Graphics design program question

[PJ]

You should be using nothing but Adobe CS apps. If not then your working in not only ancient technology, but if your going to be looking for work in the design business, your going to be given the high-hat. (shown the door quickly)

As many here have noted, its a high-end learning, but once you do learn it, you'll see how productive it all really is. All of the products are designed for accuracy, speed and most, quality. It kills me when someone says that they know how to use Photoshop and then they start explaining to me how they know exactly where to go to work the curves function! Seriously!

When I first started designing, despite having some lengthy knowledge of Photoshop, I didn't know a thing about Illustrator other then how to get really frustrated. I got into an ROP program (which thanks to funding in the State of California, doesn't even exist anymore) When the instructor started asking me questions about InDesign: "Well yeah! I am designing!"

The fact is that I wasn't even close!

Do it right, don't cut corners and most be open-minded to going back to school. Thats what its going to take. There are going to be far more people that are a lot better then you are, but think the same way as you do--they just want to work! We are talking about a lot of really creative and artistic people!

The first thing you should be learning is art composition; color, perspective, font styles (serif, sans serif, etc. learn how and where those styles came from, because eventually, its important in choosing the style of fonts for projects.)

Also, one of the most important: refinement. You have to know when to keep on going and when to stop. You rush it, then its going to looked rushed. You go too slow, then you won't be holding a job very long. Go look on Craig's List and see how many firms are looking for graphic designers and "Photoshop experts." They fire them often! The fire them PERIOD!

Its here that you will figure out that Adobe is nothing more then a tool--a very good set of tools. You want to work with Mac, Snap On or Craftsman, then you better know and learn about how to use all of the tools and apps in Adobe's CS. You want to work with K Brand, available for close to nothing at Auto Zone, expect problems. BIG PROBLEMS!

Thanks, I am looking for one specific project and thought I could learn a little along the way. I knew it wasn't easy but it appears much deeper than I thought

 

[rckymtn3]

I'm wanting to goof around with this and learn a little bit.

I'm seen here in the past people post design ideas or sponsor ideas for cars that they have made.

Just getting started and trying to teach myself. Any suggestions on programs to try? Ideally freeby programs just to get started.

Thanks

I agree with most everyone here PJ....quality of images produced are directly connected to three things....artistic ability, tools, and time.

Since it seems you simply want to play around and stick a toe in the shallow end of the paint can, I suggest a cheap program to play with (cheap being under $50....most programs suggested here are into the thousands) don't know of a freebie program that can do anything other than the basic functions of resizing and brightness/contrast, and what you want is something that can paint with numerous types of brushes and sprays as well as something able to layer. It gets much trickier when you wish the quality of your image to appear photorealistic, including your signage appearing to conform to three dimensional surfaces. Shrug and assume your first images will look very flat and two dimensional. You can overcome this look by shading techniques and a whole lot of time adjusting lettering to follow curves. Most professional programs have tools that do this for you, but then we're talking a huge amount of time to create the framework that outlines these dimensions.
You want to take a few standard views of a car and paint signs on them, you'll still need a lot of time practicing to learn even the cheapest programs.

Back when these things (digital imaging) were just starting out, I purchased a freeware program. I used it and found I liked it, so I sent the guy the money and he gave me the code that unlocked all the features to the program. It was PaintShopPro. I still use that very same program when I feel like messin' around. Here's some of the simple but fun things I've done with it. Mind you, it took a whole lot of time to learn it all, but it was a hobby, so I saw it as fun.

A basic outline of a photo.....(probably much like what you wish to do)

And then color it much like a coloring book

Again, simple tracing of a photo and coloring it....notice how flat it seems. Shading would make it look better, but then you're talking heaps more time.

I played around a lot back on the NR webpage with whatever topics were being discussed....this was in response to Cole Coonce writing about the Nitro Ne'er-do-wells at Bakersfield or some Newstalgia race at the time.

 

[rckymtn3]

Both of these are animated files of images I created just playing around again. At the time, Cole couldn't use them because most people were accessing the internet with 286/486/Pentium1 technology, and these things were just too huge, and taxing on the basic video cards of the day...but you can see just how much or little you can do with even the simplest of programs....it's all up to you, the time you wish to spend, and the creativity you can use solving what are basically, mechanical problems in a digital medium. Have fun....