Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 (Paperback)

~ Mordy Golding (Author) "Adobe Illustrator, like most other Adobe applications, contains many tools, panels, windows, menus, and commands that enable you to get your work done..." (more)
Key Phrases: document setup, new brush, gradient mesh, Live Paint, Live Trace, Color Guide (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 is the definitive reference to Adobe's industry-standard vector graphics software. With an easy, engaging style, author Mordy Golding takes readers through all of the features of the program, explaining not only how to use the multitude of features but also why and when to use them. This edition has been thoroughly updated for Illustrator CS3, including insightful techniques on using the new Live Color environment and its tools, a new Isolation mode for working on complex artwork, and new tools for drawing, erasing, modifying, and cropping graphic. New integration features with Flash CS3 are also covered in depth; for example, readers learn how symbols can be defined as movie clips for use in Flash. Now that Illustrator and Flash are both part of several bundled offerings of the Creative Suite, this coverage is a key part of the entire uninterrupted workflow from initial concept to final execution.

Along with tips, sidebars, and expert commentary, there are also numerous illustrations and screen shots included to offer readers the most complete coverage on this extraordinary application. Designers from all fields--illustrators, animators, package designers, graphic designers, web designers, and more--will find Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 their one-stop guide to creating powerful designs in Illustrator

About the Author

MORDY GOLDING has played an active role in design and publishing since 1990. An Adobe Certified Expert and Adobe Certified Print Specialist, Mordy was the product manager for Adobe Illustrator 10 and Adobe Illustrator CS. A popular presenter at Macworld, PhotoshopWorld and other worldwide events, Mordy is also the author of several books, including SAMS Teach Yourself Adobe Creative Suite All in One, The Web Designer's Guide to Color, and the previous edition of Real World Illustrator. In 2003, Mordy was named a Champion of Graphic Design by Graphics IQ. Currently he serves as the founder of DesignResponsibly.com, teaching designers and printers how to successfully adopt today's new technology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 584 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1st edition (August 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321496213
• ISBN-13: 978-0321496218
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,003 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mordy Golding is one of the true masters of Illustrator!, October 2, 2007

By	Sharon Steuer "The Adobe Illustrator CS3 WOW!... (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mordy Golding is not only one of the true masters of Illustrator, but he is a magnificent teacher. Mordy can explain complicated features in a way that beginners can easily grasp. We are all lucky that in addition to being such an expert, and teacher, that Mordy has the time to author books such as this. No book can cover all the features of a program as complicated as Adobe Illustrator, but Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 comes very close, and it is a book that I am proud to associate with (we have excerpted this book in the Adobe Illustrator CS3 WOW! Book). I have noticed that there have been some criticisms here about this book being in black and white, and it's important for readers to know that the only way that this immense book can remain affordable is to make it in black and white (with a color signature!)-- it's not meant to compete with the full color books such as Illustrator WOW!, any more than the WOW! Books can provide the level of technical detail found in this Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3. Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 is a comprehensive reference book that is both good for beginners, and users of all levels will find that this is a great book to keep beside the computer while you work.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent so far, August 26, 2007

By	David R. Harper (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

I am not a graphic design expert guru nor have i finished Mordy's book (I am only on Chapter 4) but I am reviewing because the first and only reviewer is, what is the word i am look for....sort of an dumb-dumb. (the commenter is absolutely correct; the system should delete reviews like the first one for this book). The book is clearly 4 or 5 star material. I can't speak to the book from a expert perspective. But this is not a book on graphic design; further, the book goes deep on color/live color and you don't actually need to see everything in color to learn the color tools.

I am still learning illustrator CS3. I took most of Deke McClelland's mega course at [...] and i also just started Mordy's [...] course "essential illustrator cs3." I highly recommend both and this book, too. But i had a tough time getting over the initial learning curve. I think illustrator cs3 is hard to learn. Mordy's approach, in the book and in his [...] videos, is borne of teaching experience. The book does not go into a catalog of features. Instead, he starts early on layers and the appearance palette. This was exactly what i needed. I finally get illustrator because i see it as paths in layers, and attributes to paths as reflected in the appearance palette. I probably simplify, but when you "get" paths, layers and the appearance palette, it all starts to come into place (e.g., all the live effects are just additional attributes!).

The book doesn't walk thru projects with associated downloadable files, that's a difference from some others. It is a bit more like a reference, except organized sort of by jobs rather than features. But Mordy (like Deke) is world class and you won't find a better Illustrator instructor.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good Only if this is your First Book on Illustrator, October 2, 2007

By	David Nickel - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Golding might be an expert on Illustrator, but it does not show through in most of this book. The only detailed chapters were the graph and 3D chapters. These were the only chapters I thought provided any true insight. The rest seemed like it was taken verbatim out of the manual.

I thought the classroom in the book provided much more insight and info than this book. I might have liked this book better if this was the first book I got. However, the book claims that it is targeted towards Intermediate / Advanced users - and except possibly the 3D section, I can not agree.

Also, one of the highlighted features of the book was the "detailed" flash integration. There was maybe a total of two and half pages devoted on Flash - just regurgitated from other places.

I would have liked to see more insight and some more tutorial driven approaches to see how the guy, who is supposed to be an Illustrator genius, works.

I did love the cover art.