resellers. For price and performance it ist the best Mac solution for signmaking. Any comments on those folks already using MagiSign.
------------------ David LaVita SignVinylWholesale 904 Cross Keys Drive Doylestown, PA 18901 215-348-2777 dworld@ix.netcom.com
Posts: 25 | From: Billerica, MA USA | Registered: May 2001
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I would recommend getting the Visual Quickstart book to use as a reference. This will get you started. Whenever you get stuck on something, just drop the email in my box.
And as far as I know, AI8 works with Windows 95 (the windows version, that is ) If you don't already have version 8 though, you'll need to get either version 9 or find the older version on ebay or the like.
------------------ Don Coplen aka "SaintPete" Coplen Designs St.Petersburg, FL dcoplen@mindspring.com
Co-Leader (with Bill Modzel and Dave Sherby) of the Letterville Adobe Illustrator Support Group
If any Letterville Adobe Illustrators need any help, feel free to email any of the three of us and we will help out as best we can.
posted
Another Mac Illustrator user here... Cut my teeth on Illustrator 88, then 1.5, still have the diskettes it came on! At least no one here uses Freehand (Fisher Price version of Illustrator). Illustrator 9.02 is a pain in the butt, to either print or cut out of. The new effects filter is cool as long as you create your artwork to size (the shadows etc, are bitmap images) so when you enlarge that puppy it effectively drops the resolution of the bitmap, creates some real nightmares when you do a 300% enlargement of an Illustrator EPS in another layout program. Just an FYI... I still have Illustrator 6.0 installed and use 8.0 almost exclusively. So I throw my hat in the arena for any questions too!
------------------ Eric Patzer A.S.A.P. Design Lafayette, CO epatzer@earthlink.net
Posts: 208 | From: Lafayette, CO USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Macromedia's products seem to be more web oriented and less design/layout oriented, but eventually I'm sure it will come around. It just doesn't have the marketshare Illustrator or CorelDRAW have... and unless yer a young'un like me, it's too hard to learn new software (in a reasonable timeframe) when you can already do everything you need in your program.
I just try to stay on top of software.. it makes you more valuable to other companies when you can operate all the programs, or accept native file formats instead of trying to import/export everything.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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