Real World Adobe Illustrator CS2 (Real World)

List Price: $44.99 Discount Price: $27.55

Customer Reviews:

Real World Adobe Illustrator CS2 Review [Posted on 2007-03-28]
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

Is this as good as it gets? [Posted on 2007-03-30]
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.

Good Book To Have [Posted on 2008-05-18]
I think all people who use any adobe software should have a book relating to the product.

handy book for Illustrator artist [Posted on 2008-09-10]
If you want to increase your current Illustrator knowledge this book is a good choice, take you inside to the knowledge of the program.
Good design and great proposed learning structure.
Isn't a book for illustrators as it, is just more a book for people interested in knowing more the tool.

Excellent intermediate training [Posted on 2008-10-04]
Bought the book as an intermediate trainng reference for my apprentices with no backgrounds in Adobe CS2 in my own agency. The practical training one gets is limited to the kind of projects the agency does. So, one will not really learn a lot until the need arises. This book for Illustrator (and I must say the same for Photoshop and InDesign) provided my staff with the whole gamut of skills to learn and practice exercise to be able to perform their work when we finally needed to do certain tasks.

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