Design software advice

[Bayne]

Hi, I'm really interested in becoming a sign writer/sign maker, whatever you want to call it. I've always had a natural skill for the design and implimentation of signs and graphics to assist brand/business indentity. What I really want to know is, seeing as I've basically been self taught in a few random design programs, what software do you think would be most beneficial to learn for someone looking to get into this area of expertise? I really want to learn in broad strokes, so as not to limit myself if and when different skills are required in certain software, etc. I've heard such programs as Adobe InDesign CS5.5 and Corel Photoshop, even AutoCAD for the technical side of things but I'm so confused by it all and where to start. What I'd really like it a simple rundown of what each design software is good for so I dont have to keep guessing as to which one to start learning more on. Anyone care to offer some advice?

[JamieRose]

Basically if you download a trial of Adobe CS6 Design Standard, it will have all the necessary tools to design pretty much anything you need across the programs it contains, such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, and i believe Flash as well.

[BrandMooreArt]

a lot of sign shops use Corel but i wouldnt recommend anything other than illustrator and Photoshop. you may be able to get away with just using illustrator

[SDX]

a lot of sign shops use Corel but i wouldnt recommend anything other than illustrator and Photoshop. you may be able to get away with just using illustrator

have to agree on this one. Adobe creative suite is definitely the way to go. We used to have Corel at work but binned it off in favour of the adobe packages.

[Bayne]

Thanks guys. I get the idea that photoshop is probably an 'easier' program to get initiated with than illustrator is... but are they compatible? If you learn photoshop, does any of that knowledge pass on to illustrator when you learn that? Or are they pretty different all together?

[BrandMooreArt]

Thanks guys. I get the idea that photoshop is probably an 'easier' program to get initiated with than illustrator is... but are they compatible? If you learn photoshop, does any of that knowledge pass on to illustrator when you learn that? Or are they pretty different all together?

i would say they are both easy to use in the sense that its easy to use the tools, they just take some time to learn and get used to how they work. the Pen Tool is in both programs. its a simple process of clicking and dragging (making points and curves) but the trick is learning where to place those points, and how that affects the curves that will follow. each programs pen tool behaves just a bit differently as well.

there is some carry over though. its not like learning 2 different languages, its just that they are used for different things. its hard to explain. you will need Illustrator because it produces vector (scalable art) graphics. you can use Photoshop but its raster graphics (made from pixels). so every logo i do is in Ai. my presentation backgrounds are made in Ps.

[Bayne]

Your advice is much appreciated.

[drdougfresh]

Adobe products in general are pretty continuous in terms of user experience. Like Brandon said, it's not like learning a new language (maybe more like learning the differences between Spain's Spanish and Mexico's Spanish, though) — you will learn your way around, and notice a lot of similarities in terms of functions and tools. Honestly, for me, the most annoying thing between everything I use daily (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver) is accidentally using the wrong shortcut in a program (like using CTRL+B to paste behind in InDesign).

Like everything, it takes a little time, but you can totally get a hold of it with practice (and YouTube — there's a tutorial for anything you'd want to do).

[andrewharrington]

Kind of offbeat, but what is going to make people go to your sign shop over the Sign-A-Rama down the road? Maybe try something more unique to get noticed, like hand lettered signs. There's a market for doing things the way they used to be done. You can always subcontract digital work out to the other shops if you don't want to turn people away.

All this is moot if you don't have a painting or lettering background, but if you want to make signs, you want to make signs, right? Hopefully you have some sort of background or desire in sign-making.

[Bayne]

Kind of offbeat, but what is going to make people go to your sign shop over the Sign-A-Rama down the road? Maybe try something more unique to get noticed, like hand lettered signs. There's a market for doing things the way they used to be done. You can always subcontract digital work out to the other shops if you don't want to turn people away.

All this is moot if you don't have a painting or lettering background, but if you want to make signs, you want to make signs, right? Hopefully you have some sort of background or desire in sign-making.

Absolutely. I eventually want to offer sign making that uses 'old-school' methods rather than the all to common digital printing stuff you see everywhere. This is why this business interests me...I've been working with wood and paint for years in an non-professional environment at home. This doesn't mean that learning some of these programs won't be of assistance however, because they will. I have much to learn but the possibilities are exciting.