adobe illustrator

[scottysprings]

I am looking to get adobe illustrator so I can upgrade out of paint. I don't have much money cause I dont have a job (i'm 13) so i cant afford a high priced program such as the new adobe illustrator 11 ($499.99). I can get a great deal on adobe illustrator 7.0 or 8.0. Are there any major differences in these (7.0 or 8.0) to the newer editions (10 or 11) that are important to making graphics? Thanks to anyone who replies...

[quantum]

Look into getting the student discount for illustrator CS.

[scottysprings]

Look into getting the student discount for illustrator CS.

Wow!!! thanks so much! I found it for $90 with a student discount!!!

[quantum]

Glad I could help.

[nafsder2003]

I have a feeling that the question I am about to ask has been beaten to death, but how is Illustrator different than Photoshop? I have photoshop, will there be any major differences when making logos?

[Waffles]

The difference boils down to Vector vs. Raster.

Very basically:

Vector deals with paths and shapes.

Raster deals with pixels and images.

Vector is better for logos and designs.

Raster is better for photos.

[nafsder2003]

The difference boils down to Vector vs. Raster.

Very basically:

Vector deals with paths and shapes.

Raster deals with pixels and images.

Vector is better for logos and designs.

Raster is better for photos.

...and Illustrator is Vector, right?

[Waffles]

Correct.

[the_cynic]

Is CS really that much better than 10?

[Waffles]

If you just want good, uncomplicated vector-based design, then 9 or 10 should be enough.

If you want powerful effects and filters, and all other kinds of addons that make your life easier and your designs better, then CS is the way to go.

[robbman21]

I have AI10 and have been debating the move to CS for a couple of months.If I upgraded to CS,how much-if any-is there a difference in the interface?I.E. could I go right from 10 to CS without missing a beat or would it take me a just a bit to get acclimated to the new version?

[slapshot]

You should be able to go smoothly from 10 to CS. CS has extra functionality, especially dealing with making graphics 3-D (think Adobe Dimensions).

Everything that you would have needed a plug in to do with vectors, or a 3rd party application, CS can pretty much do. You can rotate an object and extrude it, for example, making it look 3-D with sides and edges, etc.

Plus, I have yet to encounter a PDF file that could not be opened directly in CS, making it ripe to extract any vector artwork from it.

It does not make drawing and tracing any easier, however, those tools still work the same.

[the_cynic]

If you just want good, uncomplicated vector-based design, then 9 or 10 should be enough.

If you want powerful effects and filters, and all other kinds of addons that make your life easier and your designs better, then CS is the way to go.

Honestly, what's a couple more effects and filters? It's not like they did a complete overhaul.

[slapshot]

CS means Creative Suite. It's part of a whole package of programs that allow almost unlimited interaction between all of them. Plus, there is a function called "version cue" which instantly updates a linked file between applications when it's been edited.

Go to Adobe's website and read everything the programs have to offer. If you don't feel they're worth it, don't buy them.

[the_cynic]

CS means Creative Suite. It's part of a whole package of programs that allow almost unlimited interaction between all of them. Plus, there is a function called "version cue" which instantly updates a linked file between applications when it's been edited.

Go to Adobe's website and read everything the programs have to offer. If you don't feel they're worth it, don't buy them.

But are the effects themselves enough to upgrade?

[slapshot]

Yes

[the_cynic]

Is there anyway you could post some examples of what they effects do?

[slapshot]

Honestly, I haven't done anything yet that totally exploits all the new functions. I got CS because it was the first program that was made entirely for OS-X, and I wanted it to fly on my new G5. Aside from opening PDF files with ease, just about all my artwork could have been done in 10.

Although I do find the layers & masks easier to feal with, but it might be due to my OS and not the version of the program itself.

Check out Adobe, I'm sure they have an online gallery.

[the_cynic]

Although I do find the layers & masks easier to feal with, but it might be due to my OS and not the version of the program itself.

Yeah, I'm sure it's not as grand as you're thinking. It's not like there's 2 or 3 versions that separates the two either.

[pcgd]

In my job, I do alot of mock ups for exhibits that I design. CS has made making a 3D rendering of an environment incredibly easy and quick. An example was a wall full of different sized clear display boxes. I just created them in a head on view, used the extrude tool with a little perspective and presto, in about 10 minutes I was able to put a semi realistic look of the display boxes into the environment. This would have taken hours to make it look corect with Illustrator 10 and photoshop.

I have 10 at home. I have no troubles with it. If you have 10, you are perfectly fine. But don't do what my business did before I got there and buy one or two of the CS programs instead of the whole package. IE, we don't have Indesign, and it probably would have been cheaper to get the entire package instead of Photoshop CS and Illustrator CS seperatly.

Any graphic designer needs 2 programs. Photoshop and Illustrator. If you are gonna do any print work, you really should invest in InDesign. You can get similar programs that will get the job done like the macromedia package (Freehand, Flash, dreamweaver, etc) or quark and you can survive doing page layout with illustrator. Be warned on freehand however. If you want to send anything to production at a printing company, you will need to convert it to Illustrator, PDF, etc. So, its just an extra step.

Personally, if you don't have CS by now, I'd wait until the next version comes out. More than likely it will be CS2 or something like that. Get the whole package. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign.