Book Review: Adobe Illustrator CS3 Classroom in A Book
The first Adobe product I tried was Photoshop 5. It took over ten years from the first time I learned Photoshop (and web design in particular) until I discovered the potential and powerful design tool of Adobe Illustrator has (later we called AI). I read some blog and article, especially from Veerle Pieters lots AI tips. AI is great tool. While discussed with some fellow experienced designers, especially those who worked for printing design, they told me something like this, “Whatever you dreamed off, whatever your imagination are, you can build with Illustrator”. Wow, I just very passionate about it. I can’t wait for more.
- Title: Adobe Illustrator CS3: Classroom in A Book
- Author: Adobe Creative Team
- Paperback: 488 pages
- Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 Pap/Cdr edition (May 4, 2007)
- List Price: $54.99
Last year I went to U.S. for 2007 TopCoder Open event, I have a time to visit local Borders bookstore if I recalled, and found this one and only books about Illustrator at that time, Adobe Illustrator CS3: Classroom in A Book. I think there were several AI books published, but this one is published by Adobe Press, and it got lots of good review.
And, if I remember, the time I went to the bookstore was on early June, so the Adobe CS3 series was just launched in March 2007. It’s such great product. Everywhere reviewed it. Some great changes and features has been introduced. And, especially the AI, it has a lot of features such as Isolation mode, Live Color, and also better integration with other Adobe product such as Flash. But, later I found out that I finally got a time read this book and also trained myself with it like in a classrom around March 2008. Terrible. So, this time I decide to share what I got with this book.
What you Get
Other than the book, you also get a CD companion containing all the tutorial source files. I found this file is better organized. And, from each chapters, you will found several duplicated files, just in case you do not following the pattern it given. It has like chapter01_star.ai for starting point showing how all is started with blank canvas or some decent graphics. It also has like chappetr02_end.ai depicting how you will get at the end of tutorials. Of course, there is chapter01_what.ai, depicting the case when you have followed the what case, and so on. So, you will be good guided.
Book Organization
Reading from the table of contents, I think this book is interesting. In addition to usual list of title and page number there are also some preview image, so it is nice browsing the contents. And, I found that the organization of this book is quite good. It has 15 chapters dedicated to the tutorials itself, and also three introduction chapters like Getting Started, What’s new in AI CS3, and A Quick Tour of AI CS3. The fun thing is, just by followed the Quick Tour chapter, I found several things very interesting about AI that explained in this chapter. From live tracing, live paint, placing photoshop image, and also playing with text outline. Wonderful. This chapter is like promoting what AI CS3 has so it became very nice introduction. I hardly can’t wait to follow next chapter. We’re invited!
Contents
If you are just like me who just get into Illustrator, but having a knowledge of previous Adobe product, this book was such good thing. It covers everything. But, even you are new, I think almost everyone can deal with this book. And remember, this book is targetted for those who just learning AI, so do not expect more surprising thing here. And, this book really dedicated to it, it tries to warn you about everything from your workspace setting, and also each keyboard shortcut for both Mac and PC platform. Very nice.
Each chapter trying to cover AI features has. First, the book invited you to the Work Area of Illustrator CS3. It ask you to try several tools. Well, first I am bored. Then I go to the Review Question which available in the every last page of each chapter, but I found I am silly not able to answer some of them. What the heck? I try to read and practice each things, and I am smart then. Do not worry, there are also Review Answer in each question. I do not recommend you ever read this page, except you are not worry to leave some thing in as your knowledge. Other than that, I found this book mentioned several shortcut which I thought very surprising. Several keyboard shortcut even very useful to work with, and it only can be found buried under tons of pages in Illustrator Help.
This book covers almost everything in Ilustrator, from selecting and aligning object, creating shapes, object transformation, drawing with pen tools, color and painting, type, layers, blending, brushes, effects, graphic styles, symbols, and some advanced features like combining Illustrator with other CS3 product, and also color separation. And remember several nice thing are also buried under those topic, such as creating 3D and applying effect on 3D surface which you can found on effects chapter. Well, if you like me who followed this book from chapter to chapter, you will found interested thing as your knowledge.
Values
This book officially priced at $54.99. Such expensive. But if you buy it via Amazon, at the time of this writing they will give you 37% discount, so you only need to pay $34.64. Oh yeah it only paperback. But it printed full color.
I found that this book gave me the values, since I am just beginning to learn Illustrator. But if you are experienced in other Adobe product, and since there are many books about Illustrator on the market, I bet you will try to find most advanced topics. Although, even right now, I felt this book just sufficient for me to cover from beginning to most advanced one.
Final Note
I got this note from many design book I ever read and from friends. And I guess I will share it to you too, especially for you who share a passion to become a good designer. Illustrator is just a tool. Whatever it takes to make you a better designer is you. A lot of practice as well as a good understanding about what design is recomended.
Wish you all enjoy this review and hope it useful to everyone.
Have a nice day.
UPDATE: Book information and final note.
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