Customer Reviews

Real World Adobe Illustrator CS2

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book from the moment I saw it. It is visually very pleasing to look at, and when you're reading a book that's over 500 pages, how it looks really matters. The page layout is very clean, and the readability of this book is very high. One of the sections I appreciated was a breakdown by genre of use, such as "graphic designer," "package design," or "fashion and apparel design," that directs you to the chapters that would be most helpful to you. This book is good because he teaches you to actually use Illustrator in a functional manner rather than detailing every item of every possible submenu. Additionaly, you learn the conceptual why and then the how-to. There are "Featured Match-Ups" that clarify the differences and similarities between two similar tools, and for more complex features, such as 3D Revolve, there are excersizes to better demonstrate the tools. Overall, this is a really good tool to get you started in Illustrator, and has enough explanations that the intermediate user can benefit from reading it too. And finally, there is an appendix on converting from FreeHand to Illustrator, which, though not one of my needs, is faily good sized for those that are looking for help in that area. This book is a very complete overview of the whole Illustrator CS2 package and will have you actually accomplishing what you want to in the program.

When those of us who are experts in Illustrator run into a problem, Mordy Golding is often the person we go to for help. Now you too can turn to Mordy for help by keeping the Real Wolrd Adobe Illustrator CS2 book next to your computer.

As a teacher, consultant, author, and former Illustrator product manager, Mordy is uniquely qualified to write a "must have" reference book on Illustrator-- and that's what the Real Wolrd Adobe Illustrator CS2 book is-- a MUST HAVE REFERENCE BOOK.

This book is SO good, and his teaching style is so accessible for difficult features, that as author of The Adobe Illustrator CS2 WOW! Book, I asked Mordy to adapt a chapter of this book to include in the current edition of our book!

If you want a reference book that covers all the technical features of Illustrator -- the Real World Illustrator CS2 Book is for you!

I just took Mordy's class at ADIM9 and got his book. I have to say it's the best book for my needs I've seen, and I am a very experienced consumer of graphics tech manuals. I'm only about 1/3 through it, but my skipping ahead makes me believe the rest of the book has the same format: if you need a step-by-step project based book, this may not be the book for you. But, if, however, you want a very complete, advanced overview that builds knowledge upon knowlege from-the-ground-up of how this works for the professional, this is the book for you. I've been using Illustrator professionally for about four years and I was getting by but not always knowing the quickest way to do things. This book will save me SO MUCH TIME! Thank you Mordy and PeachPit Press!

Updated review follows:

I initially gave this a 4 out of 5 review, but after also getting the Adobe Illustrator CS2 Wow! book I have to downgrade my rating to 2 out 5. Why?

a. The book is black and white with a small insert of color samples. I don't know about you, but unless you are just drawing a bunch of outlines and b&w sketches, a manual on graphic arts NEEDS to be in color!

b. There was no CD accompanying the book. With all the other Illustrator books out there that include CDs, I really wonder why I bought this one.

End of edits. See original review below.

I got this book because of all the 'raving' reviews on Amazon. However, while I admit the book is useful, I can only give it 4 out of 5. Why?

1. The book is in many ways just a reorganization of the Illustrator help file with short examples. Therefore, if you have a printed version of the Adobe help then you probably don't need this book, unless you need the short examples which the Adobe help is short on.

2. The book is very short on involved or advanced examples. Instead what you get are simple, unconnected demonstrations of Illustrator's more obvious features and as soon as the book gets to something more advanced, e.g. outline strokes, all you get is some brief text. This is all VERY odd in my opinion for a book targeting visual learners.

3. The claim on the cover that the book is 'loaded with expert tips' is simply not true in my opinion. Sure there are a few, here and there scattered about, but the examples are too simple to be of any use in highlighting what I would consider 'best practice insights.'

4. What the book really needs is a methodical tutorial that brings it all together: vectors, text, meshes, 3D, color, etc. Here's a novel idea: a tutorial that walks you through recreating the cover graphic!

OK, that may sound a little harsh even though I am giving it 4 stars. But I think buyers need to know what to expect.

This is not a book for tricks and fancy wow's. But it is what it claims to be. A very good run down of how Illustrator works and if your a professional like myself you'll realize just how much you really dont know about Illustrator until you read through this. It will make a great reference for years to come.

Eureka!! I feel like I just touched the monolith. This book systematically addresses every feature in Illustrator that has confused and frustrated me.( It's a big book!) There are a number of illustrated step-by step techniques, but the real tasty stuff is in the written chapters. Probably not the best book for beginners. Buy this when you're ready to get serious.

This is a nice book,but if you never try illustrator before do not go for this book it is not for a beginner.
I am new at this kind of work,so this book help me to remember what I forgot and a little more.

This book was valuable on a number of fronts. I have never had actual training in Illustrator and as a result have shyed away from it as a tool. Preferring other vector programs, I was intimidated by Illustrator. This book allowed me to get past those feelings and take control of the tool.

This book is well laid out and offers a number of sidebar comments that are important points in each section. There are great full colour examples and indepth text that adds to the learning experience. The Trace Techniques section is, to put it mildly, outstanding. This really shows the power of the tool in gifted hands. I don't plan to be tracing french horn photos any time soon, but have had to do some rotoscoping in the past and have picked up a few new techniques.

The Typography section is indepth and pretty encompassing. Text is such a pain in programs. Does the printer have my font? Do I render to paths. Where is that font? The book guides you through the process of dealing with many type issues.

One of the most valuable areas for me was the appendix entitled - Moving from Freehand to Illustrator. As the books says, it was in place before the aquisition was announced and it won't solve any "which is better" arguments. But it does help you understand the two applications better.

Great value and good for an intro course or self learner for Illustrator. Best that you have some artistic talent as this is a guide to a very big power tool. Wear saftey glasses.

5/5

This book will take the intermediate user to the next level. Very well written and very useful.

I just came across this volume on my bookshelf when searching for an answer to an Illustrator question and find
that the book is still as disappointing as it was when I purchased it. This is definitely for the novice. I'm sure Mr. Golding is quite well versed in the software so the book must be intended for beginners although it says for intermediate/advanced users. This book is extremely frustrating. There are paragraphs that say (I paraphrase here), "You can even do this", and then not tell you how. Mordy, I implore you, if you are going to tell us all the nifty things that make Illustrator wonderful then add some pages to this relatively small volume and show us how.