Real World Adobe(R) Illustrator(R) 9 [Paperback]

Deke McClelland (Author), Sandee Cohen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201704056 | ISBN-13: 978-0201704051 | Publication Date: September 20, 2000

Graphics and Web professionals everywhere know that Adobe Illustrator is the industry's leading illustration tool. They rely on its flexibility and power to create professional-quality images and logos. For those who demand a detailed, under-the-hood guide to the software, Real World Illustrator 9 provides users with loads of valuable information. The revised edition of this book teaches essential techniques--not just how, but why and when to use special tools and functions. Authors Deke McClelland and Sandee Cohen team up to show readers how to create everything from simple line drawings to advanced, sophisticated images using Illustrator's rulers, guides, brushes, blends and masks, with attention paid to creating the best output image possible. New features in Illustrator 9 are thoroughly covered, including Illustrator's new Transparency Palette, Effects Menu, and added masking features. In addition, a new chapter focuses on using Illustrator to create Web graphics and animations. Previous Edition ISBN: 0-201-35387-3

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Two of the more prolific authors of how-to books have collaborated on this fun yet comprehensive look at Illustrator, a great application that is even better in version 9. For novice users, the book lays a good foundation before diving into the more advanced tasks. For more experienced users, chapter 1 lists what's new in version 9 and points to the appropriate chapters they'll want to read to get up to speed fast.

The book is divided into four sections: "Starting," "Creating," "Changing," and "Coloring." This is particularly suited to the vector-based nature of Illustrator. As opposed to a pixel-based application like Photoshop, the great advantage of working with art in Illustrator is how easy it is to modify objects.

Following along with instructions in the book is also easy, although you should pay careful attention to details in the screen shots, especially if you skip around rather than read cover to cover. To keep the price of the book down, most of the illustrations are small and black and white (though there is a color insert section). At times the sample artwork is a bit too busy to show the actions discussed. For example, the clouds and sun drawing that shows blending modes is too complex to clearly bring out the differences, even in the color section. And the images shown look more like clip art than professional projects.

Despite all this, the book is reader-friendly. The text size is comfortable (you can have the book by your monitor and not have to squint or lean in to read), and the captions are clear and detailed, so you can look just at the pictures and still learn a lot.

The text is casual and conversational, and the more serious information is set off typographically. This way, when there's not enough time to enjoy the chatty insights into why a feature exists or why you might want to use it, you can just proceed to the step-by-step instructions that make it all happen. --Angelynn Grant

Topics covered:

Comprehensive background and training in Illustrator 9, including:

• Tools and the work environment
• Creating artwork with the pen tools
• Working with points, curves, and type
• Creating and customizing graphs and charts
• Modifying and transforming objects and applying effects
• Integrating raster art and vector art
• Integrating Photoshop
• Working with fills, blends, brushes, masks, and transparencies
• Creating art for the Web, including GIFs, JPEGs, PNGs, and Flash animations (SWF)
• Using Actions and Styles to increase productivity
• Outputting files to print, including color separations or PDF

From the Back Cover

Entertaining, up-to-date and comprehensive, this is the definitive guide to learning industrial-strength techniques using Adobe Illustrator. The authors cover every tool and feature in Illustrator, providing helpful tips and hints throughout. Dozens of step-by-step techniques are provided and thoroughly illustrated. This edition has been thoroughly updated for Illustrator 9, and includes a new chapter on using Illustrator to produce Web graphics, with special focus on animated GIF, JPEG, Flash, and LiveMotion formats. Also includes a full color insert.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 896 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (September 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201704056
• ISBN-13: 978-0201704051
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,900,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe the hype and save your $$, December 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Real World Adobe(R) Illustrator(R) 9 (Paperback)

Buy the Illustrator Classroom in a Book if you're a professional designer, or want to create designs and illustrations like a professional. If you want a career in clip art creation, then this might be the book for you. I've never seen such amateur artwork.

Add on top of that the authors' cloying style which is both demeaning and seriously unfunny (but three cheers for trying, right??), and you've got a huge book that is a nightmare to plow through.

Oh, and Sandee Cohen never worked for Adobe...that was Luanne Seymour Cohen, who has written the excellent Design Essentials book covering both Illustrator and Photoshop.

It's too bad that Amazon doesn't let you preview a chapter...I doubt any copies of this book are being sold in real bookstores where you can actually pick up this "work" and leaf through it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars yuck., January 2, 2001

By 

jessi carter (northampton, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Real World Adobe(R) Illustrator(R) 9 (Paperback)

new to illustrator? look elsewhere, please. this book is not a tutorial, nor is it a decent introduction to the program. while it goes into great detail about each and every option associated with each and every tool, it does an extremely poor job of putting anything into context or explaining how any of the features would actually be used. it is extremely discouraging to a fledgeling illustrator user to not even be introduced to color until the fourteenth chapter. don't let the title fool you; this book has precious little to do with the real world. the organization is scattered -- the constant cross-references make reading it straight through impossible. a theory junkie myself, i was elated when i read the introduction and all of the background the authors gave. however, at some point, i just wished they would cut the cutesy jokes and tell me how to get started already. the only use i could imagine for this book would be perhaps for someone who was familiar with a prior version of illustrator and wanted to brush up a little bit. however, the cloying tone and terible organization would limit its use even then.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A little light for a "big" book, December 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Real World Adobe(R) Illustrator(R) 9 (Paperback)

The authors seem to gloss over a lot of Illustrator 9.0's features. I've been trying to use this as a reference book, but there are just too many things missing.

Maybe they'll get it right for version 10.0, I like Deke's writing style.