|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mastering Creative Suite 2
Reviewed Date: June 21, 2005
Reviewed By: Paul Moran
Product Reviewed: Total Training for Adobe Creative Suite 2
With the recent acquisition of
Macromedia, Adobe Systems
significantly enhanced its ability to
provide users with a complete set of
solutions for creating, managing, and
delivering compelling content. Adobe
Creative Suite 2 Standard Edition combines
new versions of Photoshop, Illustrator and
InDesign. The coolest new component,
Adobe Bridge, provides multi-view file
browsing and cross-product integration
with all applications in the software line. It
also includes access to Adobe Stock
Photos, a new stock photography service
for high-quality, royalty-free images that
can be used in layout and design.
To help you get around the new release
of Creative Suite, Total Training
offers an engaging
training package for learning the extensive
new feature sets. With Adobe updating its
products almost yearly, you may wonder
how you'll keep up with all the new
features. Fear not – Total Training offers the
earliest set of DVD-ROMs for mastering
CS2 programs. Sit back and learn as Total
Training experts
show you how to
get the most out
of your Adobe
software.
Video as a
training tool helps
you visually
understand the
complex tasks inherent to digital design,
and allows Total Training's expert
instructors to share their design tips and
tricks. Total Training was also very diligent
about indexing each lesson on the quick
reference card included with each product
so that the video series can be an ongoing
reference tool. With over 45 hours of indepth
training and accompanying project
files in the CS2 Standard Edition training
package, I know at some point I'll need a
refresher – and easily finding what I am
looking for is a great convenience.
The DVD-based series are hosted by
Deke McClelland and Steve Holmes. Deke
McClelland is a well-known lecturer and
was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of
Fame in 2002, sponsored by the National
Association of Photoshop Professionals.
Steve Holmes is also an award-winning
print and web designer, animator and a
frequent speaker at conferences
worldwide. His knowledge of graphic
design software, typography and
production techniques is quite impressive.
These guys are real professionals, plus
they make the tutorials fun and on most
occasions, quite whacky!
The cornerstone application for every
graphic designer is Photoshop. Total
Training covers every aspect: with more
than 20 hours of tutorials, McClelland
addresses all of the important topics from
basics right through to advanced
techniques that will become part of your
everyday Photoshop skillset.
The first three parts of the course cover
fundamentals, Photoshop essentials
(necessary skills for using layers and
styles), advanced blending, masks and
channels, and incorporating vector-based
shapes and then discover Photoshop's
finest (uncover professional tools like
Mastering Creative Suite 2
The latest version of Adobe's Creative Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Bridge and GoLive – is
incredibly powerful, of course. But how many of us get beyond the tools to solve our immediate requirement
and find out what this software can really do? Creation asked Paul Moran, owner of VFXTalk.com, to take a
look at a video-based training package
camera raw, working with levels, curves and shadows, and applying
effects and filters).
There is a bonus for advanced users to teach you how to use the
new vanishing point feature for painting and editing in 3D, resulting
in precise match of perspective to your design. Plus, explore
Photoshop's new smart objects – a powerful new way to transform
and edit your layers non-destructively, allowing you to go back and
revise without any loss in quality.
The Illustrator CS2 training is an 18-hour course, once again
taught by Deke McCelland. Lessons are peppered with helpful
insights, tips and tricks on essential print and web design
techniques and ways to improve workflow with other Adobe
products.
Again, it starts from fundamentals, but moves swiftly on to teach
the necessary skills for applying gradients, adding blends, working
with masks, using transparency, and creating 3D effects. It also
explores the tight integration with other Adobe applications.
This time the bonus session is with Matt Richmond of the
innovative design firm The Chopping Block. His 50-minute session
shares his creative insight through the eyes of a photographer,
talent of a designer, and skills of an architect.
If you want to advance your skills in page design and publishing,
you need Steve Holmes on InDesign. In 16 hours over two DVDs
Holmes starts with the fundamentals of design, typography and
layout, then develops skills like how to create image tables, user
master pages, feather images, automate pagination, use the story
editor, build a table of contents, and explore the XML workflow and
interactivity with GoLive CS2.
In a bonus lesson he designs a poster from scratch, and the DVD
includes the Sportiva font he uses. Also on the bonus disk is
another custom font created by Mucca Design and royalty-free
images from iStockphoto.
The training package for GoLive was not available at the time I
completed this review, although it should be ready to go any day
now. The packages are available individually or as a bundle for only
£339 plus VAT, which I think is a good deal for finding your way
around the toolset. I think that the Total Training CS2 series offers
comprehensive coverage, and is a very thorough and professional
educational tool that delivers on all levels. Nothing beats the
opportunity to quickly learn at your own pace in a format that
makes learning fun.
View original at Creation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View Cart 
My Account 
