Adobe Illustrator for Designing Pros

by Paul Gerstenbluth (ariefound@aol.com)

Background

Missed: tracing with Adobe Streamline software that only worked with my Mac Classic system. My Mac G4 running Classic operating system was my only recourse for tracing photos and images.

I checked the Adobe website for Adobe Streamline software updates. Adobe website remarked that it has ended the sale and development of Adobe Streamline software.

New, more powerful tracing capabilities are now in Adobe Illustrator CS2 software. Illustrator CS2 has the Live Trace feature eliminating the need for the Streamline program. In addition, Live Trace offers enhanced tracing quality, function and performance.

What is new in Adobe Illustrator?

• Adobe Illustrator's auto-trace tool. The new Live Trace features provide auto-tracing in black and white or color.

  First, you import a bit-mapped image. Next, click on Illustrator's Live Trace button. You can tweak any number of tracing parameters, and your tracing becomes updated.

  You then change the tolerance and thresholds, and tracing methods, and save these forms as new tracing presets.

  Tracing remains "live." You tell Illustrator to expand the tracing into normal Illustrator paths and fills.

• How do you use the Live Paint tool? Just like a bitmapped paint program, Illustrator will automatically fill the enclosed area with the current color. Live Paint can even fill areas that are not completely enclosed. Live Paint has a gap-detector that lets you close paths that have gaps.
• How do you color grayscale or 1-bit images? Select the bitmap object. Make sure the Fill button in the toolbox or Color palette is selected. Use the Color palette to color the image with black, white, a process color, or a spot color.
• Adobe Illustrator includes an updated interface and a new workflow for painting objects. It works with colors, patterns, and gradients.
• Illustrator has grids for laying out artwork. It also has a new tool for adjusting the shapes of paths, and new tools and options for working with vertical text and graphs. You can now use the new time-saving commands, palette features, and keyboard shortcuts.

  Recently-added tool tips and context menus help you quickly identify different interface elements and choose commonly-used commands.

Which Bitmap images and Vector graphics should you use in Adobe Illustrator?

Bitmap images are the most common medium for continuous-tone images, such as photographs or digital paintings. They can represent shades and color gradations. Bitmap images are resolution-dependent that contain a fixed number of pixels. They can lose detail and appear jagged when scaled on-screen or when printed at a low resolution.

Vector graphics are resolution-independent. You scale them to any size and you can print vector graphics at any resolution without losing detail or clarity. Vector graphics are the best choice for representing graphics that must retain crisp lines when scaled to various sizes and look great for making company logos.

Reactions: Pro

The outstanding feature of Adobe Illustrator CS 2 application is the ability to make Acrobat files. This allows you to combine illustrations and text for both the PC and Mac platforms. You do this by using Adobe Illustrator CS 2 compressed format for quick emailing to your clients.

Adobe Illustrator allows you to create RGB spot colors in your documents.

These documents are designed for both Web and print output. Illustrator CS 2 also correctly separates these spot colors on their plates when separating out of Illustrator. In addition, you can use these spot colors as RGB spot colors when creating EPS files.

Reactions: Con

Illustrator CS 2 does not have a Place keyboard shortcut key. Instead, you have to go to the Edit pull down menu and create a Place shortcut that is time consuming.

Adobe Illustrator CS 2 system requirements

Macintosh

• PowerPC® G4 or G5 processor
• Mac OS X v.10.2.8 through v.10.4 (10.3.4 through 10.4 recommended)
• 256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
• 960MB of available hard-disk space
• Color monitor with 16-bit video card
• 1,024x768 monitor resolution
• CD-ROM drive
• For Adobe PostScript printers: PostScript Levels 2 or 3
• Internet or phone connection required for product activation
• Broadband Internet connection required for Adobe Stock Photos.

Final Words

You will find that Illustrator CS 2 has the new tools you need for designing your illustrations.

A good source for learning how to use Illustrator CS 2 is http://www.video-tutes.com/packages/ILLDesign1.php website.

Paul Gerstenbluth is President of the ARIE Foundation and is a Macintosh consultant. The ARIE Foundation's mission is to provide VA hospitalized patients with hobby materials and Macintosh Powerbooks that helps in their stay and recovery.

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